《Way of Choices》
1 Prologue – Descending the Mountain
The world is relative.
The Center Continent and the Great Western Continent face each other across the distance of the vast ocean. The lands of the east are relatively higher, and the sky there also seems to be higher. Rising up from the lands and the seas, the clouds and mist incessantly make their way to that place. Ultimately, they all converge and do not disperse for the entire year.
This place is the Cloud Grave, the grave of all the world''s clouds.
In the deepest depths of the Cloud Grave is a solitary mountain, its peak piercing into void, the place it leads a mystery.
In the legends, the world consisted of five continents. Every continent possessed different sights and scenery, but only the powerful existences that had entered the Divine Domain would be able to see them all. To normal people, the legends were just legends. They did not know where the other continents were, did not know how to get there, did not know that the solitary mountain within the Cloud Grave was the path to the other continents.
Naturally, there was also no one that had seen the scenery high up above the clouds. Here, the cloud layer was like white down spreading off in every direction, seemingly without end. Above it, behind that void mirror, was an endless black abyss. Within this abyss were countless stars.
Suddenly, two stars began to glow, growing brighter and brighter. As it turned out, they were approaching the mirror at high speed. Only when those two stars arrived in front of the mirror did it become evident that they were actually two balls of sacred and pure flame.
A spider web of cracks appeared upon this mirror that separated the real world from the night, and then it was instantly repaired.
Those two balls of pure and sacred flame had, through some mystical method, appeared on the side of the mirror that faced the real world. The thin air was ignited and began to endlessly ripple and contort. Those were not sacred flames, but something''s eyes.
The entire world was disturbed by its colossal descent. Rays of light shot out without end as a mountainous shadow cast itself over the surface of the clouds. Space began to twist as if it was about to crack.
A great Golden Dragon appeared between the void and the clouds.
That red sun in the distance was completely obscured by its massive body. The countless li that was the world above the clouds grew dim and the temperature rapidly dropped. Crystals of ice began to form within the clouds and reflect countless rays of light, transforming into strange flickering mirrors of crystal. The heavens and earth changed colors. This was the majesty of a supreme existence.
The great Golden Dragon surveyed the world, its eyes indifferent.
The scenery high up above the clouds had been seen by it many times.
The great Golden Dragon flew towards that solitary mountain at the horizon. As it got close, its massive and terrifying body sank into the clouds, submerging out of sight. The boundless mist was torn apart by its massive and terrifying body. The cliffs of the solitary mountain were craggy and rugged, barren of plants or even moss. A deathly stillness hung over it, similar to a grave.
Just like this, the dragon continued to fly down into the depths of the fog, passing through seemingly endless days and nights. How far it flew was a mystery, but from beginning to end, it was always amongst the fog, not encountering anything else. As it flew deeper, it could faintly make out moss growing on the cliffs, and the clouds and fog were also much thicker than the clouds up above. Perhaps because of the pressure it exuded, many crystals began to form in the clouds. They were water droplets, causing the air to also moisten.
The Golden Dragon displayed no interest in these changes and continued its flight downwards.
The plants on the solitary mountain gradually increased, the clouds gradually grew moister. The drops of water fell on the cliffs, gradually converging into countless tiny brooklets the thickness of a leaf. Innumerable slender brooklets of water gurgled down the cliff and descended into the clouds.
The Golden Dragon gazed at the countless slender brooklets streaming down the solitary mountain, the expression within its eyes growing much more solemn, the two balls of divine fire increasingly serenethis place was the grave of all clouds and also the source of all waters.
Countless streams of water descended from the mountain, but it had eyes for only one.
The Golden Dragon silently flew down through the fog, following this stream, experiencing countless days as if it would repeat this action forevermore, until at a certain momentthe fog in front of it dispersed.
Before the fog was the ground.
The lower fringe of the fog was very flat and smooth, completely in accordance with the contours of the earth and perfectly preserving the distance between the fog and the ground. It was five feet of space, precisely the height of a human, as if it had been planned by the Creator. The five feet of space between the ground and the fog extended far into the distance, where rays of light could faintly be seen, but no sun. The ground was covered in countless streams.
The fog was scattered by the dragon''s massive head, revealing the ground and that one particular stream.
Clear, calm, and cold, the stream water originated from the condensed moisture of the solitary mountain. Within the stream floated a wooden basin, in the basin were several layers of cloth, and atop the cloth was an infantthe infant''s complexion was tinged with blue and its eyes were closed. It was obvious that it had been born not too long ago.
The mist over the stream bloomed like flowers, bursting into numberless petals, crowding, surging, scattering. With a whoosh, the head of the Golden Dragon, larger even than a palace hall, slowly probed through fog and reached the surface of the stream.
The five feet of distance between the fog and the stream was very narrow to it. The Golden Dragon''s body and part of its head were concealed in the fog. This only made it seem more august, enigmatic, monstrous.
The Golden Dragon quietly watched the stream.
The wooden basin bobbed up and down in the stream.
In the tiny wooden basin was a newly-born and abandoned infant, its eyes closed and its face tinged with blue.
...
...
The fog gradually dispersed and all returned to tranquility.
Yet this tranquility was temporarydeep within the fog, even up to the solitary mountain itself, countless shrill, panicky whistles and howls almost simultaneously rang out!
This world originally thought to be still and lifeless had actually concealed many birds and beasts. From within the fog could be heard the fluttering of wings, the panicked and haphazard charge of a Unicorn smashing through ancient and massive trees, and even the extremely clear cry of a Phoenix!
An intangible string of fire formed of divine intent spread from the stream bank towards the horizon. The moist grass instantly became incomparably dry. Even the grass within the water began to curl up at the edges!
The Golden Dragon''s eyes remained emotionless, noble, apathetic, lord of all under heaven.
It did not care about the myriad beasts wildly rushing about in the world below the fog. It did not even care about that young Phoenix. It only stared at the small stream before it, stared at the wooden basin floating atop the stream. Tens of thousands of streams descended from the solitary mountain, but it only had eyes for this stream. After thirty-thousand years, it had finally returned to this world, all for the sake of the infant in the wooden basin; how could it move away its gaze?
An extremely thin thread of light descended. The surface of this thread of light was covered in gold while within was a sacred white that seemed like it could emit a light of its own. The forward portion of the thread was extremely thin, while it gradually grew thicker towards the end, ultimately reaching the thickness of a child''s arm. The surface of this thread of light was extremely smooth and perfect, especially the luster that showed through from the very depths of the thread. This only added to its beauty.
This thread of light seemed to be made of gold or jade, giving off a sense of immense weight. In reality, it was very light, swaying back and forth in the slight breeze over the stream, as if it was dancing, wanting to gently approach that wooden basin but pulling away in the next second.
This was the Golden Dragon''s whisker.
At this moment, the divine fire within the Golden Dragon''s eyes was no longer eternally calm, indifference completely replaced by deep thought as if it was hesitating over something. The forward parts of its two whiskers were like gentle fingers, seeming to lightly graze against the edge of the wooden basin, as if caressing it. In reality, however, they did not really touch the basin.
This Golden Dragon had already lived through many endlessly long years and possessed unimaginable wisdom. Yet this wooden basin seemed to present to it an unsolvable problem. The emotions in its eyes grew increasingly complex. There was desire, wariness, hesitation, and finally, struggle. Perhaps accidentally, perhaps intentionally, the wind blowing over the stream slightly shifted, and the edge of the wooden basin which seemed like it would barely brush past the dragon whisker gently shook. At last, for the first time, the dragon whisker finally touched the wooden basin, and even brushed past the ear of the infant within!
This gentle touch produced an intense changethose two specks of divine fire in the depths of the Golden Dragon''s eyes seemed to explode into tens of thousands of stars. Within this sea of stars was unvarnished desire, cruel and avaricious!
This desire was praise, was moving.
Praise for life, moved by life.
It was life''s most primeval longing.
The Golden Dragon gazed at the wooden basin and opened its mouth, dragon breath like fragments of jade pouring out.
The infant in the basin still had its eyes shut, completely unaware of what would happen next.
A shadow shrouded the stream.
Dragon breath fell all around the wooden basin.
In the next moment, the wooden basin and the infant within would become the Golden Dragon''s food.
Just then.
A hand grasped the edge of the wooden basin and pulled it to the stream bank!
This hand was covered in scars, thin and weak, and very small.
With the sloshing of water, the surface of the stream was broken as the hand pulled the wooden basin away and its owner ran for his life to the stream bank.
The owner of this hand was a small Daoist boy around three or four years old.
The Daoist boy pulled the wooden basin to the stream bank and hid it between his body and a rock. He then turned and pulled a sword from his waist, wielding it towards that terrifying, massive Golden Dragon head.
This was a very strange Daoist boy.
He was blind in one eye and missing one ear. When he had been running for his life in the stream just a moment ago, it was easy to see that his legs were somewhat lame. From his empty sleeve, it could be seen that he even had only one hand.
No wonder he needed to hide the wooden basin behind him first before pulling out his sword.
The Daoist boy''s face paled at the sight of the massive dragon head over the stream. His teeth were chattering, not because of the frigid waters of the stream, but because of the fear in his heart.
This was his first time seeing a real dragon. He didn''t even know what a dragon was, he only knew fear. Yet he did not escape, instead holding that thin wooden sword and tightly blocking the basin behind him.
The Golden Dragon looked upon the boy with indifference. Only supremely strong experts that had similarly broken into the Divine Domain would be able to see the anger and callousness in the depths of its eyes.
The Daoist boy seemed to yell something. His face was pale, his fear abnormal, yet he did not relinquish the basin in his possession.
Furious, the Golden Dragon''s breath enveloped both sides of the stream and death was on the verge of arrival.
The wooden sword dropped from the boy''s hand into the stream as he turned to hug the wooden basin to his chest.
The scales of the Golden Dragon chafed against the mist, their collision spurting out countless gouts of Celestial Fire and setting the stream aflame.
At this moment, a middle-aged Daoist appeared on the stream bank.
The middle-aged Daoist gazed up at the Golden Dragon, his expression serene.
The Celestial Fire over the stream was suddenly extinguished.
The Golden Dragon stared at the middle-aged Daoist and let loose a dragon cry!
This cry was extremely drawn out, almost as if it would never come to an end. It was an extremely complex syllable, sounding just like an extremely complex tune and also like the natural world''s most terrifying hurricane, carrying with it an unimaginable might!
The middle-aged Daoist gazed back at the Golden Dragon and spoke a single word.
It was a single syllable, its pronunciation extremely strange and incomprehensible, seemingly bearing no similarities to the language of humans. This fragment seemed to contain endless information and overflowed with an aura of ancientness!
The Golden Dragon understood, but it did not agree.
Thus, the fog above the stream began to fiercely churn.
Dragon breath spurted everywhere, the moist grassland and trees by the stream instantly transformed into a terrifying field of fire.
The young Daoist boy had his back to the small stream, utterly unaware of what was happening. He fearfully lowered his head, closed his eyes, and tightly clasped the wooden basin to his chest.
...
...
After a seemingly interminable time had passed, the stream bank finally grew quiet once more.
The Daoist boy gathered up his courage and turned his head, but only saw the limpid waters of the stream. The fire on both sides of the stream had already been extinguished, and only the scorched trees and rocks ruptured from heat remained to recount just how terrifying the battle just now had been.
From deep within the fog came the roar of a dragon. This roar was filled with anguish, reluctance, and regret. It was telling all five continents of the world what bitter anguish and deep regret its previous hesitation had brought it.
The young Daoist boy was given a fright. His one hand holding the wooden basin, he hobbled ashore and walked to the middle-aged Daoist''s side, timidly gazing up at the fog.
The middle-aged Daoist extended a hand and extinguished a flame on the boy''s shoulder.
The Daoist boy thought of something and somewhat arduously raised up the wooden basin.
The middle-aged Daoist took the wooden basin and gently embraced the infant within. Separated by a cloth, the fingers of his right hand rested on the infant''s body. Soon after, his brows creased.
"Your fateis truly very bad," he said pitiably to the cloth-wrapped infant in his hands.
...
...
In the east of the Eastern Continent was a small village called Xining. Outside Xining was a small stream, by the stream was a mountain, and in the mountain was a temple. There were no monks in the temple, only a middle-aged Daoist with his two disciples who were cultivating and comprehending the Dao.
The mountain was a nameless green mountain, the temple an abandoned Buddhist temple. Of the two disciples, the older''s Daoist name was Yu Ren, while the younger was called Chen Changsheng.
Xining Village lay within the borders of the Zhou Empire. Eight hundred years ago, the Great Zhou Dynasty established Daoism as the Orthodoxy. Even now, in the present Zhengtong era, the Orthodoxy united the world and was revered by all. Based on principle, this master and his disciples should have lived lives of silk clothes and jade rice. However, it couldn''t be helped that Xining Village was too remote, and the run-down temple even more so. On normal days, it was rare to see the sight of people, so they could only live lives of plain tea and simple food.
Daoists naturally needed to cultivate the Dao. In the present world, there were countless cultivation methods, but the cultivation method taught by this middle-aged Daoist was completely different from those taught by any other sect. It did not put emphasis on cultivation and comprehension, did not care about Fated Stars and Meditative Introspection, was not concerned about refining the mind. Only a single word mattered: ''memorize''.
As a child, Yu Ren began to recite the scriptures of the Dao, and from the moment Chen Changsheng could open his eyes, he was forced to sit opposite and gaze blankly at those ancient books suffused with yellow. The first thing he knew of was a room filled with Daoist classics and scriptures. After learning how to speak, he began to learn how to recognize words, and then he began to recite and memorize the words within those Daoist classics and scriptures.
Memorizing and learning until they were so familiar with these books that they could recite them from back to frontthis was the life these two Daoist boys lived out in this run-down temple.
When they awoke in the early morning, they would memorize books. Under the blazing sun, they would be memorizing books. When the hoarse ring of the bell rang out the coming of twilight, they were memorizing books. Springs flowers bloomed in warmth, summer thunders rumbled, autumn winds rustled, and the winter snow was cold and desolate, and they were sitting amongst the fields, at the stream bank, under the tree, by the plum blossoms. Holding up the Daoist scriptures, they would be constantly reading, memorizing, unaware of the gradual passing of time.
An entire room of the run-down temple was piled high with scrolls and books of Daoist scriptures. When he was seven, Yu Ren once counted them in a fit of boredom. There were no less than three thousand books, the three thousand scriptures of the Great Dao. Each book contained from several hundred to around a thousand words. The shortest was the "Classic of Gods" at three hundred and fourteen words, and the longest was the "Classic of Longevity", which contained at least twenty thousand words. These three thousand scriptures were the entirety of what they needed to memorize.
The brother disciples incessantly repeated and memorized, only seeking to remember, never seeking to understand. They had long since become aware that their master would never answer any sort of question they had with regards to the Daoist scriptures, only saying, "Remember, and understanding will naturally come."
To those children just beginning their studies that only desired to play, this sort of life would truly be difficult to imagine. Fortunately, this green mountain was out of the way and rarely visited by other people. Without external things distracting their minds, they could focus. These two Daoist boys had rather unique temperaments, not feeling this life to be in any way dull or tedious. Day after day repeated like this until, without their sensing it, several years had passed.
On a certain day, the sound of reading that had not ceased for several years finally came to a stop. Two children were seated on a mountain rock, side by side, a book resting on their two pairs of knees. They glanced at the book, then glanced at each other, both of them somewhat at a loss.
At this moment, they had memorized all the way until the final scripture, but they had no means of continuing. They could not understand the words on the bookthe characters on this Daoist scripture were very unfamiliar. To be more precise, they were very strange. They clearly recognized all those radicals and strokes, but when put together, they transformed into completely eccentric objects. How should they read them? What did they mean?
The pair returned to the temple in search of the middle-aged Daoist.
The middle-aged Daoist said, "Of the three thousand scriptures of the Great Dao, the two of you are looking at the very last book. This book consists of sixteen hundred and one characters. According to legend, within these characters is the final meaning of the Heavenly Dao. There has never been anyone that can completely comprehend the meaning within, so how could you two?"
Chen Changsheng asked, "Master, you also don''t understand it?"
The middle-aged Daoist shook his head, saying, "No one would dare say that they truly understood it, and neither can I."
The senior and junior brother looked each other in the eye, feeling somewhat regretful. Although they were still children, they had memorized the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon all the way until today, only a single book away from completion. They were naturally not happy, but in the end, they were not ordinary children. From the time they were in ignorance, the Daoist scriptures were their companions. Their personalities were also rather mild. The two prepared to turn and leave.
At this moment, the middle-aged Daoist continued, "but I can read it."
From that day onwards, the middle-aged Daoist began to lecture them on how to read the final book of the Daoist Canon. One by one, the pronunciation of each word was imparted to them. These pronunciations were exceptionally strange. They were very simple monosyllables, yet they required the use of a certain muscle in the throat and had special demands on the vocal cords. In brief, they were not sounds that an ordinary human could make.
Chen Changsheng was utterly confused. He could only act like a little duckling, obediently imitating the pronunciation of his master. On the other hand, Yu Ren would occasionally think of that word his master had said to that terrifying being by the stream all those many years ago.
After a very long time, Yu Ren and Chen Changsheng were finally able to grasp the pronunciations of those sixteen hundred and one words, but they still remained uncomprehending of their meaning, nor could they obtain an answer from the middle-aged Daoist. At this time, they had already spent an entire year on this final book. Then, they began to act as they did before, holding this final book and continuing to read it until they could memorize it.
When they finally believed that they had escaped this life of memorizing Daoist scriptures, the middle-aged Daoist required the two to read them all a second time. The helpless children were compelled to repeat this process, and perhaps precisely because of this repetition, they found this reading of the Daoist Canon much more exhausting, an almost unspeakable suffering.
It was also at this moment that they began to grow confused. Why did their master want them to read these Daoist scriptures? Why wasn''t he teaching them how to cultivate? It was clearly written in these scriptures that Daoists should cultivate the Dao, that it was only right that they pursue longevity.
At this time, Yu Ren was ten while Chen Changsheng was six and a half. In the autumn of this year, a white crane broke through the clouds, carrying the greetings of a distant and old friend as well as a silk book. On this book was written a birth date, a marriage contract, and a tokensome high official that had once been saved by the middle-aged Daoist wished to fulfill the promise made back then.
The middle-aged Daoist silently smiled at the marriage contract, then turned to his two disciples. Yu Ren waved his hand, pointing at his blind eyes as he refused with a smile. Chen Changsheng had a perplexed expression, not understanding what all this meant. In a haze, he took the marriage contract, and from that point on, he had a fiance.
In the following several years, the white crane would break through the clouds, carrying the greetings of that noble person in the capital and also bringing some rather interesting small gifts for Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng gradually came to understand these matters, to know what an engagement signified. Every night, he would gaze under the starlight at the marriage contract lying in his drawer and feel some sort of indescribable feeling. When he thought of that fiance that was about the same age as him, he felt a serene joy, felt a little shy, but he also felt very perplexed.
When Chen Changsheng was ten years old, an accident occurred in this calm life of reading books. On a certain night, after his seventy-second repetition of the sixteen hundred and one words of the final book of the Daoist Canon, he suddenly felt his mind depart his body and drift about the forest in the green mountain. At this moment, he fell unconscious and his body began to exude a strange aroma.
Not the scent of flowers, nor of leaves or cosmetic powder. It could be described as faint, yet it lingered on and on in the night wind without dispersing. It could be described as dense, drifting into the nose, yet it was barely discernible. It did not seem like an aroma that could appear in the human world. It was impossible to grasp yet incredibly alluring.
The first to realize Chen Changsheng''s situation was Yu Ren. Upon smelling that strange aroma, his expression immediately turned extremely grim.
In the gloomy green mountain overshadowed by tree leaves, there were lions roaring and tigers howling, cranes dancing and dragon snakes charging, and the thunderous croaks of frogs that should only have appeared on summer nights. In the depths of that mist to the east of the green mountain that no one dared step into, a gigantic shadow could be faintly seen, some sort of mysterious lifeform. Under the greedy and reverential gazes of countless beings, Chen Changsheng exuded this strange aroma, his eyes closed in deep sleep, a sleep that might last quite some time.
Yu Ren was fanning with all his might by the couch, wanting to blow that fragrance hanging over Chen Changsheng''s body away. Because that fragrance had caused his mouth to water, had caused him to develop a very grotesque and frightening idea, he absolutely had to fan, fan until he had blown that idea away.
At some point, the middle-aged Daoist had appeared in the side room. Standing by the couch and gazing at the sleeping Chen Changsheng, he spoke a sentence, the meaning of which only he could understand: "Where is the cause?"
A night passed.
The moment the dawn light illuminated the green mountain, the strange scent instantly vanished from Chen Changsheng''s body, not even a whiff of it remaining. He returned to his previous appearance and the myriad strange beasts and the terrifying silhouette in the mists also departed to parts unknown.
Seeing his soundly sleeping junior brother, Yu Ren finally stopped panicking and exhaled. Wanting to wipe the cold sweat off his forehead, he realized that, because he had been fanning his arms like his life depended on it for the entire night, his shoulder ached too much to move.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes as he woke up. Although he had slept the entire night, he knew that something had occurred. Seeing the pained expression on his senior''s face, his face also paled. He asked, "Master, what''s wrong with me?"
The middle-aged Daoist gazed at him in silence for a very long time before finally saying, "You are sick."
According to the middle-aged Daoist''s explanation, Chen Changsheng''s illness was because his body was innately weak, the nine meridians in his body unable to connect. Last night''s strange aroma was because his soul had no means of circulating and could only be forcefully discharged through his sweat. This sweat contained the essence of his soul that no human could go without, so naturally, it carried a strange scent. This was a very mysterious sort of illness.
"Thencan Master cure it?"
"I cannot, no person can."
"An illness that can''t be curedthat''s fate, isn''t it?"
"Yes, that is just your fate."
...
...
From his tenth birthday onwards, the White Crane no longer came to the green mountain and communication with the other party in the capital was cut off, almost as if they had never appeared at all. Occasionally, when Chen Changsheng was standing by the stream and looking west, he would think of this matter.
Of course, what he thought about even more was his illness, his fatehe did not grow more feeble, and other than the fact that he was somewhat more prone to drowsiness, he was the picture of health. In no way did he seem like a person destined to die young, such that he even began to doubt his master''s judgment. But if his master''s judgment was correct, what then? Chen Changsheng decided to leave this run-down temple and take a look around the flourishing human world. Taking advantage of the fact that he still could see them, he wanted to go see the legendary Mausoleum of Books and also end that marriage engagement.
"Teacher, I''m going to go now."
"Where are you going?"
"To the capital."
"Why?"
"Because I still want to live."
"I said before that it''s not an illness, it''s fate."
"I want to change fate."
"In these past eight hundred years, only three people have succeeded in changing their fate."
"And those people were all extremely outstanding, right?"
"Yes."
"I am not, but I still want to try."
In the end, the capital was a place that Chen Changsheng would have to go to eventually. Even if he could not cure his illness, he would still have to go. It wasn''t merely because he wanted to change his fate, but also because the other party of the marriage contract was in the capital.
He packed up his luggage, accepted the dagger handed over by Senior Yu Ren, turned, and then left.
The fourteen-year-old Daoist boy descended the mountain.
2 I Changed My Mind
"What sort of person is that boy?"
"He''s very calm. Although he''s been sitting for an hour, his posture has never changed. He only drank a mouthful of tea at the beginning, most likely out of courtesy. Afterwards, he never touched it again...in fact, his first mouthful of tea was only to wet his lips. He''s not reserved, but prudent. He thinks deeply and his mind is very vigilant, so much so that there''s a faint sense of hostility."
"He seems to be a smart person, at least in some small wayshow old is he?"
"Fourteen."
"I remember that he should be around that age."
"It''s just that his expression is too calm, so he always looks like he''s somewhat older."
"He''s just a normal person?"
"Yeshis Qi is ordinary, and it''s obvious that he hasn''t even undergone Purification. Although we can''t judge his potential, he''s already fourteen. Even if he were to cultivate the Dao anew, his future prospects would still not be too good."
"Even if he had future prospects, could they possibly compare to the final disciple of the Longevity Sect''s Sect Master?"
"Madam, could it be that the marriage contract is real?"
"The authenticating object is real, so the marriage contract is naturally also real."
"Back then, how could the Old Master have actually...agreed to such a marriage for the young lady?"
"If the Old Master were not dead, perhaps he could give us an answer...open the door, I will go see him."
With a creak, the door to the house slowly opened. The clear and beautiful sunshine spilled into the room, illuminating every corner, illuminating the Madam''s beautiful complexion and the half of a jade pendant that she tightly gripped in her hands. The elderly nanny that had just been talking to her stood in the corner, her entire body cloaked in the shadows. If one did not pay careful attention, it would be very difficult to notice her.
Supported by the old nanny, the Madam walked out of the room. She ambled forward like a young willow buffeted by the wind. Strangely enough, the precious golden hairpin in her hair and the jade rings and ornaments on her body did not make a single sound.
The courtyard was covered in the mottled shade of the trees. On the lawn, there were ten-odd trees with thick trunks that would take several people to surround. No servants or maids could be seen on either side of the stone path, but far off in the distance, one could see many people kneeling. The silent atmosphere was permeated with a sense of austerity, like those trees that stretched ramrod-straight to the sky, or like the cold weapons displayed all around the reception pavilion.
The owner of this estate was someone who had performed outstanding military service to the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Divine General of the East, Xu Shiji. The Divine General ruled his home like he commanded his troops. His estate had always been austere and quiet. Because of the matter that had occurred today, the servants and maids had all been forced into a side garden. The atmosphere in this place had naturally grown even more oppressive. Even the spring wind that blew over the walls of the courtyard seemed to freeze.
Madam Xu crossed the courtyard and came to a side reception hall. She halted her steps and looked at the youth within, her two eyebrows slightly raised.
That youth was dressed in old Daoist clothes that had been washed until they were white. His complexion was soft and immature, his appearance right and proper. His eyes were bright, possessing an indescribable flavor, as if he could see the truth concealed in many matters. They were just like mirrors.
The youth had placed his luggage by his feet. The luggage seemed very ordinary, but had been organized in an extremely tidy fashion. Moreover, not a single speck of dust from his journey could be seen. Even the bamboo hat tied to the top of the luggage had been wiped sparkling clean.
What made Madam Xu raise her brows was not these things, but rather that even though not a single strand of steam arose from the cup of tea on the table, this youth was still as calm as ever. Not a single hint of boredom could be seen. It was very difficult for a person at this age to possess such calm and patience.
This was a person that was very difficult to deal with.
Fortunately, this sort of person was often very proud.
...
...
After he had entered the estate of the Divine General and spoken a few words to that nanny, not a single person paid him any attention. He had already been sitting in the side reception hall for an hour, so it was natural for him to be somewhat bored. However, Chen Changsheng had grown accustomed to loneliness as a child, so he did not find this boredom difficult to bear.
While waiting for someone to hurry over, he was silently reciting to himself the commentary on the sixth scroll of the Flower Court Classic. He wanted to return this marriage contract, as he had many things he needed to do after resolving this matter.
It was true that he had only taken a mouthful of the tea upon the table, and had only done so to wet his slightly dry lips, but it was not out of any reservation or prudence like that nanny had guessed. Rather, it was because he felt that if one was a guest at another''s house, if one drank too much tea and wanted go to the restroom, it would inevitably seem like one was somewhat lacking in manners. Moreover, even if the teacups in the Divine General''s estate were all made from extremely precious Ruyao porcelain, he was still not used to drinking water from the cups of others.
(TN: Ruyao is a rare type of porcelain produced in the Song Dynasty for the imperial court.)
On this aspect, he was somewhat of a clean freak.
He stood up and gave the bow of a junior to that elegantly and splendidly dressed Madam. He guessed that she was Madam Xu of the Divine General''s estate. He thought to himself that he would finally be able to resolve this matter. He stuck his hand in his bosom, preparing to take out the marriage contract.
Madam Xu raised her hand to indicate that there was no rush. She leisurely seated herself in the owner''s seat and took the tea the stewardess had brought. Gazing at his calm expression, she asked, "Have you visited the Mausoleum of Books? Or the Bridge of Helplessness? Or perhaps you can go to the Li Palace and see the Vines of Eternal Spring, it''s very beautiful."
Chen Changsheng thought to himself that these were just pleasantries. He never thought that pleasantries were necessary, but since these were the words of a senior, he could naturally not be lacking in etiquette. He simply and briefly gave a respectful answer. "I still have not, but I will in the coming days."
Madam Xu''s hand that was carrying the lid of the cup stopped in mid-air as she asked, "So what you''re saying is that as soon as you arrived in the capital, you came to the general''s estate?"
Chen Changsheng sincerely answered, "I didn''t dare to delay in the slightest."
"So it was like that."
The Madam raised her head and coldly glanced at him. She thought to herself, some impoverished youth from the middle of nowhere was actually not attracted by the magnificent sights of the capital but directly came here to discuss the engagement. For his thoughts to be so earnest is truly laughable.
Chen Changsheng did not understand what the words ''So it was like that'' were about. He stood up and once again stuck his arm into his bosom, preparing to return the marriage contract to the Madam. Since he had already resolved himself to this, he was not prepared to use any more time to think about it.
Yet his actions once more caused a misunderstanding. The Madam looked at him and her expression grew even more cold. "I will not agree to this engagement. Even if you take out the marriage contract, it will be meaningless."
Chen Changsheng had not anticipated that he would hear these words, and stared blankly for a moment.
"The Old Master was saved by your master many years ago, and then he set up this engagementthis seems like a fantastical tale?"
Madam Xu looked at him with a cold expression and said, "...but in reality, it is a fantastical tale that can only be found in plays and operas. It''s impossible for such a thing to occur in the real world. Besides those imbecilic gentlewomen, who would believe it?"
Chen Changsheng wanted to explain, to say that the purpose of his coming was to end the engagement, but when heard these arrogant words and saw the unconcealed disdain and indifference on Madam Xu''s face, he found it very hard to open his mouth. At the moment, his hand was still in his bosom, already touching the edges of those somewhat stiff pieces of paper. One sheet of paper was the marriage contract personally written by the Grand Minister. The other sheet of paper contained the girl''s date of birth and horoscope.
"The Old Master departed from this mortal coil four years ago, and so this marriage no longer exists."
Madam Xu looked at the youth in front of her and continued, "I know you are a smart person, so we should speak like smart people. The matter you want to ponder at this moment is not continuing this marriage, but rather to carefully consider what sort of compensation you can obtain. What do you think about my suggestion?"
Chen Changsheng took his hand out of his bosom. Instead of producing the marriage contract, he let his hand hang by his waist. He asked, "May I ask why?"
"Why? This is not a question a smart person would ask."
Madam Xu looked at him expressionlessly and said, "Because your teacher''s medical skills are not bad, but he is still just a normal Daoist, while this is the Divine General''s estate; because you are just a youth from the countryside wearing old Daoist clothes, while my daughter is the young lady of the Divine General''s estate; because you are a normal person, while the Divine General''s estate is not a place a normal person should be able to enter. Was my explanation clear enough?"
Chen Changsheng slightly clenched his hand, but his voice did not tremble. "It was very clear."
Madam Xu looked at his face which still had a childish air about it and decided to exert a little more pressure. She had a clear understanding of what a smart and proud person could bear the least. In a short while, he would definitely end the engagement on his own initiative.
She placed the tea cup on the table and stood up. "The tea on the table before you is Butterfly Tea picked before Qingming. Five taels of silver can only buy one tael of tea. This tea cup came from Ruyao and is even more expensive than gold. The tea is cold and you don''t drink it. Perhaps this means that it is not your fate to drink this tea. You are just a blade of grass mired in the mud. You are not porcelain, just rubble. You want to use my Divine General''s estate to change your life? My deepest apologies, although it might make you very happy, it will make me very displeased."
(TN: The Qingming Festival is a festival that is held on the first day of the fifth month as according to the Chinese lunar calendar. During this festival, people visit the graves of their families. Tea leaves picked before the Qingming festival are regarded as having a lighter and subtler flavor compared to tea leaves picked after Qingming, so they command a higher price.)
The Madam''s voice was very calm. It was not deliberately overbearing, and yet it pushed one down to the ground. She had not deliberately placed herself on high and looked down, yet it made one feel like an ant on the ground being peered at from the sky.
All these emotions were accurately conveyed to Chen Changsheng.
This was an unconcealed humiliation, especially that line about using the Divine General''s estate to change his life. To any arrogant youth, these were all unbearable criticisms. In order to raise their head high and proudly take their leave, many people would choose to angrily retort, then take out the marriage contract and tear it in two. Then they would throw it at the feet of the Madam and maybe even spit on it once or twice.
This was also the scene that Madam Xu wanted to seeif that marriage contract were not so special, if she had any better way, was there any need to act like this today, to consume her mind on these words?
The side reception hall was silent, without a single sound.
She coldly watched Chen Changsheng, waiting for the youth''s anger.
And yet, the situation developed in a way that completely surpassed her expectations.
Chen Changsheng looked at Madam Xu and calmly said, "In truth, Madam has misunderstood. I came to the Divine General''s estate so that I could return the marriage contract to the estate. I had originally come to end the engagement."
The entire hall was filled with silence.
Wind blew in from the garden, brushing against the old bamboo under the gallery and making it swish.
The Madam was a little astounded. She asked, "Can you repeat it again?"
She did not realize that her voice had become somewhat anxious, and also somewhat relieved, out of surprise and disbelief. Regardless of whether this youth was not willing to lose face and said this on purpose or if he really had come to end the engagement, they were all things that she wanted to see.
Chen Changsheng looked at her and sincerely said, "In factI came to end the engagement."
In a corner of the side reception hall, the face of that nanny who had seemingly vanished for a long time changed.
Madam Xu''s expression did not change, but her palms lightly rested on her chest.
In this instant, the entire Divine General''s estate seemed to have become much more relaxed.
But Chen Changsheng''s expression suddenly grew solemn.
He said, "But nowI''ve changed my mind."
The spring wind in the estate once again grew cold, the atmosphere once again oppressive. In the gloomy corner of the reception hall, the wrinkles on the nanny''s face which were countless deep ravines were suddenly deluged in water.
Madam Xu suddenly felt like she had done something wrong.
She forcefully suppressed the unease in her heart that had sprung out of nowhere and made her voice as warm as possible. "Since you''ve already come around to the idea, is there any need to so rashly say those words? Wouldn''t it be better"
But she was amazed to discover that the youth had no intention of continuing to listen to her words.
Chen Changsheng took up his luggage from the ground and put it over his shoulder, then walked right out of the reception hall.
3 Why?
As Madam Xu watched the youth''s figure slowly disappear from the side reception hall, a layer of frost seemed to form over her face. She wanted to raise the teacup and take a sip of tea to moisten her somewhat parched throat, but she found that the tea in the cup had gone cold. She wanted to throw the teacup against the floor to vent her emotionsnaturally not caring for how expensive Ruyao porcelain wasbut she didn''t want anyone else to hear the sound and know the current state of her emotions.
Her mood at the moment was extraordinarily unpleasant. She was able to understand the meaning the youth wanted to pass on to her''My deepest apologies, this might make Madam displeased, but at least it will make me happy.'' Or perhaps it was because she had said similar words to him previously: ''You want to use my Divine General''s Estate to change your life? My deepest apologies, although it might make you very happy, it will make me very displeased.''
In truth, from beginning to end, the youth had acted very courteously. He had only needed to say two sentences with completely different meanings and then turn around to succeed in communicating his meaning. Perhaps this could also be considered a sort of talent.
The nanny''s face was also extremely gloomy. Walking over to the Madam''s side, she whispered, "Are we just letting him leave like this?
"I originally thought that he was only a proud youth, but now I know that he''s actually a treacherous and crafty villain. If he really came to my Divine General''s estate to seek some sort of benefit and was so cautious that he didn''t even drink a mouthful of tea, how could he possibly have dared to bring the marriage contract into the estate? As a matter of fact, from beginning to end, did anyone actually see the marriage contract?"
Madam Xu understood the nanny''s meaning. Her complexion a little gloomy, she said, "But since he''s a smart person, he should understand very clearly that if he wanted even more benefits, he should not have taken everything to such extremes at the beginning."
...
...
Chen Changsheng was very confused by what had happened today. He had clearly come to end the engagement, so how did it end up this way? He was even more confused because even though the Divine General''s estate certainly had many methods of disposing of this engagement, why had the seemingly shrewd Madam Xu chosen the stupidest method?
There were many things that he could not understand, so he no longer thought about them. It was just that when he thought about those overbearing words Madam Xu had said to him in the reception, he couldn''t but be very curious about the young lady of the Xu Estate. Just what did she look like? Was she beautiful? Of course, if she grew up in such an estate, her temperament would presumably not be too gentle and kind
The Divine General''s estate was massive, even larger than the entirety of Xining Village. As there was no servant to guide the way, he very naturally got lost. When he realized this fact, he was outside a quiet and beautiful forest. When he thought about those stories recorded in the books that described how some destitute son-in-law was murdered in the dark by his shameless father-in-law, he became somewhat uneasy, and yet it was because of thoughts like these that he found it rather dull.
Just then, he sensed a gaze resting upon his body. He turned his head and saw that at the head of the stone steps by the trees, standing under a stone arch, was a girl. He realized that he had not gotten lost, but had been deliberately guided here by someone else.
That girl looked thirteen or fourteen years old. Her clothes were gorgeous, and any random set of jewelry on her body would be worth more than everything he owned. She had a beautiful appearance, and if she were to grow just a little bit older, she would definitely become a lovely beauty. As her black eyes spun around, she seemed very cute. It was just that this gaze was exceptionally brazen, scorching harsh as it sized him up from head to toe.
Chen Changsheng was a little stunned. He thought to himself, could this be the young lady of the Xu Estate?
He had spent his childhood incessantly studying scriptures and so possessed a superb patience. He allowed her to continue sizing him up, not asking any questions.
Finally, that girl said her first sentence.
"Can even Daoist priests get married?"
Chen Changsheng noticed that her gaze was on his Daoist topknot, so he explained, "I''m not a Daoist priest. Even though I''m wearing a Daoist robe and have my hair tied up in a Daoist topknot, that''s all just my everyday habit. It doesn''t represent that I''m actually a Daoist priest."
The girl walked up to him and asked him with a stern expression, "Are you a normal person?"
Chen Changsheng stared blankly at her, then realized what she meant by ''normal person''. He responded, "Yes, I haven''t cultivated yet."
The girl took no notice of the fact that he had said he hadn''t cultivated yet, and not that he did not know how to cultivate. She stared into his eyes and very seriously asked, "Are you and the young lady really engaged?"
After hearing these words, Chen Changsheng realized that this girl was not the young lady of the Xu Estate like he had imagined. He slightly relaxed, but for some reason, he was actually a tiny bit disappointed.
"My lady is?"
"I am called Shuang''er, and I am the young lady''s personal maid."
Chen Changsheng could never have imagined that there existed a maid that could wear such magnificent clothes. Coupled with the fact that there was absolutely no one else around, he finally had a clearer understanding of the status this maid and her young lady had in the Divine General''s estate.
"I really am engaged to the young lady of your family."
That maid called Shuang''er sincerely said to him, "In the future, do not say these words again."
"Why?" Chen Changsheng sincerely asked back.
Shuang''er looked at his appearance and felt annoyed for some reason. "You are only a normal person, so how could you possibly be together with my family''s young lady? Quickly turn the marriage contract into something good, or else it will do you no good later on."
Chen Changsheng looked back at her and sincerely asked, "Why?"
It was still this one word.
Shuang''er looked at this youth''s upright appearance and suddenly began to somewhat empathize with him. "If you want to live, you should never mention this engagement to anyone, or else no one will be able to safeguard your life."
She felt that she was sincerely thinking the best for this poor youth from the countrysidealthough the young lady could not possibly marry him, there had once been an engagement between the two of them. The young lady also knew of this person''s preconditions, and so it was only right that he be allowed to liveit had never even occurred to her that when these words fell into his ear, they would seem just like a shameless threat.
Chen Changsheng silently thought, would the Divine General''s estate really dispatch an assassin against me? The books and dramas he had read all had similar stories, but now that the Divine Empress sat on the throne, who would dare do this sort of thing in the capital?
He replied, "If the Divine General''s estate wanted me dead, then the Madam would not simply have let me go. If I did not see wrongly, that old nanny is likely a very formidable figure. Anyway, it''s not like many people saw me. If they just killed me and buried me under the flowers to serve as fertilizer, who would know? Since I''m still alive, it''s only right to think that there should be no problems."
Shuang''er grimly laughed, "Countless pairs of eyes are fixated on the Divine General''s estate, so within the estate, you''re actually rather safe. But if you were to leave the estate and continue to speak such drivel, just how long do you think you will be able to live?"
Chen Changsheng pondered this, then said, "I don''t understand."
Shuang''er explained, "If you were to let people know that you and the young lady were engaged, what would the Longevity Sect think? And what about the Qiushan clan? Even if this were the capital of the gods, if those people wanted to kill you, no one would be able to stop them."
Chen Changsheng asked, "The Longevity Sect and Qiushan clan? What are these places?"
Shuang''er looked at him like he was an idiot. "You know absolutely nothing?"
Chen Changsheng was puzzled and inquired, "What should I know?"
...
...
There were some matters that this young Daoist boy from Xining Village did not know but which the entire world knew. For instance, that the Great Zhou Dynasty was currently in the Zhengtong era, or that the Divine General of the East Xu Shiji was deeply trusted by the Divine Empress, that his father had been the previous dynasty''s Grand Minister, and that his current status came mostly from his daughter.
Xu Shiji only had one daughter, Xu Yourong, and she was the reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix. She possessed an unimaginable latent talent and at a tender age succeeded at Purification. When she was twelve, she traveled south to Holy Maiden Peak to study the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. It was rumored that she had already broken into the upper level of Meditation. Her reputation had spread throughout the world, and she received the adoration and respect of all. She was reckoned to be the sole candidate for the next Holy Maiden of the Divine Faith of Light.
Whether it was in experience, bloodline, teachers, or background, she was in every aspect a nigh perfect young girl. Her admirers were naturally countless, and it was even rumored that the legendary bloodthirsty young demon prince was one of her most zealous worshippers. Yet whenever the topic of discussion turned to where Xu Yourong''s blossoms might eventually fall, the people would often suggest only one name. It was a similarly dazzling and brilliant name.
Qiushan Jun.
The Qiushan clan was the greatest clan of the south. This generation of the Qiushan clan had produced a young child with shocking talent and absolute brilliance. He was called Qiushan Jun and it was said that he was the reincarnation of the Divine Dragon. He was the eldest disciple of the Longevity Sect and the head of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws. He cultivated under the guidance of the sect elders of the south. This year, he was eighteen years old and was already acknowledged as the person on the Eastern Continent most likely to be the greatest expert in the coming centuries.
The Divine Dragon and the Heavenly Phoenix, Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong, were brother and sister, sharing the same sects and teachers. They were truly this generation of youth''s most dazzling object. It was simply impossible to find a third youth that was equal to them.
The entire world knew that Qiushan Jun had always loved Xu Yourong and had always been waiting for her to grow older. The seniors and disciples of the Longevity Sect, the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the people of the Qiushan clan all felt that this was a match made in heaven. Mo Yu of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace had even once said that even the Divine Empress thought highly of this famous story.
And yet, there suddenly appeared a young Daoist boy with a marriage contract who had come to the general''s estate.
He said that he was Xu Yourong''s fianc.
If this matter were to get out
Perhaps the entire continent would be stupefied.
...
...
The flower garden was quiet. Some bamboo leaves were blown by the wind past the stone arch.
"Now you know." Shuang''er looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "You are just a normal person, cut off from the young lady''s world by a vast river of stars. You will never be able to cross it. For your own good, it''s best that you completely forget about the matter."
Chen Changsheng had truly not imagined that the girl he was engaged to was actually such an extraordinary figure. He thought about this and then asked, "Why did the Madam not tell me this?"
Shuang''er answered, "Because the Madam was afraid that after you learned of it, you would come up with more requests."
He lifted his head and asked, "Why did you tell me this?"
Shuang''er replied, "Because the young lady sent me a letter mentioning you. The young lady is a kind-hearted person. Although she won''t marry you, she also isn''t willing to let you die without knowing what''s going on. In additionI feel that you should be a smart person. After learning these things, you should know yourself well enough to make the only right decision."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I understand."
With these words, he began to walk over to the other side of the stone arch, treading upon the bamboo leaves and making them rustle.
Shuang''er was at a loss. She thought to herself, just what is he doing?
Chen Changsheng suddenly stopped and turned back.
Shuang''er exhaled and her petite hand gently rested against her chest, waiting for his decision.
Chen Changsheng looked at her and asked, "I want to leavewhich way should I go?"
4 This Is a Crude Name, But It Is My Name
It took a while for Shuang''er to come to her senses.
She could see that this Daoist youth was not deliberately teasing or playing with her, but rather had truly not taken her words to heart. Seeing the youth''s calm and serious expression, she began to get angry for some reason.
She hatefully declared, "You will die."
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes wide and replied, "Everyone will die."
Shuang''er retorted, "You know that this is not my meaning."
Chen Changsheng very earnestly replied, "Thank you for telling me these things."
Shuang''er''s face was extremely unsightly. "The Madam wanted to end the engagement. Your response was to get payback. What need was there to insist on getting angry and saying that you came to end the engagement? Could it be that you thought that this was the only way you could recover a little face? If that really was the case, then whatever, but why did you have to change your mind at the end? Such a fickle look is really not appealing."
"In truthI really came to end the engagement. It''s not important whether you believe it or not. It''s just that right now, I really don''t want to end it anymore."
"Why?"
Chen Changsheng cocked his head as he pondered this question. A smile gradually appeared on his young and tender face, because he had found an answer that he could convince himself with. "Becauseyou never asked me for my name."
Shuang''er did not understand.
"From the moment I entered the estate until now, whether it was the Madam or you, none of you asked me for my name."
Chen Changsheng looked at her and seriously said, "I am called Chen Changsheng. I know that this name is very crude, but Master hoped that I could live forever. The intention was very good, so I''ve always used this name."
(TN: Changsheng '''' of Chen Changsheng means long life/longevity.)
While he was saying these words, his eyes were very bright and his expression very upright.
Shuang''er abruptly felt that this seemingly normal Daoist boy seemed to be emitting a sort of light. Probably from that serious temperament? She understood his reason, and then she mysteriously felt a sense of shame.
From the moment he entered the Divine General''s estate until now, no one had asked him his name. But he had never shown any anger or seemed to suffer any humiliation. Whether he was talking to the Madam or Shuang''er, he had always acted very courteously, not lacking in any aspect of etiquette, even to the extent that he felt rather stuffy. However, the wondrous thing was that those people that made him unhappy were even unhappier than he was at the end.
It wasn''t that he was specialized in making other people unhappy, but rather that he very earnestly did the things that he thought should be done. No matter if it was ending the engagement or changing his mind, he felt it was all right and proper. He was absolutely certain, so much so that it made people feel like they couldn''t object. Consequently, those people that he made unhappy would eventually become so depressed that it was very difficult for them to be happy again.
Shuang''er had grown up in the Divine General''s estate. Because of her young lady, her status was exceptionally high. Even the Divine General and his Madam did not say any harsh words to her. She had never before encountered a person like Chen Changsheng and was very unused to this sort of feeling. She subconsciously began to feel uneasy. Perhaps to convince Chen Changsheng or to convince herself, she strengthened the tone in her voice and said:
"In the entire continent, only my young lady has the true blood of the Phoenix! She is unique!"
"In my senior brother''s notebook, there is a phrase which I''ve always felt to be very reasonable. Today, I will give it you in the hopes that you will be able to seriously learn from it in the future. He said: Every person in the world is unique."
Chen Changsheng sincerely said to her.
...
...
At the end of the long street was a simple stone bridge. Under the bridge flowed not the Luo River, but an unremarkable little stream. Chen Changsheng walked onto the bridge and then turned to look back at the general''s estate. He saw countless quiet, but still bustling, great houses and beautiful gardens, the Xu Estate standing out amongst the rest as the most eye-catching and illustrious. He couldn''t help but shake his head.
On arriving at the capital, he had not gone to any of those famous sights, nor was he in a rush to head to the Mausoleum of Books. Rather, he had freshened himself up a little by the Luo River and then headed directly to the general''s estatehe wanted to end the engagement. He was truly in a rush. If he became wed to the young lady of the general''s estate, if his illness could not be cured, was there any need to involve the other side? Even if it could be cured, it would most likely waste many years of time.
He did not want to waste the years of her youth, yet he had not imagined that in the Xu Estate, he would encounter that arrogance, that contempt, that ridicule. Now that he thought about it, after he turned ten, the temple no longer received any gifts from the other side. The two sides had cut off relations, perhaps indicating that the other party had long had the intention of breaking the contract.He had come today to voluntarily annul the engagement, so it should have been achieved very effortlessly, an affair which both sides should have been delighted to see. But he did not think he would encounter this sort of display, and as a result, he had decided to change his mind on the spot.
He had not cultivated and he wasn''t a Daoist priest either, but he had studied the Daoist scriptures since he was a child and had been deeply influenced by them. Taken together with his gloomy future prospects, among the three thousand great Daos, he had chosen the one of following his heart. The so-called "following his heart" was to do everything in a way that left him with a clear conscience. Journeying ten thousand li from afar to come to the capital and end the engagement was following his heart. To not end the engagement was also following his heart. The Divine General estate had been discourteous, so he did not want them to follow their hearts, because if he allowed that, it would be difficult for him to accord with his heart''s desire.
Of course, even now, Chen Changsheng only wanted that Madam who concealed coldness behind a kind face and the maid who only looked at the sky to feel a little anxious. After a few days, he would naturally return the marriage to the other side. Human life was beyond value. The young lady Xu''s happiness was always more important than the cold reception and arrogant gazes he had received. He still felt this way.
However, in the end, it still made people feel very unhappy. At times, Chen Changsheng himself would forget that he was only fourteen years old. In the end, he was still but a youth, possessing his own pride and dignity. After being humiliated, there would always be some emotion.
He walked down the bridge and bought two sesame seed cakes from a stand by the street. Crouching on a stone by the stream, he nibbled on the sesame seed cakes while gazing at the distant Divine General''s estate. His mood was a little sour. He knew where this emotion had arisen from, but he also understood that if he let this emotion flood through him, it would harm his body, and would be of no help in resolving this problem.
On the distant Luo River, reflections sailed across the surface of the water like clouds. On the long street opposite the river were wolf riders that had come from the west. Even separated by such a distance, it was still possible to smell the rancid stench arising from the mouths of massive wolves. A dark shadow drifted across the river. He lifted his head and saw the snow-white wings of a Pegasus as it towed a grand and luxurious carriage north. In an arrow tower on the distant city wall, Red Falcons entrusted with carrying military information were constantly flying in and out. In the even more distant azure sky, the city guard''s flying carriages were on patrol, looking just like those bothersome dragonflies outside a temple.
This was the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. There were countless mystical scenes that someone from the rustic countryside would find very difficult to imagine. Chen Changsheng gnawed on the sesame seed cakes and opened his eyes wide, taking in these scenes with relish while comparing them to the records in the Daoist Canon. He didn''t know when he would get the chance to see those legendary mystical spirits, like the Spirit Tortoise which was said to have supported the stone pillars of the Li Palace for more than three thousand years, and maybe there were still those incomparably noble and awesome dragons spoken of in legends in the Imperial Palace. It was said that the rarest and most respected Golden Dragon had not appeared amongst humans for tens of thousands of years. Would he have an opportunity to see it in the future? That''s right, there was also the legendary Phoenix
The sesame seed cake was very delicious and also very hard, so eating it was quite the chore. Chen Changsheng had originally thought that he had cast the bitter experience he had in the Divine General''s estate to the back of his mind and successfully dispelled his sour mood, yet when he thought of the word ''Phoenix'', he very naturally thought of the true blood of the Phoenix that he had just heard about today. He thought about that young lady Xu who possessed the true blood of the Phoenix, and then he thought about those little gifts he received all those years ago
He looked at the final bit of the sesame seed cake in his fingers and vacantly stared at it for a while. Only then did he put in his mouth, carefully chewing it thirty-two times before swallowing. From his sleeve, he removed a handkerchief, which he used to wipe the crumbs off his hand. Standing up and taking up his luggage, he disappeared into the crowd.
He had not noticed that not far from him in the corner of a street, an unremarkable carriage was parked. On the shaft of the carriage in some unremarkable place, the slightly dim crest of a blood-red Phoenix could be seen. Of course, even if he could see it, he would still not know that this crest represented the estate of the Divine General of the East. After the young lady of the Xu Estate was born, the Divine Empress had bestowed the blood-red Phoenix on the Divine General''s estate as a new crest. This was a supreme honor and also a sort of proclamation.
The warhorse hitched to the front of the carriage had the blood of the Unicorn. Its eyes that looked at the flowing water under the bridge seemed very cold. The eyes of the old lady in the carriage were also very cold, but hidden within were also astonishment and wariness.
She had been following Chen Changsheng ever since he left the Divine General''s estate. She had not imagined that the youth would be so calm after seeing the capital of the Great Zhou. He was completely unlike an inexperienced child from the countryside. This was because she did not know that this youth had grown up with countless scrolls. Within these scrolls, he had seen countless sights, traveled countless li of roads.
...
...
Xu Shiji sat in his study, his body which was tall and sturdy as a mountain emitting a faint smell of blood. In a tree, more than ten zhang away on the other side of the window, a kingfisher bird was so alarmed that it buried its head in its wings and didn''t dare to make a single noise. That powerful Qi which carried a bloody scent about it was proof of this Great Zhou Divine General''s power, and also indicated that his current mood was very terrible.
What made his mood so violent was that half of a jade pendant on his table.
"Back then when Father was Grand Minister, he had the deep trust of the Divine Empress and, following orders, was sent to Mount Tai to preside over the book burning ritual of reporting to the Heavens. The demons wanted to disrupt this affair, and sent Gong Yangchun to assassinate Father. Father was heavily wounded. Even when His Holiness personally came to Mount Tai, Father could not be cured. It was only when a traveling Daoist passed through Taishan County that father''s injuries were finally cured. Thus, we have this marriage contract."
Madam Xu said in a low voice, "From the looks of it, that Daoist truly does seem to have some skill."
Xu Shiji lifted his head and looked out the window at the azure sky. "In this boundless universe, the winds follow the tiger and the clouds follow the dragon, and there exist an innumerable number of experts. In the field of medicine, that Daoist could be called a saint, so naturally he can''t be ordinary. Or else why would father betroth Little Rong to that person''s descendant?"
Madam Xu was somewhat uneasy and advised, "At the moment, the most important thing is that marriage contractif that Daoist''s background is not impressive, if he isn''t someone important, it''s not necessary to be too overly cautious."
Xu Shiji''s expression was cold. "Let that young Daoist wake up a little."
Madam Xu''s voice dropped even lower, such that one would have to listen carefully to hear clearly. "That little Daoist doesn''t seem to be someone that will take his leave for any random benefits. If he continues to harass us, what then? During next year''s opening of the Mausoleum of Books, the southern sects will definitely send a diplomatic mission. At that time, I''m afraid they will formally go to the Imperial Court to propose. We can''t let anything go wrong."
Xu Shiji narrowed his eyes like a fierce tiger about to sleep. "Then we just burn him into ash and toss it into the Luo River."
The rainy season would arrive in the next few days and the Luo River was on the verge of rising. Whether it was bones or ashes, when thrown into the Luo River, they would all quickly disappear.
5 Heavenly Dao Academy
Just like every morning for the past fourteen years, Chen Changsheng woke up at five o''clock. Before he opened his eyes, he took five breaths to calm his mind. He got out of bed, put on his shoes and clothes, made the bed, then began to wash his face and rinse his mouth. This done, he went to the front hall of the inn and ate a bowl of duck meat porridge and four meat buns piping hot from the first batch. He returned to his room and used last night''s old tea to rinse his mouth. He looked at a copper mirror and tidied up his clothes, and then he walked out into the small courtyard.
This was not Xining Village''s small temple, so he didn''t need to cut firewood and fetch water. He turned to the newborn morning fog and the distant daylight which passed through it, closed his eyes, and began to calmly think. In his mind, he silently began to recite the scrolls of the Dao. Only when he felt refreshed did he consider his homework complete. He exited a side door and walked onto the street which was gradually beginning to get more lively. In an extremely unremarkable fashion, he mixed into the crowd and started his day.
In his hand was a list naming various schools in the capital. After asking for directions to the first school from the market manager, he quickened his steps. He did not notice that a carriage followed behind him, nor did he realize that the horse had the blood of a Unicorn. And he even less noticed that the shaft of the carriage carried the gloomy crest of a blood-red Phoenix.
Countless years ago, the Heavenly Tomes descended to the earth and the minds of the people were opened. They developed into countless areas of study, but despite countless changes, none of them departed far from the original. They were all chasing the original source, and they were all included in the Daoist Canonagriculture, business, and every other subject. As for the standard for evaluating these things, it was publicly acknowledged that the most authoritative standard was the Grand Examination held by the Great Zhou Dynasty each year.
The Grand Examination was first created by Emperor Taizu of the Zhou Dynasty. Whether entering the court to become an official, entering the army to become a general, or entering the Orthodoxy to become a priest, the scores from the Grand Examination were the most important criterion. Crucially, Emperor Taizu decreed that only those who ranked in the three banners had the qualifications to enter the Mausoleum of Books and look upon the Heavenly Tomes. Because of this rule, innumerable experts from around the world would congregate at the beginning of the year in the capital. In the very first Grand Examination, Emperor Taizu stood on the city wall and looked down at the geniuses of the various sects of the continent as they swarmed like fish to get in. He laughed and said a set of very famous words that also established the status of the Grand Examination.
The various kingdoms of the south, especially the Longevity Sect and other sects, were naturally extremely displeased by this rule. In their view, although the Mausoleum of Books was in the capital of the Great Zhou, the Heavenly Tomes were divine rocks that had descended to earth, so it was only natural to think that they were the shared wealth of the entire continent. For this reason, the south boycotted the Grand Examination several times, and the relations between both sides grew even worse.
However, the Mausoleum of Books was far too important to cultivators. Although the Great Zhou Dynasty was powerful, it could not risk facing condemnation for its monopoly over the mausoleum. The various powers of the south were also incapable of resisting the enticement of entering the Mausoleum of Books and viewing the Heavenly Tomes. Even in that period when the demons were pushed back and the two sides began to gradually distance themselves from each other, the south continued to resist on the surface, but there were still many experts from various sects who came in a private capacity to participate in the Grand Examination.
Finally, when the Divine Empress took power, the Zhou Dynasty at last reached an agreement with the southern powers. The various kingdoms and sects of the south could voluntarily send a diplomatic mission to take part in the Zhou Dynasty''s Grand Examination. The evaluation would also be performed jointly by both sides. In addition, the students from the south could not accept the titles and offices conferred by the Zhou Dynasty. Everything else was considered equal. In the same way, under this new agreement, the Grand Examination received a new name.
Over countless years, the Grand Examination had selected countless experts. It was said that every one of the present experts who stood at the peak of the continent had once come to the capital of the Great Zhou and participated in the Grand Examination. And everyone knew for a fact that the present Pope of the Orthodoxy and the elder of the south''s Holy Maiden Peak had both once been well-known figures in the Grand Examination. Not to mention how several geniuses from the Demi-human race in the west had transformed into humans and taken part in the test. Even a certain prince of the demons had risked coming to the capital, but the previous Pope had seen through his disguise, and the demon prince was turned into gray ash by the Pope''s divine technique.
Those were all stories from many years ago. Now there were different questions on everyone''s minds. Would the Longevity Sect''s Qiushan Jun take part in next year''s Grand Examination? How many of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws would enter the first banner? Would Xu Yourong break through beforehand and leave Holy Maiden Peak to return to the capital? Would that cold-blooded and mysterious genius expert in the wastelands of the demons appear before the common people for the first time, or would he continue his bloody mutual chase with the demon experts? Besides these things, what most concerned the people of the capital was which geniuses from the schools of the capital would cause their eyes to light up.
Yes, the capital had many schools. When the Divine Empress took power, the government was ruled harshly, but the style of government was well ordered and the lives of the people began to gradually improve. Over the past several decades, the world had been at peace and had entered a period of prosperity. Many schools had popped up like spring bamboo after the rain. In the last few years, there were even many private schools that especially focused on the Grand Examination, where experts of the Orthodoxy taught in secret. Of course, the most famous schools were also the most powerful, or those whose history was the longest. Amongst them, there were two schools whose history was even longer than that of the Zhou Dynasty.
Chen Changsheng''s list had six schools. The Heavenly Dao Academy which he was heading to was ranked first on the list. The fact was that in the entire continent, the Heavenly Dao Academy had the qualifications to be ranked far in frontfor almost two hundred years, students of the Heavenly Dao Academy had obtained the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination twenty-four times. The students that studied here were all extraordinarily gifted. This academy had produced many priests of important positions for the Orthodoxy, had consecrated countless cultivating geniuses for various sects. Most importantly, the current Pope of the Orthodoxy had once been a student of this academy.
The Heavenly Dao Academy had obtained the best scores throughout the history of the Grand Examination, so it was naturally the most difficult to enter, yet it still had the greatest number of people attempting its examination. Chen Changsheng walked over to the entrance of the Heavenly Dao Academy and saw the majestic and imposing school gate constructed of dark jade. When he saw the academy name which had been personally written by Emperor Taizu, he very naturally began to feel admiration and yearning. But soon after, this sensation was completely dispelled by the bustling market-like environment around the gate and the pungent smell of sweat and ink. He subconsciously lowered his head.
Before he left Xining, he had already calculated the time. The moment when he arrived in the capital was precisely when the great schools were recruiting new students for the springtime. He could also imagine that the people applying for the Heavenly Dao Academy would be many, but he could not imagine that there would be such a frightening number. Especially that crowd of youths leaning around by the gate with naughty expressions, pointing at people in the crowd. Their presence made him feel somewhat out of place.
The clothing those youths were wearing was all very similar. It was mostly black with a golden belt tied around the waist. It was probably the uniform of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Chen Changsheng knew that these youths were likely those old students that had not passed the Grand Examination at the beginning of the year. These people were proud and arrogant, but because they had failed the Grand Examination, they had rather foul moods. They would definitely not show a good face to these new students that had come to take the examination for the Heavenly Dao Academy. Hearing their sharp and unkind words, seeing the mockery in their eyes, he inadvertently lowered his head even more.
He didn''t lower his head because he was afraid, but rather because he was somewhat of a clean freak, both physically and mentally. So he did not want to smell the stench of sweat coming from the crowd, nor did he want to hear those words.
"Look at that idiot over there, he looks just like a pig! There are still even some pockmarks on his face! Why does he want to stick a fan in his neck? Does he think he''s Lord Huanyu? He didn''t even think about how those layers of fat on his neck are almost about to snap that fan in two."
"You''re right, look at how unstable and weak his footsteps are. At most, he only went through Purification two months ago. It''s highly likely that he hasn''t even toughened his muscles and bones before. To actually dare to come test for my Heavenly Dao Academy, just what does he think this place is? The Orthodox Academy? HahaI really don''t understand just what all these idiots are thinking. Could it be that with that weak and pitiful spiritual sense, they can become well-read in the Daoist Canon?"
"Well-read in the Daoist Canon? Even that bookworm Gou Hanshi would not dare to say these words, right? You sympathize with the bitter experience that idiot will go through in a while, but I sympathize with his father and mother. To suffer some humiliation is only second in importance, while the money spent beforehand can''t be gotten back. If I were that idiot fatty''s parents, I might as well take the money and go to the altar and buy a few pills for him to eat, make him lose some weight, and at least get him a wife."
"And so what if he gets a wife? Even the Cold Plum Pill only affects himself. In the future when he has seven or eight sons and daughters who are all as fat and stupid as him, raising a pack of pigs, are you telling me that''s a good thing?"
Those students were heartily laughing while unrestrainedly discussing these examinees. Their words were exceptionally difficult to listen to, and they didn''t even attempt to control their volume. Perhaps they even meant for the targets of their jeers to hear their commentary. It was extraordinarily repulsive. The fat youth that was the subject of their discussion was blushing, but he didn''t dare to protest, because what those students said was the truth. He truly had only gone through Purification some ten-odd days ago. To get into the Heavenly Dao Academy had always been a near impossibility. Crucially, even if his luck was so good that it defied fate and he was able to enter the academy, he still would not be able to offend these seniors.
As Chen Changsheng walked through the crowd, he heard these filthy words and his brows slightly rose up. He thought to himself that if they were talking about him, he didn''t know if he could hold back. Fortunately, his head was lowered and his air was far too normal. Amidst the crowd, he was very unremarkable and very difficult to notice. Luckily, he avoided being ridiculed and very smoothly passed through the dark jade gate and entered the academy.
Because he was thinking about these things and had his head lowered, he did not notice that on the two sides of the stone path that led into the Heavenly Dao Academy, there were two huge stone walls. On these walls were carved strange flowers and spirits, and in the middle, tightly packed together, several hundred names were written. It seemed like some sort of list. Many gazes rested on these names, fervent and admiring.
The family members and servants that followed all the prospective students were forbidden from entering the Heavenly Dao Academy, so once he walked into the academy, the environment suddenly became much quieter. Chen Changsheng extracted a pure white handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the fine beads of sweat off his forehead. After taking a breath, he felt somewhat more comfortable. Following the student in front of him, he lined up at the end of a very long queue.
The people taking the test to enter the Heavenly Dao Academy were many and the line was very long. It looked just like the legendary Hundred Zhang Branching Snake said to live in the west in the land of the demi-humans. It extended from that distant building all the way to this grass lawn. In the middle, it even passed through a clear stream. Many prospective students stood on the wooden bridge crossing the stream. Struck by the cold wind of the beginning of spring, their faces were so frozen that they seemed a little ashen.
Very quickly, people emerged from that distant building, all young men and women. Their faces were as ashen as those of the people on the bridge and were extremely unsightly. Since they weren''t frozen, they had definitely not done very well on the examination. When the people still in line saw their dazed expressions, they instantly grew more nervous and were no longer in the mood to chatter.
Chen Changsheng didn''t know anyone, so he naturally didn''t chat with anyone. He looked at the distant building and thought it was rather interesting. Right now, he was concerned about whether the entrance exam for Heavenly Dao Academy was like what was described in the books, whether it still used that sort of method. Why was it that the people that had failed had come out so quickly in a wave? Or was it that the Heavenly Dao Academy''s test really had changed?
The crowd incessantly moved forward, crossing the lawn and stream, but before they had even gotten close to the building, the line came to a bamboo shed. Seeing the solemn-faced Heavenly Dao Academy teacher sitting behind the stone table, seeing that rock on the table that was black as obsidian, Chen Changsheng realized what it was. He remembered an old lawsuit he had seen in a scroll and was a little stunned.
6 The Blue-Clothed Youth Thirty-Six
The youths that attended the Heavenly Dao Academy''s new student examination, under the orders of that solemn-faced teacher, came forward one by one, took up the stone, and tightly held it for three breaths of time. In the vast majority of the cases, the black stone would faintly glow in their hands, with very subtle differences of brightness. There was only a small minority of cases where a person took up the stone and the stone did not change whatsoever.
That black stone had a very ordinary name: the Sensory Stone. In the Daoist Canon, there was a scripture that described all sorts of fantastic items that could be found in the world. This scripture was called the "Classic of All Things". In that scripture, Chen Changsheng had once seen a picture of this stone and understood its magical propertiesthis black stone innately contained an energy similar to spiritual intent. It only needed to touch the body of a human for it to send a strand of energy into the body and stimulate the body''s true essence. Then, similar to fishing, it would take a strand of that person''s true essence and return to the black stone. The more abundant the true essence of the stone''s holder, the stronger the spiritual sense, the more the black stone would take and the brighter it would glow. After many years of attempts, humanity had finally figured out a set of rules, allowing them to use the degree to which the black stone shone to determine how strong a person was.
Every year, the Heavenly Dao Academy''s entrance exam had too many applicants, resulting in this extra entrance assessment. There was a constant line of people stretching out their hands to grip the black stone, which would perhaps grow brightly or dimly. Some people continued forward into the building ahead while others were coldly instructed by the teacher to leave the line.The atmosphere of the line was very oppressive.
One youth gripped the black stone, but the black stone gave no reaction. When it was indicated that he should leave, the youth became exceptionally desperate. He wailed and asked for another chance as he tightly gripped the stone, unwilling to let go. He was quickly dragged off by the Heavenly Dao Academy''s handymen. Besides provoking a burst of ridicule, it had been meaningless.
The assessment continued. Those people that could make the stone glow had expressions filled with joy. Those that could not make the stone glow were disheartened to the extreme.
From the other side of the stream, the sneers of the old students could be faintly heard. The face of the teacher overseeing the Sensory Stone assessment was growing increasingly unsightly. From the beginning of the assessment in the morning until now, several hundred people had already held the Sensory Stone. Although there were many people that were able to make the Sensory Stone glow, proving that they had already succeeded at Purification, compared to previous years, this year''s examinees were far too ordinary. In this batch of examinees, there had been only one at the third grade of Purification, and there was not even one person that had accomplished a perfect Purification. As for the prospect of a genius who had managed to enter Meditation at a tender age, they were completely impossible to find. The teacher''s mood was naturally not very good.
The cultivation of humans was very different from that of the demi-humans and the demons. At the very beginning, they would focus on opening the heart and mind, becoming aware of and nurturing the spiritual sense. By means of knowledge, they would understand the principles of heaven and earth. By borrowing the spiritual sense and the strength of heaven and earth, they could use this energy to temper and refine their bodies, starting from the skin and the hair, and then the muscles and flesh, until finally the energy penetrated into the marrows of the bone. The body was refined until it became strong and sturdy, possessing enough strength to lift a stone. The body was so healthy that it was unafraid of normal illnesses. For this reason, it was called Purification.
(TN: The Chinese term for Purification is ''ϴ'', which literally means marrow-washing.)
The demons were naturally born with bodies as hard as metal or stone. If a human had not gone through the step of Purification, it would simply be impossible to stand up to a demon in hand-to-hand combat. For this reason, in the human armies, a soldier would at least have to succeed at Purification before satisfying the requirements for becoming one of the elites. Apart from this, Purification had an even more crucial importance which reflected itself in another aspectbesides strengthening the muscles and bones, Purification could also open the mind, substantially increasing one''s ability to remember and analyze. To use a remark from the Daoist Canon to summarize, it was to see a whole new world!
''The Three Thousand Great Daos'' was only a general way of speaking. The world''s ancient books and records were as boundless as the sea. Countless ink characters represented countless pieces of knowledge. If one did not undergo Purification, opening the mind and clearing the heart, how could one possibly dare to step into the sea in search of knowledge? If one relied only on bravery to charge in, then it was highly likely that one would instantly get lost, have their bones and muscles dashed to pieces by waves ten thousand zhang high, and then die. This assessment that the Heavenly Dao Academy had added in recent years, when considered from this angle, was extremely reasonable. If someone was unable even to succeed at Purification, then what qualifications did they have to cultivate those profound methods?
Yesterday in the Divine General''s estate, Chen Changsheng had admitted twice that he had never cultivated. Naturally, he had also not succeeded in Purification. This also indicated that in a short while when he went to hold that black stone, the stone would not change at all, and he would be expelled from the line of examinees by the teacher. Yet strangely, his expression was very calm as if he wasn''t very concerned at all.
At this time, he was already very close to the table. In front of him, there were only three people. At the very front of the line was a youth dressed in a very thin set of blue clothes. That youth walked up to the table and, without waiting for the Heavenly Dao Academy teacher to speak, directly reached out and lifted up the inky Sensory Stone. For some reason, everyone suddenly felt a bit nervous.
Perhaps it was because that youth seemed far too calm.
The capital at the beginning of spring was covered in a layer of clouds and the sun was obscured behind them. The Heavenly Dao Academy was quiet and beautiful, when suddenly, the grass on both sides of the stream began to shine with a dazzling radiance. The tender green shoots of grass seemed to turn into fine branches of jade, the remnants of the morning dew becoming pearls. In the clear waters of the stream, the slender fish swimming about turned their eyes to the sky and went stiff from the sudden burst of light.
The people subconsciously covered their eyes, thinking that this was light from the sun breaking through the clouds. In the next moment, they realized that even the loveliest spring sunshine could still not possibly be this bright. If this was not sunlightthen where did this light come from?
The light gradually faded and everyone''s eyes also began to somewhat adapt. The crowd put down the hands they had used to cover their eyes and saw that the teacher from the Heavenly Dao Academy had opened his mouth wide, his face looking like it had just witnessed something inconceivable. Simultaneously, they also discovered the origin of the lightit had come from that blue-clothed youth''s palm. At this moment, the pitch-black Sensory Stone seemed to have become a blazing rock taken from the mouth of a volcano, emitting countless rays of light from between that youth''s fingers. It was almost like it was on fire!
"Meditation Realmit''s actuallyMeditation Realm?"
So said the teacher from the Heavenly Dao Academy, his voice shaking. At the moment, he was looking at the blue-clothed youth like he was a precious piece of jade. He quickly stood up and walked over to the youth, then lowered his head to greedily examine the youth''s palm and the light leaking from it. No one felt like this teacher was lacking self-control. It must be knownthat blue-clothed youth''s complexion was still a little childish. It was very obvious that he was no older than sixteen, and yet he was already at the Meditation Realm!
What did this mean? What was a genius? This was a genius? The old students at the other side of the stream had long since ceased their mocking and ridicule. As they stared at the bamboo shed, they looked like they had seen a ghost. The student that had previously said the most difficult words to listen to was even so shocked that he slid down the stone stool he had been sitting on. He didn''t even notice the pain being sent from his butt and said in a stunned and trembling voice, "How could it be? Senior Guan Bai only entered Meditation at sixteen This kidthis kid maybe grew up with a young face? Or else how could it be possible?"
At this time, a cold and elderly voice came from behind them.
"Is it still impossible if I say he''s Tang Thirty-Six?"
"Tang Thirty-Six? He''s Tang Thirty-Six?" When the crowd heard this name, they were even more shocked. Somebody said, "He''s already ranked thirty-sixth on the Proclamation of Azure Skywhy did he leave Wenshui and come to the capital? For next year''s Grand Examination? Ah, but with his ability, there shouldn''t be a problem if he wanted to enter the Mausoleum of Books."
Another person explained, "Tang Thirty-Six is extremely proud and aloof, not putting himself under anyone. Don''t even speak of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, he wouldn''t even put himself under that wolf cub in the north. Since he wants to attend next year''s Grand Examination, it''s definitely because he wants to change his name. As suchhe naturally needs to come to the capital ahead of time. Since it''s the capital, it''s only natural that he enters our Heavenly Dao Academy."
Hearing the name Tang Thirty-Six, all the students began to think about the rumors concerning this youth from Wenshui, and they all couldn''t help but gasp in amazement. Another person said, "He may refuse to submit to the other members of the Seven Laws, but would he dare to challenge Qiushan Jun?"
"It''s impossible for us to know that, but from the degree to which the black stone lit up, perhaps he held back. Even if he''s not at the initial level of Mediation, he must not be very far."
The crowd was caught up in discussion when suddenly they remembered that elderly voice. They turned their heads in amazement and realized that the owner of the voice was the Heavenly Dao Academy''s most dreaded Vice Principal Zhuang. They couldn''t but yelp in alarm, then clasp their hands and repeatedly bow to him, before scattering like birds and beasts.
...
...
Whether an expert or genius, it was only right and proper that both be baptized by the gazes of the crowd. The young men and young ladies participating in the Heavenly Dao Academy''s assessment had not recognized this blue-clothed youth, so they were even more shocked. As they looked at his back, they revealed shocked and reverential emotions. Chen Changsheng looked at the blue-clothed youth with admiration. He didn''t have this sort of talent, so he was truthfully rather envious.
The blue-clothed youth walked forward with a cold expression and shortly entered that building in the depths of the Heavenly Dao Academy. However, the assessment for the remaining people had to continue. In a while, it was finally Chen Changsheng''s turn. He walked up to the table and looked at the somewhat coarse surface of the black stone on which one could faintly make out countless fine holes. He hesitated for a few moments, then took the black stone, held it up to his eyes, and began to carefully examine it.
He clearly sensed a cool and delightful Qi seep out of one of the small holes on the black stone. Following the course of his palm, it entered his body and then began to quickly circulate through his meridians, attempting to head into an even deeper place in search of his true essence. That cool strand of Qi clearly did not have its own will, so it naturally also had no ill intentions. He did not resist it in any way, letting it search throughout his body. Of course, even if he wanted to resist, he didn''t have the ability to. Only he clearly understood that there was a problem with his meridians. Until he began to treat it with his own hands, that strand of Qi would not find anything. Since there was no true essence to bring back, there was no response from the spiritual will, and so the black stone naturally did not glow.
Nothing beyond the expected occurred. The black stone was still a black stone, calmly resting on his palm.
He placed the black stone back on the table and looked at the teacher from the Heavenly Dao Academy. Then he said, "It didn''t glow."
In the eyes of the bystanders, he had just taken up the stone and then put it back down again. It was such an obvious fact, and yet he had confirmed it so seriously. Inevitably, it seemed somewhat ridiculous. Strangely, no one laughed. Seeing his upright expression, everyone felt it was a little oddthose youths that previously failed to make the black stone glow would always be somewhat ashamed because of their failure and depression. There would even be people like that shameless youth from before that would weep bitter tears. But hewas far too calm.
Could it be that he didn''t realize what this meant? It didn''t seem like that was the case.
The teacher wrinkled his brow. He was originally supposed to wave his hand to indicate that Chen Changsheng should leave, but because of the indescribable silence hanging over them, for some reason, he asked, "You don''t know how to cultivate?"
"I have not cultivated."
Chen Changsheng said the words that he had repeated twice in the Divine General''s estate.
The teacher looked at him expressionlessly, his meaning being, why aren''t you leaving on your own?
Chen Changsheng bowed and gave his regards, then left.
However, the direction he left in was not towards the main gate of the Heavenly Dao Academy, but towards that building.
The teacher was stunned, then understood what he was planning to do. He furiously bellowed, "Stop!"
7 Joy Upon Opening the Book
Chen Changsheng stopped and turned his head back at the teacher. He was somewhat puzzled, but when he remembered those previous scenes, he understood why the teacher was angrythose examinees that failed Purification, upon reaching this point, would retreat in disappointment. That teacher had thought that his response would be the same, but he had continued forward. Presumably, this had made the teacher somewhat unhappy.
He wasn''t willing to waste time on meaningless arguments and misunderstanding. He sincerely bowed to the teacher who was just getting up and straightforwardly explained, "Teacher, I am not looking to make trouble."
The teacher had just been prepared to scold him and ask him just what he intended by making trouble in this dignified examination. When he suddenly heard these words that had come before he could say anything, he couldn''t but be a little dazed and he choked somewhat on his words. He coughed twice, then shouted, "Then why aren''t you quickly getting out!"
Those youths that were behind Chen Changsheng in line to take the test were already somewhat anxious and impatient. Seeing that he was unwilling to leave, they thought he was acting in a very shameless manner. They were very angry and added their own scolding to the teacher''s shouts. There were also people that mocked him by saying that he had gone crazy from failure.
The ridicule and laughter fell upon Chen Changsheng''s ear, but his expression did not change. He seemed nothing like a fourteen-year-old youth, so calm that it made others feel helpless. He looked at the teacher and gave him another extremely courteous bow, then said in a very orderly fashion, "I have not cultivated, but I can still take the Heavenly Dao Academy''s entrance exam."
The teacher was at a loss, not understanding what this youth was trying to say. Since he hadn''t even succeeded at Purification, how could he possibly have the qualifications to continue on to the exam? Had there ever been an exception in the past few years? Even if there had, just why should there be one for him?
Chen Changsheng explained, "According to the regulations of the Heavenly Dao Academy, chapter seventeen, law four, in a footnote for article eight, the entrance examination is the only criterion for entering the academy. Eleven years ago, the Department for Purging Officials also ruled as such."
Seeing his simple clothes, the teacher was subconsciously prepared to reprimand Chen Changsheng. It wasn''t that he was a snob, but because he simply didn''t believe it. How could this youth who had clearly come from the middle of nowhere know more about the regulations of the Heavenly Dao Academy than him who was the most specialized in recruitment and who had overseen this examination for many years? What footnote...did the academy regulations have such an article? Why didn''t he have any inkling of it?
Yet just as he was about to call someone to take this youth away, he suddenly heard the words "Department for Purging Officials". He couldn''t help but pause in shock and restrain the words that were about to leave his lips.
The Department for Purging Officials had originally been an unremarkable organization under the Ministry of Personnel. As the Divine Empress began to take the reins of power, she placed the department in the hands of a man she exceptionally favored, an official called Zhou Tong who was famed for his ruthlessness. Under his care, the Department for Purging Officials suddenly took on a completely different appearance. Who knew how many ministers and generals that were still loyal to the Imperial clan had died in that seemingly ordinary building? Gradually, this name caused all of the Zhou Dynasty''s officials and ministers to tremble in fear.
Although the Heavenly Dao Academy was not under the jurisdiction of the Department for Purging Officials, it was difficult to not be somewhat afraid. What made this teacher feel most uneasy was that because the Department for Purging Officials wanted to wash away its vile reputation, it paid particular attention to its reputation amongst the common people. In redressing the wrongs of the people, it worked strictly by the book. If the regulations of the Heavenly Dao Academy really did have this article that the youth had mentioned, then there really might be some trouble...
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s calm expression, this teacher suddenly lost some of his confidence. After a few moments of hesitation, he wrinkled his brow and yelled a few words of criticism towards the back of the line, then turned around and left, going off to some place. The crowd''s scolding and teasing gradually ceased, devolving into hushed whispers. No one knew what was going on.
After quite a bit of time, the teacher finally returned, and the emotions in the eyes he turned to Chen Changsheng were somewhat more complex.
Chen Changsheng understood that the teacher most likely had gone to check the academy regulations and had seen the footnote he had mentioned. He had relentlessly read books in the temple ever since he was a child. All Three Thousand Scrolls of the Great Dao were in his head, countless books and chapters memorized until he could recite them from back to front. His reading was so extensive that he had even read the various laws and ceremonies of all the various kingdoms countless times. Naturally, he would not remember incorrectly.
"Even if you continue on to the examination, you still won''t have any chance. Why waste your time?"
The teacher said to Chen Changsheng impassively, his expression very stern.
Chen Changsheng replied, "This student would still like to try."
The teacher asked, "You haven''t succeeded at Purification, so how can you complete those questions? In addition, it could harm your mind. Are you sure you want to take it?"
These words were not false. Once a person had undergone Purification and cleared the heart, the greatest difference between them and a normal person, besides the strengthening of the body, was the disparity in the power of the spiritual sense. This was something that came naturally and could not be changed through human strength. Without Purification, it was assuredly impossible to work on these difficult problems. There was even a high chance of heavily injuring oneself. For this reason, this assessment, with the table in the bamboo shed and the Sensory Stone on the table, became an unavoidable hurdle. Anyone who could not make the black stone glow was eliminated. This had already become convention, or even common sense. This was why none of the failures had objected, until a special case like Chen Changsheng appeared.
Chen Changsheng bowed. "This student really does want to take the test."
The teacher''s face was somewhat unsightly. He thought, since you''ve managed to waste your own time by luckily happening upon that rule as well as wasting everyone else''s time, if you want to go, then go. And if your spiritual sense is really so damaged that you become an idiot, then that will also be a calamity you brought on yourself.
"Then go."
Chen Changsheng bowed again. Without saying any more, he walked out of the bamboo shed and headed towards that building in the depths of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
That teacher also said nothing more to him. Turning to the remaining students, his face like a sheet of ice, he said, "Next."
...
...
Chen Changsheng was the only person in more than a decade to take the entrance exam without passing the Sensory Stone Test. The youths that observed the scene from a distance had an incomprehensible feeling well up within them. Those who knew a little more did not make much of itto take advantage of a loophole was only taking advantage of a loophole. Without having undergone Purification, his memory, analysis, and calculation ability would be insufficient. It was simply not possible to work on the Heavenly Dao Academy''s entrance exam. Chen Changsheng''s actions were at best an amusing interlude.
That building was the Heavenly Dao Academy''s ''A'' building. When Chen Changsheng entered that building, many people objected to his presence, except for that one person who had already finished his examination and, as was right and inevitable, succeeded in entering the Heavenly Dao Academy: that blue-clothed youth called Tang Thirty-Six. In fact, he stared very intently at Chen Changsheng. He also did not think Chen Changsheng could pass the exam, but he appreciated Chen Changsheng''s serious, even stubborn, strength, because it reminded him of himself. At this time, the Heavenly Dao Academy''s Vice Principal appeared by his side. Smiling, he asked, "Do you think that youth has a chance? I don''t think so. Who was the last ordinary person to enter the Heavenly Dao Academy? That was Wang Zhice. But on this continent, it has been several hundred years since a person like Wang Zhice appeared."
Wang Zhice was once a legendary individual of the continent. In the final years of Emperor Taizu, he entered the Heavenly Dao Academy at the age of sixteen. He was a normal person that had never cultivated before. After he graduated from the Heavenly Dao Academy, he served as a common secretary in the Imperial Court right up until he was forty years old. One night when he was forty, a long whistling noise was suddenly heard throughout the capital. In one night, Wang Zhice comprehended the Dao and began to cultivate. In a few short years, he had arrived at the summit. In the end he became the second-in-command of the allied armies in the war against the Demon race. In the campaign that defeated the demons, he played a decisive role. Even now, his portrait was still hanging in the Lingyan Pavilion.
(TN: The Lingyan Pavilion was an actual building constructed in the Tang Dynasty by Taizong to commemorate twenty-four officials for their service to the empire.)
The human world had not seen Wang Zhice for a long time.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I also do not think he can pass, and even less think that he is the next Wang Zhice, but I think that if you wanted to become an existence as great as Wang Zhice, you would have to at least be like that youth, possessing a spirit that doesn''t know the meaning of defeat as well as living a strict life style. I never thought geniuses were anything much. The scariest people are those who are very hard on themselves."
The Vice Principal shook his head and said: "When Wang Zhice was in school, on cold days when the ground was covered in snow, he would be eating frozen porridge while his hands never left his books. Can that youth study to that extent?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "At the very least, that youth is much stronger than all those other mediocre people."
The Vice Principal glanced at him, then said, "As expected of Tang Tang, whether it''s people or things, you always look at them differently from the rest."
Tang Thirty-Six wrinkled his brow and said, "Please call me Tang Thirty-Six."
The Vice Principal laughed. "Entering my Heavenly Dao Academy, this name of yours will have to change again."
Tang Thirty-Six said seriously, "That''s inevitable."
The Vice Principal glanced at the building and smelled a very faint but beautiful fragrance spilling from the window. He asked, "Will you continue to wait?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Yes."
The Vice Principal asked, "Why?"
Tang Thirty-Six answered, "Although he has no chance of passing, I really want to know just how much he can score."
...
...
The examination book on the table was extremely thick, almost like a small mountain. Chen Changsheng did not know the exact specifics of this book, so of course he was a little anxiouseveryone knew that the reason the Heavenly Dao Academy was extremely difficult to enter was that its entrance exam encompassed everything. From the true meaning of the Dao to debates on the Heavenly Tomes to the art of war, everything was included. There were often even questions on agriculture. Even if someone had reached a perfect Purification, if they wanted to finish all the questions by the time the incense burned down, it would still be an arduous task, to say nothing of a normal person.
Chen Changsheng sat before the table and closed his eyes for the period of five breaths, then opened his eyes and opened the examination book to the first page. As he did so, his mood was very complicated. Of course, there was a little curiosity about the unknown as well as some disquiet of unknown origin, but there was also a little expectation.
His fingers suddenly became rigid. A strand of uncertainty flashed across his eyes that were bright like mirrors.
Everyone said the Heavenly Dao Academy''s test questions were very difficult. If it was testing on comparing religious passages, it would often be taken from the most obscure and hard-to-find passages, but whydid this first page''s first question seem so familiar? The thirty-first debate between Cen Shenzi and the seventh-generation Pope on true meaning? When did he last see this? It was when he was three years oldthis was a small and unremarkable passage from the Huainan Commentary of the Nanhua Classic. But he had already seen this commentary and memorized it, and when he was five and eleven, he read it and memorized it all over again.
Why was it familiar? It was because these words had been engraved into his heart.
Chen Changsheng was a little puzzled, but he was still a youth, so he was even more filled with joy. He stopped thinking about it and took up his brush and began to use the chapters and passage within his mind. Those penetrating insights of those great masters he copied onto his paper. Then he turned to the second page and he was not surprised to once again see familiar passages
The Great Dao encompasses all things, and the Heavenly Dao Academy''s entrance exam questions were contained entirely in those Three Thousand Scriptures.
He could recite those Three Thousand Scriptures from back to front.
How could this sort of test be difficult for him?
8 The Meeting of Chen and Tang
When the incense burned out, there was a metal clang indicating that this round of examinations had come to a close. Chen Changsheng walked out of the building with the rest of the prospective students, paying no attention to the peculiar gazes thrown in his direction. Following the directions, he proceeded towards a stone plaza behind the lake, where the results would be announced, waiting for dusk when the final examination would conclude.
The majority of the other students remained in the front of the building, exchanging answers with each other or complaining about the test''s difficulty. When he arrived at that place behind the lake, the stone plaza was very quiet. Standing by the lake was only the blue-clothed youth who had previously released that great light. He thought that geniuses would inevitably be proud and aloof, so he didn''t walk forward. Unexpectedly, the youth approached him instead.
"I am called Tang Thirty-Six," the blue-clothed youth said.
Chen Changsheng was rather astonished. He didn''t think that this youth would come over and take the initiative to chat. He tidied up his clothes and said courteously, "My surname is Chen (), written with ''ear'' () and ''east'' (), Chen Changsheng."
Tang Thirty-Six stared blankly at him, as if he hadn''t expected this youth''s name to be so crude. Even the master of a wealthy family in the countryside would not give his son such a name. After a moment of silence, he said, "This name is actually sincere and honest; it''s not right for me to say it''s lacking."
Chen Changsheng thought, your way of speaking is also actually rather sincere, only your name is also very strange.
"I am called Chen Changsheng.because when I was small, I was sick. Master hoped that I would live until I was one hundred. What about you? Why are you called Tang Thirty-Six? It can''t be that you''re the thirty-sixth child in your family? How can your family have so many people? Where is your home? With so many brothers and sisters, won''t it be too noisy when you''re studying?"
Tang Thirty-Six was struck dumb.
To directly inquire about the origins of one''s name was a very discourteous thing to do. Moreover, he had a very chilly face which strangers did not like to approach. Those people who did not know the origins of his name, no matter how curious they were, would still restrain themselves in front of him, not daring to ask him directly. This youth had just so casually asked him this question, and then had even added more questions on top of it.
In fact, Chen Changsheng''s thinking was very simple. In this capital that he wasn''t familiar with, in this Heavenly Dao Academy full of cold looks and ridicule, this person who was clearly a genius had taken the initiative to come forward and introduce himself, so it was only right and proper that he give back even more enthusiasm and kindness. At the very least, he should take initiative to exchange pleasantries and chat about something.
Ever since he was a child, he had lived together with his master and senior brother. Master rarely said anything, and Senior couldn''t even speak, so he simply had no clue how exchanging pleasantries should go. He seemed somewhat stiff and awkward, and although he wanted to relay his kind intention to this youth, it was very easy to cause misunderstanding, just like yesterday in the Divine General''s estate.
Yet what was interesting was that not only was Tang Thirty-Six not unhappy, but on the contrary, he found Chen Changsheng very honest and very sincere. The thing Tang Thirty-Six most wanted to do throughout his life was to be a true person, but all the people he encountered were either mediocre people or sham believers. To suddenly encounter a person like Chen Changsheng made him feel very satisfied.
"In my clan, there truly are many people of the same generation as me, but we all study in our own homes, so it''s not noisy. The reason I''m called Tang Thirty-Six is not because I''m the thirty-sixth child in my family, but because last year when I turned fifteen and first entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, I was placed thirty-sixth. I thought it was very humiliating, especially when compared to that girl and that wolf cubso I changed my name to Tang Thirty-Six to always remind myself that my current cultivation and strength are not adequate. Yeah, it seems I''ve answered all your questions. Yes, I''ve answered them all."
The conversation above was the first social interaction Chen Changsheng had since he left Xining and came to the bustling capital. At the same time, it was also the first social interaction Tang Thirty-Six had after he left Wenshui and came to the capital. At the time, Chen Changsheng was fourteen years old and Tang Thirty-Six was just about to turn sixteen, so they were both somewhat confused and inexperienced in the aspect of socializing. This conversation was undoubtedly rather choppy, interesting and amusing, but many years in the future, history would prove that this social interaction was a rousing success. It could even be said that after the treaty signed between Emperor Taizong and the chief of the demons, this was the most successful and most important social interaction in history.
"How many questions did you answer?"
Tang Thirty-Six asked. He truly was rather interested in this answer, because even though he felt Chen Changsheng was just an ordinary personin reality, he probably wasn''t an ordinary person. When he saw how pale Chen Changsheng''s face was, he realized that his question was inappropriate. Those problems had been like an ocean. Even a genius like him had felt somewhat strained. It was obvious that Chen Changsheng had severely consumed his mental strength. Looking at the circumstances, the final result would probably not be any good.
"There were some questions on cultivation that I really couldn''t answer. Spiritual sense, true essence, and also the burning sun of Star Condensation"
Chen Changsheng very honestly answered. In his heart, he felt rather lucky. He had studied the Daoist Canon since he was a child, so those seemingly complex academic questions weren''t very difficult at all for him. Instead, it was those questions on cultivation that he really couldn''t answer. Fortunately, this was only an exam for prospective students after all, so there were not many questions in that field.
As Tang Thirty-Six listened, he felt that something was a bit off. These were the questions that he couldn''t answercould it be that this kid actually answered all the other questions? He took note of the fact that on the other side of the lake, a teacher carrying a thick examination paper was quickly walking off to some place. That teacher''s mood seemed to have been severely shaken, and he almost fell over as he climbed the stone steps. He couldn''t help but be a little startled. When associating this with the words Chen Changsheng had just said, he couldn''t help but get an idea that even he found hard to believe. Could it be that this fellow really wanted to give everyone a shock?
"The restyou''re sure you answered them all correctly?"
"I don''t dare say for certainthere are two versions of ''The Grand Supreme Mantra for Clearing the Heart''. In the year the Orthodoxy was established, they released an edited version. Afterwards, everyone always used the edited version, but the era mentioned in the question was before the year fifteen-seventy-three, so I didn''t know which version to use. In the end, I was forced to put down an answer for both versions. I''m just afraid that it will anger the teacher and lose points."
When Tang Thirty-Six heard these words, he couldn''t help but fall silent.
He only knew one version for that question, and he had only answered for that version.
After a while, he looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "I always thought it was me and that other guy who were the most arrogant amongst this generation of youth. I didn''t think that you would actually be more arrogant than me."
Chen Changsheng was puzzled. He thought to himself, just how am I arrogant?
...
...
The results were posted.
Chen Changsheng''s name was actually not there.
Chen Changsheng silently stood in front of the list for a very long time.
The eyes that looked at him from the crowd were rather unkind, carrying a sense of ridicule and disdain. If Tang Thirty-Six were not at his side, many nasty words would probably have been said already.
"I don''t understand," Chen Changsheng said.
Tang Thirty-Six also did not understand. He believed that this youth that could even make him feel close and sincere would not tell lies. Since he said that he had answered most of the questions correctly, he should have answered them correctly. Then even if he wasn''t ranked at the very front, his score should have been more than enough to make the list.
Chen Changsheng sought out the teacher that had been responsible for the Sensory Stone assessment and said, "I would like to check my paper."
That teacher was tidying up some random miscellany and didn''t look directly into that calm and resolute gaze. "Since you used the regulations to obtain the qualifications to take the exam, then you should also knowmy Heavenly Dao Academy''s exam papers can not be checked again. This acts as a sign of respect to the Heavenly Dao Academy. If you did not pass, then you did not pass."
Chen Changsheng gazed silently at him for a long time, then turned and left.
...
...
"Although he didn''t say anything, you knew what he wanted to saythis sort of kid who''s angry but won''t say anything bad is truly amazing." Tang Thirty-Six looked to the other side of the lake at the back of the youth that was slowly fading away. He turned to some person and said mockingly, "For the Heavenly Dao Academy to not take this sort of talent is really amazing."
"You''re older than him by two years, but you call him a kid. That''s really interesting."
The Vice Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy said, "Even more interesting is, how did you know what he wanted to say?"
"He wanted to say, you will definitely regret thisI know this because if I were to suffer such treatment, I would definitely say these words."
"The Heavenly Dao Academy will regret rejecting a normal student?"
"He is not a normal student. He is a genius like me."
The Vice Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy was silent for a few moments, then said, "I saw that youth''s exam paper. For him to be so erudite without Purification, he truly can be called a genius. Even compared to Wang Zhice back then, he''s not too far off. If this were a normal situation, I absolutely would have recruited him into the academy and then personally instructed him. It''s just a pity that it''s not possible this time."
Tang Thirty-Six looked back at him and asked, "Why is it not possible?"
"Because someone paid a visit."
"Who?"
"The Divine General''s estate."
"The present-day continent has one Dufu, Five Saints, the Storms of the Eight Directions, and the countless freaks on the Proclamation of Liberation, and that''s not even mentioning the demon guys hidden out in the wilderness. Admittedly the thirty-eight Divine Generals are strongbut what sort of place is the Heavenly Dao Academy? Actually listening to the orders of the Divine General''s estate?"
(TN: Dufu can also mean ''dictator'' or ''sole ruler''.)
"Your father entrusted you to me, so I won''t hide this from you, but you can''t speak of it anywhere elsea mere Divine General''s estate is naturally incapable of influencing my Heavenly Dao Academy, but that Divine General''s estate is different, because it is the estate of the Divine General of the East. The master of that estate is called Xu Shiji."
"Xu Shijieven if he''s doted upon by the Divine Empress and his power is formidable, in the end, he''s just a Divine General."
"But his family has a Phoenix"
Once he heard the word ''Phoenix'', the cold arrogance on Tang Thirty-Six''s countenance was impossible to retain and instantly melted away. After a long period of silence, he mumbled, "Chen Changsheng, that guy, actually managed to provoke that Phoenix? Just what sort of person is he?"
The Vice Principal calmly replied, "It''s of no concern what sort of person he is, he''s still only fourteen. Even if he were to be enlightened again, it would be too late. The world has too many geniuses, and so if he had even more potential, so what? Previously, I compared him to Wang Zhice. If he really does possess Wang Zhice''s willpower and destiny, then what does it matter if he is or is not in the Heavenly Dao Academy?"
...
...
Chen Changsheng did not know that his failure had to do with the Xu Estate. He thought that he had most likely taken the place of some influential official''s son and so had suffered under the tricks of some person. Although this was his first time wading into worldly affairs, he had seen in the Daoist Canon and the plays many unbearably dark and filthy cases of mutual deception, and so he could only remain silent. Besides remaining silent, what else could he currently do?
He left the Heavenly Dao Academy and went to the second school on the list. He still did not notice the carriage with the blood-red Phoenix crest following him in the distance.
9 Seizing the Stars
Presently in the world, cultivation relied mainly on the Daoist method promulgated by the Orthodoxy. The primary source of true essence was the vast sky of starsthe Faith of Light paid particular attention to the word ''light'', and what illuminated the night sky was precisely starlight. To break through Meditation and enter Ethereal Opening, and then Star Condensation, to lean upon the energy the myriad stars spilled over the world and to remold the ordinary human body and soul: this was the ultimate goal of cultivation. From this, one could see what sort of status the word ''star'' held in the world of cultivation. Every country and every sect had its own star observation platforms, and the scenic spots on the great rivers were covered with countless buildings which looked up towards the stars. Yet it was very rare to see names like ''take the stars'' or ''wrest away the stars'', because this seemed rather disrespectful towards the stars.
But the second school on Chen Changsheng''s list was shockingly called precisely the Star Seizer Academy.
Star Seizerthis academy had taken such a completely domineering name, and yet the Orthodoxy had no complaint. This matter had always been so domineering.
In the entire world, only this academy dared to use such a name, and only this academy had the qualifications to use such a name.
Because this academy was under the direct management of the Great Zhou army. Over countless years, it had nurtured countless brave and unswerving youths, and the generals it had produced were as numerous as the stars. Many years ago, in that world-shaking war with the demons, the humans had initially been forced to the brink of collapse. The entirety of Star Seizer Academy, from its principal down to the average student, rushed out to the battlefield, taking the place of their fallen comrades. Of ten that went out to the battlefield, eight or nine would die there. After the great war, the once-great academy was now decayed and desolate as a tomb. Based on this, the Star Seizer Academy obtained a respect that no man could hope to reach and possessed a nigh unimaginable grandeur.
If such an academy wanted to use Star Seizer or even Star Burning as a name, just who would complain?
The entire world had a deep understanding of Star Seizer Academy''s bloody and cruel, yet glorious, history, and Chen Changsheng was no exception. His master had placed Star Seizer Academy as second on the list, but the reality was that in Chen Changsheng''s heart, Star Seizer Academy was ranked first. Thus, although his failure to get into the Heavenly Dao Academy had upset him somewhat, he didn''t care too much.
He believed that Star Seizer Academy would definitely not practice favoritism like the Heavenly Dao Academy, or at the very least it would not be so excessive about it.
Thinking like this, he arrived at the stern Star Seizer Academy and began to prepare for the second examination.
As expected, Star Seizer Academy was different from the Heavenly Dao Academy. Although the school gate was also surrounded by a dense mass of people, the entire place was very quiet without any sort of random noise, perhaps because of the hawk-like gazes of those fully-armored elite troops, or because of that stone monolith densely covered with the surnames of those officers that had died for the country oppressing the mood.
After filling out a simple application form and receiving a number plate, slightly over six hundred young prospective students were escorted by several military officials into the academy.
Similar to the assessment of the Heavenly Dao Academy, the Star Seizer Academy had also prepared a pre-examination, and its goal was similarly to eliminate those ordinary youths who had not yet succeeded at Purification and to relieve the pressure on the formal entrance examination. It was just that the Star Seizer Academy inevitably had a more military character to it, so its method was much simpler than the Heavenly Dao Academy''s and also much more straightforwardthis place had no Sensory Stone, only a stone plate.
This stone plate was very large, very much like a millstonein fact, it was precisely the millstone from the kitchens behind the Star Seizer Academy that had been temporarily removed, and it weighed three hundred catties. Those examinees that could lift up this millstone and carry it up the thirty stone steps would be considered to have passed the first assessment and have the qualifications to take the formal entrance examination.
With a weight of three hundred catties, unless one had successfully purified and tempered the bones and muscles to be as flexible as a pine tree, it would be very difficult to lift it up, let alone carry it for so long up those steps. Upon seeing that millstone, many youths who had not succeeded at Purification suddenly paled. Many people lowered their heads in dejection as they stepped back. Even youths who had succeeded at Purification but still had unsteady cultivations judged that they couldn''t do it this year. One by one, they shook their heads, unwilling but helplessly forced to abandon their hopes. Of course, there were some ordinary youths who bravely relied on their body''s natural strength to attempt to overcome this challenge, but none of them succeeded.
To not have undergone Purification but to manage to lift the millstone was not actually a rare sight in the Star Seizer Academy''s new student examination. For instance, the White Tiger Divine General currently guarding Sangharama Pass had not undergone Purification in the year he entered the academy. However, relying on his inborn divine strength, he actually managed to easily take up that millstone and hurl it right over to the other side of that lake
But this was not a common event.
The military instructor felt it somewhat regrettable. Looking at the time, he decided to quicken the process. He let the examinees voluntarily report their levels and then allowed the examinees that had succeeded at Purification to attempt the test first. Afterwards, he let the ordinary youths try.
Regrettably, by noon, there were still no ordinary youths able to produce a miracle.
Just as the crowd was beginning to lose interest and preparing to leave, a tall and sturdy youth carrying his number plate walked in. He easily lifted the millstone and then clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp, he easily climbed up those thirty stone steps. His breathing was steady and his face wasn''t even red. He even brought the millstone back to its original position.
The crowd was in an uproar.
That youth raised up his hand to the crowd and then proudly walked back up the stone steps into the depths of the academy. Amusingly, he was born too simple and honest. No matter how much he tried to show off his arrogance, he just seemed rather cute in the eyes of the crowd. There was no teasing, only a warm laughter.
After the sturdy youth departed, many people began to speculate on his origins until finally some person abruptly mentioned that a green tattoo had been faintly discernable on the youth''s ankle. The crowd were all so amazed that they had no words. This was becauseit signified that this youth was highly likely to possess demi-human blood. There was even a high chance that he had come from the land of demi-humans in the west!
Over the past several centuries, because the humans had united with the demi-humans in resisting the demons, although their relationship could not be described as friendly, it could still be described as harmonious. Some demi-human nobles that could transform even lived in the human world. There were definitely some living in the capital of the Great Zhoubut in the end, humans and demi-humans walked different paths. The government and the common people of the human world would usually refrain from mentioning this topic, thinking it fine as long as those demi-humans did not cause any trouble.
When that stalwart youth who was suspected of being a demi-human succeeded in lifting the millstone, he seemed to have pushed open a door. Soon after, two youths who were hunters from the Great Old Mountains relied on the innate strength of their bodies to lift up the millstone and walk up the stone steps. Although it seemed very arduous, it still won a wave of cheers.
That military official at the top of the steps who was keeping score with his black brush seemed to be very satisfied with this year''s grades.
As time passed, it was finally Chen Changsheng''s turn. When the crowd saw this still childish youth, they gave a few kind words of encouragement and then paid no more attention. It was too obvious that this youth was too young and had not fully matured. He wasn''t even as strong as those two hunters, let alone that stalwart demi-human youth. It seemed impossible for him to lift the millstone no matter how one looked at it.
At the Heavenly Dao Academy, Chen Changsheng had relied on his familiarity with the regulations of the academy to pass through the Purification selection. Now at Star Seizer Academy, perhaps he had thought of another method, but maybe because he had been affected by the stern and yet passionate atmosphere of the academy or perhaps because he simply wanted to try, he didn''t do anything strange.
He walked over to the millstone and slowly crouched. He firmly gripped his hands on the millstone and took five slow and deep breaths. He poured all the strength in his body into his waist and his arms and with a grunt, exploded with strength!
The crowd in front of the slanted stone steps suddenly grew quiet. Those spectators that had just been chatting were so stunned that they forgot what they were about to say. With their mouths agape, they stared at this scene.
The millstone slowly rose up. Finally, Chen Changsheng raised it up to his chest, no more, no less, passing the assessment''s standard by a single inch!
His face was somewhat red, but his expression was still calm. There were no signs of panic or anxiety in his eyes.
Boom! The scene erupted in applause. The spectators incessantly cheered the youth on, using the rhythm of their cheers to help the youth move his feet.
Chen Changsheng took one step forward. It was just one step, but his knees began to tremble.
To lift up the millstone was one thing, but to lift this weighty millstone and walk up those stone steps was another thing entirely.
His breathing became somewhat ragged and his face grew increasingly red.
He didn''t make a single sound, but from his slightly bulging cheeks, it could be seen that he was forcefully clenching his teeth.
Step by step, he walked towards the stone steps.
...
...
Chen Changsheng truly had not undergone Purification. Logically, his flesh and bones were only at the level of an ordinary youth. It would even be proper that they were weaker than an ordinary youth''s, given his childhood illness. But it was precisely because he was ill, and with a difficult-to-cure illness at that, that the three people in Xining Village''s old temple, including Chen Changsheng, were concerned with his body first and foremost.
From the moment he could understand, he had been forced to recite the Three Thousand Scriptures of the Dao in the old temple. At the same time, that eccentric Daoist priest who was his master had begun digging up medicinal herbs and boiling them together so that he could bathe in it. Senior Yu Ren would take up thorns and wooden sticks and beat him so as to toughen his body. In these ten-odd years, the people he was most familiar with were these three people in the old temple and the smell that he was most familiar with was the smell of books, medicine and wooden sticks.
After a long period of treating and beating, his illness had not been cured and it was impossible for him to obtain the innate divine strength of that demi-human youth, but his originally incomparably feeble body was at least no longer as weak as an ordinary person''s. It could even be said that his body was slightly stronger than normal. Although he was only healthy and strong on the surface, it still made him very happy.
A youth that been ill since he was a child and then been enveloped by a dark shadow at the age of ten would certainly care more about his body than other people, pay more attention to the details. Thus, today at Star Seizer Academy, when he silently walked up to the millstone, he was only thinking about using his own strength to pass this assessment.
He wanted to lifted up this heavy millstone to prove some things to himself and simultaneously express his gratitude to his master and senior.
...
...
One step, two steps, three steps, four steps.
Chen Changsheng''s breathing grew heavier and heavier, his face more and more unsightly. The black hair bound tightly in a bun had long since been drenched in sweat, but the expression in his eyes was still calm and assured.
The cheers and encouragement from the two sides of the stone steps had already come to a stop. Everyone was looking at the bowed youth as he strenuously walked forward, trembling and swaying his way up the stone steps. They were very concerned and yet filled with admiration. There were several times when it seemed like that youth was about to fall, but he seemed to pull strength from some place and actually endured!
The military instructor at the top of the steps looked at Chen Changsheng, his eyes filled with admiration.
...
...
Seven steps, eight steps, nine steps.
Chen Changsheng''s steps had become slower and slower.
The praise in the military instructor''s eyes was growing ever more. He was very surprised by the level this youth had shownas a member of the military, he cared about the willpower and bravery that Chen Changsheng showed. He had already decided. Even if Chen Changsheng could not bring the millstone to the top of the steps, he would still let him pass this preliminary examination. As for if it would affect the academy and the Great Zhou military''s reputation
The military instructor gazed at the nervous crowd and his heart felt a little more at ease. He thought to himself that it shouldn''t be. It seemed that the vast majority of the crowd believed the same as he did.
An earnest and hardworking child was worthy of a special reward.
...
...
While he thought about these things, the military instructor became somewhat absentminded. He wasn''t looking at the stone steps until at a certain point, he awoke from his stupor and realized that the faces of the crowd had abruptly changed.
He turned his head and saw that there was an extra person by his side.
It was an extremely exhausted youth, drenched in sweat.
The military instructor thought that he didn''t have to make things difficult for himself anymore. He smiled and patted the youth on the shoulder.
Chen Changsheng had walked to the top of the steps.
That weighty millstone lay at his feet.
He had succeeded.
10 Did I Do Something Wrong?
Chen Changsheng had successfully entered the formal entrance examination for the Star Seizer Academy. This time, it was not like the Heavenly Dao Academy where he had been greeted by ridicule and cold gazes. What awaited him were earnest hopes and warm, encouraging gazes. This made him feel very warm and very determined, putting him in an excellent state of mind.
When the various schools of the capital recruited students, they emphasized different things. The Heavenly Dao Academy stressed the teachings of the Orthodoxy and talent in cultivation. Star Seizer Academy did not care as much about cultivation. The Great Zhou Army had always believed that cultivation was something to worry about after entering the academy. They cared more about the military achievements of those examinees, as well as their sense of discipline. For this reason, the test for Star Seizer Academy did not have as many questions as that of the Heavenly Dao Academy, but the form of writing questions, and even one''s name, was subject to an incredibly strict standard. In addition, the questions primarily emphasized battle simulations and battle analysis.
If Chen Changsheng could be said to have a talent, then his memorization of those many books from the time that he was a child could be said to be his greatest talent. Just like with the Heavenly Dao Academy test, the moment he opened up the scroll, he found the first question he saw to be very familiar. The Three Thousand Great Daos were all-encompassingthis could be said with certainty. The contents of the countless fields of study which were as numerous as the stars in the sky were all within them, so it was only a matter of course that those famous military strategies and those renowned battles from history were also included. As for the war between the humans and the demons, it was even more so described in exquisite detail. He remembered those things, so he naturally wouldn''t answer incorrectly.
Chen Changsheng very smoothly concluded the examination and then went with his fellow test-takers to the front of the Military Discipline Building to await the announcement of the final round of results. Standing in front of a statue of a divine beast that represented the strict military discipline of the Great Zhou Army, he began to recall the contents of the test and confirmed to himself that there shouldn''t be any difficulty with entering the Star Seizer Academy. Relaxing somewhat, he looked at that sour-faced demi-human youth and then stood on his tiptoes to give the youth a few kind pats on the shoulder in consolationit was clear to see that this demi-human youth with innately divine strength did not have too much understanding of the military strategies and battles of humans, and had tested rather poorly.
The sun was about to set behind the mountains and its warm light illuminated the cold iron fence that lay between the divine beast and the Military Discipline Building. The light caused a marvelous and enchanting feeling to arise. As Chen Changsheng stood in the light and gazed at that stone wall which was still as empty as an open field, his face was brimming with happy smiles and expectations for the future.
But he did not know that soon after, he would still receive bitter disappointment.
...
...
"Why?"
That officer who had been in charge of supervising the millstone-lifting assessment, as well as that other solemn-faced military instructor, stood in front of a desk, asking the middle-aged general sitting behind it. This officer''s face was abnormally ashen, making it blindingly obvious that he was just barely suppressing his anger.
The middle-aged general was expressionless, his eyebrows like two ink silkworms. Unangered and mighty, he listened to his subordinate''s indignant questions. He slightly wrinkled his brow and said, "Is this how you ask questions to your superior?"
The two military instructors halted at these words. One of them pointed out of the building at the setting sun and said, "Although we are the only ones that have seen that exam paper, many of our colleagues are paying close attention to that examinee called Chen Changsheng. Although my manners may be rude, if our colleagues were to find out this conclusion, they would also have similar questions."
The middle-aged general asked, "In the end, he''s a youth that hasn''t even succeeded at Purification. Why do you care about him so much?"
That military instructor angrily took one step forward, stabbing his finger out at that exam paper on the table which had been kneaded around so much that it was basically waste paper. He said, "Sir, you have also seen that exam paper. Sir should clearly understand that in these past ten-odd years, in all the previous entrance examinations, there has never been such a perfect exam paper. Whether it''s adherence to the writing format or analysis of battles, there is not a single gap, not a single miswritten character. Even his brushstrokes were exactly the right thickness. Yes, it is impossible for that child to become a heroic and powerful Divine General like Sir, but he can definitely become one of the finest staff officers!"
The middle-aged general silently contemplated this, then said, "This order came from the palace. I have no need to explain it to you."
That military instructor was astonished by these words. After a while, he awoke from his daze and, his voice a little heavier, said, "ButI need to give that child an explanation."
The middle-aged general lifted his head and glanced at him. "Then have him come over. I will give him an explanation."
...
...
As he walked into the strict building and saw the candle burning on the table, Chen Changsheng was silent. The two fists hanging by his side gradually clenched tighter. His face was rather pale, perhaps out of exhaustion or anger, or maybe both. When he saw that the stone wall still did not have his name, he was truly incredibly furious, countless times more furious than yesterday when he had encountered those contemptuous and cold gazes in the Divine General''s Estate.
Because he had extreme expectations of entering Star Seizer Academy, and he had extreme expectations for Star Seizer Academy, and now all his expectations, in that moment he saw that list, were completely turned into disappointment. The efforts he had paid for this seemed to have become a joke. Just why had all this happened?
He required an explanation.
The middle-aged general seated behind the table said he would give him an explanation, and he wanted to know what it would be.
"My apologies."
The middle-aged general stood and stared coldly at him like a fierce beast staring down at a little white rabbit, but the two words he said were ''my apologies''.
"As a soldier of the Great Zhou, I must betray my own principles. My deepest apologies.
"My actions may harm the reputation of Star Seizer Academy. My deepest apologies.
"You have the ability and a future. You are but a child, but I must temporarily put a halt to your future. My apologies.
"I cannot tell you why this is. My apologies.
"But I believe that you will quickly find out the reason. I hope that you will be able to give me an opportunity to amend my mistakes."
After Chen Changsheng finished listening to these words, he remained silent, then turned and left.
...
...
The next day at five o''clock in the morning, Chen Changsheng woke up as promptly as he had woken up yesterday and as he had for the previous fourteen years of his life. He washed his face and rinsed his mouth, put on his clothes, cleared his heart, and then left the inn, continuing on his path of education.
Following the order of the list, he went to two other schools. The bitter experiences at the Heavenly Dao Academy and the Star Seizer Academy had naturally made him rather depressed and unhappy, but he was the person in the world that most valued time. He was not willing to waste his time on meaningless anger and depression, only on worthwhile subjects. This sort of appearance gave people the feeling that Chen Changsheng was a person undaunted by setbacks.
Yesterday''s bitter experiences did not seem to affect him in any way. He assiduously prepared, and prudently took the exam. Using the knowledge stored up in his mind and his tenacious will, he was able to successfully take the entrance examinations for these two schoolsfrom the moment he saw the contents of these tests, he believed that he could successfully passthen without any sort of surprise, he failed to make the list.
After his two previous experiences, Chen Changsheng was no longer disappointed, or perhaps it could be said that he was already numb to it.
He keenly understood that there was definitely someone secretly targeting him. As for whothat answer was also extremely obvious.
At dusk, he walked out of the fourth school and finally saw that carriage from the Divine General''s Estate, displaying that old and dull blood-red Phoenix crest which nevertheless was extremely disturbing. Of course, he only saw it because the carriage had been specifically parked in front of the school''s gate precisely so that he could see it.
When Chen Changsheng saw that carriage, he knew the answer was about to be revealed.
Although he had already guessed at the answer, in the end, it was a rather different feeling from when he saw those exam papers.
The middle-aged woman emerged from the carriage and walked over to him.
"You are just a childsimply not worthy of making the Divine General''s Estate do so many things."
The middle-aged woman walked up in front of him and said impassively, "But we still did all these things because we were very concerned that you were too young to fully recognize the situation. Thus, we very diligently displayed our power for you to see. You should be fully aware now that as long as we do not agree, there will never be a day in the Great Zhou Dynasty where you can stick out your head."
Chen Changsheng remembered her. In the Divine General''s Estate, she had been the first person he met. He clasped his hands and bowed in greeting, then straightened his body and said nothing.
A strange expression flashed across the middle-aged woman''s eyes. She did not imagine that even in this situation, this youth would still be so calm, even remembering to bow to her. This sort of composure truly made one feel helpless, even uneasy, but she had to finish this task.
"What we want, you should clearly knowif you agree, everything that we have taken from you can be returned. Heavenly Dao Academy, Star Seizer Academy, Temple Seminaryyou can choose whichever one you want. If you want to learn something, you can learn it. If you want to follow some teacher, you can follow. After you complete your studies, if you want to enter the army or enter the Orthodoxy, or enter the court to become an officialall of this can be yours to choose."
The middle-aged women said with a solemn expression, "And if you do not agree, the experiences of the past two days will be a scene that will repeat itself for the rest of your life."
Chen Changsheng continued to remain silent, saying nothing.
The middle-aged woman continued, "You are a smart person and should understand very well what you should choose."
Chen Changsheng looked at her and finally said one sentence: "Senior wrote in his notes that smart people don''t live happy lives, so it''s better to pretend to be confused."
The middle-aged woman chuckled, then said, "But you really are very obedient, very smart. You didn''t tell the matter of the engagement to anybodyor else you would already be dead."
Chen Changsheng finally confirmed that in the past two days, someone from the Divine General of the East''s Estate had always been following him.
The middle-aged woman continued, "Of course, you must not misunderstandwhat I spoke of just now was only a possibility. The Divine Empress sits upon the throne and the Divine General''s Estate has always followed the law. It has never bullied anyone, only desiring to help others. We only require that you pay somethingsomething that you were originally prepared to pay, and then we can help you obtain much."
What he had originally been prepared to pay was naturally that marriage contract.
They could help him obtain much, but those things were things he could have obtained to begin with.
Chen Changsheng suddenly felt that when compared to the bustling capital, the forests in the mountains behind the old temple were rather beautiful.
He gazed at the middle-aged woman and suddenly opened his mouth. "Nanny, did I do something wrong?"
The middle-aged woman was at a loss, finding herself momentarily speechless.
She had lived in the capital for more than a hundred years. She had watched the young lady marry into the Xu Estate and watched the son-in-law grapple for better and better prospects. She had grown accustomed to seeing the high officials of the imperial court and those otherworldly experts. She had grown used to mutual deception and crafty plots, but she had never imagined that she would hear such words. Theseseemingly childish, but incredibly difficult-to-answer words.
So she could not answer it.
11 What Day Will I Soar Up to the Azure Sky?
"It seems like I didn''t do anything wrong."
Chen Changsheng looked at the middle-aged lady and said, "Since I didn''t do anything wrong, why do I need to change anything?"
As he said these words, his expression did not change. Only his breathing had become somewhat more rough in a fashion that was very difficult for someone to notice.
Only his senior brother knew that this little detail signified that he was already extremely angry.
The middle-aged woman took on a much more solemn expression and asked, "Are you not afraid of death?"
"Iam very afraid of death." Chen Changsheng''s voice was as unyielding as iron. "So as soon as I came to the capital, the first thing I did was go to the Divine General''s estate to end the engagement, just like how after I tested into the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy, I was prepared to choose a day to go back once more and end the engagementbut I must sincerely apologize, I really have changed my mind now."
The middle-aged lady stared at him, her gaze slightly chilly.
Chen Changsheng calmly returned her gaze and said, "Unless you acknowledge that it was you that did wrong and remember my name."
The middle-aged woman was quiet for a long time.
"In fact, I very much admire you."
She looked at Chen Changsheng with complex emotions in her eyes. "Over these past few days, I have been living your life with you. I''ve never encountered a youth at your age who is so disciplined. And in those four entrance examinations, you displayed things that are rarely seen, very worthy of praisethere were even times when I thought, if I had a daughter, it would not be a bad choice if I married her off to you."
Chen Changsheng didn''t know what to say, but once being complimented, one must always give some sort of response. After thinking about it, he said two words, "Thank you."
At this sort of occasion, to say ''thank you'' was somewhat amusing, somewhat cute, and very respectful.
The middle-aged woman pointed behind him at the stone wall behind the school''s gate and said, "But regretfully, no one in the world believes that the young lady should be married off to you."
Chen Changsheng followed her hand and only saw that dense collection of names written upon the stone wall. This was behind the main gate to the school, so if it was not the list of successful entrants, then what list was it? He suddenly recalled that yesterday behind the main gates of the Heavenly Dao Academy and the Star Seizer Academy, he had also seen similar stone walls, both of which had been engraved with many names.
At the top of this stone wall, a set of words was engraved: "Good wind, let me borrow your strength to soar up to the azure sky."
(TN: This line is from a poem in ''A Dream of the Red Chamber'', otherwise known as ¥, specifically Chapter Seventy. means ''azure sky'' and can also be taken to mean ''a high government position''.)
Seeing this line of words, Chen Changsheng remembered certain records in the books and realized that what was engraved on the stone wall was the legendary Proclamation of Azure Sky.
The experts of the continent were innumerable, but geniuses always began as youthsthe Proclamation of Azure Sky was a ranking of experts under the age of twenty. Those names that appeared on the Proclamation of Azure Sky were all without exception those inner sect disciples that had received the full attention and care of their respective sects and kingdoms, or else abnormally gifted geniuses. As long as they did not fall and were not eliminated midway, these names would all ultimately become true experts.
The schools of the capital as well as the schools in other places would all have the Proclamation of Azure Sky placed near their main gates. The schools wanted to use these dazzling and brilliant names to excite their students into grasping bravery and entering, and increase the camaraderie with their fellow students. But the final result was not very goodthese students clearly understood that they had no chance of entering the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Those names filled them with envy and reverence, and even despair.
The Proclamation of Azure Sky did not ask about knowledge, cultivation, teachers, or gender, only whether one was weak or strong. The only restriction was that those upon the list could not exceed the age of twenty. There were many cases where people of relatively low cultivation defeated experts of high cultivation and were thus ranked higher. This garnered many comments expressing discontent.
Back when the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets first released this ranking, this sort of evaluation criteria drew many questions, but the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets''s answer was simple and powerfulone''s level of knowledge or cultivation, or even training, spirit, and temperament, was unimportant alone. Only when they were finally combined together did they form a comprehensive strength, and what the Proclamation of Azure Sky evaluated was comprehensive strength. And the best method of judging this was only victory or defeat.
Chen Changsheng''s gaze moved across those names on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Those names were all very strange to him. From time to time, he would spot a particularly unusual surname, perhaps belonging to some youthful expert from the land of demi-humans, or it might be a young genius from the Earth Tribe that lived in the forests of the south. Suddenly, he saw at the thirty-sixth rank the name of Tang Tang and remembered how back in the Heavenly Dao Academy, that blue-clothed youth had explained the origins of his name of Tang Thirty-Six. He couldn''t help but laugh, very much feeling the pride and luster of this name in Tang Thirty-Six''s place.
Finally, his gaze came to the highest part of the stone wall, seeing that name that hung up there. It was so high up that it seemed rather lonely, so lonely that it seemed even more proud and cold. It was a name that he knew, a name that he should be very familiar with: Xu Yourong.
"The Proclamation of Azure Sky records all of the young geniuses of the world. My Great Zhou Dynasty is bursting with talented individuals. From the divine capital alone, there are ten-odd people on the ranking. The Heavenly Dao Academy has four and the Star Seizer Academy has three, but compared to those places in the south such as the Longevity Sect and Scholartree Manor, this is not too exceptional. Only after the young lady entered the rankings did the north and south finally become even"
The middle-aged lady looked at the wall. It was difficult to hide her pride, but there was no need to hide it. She indifferently said, "Two years ago, the young lady entered the ranking for the first time, directly ranking at first place. From that day onwards, it never fell once. Those young geniuses behind her don''t even think about catching up to hereven drawing close to her is very difficult."
Chen Changsheng silently looked up at the name at the very top of the stone wall. Over these past four years, he had kept that marriage contract with him and had looked through it many times. He knew her maiden name and was also well aware of how old she was. By his calculations, this young lady of the Xu Estate had entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky at the age of twelve and had since been unequaledsure enough, the blood of the true Phoenix was incredibly extraordinary.
The middle-aged woman withdrew her gaze and turned to Chen Changsheng, respectfully saying, "You truly are very outstanding. Without even succeeding at Purification, you still have the ability to enter those schools and academies. However, this disparity between you and my young lady is too vastit has nothing to do with effort, nothing to do with talent, nothing to do with working hard. If you continue to forge ahead on your path, I believe that you will be able to reach a very high peak, but the young lady will have long since departed from that place. If you continue to obstinately pursue her, you will inevitably incur lightning sent down from the heavens."
Chen Changsheng was silent, and then he thought about that reincarnated dragon that the maid Shuang''er had mentioned, that genius who was publicly acknowledged together with Xu Yourong to be a match made in heaven.
"Qiushan Jun"
The middle-aged woman did not think that he would know of Qiushan Jun''s existence. She expressionlessly replied, "Two years ago, Qiushan Jun had always remained at the top of the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
Chen Changsheng asked, "Why did he leave the ranking? Because he did not want to lose to Young Lady Xu?"
The middle-aged woman replied, "Two years ago, Qiushan Jun advanced early past the latter stage of Meditation. Now he is the shining star of the Proclamation of Golden Distinction."
Chen Changsheng sighed, realizing that it would be very difficult to find any solace from this matter. Those people were simply too high up, while he, let alone achieving a place on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, was even finding it an arduous task to get into the lists of successful entrants for these schools.
He asked, "Previously, Miss said that the disparity between me and Young Lady Xu had nothing to do with talent or effort. Then, what does it have to do with?"
The middle-aged woman answered, "It only has to do with fate. Even if you were the most outstanding normal person, you would still be just a normal person, while from the moment my young lady was born, she was not an ordinary person. You were born a human, she was born a Phoenix. The distance between the two is like that between heaven and earth."
"Soit turned out be fate again, huh."
Chen Changsheng sighed regretfully, then lapsed into a long silence. Finally, he gazed at the middle-aged woman and said, "Although Miss probably won''t believe me, I came to the capital for the precise purpose of changing my fatealthough it has nothing to do with the engagement, the word ''fate'' really lacks any sort of persuasive power to me."
The middle-aged woman was slightly stunned. She did not expect that even after she had explained everything so clearly, he still was not willing to let go.
As the sun set in the west, Chen Changsheng walked to the other side of the street, following the crowd to an even more distant place.
The middle-aged woman noticed that at the very start, his head was somewhat lowered and his body was somewhat crooked, making him look rather lonely and exhausted. But soon after, his body gradually straightened and his head gradually lifted up, and he once again looked calmly upon the crowd and the distant setting sun.
As the youth''s body was bathed in the light of the sunset, it seemed to be ablaze.
...
...
"I''ve never encountered such a disciplined youth. His diet and daily life are all strictly controlled by himself. He doesn''t have a single bad hobby or addiction. He treasures his time, so much so that I always feel like something is chasing him, or else constantly lashing him with a whip. And yet he doesn''t give off the feeling of apprehension to the people around him. It''s easy to see that he very much enjoys the pleasure of living, or perhaps he enjoys life itselfit''s just that he''s a little of a clean freak. On the first day, I counted that he washed his hands seven times, and he owns at least five handkerchiefs."
In the Divine General''s estate, the middle-aged woman stood in front of Madam Xu and expressionlessly expounded, "Madam, I must note that this child is not bad. If we give him the opportunity, he will definitely mature quickly. If he were to have a few more lucky encounters, then perhaps he could have excellent future prospects."
Madam Xu had not imagined that this woman who had loyally followed her for several decades would actually speak on this child''s behalf. Wrinkling her brow, she asked, "What are you thinking about?"
The middle-aged woman said, "Of course we can''t marry off the young lady to himbut rather than this current beating and humiliation, wouldn''t it be better to just kill him? Or else later on if he gets the chance to reverse his fortunes, although the estate will not be afraid, it''ll still bring us some trouble. BesidesI think that this youth''s conduct is not bad. There''s no need to act like this."
This sort of logic would probably be very difficult for the average person to grasp, but Madam Xu understood. She had not imagined that this woman would truly praise Chen Changsheng. Then she recalled those words Xu Shiji said that night in his study and gave her a profound glance. She said, "There are many people watching the Divine General''s estateespecially those old fools who can''t let things go. If a scandal were to come from the estate, even if it has no effect on the grand scheme of things, the Divine Empress will assuredly be displeased. Thus, we must conduct ourselves prudently. To use the most peaceful methods to obtain that marriage contract would naturally be for the best. However, if, in the end, that youth continues to hold on to his pitiful self-respect or attempts to obtain an even greater profit from us, then we can only let him noiselessly die. That will also bring its own set of troubles, but to remove the source of these troubles is also a method."
...
...
Shuang''er returned to her room and then stood by her table, gazing off vacantly at nothing for a while. Thinking about that conversation she had heard by the door to the Madam''s rooms, she felt her emotions to be in a rather disorderly and uneasy state. After downing half a pot of cold tea, she still felt like she hadn''t cooled down enough. She knew that for her to be able to eavesdrop on such a conversation was only because the Madam had wanted her to hear itthe Madam knew that she often sent letters to the young lady and so had deliberately let her listen. This was naturally so that she could tell the young lady about this matter, the equivalent of informing her. It was naturally impossible for the young lady to be married off to that fellow called Chen Changsheng, but was it necessary to use such method? Would the young lady agree?
She walked over to the table, spread out a piece of paper, dipped her brush in ink, and then after a few moments of contemplation, began to write a letter.
12 These Two Kids
It was still obviously the beginning of spring, but today was rather hot. Chen Changsheng didn''t know if it was because of the weather or if it was because his mood was off, but in brief, by the time he had walked back to the inn, his clothes were soaked in sweat. They had also become somewhat filthy after collecting dust from the road. As a lover of cleanliness, his mood became even more depressed, right up until he saw that person.
It was a youth dressed in blue. He stood right in the middle of the lobby, his chin angled slightly upwards, his expression indifferent. He simply didn''t care about how much inconvenience his standing in this place would cause to others. He was proud like a wild crane. Nowhere in his eyes could be found those chickens that were at this very moment lowering their heads to peck at their food.
This inn was close to the Mausoleum of Books, so many people passed by it. It happened to be precisely meal time, so the people coming in and out of the inn were like a tide, and yet no one dared to approach him. The blue-clothed youth was like one of those lonely stone pillars in the Luo river, parting the tide when struck. The scene was somewhat strangeChen Changsheng recognized this blue-clothed youth, but those people in the inn didn''t. Then the reason for such a strange scene as this was presumably that something had already occurred. He was rather astonished. How could he have appeared here? Did he come here looking for him? But why did he want to find him?
He walked up to the blue-clothed youth, bowed in greeting, and then didn''t know what he should say next.
The blue-clothed youth was precisely that Tang Thirty-Six who happened to meet Chen Changsheng at the entrance exam for the Heavenly Dao Academy. His name originated from his ranking on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Amusingly, he was like Chen Changsheng in that neither of them was very skilled at communication. After returning the greeting, he also didn''t know what to say, and the scene very quickly became awkward.
The inn was dead silent. Not daring to disturb Tang Thirty-Six, the customers in the inn all had their heads lowered as they ate their food, not daring to make the slightest sound or commentary. But there were many gazes resting on those two youths. Many people were very curious to see what would happen next.
An awkward scene was a very embarrassing matter. An awkward scene under the gazes of numerous onlookers reached the peak of embarrassment, especially when Tang Thirty-Six wanted to show his open-mindedness and familiarize Chen Changsheng with a side of himself. Fortunately, in the end, he was still a bit older than Chen Changsheng, so after a moment''s contemplation, he finally found a question to break this awkward atmosphere. He said, "A guest has come, but you don''t invite him to sit?"
This caused Chen Changsheng to awake from his stupor and invite him into his room. Taking out a dozen or so copper coins, he asked the waiter of the inn to brew a pot of tea. In a moment, the tea was brewed. There was one table, one teapot, and two tea cups filled to seventy percent full. Chen Changsheng invited him to drink, and then the situation once again fell into awkwardness.
A long period of silence was really very embarrassing, and Tang Thirty-Six truly found it hard to bear. Going straight to the point, he asked, "You haven''t succeeded in passing an entrance examination yet, right?"
Chen Changsheng honestly replied, "It''s my fourth time failing to make the list."
After a period of silence, Tang Thirty-Six said, "I know it''s because the Divine General of the East''s estate is moving behind the scenes."
Chen Changsheng raised his head. He was surprised that this youth actually knew of this inside information about this matter, but he didn''t know how much this youth knew. Now carrying a hint of suspicion, his gaze was naturally somewhat different from before.
Tang Thirty-Six''s impression was that Chen Changsheng was a normal youth with promising talent, an amiable disposition, and a laudable spirit. Now he came to the sudden realization that this kid''s gaze was as sharp as a dazzling blade. He couldn''t help but be a little surprised and narrowed his eyes. He became even more interested in what Chen Changsheng was hiding.
What made Tang Thirty-Six somewhat depressed was that when he said, ''Divine General of the East''s estate'', Chen Changsheng was obviously shaken, but he didn''t give the answer that Tang Thirty-Six wanted, only remained silent like a useless quail. He was somewhat angry and his two eyebrows shot up like two swords being unsheathed as he yelled, "Could it be that you''re not angry? That you''re not furious?"
Chen Changsheng raised his head and glanced at him, and then slowly rolled his eyes.
Tang Thirty-Six was just then drinking tea and almost spit his tea out. He had not imagined that this old-fashioned and even inflexible kid would also have this sort of childish side.
Chen Changsheng thought, I''m so depressed that I feel like I''m about to die, but do I really have to let you know?
He wasn''t even willing to reveal this matter of the engagement to other people, so why would he reveal that it was the engagement that caused this injustice of him failing four entrance examinations?
At this point, the engagement was still a secret between him and the Divine General of the East''s estateeven if the Divine General of the East''s estate continuously beat him down, even if that middle-aged lady''s words made him very angry, he was still not prepared to announce this matter to the world. It wasn''t because he was scared of the Divine General''s estate''s threats, and even less that he was afraid that the Divine General''s estate would have him killed. It was because, in the end, he still believed that he would return the marriage contract to the Divine General''s estate, so what need was there to make noise about this matter until it was the talk of the streets? The young lady of the Xu clan might be cold and aloof, as vile as her parents, but since the Divine General''s estate would have apologized by then, was there any need to make it harder for this girl to marry someone else in the future?
Yes, he believed that he would ultimately end the engagement because he firmly believed that the Divine General''s estate would one day apologize to him. In addition, he didn''t want his own name to become widely known because of the young lady of the Xu family. Perhaps it was pride, perhaps it was stubbornness, but in brief, he wanted to persevere for a while. His view of this world was still that he should persevere upon this path of innocence.
...
...
Very interestingly, Chen Changsheng had clearly said nothing and Tang Thirty-Six knew absolutely nothing, but Tang Thirty-Six had managed to roughly comprehend Chen Changsheng''s intention. Without cause, he was filled with even more admiration for Chen Changsheng. Draining the cup of warm tea in one gulp, he patted Chen Changsheng on the shoulder and said, "I really admire you."
Although he was a young genius ranked thirty-sixth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, an existence that stood amongst the human crowd like a crane that no one dared to provoke, in the end, he was still a youth. As a result, his actions somewhat feigned maturity and as he said those words, his gaze and posture made it seem like he was looking down on Chen Changsheng. If it were another person, they would probably feel very uncomfortable, and perhaps some people would directly get angry, but Chen Changsheng did not. He understood that this kid was expressing kindness and consolation, only it was very obvious that this kid rarely did this sort of thing and so came off as rather clumsy.
He said, "Thank you."
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Verbally expressing thanks is not enough. Treat me to a meal."
It was still a very clumsy way of showing kindness and a desire to make friendsChen Changsheng suddenly felt sympathetic for this kid. He thought to himself, I''m afraid this kid spent his entire life cultivating. No wonder his cultivation is so profound at such an age, but his way of dealing with others is a complete mess. I really don''t how he''ll deal with it in the future.
He had always thought about things in a very focused manner and so looked rather stupefied. Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t help but shake his head at this sight, very much sympathizing with this kid. He thought to himself, I''m afraid this kid spent his entire life reading books. No wonder he could remember so many books and teachings at such a young age. His way of dealing with others is a complete mess. I really don''t know how he''ll deal with it in the future.
In brief, neither kid had the qualification to sympathize with the other kid. Receiving each other''s sympathetic and friendly intentions, they once again began to continue that social interaction they had started in the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Chen Changsheng had the inn waiter bring over the menu. After calculating that the money his master had given as well as that which his senior brother had privately gifted him was enough for him to live out several years of good life in the capital, he didn''t spend any more time thinking about it and pushed the menu over to Tang Thirty-Six. "Order what you wantyeah, this is the first time I''ve ever treated anyone to a meal."
He had no idea that these words caused Tang Thirty-Six to sympathize with him even more. Tang Thirty-Six thought, just what hole in a mountain did this kid come out of?
13 A Friend That Makes Others Speechless I
Chen Changsheng had said ''order what you want''. In Tang Thirty-Six''s view, the words ''order what you want'' could equally mean ordering whatever dish he wanted or interacting with him whenever he wanted. Filled with sympathy for Chen Changsheng, Tang Thirty-Six did not pay much attention to price when he ordered dishes. Taking up the menu, he casually ordered a few of the inn''s signature dishes. The first two dishes were flying sparrow soup and a steamed two-headed fishas he was ordering, he glimpsed that Chen Changsheng''s brow was creased. Thinking that he didn''t have enough money, Tang Thirty-Six felt a little regretful. He said to the waiter, "I don''t need the double-headed fish anymore, switch it out for a perch. And alsoswitch the flying sparrow soup for water shield soup."
Just as expected, Chen Changsheng''s brows relaxed.
Tang Thirty-Six smiled, thinking to himself, I really can observe everything down to the smallest detail and have a good understanding of others. He casually said, "Also add on a bowl of plum blossom dumplings with deer meat filling."
Chen Changsheng wrinkled his brow.
Tang Thirty-Six glanced at him, then said, "Change that tobring a bowl of braised pork."
Chen Changsheng''s brow was still wrinkled.
Tang Thirty-Six was rather displeased. He thought to himself, it''s a bowl of fatty pork; on a normal day at home, I would even be too lazy to eat it, and you still aren''t willing to pay for it?
He said to the waiter, "Bring over a plate of cold fishwort in sauce! And add on a plate of pig ears in chili oil!"
Chen Changsheng still had that same appearance, his face brimming with disapproval.
Tang Thirty-Six was really quite annoyed now. He said, "It seems like this is your first time treating someone else to a meal and you don''t quite understand the ways of the world, so I won''t say anything about it."
Chen Changsheng was a little surprised. He asked, "Where was I wrong?"
Tang Thirty-Six scolded, "Just because you don''t have enough money doesn''t mean you should show such an expression in front of your guest! It really makes people irritated! Since you''re a man, your head can be cut, your blood can flow, but you must never lose face! Even if in a little while you have to sell off your big furskin coat, so what?"
He had believed this reasoning of his to be very proper and thought the feeling of teaching a friend to be rather nice. Chen Changsheng, on the other hand, felt it to be somewhat weird. He asked, "Is this what it means to slap your face to make it look more imposing?"
Tang Thirty-Six was a little incensed at these words and asked, "Where did these words come from?"
"This is a common saying in Xining," Chen Changsheng sincerely explained.
Tang Thirty-Six was stunned as he thought to himself, is this what I was asking about? Just as he was about to fly into rage, he heard Chen Changsheng say something else.
"Also, I don''t have a big furskin coat."
The room became somewhat quiet.
Tang Thirty-Six forgot about getting angry. He thought that this matter was truly far too distressing and this kid was really too pitiable.
He had only seen elders and senior brothers of his clan and school who were down on their luck frequently taking up their furskins and exchanging them for wine and food, but no one had ever told him how people who were so poor to not even have this would treat someone to a meal without losing face. As for himin the first place, he had never lacked for money. Secondly, he had never treated anyone to a meal before.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and firmly said, "I will treat you for this meal."
Chen Changsheng found this a little odd and asked, "Why?"
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at him with a gentle expression. "You don''t have a big fur coat, so you definitely don''t have any other valuable things. How could I let you treat me?"
Somewhat innocently, Chen Changsheng said, "ButI do have the money."
...
...
The scene once again became awkward.
Tang Thirty-Six had a rather ugly look on his face. He asked, "Then previously when I was ordering food, why was your expression so nasty?"
Chen Changsheng recalled the previous scene and comprehended what was going on. Rather embarrassed, he explained, "Becauseyou ordered flying sparrow soup, famous for being very warm and known for its excessive dry properties. In the autumn and winter, it''s very helpful, but now it''s spring. Drinking this sort of soup can easily cause an excess of heat and isn''t good for the body."
For this kid to be considering these sorts of questions was completely out of Tang Thirty-Six''s expectations. He asked, "Could it be that all the other dishes are no good too? Those are all signature dishes though."
"The double-headed fish is a fish from the deep ocean, living off a diet of fish, shrimp, and sea snakes, so its body has accumulated a lot of poison. It would be fine if it were boiled in water, and it would be perfectly fine as soup, but to steam it in broth is not healthy. In addition, we are just two people, and too many meat dishes is also unhealthy. Especially the braised pork, which uses the pork belly. It''s far too fatty, so it''s best not to eat it."
Finally, Chen Changsheng added, "The pig ears in chili oil really are rather good, but chili oil really isn''t. As for the fishwort, eating too much will upset the stomach and disorder the heart. For the body, it''s also"
"Stop!"
Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t hear anymoreChen Changsheng''s words were like a fly, buzzing round and round his ear, making him feel very uncomfortable. Anyone would become unhappy if they were happily ordering food and heard the phrase ''it''s not healthy'' repeated so many timesit was naturally impossible for every type of food to be healthy, but who would pay attention to these things when eating? And to focus on it with such severity? If Chen Changsheng were some old man who valued his health, that would be fine, but he was clearly just a fourteen-year-old youth
"So what if it''s not good for your body? Don''t tell me I''ll die if I eat it?"
Chen Changsheng earnestly said, "You won''t die on the spot, but you''ll definitely die a little earlier."
Tang Thirty-Six felt like he had nothing to reply to this. Very curious, he asked, "Then what do you eat normally?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "Two taels of meat, beef or lamb being best; two catties of vegetables, wild herbs being best; sweet potatoes and grains can be eaten at will; every two days, I eat one freshwater fish, with scales is best; lastly, I don''t drink soup."
Tang Thirty-Six asked, "How long have you eaten this way?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "From the moment I could remember, I''ve always eaten this way."
This time it was Tang Thirty-Six''s turn to wrinkle his brow.
He felt that these foods even sounded bad. If he really ate these for fourteen years, just how miserable of a life would that be?
He felt himself sympathizing more and more with this kid.
...
...
As they ate, the two were very quiet. Tang Thirty-Six felt that the dishes were too ordinary while Chen Changsheng felt that the dishes were too unhealthy. In brief, they were each dissatisfied in their own way. Of course, it was impossible to reconcile these two matters. The flavor of food and the pursuit of health was always the area of the three outlooks of humans with the fiercest clashes.
(TN: The three outlooks are the outlook of the world, the outlook of life, and the outlook of value.)
Just like this, Chen Changsheng''s first time treating someone to a meal hastily concluded. With two full cups of tea in front of them, the two casually chatted about the contents of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s entrance exam. Tang Thirty-Six also asked about the particulars of Chen Changsheng''s experiences at the Star Seizer Academy and the other two schools. He displayed his incomprehension and doubt about how the Great Zhou military could also be influenced by the Divine General''s estate. Afterwards, they ran out of things to talk about.
Newly acquainted friends in their first few conversations would always give stories from their childhood and their experiences growing up, seeking some common hobby. However, the stories that could be told by these two from their childhoods were so dull and monotonous they could make someone rise up in anger, so it was impossible for them to do this. In order to avoid the excessive embarrassment of looking each other in the eyes without anything to say, Tang Thirty-Six stood up and began walking around the room with his cup of tea. As he paced from the living room to the balcony and back, he thought, for this kid to be able afford such a large room with such high rent so close to the Mausoleum of Books, it''s obvious that he''s not lacking in money. My previous misunderstanding was truly rather ridiculous.
When he wandered up to the display stand in the living room, Tang Thirty-Six''s gaze inadvertently fell on the stand and found it impossible to pull awaythere was a sword there.
That sword was very delicate, not much longer than an ordinary dagger. Moreover, it was very slender and gave off a very graceful air. The sheath was an ordinary leather sheath and the hilt of the sword was very ordinary. It gave off a thoroughly ordinary air without any place that could attract a gaze, and it lacked any dust or bloodstains. In brief, this sword was ordinary to the extreme, and yet it made him want to get close to it.
Tang Thirty-Six stretched out his hand to grip the dagger.
Chen Changsheng''s hand obstructed him, gripping the handle of the dagger before he could.
Tang Thirty-Six glanced at him.
Chen Changsheng looked back at him and said, "This is mine."
Tang Thirty-Six was still holding the teacup. As the steam wafted up from the teacup, his handsome face amidst the steam seemed all the colder. "So I can''t touch it?"
Chen Changsheng noticed that he was rather unhappy and somewhat uneasy, but he continued to persist, "You should first ask me. After I agree, you can hold it."
Tang Thirty-Six drew back his right hand, flicked his sleeve and returned to his seat, placing the teacup in front of him on the table.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat embarrassed, feeling that he had done something wrongactually, he didn''t really think he had done something wrong, but this was his first friend after all. When he saw his friend being unhappy, he felt rather confused. Walking up to the table, he offered the dagger in his hand.
Tang Thirty-Six raised his head and glanced at him, then continued to ignore him.
Chen Changsheng moved the dagger even closer.
Tang Thirty-Six refused to take the dagger and said, "You do things without the slightest grace."
Chen Changsheng was helpless. He thought to himself, just who is lacking in grace here? Just who is acting all ill-tempered like a small child? He couldn''t do anything except return to the stand and put the dagger back. Turning his head, he asked, "Did you come find me for something?"
"In the capital, since I''ve gotten to know a person like you, after hearing about this matter of yours, I would naturally come to see. There''s no need to thank me, I''m just that sort of passionate and generous person." With an indifferent expression, Tang Thirty-Six continued, "Of course, on the basis that I relatively admire you, you must know that I admire very few of my peers. You should feel honored."
Chen Changsheng was stunned and said, "Thenthank you?"
"Is saying thank you enough?"
"Didn''t I just treat you to a meal?"
Tang Thirty-Six stood and said to him, "I''ve decided to accept you as my younger brother."
Chen Changsheng asked, "What does it mean to be your younger brother?"
Tang Thirty-Six very sincerely explained, "It means that from now on, you''ll follow me as I mess around."
Chen Changsheng very sincerely explained, "That''s not okay, I still have a lot of things to do. I don''t have any time to give you."
Tang Thirty-Six was a very proud youth and took pity on Chen Changsheng as an unrecognized talent, this being the reason he would visit him at this inn. Since Chen Changsheng would not accept, he naturally had nothing more to say. He was just somewhat puzzled. "What things? Continuing to take entrance exams? Just why do you need to get into these schools? What''s the reason for your persistence?"
Chen Changsheng asked, "And you? What''s your goal in the capital?"
"I want to take part in the Grand Examination, to take first place," Tang Thirty-Six declared proudly.
Suddenly, he remembered that young Phoenix in the south at Holy Maiden Peak. If she were to come back ahead of time
"I want to take second place in the Grand Examination."
He corrected himself, but then he abruptly remembered Qiushan Jun. If that person participated in this year''s Grand Examination
"Fine, my goal is third place in the Grand Examination."
Tang Thirty-Six finally confirmed, "But in the end, what I want to do is inscribe my name on the monolith in front of the Mausoleum of Books."
"Really far-reaching and ambitious. Admirable, admirable."
Chen Changsheng sighed in admiration, then suddenly thought of a certain matter. "Then won''t you have to change your name to Tang Three?"
Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t find a response, so he changed the subject. "And you? Just what is your goal in coming to the capital?"
Chen Changsheng honestly said, "I also want to take part in the Grand Examination."
Tang Thirty-Six hadn''t really imagined this, but he wasn''t too shocked.
Chen Changsheng replied, "I''ve never thought about second or third place."
Tang Thirty-Six advised, "People truly have to know themselves, but you can''t lose your self-confidence. Don''t forget, you just need to enter the three banners of the Grand Examination to be able to enter the Mausoleum of Books"
Speaking up to this point, his voice abruptly came to a halt, because Chen Changsheng once again spoke.
"I want to take first place."
Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "I can''t take second or third. I can only take first."
Silence.
Tang Thirty-Six was suddenly taken with the impulse to turn and leave.
He realized that today, he had often strayed into circumstances that made him speechless.
Because the things this kid did, the words that he said, often made him speechless and want to spit blood.
14 A Friend That Makes Others Speechless II
"If I''m not mistaken, you should bean ordinary person!"
"Yes, I haven''t formally begun to cultivate."
"The Grand Examinationfirst rank of the first banner?"
"Yes, I can only take first place."
Tang Thirty-Six''s questions were very direct and very pointed. Chen Changsheng''s answers were very earnest and very calm. It was like they were discussing some very simple matter, like what combination of meat and vegetables for a meal would be most reasonable, not eating food that''s too salty or too oily, or perhaps that one should go to sleep early so one can get up early and only in this way could one have a healthy body. After all, it was true that life was just eating, drinking, urinating, and dumping. And to treat heavy problems like they were light, to desire to transform from the vulgar to the elegant, was also a good attitude to havethe problem lay in the fact that to obtain the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination was really not any ordinary part of life''s normal routine.
Because he must get first place, so he would get first place. Such light and refreshing words seemed so inevitable and right, but in reality, they didn''t have any sort of basis to speak of. It was just like a child who didn''t have the strength to truss a chicken saying that he would pull off the dragon whisker of the world''s most supreme Golden Dragon and use it as a sword. This made for a fine fairy tale, but if it were said in the real world, it could only be treated as delusion.
That person would definitely be treated either as a madman or an idiot. Of course, they could also be a peerless genius.
A genius and an idiot were only separated by a single line. That line was possibility.
As for Chen Changsheng, this person who completely ignored the line and wholeheartedly believed in himself, just which side of the line did he fall on?
Tang Thirty-Six was very proud and very egotistic, but today, he felt like this calm and even somewhat wooden, naive and childish, kid had dealt a devastating blow to his pride and ego. Logically, the nonsensical words of an idiot were incapable of menacing a true genius like him, but the problem was this: when Chen Changsheng said such absurd words with such resolve in his eyes, he found it impossible to retort or ridicule. Deep within his heart, he felt like the impossible possibility could possibly actually exist!
Why was this? He had never encountered a person like Chen Changsheng before. His actions were upright and proper, so he was self-confident and thus forcefulas a result, it was impossible to find a way to respond to him. This was what it meant to be left speechless, so he had nothing to say. He felt so restrained that it felt like he was dealt internal injuries. If he knew that Chen Changsheng had caused Madam Xu of the Divine General''s estate as well as that maid Shuang''er to also be left speechless, then perhaps he would have been greatly comforted and filled with empathy for them.
Only after drinking all of his tea and even inadvertently almost swallowing the tea leaves did Tang Thirty-Six finally awake from his shock. Seeing that Chen Changsheng''s expression had not changed in the slightest, as if he had never even uttered those words, Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t help but shake his head, thinking, this guy is far more interesting than I ever expected.
"Not even a year''s worth of timealthough I quite admire your ambition, from a rational perspective, there''s no way I can be optimistic about you, so I can''t give you any well wishes or anything of that sort. If I do, you might think me too much of a hypocrite. I can only warn you that the Divine General of the East''s estate will not easily give up."
Tang Thirty-Six did not know what sort of grudge existed between Chen Changsheng and the Divine General of the East''s estate. In his view, since the capital was still a model city of a capital under the jurisdiction of the Divine Empress, even if the Divine General of the East''s estate worked in secret to thwart Chen Changsheng''s future prospects, they wouldn''t do anything too excessive.
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng replied, "I''ll do my best to avoid them."
Tang Thirty-Six questioned, "Is it even possible to avoid them? Even Star Seizer didn''t accept you."
Chen Changsheng replied, "This is also something that I don''t understand."
Tang Thirty-Six explained, "The Divine General of the East''s estate cannot influence Star Seizer AcademyXu Shiji doesn''t have the ability. I hearsomeone in the palace said something, so I''m very curious, just what more secrets are there in that problem between you and the Divine General of the East''s estate that it even involves the palace."
Only then did Chen Changsheng finally realize that his failure to be admitted into Star Seizer Academy actually had such a story behind it. He was flabbergasted, momentarily forgetting to speak. After a moment, he awoke from his daze, but his mood was actually somewhat improvedonly in the face of such irresistible pressure could the Star Seizer Academy that he so respected do such a thing so unworthy of respect.
The problem he had to consider now was, just why was there this irresistible pressure?
Without discussing the distant and mysterious Great Western Continent, the Central Continent had many high places that ordinary people were not allowed to approach, such as the mountain gates of various major sects of the south or that snowy city in the northand when the Great Zhou led the humans in obtaining the ultimate victory against the demons, the Imperial Palace in the capital of the Great Zhou became the most extraordinary of these places.
The legends said that the Imperial Palace had countless Ethereal Opening experts acting as servants. The legends said that the old chief eunuch in the Imperial Palace was a Star Condensation expert. The legends said that the Imperial Palace contained a sedan chair made of bamboo. The legends even said that the Imperial Palace even contained a being of unparalleled might, a supreme dragon that had been loyal for one thousand years!
In his previous fourteen years of existence, Chen Changsheng had become greatly acquainted with the Great Zhou Imperial Palace through books, but he had never imagined that in this life, he would form a connection with such a lofty and enigmatic place. As he thought of Tang Thirty-Six''s words, he fell silent, unable to understand why.
"The Divine Empress has countless dogs that kneel before her curtain and Xu Shiji is one of the more ferocious ones, but even he cannot invite the people within the palace to pressure Star Seizer Academy. Even if he could, there''s no need for him to pay such an enormous price. Then, without needing to pay such a great price, the nobles within the palace acted voluntarily"
Speaking up to here, Tang Thirty-Six felt that his previously fuzzy conjectures had suddenly become much more distinct, but when he thought of Chen Changsheng''s still young face, he once more felt that his thoughts were somewhat disorderlycould it be that this guy who didn''t even know how to treat someone to a meal could reallyhave some connection with that Phoenix?
He really wished to ask Chen Changsheng just what was going on here, but based on what he had experienced today, he had a keen understanding of Chen Changsheng''s personality. Tang Thirty-Six knew that as long as Chen Changsheng was not willing to speak, then he would never speak no matter what happened. As a result, he only said, "The Divine General of the East''s estate''s most important person has always been her. You must understand this point."
As he spoke, he stared into Chen Changsheng''s eyes.
Chen Changsheng said nothing for a very long time, then suddenly asked, "Shejust what sort of person is she?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression did not change, but his mind was already surging with world-shaking waves. Through Chen Changsheng''s question as well as the subtle changes in expression as he spoke, Tang Thirty-Six could be very sure that there was definitely a problem between Chen Changsheng and that Phoenix, he just didn''t know what sort of problem it was.
"It''s very difficult to describe what sort of person she is. Whether in the rumors or descriptions of others, there''s nothing too special about her personality."
Upon saying this, Tang Thirty-Six realized that she was really was very difficult to describe. Only when he looked at Chen Changsheng''s eyes did he suddenly understand.
"Sheis very similar to you.
"She is also a person that makes others speechless.
"Of course, the reason you make others speechless is that your attitude is far too calm, your tone of voice too annoying, making others so depressed that they want to spit up bloodaccording to the rumors, she doesn''t speak very much, and she rarely appears before the common people, but she''s just like you. The two of you both make others so depressed that they want to spit up blood."
Chen Changsheng was somewhat doubtful and confused.
"She doesn''t need to speak, doesn''t need to jeer, doesn''t need to disdain, doesn''t need to look down from up highshe only needs to exist, just needs to stand there, and that''s enough for many people to get depressed and want to spit out blood. I admit, I''m also included amongst those people. Possessing the blood of the Heavenly Phoenix, when she was very young, she awakened on her own. Her cultivation was incomparably smooth, and her powers of comprehension were extremely strong, her willpower also extremely strong, everything about her was strongdon''t you feel that this sort of person is too excessive? Even a genius like me would feel despair in front of her. This sort of person that makes others speechless is truly repulsive."
Tang Thirty-Six glanced at him and then continued, "You and she are both friends in making others speechless, it''s just that your methods are completely different. She''s reallytoo special. In truth, many people think that basically only Qiushan Jun could be as calm as usual when facing such a girl, I suppose?"
After saying this and seeing that Chen Changsheng had nothing much to say, he bid farewell and left the inn. After the blue-clothed youth left, Chen Changsheng cleaned the table until it was spotless and then, in a rare sight, he didn''t take a bath nor did he read a book. Instead, he walked out to the courtyard, moved a bamboo chair under a tree, then, separated by sparse petals and gradually fattening leaves, he gazed up expressionlessly at the beautiful night of stars.
He once more heard the names of Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun. His expression did not change, but it was truthfully difficult for his emotions to not be affected. After all, he was just a fourteen-year-old youth. This somewhat sour and somewhat melancholy emotion was one that he had been far removed from in the past, but after entering the capital, he had already experienced it twice.
His four successive failures in entering academies were all because of the Divine General of the East''s estate, so he was very angry. The Imperial Palace suppressing Star Seizer Academy''s opinion was not because of the Divine General of the East''s estate, but necessarily because of her, and this made him even angrier. Coupled with his current sour and melancholy mood, he realized that he was getting more and more annoyed by this girl called Xu Yourong.
Back in the temple, when he was small, he had once said to his senior brother that perhaps he might hate somebody, but it was very difficult for him to learn how to find somebody annoying.
Now, it turned out that he was beginning to find this little girl annoying.
Yes, even if she was the true maiden of the Heavenly Phoenix that made the geniuses and youths of the sects and snowy cities speechless, in Chen Changsheng''s mind, she was a little girl.
He remembered extremely clearly, she was born on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, three days younger than he was.
Even if it were just one day, she would still be younger, let alone the fact that it was three days.
That girl called Xu Yourong really did annoy others.
Chen Changsheng''s mood grew worse and worse as he thought, how could Teacher have arranged such a marriage? He rose up from the chair, removed from his belt a little thing made of bamboo, and placed it in a box in the deepest part of his luggage. Then, he washed his face and hands. After washing himself clean, his mood finally improved.
The box contained a marriage contract. That little thing made of bamboo had been sent to him from the capital when he was eleven years old. He remembered the White Crane that had delivered the item, remembered the letter that had accompanied it, remembered the words within the letter, and he also remembered very clearly that after that day, the White Crane never came back.
...
...
Tonight.
A White Crane descended onto the summit of the Holy Maiden Peak of the south.
Under the night profuse with stars, a young girl sat by a cliff.
15 Xu Yourong
In the present world, the Orthodoxy upheld the radiance of the Heavenly Tomes, unifying all under its beliefs. Because the Mausoleum of Books was located in the capital, its pulpit was also naturally based in the capital. Before the Great Zhou, the Popes had all been people of Shang. After the Shang fell and the Zhou was established, every Pope afterwards was necessarily a person of Zhou. This dynasty of the Central Plains which had been founded in the capital had on its own been very powerful, and with the additional protection of the Orthodoxy, it naturally became the center of the human world.
When comparing the Great Shang of the past to the Great Zhou that replaced it, there were far more powers on the southern part of the continent during the Great Zhou. The various sects and kingdoms all ruled their own regions and while they were rather loosely consolidated, the number of experts they possessed was not at all small. It even faintly exceeded the number of experts possessed by the Great Zhou. Amongst these powers, Holy Maiden Peak''s South Stream Temple, the Longevity Sect, and the Qiushan clan were the most powerful.
After the bitter war between the humans and demons concluded, the powers of the south that had similarly made many sacrifices naturally wished to obtain statuses that they felt they should have. They believed that the Mausoleum of Books should be a sacred object held in common by the entire human world, not under the sole grasp of the Great Zhou. Similarly, the authority to interpret the Heavenly Tomes should not purely be for the Pope, who represented the Orthodoxy.
For this reason, the southern powers engaged in an unremitting struggle with all three emperors of the Great Zhou over the process and even name of the Grand Examination. Even the Orthodoxy splintered off a southern factionalthough the southern faction was still under the Orthodoxy, it only revered the Pope as a spiritual leader, whereas day-to-day matters were handled by the Holy Maiden.
The Holy Maidens of the southern faction were naturally all supreme experts of surpassing cultivation. However, because the successive Holy Maidens had to balance the numerous powers of the south and did not have a powerful army backing them, their power and status was in reality inferior to that of the Pope in the north. But the Holy Maidens were still the most respected of the great figures of the south. Spiritually, they were equals with the Pope and could treat each other informally.
Because of the special status possessed by the Holy Maiden of the southern factions, the successive Holy Maidens had always been women of the south, a tradition unbroken for several thousand years. This lasted all the way until the present, when finally, a possible exception appeared.
The Holy Maidens of the south had all originated from South Stream Temple, and this was also why the mountain on which this temple had resided for countless years was called Holy Maiden Peak. At present, South Stream Temple had only one successor.
That girl was called Xu Yourong, the true reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix. Her talent in cultivating the Dao was without peer, and she was well-versed in the true meanings of the Daoist Canon. When she was twelve, she went to Holy Maiden Peak and was able to comprehend the genuine impressions of the Heavenly Tomes. All the elders of Holy Maiden Peak were shocked, and regarded her as a divine being. Ultimately, disregarding the fact that she was a person of Zhou, they announced to the world that they would be taking her in as the sole female disciple of South Stream Temple''s inner sect. This signified that if nothing out of the ordinary were to occur, this girl called Xu Yourong would become the next Holy Maiden of the south, the religious leader that could stand on par with the Pope in the north!
...
...
The night was deep, with multitudinous stars filling the sky. They seemed as if they would never move and also like they were moving at each and every moment, so solemn and serene that they enchanted the heart. Faint fog drifted about the dark peak in silence when suddenly, a clear and bright crane cry rang through the clouds. After a moment, a White Crane broke through the night sky and descended.
In the darkness, the White Crane was rendered almost unreal by the illumination of the stars, almost like it was made of paper, free from the slightest filth. The crane''s cry was transmitted throughout the spacious and serene cliffs, breaking through the clouds and flying through. Perhaps for this reason, or perhaps merely because the time had come, the night gradually began to wane and a hint of white appeared on the eastern horizon. Just like that, dawn light abruptly appeared in the world.
The young girl sitting by the cliff untied the silk bag from the White Crane''s body, took out the letter within, casually opened it, then began to calmly read. As she read the letter, her picturesquely slender brows would occasionally rise, but most of the time, she was very calm. Her bright eyes which reflected the slightly warm dawn light were like lakes. A hint of childishness still hung about her appearance, but no ignorance.
The dawn light gradually flourished. The south was very humid, so the fog also descended once more. When the rays of light, dispersed by the moisture, fell upon her face, they made it seem even gentler. Thus, although her features did not become more distinct, they did become more beautiful, so beautiful that she seemed suffused with a faint divinity.
...
...
"That guy is very strange. He kept saying over and over that he wanted to end the engagement, yet for some inexplicable reason, he decided not to. I really don''t know what he''s playing at. I originally thought that it was because he felt embarrassed, so he deliberately said it, but afterwards, I felt that this was wrong, because when he said those words, he was very cool-headed without the slightest hint of anger.
"Nanny watched him for several days. I hear that this guy will wake up promptly before dawn at five every morning. He does everything strictly according to the rules, like some sort of blockhead. Moreover, he''s obsessed with cleanliness, and whenever I hear about it, I always recall that sinister pervert you once told me told about, Young Lady, that makes people tremble in fear. Fine, Young Lady, I must admit, that guy is actually not ugly. When I was speaking with him, I found him quite lovable, making others want to get to know him. But that''s even more frightening. After all, that was the first time I met him, don''t you think?
"That guy probably did not tell anyone else about the engagement. I don''t know whether it''s because he''s smart or he''s stupid. But in any case, the family has been constantly sending people to keep an eye on him. Young Lady, I always feel that this guy is a sham, his schemes deep and his plots many. Given the present situation, if he continues to pester us this way, the master and madam are prepared to do something about it.
"Young Lady, I don''t believe this guy''s crimes are deserving of death, but when I think of that guy holding the marriage contract and looking at the estate with those cold eyes and self-assured appearance, I really hate him. And alsoI hear that the Qiushan clan plans to come to the capital to propose next year. If that scoundrel were to make trouble at that time, what then?"
...
...
The girl sat by the cliff, quietly reading the letter. The clothes draped over her shoulders fluttered in the wind while her black hair drifted about like threads of silk. As they drifted across her profile, a sternness was added to her pleasing and young beauty.
After reading the letter, she fell silent for a while, then mumbled to herself, "He really came to the capital?"
As she read the letter, the White Crane quietly waited at her side. Even when crouching, it was still half the height of a human. Upon seeing her close up the letter, the White Crane turned and took up from somewhere a brush. The brush tip had been dipped wet with ink, full but not overflowing. Where this ink had been produced was unknown, but it carried a delicate fragrance.
The girl smiled and caressed the White Crane''s smooth and slender neck. She took the brush and intended to write a reply, but she was momentarily at a loss as to what to write.
She had been very close to her grandfather as a child. If her grandfather had not passed away, perhaps she would not have left the capital when she was twelve and come to South Stream Temple to seek the Dao. Even the White Crane by her side had been left to her by her grandfather. If this were any other task left by her grandfather, she would definitely have complied, butan engagement was absolutely out of the question.
She remembered that the young Daoist boy from Xining Village was surnamed Chen, yes?
She slightly creased her brow. As she recalled those things she heard when she was young, she realized that she really didn''t have much of an impression of this young Daoist boy.
She remembered that her grandfather had specially requested the current Pope to bless this marriage contract with his signature. Only the male side could end the engagement. Recalling the words in Shuang''er''s letter, her slender brows slightly perked up. She silently thought, was that young Daoist boy such a hypocrite and scoundrel? She remembered that when she was small, she didn''t feel like he was that sort of person.
She knew that many people in the capital, her father included, ardently hoped that she would represent the Great Zhou in a marriage of unification with the south and would definitely not allow this young Daoist surnamed Chen to affect all of this. There was even a high chance that they would kill him. As her thoughts rested on this point, she felt that this young Daoist was truly very foolish and very stupid. Did he really think that he could rely on his petty tricks and small craftiness to obtain even greater benefits?
As she thought about this, she became rather displeased. This was quite a rare emotion for her, but she didn''t know whether it was because this young Daoist didn''t understand the concept of self-preservation or if it was becausethat young Daoist really did make other people feel annoyedfine, no matter what that young Daoist became, this engagement must definitely be ended.
Butdon''t harm him.
...
...
With a clear cry, the White Crane broke through the clouds, her two letters in tow. Sent off by the morning wind and with the morning light as its companion, it flew off towards the distant capital.
She placed the brush in a puddle to soak, stood up, and began making her way down the cliff, a jacket draped over her shoulders and her hands held behind her back.
Her appearance was still pure and childish, but her bearing was not ordinary. That was not to say that she was like Chen Changsheng, possessing a maturity and composure that far surpassed her age. Rather, she could be described as possessing an imposing manner. She was a young girl with a petite body, but when she stood on the cliff and was caressed by the morning wind, she gave off the impression of the fathomless depths of the sea or a lofty mountain that soared into the heavens.
Fathomless depths and lofty mountains were normally terms used to describe grandmasters that had lived for several hundred years.
She was only fourteen this year, but she could be matched with this description.
The morning wind continued to caress her, ruffling the jacket draped over her shoulder and the black hair hanging over her shoulder. Her hair drifted past her young and beautiful cheeks, carrying the hint of a smile with it.
She only needed five breaths'' worth of time to completely forget about that letter, forget about all external things. Only tranquility remained, thus her smile.
With her one smile in the spring, all the flowers in the mountains bloomed.
Countless birds of all sorts flew up, their clear cries ringing out without end. There were even three Blue Luans amongst them.
(TN: The Blue Luan is a mythical bird related to the Phoenix.)
All the birds had come to pay homage.
(TN: The Phoenix is known as the king of birds in Chinese mythology.)
She was the sole young Phoenix of the human world.
She was the next Holy Maiden of the south.
She was first-ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
She was Xu Yourong.
She was still innocent, but not a mischievous sort of innocence, rather a guiltless one.
Her smile was brightly colored, and this wasn''t a sort of emotion, but the radiance of spring.
She did not want to care about the people and matters of the world. Those things that people believed to be related to her truthfully had no relation to her at all, such as the engagement that she was on the verge of forgetting, or even Qiushan Jun.
She would admit that Senior Brother Qiushan Jun was truly very perfect, the ideal companion in the eyes of all, but what did that have to do with her?
All of it was very good, very good, but she wanted none of it.
Of course, that young Daoist didn''t even need to be considered.
What she wanted to do was to look over this cliff, enjoy the snow, listen to the rain, pick herbs, and read, read, and read.
Books contained the Great Dao, and one book was enough to win against love countless times.
She had offered her heart and soul to the Dao; who could sway her mind?
...
...
Chen Changsheng departed the inn, heading towards the school that was second-to-last on the list his master had provided him.
He really wished to know just what sort of methods that Young Lady Xu would use to make him fail this time.
Of course, even if he failed once more, he would still not be swayed.
What he had done ever since he was a child was to watch the temple, sweep the snow, shelter from the rain, eat medicine, and read, read, and read again and again.
Books contained the Great Dao, and one book was enough to win against one thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers.
He had devoted his heart and soul to seek the Dao; who could hold fast his footsteps?
16 A Black Goa
The way Chen Changsheng walked was very special, and what was special about it was that there was nothing special about it. He would always raise his knees this high, his steps would always go that far. His gaze was level, able to both see into the distance and pay attention to what was in front of him. His chest was straight, but not deliberately so, instead possessing the natural sturdiness of a pine. His black hair was tied tightly, not in a topknot, but casually with a cloth, yet not one hair was out of place. His clothes were also very ordinary, washed so many times that they were losing color and exceptionally clean. Even his shoes were free of any filth. Everything was done with particular care. As he walked, the dagger at his waist swayed. This dagger was also very ordinary.
For the past few days, he had kept this dagger in the inn. Today was the first time he had brought it out. This ordinary dagger signified an unordinary meaning. After the conversation with the middle-aged woman, if the Divine General of the East''s estate really did want to do something against him, this dagger was his preparation. It was just that this dagger was very similar to his person, very ordinary, commonplace, and not eye-catching in the slightest. Let alone legendary weapons like ''Frost God'', ''Halving'', and ''Dragonscale'', it was even very difficult to compare this dagger to the weapons carried by pedestrians. Just what could it help him do?
Outside the inn, he was not at all surprised to see the carriage of the Divine General of the East''s estate. In the morning sun, the gloomy insignia of the bloody Phoenix on the shaft of the carriage was all the clearer, almost like it was on fire. The warhorse that possessed the noble blood of the Unicorn raised its head and looked down on him from above.
As he passed the carriage, he gripped the handle of his dagger, but then after a while, loosened his grip. He halted in front of the carriage window, silently bowed, then continued moving forward in the direction of the rising sun. The window curtain was raised and the middle-aged woman peered out at the youth''s figure in the morning light, her emotions somewhat complex.
Chen Changsheng walked to the northern part of the city. The second-to-last school on the list was located in Hundred Flowers Lane. After taking a very long time to walk there, he realized with some astonishment that this place was actually located very close to the Imperial Palace. Standing at the entrance to the lane, he could clearly see the majestic buildings of the Imperial clan, even almost smell the scent of history from within those palace halls.
As he walked deeper into Hundred Flowers Lane, the suspicions in his mind also deepened. Did a place so close to the Imperial Palace actually hide a school? But why was it so cold and cheerless? Finally, he saw the main gate of the school at the very end of the lane. The stone walls to the sides of the gate were all covered in green ivy, the sunlight that had penetrated through leaving faint specks of light. There was no name.
Was it this place? He wanted to ask someone, but the lane was very desolate, a far cry from the liveliness of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy. He stood there for a long time, but no one passed by. Only the clearly rather dilapidated academy gate served as his silent companion. This quiet pocket in a noisy neighborhood, so close to the incomparably noble place that was the Imperial Palace, seemed to be a lifeless ruin of interest to nobody.
He walked up to the wall by the academy gate and used his hands to pull away at the dense ivy. Finally, he saw a word carved onto the wall, the word ''Ortho''. The deeply carved word had once been brightly colored, but it had long been weathered away by countless years of storms. Even the wall itself was showing signs of flaking.
As he thought of the name of this school on his list, Chen Changsheng froze, realizing that this really was the place. He couldn''t help but be filled with even more questions. The previous schools Master had chosen for him had all been the most famous and most outstanding schools of the entire continent, so why was this school so broken down and deserted?
As he thought of all this, his hands continued to grip the ivy, tearing at it once more, thus letting him see the second part of the word, ''dox''. He had no time for more sighs, as with this action, the ivy that had not been taken care of for so many years all slid to the ground with a rustle, stirring up clouds of dust.
Chen Changsheng moved backwards a few steps so as not to be touched by the ivy and dust.
The green ivy fell, the dust settled, and it didn''t take too long for that stone wall that had not been seen for so many years to finally reveal its surface to the world once more.
On the mottled stone wall, two words were carved.
''Orthodox Academy''.
The deeply carved words did not have much paint, only accumulated dust and the dead leaves left behind by the ivies last year. The corners of the words had even been somewhat worn away by the wind and rain. If one did not carefully inspect it, it would be difficult to recognize just what those words were.
As he blankly stared at the stone wall, Chen Changsheng said nothing for a very long time, filled with the gloom of failure. He placed his heart and soul in seeking the Dao and rarely experienced this sort of emotion. Yes, he really wanted right now to just turn and leaveeven if he did pass the entrance exam for such a dilapidated school, how could it be of any help to his life?
He raised his head to look at the sky and determined that he still had time. He decided to enter this dilapidated school and take a look around. If it was no good, he would go to the final school on the list.
His hand rested on the gate and gently pushed.
Creak.
After many years, the gate to the Orthodox Academy was opened once more.
...
...
The carriage of the Divine General of the East''s estate was parked outside Hundred Flowers Lane, its proud white horse with its head slightly raised bored to death. In the carriage, the middle-aged woman was not as calm. Her eyes were brimming with a deep sense of confusion and doubt as she mumbled to herself, "Why did he come here?"
She was keenly aware that the school in the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane had long since withered away, but when she thought of how this youth seemed quite skilled at surprising others, she didn''t dare neglect it. Her finger lightly rapped against the window, indicating that the white horse should pull the carriage. However, just at this moment, a carriage galloped from behind and blocked her carriage from moving forward.
Hundred Flowers Lane was very narrow, barely able to accommodate a single carriage. Now that it had been blocked in such unreasonable fashion by this carriage, the carriage of the Divine General''s estate naturally could not proceed forward. The middle-aged woman slightly arched her brow, rather displeased. However, when she thought of how close this place was to the Imperial Palace, she did not yell at the other carriage to give way.
The carriage that had suddenly appeared was very low and small, even somewhat simple and crude. A blue cloth served as a curtain, and the animal pulling the carriage was also very low and small. Its fur was pure black and it seemed like a donkey. The middle-aged woman was a little taken aback, silently jeering, the capital actually still has someone that uses a donkey to pull their carriage, truly pitiful.
The middle-aged woman was not yet angry, but the white horse could no longer hold back. How could a bearer of Unicorn blood possibly allow a small black donkey to block it? It furiously raised its head, wanting to threateningly neigh, but at this moment, the animal pulling the blue-curtained carriage slowly turned its head and glanced at it.
It wasn''t a black donkey, but a pitch-black goat. Its fur was smooth like satin and it was clearly no ordinary being.
The most unimaginable part was that its eyes were actually serene and deep, cold and indifferent, like some divine being that dwelled above the clouds.
If one were to say that this horse''s nobility came from its Unicorn blood, then this black goat''s nobility came completely from its bearing. Before its eyes, the white horse was completely like some naughty child, easily angered and irritated, while it was an Imperial that dwelled above, living in the palace halls and unstained by dust.
This black goat turned its head and glanced at the white horse.
The white horse was just on the verge of neighing in anger, but when it saw the black goat''s cold and indifferent eyes, it instantly quieted down. Its eyes bubbled with boundless fear and its front hooves went soft. It could no longer support its heavy body, its knees bent, and its body heavily crashed against the ground. Shuddering all over, it didn''t dare rise, and it seemed to be bowing to the black goat like a minister bowing to its king.
The middle-aged woman rushed out of the carriage. Upon seeing the kneeling white horse, she was shocked speechless. She thought, this horse is the sole son of the steed ridden by the Divine Generalit''s always been arrogant and tyrannical. When did it become so cowardly? When she turned her head to the black goat, she suddenly remembered something. And when she turned her gaze to the blue-curtained carriage, her eyes were filled with extreme surprise.
She used her swiftest speed to kneel down on the ground, bowing towards the blue-curtained carriage. Her face was pale and she didn''t dare to speak.
An elderly voice emerged from the carriage.
"I want to go in firstdoes Nanny Hua have an objection?"
Upon hearing this voice, the middle-aged woman somewhat relaxed. As it turned out, it was not that lady who had come, but the nanny who served at the lady''s side. As for why this nanny knew that she was surnamed Hua and that she was often referred to as Nanny in the Divine General''s estate, she didn''t need to ponder, because this woman knowing about anything was only right and expected.
The occupant of the blue-curtained carriage was also a nanny, but when compared to the nanny of the Divine General''s estate, this nanny was far more famous, the most famous nanny in the entire capital. Even Lord Zhou Tong, whose name struck fear into all members of the Imperial clan, great ministers, and Divine Generals, would have to squeeze out a smile in front of this nanny. Just what did she count for?
"What is Nanny saying, this humble servant did not recognize you. My thoughts were deeply disrespectful, and I ask for Nanny''s forgiveness."
The middle-aged woman''s voice slightly trembled. She had previously decided not to yell out, and now she couldn''t help but feel lucky. Even so, she didn''t dare conceal the evil intentions she had, because according to the rumors, hiding anything before this black goat was looking for death. Moreover, she was keenly aware that only acting this way could she appease this nanny.
If not for the fact that the Divine General of the East''s estate had always been close to the lady this nanny served, she wouldn''t have even dared to explain. She would just have cut off her right arm to make amends for her crimes.
The nanny in the blue-curtained carriage asked, "You came to look at that youth?"
The middle-aged woman didn''t dare raise her head, only respectfully grunting in reply. Only at this moment did she confirm that the lady in the palace had known of this matter the entire time.
The nanny continued, "Then from today onwards, you don''t need to look at him anymore."
The middle-aged woman was somewhat shocked. With a low and trembling voice, she requested, "I ask that Nanny instruct me."
The nanny''s voice was emotionless. "When I act, do I have to explain things to you?"
The middle-aged woman touched her forehead to the floor, not daring to say a word more.
The black goat glanced at her, then turned around and pulled the blue-curtained carriage into the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane.
Only after a long while did the middle-aged woman dare to raise her head, her face still pale.
Whatever the nanny in the carriage did truly did not require any explanation to anybody, even if the other party was the Divine General''s estate.
Because she was the nanny that served at Lady Mo Yu''s side.
...
...
The academy''s buildings still displayed faint signs of their former magnificence. It was just that they were all decayed without any sign of habitation.
Chen Changsheng stood by a lake, gazing at the rampant weeds at his feet in silence. He had decided to come in and take a look because he recalled the records of this Orthodox Academy in the Daoist Canon. To be able to use the Orthodoxy as a prefix, this academy naturally had a long history. It had once been incomparably powerful and raised countless extraordinary individuals, buthow had it turned into this?
The surface of the lake gently rippled. The place was quiet and still, the buildings old-fashioned. There was not a single person here.
He had many questions, but he didn''t know whom he should address them to.
At this moment, a sound came from behind him.
He turned his head and saw a black goat.
This was a pitch-black goat that emanated a strange aura.
If a normal person, in this deathly still environment, were to see this sort of black goat, they would subconsciously feel a little afraid and at the very least attempt to avoid it, but Chen Changsheng did not. He really liked this black goat. This was because this black goat was very clean, just like him. He plucked some grass from the lake shore, took a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped off the dew on the grass, and then offered it to the black goat.
The black goat quietly looked at him, tilting its head. It seemed to be confused, wondering just what he wanted to do.
Nobody had ever fed this black goat grass before.
No matter if it was Prince Chen Liu or the Crown Prince, nobody dared to feed it grass.
Everyone in the palace knew that it would only eat fruit plucked personally by Lady Mo Yu.
"Eat, there''s no dew, you won''t get indigestion."
Chen Changsheng looked at the black goat, waving around the grass in his hand as he earnestly spoke.
The black goat understood this youth''s meaning and the expression in its eyes subtly changed. It looked like it was gazing at an idiot.
Of course, Chen Changsheng did not understand, so he still offered up the grass in his hands.
The black goat was somewhat fed up, but for some reason, this youth''s Qi made it feel somewhat affable towards him.
It hesitated for a few moments, then finally took one step forward, feeling things out. It slightly lowered its head, took a few stalks of grass from Chen Changsheng''s hand, and slowly began to chew.
Under a nearby tree, an old lady holding a wooden cane made from a yellow poplar was watching this scene. The wrinkles on her face faintly trembled, just like the grass in the wind.
Even when the previous Empress had smothered the thenCCrown Prince to death, she had not been this shocked.
17 A Single Academy
The old lady was so abnormally shocked because she was keenly aware that this Black Goat hand-raised by Lady Mo Yu was proud and cold. Moreover, it was abnormally obsessed with cleanliness, so much so that it had become a peculiarity. Only the rarely-seen Unicorn could be compared to it. Let alone the weeds growing by the lake, even the strenuously prepared dishes made for the members of the Imperial clan were not even worthy of its glance. Yet at this very moment, it had actually taken grass from this youth it had met just a few moments ago, and it was actually eating it!
The next scene made the old lady even more shocked, because after the Black Goat ate a few stalks of grass, not only did it not leave, it lowered its head into the youth''s palm and lightly rubbed against it. It seemed extremely intimate and its expression was also one of enormous pleasure. It was like it really enjoyed rubbing against this youth.
Just what was this? The old lady slightly creased her brow. Gripping her yellow poplar cane, she slowly walked to the lake shore. Gazing at the youth crouching down by the Black Goat, she noticed on his ordinary appearance a natural-born friendliness. Her mind was somewhat pacified but was soon after overcome by an intense unease. A person that could make a person like her relax to this extent was absolutely someone she needed to be wary of.
Chen Changsheng stood up and asked the old lady, "Nanny, is this your goat?"
The old lady narrowed her eyes, asking, "You know who I am?"
Chen Changsheng was somewhat surprised, replying, "I don''t."
The old lady haughtily asked, "Then why did you call me Nanny?"
Chen Changsheng was somewhat confused, thinking, you are a lady of such great age; if I don''t address you as Nanny, what should I address you as? The woman in the Divine General''s estate''s carriage was a nanny, and the dishwasher in the inn was also a nanny. On his journey, the person in the boat in charge of cooking was also a nanny. There were many nannies in the world. Was there one that was different?
Seeing his perplexed expression, the old lady realized that she had thought too much, that she had been too excessively vigilant against this youth. She couldn''t help but slightly crease her brow, increasingly feeling somewhat improper. This was because she clearly understood that the vigilance she had displayed in this exchange completely arose from her fondness for this youth.
This youth was so ordinary, yet he so easily made other people want to get close to him. This was the case for both her and the Black Goat, but just why was this the case?
The old lady gazed at the run-down building. She thought of this place''s past magnificence, thought of that bloody and sinister story, and then thought of this youth''s uniqueness. The unease in her heart deepened and she determined to not delay anymore. She directly declared, "You can call me Nanny Ning."
Chen Changsheng bent his body in a bow, saying, "Well wishes to Nanny Ning."
Nanny Ning asked, "If I were to let you know that the person that didn''t let you enter Star Seizer Academy was me, would you still wish me well?"
The beginning of spring was still chilly. The wind blew off the lake, causing the lush weeds to slightly bend at the waist. All was silent.
Chen Changsheng straightened his body and gazed at the old lady in shock. Yesterday, Tang Thirty-Six had said at the inn that the Divine General of the East''s estate could not influence Star Seizer Academy, that it should have been the intention of some powerful figure in the palace. According to the words of this Nanny Ningshe was this powerful figure?
"Carrying that marriage contract and still daring to walk all over the capital, I really don''t know if a youth like you is being stupid or bold," Nanny Ning expressionlessly said.
Chen Changsheng said nothing for a few moments, then said, "Besides the Divine General''s estate, no one else pays any attention to me."
Nanny Ning replied, "If you were to let people know that you are the Phoenix child''s fianc, countless people would come to kill you."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I''m still alive, proof that the Divine General''s estate is even less willing to let other people know of this engagement."
Nanny Ning glanced at him and asked, "And if the Divine General''s estate wants to kill you?"
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng replied, "With the Divine Empress reigning, they still have to pay careful consideration to the general situation."
Nanny Ning slightly raised her brows, seemingly surprised that this fourteen-year-old youth was able to see the true reason for the Divine General''s estate''s difficulties in exerting its will. "The more you delay, the greater the pressure. There will eventually come a day when the Divine General''s estate can no longer bear it."
"Then I will try to resist," Chen Changsheng said as he tightly gripped the dagger at his waist.
Nanny Ning examined the ordinary and unremarkable dagger at his waist and said with faint derision, "You don''t know how to cultivate and want to rely on just this dagger to resist the experts of the Divine General of the East''s estate? What do you think this dagger is? A divine weapon of legends? Can it compare to Emperor Taizong''s Frost God Spear? Or maybe the Dragonscale of the Qiushan clan?"
Chen Changsheng said nothing.
"Even if you don''t give up the marriage contract, you can still survive."
Nanny Ning continued, "But you must not tell the matter of this engagement to anyone else, otherwise, even if the Demon Lord himself came, he wouldn''t be able to save your life."
There was nothing threatening about these words, because what she spoke was an indisputable truththe Demon Lord could not save his life, no one in the world could save his life, because Nanny Ning represented the will of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace.
Chen Changsheng was forced to admit that although not being able to make a choice made him rather unhappy, what Nanny Ning said was good for him. He was just somewhat confusedjust why was it that when he was attempting to get into Star Seizer Academy a day ago, she had so cruelly crushed his future prospects, but now she was changing her mind?
"Someone wants you to live, wants you to remain undisturbed. My lady is greatly displeased by any so-called variables, so she does not wish for you to have the possibility of any future prospects. Originally, this was a very problematic matter"
Nanny Ning looked around at the deserted and run-down buildings of the Orthodox Academy, then suddenly smiled. "We didn''t think that you would jump into this dried-up well on your own. You''ve solved the problem for us."
All of Chen Changsheng''s attention had been taken by the latter half of this statement, so he had missed the first few words.
Future prospects? Possibility? Dried-up well? Problem?
He was suddenly taken by an intense discomfort. If he were to speculate based on this Nanny Ning''s words, walking into the Orthodox Academy might have been an enormous mistake.
Without hesitation, he stated, "I still haven''t decided to enter the Orthodox Academy."
Nanny Ning looked at him and said, "You must enter the Orthodox Academy."
"Why?"
"You yourself walked in here, so this is your own choice."
"I suddenly changed my mind."
"Apologies, I am not Madam Xu."
Nanny Ning looked at him and emotionlessly said, "I don''t mind killing you."
Chen Changsheng fell silent for a very long time. He knew that he could not dissent, but he still felt rather dissatisfied.
"I haven''t even taken a test, let alone received a notice of admittance."
"The Orthodox Academy doesn''t have a principal or even a teacher, so there''s naturally no test, but it can enroll new students."
Nanny Ning took out a thin sheet of paper from her sleeve and showed it to him, saying, "This is a recommendation letter personally written by His Holiness. With it, you can enter any school."
Not waiting for Chen Changsheng to speak, she apathetically added, "But you can only enter the Orthodox Academy."
Chen Changsheng took the paper. As he gazed at the illegible signature atop it as well as the complex and grandiose seal stamped over the signature, he didn''t know what to say.
He had never imagined that he would have an opportunity in this life to personally see the Pope''s handwriting. He should have been excited, but the scene before his eyes made it impossible for him to be excited. Seeing the shade of the signature and seal, this letter had not been signed very recently, but the name of the school on the recommendation letter seemed to have been written just moments ago. It was probably this Nanny Ning''s handwriting.
"One, you cannot tell anyone else of the engagement. Two, you will live. Three, no one else will hinder your future prospects."
Nanny Ning gazed at him and emotionlessly declared, "Our business is concluded."
With these words, she turned and walked out of the Orthodox Academy. The weeds around the lake could be even denser, yet they could not entangle her plain dress.
With her status, her personally coming to speak with a fourteen-year-old youth was truly too inconceivable and also extremely dull.
Everything she had said just now was the truth. As long as the person was dead, what importance could the marriage contract still have? Although she felt that this youth was excellent, just how many excellent youths died in the capital each year? If not for yesterday''s letter, perhaps he really might have died today. If he was a smart person, he should be able to guess at just who allowed him to live, should be able to know what he should do.
To everyone else, this was the best choice. Perhaps to him, it was not, but who would care?
Thinking this, Nanny Ning walked off into the distance.
The Black Goat followed her out. Before passing the wall, it turned and glanced at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng stood by the lake, quietly standing there in silence with the paper in his hands for a very long time.
Even now, he still did not know who this Nanny Ning was, but he had already been forced into a deal.
He did not know the truth behind this deal, but he could faintly understand that if he accepted it, it would be good for everyone. He even understood more than anyone else that although those people thought that this choice held nothing good for him, in reality, all the good he wanted had arrived in his hands the moment he took the sheet of paper.
So he wasn''t at all angry, just a little sour.
His original goal in coming to the capital had never been this engagement, nor the girl called Xu Yourong. As for the Divine General''s estate and the Imperial Palace, these names that seemed far off in the horizon, there was even less of a connection, nor did he wish to develop any connections with those places. He only wanted to read, cultivate, and then attend the Grand Examination and obtain first place.
Before the Grand Examination was the pre-examination. He didn''t know how to cultivate, had not even succeeded in Purification, so he would definitely not be qualified to enter the pre-examination. He didn''t even have the qualifications to enter the Grand Examination, so how could he obtain first place? For this reason, he had to enter any of the six academies on his list.
Those six academies all had the longest histories in the capital and were the finest institutions. Their academy gates were all overgrown with ivy, so they were often called the Six Ivies. Only the students of the Six Ivies did not need to participate in the pre-examination and could directly participate in the Grand Examination.
Now, he had finally become a student of one of the Six Ivies, seeming to have fulfilled all his desires, butthe ivy growing at this school''s gate was somewhat excessive.
This was a path that his master and senior had helped him plan out before he left Xining Village.
But it was very obvious that they had not expected that the Orthodox Academy which had countless magnificent articles written about it in the histories had decayed to such a state.
Chen Changsheng stood by the lake, gazing at the academy basking in the bright sunshine yet still as deserted and gloomy as a graveyard. He found it impossible to not doubt his own future.
After a very long time had passed, he was awoken from his daze by the spring wind. He took five long and deep breaths, pushing out the final smears of discomfort and acidity from his body. After stowing the thin sheet of paper in his bosom, he followed the indistinct path in the grass along the lake, walking into the depths of the academy.
18 The Orthodox Academys New Student I
Chen Changsheng highly valued his time.
Realizing that the other party of the engagement was that Phoenix, suffering consecutive humiliations and bullying from a powerful figure, and even causing the Imperial Palace to appearif this was an ordinary youth, they would probably already be in deep depression, even on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But he did not have time to mourn the spring and get depressed by the autumn, did not have time to be angry. What he lacked the most was time.
Consequently, as soon as he set himself on a goal, he would unhesitantly proceed forward in a straight line. He would not pace to and fro, did not need to shout, only silently grasp and fight for every moment.
At present, his goal was obtaining first rank of the first banner in next year''s Grand Examination.
To him who had not even succeeded at Purification, this goal was truly too distant. Yesterday when he had spoken about it in the inn, even the most narcissistic and arrogant Tang Thirty-Six was rendered utterly speechless, but Chen Changsheng did not waver in the slightest. On the contrary, because this goal was so far away, he treasured even more every tick of the clock, every grain of sand from the hourglass, the finest sliver of movement on the shadow cast by the stone pillar.
The Orthodox Academy could be even more run-down, but so what? The buildings were covered in ivy and seemed about to collapse at a glance, but so what? He did not carehe did not have the time to care. With great focus and self-assurance, he walked his own path. He left the lake shore and proceeded into the depths of the academy in high spirits. After finding a person, he was prepared to immediately begin his life of study
After an hour, he stood alone in a courtyard that was overgrown with weeds, faintly chirping with insects. All on his own, he looked around, at a loss.
He could not find a person, not a single one. Previously, he believed that no matter how deserted and run-down the Orthodox Academy was, it would at least have a few teachers standing guard or some old man watching the gate. Unbelievably, even after searching the entire academy, let alone a person, he couldn''t even find evidence that people had come here recently.
Behind the courtyard of the Orthodox Academy was its once lofty and magnificent main teaching hall, but now it was an eerie ruin. Everything from the second floor and up had already collapsed. Only half the body of the stone lion fountain remained, with several green plants growing from it and sprouting purple flowers from their stems, beautiful and sorrowful.
It was very obvious that these were not the marks left by the wind and rain, nor did it have anything to do with him. Ten-odd years ago, or even earlier, some fierce battle had most likely occurred here. The main teaching hall must have been caught up in the battle, resulting in its wretched state. Chen Changsheng silently thought, then shook his head and decided to investigate a building on his right that could still be considered to be in decent condition.
This building was made of a combination of wood and stone and was several zhang high. The stone wall was overgrown with ivy and moss, and the paint on its windows, doors, and beams was peeling off, giving off a dilapidated feeling. Above the stone steps of the main door hung a sign. He stared at it a long time before finally recognizing two of the words, confirming that this building probably had something to do with storing books.
He walked to the window and peered in. The light was rather dusky, but he could still make out clearly that the bookshelves within were densely packed with books. He was somewhat shocked, not imagining that the Orthodox Academy which had deteriorated away for so many years still contained so many books. The Orthodoxy had not taken them away, but did the Imperial Court not care either?
Books were the item in the world that he had first touched and that he was the most familiar with. Similar to how ordinary people recalled milk, he was innately intimate with books and they were able to provide his mind infinite consolation. At this moment when he was seeing all these books through the window, his downcast mood inexplicably began to improve.
He walked to the front door, wanting to push it open and enter, but then realized that there was a lock hanging over the door. This lock''s surface was gloomy and lightless and the place at which it met the door was covered in a faint layer of green rust. It was incredibly old and he didn''t know how many years had passed since it was last unlocked. More importantly, he could faintly sense an enormously powerful aura emanating from the lock.
He felt that this lock was most likely concealing some very powerful array.
No wonder the Orthodox Academy could have been in ruins for so many years yet its library could be in such perfect condition, not looted by some deft thief or some hoodlum lacking money for wine. Thinking about this, his mood improved even more, but he didn''t know how he should open this lock. This was because he didn''t have the key, nor did he know if the key still existed. Even if there was a key, where would it be? In whose hands?
He didn''t even know who he should ask because there was nobody in this school.
He was not concerned that anyone would get in and steal all the books, and since he temporarily couldn''t get in, he was in no rush. He walked towards the dormitory that he had passed before when he was searching for people. The dormitory of the Orthodox Academy was made up of several dozen small buildings and took up quite a significant area. Trees and vines were everywhere, and while this environment could have been described as tranquil and secluded in the past, now it was unavoidably rather eerie.
He randomly chose one of the houses, walked in, and was immediately assaulted with the stench of mold. He glanced at the dust in the room, the spider webs in the corners of the roof beams, and the damaged windows, and confirmed that it would be very difficult to clean this all up and that it would be impossible to tidy everything up in a short time. Shaking his head, he left, thinking to himself that moving his things from the inn would have to wait for now.
Standing by the stone path outside the house, he gazed at the dense foliage of the trees that blocked out the sun, gazed at the weeds between the trees, and gazed at the stone bench, so buried by vines that only a corner could barely be seen. He listened to the energetic chirps of insects, felt the aura of time in the gloom and those truths that had already been buried by time, and he slowly closed his eyes.
Several decades ago, countless young men and women of shocking talent walked side by side along this stone path, or sat next to each other on the stone bench. The forest would occasionally flash with sword glows and the sounds of voices reciting the Daoist Canon could be heard everywhere. From time to time, the sound of laughter would emerge from the house behind him. Then, the ringing of the bell from the distant Imperial Palace could be heard and these schoolmates would pound their rice bowls and merrily run off.
He opened his eyes. None of those scenes existed, only the deserted and still forest, the run-down group of houses.
The Orthodox Academy''s location was at the very center of the capital, right next to the Imperial Palace, but it had already been forgotten by the entire world.
The splendor and beauty of the past were no more, its cheers and laughter gone off to parts unknown. There was only his lonesome self standing here.
He suddenly felt rather sad, although he only needed a short moment to quickly drive it out.
He suddenly felt that this place was okay as long as he could once more see those scenes.
...
...
He was able to see those lively scenes of the Orthodox Academy from several decades ago, able to see those young men and women of shocking talent, able to see those scenes of the past not because this was some special ability of Chen Changsheng''s, nor because he was exceptionally imaginative. Rather, it was because he had read the relevant books.
After he tore down the ivy covering the academy''s wall and saw the words ''Orthodox Academy'', the records in the Daoist Canon concerning this school all gradually floated up in his mind. These memories became words, and these words became scenes that were deeply branded into his mind in startling clarity, allowing him to realize that he actually knew a great deal of this academy''s history and matters.
This was not at all something difficult to understand. He could remember an unremarkable footnote in the Heavenly Dao Academy''s regulation for admitting students and also remember the incomparably complex and entangled military code of Star Seizer Academy, so he should naturally have been able to remember the history of the Orthodox Academy and other related matters. The three thousand scrolls of the Daoist Canon contained far too many things.
At present, the Orthodox Academy might have only one student, and just as Nanny Ning had said, it might not even have any teachers, but as he was going to begin his studies in this Orthodox Academy, there were some things that he needed to do. For example, he needed to get the key to the library, and he also needed to apply for moneyhe remembered very clearly that for every school, the Great Zhou Imperial Court provided a relevant educational subsidy. As long as the school existed, a subsidy would be granted to them each year. Star Seizer Academy''s subsidy was granted by the military, whereas the subsidy for the Orthodox Academy was handled by the Bureau for the Divine Education of Cardinals.
Fortuitously, the keys and register for the Orthodox Academy were also most likely kept there.
Chen Changsheng left the Orthodox Academy. With the guidance of his map, it didn''t take long for him to reach the bureau. This was a very inconspicuous building. There were thirty-some stone steps in front of its front door and its stone pillars were extremely high, but it was still very inconspicuous. This was because several dozen redwoods were planted outside this building, obscuring all behind them.
No matter how fiercely the sun blazed, it would still find it very difficult to illuminate everything within.
The front door to the bureau was very desolate. Only after a long time would one occasionally sight a priest dressed in a black robe walking by. As Chen Changsheng ascended the stone steps, he felt rather strange. He then noticed that some place in the back of the building was very lively with many people chatting about something.
Walking into the bureau, he found the relevant clerk and said, "I want to get the register and keys."
"What register and keys?"
The clerk mumbled. His slightly narrowed eyes and uncaring and fierce look were not because he was expressing contempt, but because he had almost fallen asleep in the spring wind, half-dreaming about some fine fancy.
Chen Changsheng increased his volume, saying, "The Orthodox Academy''s register and keys."
The clerk slowly opened his eyes, yawned, then walked to the window and washed his face. Somewhat soberer, he returned to the table, shot Chen Changsheng a rather annoyed glance, and then drew out a scroll from his sleeve. As he rolled it open, he asked, "Say again the name of your school."
This time, Chen Changsheng paid extreme attention to his pronunciation, articulating every syllable. "Orthodox Academy."
Without even thinking, the clerk felt this name to be completely alien. He stopped rolling open the scroll, raised his head, and looked at Chen Changsheng with a frown, asking, "When did the capital get another school? Did you put it on record? Paid all the taxes you need to pay? Who approved it?"
"It''s not a new academy, it''s the Orthodox Academy."
OrthodoxAcademy.
The clerk wrinkled his brow in thought, feeling that he had heard this name somewhere before, but couldn''t recall where. In these past ten years, he''d had countless dealings with each school in the capital, but he had never heard of any Orthodox Academy Suddenly, he remembered.
His face instantly became extremely depressed, as if tears were going to be shed at any moment.
Chen Changsheng did not understand what was going on.
The clerk said with a chilly voice, "Are you joking around with me?"
Chen Changsheng felt rather lost, thinking, what sort of joke is Sir playing?
The clerk abruptly stood up and slammed his palm against the table, roaring, "Do you think this is a place for jokes!?"
Chen Changsheng wanted to say something.
The clerk furiously bellowed, "Just which school is a brat like you from! Daring to come and play tricks on your teachers!"
Feeling wronged, Chen Changsheng replied, "I really am a student of the Orthodox Academy."
The clerk stared at him like he was an idiot, saying, "Lie, continue to lie."
19 The Orthodox Academys New Student II
In the capital, the Orthodoxy, excluding its southern faction, had six Sacred Halls, and amongst them, the Hall of Illustrious Persons was responsible for teaching and nurturing youth. It administered the Heavenly Dao Academy, the General Institute of Cardinals, the School of Deacons, as well as the Orthodox Academy and several dozen other schools. In truth, this place shared the same location as the Great Zhou''s education apparatus. Its official name was the Bureau for the Divine Education of Cardinals, but the Imperial Court and the common people called it the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. The oppressive feeling of divinity and authority melded together, and this combined with respect for teachers meant that this building was always abnormally quiet.
Chen Changsheng stood in the spacious and empty hallway and just so happened to be completely concealed in the shadow of a massive stone pillar. He turned his head to the nearby room and thought of that clerk''s reprimands from just now. He thought, as expected of the headquarters of one of the Orthodoxy''s Sacred Halls. This building is constructed so well, its soundproofing so perfect, that the people outside didn''t hear one bit of our conversation.
There were tens of thousands of students in the capital, all of them managed by the clerks and priests within this building, their matters vast and various. Countless shoes of all shapes and styles walked to and fro across the mirror-like surface of the marble floor, the crowd rushing forth and falling away like the tide. Yet other than the sound of footsteps, it was still very quiet.
Nobody cared about the youth standing in the shadow of the stone pillar, and nobody went up on their own volition to question him. Only after a very long time, when the sun had shifted, the stone pillar''s shadow had moved further east from his body, and it was now afternoon, did people finally begin to notice his existence.
Perhaps because the Sacred Hall was about to close for the day, people began to feel somewhat more relaxed. The building became somewhat noisier, ceasing to be as solemn and grave as it was earlier in the day. A burst of whispers could be heard behind Chen Changsheng. Because those voices were all extremely soft, they sounded just like nibbling mice. They made his ears itch and he subconsciously lowered his head somewhat.
"What is that youth standing around there for? It seems that he''s been standing there for almost the entire day."
"Oh, you''re talking about that guy? At lunch, I heard that he was driven out by Priest XinI heard that he came to apply for this year''s educational subsidy, and he also wanted to pick some things up?"
"Subsidy? Didn''t we finish distributing those in the second month? Don''t tell me there''s a school that hasn''t received one? That''s impossible! Given that those school principals are all so arrogant that they have their noses up in the air, if we really did owe them money, how could they have endured it until today? In addition, even if we did owe them, how could they send a student to receive it?"
"Who said that wasn''t the case? That''s why Priest Xin ignored him and directly kicked him out, yet for some reason, this youth isn''t willing to leave."
"Just which school is this guy from?"
"The Orthodox Academy, apparently."
"What?"
"Orthodox Academy."
There was a light clamor, followed by laughter.
"This joke is truly meaningless. No wonder Priest Xin got so angry."
"Who doesn''t know that the Orthodox Academy has long since been abandoned? It doesn''t have teachers, so where''d this student come from? I reckon that it''s one of those initiation activities held by those schools every year. This pitiful guy was picked by one of his senior brothers to come to our place and do some things, take some things, or else he won''t be considered as passed."
"Tsk, tsk, the initiation activities of these schools are getting more and more outrageous."
"Indeed, actually daring to play tricks on the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education."
"Hey, just which school do you think this youth is from? This activity is actually quite interesting."
"It should be Star Seizer. That youth has stood there for the entire day but his posture has never changed. Besides Star Seizer, which academy could produce such a student?"
"It doesn''t seem that way to me. The military code of Star Seizer is strict. In the past, the most they''ve done as an initiation activity is sneaking into the City Guard Department and stealing a flying carriage. How could they come to the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education? I believe that it''s most likely still the Heavenly Dao Academy. The children in that school are familiar with us and aren''t afraid of anything. If they really do stir up trouble, those kids would just randomly ask one of their senior brothers to come over, and would the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education dare not give them face?"
...
...
In the eyes of these clerks and priests of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, this youth standing in the hallway with his head lowered was probably some pitiable new student from some school, bullied and teased by his seniors. When they spoke, they naturally did not think about hiding from him. Although they spoke in very soft voices, their words still accurately fell in this youth''s ears.
Chen Changsheng lowered his head and looked at the floor, watching as his shadow inexorably moved across it, soon to be touching the stone steps. Thinking about how he had wasted half a day, his mood became a little melancholy, but after hearing the conversations, he understood why that person had gotten so angry and refused to let him back into the room.
How could he make the clerk believe that he was the first new student of the Orthodox Academy in so many years? Even if the clerk did believe him, how could he, in the shortest amount of time, obtain from him the key to the library, the directory of the school''s staff members, the seal of the school, and the money? He was definitely not willing to waste another day like this for these items.
A bell rang out far away in the direction of the Li Palace, soon after followed by music from the direction of the Mausoleum of Books. Chen Changsheng seemed to think of something, raised his head, and proceeded without hesitation towards the room he had been driven out of before. This sudden action instantly attracted the gazes of many.
He pushed open the door, entered and walked up to the table, saying to the man behind it, "Greetings, I want to pick up the Orthodox Academy''s directory, keys, and money."
This person was the Priest Xin brought up in the conversation from before. Seeing Chen Changsheng return, he instantly grew furious. Slamming the table, he scolded, "I told you not to come bother me anymore! And you still dare to say these sorts of words! Perhaps you want me to call someone to give you twenty lashes with the rod and then have you expelled from school?"
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "Then Sir must first have me become a formal student of a school."
Priest Xin took in a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the anger in his heart. In a cold and gloomy voice, he asked, "Just which school are you from?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "The Orthodox Academy."
As he spoke, his expression was very calm. It said, no matter which direction the wind comes from, I will continue to cling to this cliff. No matter what question you ask, I can keep my expression unchanging and calmly repeat my answer: I am a new student of the Orthodox Academy. Whether you believe it or not, I''m standing right here, and I am.
"Don''t speak about the Orthodox Academy or the Heavenly Dao Academy."
Priest Xin felt himself about to go crazy. He icily declared, "Even if you are Prince Chen Liu''s own little brother, today, I will have you understand the consequence of disregarding your teachers."
"This is my recommendation letter."
Chen Changsheng took from his bosom a thin sheet of paper and placed it on the table.
Priest Xin had originally planned to scrunch this paper into a ball and then stuff it down this abominable youth''s mouth, but from the corner of his eyes, he spotted a rather familiar name. He froze and subconsciously took up the paper. He verified that he had not seen wronglythis name and handwriting really were quite familiar.
Where had he seen this name and handwriting before?
He wrinkled his brow in deep thought, yet he could not find the answer. Uneasiness stirred in his heart.
In the next moment, he finally remembered.
He truly had not seen the handwriting on this paper before, nor had he seen this name. The reason he found it familiar was that the nameboard of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and the handwriting on this paper were written in exactly the same way. As for the name, every believer of the Orthodoxy knew of it, but it could not be spoken and could not be written because this namewas already divine.
Afterwards, Priest Xin saw clearly the contents of the dark red seal on the paper.
He felt his legs go soft and faintly twitch. He had a fear of heights, but this was a symptom that would usually appear only when he visited the Moon Hall in the Education Palace.
Priest Xin took a sip of tea, but his hands were shuddering so fiercely that he dropped the tea on the floor.
He gazed at Chen Changsheng, his lips trembling uncontrollably, his voice even more so.
Now he finally believed that Chen Changsheng was a new student of the Orthodox Academy.
Because no person dared to forge that name and handwriting on the paper.
"In factSir never took out this recommendation lettertruly a witty child."
He looked at Chen Changsheng and with great difficulty pushed out a smile. He wanted to pat him on the shoulder as well, but did not dare.
''Sir'' and ''child'' were two completely mismatched terms, and it was also very difficult to call a child witty.
Chen Changsheng understood why the clerk would so suddenly forget himself. He helplessly explained, "Previously, I was prepared to take it out, but Sir never gave me the chance."
"Sir, please sit. Tea will be served in just a moment. I will go and handle these matters for Sir."
Priest Xin took up the piece of paper, bid him a cordial farewell, then exited without hesitation through the door, after which he began to madly rush through the spacious and solemn hall.
Those gazes that had followed Chen Changsheng did not expect to see this sort of scene, and were all very shocked.
...
...
In the depths of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, in its largest room, there were many plants. Amongst them, the greatest number were plum blossoms. There were winter plums, water-reflecting plums, twisting plums, golden wine plumssome were in the midst of flowering, others were just beginning to bud, and even more were quietly waiting. It was like all the plum blossoms of the world were in this place.
(TN: ÷ and ÷ refer to plum blossoms and all the plants mentioned above contain the word ÷.)
Deep behind these plum trees was a massive mural depicting the Heavenly Tomes descending to the earth. In front of the mural was a massive writing desk.
Priest Xin stood in front of the desk, his expression somewhat concerned and his forehead stained with sweat, but it was very obvious that his state was no longer as dire as it was in front of Chen Changsheng. His voice rang out, "The Divine Empress reignsthis lowly servant swears to the heavens, I really did not knowthat he could take out this sort of recommendation letter, or else"
"Or else what? Or else you would not have let this little fellow stand in the hall for half a day?"
A priest walked out from behind the desk. It was difficult to tell his age, but his eyes were gentle and wise. From the look of his gown, he was most likely a cardinal. This signified that he was the most powerful person in all of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. It was just that from his appearance and the laughter in his words, it was very difficult to realize this point.
"The seal and signature on this letter are all real. The shade of the ink and the style of the signature, and most importantly this paperhaha, His Holiness''s words really do make other people directly feel the beauty of this world. I''ve seen it so many times, but seeing it once more is still a delight. I remember just ten years ago, His Holiness was invited by the Divine Empress to teach the Prince of Xiang''s heir and Lady Mo Yu"
Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Mei Lisha, gazed at his trusted aide Priest Xin, and then his smile suddenly vanished. He indifferently said, "Very well, there''s no need to keep discussing these old matters. This little friend called Chen Changsheng''s origins are unimportant, and that he can become the first student of the Orthodox Academy in ten-odd years is also unimportant. What is important is this: what does this matter signify?
"His Holiness intends to reopen the Orthodox Academy?
"If this is true, how should we subordinates accommodate it?
"You must carefully understand all of this.
"Understand its spirit."
20 The Orthodox Academys New Student III
Understand whose spirit? The Pope''s. What sort of spirit? For that, one would have to think deeply about the Pope''s seal and signature, have to touch upon the deepest depths of their soul, and only then would one probably be able to edge somewhat closer to the Pope''s spiritual world, vast as the sea of stars.
As Priest Xin left the cardinal''s room and thought about those final words, his face was still pale and his mind still uneasy. He had come to many conclusions, but he still found it impossible to decide which was more accurate. Could it be that the Pope really intended to reopen the Orthodox Academy? Why were there no rumors in the capital? Why was this young student chosen for the task? Crucially, as the problem in the Orthodox Academy''s history had not been resolved, who dared to touch upon it?
As he walked up to Chen Changsheng, all these thoughts were forced to a conclusion. Thus, he used the time afforded by the dozen or so steps to resolve himself to a plan and push out a fake smile. He then said, "This is the register and key, but you might not be clear on this: although there are still people on the Orthodox Academy''s register, it would be very difficult for even us to find them."
Chen Changsheng took the register and flipped through a few pages. He realized that these pages were very old and the vast majority of the names on it were followed by the word ''withdrawn''. He asked, "So what should I do?"
Priest Xin thought, isn''t this matter for you to handle? He thought this way, but he would absolutely not say it aloud. He had already made his decision. As long as he did not have to personally cheer on the Orthodox Academy, as long as he was not drawn into the incomprehensible plans of those important figures, he would do everything he could in the scope of his authority: if money was needed, he would give it; if people were needed, he would provide them.
"What do you thinkwhen studying in the Orthodox Academy, what do you need right now?" He looked into Chen Changsheng''s eyes as he sounded him out.
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then asked, "Anything is okay?"
"If you want to transfer the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy to the Orthodox AcademyI''m afraid that''s not okay."
Priest Xin chuckled, but he also knew that there was nothing witty about these words. On the contrary, they seemed rather helpless.
Chen Changsheng replied, "I want people."
Priest Xin''s smile faded as he seriously inquired, "How many people?"
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "Lots of people."
Priest Xin''s expression did not change, but his two hands gradually chilled as he thought, could it be that it really was as His Eminence the cardinal speculated, that behind His Holiness the Pope''s reopening of the Orthodox Academyare many secret objectives? Or else why would this young student ask for people, and even a lot of people? If he really does intend on violating some sort of taboo, what should I do?
"Might I askwhat do you need all these people for?"
He stared into Chen Changsheng''s eyes as he spoke each word, his expression exceptionally grave. At any moment, he was prepared to refuse and leave.
Chen Changsheng could not sense his tension, and even if he could, he wouldn''t have understood it. "The Orthodox Academy is rather large and most of its buildings have been worn down by time and lack of repair. Even if the repairs can go slowly, if I want to study in them, they have to be cleaned. If the manpower is insufficient, it might cause a large delay."
Upon hearing this, Priest Xin exhaled a cold breath. He wasn''t scared, it was just that he had not expected this response. Worried that Chen Changsheng would renege, he immediately said, "The intended subsidy will be distributed as soon as possible, and the allocated laborers will also not be lacking. For the time being, I''ll send some part-time laborers overC no, I''ll personally lead the part-time laborers and send Sir back."
After saying this, he gave Chen Changsheng a hearty pat on the shoulder, humbly took Chen Changsheng by the arm, and walked out with him towards the main hall of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. The normally incomparably solemn Priest Xin actually treated this young student with such affection. This sight attracted countless gazes and also naturally attracted quite some discussion.
...
...
"Chen Changsheng really entered the Orthodox Academy?"
"Yes, after Nanny Ning left, he left for the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education a short time after."
In the study of the Divine General of the East''s estate, this simple conversation quickly descended into silence.
With an indifferent expression, Xu Shiji gazed at the somewhat uneasy Nanny Hua and said, "Since it''s that party''s intention, we don''t need to concern ourselves with it for the moment."
On the side, Madam Xu said concernedly, "Why did such a sudden change occur?"
Xu Shiji replied, "I requested her to resolve the problem of Star Seizer Academy, not because I wished to sacrifice such a large favor for that boy, but because I wanted to tell the matter of the engagement to her. This way, the matter could be reported to the Divine Empress. This being the case, whatever she does is only right and proper."
Worry on her face, Madam Xu replied, "The problem is those two lines of Nanny Ning''s. She wants the boy to live? Why does the palace care about such a trifling matter?"
Xu Shiji glanced at Nanny Hua.
Nanny Hua lowered her head and softly reported, "Last night, Miss Shuang''er went to the palace. Apparently, the young lady sent a letter."
Madam Xu was rather unhappy at this news. "This child, she doesn''t write letters to her parents, but what does she intend by sending letters to outsiders?"
Xu Shiji slightly creased his brow, not wanting to hear such words. "Marriage is a grand event that parents should decide, even the Divine Empress won''t dispute that. What are you worried about those things for? Give Lady Mo Yu some face and let that boy live for a moment. If he still refuses to cooperate, it won''t be too late to talk about it then."
Madam Xu said, "I''m just afraid that this child really might attain meteoric success in the future and hold some grudge against the estate."
Xu Shiji suddenly chuckled, then, with some deeper meaning, he commented, "Meteoric success?"
Madam Xu was rather frightened by the smile on her husband''s face and didn''t dare continue to ask. She waved her hand to indicate that Nanny Hua should leave, then whispered, "Prince Chen Liu sent someone over earlier inviting you to a banquet. Are you going or not? Although they say he''s quite favored by the Divine Empress, his status is still rather special, so it feels quite inappropriate."
Many years ago, after the final attempt by the Imperial clan to have the Divine Empress step down from the Dragon Throne ended in bloody suppression, all three generations of the Imperial clan were utterly expelled from the capital and placed under house arrest in the various counties and provinces. Only the heir to the Prince of Xiang, Chen Liu, was allowed to remain in the capital due to his youth.
It was also precisely because of his very young age that the Divine Empress permitted him to enter the palace and learn together with the Princess of Ping and Lady Mo Yu, who were both of similar age. The two had lived, drunk, and eaten together, and they had developed deep emotional bonds. He had basically grown up under the Divine Empress''s gaze, so the Divine Empress regarded him with extreme favor. Even after he matured, he was not relocated out of the capital, and was even made the prince of a county.
Of course, many people believed the reason the Divine Empress treated Prince Chen Liu so well, besides their many years of closeness and Prince Chen Liu''s extremely good reputation in the Imperial Court and amongst the common people, was that whenever the Divine Empress looked at his face, she probably very easily remembered the son that she had killed with her own hands.
Regardless, Prince Chen Liu was still a member of the Imperial clan with royal blood flowing through his body. No one believed that the Divine Empress was completely at ease around him. For Xu Shiji, as the Divine General of the East highly regarded by the Divine Empress, attending such a feast was truly rather improper.
Xu Shiji fell silent at Madam Xu''s words, then after a while, he said, "I might as well. The prince has relayed his good will over and over, and if I were to use my identity as an excuse again, the prince will be displeased. The palace might also not judge me too much over this, and a minister that''s too modest and unfeeling is not necessarily a good minister. Moreover, the Divine Empress''s mind is like a bright mirror. She knows that Prince Chen Liu only wants to use me to develop a connection with the Qiushan clan so as to better take care of the Prince of Xiang, who has lived out many years of suffering in the south. This matter is one of filial piety, and the Divine Empress''s bosom is like the ocean, so how can she mind? In addition, the Prince of Xiang has been well-behaved for a very long time, so even the Divine Empress recalling him to the capital would be very normal."
Madam Xu said nothing, but she couldn''t help but get a little nervous. She knew more than anyone else Xu Shiji''s personality. He was normally a man of few words, but now he was giving so many words of explanation. It was naturally not for her to hear, so then who was it for? It could only be said that even he found it impossible to know whether this explanation of his had any meaning or not.
But even though this was the case, he was still attending Prince Chen Liu''s banquet. What did this mean?
After he finished his explanation, Xu Shiji creased his brow. He also felt that there was something off with his performance. He calmed his mind somewhat and then smiled at Madam Xu, saying, "You also shouldn''t worry yourself too muchit''s impossible for that boy to have any sort of future prospects. When Lady Mo Yu allowed him to enter the Orthodox Academy, this had always been her intention."
The name of the Orthodox Academy seemed very extraordinary. To be able to use the Orthodoxy as a prefix, there was no way it could be lacking when compared to the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy. In truth, over the past several centuries and even further back in history, the Orthodox Academy had truly always been the capital''s best and most difficult-to-get-into school.
But now, the Orthodox Academy had long since withered away like the autumn grass. It was forgotten by all and had no status within the Orthodoxy whatsoever. It was fine if it just continued to noiselessly persist as it had in years past, but if the slightest peep came out of it, it would attract boundless humiliation, or else why would those teachers and students scatter in such a short span of time?
To learn how the Orthodox Academy had transformed into its present condition, one would have to speak of that matter from ten-odd years ago. At the time, the Principal of the Orthodox Academy was concurrently an archbishop of the Orthodox Academy and the Pope''s own senior brother. Within the Orthodoxy, his status was only second to the Pope and he was revered by all. Even the Holy Maiden of the south was beneath him. It could be said that this was one of the greatest exceptions in all the history of the Orthodoxy.
According to reason, with the status that the Principal of the Orthodox Academy had, he should have been very content. However, the minds of men are like the many stars in the night sky, difficult to count clearly and thus impossible to understand. The Principal of the Orthodox Academy wished to obtain the seat of the Pope, but he did not receive the Divine Empress''s support. He went so far as to collaborate with the remaining members of the Imperial clan to overthrow the Divine Empress. In the end, they suffered a crushing defeat in a single night, with the Principal of the Orthodox Academy personally crushed into ashes by the Pope. And the Orthodox Academy which had served as his firmest support was naturally washed in blood.
After that night, there were people that attempted to return the Orthodox Academy to its former glory, but under the attentive gazes of the Divine Empress and the present Pope, these two pinnacles of the human world, no student of the Orthodox Academy could have any sort of future prospects. Thus, in the span of two years, the Orthodox Academy found it impossible to enroll any more students and the teachers naturally departed.
Just like that, the Orthodox Academy of boundless glory became a gloomy graveyard.
Until finally, ten-odd years later, the Orthodox Academy once more welcomed a new student.
This new student was called Chen Changsheng.
"Entering a school?"
"No, this is an exile."
"A new student?"
(TN: The word for ''new student'', , also means ''rebirth'' or ''new life''.)
"No, this is an abyss that he will never be able to climb out of."
Xu Shiji emotionlessly made his conclusion.
21 The First Page
Even a bottomless abyss could eventually be climbed out of. The reason Xu Shiji had given Chen Changsheng''s fate such a cruel and firm conclusion was that he was keenly aware that this abyss of the Orthodox Academy had two unbreakable chains: the Divine Empress and the Pope.
Even if the Popetolerant and benevolent, his hatred diluted by the passing of many years, once more thinking of the friendship of fellow disciples that he shared with that Principal of the Orthodox Academy and not able to bear seeing the Orthodox Academy truly become a part of historywas willing to close his eyes and ignore it, what of the Divine Empress? Back then, the Orthodox Academy had been the greatest source of strength for the old Imperial clan opposing her rule, so how could she permit the Orthodox Academy to once more unleash its radiance?
Everyone knew that the Divine Empress''s dictionary had never contained the word ''forgiveness''. The countless members of the Imperial clan collapsed in pools of blood and the Lord Zhou Tong that could silence the cries of infants in the night were all evidence of this. The Orthodox Academy wished to obtain a new lease on life? Not unless the Divine Empress abdicated or died, but would the Divine Empress abdicate? Could someone possibly kill her? No, then the abyss would forever remain an abyss.
Chen Changsheng returned to the inn, and as usual, he used a quarter of an hour to wash his face and rinse his mouth. He then washed his clothes, shoes, and socks clean, and used a pure white towel to rub his wet hair dry. After putting on a fresh set of clean clothes, he carried along a pot of extremely weak green tea and sat himself down on a bamboo chair under a tree in a courtyard. Then, he began to look at the stars.
As a person who valued time the most, although the vast sky of stars was beautiful and enchanting, he could only permit himself a few glances. After drawing mental strength from the ever-unmoving positions of the stars, he took from his bosom the recommendation letter signed by the Pope and began to contemplate all that had happened today.
Only after standing in the hallway of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education did he remember this recommendation letter, did he truly understand what the Pope''s signature represented. Priest Xin''s switch from arrogance to deference had been far too obvious, which had brought him many conveniences, but inevitably many questions as well.
Why had that Nanny Ning given him this recommendation letter? If they just wanted him to keep his mouth shut, or even give up the engagement, he believed that those important figures who wielded power far beyond his imagination would possess countless methods, but just this sort of method was very difficult to comprehend. This recommendation letterseemed to be compensating him for some sort of loss.
What did the other party want to compensate for? His silence about the engagement? Or was it that the Orthodox Academy really wasn''t anything good? He remembered very clearly that Nanny Ning had said that this was the best choice for everyone, with him being the sole exception. Just what was wrong with the Orthodox Academy?
He understood the radiant history of the Orthodox Academy, but the major event that had resulted in the Orthodox Academy transforming into this ghost school had happened ten-odd years ago, too recently. With the Divine Empress reigning, it was naturally impossible for those matters to be recorded in the histories. He could only draw his own conclusions from Priest Xin''s reactions. Priest Xin had switched from arrogance to deference, but it was very obvious that he still wanted to maintain some distance. The Pope''s recommendation letter had not been able to display its full use there. This indicated that the problem of the Orthodox Academy was at such a level that it could neutralize some of the Pope''s prestige.
He thought and thought, but he still could not understand. He decided to no longer waste any time on these conjectures. Even if there was a problem, he didn''t care too much about it. What he wanted to obtain had never been what those important figures did not want to give him. He did not want this engagement, he only wanted the qualifications to directly participate in the Grand Examination. At the same time, he also needed many books.
The Six Ivies had many books. On this point, his master had not deceived him.
After waking up at five o''clock, he lived according to the schedule he had lived the past fourteen years of his life, washing his face and rinsing his mouth, eating breakfast, and making his preparations. He spent a little more time on packing his luggage and moving it to the carriage he had arranged for last night. With the rising sun to his right as his companion, he left the inn where he had lived for the past few days and headed north to the Orthodox Academy, located near the Imperial Palace.
He had not checked out of his inn room. He was not lacking in money, and he also knew that he would certainly return to this place. On the day he returned, he would not be standing on the terrace in the back of the inn, gazing blankly at the distant Mausoleum of Books, but he would definitely be able to walk into the Mausoleum of Books and see those legendary monoliths up close.
The depths of Hundred Flowers Lane were different from the past ten-odd years of desolation and stillness. Shouts could be heard everywhere as several hundred part-time laborers and women busied themselves, carrying all sorts of tools. Seeing the remnants of torches stuck in the lawn, he realized that these people had actually worked through the night and had not rested.
Chen Changsheng moved his luggage to the lake shore and realized that as expected, Priest Xin had not appeared, further confirming his speculations. Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong with what Priest Xin had promised him yesterday. This academy that was like a cemetery yesterday was now, with the gradual removal of the weeds and gradual retreat of the creeping vines, gradually being restored to its original appearance.
Those half-ruined towers naturally could not be repaired in such a short time, but with the round-the-clock work of these several hundred people, at least some shine had been restored to the exterior of these buildings. This was especially the case for those small houses in the forest. They had already been made relatively clean, and after the smell of mold was removed, they could be moved into straightaway.
The several hundred people industriously cleaning this academy were all lower level staff of the Orthodoxy''s Hall of Heavenly Virtue. In the past, they were responsible for cleaning the Heavenly Dao Academy and the rest of the schools. Although they weren''t quite clear on why they had to tidy up the long-abandoned Orthodox Academy, they worked with great proficiency. Even working through the night had not decreased their efficiency.
...
...
As the sun slowly moved across the sky, the work of cleaning the houses was generally concluded. Under the curious and respectful gazes of the laborers, Chen Changsheng carried his luggage into the house closest to the library. He was still assailed by the stench of mold. Although it was lighter than yesterday, he could still clearly smell it. It seemed that even with the light of the sun and blowing of the wind, quite a few days would be needed for this stench to be completely dispelled.
He really did not like the smell of mold. After putting his luggage away, he immediately left the house and walked to the library that was separated from him by only a wall.
According to his instructions from yesterday, the library did not need to be cleanedthe key was in his hands, so other people couldn''t enter to clean. At this time, the laborers from the Hall of Heavenly Virtue were all busying themselves in the main hall and its attached buildings. It was quiet and noiseless around the library, as its surroundings were devoid of people.
He ascended the stone steps and stopped in front of the door. He took out the key he had obtained from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and inserted it in the old lock. With the insertion of the key, the green rust on the surface of the old lock curled up like wood shavings and then dropped to the floor with a clunk, sounding like a rock falling down. It just so happened to fall into a little hole filled with fine sand, so the sound was rather comforting.
The key gently turned, smoothly and without noise. Chen Changsheng could clearly sense that some springs within the lock had been activated and returned to their original positions. At the same time, he also felt that Qi was also slowly fading away into the deepest parts of the lock. This entire course of events was very mystical.
He pushed open the door and entered, and was immediately confronted by row after row of books. The shelves extended deep into the shadow of the library with no end in sight, giving an extremely intense visual stimulation. The bookshelves were brimming with books, a sight which brought him great joy. Upon realizing that there was not as much dust as he had seen yesterday, he grew even happier.
The Orthodox Academy had lain in waste for so many years that the desks and chairs within the other buildings had all been stolen and sold off. Not even the bedframes in the small houses of the dormitory had been left behind. This had caused Priest Xin to last night have the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education speed up the restoration and replenishment process. Because it had been locked, only this library was left rather intact.
Chen Changsheng took up some cleaning tools and performed a simple cleaning of his nearby surroundings. After cleaning, he realized that the floor was so shiny that it could reflect his face. It was actually made of the famous and expensive oiled sandalwood. He couldn''t help but shake his head, thinking, back then in this academy''s most flourishing period, it really was splendorous and majestic to the extreme. Who would have thought that it would fall into dust for so many years?
What should he do next?
He should cultivate.
...
...
Chen Changsheng found the register of books in a drawer of the library''s side room, then he walked into the long and quiet bookshelves. It didn''t take too long for him to find the first book that he wanted to find.
This book was called ''On Purification''.
This book''s name was very simple. At a glance, one could tell that it contained knowledge related to Purification. It was precisely because it was so simple that it was so commonly seen.
In order to combat the incomparably powerful demons who possessed monstrous strength and were innately blessed with fighting talent, the human world forbade foundational techniques such as the initial steps for entering Purification from being secret. Of course, the various great sects all had their own more powerful methods. The foundational techniques for cultivation were like the Mausoleum of Books, appearing on their own before all.
This book, On Purification, was a cultivation technique that could be bought in every big city and small village.
But Chen Changsheng really had not seen it before, because in his past fourteen years, his master had always told him that there was no need to learn it, and for him to begin learning it when he should learn it would not be too late. When asked at what time he should begin learning it, his master never replied. Only before he departed from Xining and said to his master that he was descending the mountain and going to the capital, that he was going to see the Mausoleum of Books and Lingyan Pavilion
On that day, his master finally said to him, "Then, you can now begin to cultivate."
He took this On Purification book and walked back to the door. He sat himself down on the clean floor and opened the first page under the sunlight coming through the open door.
Based on principle, he at least should have felt excited or nervous at this moment.
But he was not.
The entire time, his expression did not change. It was very calm, as if he had gone through this process many times before.
If someone else were to see this scene, they would definitely not have imagined that this was his first time reading a book on cultivation.
In the Divine General of the East''s estate and the Heavenly Dao Academy, he had said the same thing: "It''s not that I don''t know how to cultivate, I just haven''t started."
He had countless opportunities to begin cultivating, but the timing was not right.
He had waited a very long time, but when the day finally arrived, perhaps because he had waited too long, he actually had no sense of excitement. Only calmness remained.
He opened the first page of the book.
On this page, he saw only eight words.
"Read one hundred times, naturally grasp the meaning."
(TN: This line originates from a footnote in the Chinese history, ''Records of the Three Kingdoms''.)
22 Reading Method
The first page was the title page, empty and white as snow, with only these eight words written in dark ink. They were abnormally vivid, such that anyone who opened this book would not be able to miss them.
If a normal person were to open this book, they would assuredly begin to carefully consider what sort of meaning was hidden in these words. Then, with an understanding of these eight words, they would continue to read. But Chen Changsheng was different from the rest. He did not turn to the next page, instead standing up and walking to the bookshelves, seeking out several other books on Purification. After quickly flipping through them, he realized that the title pages of all these books also contained these eight words. After this, he sat back down and placed all of his mind on the pages of the book, forgetting everything else.
The words of On Purification were very simple. As he attentively read it, it didn''t take long before he had finished reading the first chapter. This chapter was concerned with how one should nurture their spiritual sense. He did not stop here to think or to try, but continued reading. The following chapters were also gradually noted down in his mind. The primary topics of these chapters were how to nurture the spiritual sense, search for one''s Fated Star, and how to draw starlight into the body.
He needed only one hour to finish reading it. He then closed the books, closed his eyes, and began to think.
After a dozen or so breaths, he opened his eyes, opened the book once more, and began to read.
He needed even less time to finish than the first. In the time needed for several incense sticks to burn, he had finished reading.
He then once more closed his eyes to contemplate the contents of the books.
After a few breaths of time, he opened his eyes and began to read once more.
As he repeated this procedure, the sunlight spilling in from the window was as fierce as ever.
He closed On Purification for the last time and opened it no more.
He took out a brush and ink and, without opening the book, began to record from the memories in his mind his thoughts from his readings.
It didn''t take long before the paper was densely covered in words.
The instant he placed the brush on the inkstone, all the contents of On Purification were remembered in his mind like they had been carved in stone.
Crucially, this was not rote memorization, but true understanding.
This was Chen Changsheng''s reading method.
This method was very special, the precious treasure he and Senior Yu Ren had obtained after ten-odd bitter years of reading books. Although the old temple of Xining Village did not seem very remarkable, the books contained within were as boundless as the sea. If one wanted to memorize so many books in the shortest time possible, one naturally required a very special ability.
With this reading method, one did not need to read a book until it was on the verge of falling apartin reality, the vast majority of the books in Xining Village''s old temple were like new, but the contents of these books had all been completely memorized by the two.
The most important phase of this method was the final step of notetaking. Whether these notes were taken down on paper or remembered in the mind, these notes were the final sorting and confirmation for the entire session of reading, and it was only after completing this step that the reader could say that they had taken all the contents of a book and made it into their own knowledge.
To finish reading On Purification and close the book was naturally not an end. Learning and constant review could be done in the mind and in notebooks, but what was the goal of reading and study? It was practice, and his goal in reading On Purification was so that he could succeed in Purification and begin to cultivate.
The first step of Purification was to condense one''s spiritual sense. The spiritual sense was a human''s mental strength. To explain it in more everyday terms, it was ''thought''. As long as the idea one thought was intense enough, if one concentrated enough, thoughts could transform into a sort of strength.
It did not sound difficult, as if one only needed to do the utmost to crease their brows into mountain valleys and then be able to freely travel across the magnificent mountains and rivers of their imagination, but the fact was that it wasn''t this easy at all. This was because whether or not one could form a spiritual sense was completely dependent on the strength of one''s soul. The strength of one''s soul was purely a matter of innate talent, nothing to do with effort. No matter how much an ordinary person worked, could his soul be stronger than the reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix?
Chen Changsheng had prepared for cultivation for many years. To be more precise, from the moment that peculiarity with his body appeared at the age of ten, he had been silently waiting for that day to come. He knew that there was a problem with his meridians, the illness his master said he had: his nine meridians were severed and could not connect, so his soul could not circulate through his body and could only be forced out with his sweat. Although after the age of ten, his master had used medicines to suppress his illness, preventing the continued loss of his soul''s essence, it was still a problem. Otherwise, why would that black Sensory Stone in the Heavenly Dao Academy''s assessment have failed to sense the slightest spiritual sense in his body?
If the soul was not strong enough, how could one condense the spiritual sense?
Without spiritual sense, how could there be dispersion?
This first step of Purificationhow should he take it?
He did not feel disappointment like those other people who found out that they had no hope of cultivating, let alone despair.
He firmly believed that countless years ago, there must have been countless incredibly intelligent people that had resolved this problem, because there were many people like him. In the books of the Daoist Canon, he had read accounts of how these disappointed people would find some genius method and thus become peerless experts, like Wang Zhice for example. However, he was not prepared to work in this way because he had never found a case in the Daoist Canon similar to the problem with his meridians. Even his master had said that it could not be treated, that it was just fate. He did not have the surplus time to struggle with fate, nor did he believe that he could think of a new and genius method in such a short amount of time. He enjoyed moving with the current, and he believed that if he followed existing methods, he would also be able to condense his spiritual sense. No one believed more than him in the knowledge of his forebears.
"Read one hundred times, naturally grasp the meaning."
All books related to Purification had these eight striking words. It was very obvious that these eight words were the most important part of Purification, and also the part that his predecessors wished to communicate to those that followed. But which book should he read?
Chen Changsheng looked at the dense directory on the back cover of On Purification, gazing at those sometimes fair and honest, sometimes unconventional book titles. He shook his head, somewhat surprised that after coming to the capital, he would still have to continue the life he had lived in Xining Village.
If this was a place like the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy, if students needed to break through the bottleneck of Purification, a teacher would naturally tell them that the most crucial part of Purification was reading a large amount of related books, thus strengthening the soul and reaching the goal of condensing the spiritual sense in one stroke.
On Purification merely provided the general principles. What one truly needed to study was the forty-nine books listed on the back cover.
Of course, this did not at all mean that all students needed to read every one of these forty-nine books one hundred times before their soul reached a level at which they could condense the spiritual sense. In the vast majority of cases, in the process of reading, the reader''s spiritual sense would be condensed and they could stop this process.
This process was not one in which the earlier one finished, the better it was. If one needed to only read one book ten times and be able to successfully condense spiritual sense, that person would presumably be the cultivator with the weakest spiritual sense in history. On the contrary, the more books one read and the more times one read them, the stronger the soul would become, yet it would still be unable to break through that thin layer of paper. When the spiritual sense was finally condensed, only this sort of spiritual sense could truly be called powerful.
If someone could read all forty-nine books on the back cover of On Purification one hundred times before finally condensing their spiritual sense, then when they drew starlight into their bodies to undergo Purification, they had a chance of reaching the level of perfection. But this sort of situation was incredibly rare. Other than those lucky enough to be born with incredible innate talent, it was basically impossible.
This was a very stimulating process. As time passed, as the number of books and the number of times one read them gradually increased, one could anticipate becoming a genius with a powerful spiritual sense, but there was also a high chance that one could ultimately fail at condensing the spiritual sense and be resigned to the life of an ordinary person.
Hope and disappointment would continuously increase over this process, ultimately becoming a gamble of epic proportions. No one knew the result of this gamble. Only after reading those books, one hundred times each, would the result appear on its own.
Read one hundred times, naturally grasp the meaning.
This was its meaning.
...
...
After reading On Purification once, Chen Changsheng did not feel any change in his body, did not sense his soul, so he naturally could not sense his spiritual sense either. He did not begin to immediately read the books listed on the back cover, but instead began to calculate.
He believed that his reading efficiency was higher than an ordinary person''s, so perhaps he might not really need to read each book one hundred times, perhaps twenty to thirty times might be enough. There were forty-nine books in total on the back cover, so calculating with his average reading efficiency, for the very first round, he could only finish reading seven books, seven days to finish reading all of them once. Even if he gradually got faster with time, to completely read all these books would at least take half a year. Did he have half a year? No, so what should he do? This was the first time he felt rather vexed ever since coming to the capital.
If other people were to learn that he was feeling vexed, they would definitely be feeling something different. This was because in his calculations, it was very obvious that he only intended to condense his spiritual sense after reading all forty-nine booksif he could condense his spiritual sense, that is. In other words, from beginning to end, even if subconsciously, he was truthfully placing himself on the same level as geniuses, or even higher.
It was no wonder Tang Thirty-Six thought him very arrogant on their first meeting. He looked reticent, cautious and courteous, but in reality, in many aspects, he was inexplicably confident, making people feel that he was extremely arrogant.
...
...
As he was thinking, he was suddenly caressed by a breeze and a shadow fell, covering the words on the back cover.
Chen Changsheng raised his head and saw a pretty girl sneering at him.
At the moment, he was sitting on the floor, so this girl was naturally somewhat looking down on him from up high.
This girl was precisely Shuang''er of the Divine General of the East''s estate. She looked at the books concerning Purification next to Chen Changsheng and knew what he planned to do. She jeered, "To begin Purification at the age of fourteen, you don''t think you''re somewhat late?"
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "Seeking the Dao can come early or late. The early might arrive late, the late might arrive early."
Shuang''er did not expect to hear such an answer. After staring blankly at him for a few moments, she disdainfully retorted, "Forty-nine books, one hundred times, ten days, these are the numbers left by my young lady when she condensed her spiritual sense at the age of four. The late might arrive early? Where do you plan to arrive early?"
Chen Changsheng pondered this question, but he realized that he didn''t know how to answer.
23 Just This Simple
It was necessary to ''read one hundred times, naturally grasp the meaning'', but there were some people that only needed ten days while others needed half a year. There was truly nothing to say about this sort of comparison. It was just as Tang Thirty-Six had said, that girl often made others speechless, and Chen Changsheng naturally had no better choice than to remain silent.
But for some inexplicable reason, when Shuang''er saw Chen Changsheng''s silent, almost dull, appearance, she grew unhappy. Perhaps she felt, since you have an engagement with the young lady, then even if your strength is far inferior to hers, you should still display a little will and ambition, no?
Moreover, in her view, if not for the young lady''s letter from South Stream Temple, Chen Changsheng might already be dead. How could he have had this chance to enter the Orthodox Academy and sit upon these clean floorboards to read and cultivate? Your undying gratitude isn''t required, but you also shouldn''t be so quiet like nothing happened whatsoever, right?
Shuang''er looked at him and shook her head. She extracted a thin sheet of letter paper from her bosom and passed it over.
"Since you''ve obtained this hard-sought opportunity to cultivate, you should cherish it and start from building your foundation, your feet planted on solid ground. Don''t think about cheating or any other sort of dishonest practices, and don''t always entrust your hopes to others, especially to women." She seemed to think of something else and sternly added, "Cultivation is not that simple. Even if you have no hope, don''t go around breaking broken pots. Do you understand my meaning?"
(TN: "Don''t go breaking broken pots" is a saying that means that even if a pot is already damaged, you shouldn''t break it again and completely shatter it. A similar analogy would be getting a C on a test, and then giving up on studying for the rest of the year, resulting in an F for your next test.)
Chen Changsheng took the sheet of paper, somewhat at a loss. He didn''t understand the meaning of her words, thinking to himself, I''ve hidden myself away in this cemetery-like academy to silently read and cultivate, but could it be that the Divine General''s estate and Young Lady Xu still find me an eyesore?
The sun outside the library was high in the sky. The rustling tree leaves scattered the descending rays of light into many specks. Fortunately, it was still early spring and the weather was not too hot. This paper carried the aroma of a woman, but there was no sweat.
Chen Changsheng gazed at those three words in silence for a very long time.
"Do your best."
The words written on the paper were rather delicate and pretty, but they could not be described as astonishing. Moreover, the strokes were very straight, making them seem naive, childish, and cute. He guessed that these three words were written for him by that young lady of the Xu family all the way in the distant south. Yet no matter what he did, he couldn''t associate the young girl with such naive and clumsy handwriting with that girl of the rumors who was brimming with talent.
He understood the meaning of these words, and he could even faintly imagine the expression of the Young Lady Xu as she wrote them. Her eyes had assuredly been indifferent, her brows creased. She had been somewhat impatient, somewhat displeased, but also feeling that this really didn''t matter.
Of the three words that she wrote, the most crucial one was truthfully ''your''.
''Your'' meant ''yourself''.
Live by yourself.
Read by yourself.
Cultivate by yourself.
Drink well and eat well by yourself.
He quietly thought about it for a while, then stopped thinking about it. He put the letter away in his sleeve, stood up, walked to the bookshelves and began to search for those forty-nine books listed on the back cover of On Purification. As he searched, he thought about those words the maid Shuang''er had said to him. He couldn''t help but wrinkle his brow, and the speed at which his finger traveled along the books slowed. Was it really possible to read all these books one hundred times in ten days? Just how should they be read?
On Purification was just a general summary of cultivationthe forty-nine books on its back cover were the true object of study. Students needed to use the knowledge and wisdom contained in these books to open their minds, solidify their understanding of the world, and thus strengthen their souls.
This was a purely spiritual side of cultivation. Ever since the Heavenly Tomes descended to the earth and humans began to cultivate, this initial step of condensing the spiritual sense had always used this method. Perhaps it was because countless worthy predecessors had concluded that this method was the most efficacious and had the highest chance of success. It might also be because words were the only vehicle for one''s thoughts, so in order for one to use the thoughts of one''s ancestors to assist in converting one''s own thoughts to strength, one would naturally have to use words to bridge this connection.
Since this sort of method was being used, the forty-nine books listed in On Purification were naturally acknowledged by human society as the forty-nine books best able to assist one in condensing the spiritual sense. Ever since the Orthodoxy had finalized this list in the year fifteen-eighty-two, it had never been changed.
Chen Changsheng walked along the bookshelves as he searched for those books. Although he was abnormally familiar with the ordering of books in this library, he still needed an entire hour to find all forty-nine books. He then brought them to the window and aligned them according to their order on the list.
He did not immediately begin to read, instead going out to Hundred Flowers Lane and eating some vegetable soup and rice porridge. After that, he sat on the grass by the lakeshore, shaded by the thick forest, and rested for an hour. Only after his mind was fully content did he return to the library and take up the first book.
Previously, as he was searching for these books, he had already confirmed through the names of these books that he had never seen them before. Although he was somewhat regretful of this fact, he was also very curious. Just what was written in these books that could actually help humans in condensing spiritual sense?
He lifted up the first book, called ''A Simple Gateway to Basic Solutions''. He confirmed that he had never read this book before, so when he opened the book and saw those rather familiar words, he questioned whether he was seeing things, like when he saw the examination for the Heavenly Dao Academy.
This book was very thin, but it felt quite heavy. He gazed blankly at the contents of the books, realizing to his disappointment that he had already read this when he was four. To be more precise, he could recall the contents of this book from back to front.
It was just that in Xining Village''s old temple, this book was called ''Classic of Embracing Simplicity''.
He was somewhat surprised because it felt like he had returned to that testing room in the Heavenly Dao Academy. He had originally felt that such a good thing could not keep happening, and now he was surprised to see it appear once more. This made him feel rather absent-minded, a daze which it took quite a while to rouse himself from.
After awakening from his stupor, he very quickly opened the second book.
This book was called ''An Anthology of Poems in Praise of the Mausoleum of Books''.
Like a clear breeze, he swiftly flipped it open and very quickly confirmed that he had also read this book. Those odes of praise written by the worthy predecessors after viewing the Mausoleum of Books were all already in his mind. It was just that back in Xining Village''s old temple, when he read these poems at the age of five, this anthology was called ''A Splendid Record of Poetry''.
He fell silent for a few moments, then opened the third book.
It was still the same case.
He had also seen this book before, but its name was different when he had read it as a child.
The fourth book, the fifth bookhe quickly skimmed through all forty-nine books and verified that he had read all of them before.
The same again?
Was this still considered a pleasant surprise? He took up On Purification once more. He was quiet for a very long time, silently thinking to himself. At some point, the corners of his lips had perked up and his eyes had narrowed until they seemed like the flowing river of stars, brimming with smiles.
He thought of Shuang''er''s parting words.
"Cultivation is not that simple."
He raised his head, but all that met him was mottled light and shadow at the library door and the gentle caress of the cool breezenobody stood there. He couldn''t help but feel disappointed and frustrated, as if he had lost something. If that little lady were still there, he really wanted to tell her that he really might be able to condense his spiritual sense faster than her young lady.
But he immediately recalled that Xu Yourong had read all forty-nine books one hundred times and condensed her spiritual sense when she was only four. The newly-born spot of pride in his mind instantly dispersed as he laughed at himself, thinking, it truly is meaningless.
His next course of action should be to use the method described in On Purification to take the words and the information in the words of the forty-nine books and engrave them in his mind, completely converting them into nutrients to strengthen his soul, and then condense his spiritual sense in one stroke.
If this were any other person, at this critical moment, they would most likely have continued to the next stage. But Chen Changsheng glanced at the color of the sky and realized that the sun was already sinking to the west, the twilight gradually deepening. He placed On Purification down, put away the books on the floor, and exited the library.
It was time for dinner.
...
...
Because he needed to eat dinner, he could disregard this chance to change his fate that was within arm''s reach. If this was self-discipline, then this was a self-discipline that was excessively harsh and cruel, more similar to self-tyranny. However, it could also be described as a sort of self-confidence, because he believed that this chance would not slip away.
From the entrance examination of the Heavenly Dao Academy to the forty-nine books that he had once more discovered in his mind, Chen Changsheng had been able to confirm a few things: his master had long since prepared for him the foundation to cultivate, and his master was truly no ordinary Daoist.
The path of cultivating the Dao was endlessly long, and he and Senior Yu Ren had bitterly studied the Daoist Canon ever since they were children. The myriad books were engraved in their hearts, which meant that he had set off on this journey much earlier than others. He had already walked a path of ten thousand li, so it was only right that he arrive at the other shore ahead of others.
Chen Changsheng had always been very confident. Now that he had confirmed these things, he became even more confident. At this time, the twilight was deepening and the remnants of the sun were gradually fading, but in his even more open mind, a red sun was slowly rising up. How could he be worried that his path forward would be dark?
After eating dinner, he returned to the library, heated a pot of water, and brewed a cup of tea from some scented tea leaves that he had bought in Hundred Flowers Lane. He crossed his legs and sat down. His gaze slowly swept over the neat row of forty-nine books, ultimately resting upon On Purification.
The words of these books slowly floated up from the depths of mind, returning back from his childhood memories, abnormally vivid. Then, these memories gradually began to release some sort of Qi that, according to the method outlined in the first chapter of On Purification, began to incessantly mingle in his mental world.
Many years ago in the old temple, he had completed the opening of his mind. Now, what he needed to do was solidify his knowledge.
He closed his eyes and began to calmly think, and then he gradually forgot to think.
In truth, the so-called ''understanding the mind to know one''s character'' was not that complex.
It was just fusing and linking them up as one.
Time gradually passed, and from the moist ground outside the library came the chirping of insects.
Clearly, it was still early spring.
The darkness gradually set in, the many stars gradually brightened, and the capital bustled with the noise of people.
The Orthodox Academy with its sole occupant was still as quiet as ever.
The oil lamp in the library was very feeble, yet it seemed like it would never extinguish.
Suddenly, a light hum resonated through the library.
This sound came from between the heavens and earth.
A wind blew through and around the building.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes, his eyes somewhat disappointed, and then calm, and finally brimming with joy.
In one day and one night, he had succeeded in condensing his spiritual sense.
Cultivating had turned out to be just this simple.
24 The Sea of Stars
Chen Changsheng smoothly stepped upon the path of cultivation without any of the difficulty described in the stories. If other people were to find out, they would definitely be puzzled even after thinking it over hundreds of times. On the other hand, he did not feel anything much, especially after he confirmed what his memorization of the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon entailed.
Of course, this was ultimately a matter worth being happy aboutif one was able to condense one''s spiritual sense, one was able to fix their star. If one was able to fix their star, one was able to draw in starlight and undergo Purification. If one was able to undergo Purification, one could perform Meditative Introspection. If one could perform Meditative Introspection, one could access the Ethereal Opening of the heart and understand the nature of the heavens and earth. With Ethereal Opening, one could condense the star in one''s body and henceforth be immune to every illness. If one could condense the star in one''s body, then one could walk amongst the Saints and ride the wind for ten thousand li. Finally, one could then conceal one''s divinity between the heavens and earth, no longer bound to the wheel of fate. Perhaps at that time, defying the heavens and changing fate would no longer be required?
Yes, to Chen Changsheng, his goal in cultivation had always been this clear-cut, never deviating even once. Perhaps on his path of cultivation, he could conveniently pursue a few other things, like sights that the ordinary person could not see, experiences the ordinary person could not experience, or returning humiliation to those he had once been humiliated by. But none of that was important. What was important was the ultimate goal.
However, he had only just condensed his spiritual sense, not even finished the first step of cultivation, and he had already begun to consider that realm of Concealed Divinity that only existed in legends. Even Chen Changsheng himself knew that he was thinking a bit too much. If he were to speak of it, people would probably make fun of him. Fortunately, he would never speak of these thoughts to anyone.
When compared to those of similar age, Chen Changsheng was more taciturn with a tendency to handle matters in a more cool-headed fashion. Thus, when he lived in Xining Village, he was often regarded by the villagers as being three or four years older than his actual age. He was keenly aware that he was able to condense his spiritual sense in one day and one night primarily because, when he was a child, his master had laid down the foundation and made the preparations. But in no way did this mean that he far surpassed a true genius like Xu Yourong.
On the next day, he still woke up at five o''clock in the morning, washed his face, rinsed his mouth, tidied up, and ate breakfast. The events of last night had not affected his daily routine in the slightest. Only the slight exhaustion in his eyes served as evidence that he was not as calm as he usually was. This was probably not because the smell of mold in the house had not completely faded away, but because he was truly very happy.
The Orthodox Academy was still bustling with activity, the artisans and laborers at the main hall, intensely focused on cleaning and repair. The library was still peaceful. Because of his request, no one came to disturb him, allowing him to continue his cultivation.
Purification was equivalent to the first realm of cultivation and could be concisely divided into three steps. The first step was condensing the spiritual sense, which was also the prerequisite for all the rest. The second step was to search for one''s Fated Star. This seemed like a rather mysterious step, but Chen Changsheng was not concerned about it. What he was truly concerned about was the third step: drawing starlight into the body for Purificationand it was only at this step that he could finally verify what sort of effect the problem in his body would bring.
...
...
Cultivation was to make the energy of the world the energy of humans. After the Heavenly Tomes descended to the earth, humans began to cultivate, developing countless methods of cultivation, trying countless methods. Some cultivation methods absorbed Celestial Fire, other methods drew close to nature so as to absorb the energy of the wilderness. Finally, with the formal establishment of the Orthodoxy, and also because of the countless years of practice as evidence, human cultivators gradually began to draw upon the energy of the stars.
The blazing hot magma of volcanoes truly could be transformed into true essence within the human body and assist cultivators in becoming extremely powerful. The fresh and clean energy of the wilderness could be used by cultivators. However, the sources of all these energies were far inferior to the stars.
The stars were in the night sky, their positions ever unchanging, solemnly and serenely shining over the continent. The people living on the ground only needed to raise their heads up to be able to see the limitless starlight. From infancy, all the way until they were bowed with old age, those stars would be their constant and quiet companions. To the people living on the continent, stars were light, were coordinates, were energy, and also time. Because they were eternal.
That humans eventually chose to convert starlight into true essence did not have much to do with these artistic-sounding descriptions. The most important reason was that starlight was the purest source of energy in the world. It had no impurities and was much gentler than sunlight, earthfire, and other such energies.
The demi-humans could similarly absorb starlight. In addition, their constitutions were special. Without any sort of cultivation method, they could directly absorb the starlight into their bodies and transform it into energy. As a result, any demi-human that could metamorphose always possessed extraordinary strength.
Compared to demi-humans, humans could not directly absorb starlightthat is to say, the efficiency of directly absorbing starlight was too low. For this reason, humans, with all their creativity, invented a cultivation method and it was precisely from that day onwards that humans set off on the path of dominating the continent.
That method was to light up one''s Fated Star.
The night sky contained innumerable stars, as vast as the sea. They were impossible to count, their number far surpassing the population of humans. If a cultivator amongst the humans wished to undergo Purification, they needed to search amongst the millions upon millions of stars for the star that they could call their own. That star was their Fated Star.
No person could explain the principle of Fated Stars, why one could form an unbreakable connection between a particular star, why, though separated by countless li, stars could distantly echo with humans. Even the greatest scholars in the Orthodoxy''s history could not explain this.
...
...
Every person had a star that belonged to them.
But only those that had succeeded in condensing their spiritual sense could find that star of theirs and thus form an indescribable connection with it. Ultimately, they would use spiritual sense to light up that star. This was lighting up one''s Fated Star.
The profuse stars in the night sky were infinite, but as long as one could disperse one''s spiritual sense, one would eventually be able to find one''s star. Moreover, this connection was like many other connections, absolutely exclusive. As long as one established a connection with one''s Fated Star, no one else could steal it away.
But this brought up a problem: what sort of star was most suitable to act as a cultivator''s Fated Star?
At present, it was widely held on the continent that the farther the Fated Star, the better. This was because countless generations of the Orthodoxy''s scholars had surveyed countless cultivators, and after exhaustive analysis and calculation, determined that there was not a single problem with this conclusion.
However, why was this case?
In order to explain this phenomenon, the scholars of the Orthodoxy inferred backwards from facts and created a model. In this model, the cultivator did not directly absorb energy from the Fated Star. Instead, the night sky was treated as a wall, the Fated Star a nail hammered into this wall. With this nail, one could tie a line between oneself and the night sky. Finally, this line would swing to and fro, absorbing the starlight that drifted amongst the night sky.
In this model, that invisible line was a moistened cotton thread, the starlight drifting in the night sky the willow catkins that danced and filled the air in the late spring. As the thread slowly swayed back and forth in the spring wind, it would catch more and more catkins which would ultimately fall in the hands of the person holding the thread. If the thread was long enough, extending from the highest building of the Imperial Palace to the peak of the Mausoleum of Books, then it could sweep clean all the catkins of the capital.
The Demon Grand Scholar Tungus issued a strict criticism of this theory of the Orthodoxy''s. He believed that this was a completely uneconomic and purely imaginative delusion. The then-Pope relentlessly struck back at this criticism, saying that only a conclusion that is tenable can be the conclusion that is closest to the truth.
Ultimately, the Demon Grand Scholar Tungus sent a letter to the entire continent. In his letter, he asked, "Just where is that line?"
If there truly existed a line between a cultivator and his Fated Star, then the Orthodoxy''s theory was tenable. This was because if one observed the natural world, one could easily confirm that the longer a string, the greater its amplitude, and thus, the greater the energy it could create, just as described with the catkins.
The problem was that nobody had ever seen this line.
In the capital, the Pope gave a concise response, "Since there exists a connection between a Fated Star and its cultivator, there must exist a line between the two. Just because the living beings of the continent cannot see it or feel it does not mean that it does not exist."
Demon Grand Scholar Tungus sent another letter to the continent, saying, "If it cannot be touched, if it has no influence on the objective world, the existence or nonexistence of this line is meaningless. Thus, it must not exist."
To this pointed and fundamental question, the Pope thought for several months before finally delivering his most famous reply.
"That line is precisely fate."
Yes.
An unexplainable connection was precisely fate.
What the stars in the night sky reflected was precisely the fate of all living beings of this world.
...
...
No one had taught Chen Changsheng how to choose a Fated Star. His master had assuredly known, but he had never spoken about it.
Of course, he knew of that Pope''s reply. The three thousand scrolls of the Daoist Canon would not exclude such a historic story.
As the connection between him and the Fated Star was fate, he became very cautiousfrom the age of ten, the word he cared about most was the word ''fate''.
From early morning to twilight, he familiarized himself with emitting his spiritual sense. After that peculiarity at the age of ten, he did not know how much of his soul remained, but what pleased him was the fact that his emitting of spiritual sense was not much different from that described in the books.
He closed his eyes, allowing his spiritual sense to leave his sea of consciousness and drift about the peaceful library. He was clearly not seeing, but an image of his surrounding environment faintly appeared in his mind. It was somewhat fuzzy, the light somewhat hallucinatory. This was a completely brand-new understanding.
As night approached, he did not act like other beginning students and still remain absorbed in his spiritual sense''s perception of the outside world. Without the slightest hesitation, he ordered his spiritual sense to pass through the window and fly into the night sky. It flew farther and farther into the sky, passing through the finest down of the birds returning in the night, flying through the tiniest particle of water in the gradually dispersing clouds, flying through the current of the extremely cold wind, until finally, it arrived amidst innumerable specks of light.
This was the sea of stars.
25 Myriad Stars, Only One Can Be Chosen
The sky was filled with stars that emitted infinite light and contained infinite energy. They also gave off an infinite number of thin and faintly discernible waves.
Was that the so-called fate?
Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense flew even higher, flitting past countless stars. Compared to the vast and empty space around it and the boundless energy contained within those stars, his spiritual sense was all the more tiny and insignificant, like a feather in a hurricane, a drop of water on the verge of drying up in the middle of a desert. At any moment, it could be torn apart or evaporate into nothingness, but miraculously, neither the stars nor their boundless energy brought any harm to his spiritual sense.
In front and to the left of his spiritual sense was a red star, its surface fiercely burning and spewing terrifying flames in every direction. He didn''t know how far away this star was, but from the almost frozen form of those flames, he could conclude that it was extremely far away. But this star seemed so close to his spiritual sense, which could only mean that the star was so incomparably massive that it almost filled up his spiritual sense''s sensory capacity.
The blazing red star spewed boundless energy into the void, giving off a very terrifying sensation. It seemed that if one got just a little closer, one would be burned into the purest energy. Yet it had an allure that made people want to melt away within it.
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat uneasy, but not out of fear. He was sure that nothing in this sea of stars would do any harm to the spiritual sense of humans. The reason for his unease came from his feelings about the shape of this star and the conflict of their personalities. In other words, he didn''t like the star.
Thus, his spiritual sense floated off even higher. After passing through a clump of wispy substance that seemed to be made of stardust, what reflected in his eyes was a blue star. This star was icily arrogant, particularly cold, and its surface even seemed to be covered in a thin layer of frost. It gave off a feeling of intensity, forbidding anyone from approaching. His spiritual sense floated there for a few moments before continuing its journey.
When the spiritual sense of a cultivator left their body, there was naturally a limit as to how far it could go. As one''s cultivation gradually increased, this limit would also gradually increase. However, only when one was lighting up one''s Fated Star, the spiritual sense was not restricted in any way when traveling in the space above. This was similarly an unsolved mystery.
Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense continued to float farther and farther upwards, seeing all sort of stars and sights. He had also passed by several stars that were particularly quiet. When his spiritual sense tried to approach them, it was pushed away by an invisible force, making him realize that these stars were the Fated Stars of other people.
The deeper he traveled into the starry sky, the greater the number of stars. Gradually, there also began to appear many strange stars unlike anything humans thought of as stars. Quietly suspended in the void, those stars incessantly discharged radiance. Some of them seemed to sprout countless spiral arms, looking just like a child''s plaything. Some condensed their star radiance into a bright pair of wings, seeming just like some mystical bird. There were also some stars that gave off the majesty of some ferocious beast.
For an entire night, his spiritual sense drifted about the sea of stars, slowly feeling and being stirred by many nigh indescribable emotions. Those emotions were related to the stars, but even more came from himself. This sense of freedom that came from breaking away from the shackles of the fleshly body had always been one of the prime motives of cultivation.
The spiritual sense of a cultivator passing through the night sky and drifting into the depths of the sea of stars was a very common situation in the human world, especially in the capital which was filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Every night, many people would attempt to light up their Fated Stars, so no one noticed Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense.
Suddenly, his spiritual sense saw an extremely bright ray of light. Different from the rays of light emitted by the stars, this light burned more fiercely, was more simple and honest. He was taken with the impulse to get a closer look, but he also faintly sensed that it was time to return.
He opened his eyes and awoke, realizing that he was still sitting cross-legged in the library of the Orthodox Academy. His spiritual sense had traveled far before finally reaching the depths of the sea of stars, but returning required only an instant. He shifted his gaze and saw the sky outside the window gradually brightening. It turned out that it was dawn.
...
...
For the first time in fourteen years, Chen Changsheng''s daily routine was disrupted. He slept during the day to make up for it, then returned in the evening to the library to continue his roaming about the sea of stars. This time, when sending off his spiritual sense from his body, he was more experienced, more familiar with that sea of stars in the night sky. He did not spend any time carefully viewing the sights in the very first part of the sea of stars, instead directly floating into its depths, wanting to see just where he could go.
When dawn was about to break, that flaring ray of light once more awakened him.
On the third day, he once more repeated this procedure, and on the fourth, and the fifth. Every day, his spiritual sense would travel a little farther and would be able to see more stars, but he still had no intentions of stopping.
The path of cultivating the Dao was long and distant, and he always felt it best to strive one''s hardest to go as far as one could.
On the sixth night, his spiritual sense arrived at a place he had never come to before. He did not know that very few people''s spiritual sense could reach such a faraway place. One reason was perhaps related to the strength of one''s spiritual sense, but the other reason was that the previously passed section of the sea of stars was already great enough of an allure for cultivators. Very few people could suppress their desire to light up their Fated Star and begin Purification. From a certain perspective, his ability to resist temptation was truly quite strong.
This was because he knew more than anyone else what the true allure of living on this world was.
However, he very quickly confirmed that this place was rarely visited by spiritual senses, because even though his spiritual sense roamed around for a very long time, there was no occasional encounter of a star that had been lit up by another person''s spiritual sense, as there had been during the past five nights.
Everything around him was new. The space was new, and the stars were also new, all of them waiting for him to casually pick one.
Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense still did not stop because he felt that he could still go farther, see more.
On the seventh night, his spiritual sense finally encountered an obstruction, that is to say, he encountered a wall. It was an invisible and transparent wall, a wall that might not even exist. Yet he knew that this wall was here, and for the first time, he hesitated.
What was on the other side of this invisible wall?
He did not know that this invisible wall was the crystal wall that divided space. He naturally also did not know that only a supremely powerful being like the Golden Dragon could pass freely through this wall. However, he could guess that this invisible wall should be very difficult to pass through.
But he still wanted to try.
If this was the southern wall, he would have already reached the foot of the wall. He would at least have to run his head up against it before resigning himself.
(TN: In ancient China, the main gate of a building would open southward, and to prevent people from being able to directly look in, a wall was set up in front of this gate, referred to as a ''screen wall''. This wall meant that if one wanted to leave, they had to walk right or left when reaching this wall. This resulted in the saying, "Don''t run into the southern wall, don''t look back", usually referring to a stubborn person that doesn''t listen to the opinions of others. As a result, they might end up running into the southern wall.)
He wanted to try, so he tried. He didn''t have the slightest hope, and yetsurprisingly, his spiritual sense passed through without any difficulty whatsoever.
Then this was still a part of the sea of stars.
But compared to the other parts of the sea of stars that he had seen, his spiritual sense actually found the sea of stars on this side to be more familiar, like he had returned to his hometown.
His spiritual sense continued to float upwards, increasingly tiny and weak, so much so that even in his drifting and vacant-minded state, he could sense that the connection between his body and his spiritual sense was getting weaker and weaker, possibly snapping in the very next moment.
The rays of light gradually dimmed and the number of stars gradually decreased.
Chen Changsheng sensed that this was the farthest he could go.
Even farther away, he could faintly make out another part of the sea of stars, like the myriad twinkling lights of a city.
He gazed at that place, feeling rather regretful. However, he knew that the time had come for him to choose.
His spiritual sense searched all around, wanting to find the star that belonged to him.
Choosing a Fated Star was a difficult question for every cultivator. There were far too many selections to choose from and no set rule. One could choose a star because one liked the color, and one could also close one''s eyes and pick randomly.
Chen Changsheng did not encounter this sort of problem, because just when he wanted to choose a star, the star appeared before him. With a glance, he liked this star, and consequently decided to make it his Fated Star.
This was a small, red star. Compared to the star he saw at the very beginning, it was clearly much smaller. No terrifying flames of radiance erupted from its surface. All its light and energy seemed to be restrained in its very depths.
This red star was very round, its surface extremely smooth. It was very much like a small apple.
It was very cute, very beautiful, possessing a tendency to make people draw close, to make people want to take a bite out of it.
As Chen Changsheng thought of this, his spiritual sense floated over.
...
...
The night breeze gently caressed the library of the Orthodox Academy. The croaks of frogs from outside the window had long since ceased. All was still and quiet.
Chen Changsheng sat cross-legged on the clean floor, his eyes closed and his expression calm.
Suddenly, he opened his mouth and then closed it, like he was taking a bite out of something.
The faint movement of his throat could be heard, as if he was swallowing something.
Suddenly, sweat poured out of him like syrup, instantly soaking the floor beneath him.
In the distant starry sky, a red star brightly flashed.
He opened his eyes and gazed into the depths of the starry sky.
He could not see that star, but he could feel it.
Because that was his star.
...
...
Just as the Demon Grand Scholar Tungus had said, no person could see that line.
So when Chen Changsheng successfully lit up his Fated Star, no phenomena occurred in the Orthodox Academy, no divine beam of light descended into the capital from the night sky. This part of the continent was just as usual, calm and peaceful.
Moreover, this star of his was too distant from the ground. Although it brightened for an instant, no one could see it. Yes, the star was too far, and even the priests in the observatory far in the western outskirts of the capital did not notice it.
In the end, however, someone saw it.
Because the Divine Empress was viewing the stars tonight.
This was quite the coincidence.
As long as the weather was appropriate, the Divine Empress would ascend the Dew Platform every night to view the stars.
There had been a small drizzle tonight, so she had come out a little later.
She just so happened to see that star light up.
But even she did not know who the person that lit up this star was.
Was that person in the capital, or in the south?
Could they be in Xuelao City?
The Divine Empress gazed into the depths of the night sky, her inky black brows slowly rising up, her voice emotionless.
"Rather interesting."
26 The Dew Platform and the Hundred Herb Garden
Lady Mo Yu''s eyelashes were very long. Because of the small drizzle just a while ago, tiny drops of water dabbed the edges of the lashes, making her seem very beautiful. It was a great pity that upon hearing the Divine Empress''s words, her eyelashes fluttered, causing those little beads of water to fall, fall into the abyss of the dark night that lay before the Dew Platform.
The Dew Platform was located in the very front of the Imperial Palace and was a hundred zhang tall. Constructed of pure copper, it presented a spectacular sight. Embedded on the platform were several thousand Night Pearls. Even from several dozen li away, one would still be able to see their light. However, tonight, the Night Pearls emitted not a single ray of brilliance.
Mo Yu gazed at the edge of the Dew Platform. There, the Black Goat stood in the radiance of the stars, its head raised towards a certain place in the night sky. She turned her head to the most forward position of the Dew Platform and confirmed that the Divine Empress was also gazing at that place in the night sky. She couldn''t help but grow a little suspicious.
"Empress, what are you looking at?" she asked.
In the Great Zhou, and even in the entire continent, Lady Mo Yu possessed an extremely high prestige. This was because of her family background and also because of her unfathomable strength, but the most fundamental reason was her relationship with the Divine Empress.In this world, the people that could chat so casually with the Divine Empress were growing fewer and fewer.
The starlight shone over the Dew Platform, only allowing that woman''s back to be clearly seen.
It was just a simple back,yet it seemed like tens of thousands of worlds could be seen upon it.
Because in tens of thousands of years, she was the world''s first female emperor. She was the master of the Great Zhou.
"A person has lit up a star."
The Divine Empress turned and indifferently noted.
Lady Mo Yu fell silent. Every night, there would always be cultivators lighting up their Fated Stars, but she knew that even the Divine Empress would rarely see it. However, tonight, the Divine Empress had seen and even quietly gazed at it for a very long time. What did this mean?
"That star is very far away from us."
Upon hearing the Divine Empress''s next words, Mo Yu believed that she understood.
After a moment''s thought, she replied, "No matter how far it isit doesn''t signify a true genius."
The Divine Empress did not reply.
Mo Yu was like a little girl whose opinions were not valued by her elders. Rather unhappy, she snorted, then said, "The Dragon Soaring Star that the child from the Qiushan clan fixed as his Fated Star when he was four was one of the ten furthest stars in the past one hundred years. Yet on that night, a disciple of a small sect on the Hundred Li Stream began Purification, and the star that he fixed as his Fated Star was even farther than the Dragon Soaring Star, but that disciple could not compare to the child of the Qiushan clanin the end, Purification depends on the strength of the meridians within the body. How could an ordinary person compare to the blood of the true Dragon?"
This was a very illustrative example. Before the age of eighteen, Qiushan Jun had always remained first on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, a genius acknowledged by the entire world. As for that disciple from that small sect by the Hundred Li Stream, he had long since vanished amongst the masses. If Mo Yu had not possessed such broad and extensive knowledge, how could she have remembered such a person?
The Divine Empress replied, "The person that lit up this Fated Star tonighthis spiritual sense is so strong, his mind so serene. Such a person is very rare in this world. Perhaps this is some old scholar who bitterly studied for a hundred years, then in one day comprehended the principles of heaven and earth. Only this way could this person have such good fortune. Just like Wang Zhice all those years ago, this person accumulated their strength and then rose up. Naturally, this is no ordinary person."
Mo Yu said, "At the time Sir Zhice needed only one night to reach Star Condensation and the entire capital felt ithow is it in any way similar to tonight? Moreover, no star cast its shadow on the ground, indicating that this was not some special bloodline. No matter how strong, I''m afraid that there''s a limit."
The Divine Empress did not turn around, but the smile on her face could still be felt. "What does a child like you know about cultivation?"
Mo Yu was young, but she was already a grand expert of the Star Condensation Realm. Whether in the Great Zhou Dynasty or the cultivation sects of the south, she would be regarded as an anomaly. Even the Pope had words of praise for her. Yet in the Divine Empress''s eyes, she was still a child that did not understand cultivation.
In the entire continent, just how many people were there that could evaluate her in such a fashion?
The Divine Empress was naturally one of them.
So Mo Yu was not angry, only sticking out her tongue at the Divine Empress''s back.
She was no longer the child of the past, but she could still act cute because the person before her was the Divine Empress.
The Divine Empress naturally knew that she was making faces behind her, but only silently smiled.
Mo Yu stepped forwards and stood beside her, gazing up at the multitudinous stars in the night sky. After quietly looking up for a while, she suddenly asked, "Empress, Fated Starsdo they really represent each of our fates? Then can we see our future fates?"
The Divine Empress replied, "Besides fate, there is perhaps another explanation."
Mo Yu asked inquisitively, "What explanation?"
The Divine Empress gazed deeply into the night, not replying for a long time.
Over there was a faraway star that had once flashed brightly and then become impossible to see again.
The Divine Empress declared, "It can also bethe baneful star upon one''s fate."
...
...
Chen Changsheng had lit up his own Fated Star.
In the entire continent, only a scant few people were lucky enough to coincidentally see the instant at which it flashed.
Because of that invisible crystal wall, those people miscalculated the distance between the star and the ground. But even so, his Fated Star''s distance from the ground was still enough to be ranked amongst the very top in human history.
In the demons'' Xuelao City to the north, Holy Maiden Peak and the Longevity Sect''s Mount Li in the south, and the River of Oblivion deep in the territory of the demi-humans, perhaps people saw it, or perhaps they did not. As long as they saw it, they would inevitably regard the sight with extreme importance and attempt to discover who had lit up this star.
(TN: In Chinese myth, the River of Oblivion is the river of the underworld. Crossing the River of Oblivion is the Bridge of Helplessness, on which stands an old lady called Granny Meng. Before crossing the River of Oblivion, a soul is fed Granny Meng''s soup, which makes them forget all their memories so that they can be reincarnated, hence the name of the river.)
This was not that important. The night sky contained millions upon millions of stars associated with the millions upon millions of humans. It was a world that could never be touched, and that line could never be seen. As long as Chen Changsheng himself did not speak of it, no other person would be able to know.
But there would always be surprises, or perhaps they could be called exceptions.
There were some people whose cultivation level was too low to be able to see the star lighting up, let alone follow that line to find Chen Changsheng. However, by sheer coincidence, they were looking up at the night sky the instant Chen Changsheng lit up his Fated Star, just like the Divine Empress. Even more coincidentally, one of them had been cultivating at the time, her spiritual sense extended towards that ruined land separated from her by just a wall.
The most fundamental reason was that she had an innately close connection to starlight and could intuitively realize many things.
This was a sort of innate gift. To be more precise, this was the innate gift of her species.
On the other side of the Orthodox Academy''s dilapidated academy wall was the Hundred Herb Garden.
On that night, she was in the Hundred Herb Garden.
She clearly sensed how serene and tenacious was the spiritual sense that had lit up that Fated Star.
She was very curious as to the owner of this spiritual sense.
She wanted to find him and then ask him a few questions. For this, she would not mind gifting a few priceless treasures rarely seen in the world.
Because she was called Luoluo (), and she was very generous ().
(TN: is an idiom that is used to describe someone that is very natural and generous.)
27 Accumulation
If Chen Changsheng had begun to draw starlight into his body on the night he lit up his Fated Star, thus beginning the first step of Purification, the young girl in the Hundred Herb Garden next door might have been able to use her gift to follow that unbroken sensation and discover his existence. If the syrupy sweat that had flowed from his body to the floor had not strangely melted away in the wind and seeped into the floorboards, perhaps she also would have been able to find him.
The problem was that Chen Changsheng once more displayed his difference in temperament, or perhaps way of thinking, when compared to the ordinary person. Without hesitation, he resisted the temptation of beginning Purification and returned straight to the house to bathe and sleep. As for the sweat, not even a single syrupy drop could be seen on the floorboards.
On the next day, Chen Changsheng carefully read over On Purification again, especially the parts on drawing starlight into the body for Purification. He made even more notes and, upon confirming that he had a firm grasp over its contents, he went out to the lakeshore and took a nap. Only when the setting sun had sunk below the city walls and night was on the verge of falling, and he had confirmed that his body and mind were all in excellent condition, did he finally push open the door to the library and formally begin Purification.
His spiritual sense was emitted into the air, but it did not pass through the roof of the library and into the night sky, yet he knew that there was already a mysterious connection between him and the small red star far in the distance. This was not a very vivid feeling. To be more accurate, this connection between him and that star was not perceived in any way by either his body or his spiritual world. But he was incredibly certain that the star was there and that no one could snatch it away.
Just as that Pope from so many years ago had said, that line really did exist.
Chen Changsheng closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and opened his soul. Based on the methods described in On Purification, he entered the state of complete forgetfulness, the realm of absolute relaxation, quietly waiting for the essence condensed from starlight to come down that line and enter his body.
Time gradually passed. The night wind was sometimes warm and gentle, other times hard.
The forest outside the library was peaceful. Yesterday, the laborers of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had pruned this part of the forest, cutting off many extraneous branches. The bare stumps of the branches were exposed to the air, exuding the aroma unique to trees that was sent off by the wind to distant places.
The aroma exuded by those branch stumps was so strong because a gelatinous and near-transparent substance was seeping out from those places. This was sap. The Orthodox Academy contained a variety of trees, naturally including fruit trees, so this aroma was quite fragrant.
There was one extremely thick scholar tree that had all its branches near the ground cut off. One of these cuts was extremely similar to a scar and a thick layer of resin had already formed over it. Upon being blown by the wind, this resin began to slowly flow down the tree trunk. If one of those people that delighted in slaughter were to see this sight, they would think that this scholar tree''s arm had been chopped off and that it was now bleeding. However, under the silver radiance of the stars, the sap flowing down the tree was more like a sweet, sweet syrup.
After a very long time, the honey-like sap finally reached the ground and dripped upon a clump of green grass. It was not able to luckily, or perhaps cruelly, trap an insect in the beginning stages of amber, so it could only ultimately become food for those insects.
In the library, a similar scene played out.
The radiance emitted by countless stars fell upon that invisible, imperceptible line and condensed into dense essence. Then, this essence began to slowly trickle towards the ground. After traveling some distance, the essence ignored the roof of the library and finally fell upon Chen Changsheng''s body.
The radiance of the stars was soft and moist, and the skin of Chen Changsheng''s face seemed to be transformed into white jade. Yet in the next moment, that radiance acted like sand or wind falling through the fingers, seeping into his skin and vanishing from sight. His face remained as it was before, as if nothing had changed.
Much more radiance fell on his body. This radiance seemed able to disregard any obstacle, easily passing through his clothes and resting on his skin. Yet it did not stop there, seeping deeper into his body to some unknown place.
Chen Changsheng''s eyes were closed. He did not see these sights nor did he know what happened.
Only when the early morning light fell upon the capital and the roosters began to crow did he finally wake.
He was somewhat excited, an excitement that he had rarely felt in his fourteen years of life. This was because if he succeeded in Purification, then he would be stepping onto the path of cultivation. Whether or not he obtained first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, he was about to obtain some right to speak about his own fate.
This sort of emotion is not good for my body, he silently said to himself. He used his will which was completely at odds with his age to calm down in an extremely short amount of time. He then gazed at his hands and his expression flickered, his eyes brimming with disappointment and confusion.
His hands had not changed in the slightestthey were just as clean as they were last night.
He took a small, round mirror from his bosom and gazed at his face in its reflection. After a moment of silence, he placed down the mirror and pulled up his collar to examine his body. He discovered that nothing had changedhe was just as clean as he had been over the past few years.
A successful Purification should not be like this.
Based on the descriptions in On Purification, humans, by existing in this world, by eating, drinking, and breathing, whenever they took in nutrients, simultaneously took the filthy Qi of this world into their bodies. Thus, the radiance of the stars needed to be drawn into the body so that the purest and gentlest energy of the stars could be used to completely expel this filth from the body.
Based on the descriptions from his predecessors, after a successful Purification, the human body would expel massive amounts of rancid sweat and one even might get a severe case of diarrhea. Only in this manner could it be proved that the filthy Qi had been completely excreted by the body.
However, Chen Changsheng''s body had not undergone a single change.
He was slightly obsessed with cleanliness and loved being clean, but now he had an incomparable desire to see black beads of filthy sweat appearing on his body, because this matter had nothing to do with cleanliness. No matter how he thought, he felt that he should not be like this.
Chen Changsheng silently gazed out the window at the rising sun for a very long time.
Suddenly, he placed the back of his hand on the floor and forcefully rubbed it against the ground. Only after he distinctly felt pain did he raise his hand and glance at it. The back of his hand was a mass of reddened flesh, with tinges of blood faintly visible. As a result, he knew that he had not succeeded in Purification.
When starlight descended, the first thing it touched was the skin, so in the very beginning phases of Purification, the skin would be strengthened first.
His skin was not any different from last night.
Chen Changsheng fell silent in thought. He had originally believed that the problem of his severed meridians would only result in the gradual loss of his soul, making it harder in the future for him to convert star radiance into true essence for preservation in the body. However, he believed that he would at least be able to complete the step of Purification. He didn''t expect that even this was no good.
As the morning light gradually brightened, he stood up and walked out of the library. Because he had sat cross-legged for the entire night, his body was somewhat sore. He walked rather slowly, so from the back, he looked just like a child in the initial stages of recovery from some major illness.
As he returned to his house and gaze at the steaming basin of water on the stove, he felt somewhat sad. Based on the records in On Purification, he believed that upon his return, he would inevitably be covered in filth, so he had prepared hot water in advance. Unimaginably, he had not even sweat a single drop.
He thought and thought, ultimately deciding to still take a bath.
It wasn''t because he had sat on the floor for the entire night, nor was it because the academy was still a little dusty.
His body had problems, which made him deeply dislike his own body. He always felt that his body was somewhat filthy.
His diligent washing of his face, his love of feeling clean, and his light obsession with cleanliness all stemmed from this.
He poured the hot water into a large basin in the corner and got in. He covered his face with a wet towel and leaned his two arms against the edge of the basin, seeming quite exhausted.
From behind the wet towel would occasionally arise an almost imperceptible sigh.
At this time.
From the other side of the wall, a sigh could also faintly be heard.
Chen Changsheng thought, it turns out that sad people can be found everywhere.
...
...
No one knew that Chen Changsheng was attempting Purification. Even those who had seen him light up his Fated Star did not know. Compared to fixing one''s Fated Star, Purification was an even more commonplace affair. No matter if one was in Purification or a grand expert of Star Condensation, as long as one was cultivating, one would have to perform this task night after night. Moreover, those people with the ability to see the sight of the Fated Star being lit up were also powerless to see that line and were naturally even less aware of who was holding the other end.
The self-strengthening of humans had no upper bound.
Purification had never been a one-day affair.
At night, Chen Changsheng once more entered the library, sat himself on the floor, and continued to try.
For a fourteen-year-old youth to stir himself from a sense of defeat, he had used a rather too small amount of time. For this, he had to thank those matters he had once experienced and he was soon about to experience. Of course, it was probably more correct that he loathed those matters.
He had no time for dismay. He could incessantly try and persevere.
Succeed, or die for a righteous cause. These words were most fitting to describe him.
As he meditated, countless thick yet invisible star essences trickled down that invisible line of fate from the lofty night sky. Once more, they fell upon his body and lingered around him like the spring wind.
Like last night, this star radiance noiselessly seeped into his body and could be seen no more.
This process persisted for a very long time, all the way until the sky brightened and he woke up.
He carefully examined his hands but saw no change. He used his hands to rub his forehead, but found not a single drop of sweat. The old clothes on his body were still clean and dry. The morning wind coming in through the window could lightly sway his two sleeves.
He did not understand. Even if his meridians were severed, his skin and hair had received the radiance of the stars and should have changed.
Just where had the star radiance gone?
He believed that all the starlight had flowed into the air and disappeared.
He had no idea that when he closed his eyes in meditation, the star radiance was passing through his black hair and hands, passing through his old clothes and the dagger at his waist, and noiselessly entering his body. Not a single drop was lost.
Just like snowflakes passing through the wind and trees to fall upon the ground.
Not a single leaf was able to hold a single flake of snow. This was an unimaginable occurrence.
But it had really happened.
At present, this forest was still lush and verdant without a hint of white.
But in reality?
On the ground under the forest, the mantle of snow was gradually thickening.
This was an accumulation ().
There would come a day when it would abruptly rise ().
Or perhaps, explode.
(TN: is a Chinese idiom that means ''to rise abruptly based on accumulation of strength''.)
28 Already Many Years
At five o''clock in the morning, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes. He wasn''t waking up from his sleep, but from his state of meditation. After confirming that there was still no change with his body, he shook his head and returned to his room to take a bath. As he leaned against the edge of the wooden basin and allowed the slightly hot water to wash over his exhausted body and mind, the sighs passing through the wet towel became a mumbled question, "When will I be able to find a way?"
This wooden basin was around half the height of a human and was placed very close to the academy wall behind the house. In the next moment, he heard an extremely faint sigh from the other side of the wall, accompanied by a statement brimming with anxiety, "When will I be able to find that person?"
Chen Changsheng thought of that sigh he had heard last morning and took the wet towel off his face to turn and gaze at the wall. What confronted his eyes was a tangle of green ivy. The academy wall was very high, so he could not see the other side to know who was speaking.
It had been a very immature voice, most likely that of a female child. Every person''s sorrows were not necessarily the same, but they were all sorrows nonetheless. Chen Changsheng suddenly sympathized with the girl on the other side of the wall, but he soon after realized that in his current situation, he wasn''t qualified to sympathize with anyone else.
The following days passed in peaceful serenity. Every day, he would read books in the library, and when night fell, he would draw the radiance of the stars into his body for Purification. Over the course of this Purification, he would always have his eyes closed in meditation, naturally unaware that the radiance had all seeped into his body. From an exterior perspective, there truly had been no change. This result was unavoidably rather discouraging, but he continued to diligently and incessantly cultivate, not affected in the slightest.
Just like his cultivation, the repairs of the Orthodox Academy progressed in a methodical manner. Although that Priest Xin of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education did not manage things from the front, there was no shortage of funds, and it all arrived promptly. Naturally, the artisans and laborers did not dare to slacken their pace.
As this academy wall that had been worn away by years of non-maintenance could not even block out sound, wind could also naturally pass through.
(TN: Wind, , can also mean news.)
The news that the Orthodox Academy was being repaired quickly spread throughout the capital. The matter of the Orthodox Academy gaining a new student was also gradually known to the populace. However, true reason for the Orthodox Academy''s decline meant that people only dared to discuss these pieces of news in private. Nobody dared to inquire about this publicly, so the only effect of these pieces of news was to add to the number of conversation topics over the dining and tea tables.
Chen Changsheng did not know that a storm was gradually building in the world outside. He continued to silently study and cultivate in that school in the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane, repeating a similar life and simply not feeling that his days were passing very dryly and monotonously.
On the surface, it seemed that he had stopped caring about whether he could succeed or not in cultivation. In reality, his mind was completely tied up with this matter. The proof was that it had already been several days since he had wiped the floorboards of the library, a rare occurrence for someone as obsessed with cleanliness as him.
That he had not succeeded in Purification did not mean that he had obtained nothing from this life of studying.
He read many books in the library, the majority of which he had already read in Xining Village, while there were some books regarding cultivation that he was reading for the first time. Upon comparing the two, he realized to his surprise that many of the words that he had read when he was small were related to cultivation.
When he was memorizing those Daoist scriptures as a child, he had no idea what those nigh incomprehensible words meant, nor was he able to obtain any definite explanation from his senior or master. He thought that they were words related to metaphysics and stopped brooding over them. Only after coming to the capital and reading these books on the initial phase of cultivation like On Purification in the Orthodox Academy did he understand. Originally, all the cultivation methods of the world, the precious experiences left behind by past experts, the techniques of certain major sects not meant to be transmitted to the outside world, and even a few secrets of demon experts were all contained in the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon in Xining Village''s old temple!
What did this mean?
Who said that he didn''t know how to cultivate? He just had not begun to cultivate, or at least this was what he originally thought. Now, he knew that this argument was incorrect. Who said that he had not begun to cultivate? No, from the moment he could speak, he had begun, he was already cultivating!
The three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon contained in Xining Village''s old temple were countless fragments of knowledge related to cultivation. In the past, these fragments had been a thick fog within his spiritual world, but the cultivation techniques that he now understood had become extremely small specks of dust that formed nuclei in the fog. The vapor began to crystallize around these cores, bringing down a boundless downpour.
Chen Changsheng had begun an extremely fantastical trip, a wondrous journey. It could be said that he had comprehended by analogy, and it could also be said that he had been suddenly enlightened, like he had been jolted awake by a whack to the head. But in reality, the most ideal descriptor of the truth was those five words: rising abruptly through accumulated strength.
A bit more than fourteen years had passed since Daoist Ji had picked him up from the stream, and every day and every night of those fourteen years had been spent on relentless reading. Those fourteen years of reading were a process of accumulation. He had already laid down an extremely thick foundation. Ultimately, all he needed was an opportunity, and then he could convert this knowledge that he had grasped over his fourteen years entirely into his own understanding of the world, and later on convert it into his own strength.
Just like a jar of gunpowder ignited by a spark.
A massive explosion occurred in Chen Changsheng''s spiritual world. He voraciously read all the books in the library, grasping the laws of cultivation. Those fragments of information he had obtained from the Daoist scriptures of Xining Village were once more reassembled, once more reviewed, and then truly understood. With almost unimaginable speed, he comprehended the secrets of the cultivation world, grasped the details of those cultivation techniques. Solely in terms of cultivation knowledge, there were already frighteningly few people in the world with a more extensive understanding than him.
To be unable to succeed in Purification and yet suddenly obtain such a great harvest was a very delightful occurrence to Chen Changsheng, and also a consolation. Once his emotions settled down, he once more grew uneasy and confused. He walked to the window of the library and gazed in the direction of Xining Village in silence. The Daoist scriptures in that old temple were no ordinary objects, and his master was also naturally no ordinary man. He had helped him lay down such a firm foundation for cultivation, but why didn''t he just teach him how to cultivate, rather than insisting that he only begin after coming to the capital? Was it just because his body''s illness was not easy to treat and he wanted to see if he would have any lucky encounters in this place?
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, ten-odd days had gone by. No one from the Divine General of the East''s estate appeared again, nor did that maid called Shuang''er come again. He was quite pleased that his calm life was not disturbed. But he was somewhat displeased that Tang Thirty-Six also never appeared. He had left his address behind at the inn, presuming that he would be able to find him. Fine, that fellow might be bitterly cultivating in the Heavenly Dao Academy.
The Orthodox Academy had only Chen Changsheng as its sole inhabitant. This was his own academy.
He quietly read and silently cultivated, gradually forgetting the world outside. He had already been forgotten by the outside world. On occasion, he would recall that conversation he had overheard in the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, think about the excitement of those initiation activities held by the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy and feel somewhat envious, but he did not care too much. He had long grown used to this sort of dull and monotonous lifein Xining Village''s old temple, when he was reading together with his senior, his voice was the only sound.
It was just that he had attempted Purification for so many days, but his body still remained unchanging. He could see no hope of success, but he would not give up. In the end, however, he had grown somewhat more indifferent. He decided that if he still could not succeed in the next few days, he would have to search the books for another method.
Indifference often made people lose a little drive, but it would make some people become more cool-headedprecisely Chen Changsheng''s current mental state. He could not be said to have returned to his original mindset, but he had returned to his mindset at the very beginning of this process. Now that he looked at the floor covered in a shallow layer of dust, the brow of this youth that so dearly loved cleanliness creased in deep displeasure.
Most of this displeasure was aimed at himself. He felt that he had grown lazy.
He brought up some clear water from the well and began to clean the floorboards. As the dust was gradually cleaned, the floorboards that were wiped clean with water began to exude an extremely faint aroma. He was unaware of the sweat he had perspired on the night that he had lit up his Fated Star, so he was somewhat puzzled. This aroma was truly very faint. A single gust of the night wind was enough to make it vanish.
After he finished cleaning, he casually sat down and began to draw in starlight for Purification.
The Orthodox Academy was a picture of tranquil silence. He closed his eyes in meditation, utterly forgetting all things. He naturally could not hear the night birds in the forest that should have been resting but suddenly began to chirp, the sound crisp and moving. The croaks of frogs that had halted for several days also began to ring out once more, happy beyond compare.
A butterfly fluttered in from the window and rested on the floor beside him, unwilling to depart.
It was the piece of floor that he had just wiped clean.
...
...
Hundred Flowers Lane was a very ordinary street of the capital. Of course, it had once been very famous because the Orthodox Academy in its depths had once been very famous. Additionally, the Hundred Herb Garden at that end had also been very famous. That place was the Imperial Garden of the previous dynasty.
The most famous rebellion in the Great Zhou Dynasty''s history had also occurred in the Hundred Herb Garden. At the time, Emperor Taizong, who was still a prince, was galloping his horse from his estate to the Imperial Palace but was ambushed at this place by the other princes. At that moment, Emperor Taizong had still been dressed in his night gown.
The ultimate conclusion of that rebellion was known by the entire continent: Emperor Taizong narrowly obtained the final victory and his imperial brothers were all executed on the spot, with several hundred of their followers simultaneously being beheaded.
Because of this bloody, rather inglorious history, the Hundred Herb Garden lost its status as an Imperial Garden and was placed under the custody of the Orthodoxy''s Hall of Heavenly Virtue, to be used for growing medicinal herbs and spirit fruits. Perhaps because the soil of the Hundred Herb Garden had absorbed too many nutrients from the blood, or perhaps because too many corpses had been buried beneath it, the medicinal herbs and spirit fruits planted here flourished. It once more became valued by the Imperial Court and was placed under strict guard.
In reality, extremely few people knew that the reason the Hundred Herb Garden was so heavily guarded, besides the precious medicinal herbs and spirit fruits growing within, was that it would often be used as a residence for important and powerful figures that would find it inconvenient to appear in public. For example, when the Divine Empress was first expelled from the Imperial Palace, she resided in the temple here in cultivation. It was also precisely for this reason that the Hall of Heavenly Virtue later on received enormous benefits.
At present, the Hundred Herb Garden was inhabited by another noble.
Under the old walls crawling with ivy was a table made of stone. A tea cup was on the table, and the cup contained the rarely seen and precious tea brewed from tea leaves freshly picked in the rain this spring.
A little lady was drinking tea.
Her face was childish, her pupils like black stars, her lips like red plums. She had long and slender eyelashes, and her pale white cheeks had two faint patches of red. She was a picture of astonishing beauty.
It was an extremely healthy sort of beauty, delighting both the body and mind of others, but never giving them any sort of distracting thoughts.
The girl herself was not much delighted. Her face was one of deep distress because she still had not found that person.
29 Climbing over the Wall and Seeing a Black Robe
This young girl was called Luoheng, but her nickname was Luoluo. This was because ever since she was very young, she had a habit of adding a few words before her sentences. For example, when she was calling at the goshawk to land on her little hand or when she was calling for the enormous crocodile in the river to quickly take her to the other side, she would always say, "Lah lah, faster!"
Luoluo was fourteen this year, still very young. For certain reasons, her appearance and figure seemed somewhat younger than her actual age, charmingly childish. Just like her innocent appearance, from the moment she was born, she enjoyed riches, glory, and status, living a carefree life without any worries. This was still the case, even after leaving her homeland for the faraway capital.
She had already lived in the Hundred Herb Garden for almost a year. She rarely had contact with the outside world, so it was hard for her to not feel somewhat lonely.
She didn''t much care about this, because the only thing she cared about was how to cultivatein the aspect of cultivation, she had a few problems that she had been unable to resolve. Even her seemingly omnipotent father had been unable to resolve them, resulting in her journey of over a thousand li to the capital.
She had concealed her identity and attended classes in the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy, even consulting those brilliant instructors in private. She had even discussed related problems with the Guardians of the Imperial Palace. Regretfully, those problems continued to have no solution.
In her hour of deepest despair, she suddenly sensed one night that a star in the depths of the night sky had been lit up. She did not know where this star was, but she knew that the spiritual sense that had lit was very powerful, very serene. Moreover, there was clearly something different about this spiritual sense compared to those sent out by normal human cultivators. That she could sense all of this was purely because of her innate gift, so upon confirming that everything she sensed had been real, she wanted to find that person.
She wanted to place those questions that had perplexed her for so many years before that person, hoping that she would be able to get an answer.
But quite a few days had passed, and she had still not been able to find that person. Those subordinates she had dispatched, and even the Guardians and experts of the Imperial Palace assisting her, had not been able to find a single clue, which made her grow even more depressed.
Luoluo''s mood was rather downcast, the expensive tea in the cup unable to attract any of her attention. In normal times, how could someone as skilled in the tea ceremony as her treat such fragrant and delightful tea with such disregard? How could she perform such an unreasonable action?
At this moment, she smelled an aroma.
Luoluo widened her eyes, her body growing somewhat stiff.
This was a very faint aroma, but upon entering her nose, it instantly bloomed, becoming extremely distinct, enchanting her like a bottle of fine wine. The Hundred Herb Garden contained countless rare treasures and strange fruits which produced all sorts of scents in the night, yet none of them could suppress this aroma!
When she was small, the valley she lived in was filled with wildflowers. Even in the early summer when the sun was beginning to rise and all those wildflowers bloomed at the same time, not even that aroma was this fragrant!
She was even willing to swear an oath to the profuse stars in the sky that she had never smelled something so good in all her life.
But this aroma was still so faint.
What sort of aroma was this? Where did this aroma come from?
As Luoluo thought of these things, she abruptly realized that the aroma had vanished. In but an instant, that aroma had drifted away, leaving not a single trace behind. She felt lost and disappointed, as if she had missed out on something very important in her life.
She walked several dozen steps west along the wall, towards the place where flowers were blossoming amidst the ivy. She realized that the aroma was not coming from here and inadvertently turned her gaze to the wall overgrown with ivy. She faintly sensed that the aroma had come from the other side of the wall.
What was on the other side of the wall? Apparently it was the abandoned Orthodox Academy. Ever since she took up residence in the Hundred Herb Garden, that side had always been quiet and noiseless, just like a graveyard. However, from a certain day onwards, it began to grow livelier, as if something was going on over there.
Did she want to go over and see?
She had this vague feeling that this aroma was somehow connected to the person that she had been searching for.
The hand in Luoluo''s broad sleeve slightly tightened, her emotions growing rather tense. Without turning around, she looked out of the corner of her eyes into the darkness.
The light emitted by the oil lamp behind that hanging basket of flowers fell into the darkness, seeming to deform somewhat before disappearing.
This meant that there was someone there, perhaps some powerful existence.
She knew who those people were. They were the clansmen responsible for protecting her. At the same time, however, they were also the clansmen that limited her activities. Every time she wanted to go to the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy, she would require a long period of preparation, and they would certainly not let her depart so late in the night.
Luoluo gazed at her shadow on the wall and felt herself very useless, very cowardly.
She suddenly began to giggle, shook her head, plucked a button from her left lapel, and then opened her palm.
This perfectly round button, ground from a rhinoceros horn, fell from her small hand to the floor.
There was a light clap.
Smoke enveloped the area by the academy wall, boring in and out of the ivy.
Swishswishswishswish, ten-odd figures shot out like arrows from various places in the darkness.
The middle-aged man at their head waved his palm, completely banishing the smoke, but realized that no one was by the wall.
These ten-odd people clearly possessed extraordinary cultivations. In the world, there wouldn''t be many experts of their caliber. Yet now, their faces were abnormally pale and exceptionally fearful.
A person said with a trembling voice, "Printhe young ladyshe''s gone."
The middle-aged man had an exceptionally gloomy expression. He softly yelled out, "Quickly report this to the palace!"
...
...
Luoluo had not gone far, she had just gone to the other side of the wall.
She believed that those clansmen of hers would not be able to find her in such a short span of timebecause the seemingly ordinary button she had used was a Thousand Li Button.
The Thousand Li Button was a sort of magical artifact that could allow someone to instantly travel vast distances. Even when confronting an incredibly powerful enemy, one could use this button to escape. It was extremely precious, even worth the price of a life. Even places like the Great Zhou Imperial Palace and the Longevity Sect would only possess a few of these buttons.
Yet she had used one so casually, and she had used it to get past a wall.
Without a doubt, this was a recklessly wasteful way of doing things, and it was precisely for this reason that she was so sure her clansmen would not expect her to use a Thousand Li Button to simply climb over a wall. She should have enough time to find the source of that aroma.
As long as she could find that person, what did the use of a single Thousand Li Button matter?
She had always been a very generous person.
In the almost a year''s worth of time that she had lived in the Hundred Herb Garden, she had once peeked her head over the wall to get a look at the Orthodox Academy, curious about that incident from ten-odd years ago. Several months had passed since then, and now that she had truly entered this place for the first time, she discovered that things had changed greatly.
It was still very peaceful, but the weeds growing along the lake had been cut down into a flat lawn. Through the starlight, one could see that the water grass in the lake had also been cleared up. The greatest change had to be the buildings. Other than the main hall, which had been damaged far too fiercely, the other buildings and pavilions were almost repaired like new.
In the deep darkness, only the library had lights.
Luoluo took a few steps in that direction but was suddenly confronted by a gust of wind. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and finally seized upon a hint of that aroma in the wind. Her face instantly revealed an expression of reverie, knowing that she had not found the wrong place.
When she opened her eyes, her reverie had become vigilance, her childish beauty tinged with frost.
A person slowly walked out from the trees by the lake.
This person was dressed in a black robe that reached to the knees, the two sleeves also reaching the knees. The person seemed extremely neat and orderly, yet the head and face were covered by the black robe''s hood, making the person seem completely mysterious.
Luoluo faintly smiled at this person as her right hand slowly moved to her left lapel, and secretly plucked off a button made of rhinoceros horn.
This was also a Thousand Li Button.
She did not know who this black-robed person was, but it was plain to see that this person had been waiting all this time for her to appear. That was the problem.
Ever since she was small, she had been taught to never place herself in any sort of danger. In addition, she could clearly sense that this black-robed manespecially the pitch-black object gripped tightly in his hands, posed a very serious threat to her.
So she prepared without hesitation to use a second Thousand Li Button.
She truly was very generous, very wasteful, because she had the right.
She opened her palm, and the button dropped to the floor.
Yet at that very moment, the man shrouded in a black robe also opened his palm.
The pitch-black object in his palm seemed to be made of metal. Its two ends were very sharp, its middle a little thick, and its surface was smooth. It looked very much like a shuttle.
This pitch-black metal weapon fell even faster than the button, and its sharp end deeply thrust into the loose, soft soil of the lawn.
With a burst of clacks, the smooth surface of the metal weapon was quickly covered in countless fine scales. These scales then burst apart and transformed into countless tiny pieces of metal that noiselessly shot off into the night sky.
With the shooting off of those pieces of metal, a powerful Qi instantly enveloped a circle several hundred zhang in circumference, the Orthodox Academy at its center.
The smoke gradually dispersed.
Luoluo''s figure was still in its original position, a trickle of blood seeping from her lips!
The Thousand Li Button had not helped her depart!
She raised her head up to the night sky and saw that the descending starlight seemed to be slightly twisted.
She didn''t know what sort of magical artifact that shuttle-like metal weapon was, but it had actually been able to seal off such a large space!
Her smile had already faded. She looked at the black-robed man by the tree and seriously asked, "To bitterly cultivate until the upper level of Ethereal Openingoh, I forgotyou don''t have that way of speaking on your side, but in brief, it''s no easy task. You''re sure that you want to be rendered into scattered ash and dispersed smoke, and for your family and relatives to be chased down and slaughtered for the rest of their lives until not a single one remains? To pay such an enormous price, is it worth it?"
This was not a threat, but a guaranteed outcome, so it was particularly forceful.
Any person that attempted to inflict harm upon her would inevitably have to suffer the boundless rage of the eight hundred li of the Red River.
"Then, they would first have to know who I am."
The black-robed man slowly removed his hood, revealing a plain and unremarkable face.
It was a middle-aged man possessing no special features whatsoever. If he were to be thrown into the crowds of the capital, absolutely no one would be able to recall his appearance.
Especially when he combed his hair into a bun.
Tonight, he did not disguise himself. His black hair spilled onto his shoulders, thus revealing those two black demon horns, exceptionally clear in the starlight.
This middle-aged man that was a demon said with unquestionable sincerity:
"Moreover, if I can kill Your Highness in the capital of the humans, let alone my life, I''m even willing to sacrifice my soul."
30 One Remark Startles the Wind and Rain
As the starlight spilled down from the night sky and passed through that invisible protective screen, it refracted strangely. As this light fell upon the middle-aged demon male''s face, it made his face even more pale, just like the ice and snow in the north that never melted.
Luoluo raised her hand and wiped the blood from her lips as she asked him, "Do you plan to capture me or kill me?"
The demon man calmly replied, "If I capture Your Highness, it will be impossible for me to leave the capital, so with my apologies, I can only kill Your Highness here."
Luoluo stared at those two demon horns faintly discernable amongst his hair and asked, "It seems that you''ve waited for a very long time."
The demon man slightly bent his body and said, "From the moment Princess left her homeland. To be more precise, from the moment Princess crossed that river reeking with blood, I have always been waiting, waiting for this day to come."
Luoluo commented, "That really is a very long time."
"I''ve been away from my home for several years already, and more than a year has passed since I began this journey with Your Highness. In the capital, I''ve been hiding like a mouse for the greater part of a year. My life was just silently watching Your Highness from the darkness, very monotonous and very dangerous."
The demon calmly recounted how he had lived in these past years. He spoke very indifferently, but in reality, it was a very cruel, even tragic lifeto live in the city that was the heart of the human world for so many years, he inevitably had to pay an enormous price, especially in mental terms.
After a moment of silence, he gazed across the lake to the distant north, sighing, "I deeply miss the wind and snow of my home, I also deeply miss my wife and children. Thank you, Princess, for your mercy. Tonight, I finally have the opportunity to complete my important mission."
Upon hearing these two statements, Luoluo felt a little regret.
She had not expected that the demons had been constantly spying on her, following from her home all the way to the capital. With such far-reaching plans, so carefully and deeply thought out, once the demons snatched an opportunity, it was certain that they would be prepared for any eventuality.
What she regretted was that she was the one that had offered this opportunity to the demons. If she had not used her most ingenious method to escape the protection of her clansmen for the sake of finding that person, the demon man in front of her would probably still have to remain hidden, whittled away by his life in the human world until he turned old.
Gazing up at the night sky and seeing the clearly refracted starlight, she knew that this magical artifact had successfully divided the world into inside and outside. Although her clansmen were on the other side of the Orthodox Academy''s wall, they would assuredly be unable to hear her calls.
At this place and time, no one else could save her, except herself.
Luoluo had confirmed her situation, but she actually grew calmer. As she gazed at the demon man, the childishness about her face was completely replaced with the will to fight. "Upper level Ethereal Opening is very strong, but not strong enough. I don''t believe you''re qualified to kill me."
"To live in the capital is not easy. There are too many human experts here. If I am too strong, it could easily alarm powerful figures like Mo Yu, the Great Zhou Imperial Palace would send a few Guardians, and then I would be dead, so I cannot be strong."
The demon man gazed at her and said, "My techniques are specialized in concealment. Although not particularly strong, they''re not particularly weak either, just enough to kill Princess. Thus, I am the most appropriate, thus, the one that appeared before Your Highness today was me and not anyone else."
Luoluo said, "I want to know your name."
She spoke very calmly, seeming to look down on him from high above.
"I am called Mohe," the demon man obediently replied.
Luoluo said, "Mohe is a surname, not a name."
The demon man faintly smiled, his pale white face wrinkling like a sheet of paper. With this rather frightening look, he said, "Princess, it''s meaningless to delay for time."
Luoluo began to laugh, the sound crisp and clear. With the night wind, it could be sent very far if not for that protective screen. At the least, the people on the other side of the wall would have been able to hear it clearly. The demon man seemed to have no intent of stopping her.
"I thought you didn''t care about my delaying for time," she ceased her attempts and seriously said.
The demon man said, "After killing Princess, I will definitely find it very hard to escape the capital. So this period is most likely the final period of my more than one hundred years of life. For me to be able to speak with a person of such exalted bloodlines as Princess, I feel that my soul will be more easily soothed."
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and blinked slightly, asking inquisitively, "You''re not worried that you will be discovered by humans?"
The demon man pointed at the metal pestle-like object on the grass before him.
"This place is very close to the Imperial Palace," she kindly warned.
The demon man expressionlessly replied, "I have faith that even if the Divine Empress were looking at this very place right now, she would not realize what we are doing."
"Fine, I truly do admit that no one will come to save me."
Luoluo sighed. She was obviously miserable, yet also rather cute.
"Then, you are sure that you really can kill me?"
After saying this, her eyes suddenly became extremely bright, like two bright pearls. Her right hand took a leather whip from her waist. This whip was extremely long, so long that it ultimately piled up at her feet, and it was a mystery just how it had been stored on her waist.
"This is the legendary Falling Rain Whip?"
The demon man seemed very regretful, perhaps because he had seen a legendary divine weapon or for some other reason.
He turned his gaze back to Luoluo and said solemnly, "Regardless of how many rare magical artifacts are on Your Highness''s person, Your Highness must die tonight, because this is the Lord Military Advisor''s plan, and so nothing unexpected can occur."
Upon hearing this sentence, Luoluo slightly tightened her grip on the whip, turning somewhat pale.
The Demon Military Advisor''s reputation was one of the most terrifying of the continent.
Even her parents paid a great deal of attention to this person.
When that great war of the past concluded, the demons suffered a crushing defeat under the combined armies of the humans and demi-humans, but this did not mean the death of their country. They could bitterly persist in their cold realm of the north, and there were even signs of recovery in the past few years. Besides the cruel and powerful Demon Lord, who oversaw Xuelao City and stabilized the various great powers, the most important reason for this recovery was a military advisor that crafted plans for the demons. Whether they were outrageous plots or fair and open policies for governing the people, that human''s shadow was always behind them.
Yes, that human''s shadow.
The Demon Military Advisor was a human.
No one knew why a human was willing to betray his race and to give his utmost effort for the sake of the demons, but the entire continent knew that this human was extremely respected by the demons. From this point alone, one could tell just how extraordinary this person was.
None of the Demon Military Advisor''s plans had ever failed, and there seemed to be no gaps in his thinking. His control and use of the minds of people had long since surpassed the point of perfection and become an indescribable strength.
In these countless years, the expeditionary forces sent north by the humans were all thwarted by his crafty plots, to the extent that before the army had even set out, it had already failed. The damage inflicted by this person was even more than that inflicted by the terrifying Eight Great Mountain Men of the demons added together.
Countless human experts and demi-human braves had attempted to find the Demon Military Advisor and then assassinate him, but no one had ever succeeded. Besides an expert of the path of the sword belonging to the Longevity Sect, no one had even found him.
Even today, no one knew the name of the Demon Military Advisor, what he looked like, where he had come from, or what sort of past he had that would make him betray the humans and devote himself to the demons. There was even a legend that when the demons suffered their crushing defeat, this Military Advisor did not choose to return with the Demon Lord to Xuelao City, instead choosing to conceal his identity, and that even now, he was living in the human world. He might be the neighbor by one''s side, he might be one''s teacher, and he might even be a priest.
This was the most frightening aspect of the Demon Military Advisor.
People only knew that he often wore a black robe.
Many demon experts, when mentioning him, would all address him with deep respect: Lord Black Robe.
...
...
Luoluo gazed at the black-robed demon man standing by the tree, her heart gradually sinking.
If this was planned by the Demon Military Advisor, then it really might be very difficult to escape through sheer luck. Everyone knew that although the plans of the Military Advisor seemed simple, even casual, they had never contained any sort of gapnothing unexpected would ever occur.
The demon man by the tree was wearing a black robe. He was most likely that Military Advisor''s direct subordinate.
The metal artifact in the grass had cut off all changes to the world outside.
She had come alone to the Orthodox Academy.
No one else would be able to see her.
She would naturally die.
This trap was very simple, yet it was logically impossible to escape from.
She knew that she could only rely on her own strength to strive for survival.
She knew even more that the legendary Demon Military Advisor had definitely made extremely precise calculations on the strength of both sides. Just as the demon man had just said, he might not be very strong, but he was not weak either, just strong enough to kill her.
It was definitely enough to kill her.
She was able to see the strength of the man''s cultivation due to her innate gift, but it did not mean that she could defeat him.
Based on human reckonings of strength, she was currently at the initial level of the Meditation Realm. With her age, this cultivation level was already sufficient to shock the world, yet in a life-or-death battle between mature experts, this sort of cultivation was not at all enough for her to survive.
"To be able to speak so much with the exalted Princess at the final moment of my life, I am very content."
The demon man slowly walked towards her and slowly raised his right hand, white rays of light seeming to shine through his fingers.
It was a ball of light condensed from true essence.
Luoluo sensed the terrifying Qi coming from the ball of light and slightly narrowed her eyes.
The demon man was wearing a pair of worn-out boots on his feet.
As the boots stepped on the lawn, they left no tracks behind.
During the day, the grass had been cut short, and now their shorn ends revealed a most pleasant aroma.
Apparently because they had been cut short, the grass seemed to have more strength, seeming to grasp at the demon''s shoes.
No, that was only a momentary scene.
In reality, from the moment the demon man had taken his first step, his body had begun to blur and then vanish from sight!
Luoluo''s eyes grew brighter as if wanting to illuminate the darkness.
She knew for this demon man to be able to hide himself in the human world for so long, it was definitely exactly as he said: his techniques must be extremely specialized in concealment. Yet she had not expected that her opponent could so easily vanish in the middle of battle.
In the next moment, the demon man appeared behind her!
His terrifying fist rumbled towards her back!
The demon man was far stronger than her, but even so, he had used his most powerful technique.
He had put all his true essence into this fist, all his emotions into this strike. Even though this strike would also cripple his hand, he did not care. As long as he could kill this girl, he was even willing to offer his life and soul, so what did he care for a hand?
Luoluo had no means of blocking this fist. In reality, she hadn''t even been able to seize his tracks.
But her whip could.
The long whip in her right hand flicked out like a snake, the tail of the whip swishing through the darkness like a snake''s tongue and piercing into the throat of the man.
At the same time, she opened her palm, causing a third button to fall to the floor.
The demon man''s pale face was still indifferent, not caring about any of this, his fist still striking down.
Squelch.
A bloody hole appeared in his throat.
But at the same time, his fist fell on Luoluo''s back.
Demons were born in the wind and snow amongst the mountains. Their strength became famous through mountains.
His fist was a mountain.
This mountain boomed against the girl''s body.
It was a very brutal sight.
....
...
....
...
The button fell upon the ground.
With a puff of smoke, and before it could even disperse, Luoluo had turned around to directly confront this monstrous fist.
With this demon''s strange movement techniques, there should have been no reasonable way for her to have the time to turn around, but she had done it.
Because she had used another Thousand Li Button in advance.
The Thousand Li Button could not help her overcome that invisible protective screen, but it could at least help her turn around.
But what could she do after turning around?
That terrifying fist was getting closer and closer, the light of true essence seeping through his fingers growing brighter and brighter.
Was it out of dignity that she had chosen to confront death head-on in her life''s final moments?
No.
An unswerving determination appeared upon Luoluo''s childish face.
With a clear cry, she tightened her tiny fist and fearlessly sent it flying towards the demon''s fist.
Boom!
Floorboards were sent flying, dust billowed into the air, countless cobweb-like cracks appeared in the ground, and the trees of the forest which had just been pruned were sent toppling by the wind!
The night wind gently blew.
The dust gradually settled, revealing two people.
The demon man stood at his original location, the expression on his pale face abnormally complex as several trickles of blood slowly flowed down.
His black robe had already been cut into countless pieces, revealing his pale and robust body.
His right fist had become a mass of blood and flesh, the white bone visible.
The most terrifying injury was on his head.
His left demon horn had fractured from its base, and blood bubbled forth from it.
A slightly yellowed tusk was deeply embedded in his forehead, slightly trembling.
If this sharp tusk had been able to get just a little deeper, perhaps it would have already killed him!
The demon extended a hand to pull out this tusk, but for some reason, he did not dare touch it.
He knew that if not for the magical artifact given to him by the Military Advisor suppressing the entire battlefield, he would already be dead to this girl''s sneak attack.
With this thought, his face turned further pale, somewhat fearful.
""Thisis the Great Emperor''s Tusk?"
He stared into Luoluo''s eyes, his voice a little shaky, both pained and angered. "Truly as expected of the Princess said in the tales to possess countless treasures, actually possessing protective magical artifacts of this level! In the end, I still underestimated you."
Three Thousand Li Buttons, one Falling Rain Whip, and also one Great Emperor''s Tusk.
The acquisition of any of them could make an entire family go bankruptno, they were treasures that any expert would bankrupt their families to obtain.
And all of these were in her possession and used unsparingly by her.
If the world''s experts were to see tonight''s scene, they would undoubtedly beat their chests and stamp their feet in endless lamentation.
But she would not, because she was Luoluo, and she was very generous, so she was first very generous to herself. And anyway, those things had originally been hers.
"I must admit that Your Highness''s response was truly outstanding, your innate abilities as powerful as expected, but regretfullythis is a plan of the Lord Military Advisor. He definitely calculated the items on Your Highness''s body and confirmed that they were not enough to kill me."
The demon used his hand to smear his blood all over his face. In the slightly crooked starlight, he seemed abnormally terrifying.
He finished, "I am still alive, so Your Highness will die."
Luoluo''s situation was not at all good. A moment ago, she had used her sleeve to wipe her lip clean, but now another trickle of blood had stained it.
She stared at the demon as she lightly shook her whip. The long whip reflected the starlight, seeming to come alive in the darkness. No longer was it a snake, but a dragon.
A dragon amidst the wind and rain.
The Falling Rain Whip, seventeenth on the Tier of Legendary Weapons.
...
...
The demon disappeared, and howls surrounded the library. The lights leaking out from the library were like small boats amongst massive waves, dimming and brightening, disappearing and appearing.
Luoluo lowered her head and quietly stood, the Falling Rain Whip in her hands wildly dancing without end in the wind.
Drops of rain could faintly be seen.
Occasionally, a strand of cold Qi would break through the darkness but be blocked by a drop of rain.
Occasionally, a harsh light would pierce through the wind, but then the wind would suddenly grow more hurried and form a protective screen.
The Falling Rain Whip could draw down the wind and rain from every direction. To protect the body, it was the finest weapon.
This was also the reason she had chosen the Falling Rain Whip as her weapon when she was leaving her home.
In the end, however, she was still just a girl at the initial level of Meditation. The gap between her and the demon was too great.
If her sneak attack with the Great Emperor''s Tusk had not succeeded, the demon might have been able to use his vigorous true essence to directly oppose the might of the Falling Rain Whip, forcefully break through, and kill her, but the current situation was just as bad for her.
The movement techniques of this demon were far too bizarre. Following some incomprehensible trajectory, he traveled freely through the darkness.
Her whip could drive the wind and rain in all directions, protecting herself in an impenetrable wind, yet it could not seize upon her opponent''s whereabouts. Naturally, it could not attack him either.
She could not attack, and how could she keep on defending forever?
No matter how intelligent the Falling Rain Whip was, it still required her soul to control. Every gust of wind or drop of rain consumed a part of her true essence.
Her breathing was becoming hurried. She did not know if she could last until her opponent''s strange magical artifact lost its effectiveness, last until her clansmen could hurry over.
She still relied on her composure and willpower that surpassed her peers to persevere, to wait.
She was waiting for the instant her opponent truly revealed his body.
The magical artifacts she had brought with her had all been used, but she was still unable to escape. However, she still had the whip, and crucially, she was still hiding one more method.
Only she knew that although she was holding the Falling Rain Whip, she was using a sword style.
This sword style contained the words ''wind'' and ''rain''.
The Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
This sword style''s most frightening aspect was that it could condense an entire sky of wind and rain into a single point, striking at an opponent''s weakest point.
The demon was already heavily injured, no longer at his previous strength. She believed that if she was given an opportunity, she could definitely kill him.
The problem was that although the demon had been angered by his wounds, he had not lost his sense of reason. He displayed extreme patience. Without a complete grasp of victory, he relied on his strange movement techniques to roam outside the wind and rain, not even giving her a chance to attack.
Luoluo suddenly felt rather wronged.
The techniques of demon experts had always been mysterious, so it was fine if she couldn''t grasp them, but if she had been able to completely learn the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, if she had truly been able to understand the true meaning of bringing down the wind and rain from all directions, what need would she have to be passive?
Why didn''t the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy know how to teach her? If she was able to find that person from that night, would he really be able to teach her? Right, if it weren''t for that guy, how could she have encountered this assassination? How could she have reached such a miserable state?
Yes, it was all that guy''s fault.
Luoluo felt very wronged, so she no longer wished to be so generous. She decided that if she were able to find that person in the future, she would not send him so many gifts.
Perhaps cut the amount of gifts in half?
As she thought of these things, the battle continued.
Danger continued to approach.
A wound appeared on her neck, a result of the demon taking advantage of a gap in the Falling Rain Whip to deliver an almost fatal blow.
Not only did Luoluo feel wronged, she began to feel grief.
She really did not want to die.
She had always believed that living was the most fortunate thing, was the most beautiful thingfor the clouds on the horizon were so beautiful, and the clouds of the capital were very beautiful, at times like the hair of a lady on the street. The clouds of her home were also very beautiful, at times like the face of a young horse thief.
Moreover, even if she died, she could not be killed in the capital.
Because this would cause many innocent people to die, like the lady on the street or that young horse thief.
Luoluo continued to lose more and more blood.
The Falling Rain Whip gradually began to lose strength.
The demon continued to remain hidden in the darkness, his position unknown.
She felt very tired, and then a little sleepy.
The Falling Rain Whip moved noiselessly through the darkness, the falling wind and rain also made no sound, and that demon was absolutely silent.
The Orthodox Academy was completely silent, truly suitable for sleeping.
Besides cultivating and playing, what she enjoyed the most was sleeping.
She knew that she could not sleep, but she really was tired.
At this moment, a voice broke the silence.
In the darkness, the Orthodox Academy awakened.
Luoluo also awakened.
"The stars in heaven reflect the organs; let your true essence flow voluntarily. Bring your wrist up to your shoulder, and the wind and rain will be restrained."
Luoluo did not know who had spoken.
But she knew that these were the contents of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
She subconsciously turned the wrist of the hand holding the whip, slightly bent her left knee, and her true essence voluntarily rose up. Ignoring those meridians mentioned in the sword manual, they followed the channels in her body, traveling through her organs, and reached her chest. Then, she felt the hand holding the whip grow hotter.
What next?
She thought, somewhat puzzled.
The night was still dark.
That voice rang out once more.
"Dou Zhen, Kui Liu."
These were two rather strange phrases.
But if disassembled, people living on this world would clearly understand what they were.
Dou and Zhen referred to two stars, in the east and west respectively.
Kui and Liu referred to two stars, in the south and north respectively.
The stars were eternally constant and unmoving, especially those famous stars. The people on the ground, old and young, would be able to clearly remember their positions.
Luoluo froze, not understanding the meaning. Were they directions?
Could it be that she should stab towards the Dou star? And then at the Zhen star?
Suddenly, she came to her senses.
Between Dou and Zhen, she could draw a line.
Between Kui and Liu, she could also draw a line.
The intersection of these two lines was a single point in the night sky.
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and turned to that spot.
The Falling Rain Whip in her hand had already stabbed at that point in the night sky.
The Falling Rain Whip bound together the wind and rain into a line, transformed it into a sword.
The Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
In the Orthodox Academy, the wind and rain was suddenly restrained, but sword intent flourished.
Squelch.
A spurt of blood shot out from the darkness.
At the same time came the shocked and furious cry of pain from that demon expert.
31 Old Books in Exchange for a New Day
Soon after, the voice rang out once more.
It was still four words, four stars, one coordinate.
"Su Shu, Tan Wei."
The Falling Rain Whip in Luoluo''s hands complied with the directions, the raindrops and the wind completely condensing into a straight line in the darkness. The sword intent of Mount Zhong, the condensed wind and rain, as if disregarding time, accurately stabbed at that point in the night sky.
It was nothing but pitch-black darkness, but when the Falling Rain Whip stabbed, it came away once more with a spurt of blood and a groan of pain! Different from that cry of pain carrying shock and anger, this groan was more perplexed, and even faintly fearful!
Luoluo felt her true essence swiftly circulating through her body. It was clearly not flowing through the meridians required by the sword manual, yet it was still able to arrive at the hand holding the whip, and it even seemed more boundless than when she normally practiced.
This confused her, but she felt even more elated.
In the following period of time, that voice would continuously ring out, at times speaking from the sword manual of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, telling her which technique she should use. At times, it would speak of how she should circulate true essence, yet these instructions were clearly different from what was laid out in the sword manual. Most of the time was spent with the names of the stars in the night sky.
As she listened to this voice, Luoluo felt like she had returned to when she was very young, together with her father atop a stone plateau as he pointed at the drifting clouds on the horizon and spoke of how to fight. Her emotions began to grow calmer and calmer, more and more cool-headed. She simply stopped thinking, letting her spiritual sense go where it wished. The Falling Rain Whip howled through the air like an extremely sharp longsword, continuously stabbing at the darkness!
Crackcrackcrackcrack. Countless collisions rang out through the seemingly empty darkness, the sound of the tenacious and terrifying Falling Rain Whip lashing against a person''s body. It was followed by several dozen pieces of cloth dancing in the wind. When these pieces of cloth fell to the ground, it could be seen that they were all black.
Swishswishswishswish. The forward half of the frenziedly dancing Falling Rain Whip was already dyed red, countless spurts of blood having sprayed out from the darkness, yet the person injured could not be seen. It was like some invisible brush, dipped in ink ground from cinnabar, was wildly scribbling in the darkness, an exceptionally eerie sight.
With a pained and furious shout, the demon expert was finally unable to conceal his tracks, and he dropped out of the darkness. The moment his two feet hit the floor, he stuck to the ground and rolled more than a dozen times. Only when he had retreated to the lake shore did he dare to stop.
The demon expert''s body was covered all over in wounds inflicted by the Falling Rain Whip, all of them flowing with blood. His black robe had long since been cut into countless pieces, the remnants hanging in shambles over his body. He looked abnormally miserable and wretched. Just where had all his previous might gone?
His first thought after being forced out of the darkness was to retreatthe farther he could get from the Falling Rain Whip, the better. In his wretched withdrawal, he did not forget to pull that magical artifact out of the grass, because he had been beaten so badly that even his soul had grown disheartened.
He crouched on the lake shore like a dog, his right hand rigidly holding up the magical artifact to protect his head. His voice was like a broken bellows, hoarse and extremely grating on the ears, containing the emotions of shock, anger, resentment, and fear. Even now, he could not understand just what had happened.
"Who? Who is it? Get out here!"
He was able to obtain Military Advisor Black Robe''s trust and take on such an important mission because this technique the demon expert was skilled in was a secret technique of Xuelao City, because he was extremely skilled in concealment. Only this way could he have lived for such an extended period of time in the human world. At the same time, it was also because he possessed a near unimaginably tenacious willpower. It was impossible for him to be disheartened over a momentary setback, but tonight''s events had completely exceeded his ability to accept and were on the verge of breaking his will.
Because he was most skilled at concealing his tracks, but he had been completely seen through! That enemy that had never appeared seemed to know his techniques inside and out, was able to perfectly determine where he would appear next. Just how was this possible?!
"Just who are you! Show yourself!"
The demon expert looked around at the pitch-black Orthodox Academy, then he turned his gaze to the dimly lit library. He recalled that he had seemingly forgotten something, and his face covered in blood revealed an extremely fierce sense of unease, his voice shuddering.
The grass outside the library grew brighter, because the door had been opened.
Soon after, the lights dimmed once more, because a person had come out.
A youth stood on the stone steps.
He was dressed in an old Daoist robe, a dagger gripped in his hands.
His face was somewhat pale, somewhat nervous, but his eyes were firm with no intention of cowering away.
...
...
Chen Changsheng had been in the library the entire time.
In these past few nights, he had always been in the library.
He was drawing in starlight for Purification.
The reason he had awoken from his meditation was not the fierce battle outside, but that the magical artifact used by the demon expert was interfering with the starlight descending from the night sky.
He had walked to the window and realized that an intense battle was unfolding in the darkness of the Orthodox Academy. He did not know who the girl was, but upon seeing the man''s demon horns, he naturally knew which side he should stand on.
Then, the demon man had disappeared into the night.
The long whip in the girl''s hands noiselessly summoned a sky full of wind and rain.
At the very beginning, he simply did not believe that he could help this girl in any way. He had not even succeeded at Purification, and it was obvious that the girl and the demon were both very powerful people.
He stood in the corner by the window, silently watching the battle and cheering the girl on. He didn''t make any noise because he did not want to introduce any more variables in this battle, did not want his existence to cause the girl to divide her attention.
A demon would naturally not care for the life or death of an ordinary human, but the girl might.
He would not miss even this sort of detail. He was a very detailed person.
But in the next moment, he realized to his shock that he really might be able to change the course of this battle.
The long whip in the girl''s hand was clearly no ordinary weapon, but instead of using some whip style, she was using a sword style.
The Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
In the old temple of Xining Village, Chen Changsheng had once seen this sword manual. He remembered very clearly that it was within the fourth scroll of the ''Commentary on the Classic of Controlling Splendor''.
Of course, the secrets of the sword manual had mostly existed in the form of debates between distinguished Daoists of old. It was only a few days ago, after he had found corresponding books in the library, that he understood that those words were originally speaking of methods for circulating true essence and the forms of techniques too wonderful to describe with words.
He could recall this sword manual from back to front, and with his review in these past few days, he could naturally see that the sword style this girl had concealed in her whip movements only contained the form of pattering rain of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but none of its cold and desolate intent. Moreover, there was clearly a problem with her method of driving true essence, or else her movements would not be so improficient.
Yes, his body did not contain a drop of true essence, but he had already begun to research methods of circulating true essence.
In these past few days when he had been comparing the knowledge in the library with that contained in his mind, he had attempted to break through the limits of his meridians to circulate true essence. For this purpose, he had made several hypothesesit was impossible to link his nine meridians, so if he wished to cultivate, he had to find a completely new method.
He did not know if this method would have any use, if it could control the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, because he was just a normal person with no true essence. But at the time, that girl was already covered in wounds and was about to die before his eyes, so he had to take a gamble and hope that it could help her.
Thus that remark.
"The stars in heaven reflect the organs; let your true essence flow voluntarily. Bring your wrist up to your shoulder, and the wind and rain will be restrained."
Fortunately, the problems in true essence circulation the girl encountered when using the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong were very similar to his own situation.
Even more fortunately, she did not know who Chen Changsheng was yet subconsciously complied with his instructions.
And most fortunately of all, those hypotheses of Chen Changsheng''s mind achieved success on her body.
The Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong finally displayed its true might.
...
...
"But how did you know where I was?"
On the lake shore, that demon covered in blood stared at Chen Changsheng and spoke, his voice furious and perplexed.
The Falling Rain Whip possessed shocking might, especially after the girl obtained Chen Changsheng''s instructions and was able to use her true essence in the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong. Thus, as long as it could discover this demon expert''s position, it would assuredly inflict heavy wounds upon him.
This was precisely the problem: how had Chen Changsheng been able to see his hidden tracks with a single sentence?
"Northern Snow, the Plum Step, and more than three thousand coordinatesall of these need to be firmly memorized."
Chen Changsheng walked to the girl''s side, his dagger held up in front of his chest. As he stared at the distant demon expert, his expression was extremely vigilant, but his words were very casual. "In the past, I did not know that this was precisely the Yeshi Step, but I memorized them."
Yes, this was that most secretive movement technique of the demons, the Yeshi Step. With this foot technique, one could freely move in a fixed range. Crucially, one could borrow the heavenly secrets of wind and snow contained within this movement technique to conceal one''s own tracks.
Even amongst the demons, this movement technique was a secret that was not allowed to be passed down.
But when Chen Changsheng was very young, he had already memorized all three-thousand-plus positions, as well as their sequence.
At the time, he believed that he was reading a novel concerning preaching called ''Records on the Bewildering Mists of the Capital''. Only eight days ago, when he saw a book in the library containing the records of a senior of the Orthodoxy on his battles with demon experts, and compared the two, did he understand that the novel was actually a secret technique manual.
"So you were lying, you are not a person of the Mohe, your surname is not Mohe."
Chen Changsheng stared at the demon and solemnly concluded, "You are a person of the Yeshi tribe, your surname is Yeshi."
The demon expert froze, his complexion turning abnormally nasty.
There were too many things that had taken him by surprise.
He had originally thought that the youth in the library would not have any influence on tonight''s plan because that youth had not even succeeded in Purification.
He had not expected for that youth to almost break Lord Black Robe''s plan.
What surprised him the most was that this youth cared more about the small lie, insignificant to the grand scheme of things, that he had told.
This made him very depressed, very sullen.
Then, he began to feel grief, muttering to himself, "The Lord Military Advisor truly does possess unparalleled wisdom. He calculated that I would not want to die, that I wanted to use the sacred artifact to help me departthus, he arranged for the strange you to appear."
32 When the Sky Was Falling, He Stood Before Her
Chen Changsheng didn''t quite understand what the demon was muttering about. He moved towards the girl, doing as much as possible to put her behind him.
With a mournful face, the demon continued, "Because of your appearance, I cannot kill her, so I can only activate the sacred artifact. As a result, I will have to die together with you. This is the Lord Military Advisor''s will; no one can defy it."
Chen Changsheng felt vaguely uneasy and tightened the grip on his dagger.
The demon stood up and sighed sorrowfully at Chen Changsheng, "Young one, I do not know you are, but I think that you would have definitely become someone extraordinary in the future. It is a pity that you will have to accompany me in death tonight."
Upon saying this, he raised up the metal magical artifact in his hands. With this action, the terrifyingly monstrous Qi descended from the sky. Countless slender and tiny pieces of metal flew back from the darkness. The invisible protective screen that had cut off the world vanished.
A black net that seemed as enormous as a mountain descended towards the Orthodox Academy.
"The Heavenly Net?" Luoluo muttered, her face slightly pale.
(TN: It is referred to as , Net of Fog, here, but it is later referred to as the , the Heavenly Net, so I am translating it as such.)
Nineteenth on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, the Heavenly Net.
The sacred artifact of the demons.
It was said that it was the hunting net used by the first Demon Lord when he went hunting.
Once it descended, the heavens and earth would all be entrapped.
Nothing could break it.
Even those famed divine weapons and enchanted swords could not break it.
Based on principle, such a powerful magical artifact of the demons should have been ranked even higher on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, at the very least not behind the Falling Rain Whip. But because the Tier of Legendary Weapons had been drawn up by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets of the human world, its ranking was inevitably somewhat suppressed. More importantly, the Heavenly Net had once been severely damaged.
It was said that in the distant past, the Heavenly Net was actually called the Yama, but it had been severely damaged by some peerless expert of nigh unimaginable power. It was no longer able to match up to its power when it was held in the hands of the first Demon Lord, so its name was changed to the Heavenly Net.
(TN: This paragraph is probably the main reason for this net''s original name, . and share similar pronunciations. was the name of the net before it was heavily damaged, but in this case does not mean net, but instead is used together with to form Yan-luo, the Chinese pronunciation of Yama, the king of the underworld. A similar pronunciation is the term ''arhat'', which is translated in Chinese as , a-luo-han.)
If it were still the Yama in its pristine condition, the moment it opened, it could easily render anyone under the net into nothingness. The Heavenly Net that was now seriously damaged could also cut off the heavens and earth, but in order for it to attack, it would require the user to give up their life essence blood as an offering!
This was why the demon had been unwilling to use this magical artifact to attack at the very beginning. Only when Chen Changsheng''s one remark startled the wind and rain and he became heavily injured did he understand that it was impossible for him to kill Luoluo without any harm to himself, thus forcing him to activate this magical artifact.
To be forced into rushing towards death, he was naturally somewhat sorrowful.
As she stared at the falling black net, Luoluo was in shock, her face pale. She had recognized this net, knew that even though the Heavenly Net no longer possessed the monstrous might of its past, it was not something a normal person could block.
Her Falling Rain Whip could definitely not block it.
The legendary Frost God Spear could probably break through it, but the God Spear was in the Imperial Palace, so who could come to their aid?
She raised her head to the black net in the night sky, the Falling Rain Whip stabbing out like a bolt of lightning, carrying the howling wind and rain with it.
There was only a thump.
The Falling Rain Whip was like a dragon serpent struck by lightning, its bones shattered into countless pieces as it retreated in ruin.
An unimaginably horrifying strength traveled through the whip into her petite body.
With a groan, she vomited blood and fell backwards to the ground.
Tonight''s bitter battle had placed far too much of a strain on this fourteen-year-old girl, and she now found it impossible to hold on. Her vision was hazy as she teetered on the verge of unconsciousness. The final scene she saw was that youth wielding his dagger and thrusting it at the pitch-black night sky.
This sword was very dull, very ordinary, and also rather short.
The youth''s hand was raised up high, confronting the black and enormous net that was like the sky.
His actions were somewhat awkward, giving off a rather sorrowful feeling.
Because the difference was too great, he gave off the feeling of one that had too excessively overestimated their capability, a very hopeless act.
It was like a praying mantis raising an arm to stop a run-away carriage, like an egg crashing down from the Dew Platform onto solid ground.
Luoluo was very sad, very apologetic. If not for her, he would not also have to die.
Then, she fell unconscious.
...
...
Riiiip.
A massive tear suddenly appeared in the middle of the seemingly impregnable black net. The night wind that had been kept out for so long fiercely poured in through the center of the night, followed soon after by the true starlight, pouring down like a waterfall.
In the depths of the sky brimming with starlight appeared a fiercely burning cloud. This red cloud seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, instantly landing in the center of the Orthodox Academy. The grass on the lawn became slightly scorched, the tender leaves of the scholar trees curled in the heat, and the temperature began to incessantly increase.
This was a Red Cloud Qilin!
The front hoof of the Red Cloud Qilin heavily struck the demon expert''s chest. With a crisp crack, the demon expert''s breastbone was completely shattered. Vomiting blood everywhere, the demon''s body sunk heavily into the grass, but his right hand continued its stubborn grip on the magical artifact.
There was yet another harsh crack!
A fiercely burning blade glow illuminated the night sky over the Orthodox Academy.
The demon expert''s right arm was sent flying in a stream of blood, landing far away in the lake.
A middle-aged man was seated on the Red Cloud Qilin, his body covered all over in armor, similarly dark red in color. His expression was solemn as he stared down on the demon.
A tinge of despair flashed through the demon expert''s eyes as he muttered, "So it was youno wonder the Heavenly Net was broken."
Xue Xingchuan, the Great Zhou Divine General of the Heavens, mounted on a Red Cloud Qilin, wielding a divine blade that glowed with blood!
He was deeply trusted by the Divine Empress and had commanded the Imperial Guards for many years.
Of the thirty-eight Divine Generals of the Great Zhou, he was ranked second!
"Yeshi Tanlu, you really were hiding in the capital."
Xue Xingchuan gazed expressionlessly at the blood-drenched man under the foot of his mount and said, "Of course, you don''t have the qualification to have this general search for you for so long, but I really wish to know, after you are sent to the Department for Purging Officials, whether you will be able to stop yourself from speaking of Black Robe''s whereabouts."
The demon man was actually called Yeshi Tanlu. He had already been in despair, but only after hearing these words did he realize that the humans had always been preparing to find the whereabouts of Lord Black Robe from his body, which only deepened his despair. When he realized that he couldn''t even commit suicide, his despair reached its nadir.
What was a true expert? Xue Xingchuan was a true expert!
Before him, even if one wanted to die, they wouldn''t succeed!
Swishswishswishswish. The sound of countless people cutting through the air resounded throughout the Orthodox Academy. In the night sky, one could even faintly see several flying carriages approaching at high speeds.
The scene of battle was extremely close to the Imperial Palace. Once the Heavenly Net was broken, countless people were naturally alarmed.
The true expert that was Xue Xingchuan was the first to arrive, the other Imperial Guards and palace experts arriving quickly in succession.
In the darkness, countless more figures jumped over the academy wall. When those people saw the scene, they were abnormally shocked. Without even paying attention to the demon under Xue Xingchuan''s custody, they madly rushed to Luoluo and swiftly brought her away.
Xue Xingchuan knew the identities of these people and did not stop them. To be able to find in the capital the Yeshi tribesman most skilled in concealment, and even alive, thus perhaps getting even closer to that enigmatic Military Advisor, made him very satisfied.
But the final words Yeshi Tanlu said before falling unconscious
Xue Xingchuan slightly wrinkled his brow. He was keenly aware that by the time he had hurried over, the Heavenly Net had already been broken.
Several Imperial Guards placed the demon under even stricter guard and dragged him into the darkness to await his even more miserable end.
The Red Cloud Qilin slowly turned so Xue Xingchuan could face the nearby youth, and he impassively asked, "And who are you?"
Chen Changsheng was still tightly gripping his dagger, still somewhat unclear on just what had occurred. On hearing this question, he awoke from his daze, returned his dagger to its sheath, and answered, "I am a student here."
Xue Xingchuan''s expression turned a little strange. He had not expected for this unremarkable youth to be the rumored new student of the Orthodox Academy.
He glanced him over and knew that this youth was an ordinary person. That dagger of his had also been extremely ordinary, so he knew that tonight, this youth had simply been caught in the crossfire. That this youth dared to take his dagger and stand before that demon made Xue Xingchuan somewhat admire him.
But this was just admiration.
No person dared to care about the Orthodox Academy. This was a cursed place.
He also did not want to care.
A person stepped forward to confirm Chen Changsheng''s identity.
The Red Cloud Qilin stamped on the ground and rose. Driving the red clouds, it soon disappeared into the Imperial Palace.
Chen Changsheng stared at this sight in shock.
...
...
Very early on the morning of the next day, Luoluo awoke. Her body had always been different from an ordinary person''s, and she had fallen unconscious last night primarily because of the strain on her body. She had not incurred any real injury and her mind had long since recovered completely.
However, she did not immediately rise from bed. She opened her eyes wide and gazed at the intricate embroidery of her bed curtains. She thought of what had happened last night, especially that scene before she fell unconscious, which she found somewhat baffling.
That massive black net descended like the sky itself was falling.
Just when she thought that she would die in the next moment, she saw that youth stand in front of her and bring up his dagger to meet it.
Her father had always said that when the sky is falling, there would be someone tall to hold it up for her. These words had always displeased her, because she always felt that her father was teasing her for being so short, but now she suddenly rejoiced over the fact that she was so petite.
That youth was truly not very tall, but he was taller than her.
So when the sky was falling, he had blocked it for her.
For some inexplicable reason, Luoluo felt very happy and began to giggle.
Then she thought of something and got up in surprise. She called out, "Where is everyone?"
Ten-odd clansmen rushed over as fast as fire.
She asked uneasily, "He''s okay, right?"
All the clansmen that were able serve her personally, whether man or woman, were all exceptionally intelligent. Upon hearing her question, they knew who she was inquiring after. A person reported, "Divine General Xue Xingchuan promptly arrivedthat youth was not injured."
Luoluo patted her chest, still somewhat fearful.
"Then it''s fine."
She got out of bed and said, "I''m going to go see him."
Those clansmen all glanced at each other then kneeled as one, some of their eyes even turning red.
Luoluo came to her senses and said awkwardly, "My apologies. In the future, I won''t do anything like I did last night."
Her clansmen were comforted by these words. Had their little princess finally matured into an adult?
"But I really do want to go and see him."
Luoluo said very seriously to her clansmen, "He is a very important person to me."
This statement instantly made the entire room as silent as a grave.
When they associated these words with the fact that their little princess had sneaked out of the Hundred Herb Garden and been caught in the demon''s assassination precisely because she wanted to meet that youth in the middle of the night
Her clansmen were thoroughly shocked. Had their little princess finally matured into an adult?
33 Teacher, Just Accept Me
"I know that my actions last night were improper, so I once again apologize to you all, but he really is very important to me. None of you can stop me, nor should you attempt to stop me. Of course, I can guarantee that I won''t leave your sight."
After saying this, she walked out of the room. As she did, her maids offered fragrant towels to wash her face and a goblet of water to rinse her mouth. While walking, she said to the clansmen behind her, "Even if you do accompany me, don''t accompany me too closely. If you expose my origins and give him a fright, that won''t be good."
Behind her, a middle-aged man and a beautiful woman glanced at each other, their faces slightly pale. They were the Guardian and Lady-in-Waiting dispatched by His Majesty to wait on the princess. Now that they were hearing their little princess''s words, they could clearly hear the tempo of those folk tales about wealthy young ladies falling in love with destitute young scholars and naturally grew rather concerned.
"Guardian Jin, what do we do now?" the beautiful woman whispered.
The middle-aged man called Guardian Jin had an ashen expression, unsightly to the extreme. "All of you women that personally serve her don''t even know what''s going on, so how could I know? Guardian Li, if a problem occurs, it will be all your responsibility!"
Luoluo was escorted to the side gate of the Hundred Herb Garden. Then, taking the items that she had her subordinate prepare in advance, she mounted a seemingly ordinary carriage. After waving her small hand at her subordinates, she drove the carriage herself into Hundred Flowers Lane. As for those experts of her clan, they had long since concealed themselves.
This girl''s way of doing things could really be described as with the vigor of a thunderbolt and the speed of the wind.
Guardian Li gazed at the gradually fading carriage, raising her sleeve to lightly wipe away the tears in the corner of her eye. She was somewhat anxious, yet also somewhat gratified. She said to Guardian Jin at her side, "Since the little Princess has begun to date, we must notify His Majesty and the Empress as soon as possible."
Guardian Jin''s expression turned even nastier. "If we let His Majesty know that the Princess is deeply in love with a human, do you think we will be able to survive?"
Guardian Li noted, "Don''t forget, didn''t His Majesty also take a human woman as his wife?"
Guardian Jin angrily retorted, "To take a wife and to marry off a daughter, male and female, are these the same things?"
Guardian Li sneered, "If you have the capability, say these words to the Empress."
At these words, Guardian Jin was at a loss for words, his mind also at a loss.
...
...
The Hundred Herb Garden and the Orthodox Academy were only separated by an old wall. Even when taking the long way through Hundred Flowers Lane, the distance was extremely short. The carriage did not need to travel far before it drove into the old academy gate, now clear of ivy, and entered the interior of the academy which was still rather desolate, but now carrying hints of new life.
The Orthodox Academy was peaceful and serene. Deep within the thick woods, the singing of birds could be heard. An exposed corner of a house reflected the sunlight, giving it the appearance of colored glass. The stone lion fountain outside the main hall had been cleaned, the weeds removed. It still seemed somewhat weathered by time, but ultimately, it no longer seemed abandoned.
Luoluo led the carriage along the lake shore. Upon seeing the deep marks left on the grass and the overturned trees by the lake, she thought of that seemingly sudden assassination attempt that had actually been planned by the demons in secret for many years. Her body suddenly felt a little cold.
The Orthodox Academy was abnormally quiet, as if not a single person lay within. In reality, many experts were concealed here. There were experts of her clan and also experts sent by the Imperial Palace. She was very sure that her safety was assured and her mood gradually began to relax.
The door to the library was tightly shut, but that lock was not in place. She knew that someone was inside.
She took in a deep breath, somewhat nervous, and began walking in that direction.
...
...
Chen Changsheng was reading a book, but in reality, his mind was wandering while he read, an extremely rare sight. He was also thinking of the events of last night.
His left hand caressed the sheath of his dagger as he silently recalled those scenes, hoping that it would not affect his studies in the Orthodox Academy. A demon expert had actually infiltrated into the capital for such a long time. Someone would have to take responsibility for this matter.
The girl who the demons had attempted to assassinate assuredly did not have an ordinary status. She should be okay now, right?
As he was thinking about those things, the sound of knocking could be heard from outside the library.
He stood up, walked to the door, and pulled the heavy wooden door open. Then, he saw the girl that he had just been worrying over.
This girl was very small, her eyes very bright, very big. Her eyelashes were very long, her lips very red. She was very beautiful, and when she widened her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes, she was very cute.
He had never interacted with such a cute girl before, so he fell into a momentary daze.
Luoluo widened her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes. Seeing how this youth looked like a silly goose, she became rather shy and also rather pleased, thinking, the methods taught to me by my Imperial Mother really are useful.
"Hello." Chen Changsheng finally awoke from his trance and took one step back.
Luoluo replied, "Hello."
Chen Changsheng seriously asked, "Might I ask, is there something you need?"
Luoluo froze, thinking, we just met last night and so many things happened. Could you possibly not understand what I came here for? For some reason, when she saw Chen Changsheng''s serious appearance, she couldn''t help but grow more serious herself. Bowing, she said, "Many thanks for saving me last night."
The appearance of this girl so seriously bowing was somewhat clumsy because she really was rarely required to bow to others, especially after she departed her home and came to the capitalbut it was precisely because of this so-called serious clumsiness paired with her beautiful face that created an absolute cuteness. At this time, she really was very cute.
Chen Changsheng felt it wasn''t good to touch the skin of the opposite sex, and so his attempts to support her and yet not touch her were also rather clumsy as he repeatedly implored, "Don''t mention it, don''t mention it, it''s what I should have done."
This was a very commonly seen conventional greeting, yet Luoluo was not willing to exchange courtesies. Straightening herself, her dark eyes slightly shifting, she asked, "Why is it something that you should have done?"
Chen Changsheng was a little taken aback. After considering the question for a few moments, he sincerely explained, "You''re younger than me, and he was a demon. Since we''re all humans, it''s only a matter of course that I protect you."
Upon hearing "we''re all humans", Luoluo chuckled, and then she noticed a certain detail in those words: he had spoken of protecting her, not saving her.
"But in the end, you still saved me."
She looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "What can I give to repay you?"
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "For you to come specially to express your thanks is enough."
Luoluo thought this over and then began to chuckle at him. She then turned and walked out of the library.
She had turned without the least sloppiness, left without hesitation.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the girl''s petite back, sighing with deep emotion. I said enough and it was enough, said leave and she left. The people of the capital really do act with an imposing manner.
Yet just as he had seated himself back on the floor and prepared to started reading once more
The girl came back.
She had moved many items from her carriage and then laid them out on the floorboards in front of Chen Changsheng.
...
...
The first object was a Night Pearl.
This was a very large Night Pearl. Although not as large as a washing bowl, it was at least the size of a noodle bowl. Moreover, it was very round, its surface exceptionally smooth without the slightest flaw.
Chen Changsheng gazed vacantly at the Night Pearl rolling around on the floor in front of him.
He hadn''t even seen a Night Pearl before, much less one of such size.
He had heard before that the Dew Platform of the Imperial Palace was covered in countless huge Night Pearls, but he was convinced that none of those Night Pearls was as large as this one.
...
...
Chen Changsheng had never seen a Night Pearl and yet had recognized that this seemingly ceramic object was a Night Pearl. This was not because he had read records and descriptions of Night Pearls in his books, but because for each item Luoluo took out, she would earnestly introduce it in a childish voice, with a childish manner.
Luoluo was very generous, but she was definitely not someone who would cast pearls before swine.
"This is the secret manual of the Mount Li Sword Stylewhether you''re from the Longevity Sect or Holy Maiden Peak, as long as you''re someone that uses the sword, you have to learn this sword style. It''s just that those southerners are all petty and aren''t willing to circulate it outwards. Imy family, for the sake of obtaining this sword manual, truly expended no small amount of effort."
She passed an ancient book into Chen Changsheng''s hands, not forgetting to note, "This is the original. The book in Mount Li''s Sword Hall is a copy made afterwards."
Chen Changsheng''s mind was in a trance. As he gazed at the scroll in his hands, he was sure that he was dreaming.
He was holding the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style in his hands?
There had never been any news in the continent of the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style being stolen.
Perhaps it was stolen by this girl''s family?
This girljust what sort of person was she?
...
...
There was a dull thump.
Luoluo placed a heavy box in front of Chen Changsheng as dust was jolted out of the seams in the floorboards.
Opening the box, one could see that it was piled high with golden leaves, but this was not all. She used her small hands to sweep aside those golden leaves like they were actually fallen leaves, revealing the true contents of the box: half a box of extremely rare and precious crystals!
"Right, I''m living in the Hundred Herb Garden, just next door."
Like she was performing a magic trick, Luoluo produced a bamboo basket from behind her and said, "I also don''t know what you require, so I asked them to just randomly pick a bit of each."
Chen Changsheng had already been rendered somewhat numb by the Night Pearl, the sword manual, and the half box of crystals, but upon seeing the bamboo basket full of those rarely-seen medicinal herbs and strange fruits recklessly piled like weeds, he was shocked once more, struck entirely speechless.
Luoluo gazed at him in interest as she thought, could this not be enough?
She thought it over, then her hand reached out to her left lapel and gently pulled, plucking off another button.
She had already pulled off two yesterday. With the pulling off of this button, her left lapel drooped down, revealing her pure white neck.
This dazzling white awoke Chen Changsheng from his stupor. As he quickly turned his head, he asked in shock, "What do you want to do?"
Luoluo offered the button made of rhinoceros horn and said, "LahI''m also giving this to you."
"What is this?"
"It''s a Thousand Li Button. Have you heard of it before?"
Chen Changsheng took the button as he thought of the records in the library concerning wondrous magical artifacts. With shock, he raised the button in the air to carefully examine it under the sunlight.
After a while, he woke from his daze and hurriedly placed the button back in the girl''s hand.
"No reward without merit."
He said very seriously to the girl, "Last night, it was still that general who came and saved the two of us. I really didn''t do anything, and even if I did do a few small things, just as I said before, it''s enough for you to come specially to thank me. How could I possibly deserve such precious gifts?"
"You''ve misunderstood. These things aren''t in thanks for your saving my life."
Luoluo pointed at those items on the floor and said, "These are gifts to acknowledge you as my teacher."
Chen Changsheng did not quite understand. "What?"
"Gifts to acknowledge you as my teacher."
Luoluo looked into his eyes, her expression abnormally resolute. "Teacher, I want to acknowledge you as my master and follow you in cultivation."
...
...
The library was silent.
A refreshing breeze blew in from the window.
The Night Pearl slowly rolled across the pitch-black floor.
The ancient manual on the Mount Li Sword Style gently opened its pages, revealing several dozen images of people wielding swords.
The herbs in the bamboo basket exuded a faint aroma.
Chen Changsheng needed a very long time to finally understand what had happened.
He gazed at the girl and asked in confusion, "Why?"
Luoluo replied, "Six days ago, on that night, wasn''t it Teacher that lit up your Fated Star?"
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, "Yesbut, look, I just lit up my Fated Star and haven''t even succeeded at Purification. Last night, I saw you fighting with that demon. You''re much stronger than me, so how can I possibly be your teacher?"
Luoluo replied, "Last night, wasn''t I only able to wound that demon because of Teacher''s instructions?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "First of all, can you not call me Teacher?"
Luoluo sweetly smiled and said, "Very well, Teacher."
Chen Changsheng felt very helpless. He raised up his two hands to explain, "That was just luck."
Luoluo was still sweetly smiling. "But for Teacher to know the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, to know the Yeshi Step, those can''t be luck."
Chen Changsheng thought about this, then replied, "I justhave read more books than other people."
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and seriously replied, "Then the method for circulating true essence? I''ve already memorized the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but I just don''t know how to use true essence to control the sword. Not even the professors of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy knew the answer to this question, but Teacheryou could reveal it with a single remark."
Chen Changsheng fell silent. He really wanted to explain this as luck as well. It was just that he had developed several hypothetical experiments, almost guesses, on how to use true essence when the meridians were blocked. Last night, when the situation had been at its most desperate, he was forced to yell it out to try, but he had not expected for the girl to really succeed.
But last night''s success did not mean that the success would continue.
And he couldn''t explain the problems of his body to this girl.
Of course, he was even less capable of accepting this girl as his student.
Although the Night Pearl was very beautiful, the sword manual very attractive, and those medicinal herbs very good.
He stood up and prepared to leave the library, but realized that hecouldn''t move his feet.
Because his feet were being held by a person.
Luoluo was sitting on the floor, her body leaning forward as her two hands tightly grasped his thigh.
Her small face was pressed tightly up against his thigh.
She looked like a cute and unwilling girl who had been abandoned by a heartless man.
Yet her heart was brimming with joy.
She silently thought: Yes, it''s exactly this scent!
"Teacher, just accept me."
She raised her head and opened wide her bright and intelligent eyes. She looked at Chen Changsheng and said pitifully, "Whatever you want, I can promise it to you."
34 Acknowledging a Teacher I
The Orthodox Academy and the Hundred Herb Garden were separated by only a single old wall. The wall was crawling with ivy and its base was overgrown with moss.
Guardian Jin and Guardian Li were on ladders, mounting the wall and eavesdropping on the activity in the distant library. The two possessed lofty cultivations and their little princess was not deliberately concealing anything from them, so they could clearly see what was going on in that place. When they saw what their little princess did, they instantly fell off the wall and crashed to the ground.
The sound of something heavy falling came from the distant academy wall, but it had no effect on the library. In the quiet and tranquil building, on its pitch-black and shining floors, a static picture seemed to be preserved. In this scene, Luoluo was tightly hugging onto Chen Changsheng''s thigh while Chen Changsheng was like a sculpture, not daring to budge an inch.
"Release me, release me first."
Chen Changsheng was very nervous, such that even his voice was somewhat trembling. Although this girl didn''t seem more than ten years old, she was still a girl. To have her petite hands tightly gripping his thigh was already an extremely awkward matter, so he didn''t dare move and could only incessantly call out.
"The moment I release, Teacher will just run away," Luoluo very seriously replied.
Helpless, Chen Changsheng quickly promised, "Relax, I absolutely won''t run away. First release me, and then we can talk after that."
Luoluo appeared very obedient, faithfully believing his words. Her two hands loosened their grip and then pointed at the floor, indicating that he should sit.
Chen Changsheng thought of how agilely this girl had moved and confirmed that he would be unable to escape her petite hands. After sighing in his heart, he sat down.
Seeing that he really wasn''t planning another escape, Luoluo became very happy.
The library was very quiet. Chen Changsheng didn''t know what to say and felt the situation rather embarrassing. However, it was very obvious that Luoluo did not feel this way.
She sat in front of him, her hand propping up her chin as she attentively stared at him, a smile on her face.
The two were so close that Chen Changsheng could see his own face in her shining black pupils, could sense the happiness in her heartthis extremely pure happiness seemed somewhat infectious for some reason, and he also felt a sort of happiness bubble forth from the depths of his heart.
But just because he felt happiness, or perhaps fondness, did not mean he would agree to her request, because no matter how he looked at it, this was an utterly unreasonable matter. He seriously explained, "I really am an ordinary person. You also said before, I''ve just fixed my Fated Star. I haven''t even succeeded in Purification. You''re already stronger than me, so how can you acknowledge me as your teacher?"
Luoluo was still propping up her chin while staring at him, as if she found him rather handsome, as if she wouldn''t get enough no matter how long she looked. "Teacher, if you''re just a normal person, how could you have done those things? Moreover, you''re a good person."
Chen Changsheng didn''t understand what those things the two had discussed had to do with being a good person, so he asked, "And then?"
"Last night, before I fell unconscious, I saw Teacher holding his sword in front of me as the sky fell, so Teacher is a good person."
Another meaning suddenly appeared in Luoluo''s smile as she said, "But in fact, that wasn''t the final scene that I saw. The final scene that I saw was a sky full of stars, real stars, and at that time...Heaven Defending Divine General Xue Xingchuan had not arrived."
Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that she had seen. He somewhat helplessly asked, "And so what?"
"Teacher, your sword can break through the Heavenly Net, so it''s naturally no ordinary sword. Then you are naturally no ordinary person."
Luoluo''s gaze moved down to that seemingly very ordinary dagger at his waist.
Chen Changsheng gazed out the window to get a feel for the time of day, then suddenly exclaimed in shock, "Ah!"
Luoluo followed his gaze out the window, somewhat uncertain. What''s wrong? she thought.
"It''s no longer early."
Chen Changsheng pointed out the window and said, "I have to eat first. Why don''t we talk more afterwards?"
Luoluo''s cheeks slightly swelled like a steamed bun, very cute. It was also like a little tiger, also very cute.
She was preparing to pounce.
Chen Changsheng''s voice slightly changed as he shouted, "Don''t grab me!"
Although they had only interacted with each other for an extremely short time, Luoluo already had a rough estimation of his personality and knew that pressing him too hard would not be good. Somewhat reluctantly, she put down her hands. As she watched Chen Changsheng noiselessly walk to the door of the library, she said, "Teacher, just accept me."
On the floor, her dress spread out like a flower and she sat in the middle of it, pathetic and cute to the extreme.
Chen Changsheng did not dare to turn his head, or else his heart would certainly go soft. Waving his hands, he ran like he was escaping.
...
...
After eating a bowl of vegetables in rice soup in Hundred Flowers Lane and strolling about the capital for half a day, he guessed that the strange girl should have left. Only then did he return to the Orthodox Academy. Upon walking into the library and glancing around, he saw that there really was no one around and finally relaxed.
As the sky gradually darkened and he thought about how he had shamefully wasted so much time, he completed his preparations as fast as possible and began to meditate, intending to draw in starlight for Purification. Yet before he had time to close his eyes, he saw the swaying of a dress in the starlight as the girl walked in.
Chen Changsheng helplessly said, "I''ve already said that it''s not possible."
Luoluo acted like she hadn''t heard him speak. Minding her own business, she said, "Teacher, I moved those items into your bedroom. Only one of those houses had a stove, so that should be the one that Teacher lives in? I put the herbs in the attic to dry, but the rest of them I placed under your bed."
Chen Changsheng had noticed that the Night Pearl, sword manual, and those other items had all vanished. He had originally thought that the girl had taken them away, but he not imagined that she would actually help him store them away in his house and was utterly clueless as to how to respond.
"I want to cultivate."
He felt very helpless, and he truly did not feel like wasting more time and missing out on a night of drawing in starlight for Purification. He could only treat the girl like she didn''t exist and tightly closed his eyes.
Suddenly, he smelled an extremely dull fragrance coming from his right side.
He opened his eyes in surprise and saw that the girl had already seated herself by his side, her small face not even a foot from him. Even closer and they would be touching.
He helplessly asked, "Just what do you want to do?"
Luoluo''s eyes instantly brightened. "Teacher, I want to acknowledge you as my teacher."
Chen Changsheng had no words, so he could only give up, close his eyes, and begin to meditate.
It was easy to see that he had grown up with only the Daoist scriptures and boredom as his companions. Under the close gaze of a girl, he was actually able to enter meditation.
As the sky brightened, the crowing of a rooster resounded through homes and into the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and slowly awoke. He suddenly felt that his right arm was somewhat heavy and rather ached.
He turned his head and was given a fright, and then he sighed.
The girl was hugging his arm, her head resting on his shoulder, soundly asleep. It looked like she had been sleeping the entire night.
Chen Changsheng lightly pushed her awake, saying, "Go home."
"Don''t want to," she said rather aggrievedly as she rubbed her eyes.
Chen Changsheng sighed, asking, "Why do you have to act this way?"
"Last night when Teacher was drawing in starlight for Purification, I hugged Teacher and smelled for a very long time...I confirmed it, that smell is the smell from your body. That smell is really nice. I was very comfortable by Teacher''s side, like I had eaten a fruit of longevity."
Luoluo thought of last night and her eyes grew even brighter, just like the Great White Star that not even the morning light could conceal. Then she began to chuckle embarrassedly and continued to speak, "I''ve never eaten a fruit of longevity, but I''ve heard Mother talk about it before."
Chen Changsheng was once more speechless, thinking, because I smell good, you want to become my student? Just because you want to smell that scent every day?
"My cultivation has encountered a very troublesome obstacle that no one can solve, not even the professors of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy, yet Teacher could resolve it...the method of circulating true essence for the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong. I can only use Teacher''s eight words from that night. This is proof."
Luoluo seriously declared, "So, I must acknowledge you as my teacher."
The method for circulating true essence for the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong concerned the secrets of Chen Changsheng''s body. Of course, this was not at all the primary reason behind his rejection of this girl. "I''m not qualified to teach you, nor do I have the time to teach you. I have to study, I have to cultivate, I have many important things that I need to do."
Luoluo had watched him for an entire day, so she naturally knew that he cherished his time, even somewhat excessively. She asked, "Teacher, why are you in such a hurry?"
Yes, to value time so much seemed to reflect some anxiety.
Chen Changsheng saw the vivid concern in the girl''s eyes and suddenly felt a little warm. He had always displayed a very calm exterior, but very few people were able to see that anxiety and unease hid behind this calm. For some reason, he suddenly wanted to talk.
"I want to participate in the Grand Examination, and also...I have to take first rank of the first banner," he explained very seriously to her.
The early morning was when the library was most quiet. There was no chirping of cicadas or singing of birds, and even the frogs and insects were asleep.
After a very long time, there were no jeers nor a reply of shock.
Even Tang Thirty-Six''s emotions changed somewhat when he heard of Chen Changsheng''s goal.
But Luoluo''s expression did not change in the slightest. She earnestly gazed at Chen Changsheng, waiting for his next words.
Chen Changsheng asked, "You...you don''t feel that this goal is too laughable? At least...a little shocking?"
"Laughable? Shocking? Why?"
Luoluo heard his question and was, on the contrary, rather puzzled. "If Teacher participates in the Grand Examination, of course you should obtain first rank of the first banner."
The library fell silent once more. From the distance came the faint song of a bird, but this only magnified the silence.
Chen Changsheng was at a loss.
Her tone of voice made him feel that if he were to participate in the Grand Examination and not get first rank of the first banner, that would truly be the odd outcome.
He had never eaten a legendary fruit of longevity, but he thought that even if he ate several hundred fruits of longevity, they would not make him as happy as those words.
"But why must Teacher participate in the Grand Examination?"
Luoluo had no idea how much comfort her response had brought to Chen Changsheng as she asked in curiosity, "Do you want to see the Mausoleum of Books? I can take Teacher in to see."
Chen Changsheng did not pay attention to the latter half of her words.
He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed in the direction of the nearby Imperial Palace, in the direction of the Lingyan Pavilion.
Those who attained a place on the three banners of the Grand Examination could enter the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths and comprehend the Dao. This was something he wanted.
But only the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner had the opportunity to enter the Lingyan Pavilion for one night of contemplation.
This was what was truly important to him.
35 Acknowledging a Teacher II
From the moment his master had picked him out of the stream, the words Chen Changsheng had heard the most were: your fate is not good. Especially after that night at the age of ten when his body exuded that strange fragrance, those five words were like an annotation that was forever engraved in his heart.
If he wanted to change his fate, there were only two methods. The first was to cultivate to the Realm of Concealed Divinity, after which point he would naturally no longer be contained within the wheel of fate. But the Concealed Divinity Realm existed only in legends; not even that Dufu who was unparalleled throughout the world was able to enter the Concealed Divinity Realm, so this method was very doubtful.
The second method was naturally to defy the heavens and change fate. It was rumored, and also told to him by his master, that ever since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, only three people had succeeded in defying the heavens and changing fate. All three possessed unearthly talent and unequalled strength while he was just an insignificant normal person, so how could he do it?
Whether or not he could do it, it was still something he had to do, so he had to participate in the Grand Examination, he had to obtain first rank of the first banner. Only this way would he have the opportunity to enter the Lingyan Pavilion that forbade entry to everyone, would he be able to see the portraits of those people and see what they had left behind.
The Lingyan Pavilion contained the portraits of twenty-four outstanding ministers that had served in Taizong''s era. Afterwards, when other important statesmen died, their portraits were added to the pavilion. However, the truly important ones were still the original twenty-four. Those twenty-four portraits might possibly contain evidence and clues for the second successful changing of fate in the Great Zhou Dynasty''s history.
Chen Changsheng awoke from his contemplation and withdrew his gaze from the Imperial Palace, turning his head to the girl sitting on the floor.
He really liked this child, but he could not accept her as his student. This girl lived in the Hundred Herb Garden and the demons had attempted to assassinate her last night, so her origins were assuredly extraordinary. The greatest possibility was that she was one of the descendants of the Imperial clan that the Divine Empress had banished to the outlying counties but then had been secretly brought back by the Empress. There was no way he could afford to provoke this sort of figure.
Moreover, he did not want to mislead another person''s child.
"I need to wash up, and then I''m going to rest for a while. Go home and don''t follow me."
As Chen Changsheng spoke, he deliberately made his tone and expression more indifferent. Without waiting for the girl to disagree, he left the library.
He could only hope that she would retreat in the face of these difficulties. At night, he returned to the library. Seeing that the girl was nowhere in sight, he finally relaxed and continued to draw in starlight for Purification, oblivious in his meditation as he awaited the coming of the dawn, and yet another night passed by.
He still did not know of the fact that the radiance of the stars had all entered his body, only that no change had occurred with his skin and hair, that no progress had been made with his Purification. But he was already used to this fact, though he was somewhat unaccustomed to the empty feeling around his right arm when he opened his eyes.
He was silent for a few moments, then he left the library and returned to his house to take a bath.
The steam exuded by the hot water within the wooden basin slowly creeped up the ivy on the walls and then was sliced into countless streams of silky smoke. He soaked in the water and leaned against the edge of the basin with his eyes closed, somewhat exhausted. The academy in the morning was so quiet that he kept feeling like something was missing.
Just like when he had opened his eyes and felt like his right arm was missing something.
There was no beautiful and melodious voice, no one clinging to his arm.
It was just that in these past few days, he had grown used to the existence of that little girl. Upon thinking about this, he felt somewhat embarrassed, his face a little hot. Only then did he realize that no matter how much he cultivated to calm his heart and pursue his heart''s desires, he would never be able to completely escape the influence of vanity and other emotions.
He placed a wet towel over his heated face, not wanting it to be seen by the morning light.
Suddenly, a massive boom came from the academy wall next to the wooden basin. Dust billowed into the air as bricks collapsed into rubble.
Chen Changsheng took off the towel and stared in shock. Amidst the dust, he could faintly see that the academy wallnow had a large hole.
As the dust settled, Luoluo walked through the hole from the other side.
She turned her head and saw Chen Changsheng in the wooden basin. Exceptionally pleased, she said, "I didn''t calculate wrong, it''s right here!"
These words were not aimed at Chen Changsheng, but at those subordinates behind her holding masonry tools.
For a moment, the area behind the peaceful house, under the old wall, was abuzz with the sounds of construction.
None of the busy people even glanced at the wooden basin, almost as if they could not see the youth in it.
Seeing this frenzy of construction before him, Chen Changsheng felt like the temperature of the water in the basin was rapidly dropping, his body following suit. He was so stunned that he couldn''t manage any words. Like a fool, he watched with mouth agape, finding this scene thoroughly preposterous, and his presence within it even more so.
Before long, a brand-new wooden door appeared in the academy wall.
Those people retreated like the tide into the Hundred Herb Garden. With the closing of the wooden door, the Orthodox Academy returned to its previous tranquility.
Except that there was an extra door and an extra person.
"With this, it''ll be much more convenient to come every day, so I don''t have to use the carriage."
Her hands on her waist, Luoluo gazed at the door with great satisfaction.
There was only silence. No one replied to her.
She turned to look and only saw Chen Changsheng looking like a frozen quail, his two hands holding the sides of the basin. His appearance was very amusing.
Luoluo seriously replied, "Teacher, please continue, no need to concern yourself about me."
Suddenly, Chen Changsheng turned extremely solemn, a limitless shock and fear appearing in his eyes.
He stared at the azure sky above her and said in a trembling voice, "Dragon?!"
Shocked, Luoluo turned around but only saw a cobalt blue sky, no dragon in sight.
Just then, the sloshing of water came from behind her.
She turned and saw that Chen Changsheng had already put on his outer clothes, jumped out of the water, and run off into the forest at an incredible speed. Dripping water as he ran, he cut the sorriest of figures, like a dog that had fallen into the water, or even more like a dog that had lost its home.
Luoluo couldn''t help but laugh at this scene. Waving her hand at his back, she called out, "Teacher, you''ll have to come back some time."
Chen Changsheng''s figure vanished into the forest.
The smile on Luoluo''s face gradually faded, making her seem somewhat sorrowful. She softly sighed, "Teacher, just why aren''t you willing to accept me?"
...
...
Chen Changsheng was soaked all over, his black hair scattered, and his feet didn''t even have shoes. He felt wretched, but did not dare return to the Orthodox Academy to change clothes. In the entire capital, he actually couldn''t find a place to go. This was because he was ashamed to show himself in public and also couldn''t find anyone to help him.
Although he still had the room in that inn outside the Mausoleum of Books, it was truly too far a distance to walk to the northern part of the city. He had no desire to be arrested by the city guard for his inappropriate dress and charged with the crime of being a hindrance to the view from the Imperial City. Ultimately, he was forced to go to the somewhat closer Heavenly Dao Academy.
He was successful in attracting the gazes and jeers of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s students. To these, he could only act like he couldn''t see or hear them. Finally, he was able to find Tang Thirty-Six''s residence. Without hesitation, he kicked open the door and said respectfully, "Let me borrow a set of clean clothes and I''ll owe you a favor."
Upon seeing his appearance, Tang Thirty-Six was firstly dumbstruck, and then he roared with laughter. It was just that the gap between the former and the latter was somewhat large, making him seem somewhat wooden, his reaction a little too slow. But to Chen Changsheng, this laughter was still grating on his ears.
"A rare visitortruly a rare visitorjust what''s going on with you?"
"Although I''ve never been willing to wear another person''s clothes, I don''t have any other option at this point, so I ask you to please hurry up a little."
Chen Changsheng''s tone was extremely serious.
Tang Thirty-Six could sense that if he really did move slowly, this fellow really might get angry. Forcefully suppressing his laughter, he stood up and found a clean set of clothes for him, throwing him two towels as well while he was at it. "Wipe your hair and feet. Relax, these are new towels."
"Thank you."
Chen Changsheng cleaned himself as quickly as he could, after which he gave a long and relaxed sigh and took measure of his surroundings. He discovered that this fellow really was a genius worthy of being ranked thirty-sixth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. In a place like the Heavenly Dao Academy, he actually had a little house for himself. It was just that upon seeing the ground covered in balls of paper, leftovers of meals from days ago, and the tables, chairs, and bed randomly piled with bits of junk, he realized that although this house was big, there was actually no place for him to sit.
"Sit." Tang Thirty-Six was completely unaware of his present suffering.
"Sit where?" Chen Changsheng very seriously asked.
Tang Thirty-Six then recalled this fellow''s peculiarity and grudgingly stood up, saying, "Let''s go eat."
Following the paths of the Heavenly Dao Academy out of the school, Chen Changsheng once more attracted quite a few gazes. This time, however, it was not because of his sorry appearance, but because he was walking alongside Tang Thirty-Six. The students of the Heavenly Dao Academy were all flabbergasted, thinking, just who is this youth, actually able to talk and laugh with the lofty and cold Tang Thirty-Six?
After they seated themselves at an exceptionally elegant restaurant outside the Heavenly Dao Academy, Tang Thirty-Six suddenly recalled a matter and creased his brow. He asked very seriously, "I went to the inn once and saw the note you left behindyou really entered the Orthodox Academy?"
Chen Changsheng nodded his head, then asked, "What have you been doing these past few days?"
In truth, what he wanted to ask Tang Thirty-Six was why had he not come to find him despite knowing that he had entered the Orthodox Academy. After all, Tang Thirty-Six was his only acquaintance in the capital. Although he had always believed that by enduring loneliness, anything could be done, he still wouldn''t mind not being lonely.
It was just that with his personality, it was truly too difficult to directly ask this question.
Upon hearing Chen Changsheng personally admit that he had entered the Orthodox Academy, Tang Thirty-Six''s expression grew rather solemn. Seeing that Chen Changsheng had changed the subject, he thought that this guy did not want to talk about his own sorrowful affairs, so he replied, "The Ivy Festival is about to begin. Although I''m not afraid of anybody, I still have to make a few preparations."
Chen Changsheng thought, what''s the Ivy Festival?
Tang Thirty-Six added, "Speaking of which, how did you end up looking like that? For the Grand Examination, I only want to get into the top three of the first banner, and I''m working every day until I''m exhausted. As your goal is first rank of the first banner, you''re still in the mood to have water fights with other people? Or is ityou encountered some problem?"
"That place, the Orthodox AcademyI really can''t stay there anymore."
Chen Changsheng thought of his encounters over the past few days, thought about how he could see that girl, no matter if he was opening or closing his eyes, taking a bath, or reading books. He couldn''t help but feel rather dejected, an extremely rare emotion for him to experience.
Tang Thirty-Six thought that while Chen Changsheng had been studying in the Orthodox Academy, he had received endless cold and disdainful humiliations. He couldn''t help but sympathize, so he patted Chen Changsheng on the shoulder and said, "If it''s really no good, just leave. Iwill write a letter and have you go to Wenshui to study."
Chen Changsheng sighed.
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s miserable appearance, Tang Thirty-Six grew rather annoyed, thinking, back when you were ruthlessly denied entry to the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy, you were so unperturbed and easygoing, or else why would I value you so highly? So why are you acting this way now? Could it be that the Orthodox Academy really is a cursed place?
"After some wine and sleep, you''ll feel better."
He had the owner bring over two pots of extremely strong fine wine and pushed one pot in front of Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng looked at the wine pot, rather curious, then earnestly said, "I''ve never drunk before."
Tang Thirty-Six unsealed the pot for him and said, "If you''re drunk today, then you''ve drunk before."
Chen Changsheng had worries on his mind, and truthfully, so did Tang Thirty-Six. Moreover, he had spoken the truth. The two youths were not too familiar and didn''t understand each other too well, so since they naturally had nothing to chat about, they might as well take up wine cups and silently drink. This was what was meant by alcohol drunk to drown one''s sorrows.
This sort of drinking was most liable to make a person drunk, especially for a guy like Chen Changsheng that was drinking for the first time.
Of course, Tang Thirty-Six''s tolerance for alcohol was also not much to crow about.
"A genius like me doesn''t have the time to attend some Ivy Festival, but that group of idiot students from the capital actually dare to doubt this young master''s strength"
Tang Thirty-Six looked beyond the balcony at those students wearing the uniform of the Heavenly Dao Academy and sneered, "This time, I''m definitely going to beat up the faces of those guys!"
Chen Changsheng was using both his hands to hold the wine cup, his eyes somewhat squinty. It was obvious that he was already drunk. He slurred out, "The Ivy Festivaljust what is it?Isis there anyanything good to eat?Is there wine?"
...
...
The capital had the Heavenly Dao Academy, Star Seizer Academy, Temple Seminaryin total, six academies with extremely long histories and extremely respected statuses.
The vicissitudes of history were all reflected on the ivy covering the gates of these six academies, so these six academies were called the Six Ivies. Only the students of the Six Ivies were not required to attend the pre-examination and could directly participate in the Grand Examination. From this, one could imagine the status of these six academies.
The Grand Examination''s pre-examination was usually held in the summer. The students of the Six Ivies had no need to attend, but, not wanting their students to miss out on an opportunity to hone themselves, after the grades for the pre-examination were published, the Six Ivies would invite those students that had passed the pre-examination as well as their own students to attend a magnificent feast.
Because this feast was also attended by the students of the Six Ivies, it was much more intense than the pre-examination. History had already proved that the rankings produced during this feast would basically match up to the final ranking produced in the Grand Examination, so the feast gradually began to be regarded as a weathervane for the Grand Examination.
Of course, this ranking certainly did not include those students still in the south and those cultivating geniuses that did not tend to show off their skills.
This feast was called the Ivy Festival.
With Tang Thirty-Six''s personality, he had only scorn for attending the Ivy Festival, but he had a relationship with the Vice Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy. A few days ago, his intentions had been deliberately exposed, causing him to suffer a few baseless rumors, and there were even a few young experts from the other Six Ivies that were also on the Proclamation of Azure Sky that revealed their contempt for his stance. As a result, Tang Thirty-Six decided to participate.
Because of this, he had closed himself up in the Heavenly Dao Academy in bitter cultivation. Even though he knew Chen Changsheng had entered the Orthodox Academy, he had no time to visit.
Chen Changsheng put down his wine cup, covered his lips with a hand, and burped. He somewhat embarrassedly murmured an apology and then said, "I wish you success."
Since the Ivy Festival was a comparison of strength between those so-called geniuses, it naturally had nothing to do with him.
He was thinking this way, but he had forgotten that the Orthodox Academy he was studying in was also one of the Six Ivies.
Of course, it seemed like the entire world had forgotten this fact.
36 Pervert? Piece of Trash?
Upon returning to the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng stunk of alcohol. With his squinted eyes and unsteady walk, his intoxication was evident. As for some business about the Ivy Festival, it had long since been cast out of his mind and he could no longer remember it.
The library had no lights. Without him there, the Orthodox Academy naturally became as deserted as it had been in the past. As he walked along the lake, his surroundings were quiet and devoid of people. There were only the stars bobbing up and down in the limpid waters of the lake, the indistinct reflections of the trees on the other shore, and the refreshing breeze of the late spring blowing against him.
He stood on a stone on the lake shore, raising his head and gazing at the stars in the night sky for a very long time. Then, he looked down at the stars in the lake and also gazed at them for a very long time. Finally, he closed his eyes and silently stood there for a very long time before suddenly yelling out several words akin to curses at the lake.
He always gave off an aura of silence and composure, a maturity that exceeded his age, and this sort of venting of emotions was extremely rare. Tonight, under the influence of alcohol, he actually realized that he was somewhat tired. He straightforwardly sat on the grass by the lake, fell backwards, and then his mind began to wander off.
The library was pitch-black. He did not go read, did not go draw in starlight for Purification, he just lay on the grass in a trance, a pure trance with no thoughts whatsoever. In these few years, especially after that night at the age of ten, this was the first time he had indulged himself in this way, the first time he had wasted so much time.
After some time had passed, he opened his eyes and realized that he was still lying on the grass, his two hands touching the slightly chilly dew on the blades of grass. His cheeks were also somewhat moist. Faint rays of sunlight could be seen on the distant horizon; it was probably around five o''clock. Even when he wanted to abandon all restraints under his intoxication, he still woke up so promptly. The strict, even inflexible, discipline of his daily routine and his method of handling things had already sunk deep into the marrow of his bones, becoming a sort of instinct. This made him feel very helpless.
Habit was a very powerful thing, such that even washing the marrow could not wash it away. Chen Changsheng returned to his house and went to the water barrel to carefully wash his face with a moist towel. On one side, he thought about some trivial concerns while on the other side, he kept the corner of his eyes on that new and tightly shut door in the wall, for some reason feeling somewhat expectant.
(TN: Note that ''marrow-washing'' is the literal translation of ''ϴ'', Purification.)
The heavens would never grant whatever one asked for, but today, they did. With a creak, the wooden door was pushed open and a girl jumped over the threshold like she was hopping stones to cross a stream. Then, she bounced over to him, her two black ponytails bobbing behind her very cutely.
Luoluo looked at him and happily said, "Lah, Teacher, don''t you think it''s very convenient?"
She was smiling very happily, but in reality, she was very nervous, afraid that Chen Changsheng would run off like he had yesterday.
Chen Changsheng did not run away. Perhaps it was because, today, he wasn''t bathing naked in a wooden basin, or perhaps it was because he still hadn''t awakened from last night''s hangover, or perhaps it was because he had finally abandoned all resistance in the face of this girl''s nagging. Or maybe, he also very much wanted to see this girl.
Walking out of the Orthodox Academy, he bought two bowls of wontons and passed the one that didn''t have peppers in it to the girl. He then walked into the library, the girl following with quick and small steps while holding the wonton bowl, abnormally pleased.
After breakfast, Chen Changsheng began to read. With extreme proficiency, he found his objective amongst the bookshelves, sat down on the floor, and began to silently and attentively read, comparing the information in these more primary texts with the three thousand Daoist scriptures he had read in Xining Village. He called this method comparative study.
Reading was a very dull task, and watching someone else read was even more boring. When Chen Changsheng quietly read, he naturally would not speak. At the beginning, Luoluo found it very interesting, moving close to him and reading with him. When she realized that there were many books that she could not understand, she began to feel bored, feeling that waking up early was really not a great thing. Sleepiness began to encroach upon her like the ants under a tree, wave after wave, assaulting without end, making her head feel heavier and heavier
After some time had passed, Chen Changsheng emerged from his state of forgetting everything but books and felt that his right arm was somewhat heavy, somewhat limp and numb. He instantly thought of that scene when he woke up from that night of meditation and turned his head. As expected, the girl was once more hugging his arm in sleep.
Her hand was truthfully not hugging his right arm, only lightly grabbing his sleeve. She was also not leaning on his shoulderbecause of her small stature, she could only lean against his upper arm. This posture was truthfully not very comfortable, but she slept very soundly and sweetly.
Chen Changsheng gazed at her completely relaxed appearance, at the childishness completely revealed by this relaxation, and began to smile.
For her to be able to sleep so soundly, so sweetly, was naturally because she was very relaxed. She was so relaxed because she trusted him. To have someone''s complete trust was an extremely fine feeling, especially to a person like him who had silently advanced through the capital all on his own.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the girl''s face.
The normal person did not like the light when sleeping, preferring the dark instead, but this girl was clearly different from the masses. That shadow caused her brow to wrinkle, her nose to also slightly wrinkle. She made two unsatisfied groans. It was possible that she might wake up in the next moment.
Chen Changsheng enjoyed seeing this little girl sleep. Having it disturbed naturally made him very unhappy. He turned to the door of the library, subconsciously arching his brows.
The person that had appeared at the library door was Shuang''er. For some reason, a layer of frost seemed to cover her face and her gaze was almost frigid.
...
...
Shuang''er''s mood today was extremely poor because the White Crane had returned once more from the distant south, carrying another letter from the young lady.
Her young lady was not one of those idiots whose brains had been muddled by those idiotic books on womanly virtue, and the Great Zhou Dynasty never placed such baffling requirements on their women as the south did. Shuang''er clearly understood this point, so she was all the more puzzled over the concern her young lady showed for this shameless youth.
Although there was that engagement, there would eventually come a day when that engagement would be torn to shreds, so why was her young lady so concerned about that guy? Well, the young lady had only written in her letter that she wanted to know about any recent developments with regards to that youth, which could hardly be considered concernbut, why did she want to know?
In fact, Shuang''er clearly understood that the young lady did not want that youth, because of the engagement, to become dust in the river of the capital, and so asked her to inquire on these matters.
She very obediently inquired and knew that Chen Changsheng had now become the first student of the Orthodox Academy in many years. Moreover, based on the attitudes of the master and madam, although that youth might not have any future prospects, there would no problems with keeping his life. In accordance with the young lady''s instructions, she had made the journey to the Orthodox Academy to ask him if he still required any assistance, like in terms of money. She had not expected that upon walking into the library, she would actually see such a sight!
Who was this girl? Why would she be embracing that guy? Was this studying? Although the Orthodox Academy was run-down, it was still a place of education! This guy was actually embracing this girl in the library! How scandalous!
Upon seeing this sight, Shuang''er flew into wrathful indignation. You have an engagement with the young lady! Although this engagement most certainly does not count, since you still haven''t ended it, your identity is still that of the young lady''s fianc! Or else why would the young lady be concerned over your safety despite being ten thousand li away, even inviting a powerful figure of the palace to come and protect your puny life? Although the young lady might not like you, she still cares deeply for you, and yet you consort with some other girl! Truly an adulterous couple!
Shuang''er had originally wanted to say these final four words out loud, but when she saw the childish beauty of the girl, she lost a little of her resolve. Instead, she glared at Chen Changsheng and hatefully yelled, "Pervert!"
With this word, she no longer had the mind to care about Chen Changsheng''s situation. With a brush of her sleeve, she turned and angrily departed.
The Orthodox Academy was secluded and uninhabited. Although the grass by the lake was delightful, Lady Shuang''er was rather gloomy and becoming increasingly unhappy.
After returning to the Divine General of the East''s estate, she began to write a letter to her young lady. The matters she had inquired aboutespecially the scene she saw today, were carefully described. Although she did not embellish, only writing what she had heard and seen, the denouncement in her words could not be completely concealed.
The White Crane left the capital and flew off to the distant Holy Maiden Peak in the south.
At dusk, when the setting sun illuminated the strange flowers and unusual grasses on the cliff, the White Crane descended. The girl extended her hand and took down the letter and after briefly looking it over, fell silent for a long time.
The White Crane once more brought up the brush in its mouth, dipped it with the perfect amount of ink and deposited it perfectly in her hands.
Grasping the brush, the young girl gazed at the snow-white paper for a very long time. Suddenly, she sighed and used the end of the brush to scratch her head, then turned to the White Crane and vexedly said, "I really don''t know what to write. Based on how you described him beforethat young Daoist shouldn''t be this sort of person."
The White Crane could not speak, so it naturally could not help her answer. It lightly touched its neck to her wrist, indicating that she should quickly write.
...
...
''Pervert''? Chen Changsheng had heard the word Shuang''er had said before her departure. He knew that she must have definitely misunderstood something, but he did not care, much less leave the library to chase her down and explain. The engagement with the Divine General''s estate had not been torn apart yet, but after all the shameless things they had done, he didn''t believe they even had the right to misunderstand him, let alone be angry, butfor some reason, he was actually somewhat angry.
Luoluo woke up and rubbed her eyes. Smelling the scent of makeup, she asked curiously, "Teacher, who came just now?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "A maid from the Divine General of the East''s estate."
When she heard ''Divine General of the East''s estate'', Luoluo''s expression flickered. Just as she was prepared to say something, she suddenly stopped and looked out of the library.
Two men had arrived outside the library.
One of them strode into the library, his two hands behind his back. Entering without invitation, he seemed extremely arrogant.
This person was dressed in the apparel exclusively reserved for the education overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Chen Changsheng noticed that this person''s expression was extremely cold, the gaze aimed at him extremely unkind.
"Ridiculous!"
The education overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy glanced at Chen Changsheng then swiftly turned around as if his eyes would be dirtied by looking any longer. It was a stance of extreme contempt.
He looked at the man beside him and harshly rebuked, "The Orthodox Academy is already a ruin; what right does it have to be ranked amongst the Six Ivies? As for this persona piece of trash that hasn''t even succeeded at Purification, what right does he have to attend the Ivy Festival!"
37 Thank You
The overseer had spoken very harshly and coldly.
Chen Changsheng stood up and gazed silently at this overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Luoluo was very angry, but seeing that Chen Changsheng did not say anything, she could only maintain her silenceas her teacher had not spoken nor given any direction, she believed that as a disciple, she naturally should not usurp authority by taking a stand.
The visitor had stood at the door of the library and said a few incredibly disrespectful sentences. It seemed to have come out of nowhere, but Chen Changsheng had heard the words ''Ivy Festival'' and, connecting it with what Tang Thirty-Six had said last night, understood the reason for this matter.
He had never imagined that the Ivy Festival would have anything to do with him because, just like many others, he had forgotten that the Orthodox Academy was also one of the Six Ivies. However, it was very obvious that not everyone in the world had forgotten this fact, especially after the Orthodox Academy gained a new student in him.
Chen Changsheng shifted his gaze to the middle-aged man dressed in priestly robes standing next to the overseer and realized that he knew him. It was precisely Priest Xin of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. Although they had not met for many days now, the renovation of the Orthodox Academy had been managed by this priest.
Priest Xin sensed his gaze and nodded his head in greeting, but he seemed rather embarrassed.
Priest Xin turned his gaze to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer and advised, "In the past, the Orthodox Academy had no students, so it naturally didn''t need to attend. Since it now has a student, it naturally should take part. Both the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy have approved. Education Overseer Peng, let''s just quickly carry out the confirmation process and leave."
In the past few years, the Heavenly Dao Academy had been the most important of the Orthodoxy''s schools, its status incredibly significant. This overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy naturally had an extremely lofty status, too high for an ordinary priest of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education like him to contend against. In normal circumstances, if he saw this lordly overseer acting this way, Priest Xin would assuredly have played along, buthe knew more than anyone else that behind this seemingly ordinary and unremarkable youth was an incredibly strong backing which he didn''t dare offend. Thus, he could only do his utmost to offend both sides as little as possible.
"You''re really sure you want this piece of trash to attend the Ivy Festival?" that Heavenly Dao Academy overseer surnamed Peng said with a cold and gloomy expression.
Priest Xin helplessly replied, "This is a rule; there''s nothing I can do either, no?"
"Rules? We have to talk about rules with everything? Then let me talk about rules!"
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer sneered, "Based on the rules of the past, the Ivy Festival imitates the style and structure of the Grand Examination, divided into a test of composition and a test of martial arts. The students from each academy and those students that passed the pre-examination each pick one to attend. It seems to me that this run-down school only has one piece of trash as a student, so how can it participate?"
Priest Xin was speechless. He recalled that the Ivy Festival really did have this sort of rule. It was just that before coming, he was only thinking about how to minimize conflict between Education Overseer Peng and Chen Changsheng, and had completely forgotten about this clause. He couldn''t help but grow somewhat worried, thinking, since this is the case, why didn''t you talk about it earlier?
"In order to attend the Ivy Festival, at least two students are requiredat present, there''s just this one piece of trash. How do you want this official to confirm?"
The overseer had no expression on his face as he spoke, but his voice was brimming with derision. "Your Reverence, did you really believe that this official could not resist the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education''s pressure and so made this journey? No, I came just because I wanted to see just how long this joke that is the Orthodox Academy could make me laugh!"
He stood at the door of the library and gazed at the noiseless and tranquil grounds of the Orthodox Academy, repaired but still broken down in a few parts, and coldly sighed, "The Orthodox Academyback then, it truly had a grand reputation! But now? It''s just a dead tomb!
"No matter how much you repair it, it''s still just a tomb!"
The overseer''s voice grew increasingly cold. "There''s been a rumor in the capital recently saying that His Holiness wants to reopen the Orthodox Academy? It''s absurd, but even if it is real, you still have to see if we elders agree to it or not!"
He turned to Chen Changsheng, his eyes blazing with a faint fire as he yelled, "I am telling the world, nonsense is nonsense! The useless Orthodox Academy is just a garden of trash! A piece of trash is a piece of trash! Let no one think that they can make an issue of this matter!"
The Orthodox Academy was deathly still. The weeds behind the building that had not been cleaned up yet were pervaded by a cold and desolate feeling.
Chen Changsheng quietly gazed at this overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy and then suddenly took a step forward.
''Trash''''joke''''garden of trash''''tomb''.
Those words were still drifting about the quiet library.
He did not know why this overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy held such deep-seated hatred for the Orthodox Academy, and for him, but he knew of one fact: he was a student of the Orthodox Academy, the only student. Although he had not lived here for long, because he was the only student, this Orthodox Academy was his. Every flower, grass, tree, brick, roof tile, and rock, it was all his. He saw life reappear in this place, he quietly studied in this place; this place was his paradise, not some garden of trash.
He did not like being humiliated by others and liked even less the Orthodox Academy being humiliated.
He thought of those humiliations he received right after entering the capital, thought of the just-departed Shuang''er, and he decided to do something.
"I will attend the Ivy Festival."
He stared at the overseer and said, "I do not know why Sir has such great objections against me and my academy, but if Sir plans to bar me from the Ivy Festival, I can only regretfully tell Sir that Sir will not succeed, because Sir''s attitude is far too disrespectful."
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer replied with an indifferent expression, "Attending the Ivy Festival requires two students, ortwo pieces of trash. Even if you have the courage to attend, I can only regretfully tell you that you will not succeed, because in the entire continent, there is no one willing to enter the Orthodox Academy, other than an idiot like you."
Priest Xin said nothing, but he knew that the overseer had spoken correctly: no person was willing to enter the Orthodox Academy. Perhaps Chen Changsheng had been exiled to this place by some powerful figures, or perhaps he was bearing some sort of responsibility, but there would not be a second of this sort of person.
The library was very quiet.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the shiny black floorboards in front of him, then suddenly asked, "Do you still insist?"
An immature but firm voice declared, "I insist."
"I can''t teach you much of anything."
"Teacher has already taught me a lot."
"If you become a student of the Orthodox Academy, many people might view you with contempt."
"Teacher, I''m very skilled at viewing others with contempt."
"You mighthave to suffer all sort of humiliation and suppression."
"Teacher, no one dares to humiliate me."
This dialogue concluded.
Chen Changsheng smiled and looked to his side, saying, "I still don''t know your name."
Luoluo''s eyes were extremely bright, her left hand tightly grasping his sleeve. Worried that he would renege, she said, "Teacher, my name is Luoheng."
Chen Changsheng extended his hand to grasp her left hand and then turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, declaring, "You see, now we are two people."
Luoluo was somewhat bashful. Leaning against his right arm, she repeated like a parrot learning words, "Yes, two people."
Priest Xin froze.
Wrathful beyond belief, the overseer rebuked, "Ridiculous! When did this shabby place get another student! Just who do you think you are! You think that if you say she''s this place''s student, she''s a student of this place!?"
Chen Changsheng, ignoring him, indicated that Luoluo should bring the register and a brush from the side room.
He wrote Luoluo''s name on the register with great dignity and solemnity.
Luoluo raised up the register into the sunlight, swelling her small cheeks and hardily blowing on it, hoping it would dry as quickly as possible.
Under the sunlight, the register was illuminated crystal clear. There were only two names, but two names were enough.
"The register is right here. Whatever name I add is a student of the Orthodox Academy."
Chen Changsheng pointed at the register and said to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, "Even if you are His Holiness the Pope himself, you cannot change this fact."
...
...
Priest Xin quickly worked to smooth the situation, doing his best to say soft words and give the overseer a way out of this embarrassing situation, at the same time asking him to confirm that Chen Changsheng and Luoluo had the right to attend the Ivy Festival. The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was quiet for a long time before finally stamping his private seal on the scroll in Priest Xin''s hand.
The matter was not over.
The overseer gazed at Chen Changsheng and Luoluo and expressionlessly said, "In this Festival of the Ivies, every single one of the students that passed the pre-examination is qualified to attend, and many people are coming from every place of the continent. Are pieces of trash like the two of you going to shame my Great Zhou?"
Chen Changsheng thought it over and prepared to speak.
At this moment, Luoluo pulled on his sleeve and timidly asked, "Teacher, can I speak?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "You are also a student of the Orthodox Academy now. Of course you can."
Luoluo turned to the overseer and seriously asked, "But, what does it have to do with you?"
An overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy was no overseer of the Orthodox Academy, so what concern of his were the students of the Orthodox Academy? Luoluo looked like a girl of eleven or twelve, and though she spoke seriously, her words carried a childish tone brimming with a naive happiness, yet her words struck at the very essence of the issue. The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was momentarily stunned, and then extremely angry, yet he did not know how to respond.
"Good! Good! Good!"
He angrily smiled and coldly said, "I''m really interested in seeing how the Orthodox Academy reverses its fortunes! On the Ivy Festival, when you pieces of trash from this garden of trash are humiliated and become the laughingstock of the entire continent, don''t blame this official for not warning you today!"
With this final warning, he left with the sweep of his sleeve.
Priest Xin did not follow. He walked to the library and whispered a few explanations to Chen Changsheng.
Only then did Chen Changsheng understand that the management of the Ivy Festival was passed between the Six Ivies. This year, it just so happened to be the Heavenly Dao Academy''s turn, with this overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy responsible for finalizing who would be taking part. It had been many years since the Orthodox Academy last had any students attend the Ivy Festival, so it had gradually been forgotten. However, this year''s situation was different. Of course, this was definitely not the reason for the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s nasty behavior and his attempts to shame him. The primary reason was a certain law of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
This law stated that if a school failed to recruit a student for many years, its teaching credentials and policy protections would all be canceled. The Orthodox Academy had already failed to recruit students for many years, and if it failed to do so for one more year, it would vanish into the endless river of history. Yet who could have imaginedthat on exactly the last year, the Orthodox Academy would gain a new student called Chen Changsheng.
"Just because of this?" Chen Changsheng asked.
After a moment of silence, Priest Xin explained, "That year during that incident involving the Orthodox Academythree of Education Overseer Peng''s senior brothers died here."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, thinking, if it were me, I would also hope that the Orthodox Academy would close its doors and disappear, and if someone like me were to suddenly appear, a student that changed the fate of the Orthodox Academy, my attitude would also be rather awful. I''d want nothing more than for that student to quickly depart.
"But there''s no need to worry too much. In any case, as long as you don''t enter a match in the Ivy Festival, Education Overseer Peng and those other elders have no means of getting ahold of you."
Priest Xin consoled him with a few words, glanced at Luoluo quietly standing by his side, then patted him on his shoulder and chuckled, "You''re pretty good."
...
...
What this comment meant, Luoluo did not understand. Nor did Chen Changsheng.
After all, the two were both only fourteen, and Chen Changsheng was still under the impression that Luoluo was a girl of eleven or twelve.
Chen Changsheng gazed at Luoluo''s small face and suddenly felt some hesitation, because it was only at this point that he noticed that this girl was actually quite pretty.
Luoluo tightly grasped his sleeve and said, "Teacher, you can''t have any regrets."
Chen Changsheng helplessly shook his head. After thinking for a long while, he choked out a sentence, "Youhave you eaten yet?"
Luoluo opened her eyes wide, her voice suspicious. "Didn''t I eat wontons with Teacher this morning?"
"Yeahit''s already noon."
Chen Changsheng glanced out the window and said, "It''s time to eat lunch."
Hearing this, Luoluo clasped her hands together and made a slight bow as she said with extreme warmth, "I''ll make Teacher lunch."
"Let''s buy," Chen Changsheng said.
Seeking instruction, Luoluo said, "Wontons?"
Chen Changsheng contemplated what to do, then said, "Besides wontons, there''s also a place that sells noodles in the lane. The taste isn''t bad. That''s right, ask them to put in less bean sprouts and more peppers."
Luoluo ran off, laughing and cheering the entire way, her two ponytails bobbing behind her.
On the wall, Guardian Jin and Guardian Li looked each other in the eyes.
"Is this fine?"
"It looks pretty fine to me."
...
...
After the noodles had been eaten, it was already afternoon. The wind of late spring seemed to have a natural aroma. Smelling it was intoxicating and immediately made one want to sleep.
Chen Changsheng looked at Luoluo and said, "I only asked you for your name today. I''m sorry."
Luoluo chuckled but said nothing more.
"Take the Night Pearl and those other items back, I really can''t accept them."
"Teacher, you''re not planning on backing out, are you?"
"Of coursenot."
"Thenhow can you return the gifts I gave to acknowledge you as my teacher?"
"Didn''t you buy me a bowl of noodles just a while ago?"
Luoluo''s smile faded as she lightly brought up her dress and slowly prostrated herself on the jet-black floor.
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng prostrated towards the direction of Xining Village, and then prostrated to her.
The spring sunlight was gentle, the scenery bright and beautiful, the lake quiet like a mirror. Occasionally a breeze would blow through the building and curl around the bookshelves before resting on their temples.
Chen Changsheng straightened his body and helped Luoluo up.
Luoluo said, "Thank you."
Chen Changsheng didn''t know what to say. After thinking for a while, he also said, "Thank you."
38 The First Lesson
Chen Changsheng suddenly thought of a matter and said, "That''s right, my name is Chen Changsheng."
"I know," Luoluo giggled in reply.
She naturally knew that her teacher was called Chen Changsheng. Although she had never doubted him, since she wanted to acknowledge him as her teacher, her clansmen living in the Hundred Herb Garden had long since used a variety of methods to thoroughly investigate Chen Changsheng''s background. She knew that he came from a village called Xining, knew that he was acquainted with Tang Thirty-Six, and even knew how he had entered the Orthodox Academy, so she felt all the more certain that her teacher was assuredly no ordinary person.
She also thought of another matter and asked with concern, "Teacher, were my words to that overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy too improper?"
Chen Changsheng thought this question over, then replied, "Yeah, it truly was a little overboard. ''What does it have to do with you'' can actually be said as ''it''s none of your business''."
After saying this, he began to laugh, and Luoluo also began to laugh, both very happily. She felt that being together with her teacher very easily made her happy and that this was truly a good thing. Then, she thought of that incident that occurred before the arrival of the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer.
"Why did someone from the Divine General of the East''s estate come to find Teacher?"
"There are some matters."
Chen Changsheng didn''t know how to answer. Seeing the girl''s appearance, he asked, "You know of the Divine General of the East''s estate?"
Luoluo replied, "It''s the legendary Phoenix nest. It''s impossible for me not to know."
The so-called Phoenix nest naturally had to do with Xu Yourong''s innate blood.
Chen Changsheng asked, "You know Xu Yourong?"
"I would quite like to know her."
Luoluo said rather regretfully, "By the time I reached the capital, she had already gone to the south, so there was no opportunity for us to meet."
Chen Changsheng thought of Tang Thirty-Six''s evaluation of Xu Yourong and advised, "Luoluo, I know that you are very strong, but don''t think about comparing yourself to her. We don''t have to compare which one of us is stronger, As long as we can each progress, that is what it means to truly be strong."
Luoluo understood that he had misunderstood something. Smiling, she said, "She''s the reincarnation of the true Phoenix, a unique existence of this world. Even the people of my family admire her. Ever since I was small, she''s always been held up as an example to encourage me, but I''ve really never thought of comparing myself to her. I hear that she''s a very good person, other than the fact that her personality is somewhat bland. But she''s much better than those Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws of the south. Truthfully, I just want to get to know her, to have her as a friend. Teacher, do you think she is good or not?"
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng replied, "She and Iour relationship isn''t very good."
Luoluo was somewhat shocked by this statement, then she recalled something and said, "Teacher really does like to deceive people."
Somewhat slow to respond, Chen Changsheng asked, "How did I deceive anybody?"
"Teacher always says that you are an ordinary person."
"I am an ordinary person."
Luoluo covered her mouth as she laughed, then said, "An ordinary personhow can they have a bad relationship with her?"
Chen Changsheng was speechless, because her words were reasonable. If he was an ordinary person, how could he possibly develop a relationship with Xu Yourong who lived above the nine heavens? If there was no relationship, how could there possibly be a bad relationship?
Seeing his expression, Luoluo stopped laughing and seriously said, "Teacher, from this day forward, I won''t like her anymore, nor will I want to be her friend."
Taken aback, Chen Changsheng asked, "And just why is that?"
"Because Teacher has a bad relationship with her, so she must not be a good person," Luoluo said as if it was only right and proper.
Chen Changsheng sighed, saying, "This is also too lacking in principles, isn''t it?"
Luoluo replied, "Sir is my teacher, so it''s only right that I listen to whatever you say. Isn''t this a principle?"
As Chen Changsheng had nothing to say to this, he indicated that she should sit and then extend her hand.
Luoluo absolutely wished to acknowledge him as her teacher, because she had several very difficult-to-resolve questions about cultivation.
Every cultivation method had its corresponding method of circulating true essence. Only by having a complete grasp of it would one be able to fully display the true might of the cultivation method. Her problem was that it was impossible for her to circulate true essence through her body through the methods recorded in the books.
On the night the demon expert had attempted to assassinate her, Chen Changsheng had used his single remark as proof that he could resolve her problems, or at least have a possibility of doing so.
Once Chen Changsheng had written her name on the Orthodox Academy''s register, he was responsible for her cultivation. He had a rough guess as to what her problem was, so for her first lesson, he would naturally have to start there. First of all, he had to confirm the true essence situation in her body.
The spring breeze blew in through the window, caressing the pages of the books and the hem of her dress. Chen Changsheng and Luoluo sat across from each other on the black and shiny floor. He closed his eyes for a few moments to calm his mind, then indicated that Luoluo should extend her right arm. After this, he raised his right hand and slowly placed it upon her wrist.
His action was very casual, but also precise. His forefinger and middle finger held together were like the forged edge of a sword, exuding a cold light. With extreme precision, it fell on her veins, yet in the instant that it truly fell, it was extremely gentle, like a falling leaf in the autumn, not letting the soil beneath it suffer the slightest fright.
Luoluo''s eyes opened extremely wide. As she gazed at the fingers he had placed on her wrist, she was very surprised. She had lived a life of luxury ever since she was a child and had a broad experience. She couldn''t even count the number of doctors she had seen, so she naturally understood how extraordinary this seemingly unremarkable act of taking her pulse was.
Could it be that Teacher is also a famous doctor?
As she was taken by astonishment at these things, Chen Changsheng was also very astonished. This was because he could clearly sense that this girl''s pulse transmitted to his fingers was exceptionally vigorous, as distinct as the beating of a war drum. The problemthis beating was too packed together. How could a pulse be so fast!
His fingers were like raindrops jolted off the canvas of a drum and instantly drew back.
He raised his head to look into her eyes. Seeing how calm and bright they were allowed him to confirm that her pulse was not quickened due to her excitement. After a moment of thought, he once more placed his two fingers on her wrist, once more surprised that the feeling transmitted through his fingers was the same as ever.
Luoluo''s heartbeat was at least two times faster than normal!
If this were an ordinary person maintaining such a fast heartbeat, their face would definitely be flushed red and they would be dizzy and sweating. If this condition persisted for a little longer, they might even die from the rupturing of their blood vessels!
ButLuoluo did not have the slightest reaction. She seemed extremely normal, and her blood vessels also seemed very stable. Just why was this?
Chen Changsheng did not withdraw his fingers. With great focus, he observed her pulse and the condition of her veins. His brow creased more and more, until finally, after a very long time, he realized that not only was the pulse not getting slower with time, it was actually getting faster!
He raised his head once more to Luoluo''s face and discovered that a few beads of sweat had emerged on the girl''s temples and her breathing had grown somewhat more hurried. He knew that this time, she really was nervous.
Luoluo truly was very nervous. She had not expected that her teacher''s very first action on her very first lesson would be to take her pulse. Only when Chen Changsheng''s fingers rested on her wrist did she remember that problem, remember that her pulse was very different from an ordinary person''swhat should she do?
Chen Changsheng pulled back his fingers and gazed at her in silence for a very long time. Finally, he asked, "Your pulsehas it always been like this?"
Luoluo lowered her head and softly affirmed, acting like a child that had done something wrong. "I''ve been like this ever since I was born."
Chen Changsheng remained silent as if he was pondering some extremely troublesome question.
He had vaguely guessed at Luoluo''s background.
Any human would find it absolutely impossible to live with such a fast heartbeat for so long, let alone living until Luoluo''s age.
There was only one explanation: Luoluo was not a human.
The spring breeze continued to blow through the window, ruffling the pages of the books, the hem of the girl''s dress, and also her slightly moist hair on her temples.
The library was silent.
Luoluo lowered her head, seeming very pitiable.
Chen Changsheng looked at her, wanting to ask her something, but he didn''t know how to ask.
Luoluo suddenly raised her head. Seeing how he so desperately wanted to say something, she plucked up her courage and said, "Teacher, just ask and I''ll answer."
Chen Changsheng, looking at her, suddenly felt that she was very heroic. After thinking it over, he said, "Then I might as well not ask."
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and looked at him in astonishment. "Why, Teacher? Could it beyou''re not interested?"
Curiosity was the hardest-to-scratch itch of all intelligent beings, the greatest temptation. For instance, she herself was very curious right now as to why Chen Changsheng did not continue to inquire. She had clearly just told him that as long as he asked, she would give him the full story.
"Curiosity is sometimes not a good thing."
"Ah?"
Chen Changsheng sighed, then asked, "I''m your teacher, right?"
Mystified, Luoluo answered, "Of course you are, Teacher."
Chen Changsheng extended his hand to rub her head, smiling as he said, "A teacher has to have the look of a teacher. If the truth is too shocking, if your background is too shocking, how could we communicate in the future? And how could I preserve the absolute authority of the teacher?"
"Oh"
Luoluo was caught completely off guard by this reasoning. After a momentary daze, she very carefully asked, "Teacher, could it be then that you''re not afraid?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "What''s there to be afraid of? It''s just that I''ve never encountered this sort of thing before and so I''m not that used to it."
Luoluo was very happy to hear this. She rubbed her head against his palm like some adorable small beast and said with muffled words, "Teacher is the best."
...
...
Perhaps because she felt that Chen Changsheng, from inside to outside, down to every strand of his hair, was good, Luoluo''s already firm confidence in him now increased to an almost unimaginable degree, overflowing like the light of the morning sun. As a result, although he did not ask, she still wanted to say a few things.
"Teacher, the amount of true essence in my body is not at all small," she said.
Chen Changsheng thought of the condition of her pulse and confirmed that this was the case. This girl''s soul was incredibly powerful. If she really did have that sort of background, then the true essence within her body would naturally not be small, countless times more than that of an ordinary person of the same age.
"But I don''t know how to use it."
Luoluo explained, "My home naturally has many cultivation methods, but the greatest of these methods is only suitable for meneven if my blood awakens, I would only be able to use that method to cultivate to the upper level of Star Condensation at best. I can''t enter the Divine Domain."
Chen Changsheng was somewhat speechless, thinking, if you can cultivate to the upper level of Star Condensation, then you''d be one of the few such experts on the continent. Yet this female student of mine actually isn''t satisfied. From this, Chen Changsheng could tell how high the demands she placed on herself were, or how shocking her background was.
"If I can''t be the strongest, then in the future I won''t be able to inherit my father''s scepter, and I''ll have to be married off to his successor."
Luoluo looked at him, much aggrieved, and said, "But I don''t want to be married off."
"So you want to learn the cultivation methods of humans to see if you can break this limit."
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then said, "There''s no problem. We''ll definitely become the continent''s most powerful master and disciple."
Luoluo''s eyes went wide. Although she had an almost blind trust in Chen Changsheng, even she somewhat didn''t dare believe these words.
Chen Changsheng thought of his own problems. Gazing out the window in the direction of the Lingyan Pavilion within the Imperial Palace, he felt somewhat rueful. The things he needed to do were just wishful thinking to anyone else, but he had to think in this way, and struggle in this way. Fate had not left him a second path to take.
"Dare to think. Before your dreams are realized, never establish any limits yourself, never give yourself any excuse to shrink back, any justification for failure. Only in this way do we have the chance to take those seemingly distant dreams and make them into genuine reality.
"This, is precisely my first lesson to you."
39 Instructing
Words on ideals, dreams, and persistence were naturally very fitting for the contents of the first lesson. But a matter that could be understood with a couple of concise sentences was clearly not enough to encompass the contents of an entire lesson. Chen Changsheng eventually had to speak about truly useful things.
He took from the bookshelf a book that summarized the meridians that had been approved by the Orthodoxy''s Hall of Literary Glory. Flipping past those pages giving basic information, he went straight to the colorful diagram on the very last page. Pointing at the green and red lines drawn on the human body in the center of the diagram, he began to contrast this diagram to Luoluo''s specific situation.
Those lines represented the meridians of the human body and were extremely complex. The basic introductions calculated there being several dozen meridians, but if one examined even more carefully, that number would double. However, based on what Luoluo had said herself, her body simply did not have this many meridians.
These were two completely different systems of meridians. One was complex and fragile, the other simple and resilient, thus allowing two species of intelligent beings to walk on two paths in completely opposite directions. It was impossible to conclude which path could go the farthest, but at least in known history, this competition still had no result.
Chen Changsheng did not sigh about the peculiarities of this other form of life. He was only stunned by the miraculous workings of the creator, and he understood even more that if these two forms of life wished to cross that boundary in the middle and learn the cultivation methods of the other side, it would be an incredibly difficult task.
If Luoluo''s race had been able to easily learn the cultivation methods of humans, then she would assuredly not be learning the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style that she had gifted to Chen Changsheng yesterday. The Mount Li Sword Style was one of the strongest martial arts of the human world. For her race to learn it would naturally be as difficult as climbing up to the sky, so they might as well settle for second best.
All human cultivation methods were constructed from two parts: technique forms and methods of circulating true essence. To use the Wind and Rain Sword as an example, merely having a grasp of the sword manual was far from enough. One also needed a grasp of the true essence circulation methods used in this sword style, and only then could one display the sword style''s true might.
Luoluo''s body simply did not have the meridians possessed by humans, so how could she grasp these methods? She understood what it meant when the sword manual said to circulate and casually let true essence flow through her Rao meridian, but the problem was that she had no Rao meridian, so no matter how strong her soul was, where was she going to let it flow through?
"Only on that night, when I acted according to Teacher''s words and attempted to move true essence, did I realize that I could control the Wind and Rain Sword like a human. Was this an imitation orwas this a method for me to match my true essence with the sword manual?"
Luoluo was very studious and seriously asked.
Chen Changsheng pondered this question, but did not answer her question immediately. He turned and exited the library, picking out a branch on the lake shore that had been severed from its tree by the fight from that night. Taking out his dagger, he peeled all the bark off the branch, transforming it into a slim and slightly white stick. He did not forget to use a rock from the lake to round off the end of the branch.
He returned to the library and said, "If you''re not willing, just speak."
Luoluo gazed at the thin wooden stick in his hands, her eyes open wide. She thought to herself, I just acknowledged him as my teacher; could it be that now I have to suffer the rod? Could it be that Teacher is a person that believes in education through the rod? But it had not been easy to make Chen Changsheng acknowledge her as his student, so she was unwilling to utter the three words "I''m not willing" and forcefully nodded her head.
Chen Changsheng raised the thin stick in his hands and pointed at a certain place in her chest through her clothes, saying, "Bring your true essence to this place."
Humans had a so-called Qi Sea in their elixir field, but he didn''t know if Luoluo had one. It wasn''t very convenient for him to ask about these sorts of secrets about the bodies, but seeing Luoluo''s expression, he felt that there shouldn''t be any problems. After a moment, he asked, "What do you feel?"
Luoluo earnestly sensed the feeling coming from the place that stick was touching and said, "It''s somewhat hot."
"When weak, Yang Fire can also be expressed externally. Since you have this feeling, then in my view, this place doesn''t have too different of a use from the Rao meridian."
While speaking, Chen Changsheng was also taking notes.
On that night, he had spoken only one remark and had allowed Luoluo to successfully move her true essence and truly control the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong for the first time. But it was only one technique and luck had been involved. What he needed to do now was break through the limits of the human meridians and construct another system. It was naturally extremely difficult.
This was definitely not a one-day affair.
If he had not memorized the Daoist Canon ever since he was a child, if his long illness had not made him a doctor, and if his meridians were not so different from others, there might not even be a possibility of success.
After finishing his notes, he raised his head once more, thought, and then extended the thin stick to lightly poke at a place on Luoluo''s neck. Of course, it was still through her clothes.
"Carefully, a little slower.
"What do you feel?"
"Somewhat cold."
"Mm.
"What about here?"
...
...
The wooden stick fell on Luoluo''s body, pointing and then directing. This was instructing.
Chen Changsheng would receive feedback, record it on his notes, and then continue.
Time quickly passed under this directing and conversing.
At twilight, Chen Changsheng''s arm felt somewhat sore. He placed the stick down and gazed out the window. He saw only yellow roof tiles and red walls, but he suddenly smiled.
Using half a day, he had come up with a certain possibility, found a possible path, a path within Luoluo''s body.
"Try?"
He pulled his gaze away from the sight of the capital under the setting sun and turned to Luoluo, taking his dagger from his waist and offering it to her.
Luoluo received the dagger and took in a deep breath. Her eyes became abnormally bright, and then she closed her eyes and remained silent for a very long time.
In that second in which the setting sun was swallowed by the city walls, she opened her eyes and let out a soft shout.
This shout was very crisp without the slightest impurity. It was transparent as the spring waters or the spring breeze.
With this clear shout, the dagger in her hands floated up from her waist level like a poplar flower, gently drifting upwards until it seemed to reach the ninth heaven.
Countless sword shadows like the rain, unstoppable sword intent like the wind.
This was wind and rain.
The Wind and Rain Sword.
...
...
Without human meridians, it was impossible to use the true essence circulation methods described in the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but the sword that was ultimately displayed was actually the true Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong. This meant that the true essence circulation method used by the wielder could almost completely imitate the true essence circulation method used by humans.
The wind and rain gradually descended in the remnants of the setting sun. As the night gradually approached, the old garden was peaceful.
The library was silent.
Luoluo''s hand holding the dagger was shaking slightly.
She turned to Chen Changsheng, her voice also somewhat shaky as she said, "Teacher, you truly are extraordinary."
She was very shocked. She felt that her teacher was an immortal descended from the heavens, or how else was it possible for him to teach her so many things in such a short amount of time?
So shocking that he must be a celestial being.
Chen Changsheng placed the thin stick down in front of his knees and began to happily laugh.
In these past few days, no, in these past few years to be precise, he had always been thinking about this problem of how to cultivate when one''s meridians were severed. In the past, because he had not cultivated, all his contemplations were in the void, blindly advancing forwards in the darkness. Now, however, although he still did not have the slightest trace of true essence, he had a female student. This female student was outstanding, could perfectly realize all his hypotheses, and even proved all his conjectures right in the space of half a day.
Luoluo said, "Thank you, Teacher, for your instruction."
Chen Changsheng replied, "The same to you, the same to you."
The twilight was not at all like blood, but like the fires of the stove in the wonton stand, sublimely warm.
40 From the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy
Luoluo returned to the Hundred Herb Garden. Her clansmen knew that her mood today was especially good because she was skipping the entire way back, her agile steps seeming to be treading upon the clouds; because she was humming a small tune, her singing like that of a yellow oriole; and because her brows seemed ready to fly off her face.
Guardian Jin and Guardian Li glanced at each other and hurriedly followed her. They naturally knew the reason for their princess''s good mood, but they hadn''t been able to see what was going on in the library. Inevitably, they had some questions. Was successfully acknowledging a teacher worth being so happy about? What was good about that Orthodox Academy youth?
Luoluo freshened herself up and changed into a clean dress. She accepted a cup of Jin Mei tea from her maid and took a couple of sips, then returned to the front hall and said to those two guardians, "If you have something to ask, quickly ask it. I have to sleep early tonight so that I can wake up early tomorrow to attend class. I don''t dare be late."
(TN: Jin Mei, golden eyebrow, seems to be an expensive variety of black tea.)
Guardian Jin thought to himself, when did Princess become so diligent in attending class? Of course, unspoken criticisms naturally could not be voiced, so he said with a smile, "Arriving a little late won''t be anything much, or would that youth dare act against Your Highness?"
"That is my teacher, so don''t go saying ''youth this'', ''youth that''. In the futureall of you have to call him Teacher Chen."
Luoluo thought of the solemn aura her teacher gave off when reading and cultivating and also about how he almost harshly valued his time. She said with an extremely pathetic look to the pair, "If I''m late to morning class, Teacher will truly be angry. I don''t want to suffer from Teacher''s lash on only the second day."
Guardian Jin was taken aback by these words, almost not daring to believe his ears! That youth dared to wield the whip against the princess! If this were heard by the people back in the eight hundred li of the Red River, it was highly likely that the capital would be overturned!
Just as he was prepared to give Chen Changsheng a firm lecture, he suddenly felt Guardian Li almost imperceptibly pull on his sleeve. Only then did he notice that his little princess was not the least bit unhappy, her pathetic appearance all pretend, behind it an unconcealable happiness!
Guardian Jin''s expression became somewhat dazed. He simply could not comprehend what had happened in these past few days, was utterly mystified as to what that youth called Chen Changshengfine, that Teacher Chen, besides bravery and kindheartedness, possessed to actually make his little princess adore and worship him so!
"Teacher is not an ordinary person."
Luoluo naturally understood what her clansmen were thinking, and, prompted by Guardian Jin''s vacant expression and Guardian Li''s concerned expression, made this statement.
It was inconvenient for Guardian Jin to speak, while Guardian Li was somewhat closer to her and couldn''t help but murmur, "Not even succeeded at Purification yetit can''t get more ordinary than this, can it?"
Luoluo said, "The two of you feel that an ordinary person that hasn''t even succeeded at Purification can solve a problem that not even my father could solve?"
Guardian Jin hesitated before finally saying, "Perhapsit''s luck?"
Luoluo thought of her experience this afternoon and then proudly declared, "No, the thing Teacher needs the least is luck."
Puzzled, Guardian LI asked, "Sincethis Teacher Chen is not an ordinary person, why did he enter the Orthodox Academy? What is he hiding?"
"Silently reading and cultivating, always remaining hidden and concealing, a fish that nobody cares about in a stream that is just waiting for a great storm. When the time comes, this fish will leap over the Dragon Gate and transform into a true dragon, overlooking the entire continent, its reputation ringing throughout the world"
Luoluo''s eyes were getting brighter and brighter, her voice getting louder and louder. "Teacher''s way of thinking is truly great!"
Guardian Jin silently gave a bitter smile as he thought, this is the real world, where did all these plot points from stories come from? Princess seems to have matured a lot, but it turns out she''s still a child.
On the next morning at five o''clock, Luoluo promptly awoke. Of course, under her normal routine, this girl that was fond of sleep would definitely have failed to get up, but her maids, following her commands, had begun beating on gongs and banging on drums in the yard from four-forty-five, and so she had to get up, even if she didn''t want to.
She wrapped some clothes around herself, rubbed her eyes, opened her door, and angrily mumbled, "It''s so noisy!"
Those maids that had forcefully suppressed their fear and unease to bang on the gongs and drums, their faces pale, were so frightened by their princess''s anger that they immediately groveled on the ground, repeatedly asking for forgiveness.
"I was just randomly commenting."
Luoluo yawned and then indicated that they should rise, saying, "None of you were wrong and you''ve done well. In a little while, go to Mama Li and receive your rewards of silverprecisely according to the rule I established last night, if you wake me up before five, there will be a reward. If I can''t wake up, your pay for the month will be gone!"
The maids all looked at each other and, after confirming that the princess was truly not angry, they fearfully rose and brought over all sorts of tools, grooming the princess and assisting her in her toiletries. Another person came with ten-odd dresses, asking the princess which one she would wear today.
Luoluo picked out the most simple yet elegant dress, casually dined on porridge made from polished rice and a fried pancake with a piece of smoked meat inside. She then opened the already-prepared lunchbox and carefully examined the contents. Nodding her head with satisfaction, she took the lunchbox and walked towards the academy wall.
Pushing open that brand-new door, she ended up going from the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy.
There was no wooden basin here, and so there was no naturally no bathing youth either. His past encounter had engraved far too deep a memory on Chen Changsheng''s mind. After dinner, the first thing he did was to bring the wooden basin inside the house. At the same time, he did not forget to add a lock to the house and to also draw closed the curtains of the bathroom.
Changes noiselessly occurred in the Orthodox Academy.
Because this place no longer had solely Chen Changsheng.
The Orthodox Academy now had two students.
...
...
Reading and then cultivating.
This remained the theme of the Orthodox Academy.
Besides no longer being able to bathe outside or sing when he was on the toiletChen Changsheng felt that the greatest change in his life was that the quality of his meals had improved enormously. From the second day after Luoluo had acknowledged him as her teacher, he began to eat the breakfast, lunch, and dinner she brought over from the Hundred Herb Garden.
He was extremely satisfied with the three meals made in the Hundred Herb Garden. Whether it was the variety of dishes; the pairing of vegetables, grain, and meats; the nutrition; or the taste; he felt that they all surpassed his finest imagination. In Xining Village''s old temple, it was always his senior that cooked the meals. Although nutrition was no problem, the taste was truly very ordinary.
He was very satisfied with these meals, but he was even more satisfied with Luoluo''s expression. Essentially, these meals and her diligence were her expression, her kind intentions.
Luoluo was very close to him, wanting to spend every moment by his side. The moment his attention strayed, this girl would hug his arm and bury herself in his chest, constantly sniffing. She was just like a cute kitten, and if he did not so firmly insist, she would not even go back to the Hundred Herb Garden to sleep.
Chen Changsheng was only fourteen years old and was not at all used to the respect and dependency Luoluo displayed. Although he even now mistook her for being around ten years old, even being so close to a female child was inevitably rather embarrassing. However, he thought this sort of feeling was very good, so good that he was willing to endure it all.
But there had still been no progress in his cultivation. Many days had already passed and he had constantly been drawing in starlight for Purification, yet his body still had not undergone any transformation. Even someone with as resolute a will as him began to doubt himself, or at least feel that his luck was seemingly not very good.
He did not know that Luoluo had once said to her clansmen that he was a person that needed luck the least.
Luoluo''s luck was extremely good, and if one were to speak in terms of destiny, her destiny swept away all others before itnone could obstruct it!
From the night she became acquainted with Chen Changsheng to acknowledging him as her teacher, and then in these several dozen days, the late spring had still not come to an end. Chen Changsheng had helped her find three paths of circulating true essence, and she had managed to grasp seventeen moves of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong!
Just as it was beginning to feel like summer, the pre-examination to the Grand Examination also concluded.
The grand streets and small alleys of the capital were all lively, crowded with countless students from various places across the continent, in ecstasy or in sorrow, celebrating with wine or drowning their sorrows in it. The restaurants were all packed and though it wasn''t even night, those famous brothels had already hung up their colored lanterns.
Because of his recent problems with cultivation, Chen Changsheng''s mood was rather downcast. He knew that being constantly tense was not a good thing, that he needed to relax his mind somewhat. Consequently, he finally emerged from the Orthodox Academy, taking an extremely precious half day of time to go see the sights. Interestingly, or perhaps in his way of rendering others speechless, he did not go to the Li Palace to see those ivies which seemed to be in eternal spring, nor did he go the Bridge of Helplessness to count the stones. Ratherhe took Luoluo to the entrance of Hundred Flowers Lane and sat by the well under the eaves to gaze vacantly at the activity on the street.
Luoluo had always obeyed every one of his orders. No matter what he decided, she had always followed without a single complaint. She believe that any choice he made was correct. No matter how absurd, there was undoubtedly some deeper meaning behind it that she had yet to grasp. Only today was she finally upset.
"Teacher"
She sat on a stone step, looking at the moss growing on the edge of the well as she pouted, bored to death, and kicked around a small leaf at her feet. She had originally planned to grumble a few phrases, yet she couldn''t. She felt that since they had finally managed to come out for a stroll, shouldn''t they go a little farther? Walking the streets with her teacher was quite an interesting proposition.
"What''s wrong?"
Chen Changsheng, holding two ice pops, said, "You don''t want to eat it? If I eat two, it''ll upset my stomach."
Luoluo thought to herself, Teacher still loves me. As a result, she grew happy again and took the ice pop from his hand. Seating herself by his side, she vacantly gazed at the sea of people on the street.
Licking the ice pop, she asked, "Why is it so lively today?"
With a crunch, Chen Changsheng took a bite out of his ice pop and said in a muffled voice, "Just now when I was buying ice pops, I heard somebody say that the pre-examination for the Grand Examination just ended."
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and exclaimed, "Ah!"
Chen Changsheng turned his head to look at her, asking, "What''s wrong? Is it too cold?"
Luoluo turned to him and said uncertainly, "I just feel like we''ve forgotten something."
Chen Changsheng began to seriously recall, his brow twisting tighter and tighter and then finally relaxing.
"I''ve remembered, we have to represent the Orthodox Academy in attending the Ivy Festival."
Yes, the pre-examination for the Grand Examination had concluded and summer had come.
The Ivy Festival was about to begin.
Luoluo asked, "Do we have to go?"
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then replied, "We should go."
Luoluo asked, "But it seems that no one has come to notify us."
Chen Changsheng replied, "If the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education has forgotten, then we can just not go."
Luoluo took a satisfied lick of her ice pop and said, "Yeah, whatever Teacher says."
41 The First Nigh
On that day, because of that Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s words and attitude, Chen Changsheng truly had been very unhappy, but with the passing of time, this unhappiness had long since been dispelled. To him, rather than wasting his time on anger, he would find it better used on more meaningful things, like reading and cultivating, or cultivating and reading.
He really didn''t care much about the Ivy Festival. To make his name famous throughout the world in a single day, and cause those people that had belittled him to feel shocked and helpless, to strike a resounding a slap across their faces? In the first place, he had to obediently admit that it would be very difficult for him who had not even succeeded at Purification to do this, and even if he couldhe didn''t want to.
Of course, to obtain an undeserved reputation and undeserved glory was not a bad thing, but the problem was that if such a day really did come to pass, his calm life of cultivation would assuredly be disturbed. These past days in which he cared not for the world outside his window and placed all his time on cultivating and reading would certainly be unable to occur again.
What of Luoluo? First of all, no matter what Chen Changsheng thought, she would support him. Although she had been somewhat upset because he had not taken her strolling through the streets, one ice pop had been enough to pacify her, and so a formal and serious affair as this meant much less to her. As for using the Ivy Festival to make her name famouswith her family background and origin, there was no way she would consider these things.
This was the attitude Chen Changsheng and Luoluo held towards the Ivy Festival. They really did not care very much and wouldn''t even care too much if they forgot about it. Based on experiences from the past few years, the Orthodox Academy being forgotten once more would be a very normal thing. However, there was a massive difference this year: the existence of Priest Xin.
After being reminded by the archbishop, Priest Xin had always been silently attempting to understand the essence hidden behind the Pope''s signature. Although he as of yet had not understood anything nor seen any changes in the capital brought about by that new student of the Orthodox Academy, he would at least be unable to forget that new student.
One day in the early summer, a carriage was driven into Hundred Flowers Lane and into the Orthodox Academy. At dusk, under the rose-red twilight, this carriage drove out of the Orthodox Academy, drove out of Hundred Flowers Lane, and, following the roads of the capital, reached the Heavenly Dao Academy and entered through its black jade gates.
Luoluo raised a corner of the window curtain and looked around at both sides of the road at those pavilions and buildings, her eyes wide open in curiosity. She had visited the Heavenly Dao Academy many times before, but it had always been under the heavy escort of her clansmen and the Guardians of the Imperial Palace. She would noiselessly come in from the back gate of the Heavenly Dao Academy and quietly exit. Other than those professors and those outstanding students personally taught by those professors, she had interacted with nobody else, and this was the first time she had actually come in through the main gate of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Chen Changsheng had come to the Heavenly Dao Academy twice. The first time was that extremely disastrous enrollment experience while the second time was when he had come with an incredibly wretched appearance, soaked from head to toe, also not a very good experience to remember. He had long since lost his respect and admiration for this academy, but he would not deny that it truly was very beautiful.
The pleasant shade of the trees, the winding of the stream, the dazzling beauty of the summer flowersas Chen Changsheng sat by the carriage window and saw these beautiful sights, the melancholy brought about by having to attend the Ivy Festival, meet with strangers, and waste an entire night of cultivation was completely banished. When he thought about how he would meet Tang Thirty-Six in a little while, his mood improved even more.
Priest Xin did not know his personality, so when he saw him constantly looking out the window in silence, carrying about him an atmosphere of youthful depression, he couldn''t help but misunderstand and grow somewhat concerned. Patting Chen Changsheng on the shoulder, Priest Xin soothed, "Just sit, it doesn''t matter if you don''t step on stage."
Chen Changsheng turned and nodded his head to indicate that he understood, and then earnestly gave his thanks.
After a momentary pause, Priest Xin added, "Don''t concern yourself too much about the words spoken by Sir Overseer in the Orthodox AcademyI truly do advise that the two of you not step on stage to compete. This year''s Ivy Festival is somewhat different from the past, you really have to be a little more careful."
Chen Changsheng knew that he meant well and said, "Sir should relax, I''m already prepared to sit for a night."
"Hm? One night?"
Priest Xin was just comforting himself over the fact that his good intentions had not been misunderstood when he suddenly noticed the problem in this statement. He shook himself from his daze and asked, "You don''t know?"
At a loss, Chen Changsheng asked, "What?"
Priest Xin glanced at Luoluo who had just pulled her gaze away from the window.
Luoluo was also at a loss. "What should we know?"
"The Ivy Festivalis an activity organized by Ivy Academies, but in reality, it''s a rehearsal for the Grand Examination. All of its rules are the same as the Grand Examination''s. The Grand Examination is conducted for three days, so the Ivy Festival feasts for three nights. Did the two of you really not know? Then you must also not know that these three nights are not held together?"
Priest Xin stared at the two like they were freaks and asked, "Just what have you two prepared for?"
Chen Changsheng completely missed this question. All of his mind was on that previous statement, feeling very troubled. It actually wasn''t one night, but three? How much time would that waste? How many fewer books would he be able to read? This was too inappropriate, wasn''t it?
Luoluo saw him in a daze and said to Priest Xin, "Sir should relax. We have already made our preparations. We didn''t even eat lunch, so we will definitely eat our fill tonight."
Priest Xin was speechless as he thought, what sort of freaks are these? Looking at Chen Changsheng, he said, "In short, tonight, the two of you have to be more careful. At the moment, I can''t be sure, but I''ve heard news that a few unexpected people will also be attending the Ivy Festival. But they might not come as well."
At this moment, the carriage reached the primary meeting place for tonight''s Ivy Festival.
Priest Xin said, "I still have some matters to take care, so I can only send you up to here."
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo said their thanks and descended the carriage. They saw that it was already dark, the previously verdant trees now shadowy demonic existences. He froze, feeling that in this academy, some faint and indescribable pressure seemed to be pressing upon him.
"This way please." A student dressed in the black uniform of the Heavenly Dao Academy very politely pointed the way.
At the end of the stone path was an enormous building, its exterior hung with three rows containing several hundred red lanterns that spilled their light in all directions. Worthy of the most acclaimed academy on the continent, although this building wasn''t particularly unusual in the Heavenly Dao Academy, it was enough to hold several hundred to one thousand guests.
Seeing the dense mass of red lanterns, not only did Chen Changsheng not feel much better, he felt that the pressure had grown more real.
The curtains within the building lightly drifted. Several hundred young students were already seated at those tables constructed of fine-grained hardwood. These were all students who had successfully passed the Grand Examination pre-examination several days ago. They came from all over the continent, so not all of them were people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and none of them were members of the Six Ivies. The students of the Six Ivies could directly participate in the Grand Examination and possessed the right to skip the pre-examination. It was like the students of the Six Ivies were automatically a level above these young students, so now when they were seated in the Heavenly Dao Academy, they couldn''t help but be somewhat reserved and nervous.
Besides these hundred-plus tables scattered amongst these curtains, there was still an extremely large area fenced off by pear trees with yellow blossoms into a certain number of spaces. These areas were left for tonight''s hosts, guests, and the students of the Six Ivies.
The Ivy Festival was nominally a ceremony held by these academies that represented the capital to welcome those students that had passed the Grand Examination pre-examination. In reality, it was a stage for these academies to display their strength. Every year, after the conclusion of the Ivy Festival, a few students that had passed the pre-examination would be recruited into the Six Ivies.
For these reasons, the students of the Six Ivies naturally had a different mentality from those students sitting amongst the tables. No reservation or tension could be seen on their faces, only undisguised pride, or indifference, or blank expressions. The gazes they aimed at their peers sitting amongst the tables carried a sense of examination.
This year, the best position was occupied by the Heavenly Dao Academy. Those students dressed in black uniforms had indifferent expressions, not intentionally proud, yet arrogant to the extreme. In the area next to them sat the students of Star Seizer Academy, their expressions calm and unrestrained, their postures as steady as mountains.
There were still three other academies next to them: the Temple Seminary, the Li Palace Academy, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green.
The Heavenly Dao Academy did not need much introduction. Its history was long and it had always been hailed as the strongest on the continent. The current Pope and the previous Holy Maiden had come from this school. The Orthodoxy had no chief temple or palace hall as the Pope handled affairs and dwelled in the Li Palace, so the Li Palace Academy was naturally also very powerful. The Temple Seminary was in charge of sacrifices and managing the treasures of the Orthodoxy, so it was also naturally extraordinary.
Star Seizer Academy was the cradle for the generals of the Great Zhou Army. In the war where the humans defeated the demons, it had contributed the most, so its status was extremely unique.
The Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were even more special. This academy was solely focused on the thirteen scriptures on guiding the Radiant Green, and consisted mostly of women. It was extremely close with Holy Maiden Peak in the south and they would often exchange students. When Xu Yourong had just reached enlightenment, she had studied and cultivated in this school.
This was the legendary Ivy League.
The ivy in front of the gates of the Li Palace was the capital''s most famous sight, and the gates of the aforementioned schools were all covered in dense growths of ivy. This was proof of their history. In these countless years, besides those sects of the south, the remaining experts all basically had origins in the Ivy League.
The Ivy Academies occupied the best positions in the Ivy Festival. No matter how one looked at it, this was only right and proper, and people had long been accustomed to this fact. Those reserved and uneasy students had learned of this fact from their seniors, so they weren''t surprised, buta certain detail was different in tonight''s Ivy Festival compared to those of the past.
Some people had already noticed this change.
Next to the excellent positions of the Ivy Academies, in an unremarkable corner, another area was partitioned off by pear trees carrying yellow blossoms.
This area was very small and contained only one small table.
But that position was on the same level as the Ivy Academies.
Position was a very important thing.
It was tradition.
More and more gazes turned to that area, to that small table.
Somebody recalled that before the Ivy League, before the Ivy Academies, the most common name, still passed around from mouth to mouth, was truthfully that name:
"The Six Ivies."
The Six Ivies naturally consisted of six academies.
The Heavenly Dao Academy, Star Seizer Academy and the others added up to only five.
What was the last one called?
42 Zhuang Huanyu
A person recalled that the Six Ivies also had a school called the Orthodox Academy. It seemed that it was close to the Imperial Palace, that it was once very glorious, that it had been many years since any news was heard of it, and that there simply hadn''t been a place for this academy in the last few Ivy Festivals. It seemed just like this academy had never existed.
An academy abandoned for so many years, on the verge of being forgotten by the world, actually had the qualifications to rank amongst the Six Ivies, and even received a place once more in this year''s Ivy Festival? Why was this? Just because of that rumor, that this year, the Orthodox Academy finally managed to enroll a new student?
Yes, the reason was just this simple. This year, the Orthodox Academy had a student, so it had the qualification to participate in the Ivy Festival. The Great Zhou Dynasty had always respected tradition, and the Ivy Festival was exactly a tradition. Even if the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer materially responsible for the Ivy Festival really wanted nothing more than to light Orthodox Academy on fire until it was burned clean and thus push it out of the stage of history, he had no right to deny the Orthodox Academy''s participation in the Ivy Festival, even if it only had two students.
The curtains swayed in the night wind as Chen Changsheng and Luoluo walked in. Following the instructions of that Heavenly Dao Academy student, they walked to the place all the way in the front.
The sounds of discussion could be heard in the building. None of the several hundred students seated amongst the tables recognized them, nor did any of the people in those areas fenced by the pear trees. Seeing the direction that they walked, some people guessed that this young man and woman were the students of the Orthodox Academy.
Everyone''s gazes were fixed upon them, some shocked, and even more curious.
The rumor said that the new student of the Orthodox Academy was a young man, so most of the gazes were focused on Chen Changsheng. There were also people that noticed Luoluo obediently following behind him and who realized that this girl was extremely beautiful, like colored glass, and so their eyes instantly lit up.
At the Heavenly Dao Academy''s table sat a young man, his appearance handsome and expression indifferent. Although he was sitting in the Ivy Festival, his mind was not there, and didn''t even care about the matches that were about to take place. He did not deliberately reveal his pride, yet he was naturally proud.
Ten-plus outstanding students of the Heavenly Dao Academy that were prepared to take part in the next Grand Examination were seemingly randomly seated around this young man, but it was very obvious that he was the center, like the constellation of stars surrounding the North Star. For these proud students of the Heavenly Dao Academy to naturally take up this sort of stance only increased this young man''s extraordinariness.
The young man was currently thinking about the repeated warnings from the principal. If the Longevity Sect really did send somebody out, as the representative of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s students, how should he respond? The Heavenly Dao Academy was supervising the Ivy Festival this year and he could not allow those southerners to snatch away the Great Zhou''s glory.
Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Chen Changsheng and Luoluo from the corner of his eyes.
His eyes glimmered and his expression subtly changed.
Those ten-plus students sitting around him all seemed silent, but had actually constantly been looking to him. Seeing his expression flicker, they couldn''t help but be greatly alarmedmany young students had been stunned by Luoluo''s beauty, but they still found it hard to accept that such a thing could affect their senior brother.
Yes, this young student of the Heavenly Dao Academy was the legendary Zhuang Huanyu, ranked tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky!
How could a person like this be moved by the beauty of some girl?
Just who was this girl? The group from the Heavenly Dao Academy all turned to Chen Changsheng and Luoluo. Several of these students had the same teacher as Zhuang Huanyu, and so when they saw Luoluo''s face, they suddenly recalled something and whispered in shock, "Isn''t this that junior sister? How did she come?"
...
...
The Heavenly Dao Academy had a long-established history and its schoolground contained countless ancient tales. Many outstanding young men and women had studied and lived together in this place, so many of these stories concerned the young and inexperienced. Of these stories, one had begun to be passed around two years ago.
In this story, a spirit dwelled in the forest behind the Heavenly Dao Academy, beautiful beyond description. Like a timid swan, it would occasionally appear before people. This spirit looked just like a cute girl and only the sincerest of people could see her.
The story was naturally not true, but it had a foundation in the truth. That beautiful spirit was precisely the Luoluo that would be escorted by her clansmen to the Heavenly Dao Academy so that she could inquire upon the Dao.
Zhuang Huanyu had a special status in the Heavenly Dao Academy, so he naturally would not believe this story. This was the case until one day, when his teacher was giving him and several other students private lessons, he saw a girl sitting by the window, the sun shining upon her face, her appearance as beautiful as colored glass.
He was infatuated with cultivating the Dao and had no mind for something like passionate love. In the academy, he had always been aloof and remote, disdaining to even return the adoring gazes of the female students with arrogant glances, but at that moment, he found it impossible to drag his eye away.
Later on, he saw her several more times at his teacher''s place.
His teacher was the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy. He had heard the girl discuss matters of cultivation with his teacher and even be able to keep up with his teacher''s thoughts, rendering him somewhat shocked. He then discovered that the girl''s personal guards were all experts, proof that her background was not ordinary.
He was somewhat aroused, feeling that this girl was worthy of his love.
Yet after that day, he no longer saw her.
She no longer appeared and it seemed like she had never come at all.
He had never asked anyone about this matter, but because of her sudden disappearance, he had spent a long period of silent thought on it. Perhaps not being able to obtain it was for the best? Perhaps missing the opportunity would leave deeper memories? Or else why would he often think of her?
He hoped that she would reappear before his eyes once more.
For this, he was willing to abandon his pride and be the first to initiate a conversation with her.
At this moment, he felt that the heavens had heard the voice in his heart.
In the Ivy Festival, she really did appear!
Moreover, under the attentive gazes of countless others, she was walking in his direction!
...
...
Zhuang Huanyu tidied his uniform and stood up, calmly gazing at the approaching Luoluo.
The surrounding Heavenly Dao Academy students did not understand why their senior brother had stood up. Besides the scant few that had met Luoluo before and guessed at something, the rest all believed that he was representing the Heavenly Dao Academy in welcoming this young man and woman and couldn''t help but be astonished, thinking, when did Senior Brother start caring about such ordinary affairs?
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo reached the seating area of the Heavenly Dao Academy and were just prepared to follow the directions given by that other Heavenly Dao Academy student and head towards that area in the corner, when, unexpectedly, ten-plus students stood up at once in the Heavenly Dao Academy''s area. This made Chen Changsheng feel somewhat helpless and inadvertently stop.
Zhuang Huanyu''s lips slowly rose, a smile on his face as he prepared to speak.
He was prepared to say "Long time no see" to Luoluo.
Yet in the next moment, his smile scattered before it could rise and his eyes became as indifferent as before, perhaps even more.
Because Luoluo did not see him.
Luoluo was looking at Chen Changsheng.
After that night in which she jumped over the wall to enter the Orthodox Academy, as long as Chen Changsheng was there, her eyes would not be on books, but on Chen Changsheng''s body, without pause and at every moment. This time was no exception.
She gazed at Chen Changsheng with a look of admiration.
Admiration and adoration were only a few letters off, so it was very easy to mistake one for the other.
Zhuang Huanyu did not know if he was mistaken or not, but his mood became exceptionally disastrous.
Having eyes only for a person whose eyes are only for someone else had always been one of the world''s most infuriating matters.
When he saw out of the corner of his eye that her hand was actually grasped onto Chen Changsheng''s sleeves, his fury reached its peak.
Zhuang Huanyu did nothing.
He was the tenth-ranked genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the Eldest Brother of the Heavenly Dao Academy. He represented much, was burdened with much.
So he was not easily angered, and was even less likely to forget his manners because of such things.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and calmly raised clasped hands in greeting.
The height of his arm, the distance between his sleeve and wrist, it was all perfect.
But his eyes were too calm, too indifferent.
Chen Changsheng froze, and then calmly returned the greeting.
The height of his arm, the distance between his sleeve and wrist, it was all perfect.
His eyes were somewhat bewildered, somewhat confused.
It was extremely quiet.
Zhuang Huanyu unclasped his hands.
Chen Changsheng followed suit.
From some place came a voice like an anger that had been choked down for a very long time and was finally vented.
They had both acted with the most meticulous courtesy, but in the eyes of the crowd, Zhuang Huanyu''s perfect confidence and Chen Changsheng''s reserved unsophistication made the judgment easy.
In truth, this was only because he was Zhuang Huanyu while Chen Changsheng was just a nobody.
Zhuang Huanyu turned to Luoluo and said, "Junior Sister, long time no see."
He spoke very casually, but in reality, he was very solemn, more solemn than when he met his birth father for the first time.
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and looked at him for a while. She suddenly seemed to recall something and said with a smile, "Ah, it''s you, long time no see."
This girl''s smile was very cute.
Yet Zhuang Huanyu found it very repulsive.
He would rather prefer that she not remember him, instead of now, where she needed to think for a while before remembering who he was.
Who am I? I am Zhuang Huanyu.
Any person that has met me would never forget.
How could you forget me?
Why are you pretending that you don''t know me?
Are you joking, or are you playing around with me?
While great storms raged in Zhuang Huanyu''s mind, his expression was as calm as usual.
Just when he was prepared to say something like "If it wasn''t for this, I would also have forgotten Junior Sister''s appearance"Luoluo grasped Chen Changsheng''s sleeve and departed the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area towards that corner, and was even happily chatting with Chen Changsheng about something.
Only her back was left behind for Zhuang Huanyu.
Zhuang Huanyu silently gazed at the backs of Chen Changsheng and Luoluo.
He paid no attention to the conversations around him as he thought, Junior Sister, since you''re a student of the Heavenly Dao Academy, why do you have to leave?
But when he saw Chen Changsheng and Luoluo enter that area in the corner, he understood that they had actually come to represent the Orthodox Academy.
He asked, "That youth is Chen Changsheng?"
That Heavenly Dao Academy student that was responsible for giving directions had at some point hurried over, and now quietly whispered that this was the case.
"It truly is rather interesting."
Zhuang Huanyu said no more. Lightly raising up the front of his robe, he sat back down at the table.
His expression was still indifferent, but this was not the case for his true emotions.
43 Laughter
The Orthodox Academy''s position was on an equal level with the other five academies of the Six Ivies, but it was in the corner and very out of the way, and only had one table. It couldn''t avoid seeming rather lonely and shabby, but Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were people that didn''t care much about these sorts of things and casually sat down.
"You know that student of the Heavenly Dao Academy from just now?" Chen Changsheng asked.
Luoluo thought this question over then responded, "When I came to the Heavenly Dao Academy in the past, I saw him a few times."
Chen Changsheng thought of that previous scene that was like a constellation of stars ringing the North Star and said, "It seems that he must be very famous?"
This time, Luoluo did not need to use any extra time to think, saying, "Zhuang Huanyu, but many people call him Lord Huanyu."
Chen Changsheng recalled that he seemed to have seen this name on the stone wall of the Temple Seminary, that it was placed very high on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Thinking about how Luoluo had instantly said this person''s name, he teased, "I didn''t expect that you would actually know his name."
Luoluo pouted and said, "Teacher, you also just said it, he''s very famous."
Chen Changsheng replied, "With your personality, an even more famous person might not be recognized by you."
Luoluo somewhat embarrassedly stuck out her tongue, then said, "It''s been too soon, it''s truly impossible for me to forget his name."
Chen Changsheng did not truly understand her words, believing that she was speaking about how she had once attended classes in the Heavenly Dao Academy. He gazed at the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area and confirmed that he had not seen wrong. Somewhat puzzled, he said, "That guy really didn''t come."
Luoluo knew who he was speaking of. She curiously asked, "Teacher, you really know Tang Thirty-Six?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "Although even I don''t know how I came to know himbut I really do know him."
As they conversed, the preparations for the Ivy Festival were all completed. The tables amongst the curtains were all packed, and the professors and students of the Six Ivies had all arrived. The last to enter were the overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy responsible for supervising this year''s Ivy Festival, and the two important personages respectively representing the Orthodoxy and the Imperial Court.
The Orthodoxy''s Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Mei Lisha, andthe Divine General of the East, Xu Shiji.
When these two grand figures entered, all the professors and students in the hall rose up like a tide to pay their respects.
Mei Lisha had managed the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education for many years and possessed enormous influence over the schools of the capital. Crucially, he was a confidant of the Pope. Xu Shiji''s rank of Divine General of the East was inferior to the archbishop''s, but his record of military service in the past few years had been impressive and he was trusted and valued by the Divine Empress. Furthermore, the entire continent knew that he had fathered an excellent daughter.
The Ivy Festival was a grand meeting of the Great Zhou Dynasty''s young talents and a youthful genius sat at every seat, but when they thought of that fourteen-year-old girl and raised their head to that indelible name that seemed carved in bronze at the top of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, who dared to call themselves a genius?
Chen Changsheng gazed at Xu Shiji, who was seated at the highest position, with a calm expression as if he had never even heard the name before. Only Luoluo noticed that his breathing had become somewhat more hurried than usual. It was still steady, but it was still more hurried than usual. Having been with him for so many days, she knew that this signified that his emotions were somewhat disorganized.
This was the first time Chen Changsheng had seen Xu Shiji.
In reality, one the reasons he was willing to participate in the Ivy Festival was because Priest Xin had told him that Xu Shiji would be attending. He wished to see what this person looked like, this person that had almost become his father-in-law, that had almost consigned him to eternal damnation.
Xu Shiji looked just like a normal middle-aged man, but he was naturally not ordinary. Chen Changsheng gazed at him from afar, sensing that concealed aura of stern dignity as well as that extremely faint scent of blood, and his clear and straight eyebrows slowly began to rise as his nostrils slightly flaredthis was not a scent that he liked.
And then he thought of the Madam Xu that he had met in the Divine General''s estate, of the humiliations and setbacks he had been inflicted with after coming to the capital, and his two eyebrows rose higher, the speed at which his nostrils flared getting faster and faster, his breathing getting heavier and heavier at the same time.
The daughter born from this sort of husband and wife was actually the reincarnation of the true Phoenix. It was truly difficult to describe the Heavenly Dao as fair.
Luoluo had been paying attention to his reaction this entire time and knew that his mood was currently very poor, but, in the end, she could not restrain herself. Ever so cautiously, she asked in a low voice, "Teacher, it seems that your relationship with Xu Yourong truly isn''t very goodjust why is this?"
Chen Changsheng froze, and then said, "I still thought that you could keep restraining yourself and never ask."
Luoluo pulled on his sleeve and teasingly rocked back and forth, saying, "I''m really curious."
Chen Changsheng helplessly replied, "I promised someone else, so I really can''t talk about this matter."
They naturally did not know how intimate they seemed, huddling together and whispering, and were even more clueless to the fact that this sight had already been completely taken in by Zhuang Huanyu''s peripheral vision.
Zhuang Huanyu''s expression was still as calm as usual.
There was yet another person who had seen Chen Changsheng and Luoluo''s whispered conversation, but his expression was not so calm.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer withdrew his gaze from that corner, his complexion icy to the extreme. Strangely enough, he did not reprimand Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, nor did he stir any trouble over this matter and completely vent out his loathing towards the Orthodox Academy. Instead, he calmly continued to preside over the Ivy Festival.
The Ivy Festival was held according to every rule of the Grand Examination and was separated into three stages: a literary test, a martial test, and one-on-one matches. The order of these stages could be adjusted at will, but there were still many other rules with regards to these stages. At this time, all these rules were delivered at once from the mouth of this overseer.
The students seated at the tables dispersed amongst the curtains all earnestly listened. Unlike the students of the Six Ivies, they did not have teachers or seniors to give them detailed explanations on the process and rules of the Grand Examination. Today''s Ivy Festival was essentially a rehearsal given to them by the Imperial Court, so they naturally needed to act with diligence.
Chen Changsheng also listened very attentively, not missing a single word. Although the Orthodox Academy was one of the Six Ivies, he had no teachers and had to rely on himself for everything. The primary reason he had attended today''s Ivy Festival, besides seeing Xu Yourong''s father, was for the sake of this explanation.
The Ivy Festival was nominally a party, but in reality, it was a rehearsal for the Grand Examination, a weathervane for its results. Excluding the geniuses and disciples of the southern sects, the final ranking of the Ivy Festival was basically in accord with the ranking of the Grand Examination. Even if there were some changes, they would not be too significant. Cultivation relied on the accumulation of years, the honing of time. There was only half a year between the Ivy Festival and the Grand Examination, so how could a person''s strength possibly undergo such world-shaking change in between?
At this year''s Ivy Festival, Chen Changsheng had not even succeeded at Purification, was still an ordinary person that did not know how to cultivate, yet he wanted to obtain the first rank of the first banner in next year''s Grand Examination. It was no wonder that Tang Thirty-Six thought him an idiot or that he himself was an idiot. Besides Luoluo, who would dare believe in him?
Regarding the Ivy Festival, although the students who had passed the pre-examination would occasionally deliver a pleasant surprise to the human world, in the vast majority of cases, the students of those grand academies were still the ones playing the main role. The last ten Ivy Festivals had all ultimately become a competition between the Ivy Academies.
The Ivy Festival was held for three nights, and tonight was the first night, which happened to be the night of fighting, so it could be imagined how extremely lively it would soon be. The spectators, including Xu Shiji and the other officials, were thinking about how the Heavenly Dao Academy was supervising the Ivy Festival this year and were curious to know whether it would put down its aloofness and let Zhuang Huanyu step on stage.
Zhuang Huanyu was ranked tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, already extremely outstanding, but when associated with the fact that the Heavenly Dao Academy was regarded as the most powerful school on the continent and that he was the representative of the Heavenly Dao Academy, this rank was rather inexcusable. Even if he could not surpass a unique bloodline like Xu Yourong, this rank was still a little too low.
Only important figures like Xu Shiji understood that this was because after that time two years ago when Zhuang Huanyu challenged one of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws to a match and affirmed his position as tenth rank on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he ceased to challenge any of the geniuses ranked above him.
In no way did this mean that he was conservative or timid, only that two years ago, he was already fifteen. At that point, Qiushan Jun had already left the Proclamation of Azure Sky and was beginning to forge ahead towards the top of the Proclamation of Golden Distinction. Zhuang Huanyu felt that in this sort of situation, the Proclamation of Azure Sky already had no meaning to him.
Then tonight, would Zhuang Huanyu step forward?
...
...
The students seated amongst the tables could voluntarily register for tonight''s matches. Although they clearly understood that it would be very difficult to defeat these students of the Six Ivies that had received the instruction of famous teachers, when they thought about how serious accidents rarely occurred in the Ivy Festival and about how difficult it was to get such a chance to improve themselves, they were still rather eager to register. After them, the rest of the Six Ivies registered the students that would be taking part from their respective schools. However, other than the overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy and those two prestigious figures, no one knew who had actually registered.
Finally, only the Orthodox Academy remained.
Chen Changsheng had obtained confirmation from Priest Xin and had also heard clearly from the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s explanation of the rules that he and Luoluo participating in the Ivy Festival was in accordance with the rules. Thus, they could take part in the matches, but this did not mean that they needed to.
After all, the Ivy Festival was not the Grand Examination. With Chen Changsheng''s current level, participatingwould definitely not result in any good end, so he would naturally not participate.
This was his view, yet some people wanted to force him to take part, force him to have a poor end.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer turned to that corner and expressionlessly asked, "The list from the Orthodox Academy?"
Based on rules of past Ivy Festivals, not registering was acknowledging that one was no match, admitting defeat. It was just a way to save more face. No one had ever so bluntly pointed out this matter because it involved the dignity of a school, and no one could predict the result of directly forcing a school into desperation.
Tonight, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer had bluntly pointed it out. He did not care about the Orthodox Academy''s face, and cared even less about any sort of result. Could an Orthodox Academy with only two children suddenly be able to burst forth with some astonishing strength after being humiliated? That was a joke.
The overseer''s words echoed through the hall.
Silence.
After a while, perhaps because they had seen that lonely young man and woman in the shabby seating area of the Orthodox Academy, perhaps because they had thought of the Orthodox Academy''s reality of decline and its tragic history, or perhaps because they had thought of the attitude the Divine Empress and the Pope held towards this academy
The hall resounded with laughter.
Some laughed because they could not help themselves, some out of ridicule.
Some laughter was unintentional, while some was intentional.
But it was all grating to the ear.
44 The Little Monster of the Temple Seminary
The officials and professors attending the Ivy Festival were keenly aware why this overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy held such a deep animosity towards the already-declined Orthodox Academy. The Orthodox Academy was clearly only residence to two or three grasshoppers, yet he still refused to let go, wanting nothing more than to squash it all into the dust.
They were all long-time residents of the capital and were also well-aware of the Imperial Court''s laws. If not for that young man and woman, then the Orthodox Academy would have been expunged from the registers come next year. But not everyone believed that the matter was this simple. Priest Xin, who had previously said to Chen Changsheng that he had matters to take care of, had at some point appeared behind the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Mei Lisha.
In a suppressed voice, he said, "It appears that someone wants to force Chen Changsheng to take part."
A drowsiness perpetually hung about the archbishop''s face as if he could never get enough sleep no matter how much he slept. Hearing these words, the archbishop arduously opened his eyes and casually said, "Is that child this stupid?"
Priest Xin looked rather embarrassed as he said, "He''s naturally not stupid, but he''s still a young man. I''m just worried that he might be too courageous."
The archbishop peered through his barely open eyes at the Orthodox Academy''s corner. As he saw the indignant girl beside Chen Changsheng, he momentarily froze.
Peering at a person through a crack in the door could give a low opinion of someone, but not so through a crack in the eyelids, because the archbishop recognized this girl.
(TN: ''Peering at a person through a crack in the door gives you a low opinion of a person'' is a type of Chinese saying called a xiehouyu "Ъ" where the two parts of the saying are broken by a pause. For example: Peering at a person through a crack in the doorget a low opinion of the person.)
He sighed, "Thenlet us just pray for the Sir Overseer."
...
...
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer expressionlessly gazed towards the corner at Chen Changsheng. He was not deliberately indifferent, did not intentionally release any pressure. He acted like he was gazing at some insect that was on the verge of being frozen to death.
Chen Changsheng truly did not want to participate. If this was about him taking part in the literary test, and Luoluo taking part in the martial test, then there might have been a little chance. However, he understood clearly that since someone was intentionally suppressing the Orthodox Academy, things would definitely proceed according to his way of thinking.
His goal was the Lingyan Pavilion. He needed to participate in the Grand Examination and obtain first rank of the first banner. Before this, he hoped there would not be the slightest perturbance towards this sequence of events. Tonight, if he really did take the stage to take up a challenge, then regardless of whether he won or lost, it would negatively affect his plans.
Since he was not going to take part, what need was there for him to listen to this ear-grating laughter, what need was there to forcefully maintain his calm under the emotionless gaze of this Heavenly Dao Academy overseer?
Thus, he made a decision that no one expected.
"Let''s go," he crisply said to Luoluo, then he stood up and prepared to leave.
The derisive laughter filling the hall came to a sudden halt. Everyone had seen his action yet found it impossible to understand. This sort of attitude towards disdain, humiliation, derision, and even contemptuous and utter disregard could be described as shameless cowardice, yet wasn''t it also a sort of nigh unimaginable courage?
Luoluo had never had any objections to his instructions, so she got up without hesitation and followed him out.
Seeing the crowd whose derision was gradually fading to be replaced by stupefaction, she pursed her lips and thought, Teacher truly is an extraordinary person, persistent and silent, able to endure all that should be unendurable. I should carefully learn from this and not be provoked by a few jeers into taking the stage and ripping these guys to pieces.
The world was so beautiful, so why should she be so short-tempered?
At this moment, a voice came in from outside the hall, "What sort of place do you two think the Ivy Festival is? If you want to come, you come, if you want to leave, you leave?"
This voice was very childish, the speaker''s age clearly very young, but this voice contained an unconcealed aura of pride and cruelty, even some madness. It was faintly brimming with a bloody scent. It was as though if things were just a tiny bit not to this person''s liking, he would move to kill someone.
It was similarly a scent that Chen Changsheng did not like.
He stopped and turned to the entrance of the hall.
The several hundred people attending the Ivy Festival also simultaneously turned to the hall entrance.
A young boy stood there, his face pale, his eyes cold and ruthless, his lips crimson red. He was clearly still young, only twelve or thirteen years old, yet he seemed like someone who had lived a life of debauchery for countless years, especially his bearing, which gave off an aura of extreme cruelty that made others shudder in fear.
Many people did not recognize this youth.
But many people from places like the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy had already recognized this person''s identity.
It was precisely because of this person''s identity that no one said he was late. It was utter silence with only Zhuang Huanyu slightly creased his brow and appearing somewhat displeased.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s expression was very calm. It was plain to see that he had known in advance that this youth would be making an appearance.
He gazed at Chen Changsheng and Luoluo and thought, you thought that by preferring humiliation over taking part, you could preserve the Orthodox Academy''s last breath?
Because of his status and a few even more complex reasons, he could not personally act against the young man and woman from the Orthodox Academy, nor was it convenient to have the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy act on his behalf. However, he had long since picked out the ideal candidate from the capital''s academies.
In terms of status, background, and strength, this little monster of the Temple Seminary was the most fitting candidate to send the Orthodox Academy on its final journey.
And there would be no trouble whatsoever afterwards.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer glanced at the seat of the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.
...
...
Many people of the capital knew that the Temple Seminary had a little monster.
This little monster was very powerful. Because he had just turned twelve this year, he still had not entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but everyone firmly believed that he had the strength to enter the top fifty of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. This was because it was rumored that this little monster was the Pope''s disciple, though the little monster himself had never admitted it. It was also because it was rumored that when this little monster was ten, he had killed no small number of Meditation level cultivators, including a young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Of course, he had also never admitted to this before.
The little monster did not study in the Heavenly Dao Academy as the Pope did, nor did he follow the Pope in studying in the Li Palace Academy. Instead, he had gone to the Temple Seminary, known for having the strictest rules and cruelest methods of cultivation. It was said that this was because he did not want to walk the same path as the Pope.
The strict rules of the Temple Seminary could not stem this little monster''s addiction to ruthless killing; its cruel cultivation only served to make him stronger. Very few in the capital dared to provoke him, and even experts would yield to him. Perhaps it was because of that rumorthe disciple of the Pope was always different from the restbut what was even more important than this rumor was that fact known by all: this little monster of the Temple Seminary was called Tianhai Ya''er, a member of the Tianhai clan.
The Divine Empress had the surname Tianhai.
This little monster of the Temple Seminary was her grandnephew.
...
...
Under countless gazes, Tianhai Ya''er walked into the hall, the lower hem of his gown gently drifting in the air with an indescribable arrogance. His unhealthily pale face was brimming with cold indifference and contempt. It was cold indifference to life anda contempt for all people.
He had just turned twelve this year, but rather than calling him a teenager, he seemed to be in the final stages of boyhood. Yet he had killed many people, seen many things. His formidable experiences and strength made his thoughts and demeanor somewhat abnormal and strange, making him a true monster.
Chen Changsheng watched as that boy a head shorter than him walked over, feeling that scent of blood entering his nose grow thicker and thicker, making him unhappier and unhappier.
Tianhai Ya''er did not even glance at him. He looked around at the students seated at the tables, but in reality, his eyes did not consider any of them worth looking at. He sneered, "A bunch of idiots think that attending this festival will bring them any benefits? In the end, they''ll only play the role of the humiliated."
Those young students seated at the tables had endured untold hardships before finally passing the pre-examination for the Grand Examination and receiving the right to attend the Ivy Festival. Although they clearly knew that they were all here only to provide a backdrop to the students of the Six Ivies, it was hard for them to not have some expectations. Upon hearing this boy''s harsh and ruthless words, they instantly became enraged.
Tianhai Ya''er rolled his eyes. His voice became a cold blade passing through his teeth as he shouted, "Want to die?"
Whispers of this boy''s background, as well as the level of his strength, had already spread amongst the tables. Although these young students were enraged at this injustice, none of them dared to stand up. Disregarding the fact that none of them was a match for this boy, even if they were, would they even dare?
"Enough," declared the bishop of the Temple Seminary, his brows slightly creased.
Tianhai Ya''er coldly snorted. Although he said no more, his arched brows and unkind expression showed that he didn''t even have much respect for his own teacher.
Tonight, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer supervising the Ivy Festival refused to constrain the little monster of the Temple Seminary for various reasons, but logically, there were still many truly important personages present, like the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education or Divine General of the East Xu Shiji. They had the sufficient seniority and ability to intimidate Tianhai Ya''er, yet somewhat strangely, they coincidentally both maintained their silence. Perhaps they were contemplating the true reason for this little monster''s appearance? As long as this little monster struck, a bloody and cruel incident would be certain to occur, and so the Temple Seminary simply could not have allowed him to attend the Ivy Festival. Was this the will of the Li Palace or the Imperial Palace?
Had this little monster truly attended the Festival for the Orthodox Academy? This was clearly not the case. The already-fallen Orthodox Academy was clearly not attractive enough for that little monster.
He turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area but failed to see the person he wanted to see. Disappointed, he grew angry and shrilly called out, "Where''s Tang Thirty-Six? Didn''t that countryside idiot say he wanted to cripple me? And where is he? Don''t tell me he got scared!"
Besides those important personages, there were ultimately still some people that didn''t much care for Tianhai Ya''er''s background and strength.
Zhuang Huanyu looked at him and expressionlessly said, "If you continue to make a ruckus, in a little while, I don''t mind being the first person to challenge you."
As the representative of the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy, the tenth-ranked genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, his indifferent set of words carried more strength than the anger of all those other students added together.
Tianhai Ya''er gave a strange laugh, extending his dark red tongue to lick at his own lips, then saying, "The strong you wouldn''t bully the weak little me."
Although this statement seemed somewhat rascally, it was proof that this seemingly arrogant and ruthless boy was actually quite cool-headed and also somewhat fearful of Zhuang Huanyu.
Just then, a chuckle rose up from a certain direction, clearly ridiculing this little monster of the Temple Seminary for bullying the weak while quailing against the strong, a deeply humiliating action.
Tianhai Ya''er''s smile instantly vanished as he turned in the direction of this chuckle.
Many people turned to the origin of that chuckle.
In this situation where the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and Xu Shiji were maintaining their silence and the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was clearly letting Tianhai Ya''er have his way, other than a young and renowned expert like Zhuang Huanyu, who would dare ridicule this little monster? Could it be that this person didn''t fear death?
The chuckle came from Star Seizer Academy''s seating area.
It was a very tall and sturdy youth.
Chen Changsheng recognized this youth. He had seen him during the Star Seizer Academy''s entrance exam.
He was somewhat concerned for this youth.
Because Tianhai Ya''er''s eyes had become very cold and indifferent, no longer ruthless. He gazed at the tall and sturdy youth like he was already dead.
It was at this moment that the military official leading Star Seizer Academy''s delegation expressionlessly asked, "Could it be that laughing is not allowed?"
Even a little monster like Tianhai Ya''er knew that it was not good to provoke Star Seizer Academy, especially when he had no justification. He gave a full-toothed grin, revealing a mouth full of white teeth, looking just like an abnormally cool-headed cub right before it was about to go crazy.
...
...
The curtain behind the hall was slowly pulled open. Under that night sky brimming with stars was a flat platform made of stone. It was surrounded by ten or so copper stoves that were burning a sweet scent to calm the mind, while buried deep under the stoves were defensive magical artifacts, controlled by the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy to prevent any energy from the battles from straying beyond the platform.
The Ivy Festival had formally begun. Chen Changsheng and Luoluo did not leave. This was because Luoluo had lightly tugged on his sleeve, and also because he was somewhat concerned for that youth from Star Seizer Academy, and also because that little monster of the Temple Seminary had mentioned his friend Tang Thirty-Six.
Based on convention from the past years of the Ivy Festival, the first order of business was that the students from various places of the continent seated at the tables would participate in matches with the students of the Ivy Academies, their exchanges carrying the nature of instruction and guidance. The gap in strength between the two sides was truly too large, but this actually made it easier to control, and the unexpected rarely occurred.
But in this year''s Ivy Festival, far too many unexpected things had occurred. The Orthodox Academy once more emerged before the world, the little monster fond of blood had actually been let loose by the Temple Seminary. A dangerous undercurrent seemed to be faintly stirring, and it seemed only natural that the unexpected incidents would continue.
Without waiting for that Heavenly Dao Academy overseer to announce the matches, a figure appeared on the platform.
Tianhai Ya''er stared in the direction of Star Seizer Academy and laughed, "A moment ago, someone asked, is it not allowed to laugh? Of course it''s okay to laugh. This boring affair that is the Ivy Festival has always been laughable, every person is laughable. You see, I''m also laughing."
He was a boy and he laughed very innocently, but his face was pale and his lips blood-red, so he seemed very cruel.
"Butright now, I''m preparing to beat you to death."
Like he was staring at a dead person, Tianhai Ya''er looked at the tall and sturdy youth, seriously asking, "Can you still live as happily as you were just a moment ago?"
A deathly stillness hung over the entire scene, within and without the hall. No noise sprung forth from Star Seizer Academy''s seating area either.
Zhuang Huanyu slightly arched his brows, saying, "You know the rules of the Ivy Festival. If you will not comply with the rules, I can only represent the Heavenly Dao Academy and step forward."
"I can''t beat you, so I don''t dare offend you, but someone dares to offend me, so what should I do?"
Tianhai Ya''er shot him a glance and then turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, asking, "I won''t kill him, is that enough?"
The overseer expressionlessly declared, "The Ivy Festival has always valued exchange. Stop where you should and not beyond."
Tianhai Ya''er once more turned to the direction of Star Seizer Academy.
After a moment of silence, the tall and sturdy youth shook his head to reject his military instructor''s opinion and slowly walked to the platform.
He was the most outstanding of Star Seizer Academy''s new students this year, but he had never been proud, only simple and honest. He was well-liked by the military instructors, who had great expectations of him. Hoping that he would be able to participate in the Grand Examination at the beginning of next year, they had specially brought him to attend the Ivy Festival.
Because he was simple and honest, he was rash and blunt. Previously, when Tianhai Ya''er had been flaunting his arrogance and intimidating the entire crowd, he had thought that the military instructors would speak up. Unexpectedly, the military instructors had remained silent, making him disappointed in Star Seizer Academy for the very first time. Thus, he had laughed.
Yes, he had deliberately chuckled.
This tall and sturdy youth wished to use his laugh to tell everyone else that the Star Seizer Academy was still as it was in the past, not understanding the concept of fear.
From the moment he began to chuckle, he was preparing to fight.
He knew that he was no match for the Temple Seminary''s little monster, but without fighting, he could not speak of retreat.
He reached the stone platform and stood across from Tianhai Ya''er. Under the starlight of the profuse stars, his body seemed even taller and sturdier.
"I am called Xuanyuan Po, a freshman student of Star Seizer Academy."
Tianhai Ya''er smiled. "Rushing to say that you''re a freshman student, is it because you want me to go easy on you? Looking at your oafish appearance, you might even be twenty or older. This year, I''m only twelve, so relax. I definitely won''t go easy on you."
The tall and sturdy youth called Xuanyuan Po earnestly replied, "I just grow a little fast. I''m only thirteen this year, and I really am a freshman student. Of course, I really am older than you, so you don''t need to go easy."
"Very good." Tianhai Ya''er''s smile vanished.
Xuanyuan Po lowered his waist and focused. His fists clenched into rocks, he said, "Please instruct me."
With no expression on his face, Tianhai Ya''er casually sent a fist thundering towards him!
A terrifying hurricane rose up over the stone platform, revolving at high speeds.
His fist was the eye of this hurricane!
A faintly discernible screen suddenly appeared in the surrounding night sky.
This protective screen was actually slightly deformed, causing the starlight that seeped in to seemed particularly gloomy.
A deathly stillness.
Countless gazes were fixed upon Tianhai Ya''er''s fist, shocked beyond words.
Everyone knew that the Temple Seminary''s little monster was very powerful. With the blood of the Tianhai clan and the teachings of the Pope, how could one not be strong?
But no one had thought that he was actually this powerful!
It was just a simple fist, yet it invoked the energy of a hurricane and was even able to slightly deform the protective screen created from the combined strength of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s teachers!
The crowd gazed at the cruelly smiling boy on the platform and thought of how he was only twelve years old, making them even more astonished.
If he were to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky, just where would he rank?
In next year''s Grand Examination, just which banner would he be able to enter?
...
...
No one believed that Xuanyuan Po could block this fist, not even the military instructors and students of Star Seizer Academy.
But against all expectations, Tianhai Ya''er''s fist was blocked!
When the two fists collided, there was a boom like a clap of thunder and the protective screen around the platform once more deformed!
Blood trickled from the corner of Xuanyuan Po''s lips and his eyes had slightly dimmed. His two feet had sunk deeply into the firm stone and his clothes had been torn into a terrible mess by the gales stirred up by Tianhai Ya''er''s fist. A picture of defeat had already appeared, but at least he had not fallen, had not taken a single step back!
Because the moment the two fists collided, something strange occurred!
This youth was extremely tall and sturdy, his fist also extremely large, but now it became even larger.
Even more shocking was that his fist was suddenly covered in a layer of thick black fur, and even his bare right arm was completely covered in long fur!
His right arm began to rapidly expand. In a flash, it became even thicker than the thigh of an ordinary man!
Those sturdy muscles were like iron rods, seeming to contain boundless strength!
Only this way could he directly resist Tianhai Ya''er''s terrifying fist!
...
...
"Metamorphosis!"
"He was actually a demi-human!"
Countless cries of alarm rose up over the stone platform, especially from the students seated at the tables. For many of them, this was the first time they had seen this sort of scene and they repeatedly cried out in shock.
The teachers and students of the Six Ivies were also extremely shocked.
Only the military officials of Star Seizer Academy who were privy to these details remained silent, but even they were surprised that this new demi-human student, under Tianhai Ya''er''s terrifying pressure, was able to borrow the metamorphosis to display a cultivation far above his usual level.
Tianhai Ya''er had also not expected for this opponent that he viewed with contempt to actually be able to block his fist.
He felt somewhat ashamed.
This made him extremely angry.
He almost crazily let loose a scream, just like a child whose toy had been snatched away.
When the teachers of the Temple Seminary heard this scream, their expressions instantly changed.
The hurricane rose up once more!
Several flashes of lightning could faintly be seen!
Tianhai Ya''er''s fist continued forward and with crushing momentum, broke through Xuanyuan Po''s powerful defense!
"Block it again!"
On the stone platform, the boy crazily screamed.
Smoke rose up from Xuanyuan Po''s metamorphosed arm but was instantly blown away by the hurricane.
A terrifying strength was transferred from his wrist to his shoulder.
He found it even harder to endure and vomited blood as he retreated.
Tianhai Ya''er pursued like a ghostly shadow, another fist thundering forward!
Xuanyuan Po grit his teeth and angrily roared, raising up his heavily wounded right arm in an attempt to block it.
"Enough!"
From below the stage came Zhuang Huanyu''s icy shout.
At almost the same time, the lecturers of the Temple Seminary and the military instructors of Star Seizer Academy stood and anxiously cried, "Quickly stay your hand!"
Only those of sufficient cultivation could tell that Xuanyuan Po had already lost and that this fist of Tianhai Ya''er''s was for crippling this arm!
Demi-humans were innately endowed with powerful physiques, especially after they had metamorphosed, but if they were heavily injured while metamorphosed, the injuries would be even harder to recover from!
Tianhai Ya''er actually wanted to make this demi-human youth into a cripple!
Crack.
Xuanyuan Po vomited blood and was sent flying, crashing down on the stone stage and jolting the dusty ground.
He stubbornly tried to rise, but he already lacked the strength.
The right arm that had been one of his greatest prides, his once incomparably sturdy right arm, now hung down, ruined and already crippled.
It was deathly still.
Tianhai Ya''er stood in front of him, looking down at him from above.
Blood rarely flowed in the Ivy Festival, but this scene was miserable and cruel.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer walked onto stage and shook his head. "Your attack was too harsh."
Tianhai Ya''er slightly creased his brow, saying, "I promised Sir that I would not kill him, but never said that I wouldn''t cripple him.
"I hear that all you demi-humans possess a lot of strength?"
Tianhai Ya''er looked at him with disdain as he sneered, "It only turned out to be just this much."
Xuanyuan Po stared at his crippled arm and suddenly began to wail in pain.
He was a sturdy and courageous demi-human youth, but in the end, he was still thirteen.
All the crowd was silent. Even though the people from Star Seizer Academy were all wrathful beyond compare, they could only remain silent.
In the Orthodox Academy''s corner, there was also silence.
Luoluo stared at the platform.
She stared at the blood dripping from the youth''s right hand.
Her right hand faintly shifted in its sleeve.
She turned to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was also staring at the platform.
45 My Name Is Luoluo
Chen Changsheng was staring at the platform.
On the platform, Tianhai Ya''er sensed his gaze and turned to Chen Changsheng, his dark red and thin lips slightly curling, his immature pale face revealing a smile brimming with scorn and contempt. The meaning of this smile was evident without needing to ask.
The heavily injured Xuanyuan Po was carried off the stone platform and was hurriedly treated by the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy, after which he was carried away by the students of Star Seizer Academy. Tianhai Ya''er drew back his gaze and turned to the crowd boiling with emotion below him, sneering, "I know that none of you idiots and trash like me, but so what? I don''t need your love, I only need all of you to fear me. Who cares how much you hate me? Could it be that any of you would dare attack me?
"The Ivy Festival is truly laughable, a bunch of idiots that think they''re fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, but they never thought that only true dragons can leap over that gate in the sea of clouds! You lot of pitiable people from nowhere, do you really think you''ll get the chance?"
Tianhai Ya''er jeered, "I certainly didn''t come to the Ivy Festival to knock you idiots out of your wishful delusions. I came to do two things. After finishing them, I''ll naturally leave so as to avoid having all your eyeballs pop out from glaring too long."
Precisely as those important personages had silently thought, the Temple Seminary had naturally not dispatched this crazy little monster of theirs to the Ivy Festival so that they could get the right to participate in the first match. There was necessarily a deeper meaning behind it. There was even a chance that this little monster attending the Ivy Festival had nothing to do with the Temple Seminary!
Upon hearing Tianhai Ya''er''s words, the crowd grew quieter. They were very interested to know just what these two things he wanted to do were.
That match with the demi-human youth from Star Seizer Academy had clearly happened by chance and was presumably not one of the two tasks he wanted to carry out.
"I came to the Ivy Festival today because Tang Thirty-Six said he was going to cripple me, so I wanted to cripple him."
Tianhai Ya''er turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area and continued, "He''s a student of your Heavenly Dao Academy, but I think that since he was able to make that declaration, none of you can hold me back. But rather amusingly, that rustic fool actually didn''t dare to appear."
He turned his gaze to Chen Changsheng in the corner and disdainfully said, "The second task I came to carry out has to do with this piece of trash here.
"A few days ago, besides hearing that Tang Thirty-Six wanted to cripple me, I also heard about a preposterous matter. The Orthodox Academythat run-down graveyard in Hundred Flowers Lanehad actually taken in a new student. HahahahahaI didn''t dare to believe my ears."
Tianhai Ya''er seemed like he had heard the most laughable matter in the world, rubbing his belly while letting loose a shrill laugh, his voice extremely harsh on the ears.
Suddenly, his smile vanished and a roar boomed like thunder through the Heavenly Dao Academy.
"Bold!"
Tianhai Ya''er gave a gloomy and cold look to Chen Changsheng, and then his gaze flitted past the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education as well as the faces of many other people, his voice very cold and extremely low, completely unlike any voice that could be produced by a twelve-year-old boy. "I don''t care who was responsible for this matter, I just want to ask him a question: do you want to die?"
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer glanced at the direction of the seating area for the hosts and realized that the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education was still as calm as ever.
Logically, even someone like Tianhai Ya''er would not reprimand these powerful figures with such condescension, and this reprimand was practically a threat.
But he had done it, and the crowd was still silent.
Because he might be representing the Pope, or even the Divine Empress, in asking those conservative powers within the Orthodox Academy, in asking those people who wanted to use the Orthodox Academy to stir up storms once more, just what do all of you plan to do?
No person could answer this question.
"This piece of trash who hasn''t even succeeded at Purification wanted to revive the Orthodox Academy? What a joke!"
Tianhai Ya''er stared at Chen Changsheng and said very matter-of-factly, "I know that you know Tang Thirty-Six. Since he doesn''t dare appear, you can just come up and let me cripple you. I can kill two birds with one stone and save some time."
A deathly stillness.
The crowd had been laughing a moment ago, an ear-grating laughter. It had been laughter targeted at the Orthodox Academy''s decline and wretchedness, and also at the silence of that young man and woman.
But now, no one laughed. This was because of the ferocity Tianhai Ya''er had just displayed and also because everyone knew that if that new student of the Orthodox Academy really did step onto the stone platform to face his fate, he would face an even more tragic end than the demi-human youth, even death.
"Or"
Tianhai Ya''er smiled at him, "You can announce to everyone present that you''re withdrawing from the Orthodox Academy and then bow to me and plead the great me for forgiveness, and perhaps I might let you go."
...
...
Chen Changsheng could not withdraw from the Orthodox Academy because this was the only choice the Divine General''s estateor to be more precise, the powerful figure hidden behind the Xu Estate, had given him. If he did not have the qualifications of a student of the Orthodox Academy, he had no means of attending the Grand Examination.
After listening to Tianhai Ya''er''s words, he was naturally very angry, but also very confusedhe did not understand why a rustic youth from Xining Village had earned the hostility of this young expert of the Temple Seminary. Yes, being hostile to someone needed to be earned, required reasons.
This was because he did not know that when he was calmly cultivating and reading in the Orthodox Academy, ignoring the storms outside his window and not viewing the flowers in the lane, an undercurrent was already running through the capital. Many people began to take note of him, like the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, like some people in the Li Palace, like some people in the Imperial Palace.
Nobody knew about the engagement between him and Xu Yourong, and those people naturally did not know this entrance into the Orthodox Academy was completely by accident. Those people believed that in the critical year in which the Orthodox Academy would finally become the dust of history, before their eyes it suddenly gained a new student, a representative of some conservative powers within the Orthodox Academythose powers still loyal to the Chen Imperial clan were feeling things out, or perhaps those conservative powers were attempting to make a declaration. Crucially, those people had not seen Chen Changsheng''s recommendation letter, had not seen the Pope''s signature, so the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education''s position only confirmed their conclusions.
This sort of feeling out or declaration was something these people could not accept, and so they chose without hesitation to suppress it. The moment they chose was the Ivy Festival and the person chosen to take care of it was naturally this Heavenly Dao Academy overseer in charge of supervising the Ivy Festival, and who had they ultimately chosen to do the deed?
There were still many officials and priests of the Great Zhou Dynasty loyal to the Chen Imperial clan, so those people did not want their actions to be too obvious. Consequently, they determined that the Temple Seminary''s little monster was the best choice because he was the Divine Empress''s grandnephew and also had backing in the Orthodoxy.
The Divine Empress and the Pope might not even know that there was a new student in the Orthodox Academy, but this possibility could not change the facts of Tianhai Ya''er''s surname and teacher. In addition, the best aspect was that Tianhai Ya''er was only a twelve-year-old boylet alone humiliation and suppression, even if he killed that person on the spot, so what?
''Little children don''t understand'' had always been the best excuse, hadn''t it?
The most important guests presiding over tonight''s Ivy Festival, the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and Divine General of the East Xu Shiji, were well aware of this undercurrent. Xu Shiji knew of Chen Changsheng''s origins and identity, but given the existence of that engagement, he naturally wished to maintain his silence. Whether Chen Changsheng was beaten into the dust or killed on the spot, these were both scenes that he wished to see. As for the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, his silence had even deeper meanings, because he knew of more things.
Such as the identity of that girl next to Chen Changsheng.
...
...
Bow or don''t bow, leave or be beaten to deaththese were the choices Tianhai Ya''er had left for Chen Changsheng. There were not many choices and it was only for the sake of proving that the Orthodox Academy was already part of history. After all, he was a child, so his methods were crude and straightforward, purely about the word ''humiliation''.
No person was willing to bear this sort of humiliation, and neither was Chen Changsheng. What made him even sadder was that Luoluo would have to bear this humiliation with him. This made him want to deeply apologize to this girl who had clearly lived a life of luxury and never been the target of any sort of anger.
Luoluo truly was very angry. She had never received such humiliation in her entire life. However, Chen Changsheng had remained silent, so she could only remain passive. Because she did not want anyone to see her brow gradually knit together in anger, she had lowered her head extremely low.
Just then, she heard Chen Changsheng''s voice brimming with apology.
"I said before, as a student of the Orthodox Academy, you might have to suffer all sorts of humiliation and suppression."
Luoluo felt that she had heard these words before, and then she recalled that it was during that conversation she had with her teacher on the day she joined the Orthodox Academy. She thought to herself, could Teacher be testing me? Yes, or else with Teacher''s innate ability, how could he tolerate that little monster humiliating the Orthodox Academy so?
She recalled the reply she had given to Chen Changsheng.
"Teacher, no one dares to humiliate me."
Yes, as she grew up, no one dared to humiliate her. Then they also could not humiliate the teacher that she revered above all, could not humiliate the Orthodox Academy that she was gradually beginning to love and treasure. Any person who dared must pay the appropriate price.
Luoluo stood up, bowed to Chen Changsheng, and then walked to the stone platform.
The school was still and without a sound as countless gazes watched her walk forward.
Only when she stood before Tianhai Ya''er did the crowd finally confirm what they were seeing.
The Orthodox Academy had accepted the challenge from that little monster of the Temple Seminary?
Just who was this girl?
...
...
Tianhai Ya''er examined the girl standing before him and asked, "Who are you?"
Luoluo said nothing, only glancing off the platform at Chen Changsheng.
"It turns out that you''re also a student of that ghostly place?"
Tianhai Ya''er gave two strange laughs and then ceased to smile. In a serious and frightening tone, he said, "Relax, you''re so beautiful, how can I kill you? After I''m done playing with you, I''ll play that other guy to death and then come back to continue playing with you. What do you think?"
These words were very obscene, and coming from the mouth of a twelve-year-old boy made them even more sinister.
Luoluo was very angry, but her expression actually became calmer.
All the attendees of the Ivy Festival were looking up at the platform. Many professors and officials were looking at the girl. They confirmed that she had succeeded at Purification, so at least she was not complete trash like Chen Changsheng, but it was just hard to tell what level her cultivation was at, and it was naturally impossible for her to be a match for Tianhai Ya''er.
To compare this young and beautiful girl with the Temple Seminary''s little monster was an unreasonable task.
When they thought of how they might see this girl collapsed in a pool of blood, many people felt reluctance and pity.
Zhuang Huanyu suddenly stood and yelled, "Stop!"
He knew that Luoluo''s background was unusual, but no matter how unusual her background, how could it be deeper than this little monster''s backing? And that little monster''s techniques were too horrifyingthat demi-human youth that was crippled just now was proof. How could he possibly watch as she was abused by that little monster?
The bishop of the Temple Seminary slightly creased his brow, extending his hand to stop Tianhai Ya''er, yet the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer had at some point appeared by the stone platform and, intentionally or otherwise, blocked Tianhai Ya''er''s vision and then shot a cold glare at Zhuang Huanyu.
The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education seemed prepared to speak when Xu Shiji suddenly began to chat, intentionally or otherwise stopping him.
Tianhai Ya''er showed a smile to Luoluo, the teeth between his dark red lips seeming just like dense white bones.
He wanted to tell her, you see, look how many people want you to die, but I won''t kill you. I''ll only cripple you and then cripple that piece of trash.
He knew that if he was a little slower, he might be stopped by someone, so he no longer hesitated.
He lunged towards Luoluo, a fist thundering down.
His fist was very small, yet it carried the terrifying might of a hurricane and dazzling lightning.
His fist was very firm. Its goal was not her face but her very slightly raised chest.
His mind was cruel and his techniques very low-class, but he truly was very powerful and he was not holding back whatsoever!
Wind and thunder were created from the condensing of a cultivator''s true essence to a certain level, which in turn caused these phenomena to be created in the surroundings. Only by cultivating to the Meditation Realm and thus seeing those star fragments in those tiny places could one refine true essence to such a terrifying degree, could one explode with such effect.
Tianhai Ya''er had attacked with his full might.
The tall and sturdy demi-human youth from a moment ago had been crippled by a single fist, and wasn''t all that stood before him now just a petite and weak girl?
Countless shocked cries arose from below the platform, mixed with screams. Many students covered their faces and turned away, not daring to look!
...
...
Amidst these shocked cries and screams suddenly came a strange shout of extreme anger, extreme fear, and even some perplexity!
The crowd turned to the platform and discovered that this strange shout was coming from Tianhai Ya''er!
A fist had appeared in front of Tianhai Ya''er''s fist!
It was Luoluo''s fist.
Her fist similarly carried a hurricane, was mixed with lightning, but her hurricane was fiercer, her lightning brighter!
Crack!
Countless wounds suddenly appeared on Tianhai Ya''er''s fingers, spurting blood, and even the bone was visible!
Those wounds quickly traveled to his wrist, instantly snapping his wrist bones!
Pain! Unbearable pain!
Tianhai Ya''er''s pupils shrank into little black dots as a strange shout of pain and panic burst forth from his blood-red lips.
Followed by a stream of blood.
What was going on here?
Why did this soft and tender fist that looked like a white flower contain such monstrous power?
Tianhai Ya''er had no time to think, his mind completely dominated by fear. As he let out his strange shout, he retreated with all his might.
He knew that he had to escape this fist as fast as possible, or would he undoubtedly die!
But though he retreated quickly, Luoluo approached even faster.
Her fist was as wild and explosive as a hurricane, swift and violent as lightning, as it struck Tianhai Ya''er''s fist.
From one end of the stone platform to the other, several dozen zhang in total, her fist was always striking his.
The frightening quantities of true essence moved from her fist to continuously explode into Tianhai Ya''er''s body!
Boom!
Tianhai Ya''er collapsed at the edge of the stone platform, his wrist completely shattered, nothing but blood between his fingers.
His face was pale as snow, his eyes brimming with shock and confusion.
Without even understanding what was going on, he had lost, lost through and through.
...
...
The trees suddenly began to resound with the chirps of cicadas.
It was a summer night, so it was impossible for it to be quiet.
Yet surrounding the platform was a silence like that of a snowless winter night, utterly devoid of sound.
Then it seemed like the snow was beginning to melt.
Drip, drip.
Blood dripped down from that delicate fist to the ground.
The girl stood in the night wind, looking all around, then said one sentence.
She was replying to Tianhai Ya''er''s question and also communicating a fact to the crowd.
"My name is Luoluo, and I am a student of the Orthodox Academy."
The chirping of cicadas grew more agitated as the crowd grew quieter. They looked with incomparable shock at the platform, seeing that girl with her dress swaying in the night wind and feeling that all of this was not real. Everyone believed that they would see this girl collapsed in a pool of blood and had thus covered their faces and turned away, not willing to look. Who could have imagined that the person to collapse in a pool of blood at the end would be that little monster from the Temple Seminary?
No person could imagine this conclusion.
The forgotten Orthodox Academy, and the girl that nobody had recognized, had delivered a mighty shock to the world.
...
...
This fight had begun too abruptly, even shamelessly, but its end had come even faster, rather delightfully.
Luoluo knew that she would win because she had always been very strong. That night in which the demon expert had attempted to assassinate her had been very dangerous, but that did not mean that she was a weakling amongst her peers. No, amongst her peers, she was an absolute expert, especially in terms of quantity of true essence, where very few could surpass her.
If Tianhai Ya''er had been somewhat more cool-headed and chosen to compete against her with techniques and skills, she would perhaps have been unable to use such an overwhelming method to obtain victory. However, Tianhai Ya''er had grown accustomed to using his tyrannical ways to suppress others, but he had no idea that her bloodline had always been the world''s most noble, most tyrannical bloodline!
Everything concluded.
Luoluo turned to Tianhai Ya''er and raised her fist once more.
She remembered very clearly what this little monster had said after severely wounding that demi-human youth. She remembered very clearly the humiliating words this little monster had said to her teacher and herself. So now, it was time to return those humiliations.
"Stop!"
Realizing that she was preparing to strike, many of the silent personages spectating began to show unease.
That demi-human youth could be crippled and killed, the people of the Orthodox Academy could be crippled and killed, butTianhai Ya''er could not be crippled, let alone killed!
Because his surname was Tianhai.
With harsh cracks, several important figures, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer included, appeared on the platform.
46 Tigers Stirring Storms
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer and the experts of the Temple Seminary stood around the stone platform, surrounding Luoluo in the center. Any one of them could easily subdue her, but the problem was that she was standing right in front of Tianhai Ya''er, only several feet away. Her fist was tightly clenched, a thunderstorm within.
Once this fist fell, Tianhai Ya''er would die or be crippled.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer and the experts of the Temple Seminary all had very grim expressions. They did not dare to take one step forward nor did they retreat. They maintained the current state of affairs, hoping to intimidate her into staying her hand. They thought that with the passage of time, Luoluo would emerge from her fighting state and become much more cool-headed.
All was quiet. No one wanted to excite this girl, nor did anyone wish for an even more gruesome scene to occur.
Tianhai Ya''er himself had no awareness of this. He looked at Luoluo, coughing blood, his voice trembling and tears streaming as he spoke, "Don''t kill meI beg youdon''t kill me, I''m really scared, so scaredhahahaha!"
This pathetic begging tinged with tears suddenly became a laugh of unbridled arrogance!
The boy with his face covered in blood had an abnormally ruthless expression and seemed particularly sinister. He fiercely stared at Luoluo and howled, "You believe I''d really be scared of you! I''m just playing with you! Because you''re done! The Orthodox Academy is also done! Look around you at these shameless old fellows, their bellies filled with sewage. Whether I beat you into a cripple or it turns out like now, you''re both done! Because no one can treat me this way!"
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s complexion turned somewhat unsightly.
Luoluo slightly wrinkled her brow and raised her fist even higher. Bright specks of light circled around her fingers, very beautiful and also very frightening.
Tianhai Ya''er''s expression suddenly changed. He shrilly screamed, his two legs kicking about and his expression growing crazed to the extreme. He looked just like a child who had just had its milk snatched away!
"What do you plan to do! Could it be that you actually dare to strike me! The Divine Empress is my grandaunt! In this continent, who would dare to strike me!"
There was a deathly stillness. Everyone knew that this little monster of the Temple Seminary spoke the truth. Let alone the fact that he was rumored to be the Pope''s disciple, solely because he had a grandaunt like this meant that no one dared to make things difficult for him. Thinking about the frenzied reprisals that would occur after this incident, the crowd turned to Luoluo with gazes of pity and empathy.
Surrounded by senior experts and threatened by this repulsive boy, what would Luoluo do next?
She gazed beyond the stage at a certain corner, at that youth.
This was her subconscious, or perhaps habitual, action. She might not require Chen Changsheng''s opinion, but she felt that she should comply with Chen Changsheng''s view.
Everyone''s gazes followed her gaze to the corner, to Chen Changsheng.
...
...
Chen Changsheng at this moment felt rather complex.
He was not at all surprised, nor was he anything close to pleasantly surprised. After these days of instructing Luoluo in cultivation at the Orthodox Academy, he knew that, though strong, the little monster of the Temple Seminary was no match for Luoluo, or else he would have definitely stopped her from stepping onto the stone platform. However, he had not imagined that the Temple Seminary''s little monster would be such a fool and actually dare to directly contest with Luoluo on strength of true essence and ultimately suffer such a miserable defeat, now requiring Luoluo to make such an important choice.
He knew what choice Luoluo would make because several days ago, a grain of sand had gotten into her eye. The girl had taken half a day, insisting on getting that grain of sand out, before she was finally willing to continue studying. Ultimately, she succeeded. With red eyes, she happily ran around the lake.
He knew why Luoluo was hesitating, why she had turned to him. She was concerned that she might stir some sort of trouble for the Orthodox Academy. In addition, she had grown used to asking for his opinion before doing anything, and no matter what he chose, she would always obey.
That little monster of the Temple Seminary had been defeated by Luoluo, and Luoluo was seeking his opinion. Upon confirming these two facts, Chen Changsheng knew what he should do: he decided to very straightforwardly give his opinion, in accord with the path Luoluo had originally wanted to choose.
This was very good. Chen Changsheng thought to himself, this responsibility should be mine to bear. He stood and gazed at the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer and the crowd waiting with bated breath. After a period of silence, he said, "A moment ago, he said that he wanted to cripple Tang Thirty-Six."
His voice was rather hoarse and halting, so he seemed very clumsy. It wasn''t because he was afraid, but because he just wasn''t used to speaking in front of so many people. Frankly speaking, today''s Ivy Festival was absolutely the first time he had met so many people in his entire life.
And what he was doing was very unyielding, yet he was not skilled at speaking unyielding words.
He thought it over, deemed this reason sufficient, and then he spoke, "Tang Thirty-Six is my friend, so"
...
...
Luoluo understood his meaning and then suddenly realized that she had made a mistake. She should not have looked to her teacher. That look had been out of habit, out of respect, but it was also the equivalent of placing the power of choice and all the consequences that would follow on her teacher. This was an extremely wrong thing to do.
She turned away and placed her gaze once more on Tianhai Ya''er.
Now, Chen Changsheng had just said that Tang Thirty-Six was his friend.
Tianhai Ya''er saw the look in her eyes and understood her intentions. His face turned exceptionally pale and his eyes showed an expression of utter loss, not understanding why things were happening this way. Then, he shrieked in fear and unease, "Quickly save me!"
He shrieked very loudly, drowning out the words following Chen Changsheng''s ''so''.
But it could not drown the terrifying gale stirred by the fist and the crackle of lightning.
Luoluo''s noble and tyrannical bloodline made her utterly loathe cowardly beings.
At Tianhai Ya''er''s fearful and urgent cry for help, her eyebrows leapt up and her eyes became abnormally bright.
An image flashed, a young tiger leaping over a stream!
Her fist fell upon Tianhai Ya''er''s stomach!
With a smack, Tianhai Ya''er''s shrieks suddenly came to a halt!
After a moment, the silence was finally broken by countless alarmed cries and yells.
Tianhai Ya''er lay unconscious in a pool of blood, his ribs completely shattered and his meridians completely ruptured, already a cripple.
Luoluo drew back her first, violent winds howling around her small body.
Whoosh!
Her black hair blew across her small and beautiful face like catkins in the wind.
Not catkins, but traces of grass.
She gazed at the surrounding crowd, her expression cold and calm.
It was like she was in the north, standing within a mighty gale amidst the bent grass, constantly waiting for the moment where she could deliver the killing blow.
An indescribable power and prestige naturally formed around her.
...
...
There was absolute silence as the crowd stared with stupefied expressions at the platform.
That girlhad actually crippled Tianhai Ya''er! Did she know who Tianhai Ya''er was? Did she know what she was doing?
Chen Changsheng deeply wished to tell the entire world, I was the one that made her do it, but at this time, the gazes of the entire world were focused on Luoluo, none of them at him. For instance, Zhuang Huanyu''s gaze only had space for Luoluo''s petite figure as he was filled with boundless appreciation and admiration.
With a shaking of light, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer and those experts of the Temple Seminary quickly rushed to Tianhai Ya''er''s side to check on his pulse and breath. They confirmed that he was still alive, buthis meridians were all shattered, crippled until they could be crippled no more, making him incapable of cultivation for the rest of his life. The people from the Temple Seminary carried Tianhai Ya''er down from the platform as quickly as possible and to the Imperial Palace, hoping that the Guardians or imperial doctors would be able to preserve a final hope. If it really turned out to be no good, there was truly a chance for this incident to disturb the Divine Empress.
The bishop and teachers of the Temple Seminary departed with them. Before leaving, they shot a glance at the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, their meaning crystal-clear: you carried out this matter behind the Temple Seminary''s back, you were using Tianhai Ya''er, so you will be the one who must give an explanation.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer gazed at Luoluo, his face like a sheet of frost, his voice as piercing as the edge of a blade. "To strike with such viciousness, you really are an incredibly cold-blooded little girl."
Luoluo thought, what did that Tianhai Ya''er say to this Heavenly Dao Academy overseer after injuring and crippling Xuanyuan Po? She remembered. At the time, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer had said that Tianhai Ya''er''s attack was too harsh, and Tianhai Ya''er had replied that he had only promised to not kill Xuanyuan Po but had never said anything about not crippling him.
"I never promised that I wouldn''t kill him, let alone the fact that I only crippled him."
Luoluo felt her argument very reasonable, so she boldly and confidently turned around and walked off the platform.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer froze. Recalling his conversation with Tianhai Ya''er and believing Luoluo to be intentionally ridiculing him, he couldn''t help but grow angrier. His long beard danced rapidly in the night wind and his complexion turned extremely nasty as he sternly yelled, "You think you can just leave like this!"
Luoluo stopped.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer stared at her back and emotionlessly said, "I don''t care what your background is or who your real teacher is, but let me make it clear to you that this is the capital of the Great Zhou, this is the Heavenly Dao Academy. You''ve committed violent assault before the crowd. Do you think you can just run away?"
His statement was one thing, but everyone understood the true meaning of his words. No matter how mysterious Luoluo was, the Tianhai Ya''er that she had severely injured was the Pope''s disciple, the Divine Empress''s grandnephew, and so there was no one in the entire human world that could protect her.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer gave her a forced smile, saying, "Little girl, you trulyhave a lot of nerve."
Luoluo was somewhat displeased, asking, "What sort of thing are you to actually dare speak to me in this way?"
The entire scene was quiet. Nobody could have imagined that at this sort of moment, not only was this girl not afraid, she was actually so forceful.
Only very few people were able to sense that something was strange because the aura exuded by this girl was truly very powerful.
She confronted the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer like a lord confronting a subject.
What sort of family or teacher could produce such a female student?
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was stunned. He began to smile out of his anger, an exceptionally cold smile.
He was now very sure that this girl''s background was assuredly not ordinary, but just as he had said, her crippling Tianhai Ya''ermeant that there was no one in all of the human world that could change her fate.
With a harsh shout, his right hand casually waved.
No wind or rain, only a straight line of stalwart Qi, a stalwart Qi that not even meteoric iron could block!
This was a strike of a Star Condensation expert!
This Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was this sort of personage!
Luoluo could be even stronger, but she was still just a girl.
The crowd seemed to hear the sound of death, seemed to hear someone say that this girl''s death was assured.
Who could change this situation?
A person turned towards the Orthodox Academy''s corner, wanting to see that girl''s companion.
Only a lonely table set with food and wine.
No person.
(TN: is a Chinese idiom. It basically means that heroes will appear as they are needed, and when they do appear, they will have a massive effect on society.)
47 Mao Qiuyu
When the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer struck, no one other than Xu Shiji or the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education would be able to stop him. Xu Shiji was a grand general that the Divine Empress heavily relied on, so he naturally would not stop the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, and the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, who seemed to have the greatest reason to act, seemed to be asleep.
Although Zhuang Huanyu was tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, there was still a massive gap between him and his teachers, and it was simply impossible for him to change anything. His junior sister was about to be a vanished fragrance, shattered jade, but he could do nothing but watch with an abnormally pale face.
Luoluo gazed at the intention descending from the sky and felt the shadow of death. She slightly raised her slender brows, but her expression was as serene as normal. She knew that as long as it was not such an extreme situation like the one on that night in the Orthodox Academy, no person in the capital could kill her.
She had this sort of confidence, but other people certainly could not, and the crowd was a mass of shocked cries.
Suddenly, a person stood in front of her.
This back was not tall, but it was taller than her, so it firmly obstructed her.
When Luoluo saw this back, she naturally began to think of the similar situation from that night.
She once more recalled her father''s words: when the sky is falling, there will be someone tall to hold it up for you.
She felt very warm and suddenly felt that Heavenly Dao Academy overseer was no longer so repulsive.
When Luoluo''s fist had struck Tianhai Ya''er''s stomach, Chen Changsheng had left the Orthodox Academy''s seating area. He knew that Luoluo''s background was mysterious, but he had no means of knowing whether Luoluo''s clansmen would be able to promptly appear. As Luoluo''s teacher, it was required that he stand before her at this sort of moment.
He arrived very promptly.
As the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s killing intent flew through the air, he had finally arrived in time to block for Luoluo.
His right hand held the dagger horizontally in front of him and he was somewhat nervous.
He did not know if the dagger was capable of blocking the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s killing intent. He did not contemplate what he would do if it could not block it, because this was not a matter that needed contemplating.
Though actually, he had still contemplated this possibility.
His left hand reached behind him and gripped Luoluo''s hand.
A big hand gripped a small hand, a button between their palms.
The killing intent seeping out of the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s finger was condensed into a straight line, approaching swiftly and forcefully.
Chen Changsheng thought that in the next moment, he would be gone. Surprisingly, he was still standing at his original position.
He turned his head to glance at Luoluo, thinking, just what is going on here?
If you don''t use the Thousand Li Button, we''re really going to die here.
....
...
....
...
Chen Changsheng naturally did not die, nor did Luoluo. She did not use the Thousand Li Button because she was sure that in the capital, especially in the Heavenly Dao Academy, no person could kill her. This was because someone knew her background here, and this person was the most powerful person in the Heavenly Dao Academy.
A fresh breeze blew by. That condensed straight line, that seemingly indestructible killing intent, was blown away just like the smoke rising from the stove of a kitchen belonging to a peasant family.
This refreshing breeze arose from two sleeves.
An old man with a head of white hair appeared on the platform, his two sleeves slightly drifting in the night wind.
The entire crowd was solemn and respectful, everyone abnormally silent as they all stood up. Not even Xu Shiji and the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education were exceptions.
Zhuang Huanyu and the Heavenly Dao Academy students clasped their hands and bowed to the ground, an indescribable reverence and extreme shock about their persons.
"Greetings to the Principal!"
"Teacher!"
Yes, this old man was the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Two Sleeves in the Breeze, Mao Qiuyu.
Soon after, Vice Principal Zhuang of the Heavenly Dao Academy also appeared.
When Zhuang Huanyu saw Vice Principal Zhuang, his expression subtly changed.
The crowd was in an uproar.
No person expected for the most powerful Principal and Vice Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy to appear at the same time, especially Principal Mao Qiuyu, who was at a power level rare in the entire continent. His status was extremely eminent, and logically, the first night of the Ivy Festival would not have disturbed such a powerful figure no matter what.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer''s expression slightly changed. Walking up to Mao Qiuyu, he reverentially bowed, and then gave a narrative of the situation, attempting to set the tone.
He was clearly aware that since Mao Qiuyu had moved to protect this girl of the Orthodox Academy, it was impossible for tonight''s matter to proceed according to his plans. But he did not wish for the flames to blow back and burn himself, so he prepared to extinguish the fire.
Violently injuring someone? Cold-blooded and emotionless? The strong bullying the weak?
Upon hearing the overseer''s report, the faces of the crowd became extremely interested.
Was he talking about Tianhai Ya''er or that girl from the Orthodox Academy?
Mao Qiuyu suddenly began to laugh.
The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education also began to laugh.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer suddenly felt somewhat cold.
The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education laughed as he stood up. As he walked towards the exit, he feebly said, "Ah, Old Cao, have a little face."
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer actually had the surname Cao. He stood in a daze, feeling that these feebly spoken words were like a resounding slap on the face.
Vice Principal Zhuang expressionlessly indicated that tonight''s Ivy Festival would end here.
The crowd gradually dispersed. As they left, every one of them could not help but turn their heads to the stone platform.
Mao Qiuyu gazed at Luoluo, wishing to say something. In the end, however, he said nothing, only smiled.
Chen Changsheng led Luoluo in bowing to him, and then the two descended the stone platform, returned to their corner, and tidied up the things that had previously been dropped.
Luoluo obediently following behind seemed exceptionally cute.
As she thought about her appearance on the platform, she thought, was I too barbaric, too tyrannical? Would Teacher not like me that way?
She tugged on his sleeve, raised her head, and gave a small giggle.
Chen Changsheng saw the girl''s cute tiger teeth and also laughed, extending a hand to rub her head.
...
...
The feast had ended and the hall was quiet and still. Mao Qiuyu and Education Overseer Cao stood across from each other on the stone platform, conducting a conversation.
"To suppress the Orthodox Academy, you allowed that little monster of the Temple Seminary to go crazy at the Ivy Festival. You went too overboard with this matter."
"Correct, I just can''t stand the Orthodox Academy. Many people feel the same. Is it wrong?"
"Hatred? No, that''s a matter from almost twenty years agoeveryone clearly understands what you want to do."
"What do I want to do?"
"His Holiness had you come to the Heavenly Dao Academy to become its education overseer, and now ten-some years have already passed. Anyone would feel weary, this is understandable."
"Principal, I have always deeply respected you."
"You are the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Advancing one more step would make you the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Educationwho could not be tempted?"
Mao Qiuyu looked at him and calmly said, "But you made a few mistakes. In the first place, you should not have dragged the Orthodox Academy in. Secondly, you should not have used people you did not have the right to use. Finally, you should have made clear just who exactly your opponent was."
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer had an extremely nasty expression because the principal had accurately described his thoughts.
His position had been arranged by the Pope, the education overseer being a position that the Li Palace used to control the people chosen from these powerful academies, but he had done it for so many years and had truly grown tired of it. He wished to become Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. He only needed to take one step and he would be able to see a completely different skywho could resist such an allure?
But he naturally would not admit it, firmly insisting, "There are people within the Orthodoxy that want to use the Orthodox Academy to sound things out. I wished to solve these difficulties on the behalf of His Holiness and the Divine Empress. What wrong is there in that?"
Mao Qiuyu expressionlessly replied, "Do His Holiness and the Divine Empress know of this matter?"
After a moment of silence, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer said, "Tianhai Ya''er has turned into a cripple. The Orthodox Academycan it possibly continue to exist? If trouble occurs in the Orthodox Academy, Mei Lisha will naturally have to take responsibility. No matter how one looks at it, it''s not a bad thing."
"No person is a fooleven Tianhai Ya''er clearly understood that you were using him."
Mao Qiuyu sighed, "It''s a pity that you are the fool."
Extremely unwilling, the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer asked, "Just who was that female student from the Orthodox Academy?"
Mao Qiuyu turned and began walking out of the hall, saying, "That is not at all important. What''s important isHis Eminence the Archbishop has controlled the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education for many decades now, even before His Holiness the Pope came into power. You thought that you could use plots and schemes to deal with this sort of person?"
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer looked at the elder''s back, his face ashen. "I only know that the Divine Empress''s grandnephew has been crippledthere must be a person to give an explanation for this. Even if His Holiness will not blame anyone, there must be someone to bear the Empress''s anger?"
Without turning around, Mao Qiuyu asked, "Could it be that you still don''t understand who will bear the responsibility for tonight?"
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer seemed to be struck by lightning as he knew that tonight was probably the final night of his life.
...
...
Luoluo did not want to be gawked at by others. Thus, after some discussion, she and Chen Changsheng used the darkness to sneak into the forest. Familiar with the way, she brought him to a small path, passed through two heavy doors, circled a small building, and emerged from a secret back door of the Heavenly Dao Academy into an alley.
Chen Changsheng had heard her talk about how she used to come to the Heavenly Dao Academy for classes and asked curiously, "Always through the back door?"
Luoluo replied, "If I didn''t come through the back door, I wouldn''t be able to come to the Heavenly Dao Academy for classes."
Chen Changsheng had some speculations, so he asked, "At the time, the person that taught youwas Principal Mao Qiuyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy?"
Luoluo affirmed.
Chen Changsheng sighed, "This is really coming in through the back door."
(TN: ''Getting in through the back door'' also means to get advantages through influence.)
Luoluo noted, "Principal Mao is much more lacking in teaching when compared to Teacher."
He was actually being compared by Luoluo to the legendary Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy. This was far too absurd of a matter.
"Don''t you dare speak such nonsense. If anyone hears it, you''ll be mocked."
Chen Changsheng firmly warned, but his mood was extremely good.
But when he saw that carriage at the mouth of the alley, his good mood instantly vanished.
A lantern was hung on the carriage, a massive ''Xu'' character written upon it.
It was the carriage of the Divine General of the East''s estate.
48 Silhouettes and Green Oranges
A person of the Divine General''s estate came up to invite him, courteous and cold. Chen Changsheng had Luoluo remain where she was as he walked towards the carriage parked at the entrance to the alley. When he walked over, he realized that the surroundings were quiet and deserted. Not a single person was present, and even that attendant of the Divine General''s estate had vanished off to somewhere.
The warhorse at the front of the carriage was tall and majestic, its mane in the darkness faintly tinged a dark red. It clearly was not of common stock, but carried the blood of some sort of strange beast. It was extremely striking, but Chen Changsheng did not even pay it a glance. This was because what he wanted to see was the person in the carriage.
That person did not get off the carriage, but remained seated in the compartment. The other side of the carriage also had a red lantern, its light shining through the interior of the carriage, outlining the man''s silhouette against the window as distinctly as if it had been carved there by a blade or sword.
Chen Changsheng bowed to the silhouette in the window. The silhouette on the window was distinct, the man within the carriage was also distinct, and that mighty, frightening, and stern Qi was even more distinct. Only at this point did Chen Changsheng realize where the pressure he had felt on two occasions during the Ivy Festival had come from. One of his goals in attending the Ivy Festival was to personally see this man. During the entire feast, the man''s gaze had seemingly never passed over him, but it turned out that this man had been watching him the entire time.
"It has already been a very long time since you left Xining and came to the capital. Up to now, I have not heard any rumors that I did not want to hear, proof that you are a smart person, that your behavior is very dependable. I admire these points."
Xu Shiji''s voice emerged from the carriage, calm and indifferent. "After you entered the Orthodox Academy, you actually learned how to borrow another''s authority for your own needs. I then realized that you were actually smarter than I imagined. I must admit that I''ve begun to admire you more and more."
Chen Changsheng knew that he was speaking sincerely, not jeering or taunting. This was because he wasn''t worthy of being jeered at or taunted by the grand Divine General of the East, let alone being lied to. But he was not the least bit delighted by these words because he discovered that he still did not like Xu Shiji''s smell.
This smell was not bitter, spicy, sour, or sweet, but a feeling that was very difficult to clearly state. The tone Xu Shiji was speaking with at this moment was also a sort of smell.
Calm and so indifferent and disaffected. An arrogance that was not deliberate but came on naturally. Moreover, he seemed very much like an elder.
Chen Changsheng greatly disliked these things. If those matters involving the engagement did not exist, if there had not been those humiliations and suppressions, if this man really did act like he was his elder, then it would be fine, but the problem was that all of those ''ifs'' were false.
Xu Shiji fell silent for a few moments, perhaps because Chen Changsheng''s silence had caught him somewhat by surprise or because he needed to think about these matters. The night wind rustled the dusky light of the lanterns as he asked, "Who is she?"
Yes, this was the matter that he was truly focused on. Of course, the reason for his concern had nothing to do with the marriage contract on Chen Changsheng''s person. He would not care about any sort of interaction Chen Changsheng had with the opposite sex because he had never truly regarded Chen Changsheng as his daughter''s fianc.
From the moment Luoluo stepped on the stone platform of the Ivy Festival, the subordinates of the Divine General of the East''s estate began to secretly investigate her origins. However, even after the Ivy Festival concluded and Xu Shiji seated himself in his carriage to depart the Heavenly Dao Academy, they still had not managed to turn up any information.
Xu Shiji was clearly aware of the capabilities of the soldiers and officers under his command, so he was somewhat shocked.
This girl was together with Chen Changsheng. This matter made him even more shocked and somewhat wary.
Chen Changsheng did not reply to his question because he felt that he was not required to respond to any of this person''s questions.
The silhouette on the window grew even more distinct, its outline growing harsher. Xu Shiji had most likely leaned closer to the window.
That might became even more frightening, and the pressure seemed to become real.
Chen Changsheng felt a fit of disgust in the pit of his stomach like a mountain was pressing upon him.
"In truth, I''m somewhat regretful." Xu Shiji''s emotionless voice came from the carriage.
"When you first entered the capital, in that period when no one knew who you were, I should have just killed you. I naturally understand the principle that soldiers should not show mercy, but the Xu Estate is on good terms with your teacher and someone wanted you to live, so I allowed you to live."
Chen Changsheng lowered his head and did not speak.
"The capital in the height of summer is a place where death can easily occurthe flood season is very difficult to predict, but what one can be sure about is that the rivers of the capital will certainly rise. When the waters begin to surge, whether it''s a floating corpse or the ashes of the dead, all of it will be easily washed away."
Xu Shiji spoke through the window, his tone very indifferent.
"Take for example Education Overseer Cao of the Heavenly Dao Academy. After tonight, perhaps he might become a floating corpse on some flat shore of a flooded river some several thousand li away, or perhaps he will become food for the carp of the Luo River, but in short, no one will see him again."
Upon hearing this, Chen Changsheng raised his head in shock towards the carriage window, thinking, why does the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer have to die?
"That little monster is still a member of the Tianhai clanno matter how things develop afterwards, the lord overseer acted on his own initiative. The Empress will be very unhappy, and when the Empress is unhappy, Lord Zhou Tong will be very angry. When Lord Zhou Tong is angrythat man will die a very miserable death.
"So tonight, the lord overseer will undoubtedly commit suicide.
"I truly am very regretful that I did not kill you at the beginning, and now it''s no longer convenient for me to directly act, but I must warn you that in this world, there are many methods of survival more terrifying than death. The lord overseer understood this reasoning; I hope you will as well."
With the slight swaying of the lanterns, the light dimmed and ten-odd subordinates of the Divine General appeared in the darkness. They surrounded the carriage as it slowly departed the alley entrance and headed towards the Divine General of the East''s estate. Before the imposing and lofty warhorse departed, it shot a glance at Chen Changsheng, cold to the extreme.
In the carriage, Xu Shiji was silent, countless gloomy flames in the depths of his eyes. They were not fierce but instead contained a threatening cold. He had realized that these matters were at this very moment escaping his control. Although because of that letter from Holy Maiden Peak, he had never truly had control over this matter, the situation now had seemingly become more bizarre.
He clearly understood the reasons and consequences of Chen Changsheng entering the Orthodox Academy and had originally believed that there was no deeper meaning behind it. It now seemed that even if this was the case at the beginning, people were now using this matter to stir up a storm. Those people within the Orthodoxy still loyal to the Chen Imperial clan, after remaining silent for so many years, seemed to finally discover an opportunity they could use and were gradually preparing to surface from the water. Then what sort of effects would this matter have on the Divine General of the East''s estate?
This matter was too big, and even if he was the Divine Empress''s most trusted Divine General, he did not dare wade in too deeply. At the moment, he had only dipped a foot in to confirm a matter. If Chen Changsheng had truly been dragged by someone into that swamp, then it was even more vital that this engagement be known by no one. At the very least, it should remain concealed for the next few days.
In a few days, the combined diplomatic mission from the southern powers would arrive at the capital. The several dozen students participating in next year''s Grand Examination would be amongst this diplomatic mission. It was precisely for this reason that the other two nights of this year''s Ivy Festival were highly likely to be delayed.
It was still quite some time until next year''s Grand Examination. The southerners breaking convention and setting off towards the capital several months in advance had already attracted much discussion and suspicion. However, he was well aware that the Divine Empress welcomed the coming of this diplomatic mission.
In the entire continent, only a select few knew that the reason that the southern diplomatic mission were arriving early this year was that they were preparing to propose at the Double Seventh Festival. (TN: The Double Seventh, or Qixi, Festival is a Chinese holiday taking place on the seventh day of the seventh month according to the lunar calendar. It celebrates the romance of the weaver girl and the cowherd, who are forbidden from loving each other and separated by a river. On the day of the Double Seventh Festival, a flock of magpies form a bridge over the river so that the lovers can briefly reunite.)
Xu Shiji knew of this matter because the object of the southern diplomatic mission''s proposal was his daughter.
He would not permit any person or any matter to harm this marriage.
Chen Changsheng could not, that girl of mysterious origins could not, no one could.
As for the Orthodox Academy, the Heavenly Dao Academy, or those members of the old Imperial clan, or that undercurrent in the capital, any sort of scheme or plot, he did not want to think about them. If a person dared to threaten this marriage, he would kill them with no fear, even if it was a person he shouldn''t kill.
Because he had a good daughter, so as long as he was not betraying the Empress, he did not care what he did for her sake.
Of course, if there were even better methods to address those unstable factors, such as Chen Changsheng and that girl, then that would be the best outcome. In that case, he had to first confirm a few things and then invite a few people to prepare some matters.
"Go to the Little Orange Garden," he declared.
The carriage of the Divine General of the East''s estate slowly turned. Going along a quiet road, ignoring the capital''s strict curfew, it headed in the direction of the Imperial Palace.
The Little Orange Garden was a manor close to the Imperial Palace. Its area was not large and many orange trees were planted there, giving it the appearance of the countryside.
A person able to own a parkland so close to the Imperial Palace and plant worthless orange trees within was naturally no ordinary person.
It was the residence of Lady Mo Yu.
...
...
Returning to the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng stood under the tree by the lake. As he thought of that silhouette in the carriage window, his mood was rather disastrous, wanting to charge the lake and yell, but he was afraid of startling the people in the Hundred Herb Garden. He wanted to say a few curse words, but he realized that his master and senior had never taught him before, so he didn''t know how to start.
He resentfully turned and walked towards the library. As he passed through the trees by the lake, he saw an orange tree, its dense branches covered in newly born, delicate, and underripe fruits. He subconsciously picked one and took a bite, resulting in his face puckering from its sour and crisp flavor.
"Even you are bullying me?" He kicked the tree of green oranges, his nose flaring.
The small green oranges rustled down like the rain. From behind the tree came an ''ouch''.
Luoluo rubbed her petite head, her right hand holding a lunchbox, her left hand covering her mouth. Her mouth was awash with astonishment as if she had seen something very strange.
Somewhat shocked, Chen Changsheng asked, "Didn''t you go back to sleep?"
Luoluo explained, "Mama Li prepared a night snack. I came to eat together with Teacher."
Chen Changsheng saw the look on her face and confusedly asked, "What are you surprised about?"
Luoluo widened her eyes and seriously explained, "I didn''t expect that a person like Teacher would also have such a childish side."
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat embarrassed and began walking towards the library.
A voice so low as to be imperceptible drifted amongst the trees, rendered somewhat sour and wrong by the green oranges.
"I''m still a few months from being fifteen, so what''s wrong with being a little childish"
49 Atop the Banyan Tree
The starlight outside the window was like water. Chen Changsheng and Luoluo sat on the floor, eating their night snack. There were several delicate pastries, two bowls of porridge with some sort of herb, and also a plate of very finely cut dried meat. The taste was quite good and the master and disciple were so busy eating with their chopsticks that they had no time to speak.
After the porridge and pastries were all finished, Luoluo now had the leisure to speak. Thinking of that carriage she had seen at the entrance to the alley of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s back door, she could no longer hold back her curiosity. As she chewed on a piece of dried meat, she asked, "Teacher, just what sort of grudge lies between you and the Divine General of the East''s estate?"
Chen Changsheng knew that a thing like curiosity was difficult to suppress for a very long time and had long since mentally prepared himself for her question. He casually said a couple of sentences and then moved to change the subjecthe had prepared to misdirect her, to fool her by relying on his status as her teacher. Presumably, it would not be too difficult a task.
However, tonight''s starlight was too beautiful and Luoluo truly found it difficult to endure. Since he wasn''t willing to answer, she could only open her eyes wide, her black pupils constantly roaming about as she asked and probed several possibilities, like that he was the son of an old friend of the Divine General and that the Divine General was now requiting kindness with enmity, and other such rather dramatic scenarios.
Chen Changsheng found her imagination very admirable. He didn''t know how to respond, so he simply chose silence.
Luoluo gazed up at the profuse stars above the Orthodox Academy, creasing her brow in serious contemplation. Her small hand held up a green orange that she had brought back from the forest, and sent it into her mouth. She thoughtlessly chewed it, then suddenly drew back her gaze and let out a shout of alarm.
Chen Changsheng believed that she had been surprised by the bitterness of the green orange. Shaking his head as he sighed, he chided, "I told you it was too sour and couldn''t be eaten, and the taste really isn''t that good."
Luoluo swallowed the green orange, seeming to be utterly unaffected by its sourness. She looked in shock at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher, you couldn''t possibly be betrothed to Xu Yourong, right?"
Chen Changsheng''s mouth slightly dropped, at a loss as to how to respond. He was filled with admiration and also very helpless, preparing himself to confess the truth.
"Eh"
Not waiting for his response, Luoluo repeatedly waved her hands, her small face filled with self-ridicule and awkwardness. "I''m really silly to actually think of such an absurd possibility. That''s Xu Yourong; how can it be possible?"
Chen Changsheng felt even more at a loss as to how to respond. He somewhat awkwardly closed his mouth and fell silent, thinking, this matter truly is too absurd. Even Luoluo, who normally regards me with such respect, actually also thinks this way? Just what makes it impossible for me to be with Xu Yourong?
"Go back and sleep." He thought some more and then added, "I have some things to do tomorrow, so come over a bit later."
Luoluo was somewhat nervous and anxiously asked, "Teacher, you''re not angry, right?"
Chen Changsheng asked, "Did you do anything today that would make me angry?"
Luoluo very seriously pondered this question and realized that she truly had not done anything that would make her teacher unhappy. Although she had acted excessively unbridled at the Ivy Festival in the Heavenly Dao Academy and not her usually cute and obedient self, Teacher had said that he wouldn''t blame her, so he naturally wouldn''t blame her.
She had no idea that her very casual statement had wounded Chen Changsheng''s self-respect.
She truly had spoken very casually, so the wound was truly not light.
...
...
After Luoluo left, Chen Changsheng tidied up the lunchbox and the other things on the floor, then he organized the books on the table and returned them to the shelves. Extinguishing the lanterns, he walked to the entrance of the library and turned his head, gazing back for a few moments before finally departing into the darkness, as if he was saying farewell.
Upon returning to the house, he began to pack his luggage, placing all the things he needed to take with him in one box. He then took out his dagger, sat on his bed, closed his eyes, and began to rest. He was not drawing in starlight for Purification but waiting for the arrival of some people.
In tonight''s Ivy Festival, Luoluo had crippled Tianhai Ya''er. This incident would assuredly incur enormous troubles. Those troubles were aimed at her, aimed at him, and aimed at the Orthodox Academy. He did not know who would be coming to make trouble, but he knew that those people would certainly be very frightening.
He knew that Luoluo''s history was mysterious, her background extraordinary, or else the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy Mao Qiuyu would not have been secretly protecting her during the Ivy Festival. However, the little monster she had crippled was still the Divine Empress''s grandnephew, a member of the Tianhai clanthe Tianhai clan that was the most terrifying clan in the entire continent.
At the very beginning, Chen Changsheng still had hopes that Luoluo''s background would be able to awe the other party into at least not making trouble in the open, but after hearing Xu Shiji saying that the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy would commit suicide tonight, he no longer held much hope.
In the present world, even the Chen Imperial clan had to obey the Tianhai clan. The Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy even had to die because Tianhai Ya''er was crippled, so what of Luoluo, who had directly committed the deed, and himself? Or that the other side had originally wanted to destroy the Orthodox Academy in the first place?
He waited for the arrival of those people, prepared to leave. Although he was somewhat reluctant to part with the Orthodox Academy, extremely regretful that he would miss next year''s Grand Examination, it was impossible to change what had occurred, so he had to at least allow this matter to have a relatively complete conclusion.
In his plan, in a little while, the Orthodox Academy would turn into a sea of flames.
He naturally had means of escaping.
The Orthodox Academy would pay the price for crippling Tianhai Ya''er and Luoluo was no ordinary person, so the other party would presumably be satisfied.
...
...
This one night.
Just Chen Changsheng himself.
Sitting alone in his room.
At his feet sat a shabby leather trunk.
He silently awaited another turn in his life.
He used his composure that surpassed his age to silently wait.
Nobody knew that he waited in the Orthodox Academy for an entire night, even after countless years. Only he knew how interminable this night seemed, how difficult to endure it was, how much courage he had to pay.
When the morning light shone over the school, nothing had occurred.
On this night, there were many people silently watching the Orthodox Academy.
Those people thought the same as him, believing that the ruthless officials of the Department for Purging Officials would charge into the Orthodox Academy in the middle of the night and drag him into Zhou Prison, the mere name of which would cause countless ministers and experts to quail in fear. Or perhaps the experts of the Li Palace would borrow the shroud of darkness to come to this place and then quietly murder the youth and set the place ablaze, turning this Orthodox Academy that the Divine Empress loathed into a terrifying sea of fire.
But none of this occurred.
The morning light shone as smoke began to curl up from the chimneys of Hundred Flowers Lane. From the nearby Imperial Palace came the ringing of a bell.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes. Walking to the window and gazing out at the peaceful capital in the morning, he was somewhat confused, and then he understood.
Because of his request from last night, Luoluo did not come from the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy until noon. Of course, she did not forget to bring a heavy lunchbox.
Chen Changsheng asked her to inquire on some information.
Before they had even finished lunch, the sound of a flute could be heard from the other side of the wall. Luoluo slightly lowered her head and quietly listened for a while.
"Nobody has seen the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy."
She raised her head and looked at Chen Changsheng. "Vice Principal Zhuang received a letter. It''s probably a resignation letter."
Chen Changsheng fell silent. Seeing his expression, Luoluo also understood some things.
Vanishing after submitting a resignation letter. Had he retired to his birthplace or gone deep into the mountains to quietly cultivate? This was a matter that no one knew, and in this short period, it was impossible to find out.
It was not a resignation letter, but a farewell to the world.
Last night in the residence of the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy, perhaps a rope of white silk could be found. This morning in the Luo River, perhaps the ashes of some bones had already sunk into the mud at the bottom.
Just like that, a powerful figure had noiselessly died.
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat cold. Looking at Luoluo''s eyes, he found complex feelings within.
This was a conspiracy, perhaps an open conspiracy, aimed at the Orthodox Academy.
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer had the little monster of the Temple Seminary strike. No matter how the Orthodox Academy responded, problems would arisebecause he was the grandnephew of the Divine Empress. If he won, the Orthodox Academy would naturally collapse. If he lost, the Orthodox Academy would assuredly invite the rage of the palace.
Yet to the surprise of all, the final conclusion of this conspiracy was that the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy bore the rage of the palace and became a corpse. The young man and woman of the Orthodox Academy surprisingly had to bear none of the responsibility. Why? Because Luoluo was very powerful, because Luoluo''s background was even more powerfulin short, Luoluo was far too powerful.
Chen Changsheng looked at her and sighed, "It seems that you are even more outstanding than I imagined."
Somewhat confused, Luoluo replied, "Teacher, you are the truly outstanding person."
Chen Changsheng scratched his head and asked, "Is it appropriate for us to be flattering each other like this?"
...
...
Chen Changsheng had always believed that if one lived for several centuries, time was transient and thus must be cherished. If one lived for only several decades, this was even more true. Since nothing had occurred, he should continue studying and cultivating. Only at dusk did he and Luoluo finally put down their books. After finishing the dinner sent over from the Hundred Herb Garden, they began to take a stroll around the Orthodox Academy''s lake.
Strolling seemed to be a very time-wasting affair, but he did not care because he clearly understood that doing this was good for his health.
The two walked to the other side of the lake and came before an extremely tall and mighty banyan tree. Chen Changsheng suddenly felt a rare feeling of mischief and proposed climbing up it to see the view. Luoluo had always obeyed him, let alone the fact that he was now proposing something fun, so she had no reason to object.
After a while, the two had climbed to the middle section of this great tree and stood upon a very sturdy branch, not worried that it might snap. They were ten-odd zhang from the ground and when their gazes looked into the distance, they could see streets that were very far away, and even faintly see the galleries of the Li Palace.
Under the sunset, the sight of the capital was truly quite good.
Hundred Flowers Lane beyond the Orthodox Academy''s walls was even more plainly visible. It was peaceful as normal, but both he and Luoluo knew that Hundred Flowers Lane was already no longer as it once was. In those shadows and under the eaves, many gazes were watching what went on within the academy''s walls.
"Teacher, I''m sorry."
Luoluo whispered. She felt that it was because of her that Chen Changsheng had been dragged into this mire. She knew that he deeply valued time and placed high value on his calm life of cultivation, so her apology was deep and sincere.
"The person to apologize should be me."
Chen Changsheng explained, "On that day, if I hadn''t written your name in the register, you wouldn''t be a student of the Orthodox Academy, and then how would we encounter these troubles? Although you aren''t afraid of these troubles, troubles are still troubles in the end."
...
...
Time did not move according to the will of humans, or else the time around Chen Changsheng would certainly be as firm and unmoving as a stone.
Several days later, the second night of the Ivy Festival arrived on schedule.
Looking at the invitation card on the floor, Chen Changsheng was rather surprised. No matter if it was the words Xu Shiji spoke to him at that time or Priest Xin''s advance warning, logically speaking, this year''s Ivy Festival should be somewhat different from those of the past. Moreover, after the bloody match on its first night, he thought that the second night would be postponed a few days.
Luoluo asked, "Teacher, are we really not going?"
Chen Changsheng shook his head, saying, "We''re not going."
The Ivy Festival was an activity organized by the academies of the capital and would not influence next year''s Grand Examination. He had participated in the first night primarily to get a clear understanding of the Grand Examination''s rules and also to see just what sort of person Xu Shiji was. Both of these goals had been accomplished, so what need was there to go again?
And if they did go to the second night of the Ivy Festival, there would certainly be many people staring at the Orthodox Academy, staring at him and Luoluo. He was not used to that sort of feeling.
Luoluo did not expect that he really wouldn''t go when he said that they weren''t going. She was somewhat confused and also somewhat regretful, saying, "If we did go, we might have really been able to get a good rank."
The literary test and the martial test remained for the Ivy Festival. Like the Grand Examination, they would also have rankings, and unlike the matches of the first night, they would assuredly not come to such a hasty conclusion. If Luoluo had participated in the martial test and Chen Changsheng in the literary test, they might have been able to make the Orthodox Academy shine with glory once more.
Chen Changsheng answered, "There''s not much meaning in that."
Luoluo gave him an admiring gaze as she said, "Teacher views undeserved reputation like fleeting clouds, truly admirable."
Chen Changsheng earnestly responded, "It''s primarily because I''m afraid of provoking trouble."
...
...
On the day on which the second night of the Ivy Festival would be held, the Heavenly Dao Academy was presumably unusually lively, but the Orthodox Academy was as quiet as ever. Hundred Flowers Lane outside the academy also finally obtained true peace. Those people who had watched the Orthodox Academy for many days had left because of the Ivy Festival.
Every night after dinner, they would take a stroll around the lake. Although the lake and the shadows of trees were beautiful, it was difficult not to be bored after seeing them so many times. After they had climbed up the great banyan tree several times, there was not much meaning in continuing to do so. Upon seeing that the number of irksome individuals in Hundred Flowers Lane was greatly reduced, Luoluo, unwilling to pass over this opportunity, threw a tantrum, acted cute, and resorted to all sorts of methods, before she was finally able to pull Chen Changsheng from the floor of the library. The pair exited the academy gate covered in ivy, exited Hundred Flowers Lane, and began to stroll about the streets.
Not far from Hundred Flowers Lane was Walong Lane''s famous night market. Under the rule of the Divine Empress, the capital had experienced a long period of peace and was flourishing and prosperous. The night market was naturally extraordinarily lively, with pedestrians packed tightly together. The fragrances of all kinds of food being sold by the stalls assailed the nostrils and tempted passersby.
Chen Changsheng bought Luoluo a tanghulu. Somewhat surprised, Luoluo very happily received it without the slightest courtesyrespect for her teacher and providing him three meals was only right and proper, as her teacher buying her a few small snacks was also right and proper.
She held the tanghulu and very carefully licked it, terribly worried that a momentary lapse of attention would result in her licking until only the wooden stick was left and frightening her teacher.
Her petite appearance was very cute.
Walking in front of a stall selling fried clams, she curiously looked at the still-moving clams in flour. She was just about to ask Chen Changsheng if they were okay to eat when she suddenly saw a very tall and sturdy youth squatting by the wall behind the stall, washing the dishes. Her forehead slightly creased.
Her petite appearance was very solemn.
Of course, it was still very cute.
50 Teaching Stick
This person was very tall and sturdy, and his hand very large, like the size of a washbowl. It made the bowl in his hand seem particularly small, resulting in a somewhat amusing sight. His right hand was somewhat clumsy and awkward, trembling as it traveled along the rim of the bowl as if somewhat crippled, making the sight also rather sad and pathetic.
Luoluo circled around the fried clam stand and stood behind this person. For some reason, her small face was brimming with anger. Chen Changsheng followed her and upon seeing the person''s profile, realized that it was very childish and this person was very young, thus finally allowing him to confirm this person''s identity.
The person squatting in this corner of the wall while washing dishes was the demi-human youth crippled by Tianhai Ya''er during the Ivy Festival, Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po saw that a few more shadows had appeared on the wall and turned his head. He saw that it was a young man and woman. He perked his thick brows in puzzlement and realized that he did not recognize the pair, so he lowered his head back down and continued washing dishesa simple task like washing dishes was now a very challenging matter to him, so he had no time to care about other people.
"Leaving the Red River, disregarding distance to come to the human world, experiencing all sorts of pain and suffering, and yet ending up in an alley of the capital washing disheswas this your goal in life?"
The hand of Xuanyuan Po''s holding the bowl slightly stiffened and he once more turned his head. As he stared at this girl who seemed to be sculpted from jade, great waves raged in his mind. He thought, who are you, and why do you know that I''m from the Red River, that I''m not part of the human world?
Seeing his blank and foolish appearance, Luoluo inexplicably felt somewhat angry. Her voice low and cold, she berated, "If the people of your tribe were to see your appearance now, would they not regret collecting so much travel money for you?"
Xuanyuan Po looked very sturdy and strong, but his true age was only thirteen. His face was young and tender as was the person himself.
Now that he was hearing Luoluo''s unrestrained criticism, his cheeks turned red and he angrily replied, "Who are you? You don''t need to concern yourself over my matters."
Luoluo fell silent for a moment then said, "I am called Luoluo. I am a student of the Orthodox Academy."
Xuanyuan Po froze once more, his shock even greater. His right hand could no longer hold the oily and greasy bowl.
With a splash, the bowl in his hands dropped into the filthy water. Although it did not break, the splashing suds still incurred the curses of the fried clam stall''s owner. "You useless thing! Was all the time you spent growing up wasted? Do you not even know how to wash dishes?"
The night market was incredibly busy, the pedestrians a dense crowd. The fried clam stall was doing very good business, and the owner was working to the breaking point, waving his spatula and flipping over the food on the metal plate. He simply had no time to worry about other things. Even when cursing, he didn''t even turn to glance at Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po had no reaction. It seemed that in these past few days of working with the fried clam stall owner, he had already grown accustomed to being cursed at. He only stared in shock at Luoluo, his young and immature eyes beginning to glow with fervor, brimming with worship and adoration.
After being heavily injured by Tianhai Ya''er at the Ivy Festival, he had been carried back by his schoolmates to Star Seizer Academy for treatment. He did not see what happened afterwards, but on the next day, he heard from his schoolmates that Tianhai Ya''er had been crippled. The person that had crippled Tianhai Ya''erwas a girl.
He heard that the girl was called Luoluo and that she was a student of the Orthodox Academy.
This girl had apparently just said the same.
Xuanyuan Po had since wanted to meet this girl. It wasn''t merely because he wanted to thank her for helping him get revenge, but because demi-humans respected the strong. He had deeply wished to see what this girl looked like and display his reverence towards her.
"It turns out that it was you"
Xuanyuan Po wiped his thick hands on his old clothes, seeming rather nervous, then said, "Then whatever you say is okay, is as it should be."
Luoluo had originally wanted to re-stimulate this person''s fighting spirit and had not expected this sort of response. She couldn''t help but feel rather helpless.
On the other hand, Chen Changsheng was thinking of another question. Somewhat confused, he asked, "Youleft Star Seizer Academy?"
He thought to himself, even if this demi-human youth was crippled by Tianhai Ya''er, making it very difficult for him to continue cultivating, much less regain his former strength, he was still acting as a student of Star Seizer Academy when he took part in the match. Could it be that Star Seizer Academy expelled him because he was crippled? This is really too inexcusable.
Xuanyuan Po did not know who this human youth was, but seeing his expression, he knew that there was a misunderstanding. Somewhat frantic, he repeatedly waved his hands and explained, "The academy didn''t expel me, butafter receiving such severe injuries, I can no longer cultivate. I didn''t want to freeload in the academy, so I left."
Seeing that Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were somewhat unwilling to believe this, he hurriedly added, "It''s true, the principal and teachers all came to persuade me, but I''ve always been a rather stubborn person and wasn''t willing to listen, so I snuck off. You shouldn''t mistakenly blame them."
Truly straightforward and cuteChen Changsheng and Luoluo both thought this. Whether it was the reason for his insistence on leaving Star Seizer Academy or the frantic concern he displayed when he worried that bystanders might misunderstand the attitude of Star Seizer Academy, they were all proof that this demi-human youth possessed a very clean heart.
Luoluo''s expression softened slightly as she asked, "So that''s what it was. Then what are you prepared to do in the future?"
Xuanyuan Po gave an honest smile and replied, "I''m prepared to save some money. Once I''ve got enough for travel expenses, I''ll return home. Since I can''t cultivate, I might as well return home and help out with workright, don''t blame the boss. Although he likes to curse at others, he''s really a good person. In these past few days, I''ve broken so many plates and bowls, but he''s never let me pay for them."
The owner, who was just wiping his sweat as he flipped food on the metal plate, did not turn upon hearing these words, only smiled and cursed a few words.
Seeing the demi-human youth''s simple and honest smile and realizing that there was no hint of resentment to be found on his young and immature face, Luoluo was overcome by an inexplicable sadness. She asked, "You''re willing to just go home like this?"
After a pause, Xuanyuan Po replied, "Just like my lady said before, in order for me to come to the capital, the people of the tribe collected a lot of money. It was very difficult, and I''m certainly unwilling to just go back like thisbut the teachers in the academy have already said that the constitution of demi-humans is different from humans. A crippled right arm is very difficult to treat, so what reason is there for me to stay?"
He sighed, "The teachers were actually willing to let me stay in Star Seizer Academy and do some manual labor, but if I were to see my former schoolmates advancing forward step by step, I might feel even more unwilling."
Luoluo said, "If you remain in the capital, you''ll eventually find a way. What need is there to so quickly leave Star Seizer Academy?"
Xuanyuan Po replied, "The elders of the tribe have taught since we were children to never receive the slightest sympathy, especially from humans."
Luoluo quietly looked into his eyes, finding him more and more admirable. She said, "Follow me."
It was just two simple words, not an order yet imbued with a feeling that they could not be rejected, so awe-inspiring as to be inviolable.
Xuanyuan Po felt somewhat odd. He blankly stared but couldn''t find any means of refusing. After speaking with the owner, he followed her onto the street.
Only when they were just about to exit the long street and on the verge of seeing the well of Hundred Flowers Lane did Luoluo finally remember something and turn rather embarrassedly to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng chuckled but said nothing.
Luoluo had never opposed anything he wanted to do, so he naturally would not have any opposition towards things that Luoluo wanted to do. As for what this demi-human youth called Xuanyuan Po would bring, he was also not much concerned. He knew that Luoluo''s clansmen were always watching from a distance, protecting her.
...
...
The Orthodox Academy at night was as peaceful as usual. Because of the second night of the Ivy Festival, the prying gazes within Hundred Flowers Lane were greatly reduced. This made Chen Changsheng feel even more relaxed. However, he had not imagined that Xuanyuan Po, who was coming to the Orthodox Academy for the first time, would be even more relaxed than he was.
The demi-human held his waist that was even thicker than a tree and looked all around, occasionally even stroking an old sculpture. His eyes were brimming with curiosity without the least anxiety.
Taking out the key and opening the door to the library, Chen Changsheng did not go in but turned to Luoluo who seemed to be hesitating to speak and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Luoluo somewhat bashfully pulled upon his sleeve and said, "Teacher, can you help him? Teacher knowshe''s a member of my race."
Chen Changsheng asked, "I don''t have any problem helping him, I''m just curious to knowthis is an injury that not even the teachers of Star Seizer Academy thought could be cured, so why are you so certain that I can cure it?"
"Teacher isn''t those ordinary people."
Luoluo widened her eyes and said, "On the first day that I took you as my teacher, Teacher only needed to take my pulse to know my problem and then immediately know of a method to resolve it. Compared to this, how can curing that guy''s injuries be a challenge?"
The girl spoke very matter-of-factly, like there was nothing in the world that he could not do. Confronting her gaze of absolute confidence, Chen Changsheng felt that the pressure was truly very great. Scratching his head, he said, "Let me look at it and then talk, but I don''t dare guarantee anything."
Luoluo happily affirmed and rushed over to the lake shore. How could she possibly believe in those last few words about not guaranteeing anything?
Chen Changsheng looked at her back and couldn''t help but shake his head.
Luoluo ran over to the lake and said a few words to Xuanyuan Po, who was comparing his left arm against the great banyan tree. Stunned, Xuanyuan Po repeatedly shook his head as if not daring to believe what he had just heard. Soon after, Luoluo said a few things more and Xuanyuan Po was even more stupefied, and if Luoluo had not stopped, he might have bowed towards her.
When Xuanyuan Po walked with her to the library, he was still somewhat dazed. It was plain to see that Luoluo''s words had delivered too heavy a shock. Chen Changsheng guessed that Luoluo had probably revealed some of her identity to this demi-human. Indicating that the pair should follow him into the library, he lit the oil lamps and seated himself on the floor.
Xuanyuan Po did not even glance at Chen Changsheng. His eyes were fixed upon Luoluo, and he was very nervous, finding it difficult to suppress his agitation.
Luoluo did not even glance at him, saying to Chen Changsheng, "Thank you for the troubles you''ve taken, Teacher."
In Xuanyuan Po''s heart, Luoluo was currently more important than his own family, worthier of respect than the elders of his tribe, yet she actually displayed such respect towards a human, and this human accepted it with such normality. He couldn''t but find the matter incredibly absurd, and grew furious, wanting nothing more than to tear this human apart.
Chen Changsheng looked at Xuanyuan Po''s eyes that seemed about to spew fire in confusion, indicating that he should extend his right arm.
Xuanyuan Po didn''t understand, but huffed and puffed. His tone extremely unkind, he asked, "What do you want to do?"
Chen Changsheng said, "I''m going to examine your injuries."
"You? A human? How much older are you than me?"
Xuanyuan Po felt more and more that Chen Changsheng was not a good person, was assuredly a swindler, or else how could his Princess display such respect to him? He angrily roared, "Don''t think that the people from my tribe are all obedient and easy to bully. I''ve seen quite a few bullies!"
In order to resist their joint enemy that was the demons, the humans and demi-humans formed a natural alliance. In addition, in the last several thousand years, the firmness of this alliance had been proved countless times. The two sides interacted with each other all the time. At the very least, if a demi-human appeared in the capital, it would assuredly not attract any onlookers.
But there were still some barriers between humans and demi-humans difficult to remove, primarily due to differences in temperament and ways of doing things. Humans always felt that demi-humans were too straightforward, too ignorant, and too violent, like the beasts of the field. Meanwhile, demi-humans always felt that humans were far too crafty and also too fickle, so that a human as a friend was truly a terrible idea.
In Xuanyuan Po''s view, Chen Changsheng was clearly just an ordinary youth, not even having broken into what the humans called the Purification Realm. And he actually dared to say that he could cure the injuries that had caused even his teachers to despair. If he wasn''t a swindler, then what was he?
There was a dull thump.
Luoluo gripped the teaching stick and stared as she yelled at him, "What sort of attitude is this!"
The Orthodox Academy did have a teaching stick.
It was a straight tree branch that Chen Changsheng had personally peeled clean of bark.
This teaching stick was primarily used by Chen Changsheng when he was instructing Luoluo in how to cultivate.
Now it seemed that this teaching stick would truly be used for its traditional purpose.
A teaching stick was used to teach people, to hit them.
The teaching stick was very hard and striking it upon the forehead was very painful.
Xuanyuan Po held his forehead, his eyes a little red because it truly was very painful. Of course, it was primarily because he felt wronged, thinking, Princess would actually strike me because of a human?
"Extend your hand." Chen Changsheng couldn''t help but smile.
Xuanyuan Po stubbornly raised his head, not willing to obey.
Luoluo raised the teaching stick in her hand, looking at him and commanding, "Extend your hand."
Xuanyuan Po sorrowfully lowered his head and extended his hand.
Chen Changsheng''s smiled faded as his fingers gently fell upon Xuanyuan Po''s vein and his eyes closed.
Even without Luoluo''s request, he would still have wanted to see if he could cure this demi-human youth''s injury because on that Ivy Festival night, when Tianhai Ya''er was arrogantly humiliating the Orthodox Academy and everyone else was silent, only this demi-human youth laughed.
That laughter was a cry, a cry against injustice. This demi-human youth had cried out against the injustice aimed at the Orthodox Academy, so the Orthodox Academy should naturally repay him.
Of course, all this was established on the foundation that he had absolute confidence that he could treat this demi-human youth''s injuries.
His master was Daoist Ji. Although he might be obscure in the cultivation world, in the medical world, he was one of the continent''s best. The engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong was precisely because Daoist Ji had cured the Grand Minister that not even the Pope had been able to cure.
Chen Changsheng had become well-versed in the Daoist Canon as a child and learned medicine from his teacher. And crucially, he had always been ill.
Although he could not cure his own illness, this did not mean he could not cure the illnesses of others.
He very much wished to cure Xuanyuan Po''s injuries.
Time slowly passed and the multitudinous stars in the night brightened and dimmed with the drifting of the clouds.
The library was silent.
After a long time passed, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes.
51 Copper Needles
Chen Changsheng gazed at Xuanyuan Po in front of him. After a moment''s thought, he said, "Try metamorphosing your right arm."
Xuanyuan Po had never held the slightest hope that Chen Changsheng could cure his injuries. After sitting on the floor for such a long time, he had begun to lose his patience. Upon hearing that Chen Changsheng wanted him to metamorphose his already-crippled right arm, his complexion turned very unsightly. He looked at Chen Changsheng like he wanted to swallow him up.
"Did you not hear what Teacher said?" Luoluo asked.
Xuanyuan Po''s demeanor instantly took a turn as he obediently began to attempt metamorphosis.
Although his right arm was crippled, back in his tribe, he had already cultivated to the level where he could casually metamorphose. His right arm began to visibly change, incessantly swelling and bursting through his clothes. Countless black hairs began to sprout from his arm, as tough as an iron brush.
Chen Changsheng reached out to grip his wrist, feeling his powerful pulse, sensing the clearly twisted meridians, sensing those tangled clumps of true essence. He very seriously sensed, analyzed, and simultaneously compared what he saw to the records in the Daoist Canon.
Time gradually passed. Seeing his solemn expression, Xuanyuan Po suddenly felt a little hope and thus grew nervous.
After a long time, Chen Changsheng released his hand.
Luoluo asked, "Teacher, how is it?"
Chen Changsheng did not reply to her question. From the needle box that he had previously requested her to retrieve from the house, he took out a copper needle and very casually stabbed it down.
This copper needle was the thickest one in the box and its primary use was to help with the circulation of blood. Now, however, it was being used by him for another purpose.
The needle''s surface gleamed with a cold light, its point extremely sharp, but after metamorphosis, the skin of Xuanyuan Po''s arm was incredibly tough. Normal weapons would find it impossible to break and so logically speaking, it was impossible for the needle to enter. But unimaginably, the needle pinched between his two fingers easily stabbed in.
"What do you feel?" he asked as he looked into Xuanyuan Po''s eyes.
Xuanyuan Po was a little perplexed. After feeling for a few moments, he replied, "Somewhatnumb?"
Chen Changsheng''s finger lightly rubbed the end of the needle, and then he asked again, "What about now?"
"It aches somewhat." Xuanyuan Po''s expression became excited.
No matter if it ached or was numb, any feeling was very good. Even if it was pain? Anything was better than the rock that was his right arm in these days after he was injured!
Xuanyuan Po stared at Chen Changsheng, his lips trembling, his shock and admiration at their peak.
Although it was just a small change, this youth had really managed to do what the teachers of Star Seizer Academy or even the imperial physicians could not!
Seeing the look on his face, Luoluo gave two grunts of satisfaction.
She had never doubted Chen Changsheng''s ability. She firmly believed that he was only hiding himself and his abilities away for some sort of special reason.
The countless matters that had occurred in these days where she went from the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy were all proof of her view.
At present, even members of her own race, such as Guardian Jin and Guardian Li, were almost convinced by her.
...
...
"Dispersing that true essence and repairing your meridians is not a one-day affair."
Chen Changsheng put away his needle box and turned to Luoluo, saying, "It might require a very long time. I don''t advise him to leave the capital and return to his tribe."
Luoluo replied, "We all obey Teacher."
Chen Changsheng turned to Xuanyuan Po and said, "Just stay in the Orthodox Academythere''s still a lot of empty space."
The Orthodox Academy was very large, but at present, it only had him and Luoluo as students. It was truly too spacious and desolate, so one more person wouldn''t count for anything.
Xuanyuan Po was still amidst shock and elation, and when he thought about his discourteous attitude towards Chen Changsheng, he also felt somewhat uneasy. Upon hearing Chen Changsheng''s words, his face turned red and he tightly shut his mouth, unwilling to speak, too embarrassed to accept this act of charity.
Chen Changsheng turned to Luoluo and said, "You solve this."
Luoluo raised up the teaching stick and looked at Xuanyuan Po, commanding, "Say it yourself."
Xuanyuan Po did not speak. His meaning was, if my lady beats me to death, I still won''t say it.
Luoluo was helpless, so she looked back at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
Chen Changsheng advised Xuanyuan Po, "To refuse any sort of sympathy or assistance is at times not pride, but foolishness."
Xuanyuan Po was very distressed. Scratching his head, he answered, "I know, but I can''t do it."
Chen Changsheng sighed and said no more.
Luoluo was rather angry and asked, "Why aren''t you willing to stay?"
Xuanyuan Po awkwardly responded, "I''m not even a student of the Orthodox Academy."
Luoluo''s eyes glowed as she said, "That''s easy to fix."
"Ah?"
"We just need to make you a student of the Orthodox Academy."
"Ah?"
"There''s no need for a test."
"Ah?"
"You just need to register."
Receiving Chen Changsheng''s approval, Luoluo removed the Orthodox Academy''s register from a drawer. She dipped a brush in ink and offered it to Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po''s mouth was agape. Holding the ink brush and staring at the two names on the register, he felt that this affair was far too lacking in solemnity.
Even if the Orthodox Academy was in decline, it was still one of the Six Ivies. He just needed to casually write his name and he would become a student?
He thought it over and in the end still chose to write his name down.
He wrote down his name, his stroke rather stiff and his way of holding the brush rather clumsy.
Luoluo said, "Congratulations to you for becoming the Orthodox Academy''s third student."
Xuanyuan Po asked, "What are the academy''s rules?"
"There are no academy rules."
Luoluo elaborated, "Teacher''s words are the academy''s rules. Whatever Teacher asks you to do, you do."
Confused, Xuanyuan Po asked, "There is no principal or teachers?"
"Teacher is the principal.
"Teacher is the teacher.
"Of course, Teacher is also a student.
"The three are in one body, so Teacher is the Orthodox Academy."
Luoluo did not believe in any way that her words were like the brainwashing sermons of the Orthodoxy''s priests to the faithful because she truly did think this way.
Xuanyuan Po was somewhat at a loss, asking, "Then I will be learning from him?"
Luoluo was not willing for Chen Changsheng''s time and energy to be used on other people, even if it was a young member of her race that she deeply admired, so she shook her head and said, "I will teach you."
Xuanyuan Po was very happy upon hearing that he needed to acknowledge her as teacher. He thought, once I send news back to the tribe, the entire tribe will definitely rejoice.
Luoluo continued, "Teacher is my teacher, so he is your grandteacher."
Xuanyuan Po was once more at a loss, thinking, I suddenly have a grandteacher?
Chen Changsheng was also quite at a loss, thinking, I suddenly have a granddisciple?
Luoluo said, "Pay respects to Teacher."
Xuanyuan Po was already convinced by Chen Changsheng and now with Luoluo''s request, he prostrated himself on the floor without hesitation and knocked his head three times on the floor towards Chen Changsheng. He kowtowed with great strength, causing dust to fly out of the seams in the floorboards, the gentle lantern light transforming the dust into fragments of stars.
Chen Changsheng was speechless. He prostrated himself at the window towards the east, where the morning sun was just rising.
He truly did not expect that at the age of fourteen, he would become a grandteacher.
Master, do you know?
Senior Brother, it seems like our sect will truly open another branch in the Orthodox Academy.
Just as he was sighing with emotion, a sudden whoosh came from outside the window.
Tang Thirty-Six''s face appeared at the window.
He looked at the prostrate Chen Changsheng and, somewhat startled, asked, "Just what wrong did you commit against me that you would actually prostrate yourself to me?"
Chen Changsheng looked at his pale face and asked in astonishment, "You''re hurt?"
52 Somewhat Messy
The library''s door was open but Tang Thirty-Six insisting on coming in through the window, perhaps because he was lazy or for some other reason. To his usual self, jumping through a window was assuredly a very simple task, but today, it was somewhat challenging. He sat on the floor, gasping somewhat painfully and even coughing a couple of times.
"You really are injured." Chen Changsheng crouched down by his side and made to take his pulse.
Tang Thirty-Six blocked his hand, saying, "There''s nothing wrong with me, I''m just somewhat sleepy."
Chen Changsheng naturally knew that he wasn''t speaking the truth, but it seemed that this fellow truly was very sleepy, leaning against the wall, closing his eyes, and falling asleep.
The barely warm morning light from the window fell upon Tang Thirty-Six''s face, making it even paler.
Chen Changsheng shook his head. He took a thin blanket from the side room and lightly placed it over Tang Thirty-Six.
The sky gradually grew bright and the sun gradually moved. Luoluo brought Xuanyuan Po to the Hundred Herb Garden. As a member of her race, there were some things that needed to be communicated to him.
Tang Thirty-Six woke up. He turned to Chen Changsheng studiously reading on the floor and asked, "Why didn''t you go last night?"
Chen Changsheng put down the book and asked, "Go where?"
"The Heavenly Dao Academy. Last night was the Ivy Festival''s second night."
Tang Thirty-Six cast the thin blanket over him to the side, stood up, and yawned. His spirit much recovered, he continued, "On the first night, the Orthodox Academy stirred such a big storm, everyone was waiting for you last night."
Chen Changsheng answered, "I didn''t want to go, so I didn''t go."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him and noted, "You truly are a strange person."
For a place like the Ivy Festival, to not go solely because one did not want to was truly a rather bizarre way of thinking to a normal person.
"In my view, you''re even stranger."
Chen Changsheng recalled how when he had last gone to the Heavenly Dao Academy, this fellow had been bitterly cultivating, so he asked, "You prepared for so long for the Ivy Festival, but you never appeared on the first night of the Ivy Festival. Just what happened?"
Hearing this question, Tang Thirty-Six did not respond for a few moments. Finally, he said, "I don''t like that little monster of the Temple Seminary."
Chen Changsheng asked, "And so?"
Tang Thirty-Six explained, "So I once made it known that if I had the opportunity, I would cripple him."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I know about thatTianhai Ya''er mentioned it on that night."
Tang Thirty-Six''s mood was rather poor. "Since he dared to appear at the Ivy Festival, I really was prepared to cripple him, butbut some people didn''t dare let me cripple him, so they didn''t let me participate last night and had me remain in my dorm."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, thinking, with this guy''s personality, how could he change his mind because of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s rules or the dignity of its teachers? By not letting him participate, the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy must have acted directly and locked him up.
He could understand the Heavenly Dao Academy''s caution. Tianhai Ya''er''s background was far too terrifying. Besides Luoluo''s even more frightening background, it was truly difficult to find a means of coping with it. If Tang Thirty-Six really did cripple Tianhai Ya''er during the Ivy Festival, nobody knew what the final conclusion would be.
But he could understand even more Tang Thirty-Six''s anger.
"What was the situation last night?" he asked as he looked at Tang Thirty-Six''s slightly pale cheeks.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Last night was the martial test. The person who ended up getting first place was a young priest of the Li Palace Academy."
Chen Changsheng had not wanted Tang Thirty-Six to remain in that negative mood, so he had changed the subject. He truly wasn''t much interested in the Ivy Festival, so he only gave an ''I see'' to indicate that he understood.
Tang Thirty-Six slightly arched his brow and asked, "You''re not going to ask?"
"Ask what?"
"Why that young priest from the Li Palace Academy got first place?"
"The Li Palace Academythat student is basically learning from the Pope, so what''s extraordinary about getting first place?"
Tang Thirty-Six pointed at himself and declared, "If a person can defeat me, how can they not be extraordinary?"
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, this guy is still narcissistic as usual, and helplessly asked, "Fine, thenwhy?"
Satisfied, Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Because I did not participate."
This time Chen Changsheng truly was rather shocked. Confused, he repeated, "Why?"
"Zhuang Huanyu and those other guys on the Proclamation of Azure Sky didn''t participate either. It was probably because they wanted to boast about their status and also to prepare for the third night. On the other hand, I didn''t participate because the academy still did not allow me to participate and had me stay in the dorm."
Tang Thirty-Six''s complexion was rather unpleasant.
Chen Changsheng found it impossible to understand. If speaking about not letting Tang Thirty-Six face Tianhai Ya''er in a match on the first night, this action of the Heavenly Dao Academy, although rather excessive, was still one taken out of caution. But on the second night, it was completely without grounds. Was the Heavenly Dao Academy afraid that Tang Thirty-Six would turn against it?
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to challenge Zhuang Huanyu."
The library was silent as a grave.
Upon confirming that he had not heard wrongly, Chen Changsheng felt even surer that Tang Thirty-Six was a strange person, or perhaps an interesting one.
He actually wanted to challenge the senior brother of his own academy, and it was the senior who represented the entire academy.
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, if I were a teacher of the Heavenly Dao Academy, I also wouldn''t agree.
And the Ivy Festival also probably doesn''t have such a rule.
"Why?"
"Because I don''t like the look of him."
"This reason"
"What about this reason?"
"Too formidable."
Chen Changsheng had nothing to say. He knew that Tang Thirty-Six assuredly had deeper reasons for challenging Zhuang Huanyu, but since this fellow wasn''t willing to say, he couldn''t do anything.
"I used half the night to break through the academy''s restriction and rushed over to the meeting place, but at that point, the Ivy Festival was already over."
Tang Thirty-Six thought of this encounter last night in silence for a few moments, then said, "I found the atmosphere and smell of the academy to be rather unbearable and didn''t want to stick around anymore, but because I''m not too familiar with the capital and didn''t know where to go, I came to find you."
Chen Changsheng affirmed that when he had forcefully broken through the restrictions laid down by the teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy, he had been injured.
The Heavenly Dao Academy was dignified and solemn, but it was not at all ideal for Tang Thirty-Six.
Although the capital was vast, he had found no place he could go.
In the darkness before dawn, he had aimlessly wandered the streets before realizing that he knew Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng walked to him, folded the blanket, and then sat beside him. Leaning against the wall below the window, he said nothing.
They didn''t look at each other, didn''t speak, but Tang Thirty-Six knew what he was thinking.
"Don''t sympathize with me, and don''t you dare pity meafter all, I''m a genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
"Being a genius doesn''t mean you don''t need sympathy."
"But you don''t have the right to sympathize with me. In the entire capital, you also only know me."
Tang Thirty-Six teased. When he thought about this fact, he felt happy for some reason.
Just then, Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po walked in through the library''s main entrance.
Xuanyuan Po held a lunchbox in his hand that was somewhat larger than usual.
Luoluo walked up to Chen Changsheng and said, "Teacher, it''s time to eat lunch."
Chen Changsheng glanced at Tang Thirty-Six and spread out his arms, indicating that this was not on purpose.
Tang Thirty-Six had always felt that Chen Changsheng''s personality flaws were more serious than his, but in these two months, he had not made a single friend in the Heavenly Dao Academy while this guy had acquainted himself with two other people, and one of them was a really pretty girl. This fact dealt him a heavy blow.
He then recalled the scene described to him by Vice Principal Zhuang of the Ivy Festival''s first night.
"It was you that crippled Tianhai Ya''er?" he looked at Luoluo and asked.
To resist true essence with true essence and cripple the little monster of the Temple Seminary, even he would find such a feat difficult to pull off. This girl of the Orthodox Academy was naturally unusual, and that the Orthodox Academy was able to remain safe and sound after the matter was proof that this girl''s background was even more unusual.
At present, many people were speculating on the Orthodox Academy''s backing. Some people suspected Chen Changsheng''s background, but Tang Thirty-Six was keenly aware that this fellow was a rustic youth from Xining Village, so the culprit could only be this girl.
So he had asked the question with a serious and solemn expression.
Luoluo ignored him. She walked to Chen Changsheng''s side and crouched down. Opening the lunchbox, she wiped clean a pair of chopsticks and handed it to Chen Changsheng.
Seeing this scene, Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t help but crease his forehead.
Somewhat embarrassed, Chen Changsheng offered the chopsticks to him while simultaneously introducing, "He is called Tang Thirty-Six."
"I know, Teacher," Luoluo responded.
Of course she was aware that Chen Changsheng knew Tang Thirty-Six. To be more precise, before her, he only knew Tang Thirty-Six.
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, Tang Thirty-Six is a young expert of the Proclamation of Azure Sky and Luoluo is no ordinary person. It''s not surprising that she knows who he is.
Luoluo understood what he was thinking and said, "I know who he is, but I don''t recognize him."
Chen Changsheng commented, "I thought that since you recognized Zhuang Huanyu, you would also recognize him."
Luoluo glanced at Tang Thirty-Six and explained, "Zhuang Huanyu''s position was right beside mine, so it would be difficult for me to not recognize him. Heis a bit farther."
Chen Changsheng felt that he had heard similar words before, but he still didn''t quite understand. Tang Thirty-Six also didn''t understand, but he could hear the disdain in this girl''s voice and couldn''t help but get angry. Thus, he picked out the most expensive foods in the lunchbox and ate them, gobbling them up like a hurricane.
Luoluo was very displeased.
Xuanyuan Po sat on the side, obediently eating and not making a single sound.
After lunch, Tang Thirty-Six rudely snatched away the black tea that Luoluo offered Chen Changsheng and took two sips to rinse his mouth.
Luoluo glared at him and gave two cold laughs.
Very helpless, Chen Changsheng asked Tang Thirty-Six, "Then what do you plan to do next?"
"I absolutely have to participate in the third night. I don''t believe that the academy will continue to treat me this way."
"Why are you so sure?"
"This time, four members of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws will be attending. Will Zhuang Huanyu alone be able to hold on?"
Puzzled, Chen Changsheng asked, "What?"
Tang Thirty-Six placed the black tea on the floor and said to him, "You don''t know? The southern diplomatic mission this year arrived early in the capital."
Chen Changsheng recalled that so-called variable Priest Xin mentioned on that day and realized that it was about this. He curiously asked, "In the past, didn''t they always come after the winter solstice? It''s still so long until the Grand Examination; why did they come so early?"
Tang Thirty-Six answered, "At the very beginning, nobody understood, but now the entire continent knows."
Chen Changsheng asked, "What''s the reason?"
Tang Thirty-Six declared, "The southern diplomatic mission plans to formally propose on the day of the Double Seventh Festival."
"Propose?" Chen Changsheng questioned.
Tang Thirty-Six explained, "Yes, Xu Yourongwill finally be married off."
Chen Changsheng froze and then fell silent for a long time.
Suddenly, he stood up and walked out of the library.
"Teacher, where are you going?" Luoluo asked.
Without turning his head, Chen Changsheng said, "The food was somewhat salty; I''m going to compose myself."
Today''s food was somewhat salty.
His voice was somewhat faint.
His words were somewhat messy.
Because his mind was in a mess.
53 Attending the Feas
If the food really was too salty, then one needed to drink water, not compose oneselfit was just a short sentence, only ten words, yet Chen Changsheng had already made a mess of it. Of course, the food was not very salty at all, but his mind truly did require some time to compose itself so as to not continue being so messy.
He walked to the lake and stood under the great banyan tree. His feet tread on the slightly bent branches, his two hands propped against his waist. He looked in the distance, beyond the academy''s walls, thinking that the farther the better, but he didn''t know if he should look in the direction of Xining Village or in the direction of the south.
After a moment, he took from his waist a small item made of bamboo and placed it in his bosom, telling himself in the future to no longer bring it out. Back when he was staying at the inn, he had removed this bamboo item and placed it in the depths of his luggage, but for some reason, he had taken it out again.
The southern diplomatic mission was coming to the capital to propose. Xu Yourong was going to be engaged to Qiushan Jun, and even if she should not be married off in such a short time span, she would still be married off in the end.
Chen Changsheng had always believed that something like love posed no interest to him and that he had no opinion about Xu Yourong. He had come to the capital to end the engagement and even now still thought this way, so he did not understand why, after hearing of this matter, he felt so upset, even somewhat sad.
These sorts of emotions were very alien to him. He didn''t like them, so he was displeased.
Perhaps it wasn''t because she was going to get married off but for some other reason?
Chen Changsheng consoled himself this way, and then he thought of a reason that he could convince himself with: he and Xu Yourong had an engagement. Lawfully and reasonably, he was her fianc, she was his fiance. Without having formally ended the engagement, for his fiance to marry someone else was naturally not correct.
It was only right that he be unhappy.
Yes, it was precisely because of this fact.
The Divine General of the East''s estate and Xu Yourong had been too disrespectful with him over this matter, so he was very angry.
He silently said to himself.
Tang Thirty-Six walked to the lake shore and stood beside him, saying, "Has the problem between you and the Divine General of the East''s estate been resolved? It truly is rather troublesome. The Divine Empress has always trusted Xu Shiji, and if Xu Yourong is married off to Qiushan Jun, there will be no one in all of the Great Zhou that can shake his position."
Luoluo worriedly gazed at his profile, asking, "Teacher, are you okay?"
Chen Changsheng''s reaction just a moment ago had been very strange, which naturally could not escape the gazes of Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six. Moreover, they both knew that a grudge existed between Chen Changsheng and the Divine General of the East''s estate. It was just that they could never possibly have imagined that he was Xu Yourong''s fianc, so they naturally could not comfort or soothe him.
Just as Shuang''er had said in the Divine General of the East''s estate, the entire world believed Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun to be a match made in heaveneven Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six thought this way. Not a single person could imagine that a person like Chen Changsheng also existed.
"It''s nothing, I just feel rather nervous for some reason." Chen Changsheng turned to the two of them and said, "I hear that the sects of the south have a lot of geniuses, so I don''t know what the situation will be in next year''s Grand Examination."
Tang Thirty-Six knew of Chen Changsheng''s goal in participating in the Grand Examination and he felt it was right to be nervous. He commented, "Holy Maiden Peak, Mount Lithese sects of the south are naturally formidable, and if the young experts of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws participate in the Grand Examination, it truly won''t be easy to defeat them."
Chen Changsheng asked, "I hear that Zhuang Huanyu was ranked tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky because he obtained victory over one of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws?"
"He defeated Qi Jian, the youngest and also weakest of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws."
When mentioning the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, even the proud Tang Thirty-Six put on a solemn expression. "This time, the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws will be sending four people to attend the Ivy Festival. Presumably, they will also participate in the Grand Examination. The leader should be Gou Hanshi."
"Andwhat about Qiushan Jun?" Chen Changsheng asked.
"The proposal is naturally being managed by his elders and assisted by his fellow disciples. How could Qiushan Jun come to the capital? As for whether he will participate in next year''s Grand Examination, that''s not too clear. But you shouldn''t underestimate Gou Hanshi, as he''s truly an outstanding person."
Tang Thirty-Six was a very proud person. It had nothing to do with his thirty-sixth rank on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, it was purely a problem of his personality. His only thought upon entering the Heavenly Dao Academy was to step on the tenth-ranked Zhuang Huanyu. Although there might have been other reasons, this was proof enough that he didn''t think much of Zhuang Huanyu.
The people that he did regard highly were few in number, like Xu Yourong, Qiushan Jun, or that wolf cub in the north, and also that mysterious girl ranked in front of Zhuang Huanyu. And there was also the weirdo that was Chen Changsheng. Now that he was admitting that this person called Gou Hanshi was an outstanding person, this person truly must be very outstanding.
"He''s the second of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, only beneath Qiushan Jun."
Luoluo knew that Chen Changsheng did not have much understanding of the cultivation world, so she explained, "I hear that this person''s knowledge is broad and deep, that he''s well-versed in the Daoist Canon. Amongst the young generation of Mount Li''s disciples, and even amongst the disciples of other sects, he has an extremely high status. He''s essentially the brains of the Seven Laws."
Chen Changsheng asked, "So just where is he outstanding?"
Tang Thirty-Six was rather speechless, asking incredulously, "To be well-versed in the Daoist Canon, isn''t that outstanding enough?"
Hearing the words ''well-versed in the Daoist Canon'', Chen Changsheng very naturally thought of his senior brother and himself and wondered, just what''s so outstanding about that?But he also knew that if he were to say this aloud, Luoluo would probably not care, and Tang Thirty-Six would assuredly tease him as putting on airs, so he could only change the subject.
"Who else will be coming from the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws?"
"The fourth-ranked Guan Feibai who also just so happens to be fourth-ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. It''s said that he''s a very proud person."
When he mentioned this name, no admiration could be seen on Tang Thirty-Six''s face, but his eyes seemed to blaze. "On this third night of the Ivy Festival, Zhuang Huanyu''s target is assuredly him. I have to think of a method to snatch it away."
Chen Changsheng counted with his fingers, then said, "He''s fourth, and you''re thirty-sixth. There are thirty-two people between the two of you."
Tang Thirty-Six''s complexion seemed to grow a little gloomy. "What do you mean?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "My meaning is that you shouldn''t always think of getting fat in one bite, of wanting to run before you''ve learned how to walk. You should always do things in sequence, gradually progressing, proceeding in a systematic and orderly fashion. You absolutely cannot seek quick success and instant benefits. Those matters about pulling up plants by the roots to help them grow are not proper. There''s also a saying"
"Continue. You''ve got quite a lot of sayings," Tang Thirty-Six sneered.
Seeing the unpleasant expression on his face, Chen Changsheng smiled and stopped.
Tang Thirty-Six said, "If we calculate everything based on rank, what meaning is there in the Ivy Festival and the Grand Examination? With Xu Yourong''s and Qiushan Jun''s talent and blood, I naturally can''t beat them, but though that wolf cub and that girl that can''t be offended are not ranked higher than Guan Feibai, if you were to ask him, would he dare say that he was stronger than those two?"
Chen Changsheng thought to himself that this truly was very reasonable, but just who was that wolf cub who''d been mentioned several times now? And who was that girl that couldn''t be offended?
Tang Thirty-Six recalled that sturdy and tall demi-human youth he had seen in the library and asked, "That guy also entered the Orthodox Academy?"
"Yeah, he no longer wants to remain in Star Seizer Academy."
"I heard that Star Seizer Academy''s display on the first night was very disgusting. Besides that guy, not a single other person dared to stand upbut that guy was so heavily injured by Tianhai Ya''er that he really might be crippled. You''re sure you want to pick him up?"
"I haven''t even succeeded at Purification, so aren''t I even more of a cripple?"
Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "What sort of cripple would dare say that they wanted to get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?"
"My teacher will certainly get first rank of the first banner," Luoluo said as if it was only natural, the gaze she aimed at Chen Changsheng brimming with admiration.
Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat startled, asking, "What''s going on here?"
He knew that Luoluo was not an ordinary person and he found her respectful display towards Chen Changsheng rather puzzling. Now, seeing her address Chen Changsheng as ''teacher'' and her expression of near-worship, he was even more bewildered, not understanding just what was going on between the two of them.
Chen Changsheng didn''t know how to explain.
Luoluo very generously introduced, "I am Teacher''s student."
"Ah?"
Tang Thirty-Six was very surprised, looking at Chen Changsheng and asking, "Aren''t you only fourteen?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "She insisted on taking me as a teacherthere was nothing I could do."
Tang Thirty-Six thought it over and then said, "But you do act like an old man, seeming much older than your actual age, so there''s no harm in it."
Luoluo unhappily said, "Teacher is mature and steady, or do you think everyone is like you?"
Tang Thirty-Six did not want to argue with this girl. Patting his clothes, he prepared to leave. Before leaving, he asked, "Are you going to the last night?"
Luoluo thought to herself, with Teacher''s personality, it should be like last night where he chose not to go.
Chen Changsheng pondered the question, finally saying, "It''s fine to go and take a look."
...
...
Because the southern diplomatic mission needed to arrive, the final night of the Ivy Festival was delayed for quite a few days. In addition, its location had been moved from the Heavenly Dao Academy to Weiyang Palace. Weiyang Palace was part of the Imperial Palace. From this detail, one could see the importance with which the Imperial Court regarded this matter.
(TN: Weiyang Palace, literally translated as ''the Endless Palace'', was a palace complex located in Chang''an, capital of the Tang Dynasty.)
If the southern diplomatic mission''s proposal succeeded, the relationship between the humans of the north and south would grow closer. Xu Yourong might become the first Holy Maiden of the south in history to be born in the north, so the Great Zhou Dynasty''s influence on the south would grow much more powerful. The Divine Empress would naturally be pleased at the proposal''s success.
Logically speaking, there was no person or faction who could prevent this matter from occurring.
Even the demons that were least willing to see this marriage succeed were powerless to do anything.
In the entire world, only a select few people knew of the sole variable in this marriage.
This variable lay within the run-down Orthodox Academy.
It was a youth called Chen Changsheng.
In the early autumn, the night was as cool as water, but it was not cold.
Tonight, the capital was brightly lit by lanterns. It was the Double Seventh Festival.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo exited the Orthodox Academy, emerging from the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane to mingle amongst the bustling and excited crowds.
The pair walked towards the nearby Weiyang Palace.
Even now, he still did not know what he was going for, what he should do when the southerners proposed to the Xu Estate.
He had not made a decision, he just wanted to go and see.
He simply had no idea what would occur tonight.
54 Within Weiyang Palace
The capital on the night of the Double Seventh Festival was very beautiful. The lanterns in the streets and the stars in the night sky complemented each other well, and with the distant Li Palace shooting fireworks in the air, it was impossible to tell which were the lights of the human world and which were the stars in the night sky. It was an ocean of light and not a single strand of gloom could exist.
The rivers of the capital were even more brightly lit. Both the merchant ships and the pleasure ships were all brightly lit with lanterns, and there was an uncountable number of tiny boats carrying lanterns, following the course of the river to slowly drift downstream. The famed Luo River was on the verge of being covered in the light. The grey stones on the shores of the river were awash with young men and women. They watched the lantern boats that they had personally released, silently wishing or happily clapping. Their young and immature faces and gorgeous clothes were illuminated by the lantern light, endowing them with an absolute splendor.
This was the Double Seventh Festival. Chen Changsheng stood on the stone bridge, watching those love-stricken young couples, watching the youth and budding love slowly and noiselessly making their way between the river and the lantern boats, saying nothing. Luoluo had originally been very happy, but because of his silence, she grew quiet as well.
Because the southern diplomatic mission was sending people to attend, the Ivy Festival had been delayed many days, all the way until tonight. In the previous few days, Chen Changsheng and Luoluo had cultivated and studied within the Orthodox Academy, still ignoring external matters. What made Chen Changsheng feel somewhat helpless was that he still had not succeeded at Purification, while on the contrary, under his instruction and teaching, Luoluo was progressing at lightning speed.
At the highest level, to advance even one step was extremely challenging, so what about directly soaring beyond the nine heavens? If those people who knew of Luoluo''s true identity and strength were to realize the speed at which she was improving, they would certainly regard Chen Changsheng as an awesome heavenly being.
Luoluo felt that her teacher was precisely a heavenly being. This was because of the speed at which she improved and also because Xuanyuan Po''s injuries were visibly improving. Chen Changsheng had done far too many things impossible for humans to accomplish, so as they interacted more and more, growing closer to each other, she did not lose the reverence in her heart. On the contrary, she worshipped him even more.
The lantern boats in the river below the bridge drifted off into the distance like fireflies, the slightly dim rays of light illuminating Chen Changsheng''s face, making it seem rather temperamental. She gazed at his profile and suddenly asked, "Teacher, in the future, what sort of wife do you want to find?"
On this fine night of the Double Seventh Festival, the capital and the entire human world were immersed in the word ''love''. Countless young men and women, their youth just beginning to bud, were shyly or bravely stepping into an utterly unfamiliar domain. Seeing those scenes that made the face hot, it was very normal for Luoluo to think of such a question.
Chen Changsheng pondered it and then replied, "I''ve never thought about these things before."
Luoluo thought to herself, if you''ve truly never thought about it before, why did Teacher have to think about it before answering?
...
...
Weiyang Palace was the primary palace of the collection of palace halls in the forward part of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. On normal days, it was primarily used to host imperial banquets or ritual sacrifices. This palace hall was built in a grand style, and tonight, with the entire capital brightly lit, this palace hall that served as the location of the Ivy Festival was decorated until it almost seemed to be made of colored glass.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo arrived outside Weiyang Palace and took out their invitation. After their identities were thoroughly checked, they were led by a eunuch deep into the palace. As they were quite a distance from the palace, he was able to see the soft and moist light emanated by the palace hall into the night sky and recognize this as the light of Night Pearls.
In order to light up an entire great hall, how many Night Pearls would that require? Chen Changsheng silently thought, deeply shocked, but his face did not reveal a single emotion. It was just like his current anxiety of which not a single hint was seen on his face.
Without question, the Great Zhou Imperial Palace was the center of the human world. Whether it was the Li Palace that was the residence of the Orthodoxy or Holy Maiden Peak and the Mount Li Sword Sect in the south, none of them could be discussed on equal terms with this collection of palace halls. If one absolutely had to find a place to compare it to, it could only be the demon halls of Xuelao City.
To walk within the Great Zhou Imperial Palace and sense the solemn and austere aura exuded by every stone and roof tile was a completely different experience from looking at the Imperial Palace from within the Orthodox Academy. No matter how composed and mature Chen Changsheng was, he was still a youth not fully fifteen years old, so it was difficult to not be somewhat nervous.
Luoluo was not one bit nervous, but still as generous and easygoing as ever, her steps fast and light. Without any need for the eunuch''s directions, she grabbed Chen Changsheng''s sleeve and occasionally looked into his eyes, telling him where to go and what he should take note of.
Once Chen Changsheng took note of these things, he whispered to her, "You often come here?"
Luoluo replied, "When I first came to the capital, I lived here."
Chen Changsheng knew that her background was extraordinary, but he still couldn''t help but be somewhat shocked at these words.
Walking the long stone steps of Weiyang Palace, the two ascended.
Upon walking past the palace doors, the first thing they saw was, as expected, many dazzling Night Pearls. Although not a single one could compare to the one Luoluo gifted to Chen Changsheng, so many Night Pearls in one place was still a breathtaking sight.
Night Pearls were not oil lamps or candles made of tallow. Even if a gale were to sweep through the hall, the light they emitted would not flicker in the slightest, so the light within the palace was gentle and bright. The seams between the golden bricks on the floor and the beautiful and colorful details on the roofbeams were all illuminated crystal-clear.
And there was not even the smallest wisp of wind.
The main hall of Weiyang Palace most likely had an array, so the autumn winds could not come in.
Many banquet tables were laid out within the palace. The teachers and students of Star Seizer Academy, Temple Seminary, Heavenly Dao Academy, Li Palace Academy, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were still seated at the very best positions. Those students that had passed the pre-examination of the Grand Examination were seated amongst the scattered banquet tables.
Many people had already arrived, and many people were coming in one after the other. Priests of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and officials of the Imperial Court''s Ministry of Rites were standing by the door, announcing names. Besides their voices, the great hall was extremely quiet. Occasionally, a person would rise to greet an old friend or acquaintance, but for the most part, it was very quiet.
"The Orthodox Academy has arrived."
With this announcement from the priest of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, the great hall suddenly became even quieter. This silence was immediately broken by countless private conversations. Countless voices rose up in discussion and countless gazes turned to the door of the palace, falling upon that young man and woman.
Of the Six Ivies, the Orthodox Academy was the least famous, almost forgotten by the people. In the past few Ivy Festivals, the Orthodox Academy had not even had a seat. However, after the first night of this year''s Ivy Festival, this academy was recalled once more by many people and was difficult to forget.
Everyone turned to gaze at Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, their eyes not filled with curiosity and sympathy, but vigilance and investigation. The vast majority of these gazes fell upon Luoluo. Those gazes seemed particularly solemn, carrying many profound meanings, as well as fear.
After that night, many people had investigated the Orthodox Academy. From the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, they were able to gain a rough understanding of Chen Changsheng''s background, but no one had been able to investigate Luoluo''s identity. They only knew that this girl had once appeared at the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy. The Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu, knew of this girl''s background. Some people had also found out that the Guardians of the palace had once appeared together with this girl, that the Divine General of the Heavens Xue Xingchuan had once given his descendants a few warnings regarding this girl.
But could they possibly compel these powerful personages to say something?
Luoluo''s background remained mysterious and unknown, but through these powerful figures, the crowd could at least confirm that her background was unusual. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for her to cripple that little monster of the Tianhai clan and have the Orthodox Academy and herself remain safe and sound while the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy disappeared without a trace.
Of course, what made Luoluo the most eye-catching person in the capital in these past few months, besides her enigmatic background and faintly discernible connections with the Imperial Palace, was, very importantly, the strength she had displayed on that nightfor a little girl to be so powerful at such a young age, perhaps only Xu Yourong could surpass her. But Xu Yourong had the blood of the true Phoenix, so where did this girl''s talent come from?
Compared to Luoluo, still nobody paid any attention to Chen Changsheng. This was because anyone could see that this youth had still not succeeded at Purification and was nothing more than an ordinary person. Although the crowd did not comprehend why Luoluo would treat him with such respect, they would not pay him any special regard just because of her respect.
A priest of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education came in from the side and walked to the front of the hall, announcing to the teachers and students of the Six Ivies and the students that had passed the Grand Examination''s pre-examination that the southern diplomatic mission had arrived in the capital today. They would be staying in the Li Palace Academy. After receiving the blessings and baptism of the Pope, they would enter the palace, so they would be coming somewhat late.
Upon hearing this news, everyone within the hall became somewhat displeased. Strangely enough, the mood actually became somewhat relaxed. It was plain to see that the young geniuses led by Gou Hanshi in the southern diplomatic mission placed an enormous pressure on the proud youths of the Great Zhou.
Since they had to wait some more, they naturally couldn''t just sit around. The announcement of names continued while the teachers and students of the Heavenly Dao Academy and the other academies began to get up and call out to students and teachers of the other academies that they were close to or acquainted with. They each gave their greetings and began discussing recent stories of interest in the capital or speculating on what sort of display Gou Hanshi would give in a little while. It was very lively.
The Orthodox Academy''s position was still in a corner, still cold and deserted, still of no interest to anyone. However, the Orthodox Academy of the past had truly been forgotten by the entire world, but now, the world was deliberately overlooking the Orthodox Academy''s existence. The difference between the two was extremely minute, but incredibly important.
Of course, this deliberate forgetfulness was primarily because, with the southern diplomatic mission''s arrival, many people did not want to get themselves caught in any sort of side problemtwo factions of the Great Zhou Dynasty were seemingly borrowing the Orthodox Academy to compete against each other. At any other time, there would absolutely be many people sounding out Chen Changsheng and Luoluo. Now, there were not. This was because tonight, something even more important would take place in Weiyang Palace, more important than the Orthodox Academy''s new life, even more important than the conflict between these two factions.
Tonight''s engagement was the human world''s most important matter.
Xu Yourong possessed the blood of the true Phoenix, an event that was difficult to encounter even if one waited a thousand years. Qiushan Jun possessed the blood of a dragon, also a universally-shocking event. Furthermore, Holy Maiden Peak and Mount Li were both extremely important locations amongst the southern sects, so Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun could be considered brother and sister of the same sect. No matter which angle one viewed it from, this was a match made in heaven.
The Great Zhou Dynasty similarly wished for this marriage to succeed, but it had nothing to do with the fact that everyone loved to see perfect objects become even more perfect. It was because Xu Yourong would become the Holy Maiden of the south in the future. This would be the first time in history that a woman from the capital would assume such a divine office. Qiushan Jun would become the protector of the southern sects in the future. The Orthodoxy''s north and south, the hearts of the northerners and southerners, would all become more united because of this marriage, increasing the chances of obtaining victory in the war against the demons.
The entire human world was willing to see Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun married.
Any person that opposed this marriage would set themselves against the entire world.
55 A Spring Breeze Comes out of the Darkness
The Orthodox Academy''s seat was still in a corner with no one paying it attention. It was lonely and deserted, just like it was on the first night of the Ivy Festival. All of Chen Changsheng''s mind was on the imminent proposal of the southern diplomatic mission, in no mood to care about anything else, and Luoluo was even less likely to care about such trivial concerns. She noticed the look on Chen Changsheng''s face and guessed at what he was thinking. Occasionally, she would pick up some fruit and feed it to him, but she paid not even a glance to the tea on the table. To normal people, the tea of the Imperial Palace was naturally of the finest quality, but in her eyes, it was extremely coarse and not worthy of drinking.
A middle-aged palace maid appeared in the rear of the Orthodox Academy''s seating area, her face bearing no emotion. She seemed particularly cold and proud, and from her appearance, she was most likely a close attendant of some noble in the palace. However, when she approached Luoluo, the coldness on this palace maid''s face completely transformed into respect and just the right amount of cordiality. Her voice was also controlled very well, only allowing Luoluo and Chen Changsheng to hear.
The Princess of Ping had issued an invitation? Chen Changsheng was somewhat shocked, turning to Luoluo, his eyes asking just what was going on.
Luoluo turned towards the depths of the great hall. Seeing the figures of Guardians Jin and Li in the shadows, she had a rough guess of what was going on. Somewhat embarrassed, she said to Chen Changsheng, "Teacher, it''s been a long time since I''ve entered the palace, so I might have to go over and see."
Chen Changsheng was gradually growing accustomed to the surprises Luoluo brought him, even somewhat numb, so he said, "Since it''s an old friend, just go."
Luoluo looked at those gazes in the great hall that would occasionally drift towards the Orthodox Academy''s seating area and said, "Relax, Teacher. I will come back in a moment."
Chen Changsheng knew that she was worried about something, but he didn''t feel it awkward. Smiling, he corrected, "It should be that you will definitely come back."
After a while, another palace attendant came with an invitation. This time, the invitee was Chen Changsheng himself. He gazed out the side door at the figure waiting outside in the darkness, his figure an imposing mountain. After a moment of silence and upon confirming that nobody in the hall was paying attention to his movements, he stood up and walked towards the side door.
The hall''s side door was gradually shut, but the gentle and moist light of Night Pearls within the hall still shone through the window and fell upon Xu Shiji''s body, clearly tracing the outline of his figure. Chen Changsheng, seeing his back, suddenly felt a little shaken, yet he didn''t respond in any way.
"You did not attend the second night of the Ivy Festival, so I originally thought you would not appear tonight either."
Xu Shiji turned and coldly asked, "Why did you come?"
Chen Changsheng himself did not know why he wanted to come to this final night of the Ivy Festival, what he would do in a little while when the southern diplomatic mission would formally propose to Xu Yourong in Qiushan Jun''s place, but he knew why Xu Shiji wanted this private meeting outside the hall before it took place.
This reason made him somewhat angry. He looked into Xu Shiji''s eyes and said, "Uncle Shi, I''m a student of the Orthodox Academy. I have the right to attend the Ivy Festival."
This answer would naturally not satisfy Xu Shiji. What dissatisfied him even more was that Chen Changsheng had addressed him as ''Uncle Shi''. This way of addressing an elder was obviously intentional, and within lay this youth''s meaning, a very profound meaning.
He looked back at Chen Changsheng and replied, "It seems that you are not prepared to keep your promise."
Chen Changsheng said, "I''ve never held the extravagant hope that every person will keep their promise, but I will keep mine."
From the moment he entered the capital, the Divine General of the East''s estate had suppressed him so many times, all the way until, for some reasons that he still was not sure of, some powerful people appeared and allowed him to enter the Orthodox Academy, attempting to exchange it for some promises. In reality, however, he had never made any sort of promise.
If one had to speak of promises, the engagement that had been decided so many years ago was the true promise.
The Divine General of the East''s estate had not acted according to this promise, so what right did they have to accuse him of not keeping a promise?
With a calm expression, Xu Shiji said, "Just what does a child like you think you can change?"
Chen Changsheng did not respond. Turning around, he prepared to return to the hall.
Xu Shiji smiled. "Truly a naive child."
Chen Changsheng stopped because he suddenly felt his body grow somewhat stiff.
Xu Shiji''s simple comment had caused his heart to suddenly tighten, and the blood traveling through his veins to quicken to a terrifying level.
A ruthless and blood-soaked Qi took control of his body.
Chen Changsheng''s face was suddenly flushed with an extremely unhealthy red as he felt incredible pain. Only at this moment did he truly confirm that for an expert on Xu Shiji''s level, killing an ordinary person like him was truly a matter of absolute simplicity.
He stood at the great hall''s side door, gazing at the light within.
Although it was night, it was still in broad daylight.
No person dared to commit murder in front of a crowd within the Imperial Palace, especially on an important night like thisnot even Xu Shiji. But precisely because this night was far too important, Xu Shiji would certainly be unwilling to just watch as he sat in the great hall, possibly standing at any moment to shatter this feast that the entire human world had great expectations for, to break this engagement.
Xu Shiji could injure him, even knock him into a coma. These actions would certainly bring many troubles, but could erase all variables in advance.
Chen Changsheng was keenly aware of what Xu Shiji was thinking. If it were him, he would probably also choose to risk it, but he did not regret that he chose to not remain in the hall and come out to meet Xu Shiji. Just like in the Xu Estate and outside the Temple Seminary, he looked into his heart and felt no shame, and so he felt no fear.
His right hand gripped the button made of rhino horn that Luoluo had sewn into his sleeve.
Let all this be exposed under the light of the Night Pearls.
Just then, a voice came from the darkness outside the palace hall.
This voice was incomparably gentle and warm, giving others a very intimate and refreshing sensation.
Just like a spring breeze blowing against one''s face.
"Divine General Xu, what are you doing here?"
A young man walked out from the darkness. He was dressed in yellow, his hair tied neatly into a bun. His face was handsome, his expression warm.
Anyone who saw this scene would understand that a problem existed between Xu Shiji and Chen Changsheng, but this young man still calmly asked. He asked very naturally like he truly did just want to call out to Xu Shiji, to begin a little chat.
A spring breeze came out of the darkness.
The blood-soaked and ruthless Qi instantly vanished.
Chen Changsheng escaped from danger and his complexion gradually began to improve.
Xu Shiji gazed at the young man and greeted, "I have seen Your Highness Prince Chen Liu. This general is attending tonight''s Ivy Festival. I met an old friend and was chatting with him."
Chen Changsheng felt a chill as he thought, this is the legendary Prince Chen Liu.
Prince Chen Liu gazed at him and seemed rather shocked, saying, "So it was you?"
Xu Shiji slightly creased his brow, saying, "Your Highness recognizes him?"
Prince Chen Liu smiled, saying, "The first student of the Orthodox Academy in so many years? It would be hard for me to not recognize him."
Ever since the Divine Empress ascended to the throne, the Chen Imperial clan was completely exiled from the capital to the counties and provinces. Only Prince Chen Liu remained in the capital and was even raised within the palace.
Prince Chen Liu was the sole member of the old Imperial clan in the capital. He signified many meanings.
A few weeks ago, the Orthodox Academy once more emerged in the eyes of the world. In many people''s views, that also signified many meanings.
Coincidentally, the meanings these two signified were exactly the same.
56 A Question of Character
Seeing this young man with a handsome face and easygoing bearing, Chen Changsheng calmly bowed, but his mood was by no means as calm.
Prince Chen Liu possessed the blood of the Imperial clan and so naturally possessed outstanding talent. It was just that he had grown up in deep within the palacehis status was far too noble. He also would not participate in the Grand Examination, so there was no opportunity for him to display his strength. But the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy and the Guardians of the palace all said that with his strength, it would have been very easy for him to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky back then. At the moment, he was already twenty, but as long as he desired, there was also a place for him on the Proclamation of Golden Distinction.
However, for him to be able to obtain the respect of a valued Divine General like Xu Shiji had nothing to do with his Imperial blood or his strength, only that the Divine Empress treated him differently from the rest, having him remain in the capital. This fact had attracted innumerable speculationscould it be that the Divine Empress had chosen him to inherit the imperial throne of the Great Zhou Dynasty?
There were many people who thought this way, but in these past few years, the Tianhai clan had been acting in an incredibly unbridled fashion, and in the end, Prince Chen Liu was still surnamed Chen. The Divine Empress had never put forth a clear stance, so still nobody knew what sort of role he would play in the future of the Great Zhou Dynasty. As a result, the people of the capital treated him with a very complex mood, reverential and yet forced to keep their distance.
Xu Shiji was a Divine General of the Great Zhou Dynasty and was deeply trusted by the Divine Empress. Because he had once suppressed a rebellion of the Imperial clan, he had many enemies amongst the court. Consequently, his attitude towards Prince Chen Liu was even more cautious, but he also was forced to try and do some things for him, or at least not offend him.
He knew that Prince Chen Liu was representing the Divine Empress tonight in presiding over the Ivy Festival, responsible for receiving the southern diplomatic mission that had traveled from afar. Yet he did not expect that he would meet Prince Chen Liu outside the hall, and that the prince would even use his words to, intentionally or unintentionally, remind him about a few things and protect Chen Changsheng.
Xu Shiji confirmed that Chen Changsheng''s engagement with his family was not known by anyone else, so the sudden appearance and protection of Prince Chen Liu could only be due to the Orthodox Academy. This made him recall the rumors that had been recently spreading through the capital, making him feel uneasy.
Prince Chen Liu glanced at Xu Shiji and then smiled at Chen Changsheng, asking, "Is there any matter that requires this Prince''s help?"
His voice was not too fast or too slow, his appearance gentle and amiable. The feeling he gave to others was truly very much like a spring breeze, making others warm and content.
At the beginning, Chen Changsheng had not understood why this prince''s words were protecting him, but this question was easily resolved upon hearing those words. He was even more grateful upon hearing these earnest and gentle words, saying, "Many thanks to Your Highness for your concern."
"There''s no need to thank me. In truth, for a child like you to be a fish in the moat suffering disaster while we useless fellows just watch from the city gates, I should be apologizing instead."
Prince Chen Liu smiled as he spoke. His words were very casual, but his tone was very sincere.
Only when the city gate was on fire would the fish in the moat be affected.
If not for the new and conservative factions of the Great Zhou Dynasty using the matter of the Orthodox Academy once more taking in new students to stir a storm, Chen Changsheng would just be an ordinary youth that nobody knew. How would it be possible for everyone in the capital to pay attention to him, how could there possibly be so much trouble?
Prince Chen Liu did not know of those stories between Chen Changsheng and the Divine General of the East''s estate, only thinking that Xu Shiji was making trouble for him. It was precisely for all those aforementioned troubles that it was only right that Prince Chen Liu, as a member of the Imperial clan, should apologize to Chen Changsheng.
Of course, a county prince apologizing to an ordinary person like Chen Changsheng was proof that he really was a very easygoing person. Moreover, in Xu Shiji''s presence, in the middle of the Imperial Palace, he did not avoid speaking about the conflict between the Divine Empress and the old Imperial clan, making him seem all the more impressive and confident.
"My thanks to Your Highness."
Chen Changsheng truly did like this county prince, saying, "If a matter comes up that I must trouble Your Highness over, I will inform you."
"Very good, I like just this sort of personality, and I''m not afraid of trouble either."
Prince Chen Liu smiled and patted him on the shoulder, then walked into the hall, his bodyguards emerging from the darkness to follow. Before leaving, he glanced at Xu Shiji, his eyes calm and gentle. There was clearly no warning in these eyes, yet they brimmed with warning nonetheless.
The gentle and watery light of the Night Pearls passed through the bright paper of the windows and became somewhat unstable.
Xu Shiji''s face was illuminated in this light, somewhat temperamental.
Prince Chen Liu proceeded within, but his words remained outside the hall, the night wind unable to scatter them.
Xu Shiji could no longer say anything to Chen Changsheng. His face a sheet of frost, he noted, "Your luck is very good."
Chen Changsheng thought this over and then said, "Perhaps it has to do with my character being rather good."
Saying this, he smiled.
To many people, Chen Changsheng possessed a maturity and composure beyond his age because he had always kept very calm, seldom showing great happiness or sorrow. When meeting with people he wasn''t very close with, he would always adhere strictly to etiquette, not even smiling much.
But he was now smiling very happily, because he was standing in front of Xu Shiji.
Xu Shiji was also smiling as if he found the response of a small child very interesting, very naive, but his smile was very ugly.
Truthfully, Weiyang Palace was not a main hall, nor was it the inner palace in which the Divine Empress dwelled. There were even some abandoned gardens nearby. In the current deep darkness, a pitch-black goat slowly ambled through the weeds of an abandoned garden. Its eyes reflected the starlight, and were extremely dark and serene.
Xu Shiji gazed into the darkness at that place, his brows slightly furrowing. He said no more, returning to the great hall with a flick of his sleeves.
Chen Changsheng had also seen the Black Goat.
The Black Goat quietly looked at him and then began walking away from the hall. After walking a little while, it stopped and turned its head to glance at him as if it was guiding him.
Chen Changsheng understood the Black Goat''s meaning: it wanted him to leave the palace.
Although it was impossible for the two of them to communicate, and although he was extremely sure that this Black Goat had nothing but goodwill for him, he faintly sensed that this might signify that tonight''s matter had not yet concluded. There was even a chance that the true trial, or danger, had only just begun.
However, he did not follow, because he wanted to attend today''s Ivy Festival.
Even now, he still had not decided what he should do when the southern diplomatic mission proposed, but he wanted to personally see it.
Perhaps when he saw it, he would know what he should do.
...
...
The Black Goat disappeared into the darkness.
Chen Changsheng stood in the light outside the hall, thinking about the terrifying Qi that Xu Shiji had exuded, and knew that he had been in great danger at the time.
Xu Shiji had said that his luck was good. This was because of Prince Chen Liu''s sudden appearance.
His answer was "Perhaps it has to do with my character being rather good."
Character was that one''s morality and principles remained uncompromised, unharmed.
And one on the side of justice would inevitably receive the most assistance.
This was a principle that he had learned from the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon.
Leaving Xining Village and coming to the capital, he had suffered many suppressions, humiliations, and probings, but similarly, there had also been many people that had helped, like the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Priest Xin, Prince Chen Liu, and also that Black Goat that had disappeared into the darkness.
Why had these people helped him? He was well aware that it had nothing to do with justice or principles. After coming to the capital, he had received some humiliations and pressures that he should not have, and this help was something he originally shouldn''t have had. Many matters had only been because of misunderstandings.
Only the Divine General of the East''s estate and that important personage in the palace knew of the engagement between him and Xu Yourong, nobody else. His entering the Orthodox Academy and the humiliations and blows sent at him by the Divine General of the East''s estate over these past few months were believed by many people to have some deeper meaning.
The Orthodox Academy was a lake that no one had ever visited before, and within this lake grew many wild lotuses.
He was just a passing traveler that had mistakenly come upon this abandoned lake. He just wanted to take a small boat to the other side, but when he took up the oar, he startled a flock of herons.
Right as he was thinking this, a shrill cry of a bird came from the distant darkness, and then there was a faint splash of water.
He didn''t know whether this was some nocturnal bird hunting for food or being hunted.
Chen Changsheng turned to that pitch-black darkness, wariness in his heart.
Just then, there was a voice.
This voice came from deep in the darkness, yet it did not scatter within the darkness.
This voice came from deep within the palaces, yet it did not scatter amongst the collection of palaces.
This voice rang out directly in his ear and then fell directly upon his heart.
This was a very crisp, very moving voice, just like the scent of tanghulu in the winter, but it was also just as cold as the winter.
"You are Chen Changsheng?"
It was quiet all around. The music from within Weiyang Palace was very soft after passing through the window paper. The rustling of the leaves in the autumn wind from the trees in the distance was very soft after crossing the vast plaza. That voice that directly rang out in his heart was similarly soft, yet it was also like a clap of thunder.
If the average person were to suddenly hear a voice ring out in their mind, they would certainly grow panicked and uneasy, but Chen Changsheng had no reaction. He stared into the many palace halls in the darkness, attempting to find the position of the speaker.
He was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, so he knew that some Star Condensation experts could very easily send their voices into the ears of ordinary people.
"You are much more cool-headed than I imagined, or perhaps it is dullness?"
That voice rang out once more.
"I only hope that you are somewhat smarter than I imagine you to be."
There was a woman in the Imperial Palace who had cultivated to the Star Condensation Realm at a very young age. To utterly disregard the words Prince Chen Liu had left behind, one could imagine how terrifying her power and status were. Her identity had long been on the point of being disclosed: it was precisely the important personage of the palace that Chen Changsheng was thinking about just a few moments ago.
He gazed at the many palace halls in the darkness and calmly bowed. "I have seen Grand Lady Mo."
The voice vanished for a time as if surprised that Chen Changsheng was able to immediately guess at her identity, or perhaps because she was not used to this sort of address.
The owner of this voice was legendary Lady Mo Yu.
The woman, or even person, with the second-most authority in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
"You can call me Lady Mo Yu."
"Yes, Grand Lady Mo."
For some reason, Chen Changsheng was feeling rather willful tonight.
Possibly because he knew the reason for Mo Yu''s sudden appearance.
"You truly are a very smart youth."
"Thank you."
"In these past few days, a storm has been stirring in the capital, yet you stayed in the Orthodox Academy, never leaving. This is why I said you are smart."
"Thank you."
"But this sort of smartnessit unavoidably feels somewhat shameless."
"Please instruct me."
"You guessed at Luoluo''s identity, so you hid behind her. Could this not be shameless?"
"You were the one who arranged for me to enter the Orthodox Academy. You know that I only want to read and cultivateI didn''t think about matters to this extent."
"But you still are using her."
"This is her intention."
"Any man with spirit would not deceive such a naive and pure-hearted girl."
"How have I deceived her?"
"If you did not deceive her, how could someone with her identity acknowledge you as a teacher?"
Hearing this question, Chen Changsheng fell silent for a few moments, and then he said to the darkness, "Perhaps it''s because my character is rather good."
57 A Question of Fairness
Chen Changsheng had only said what he truly thought. However, to onlookers, his words would seem like ridicule mixed with some shamelessness. It was very obvious that Mo Yu was thinking this way, her voice slightly gloomy as she said, "Let us discuss the engagement."
"That is a matter between me and the Divine General of the East''s estate."
"You clearly understand that this is not a fact. This matter must be resolved somehow."
The two spoke very calmly and unquestionably.
Mo Yu''s voice was as cold as ice. "If there were not someone that insisted on your survival, the marriage contract in your bosom would, in truth, be nothing more than a scrap of waste paper."
For a powerful figure like her, although the marriage contract had the signature of the Pope and was very special, it would be easy to render the marriage contract ineffective. The simplest method was to just kill Chen Changshengwith the person dead, the marriage contract would just be waste paper.
Chen Changsheng gazed into the darkness and said, "Many people saw me enter the palace."
Mo Yu replied, "Who would care if a person like you lived or died?"
Chen Changsheng answered, "I''m now a student of the Orthodox Academy, so many people will carein the past few days, those people did not appear, but that doesn''t mean they don''t exist. They are watching the Orthodox Academy, watching me, and also watching all of you."
As he said this, he very naturally thought of the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.
Even now, he still had not even spoken a word with the archbishop, but he knew that the source of the Orthodox Academy''s changes lay with him.
"Killing me is a very simple matter, but simultaneously also a very troublesome one."
He continued, "You could think of a way to have Luoluo leave my side, but you have no means of making those gazes resting upon the Orthodox Academy take their leave."
Mo Yu''s voice was somewhat apathetic. "My desire to kill you has nothing to do with the Orthodox Academy. Those old fellows are not even present in my eyes."
"Yes, your wanting to kill me has nothing to do with the Orthodox Academy. It''s a pity that nobody knows, nor would anyone believe that."
Chen Changsheng ended, "Unless I announce my engagement with Xu Yourong to the world. Then I would think that everyone in the world might support you killing me. The problem is that this would bring on its own set of problems, so I really want to know, just what do you plan to do?"
Upon coming to the capital, especially after entering the Orthodox Academy, he seemed to disregard all things except the sound of the wind, rain, and reading. He passed his days very calmly, but in reality, he and the Orthodox Academy had always been within the wind and rain, their positions both very unstable.
(TN: ''The sound of wind, rain, and reading'' is part of a line written by a major figure of the Donglin Academy. The full line is "The sound of wind, the sound of rain, the sound of studying, sound after sound enters one''s ear. The matters of home, the matters of state, the matters of the world, matter after matter is one''s concern." Its meaning is that when studying, one should not forget about one''s country.)
In these past few weeks, he had remained in the Orthodox Academy, studying and bitterly cultivating, not once stepping past the academy''s gates. Just as Mo Yu had said, he was using Luoluo''s background to intimidate those who attempted to do him harm. Although Luoluo had proposed this idea herself, he was the one that had agreed to it. At the same time, he had used the history and recovering prestige of the Orthodox Academy and aimed it at the other party of the still-unknown engagement, making it so that even the Divine General of the East''s estate found it inconvenient to move. Only this way could he ensure his safety.
As an ordinary youth from the remote Xining going up against the powerful and wealthy families of the capital, and even an important personage of the Imperial Palace, he had already made all the responses he could think of. He was thankful to his identity as a new student of the Orthodox Academy, thankful to his so-called character, for allowing to him persevere until tonight.
"What a nasty little schemer you are."
Lady Mo Yu''s voice made no effort to conceal her contempt and sarcasm. "It''s a pity that little people have never seen the ocean, so how can they understand what it means to be vast? They have never plucked stars from the sky, so how can they know what it means to be boundless? You are just a summer insect that knows nothing of ice and snow."
Chen Changsheng suddenly felt an intense uneasiness. His right hand gripped the rhino horn button in his sleeve, and his left gripped the hilt of his dagger.
But he was too late.
His mind suddenly felt dazzled and the scenes in front of his eyes grew blurry.
The sights of the Imperial Palace in the darkness had originally been rather indistinct, but the blurriness in front of his eyes was clearly different.
An indescribable Qi entered his mind and he suddenly felt sleepy.
Soon after, a chill ran through his mind and he became clear-headed once more.
The scene in front of him was already different. He discovered that he was in an abandoned garden. In front of him, he could faintly make out a cold pond, giving off a thick aura of wetness under the starlight. Several plum trees were scattered about the shore of the pond. It was still autumn, so the plum branches had not blossomed. They didn''t even have flower buds, so they looked very lonely and bare.
He was too shocked for words. Just a moment ago, he had clearly been in the corridor outside Weiyang Palace, so how did he get here?
Just what sort of method had she used to produce such a strange result?
The abandoned garden was still and deserted. From the distance, the sound of music could barely be heard.
He turned around and saw that the palace hall several hundred zhang away was still brightly lit. Although he could not see, he could also imagine that it was unusually lively within.
The southern diplomatic mission had probably arrived.
Standing in the abandoned garden and gazing at the bright hall, his figure seemed very lonely.
Mo Yu''s voice could once more be heard, except now it was not in his mind, but at the other end of the abandoned garden, from some place in the darkness. "Take a good look. Tonight, you only need to play the part of a spectator, and then everything can be easily resolved."
Chen Changsheng turned to the pitch-black night and said, "This is not fair."
Mo Yu replied, "These are childish words. They shouldn''t come out of the mouth of a treacherous person like you."
For some reason, her voice seemed rather exhausted.
Chen Changsheng replied, "Such childish words should not come from the mouth of the legendary Grand Lady Mo."
Mo Yu believed that his concern over whether this entire matter was fair or unfair was very childish.
He believed that Mo Yu''s view on this matter was what was truly childish.
These were not opposite sides of a topic, but different views on the world.
Mo Yu''s voice was very cold. "Fairness has never been the most important thing."
After a pause, Chen Changsheng replied, "When the Scholar of Shining Light froze to death after being unjustly charged, he probably was not thinking this way."
Scholar of Shining Light Mo Wenshan was the greatest scholar of the Great Zhou Dynasty in his generation. In the later years of Emperor Xian''s reign, he offended an important official of the palace and was unjustly imprisoned. On a cold winter day, he was dragged out of his prison cell by a ruthless official and had water spilled over his body until he froze to death. Every able-bodied person of the Mo clan was executed, with only a single granddaughter surviving by chance.
Mo Yu was precisely this granddaughter.
The darkness suddenly erupted with Mo Yu''s cold and furious voice. "Audacious little scoundrel!"
Chen Changsheng replied, "People of the world speak of matters of the world. How is it audacious?"
For a very long time, Mo Yu did not respond to these words.
"Yes, this truly is not fair, but you are too insignificantcompared to this palace hall. In order to resist the demons, humanity requires unity, requires new blood. For this purpose, both the Great Zhou and the sects of the south are willing to spare no expense. Thus we have the Ivy Festival, we have the Grand Examination, we havethe marriage between her and Qiushan Jun."
Mo Yu''s voice gradually grew calm as she continued, "Of course, none of these are important. What is important is that the Empress is fond of Xu Yourong, thinks highly of Xu Yourong, feels that in this world, only Qiushan Jun''s talent is barely enough to match up with her. Thus, she can marry her off to him."
Chen Changsheng did not agree with this argument. He wanted to leave this abandoned garden and return to Weiyang Palace.
He knew that leaving in front of a legendary being like Mo Yu was an impossible task. It was assuredly extremely difficult to leave this seemingly desolate and uninhabited abandoned garden that didn''t even have a perimeter wall, so without hesitation, he threw the button he had always been gripping in his palm to the ground.
This button made of rhino horn was an extremely precious magical artifactthe Thousand Li Button.
When Luoluo gifted the Thousand Li Button to him, she also taught him how to use it.
A plume of smoke rose from the abandoned garden as Chen Changsheng''s body vanished.
But in the next moment, his body reappeared at its original position.
The cold pond remained the same, the plum trees did not shake.
His face had become somewhat pale, with a drop of blood slowly flowing from the corner of his lip.
The abandoned garden was surrounded by an extremely formidable barrier, even more formidable than the Heavenly Net the demon expert used on that night in the Orthodox Academy.
As expected, the Great Zhou Imperial Palace was an extraordinary place.
As expected, the place Mo Yu wanted him to remain in was not ordinary.
Even though it looked just like an abandoned garden, he still could not leave.
...
...
"Everything you have has been factored into my plan, so just give up." Mo Yu''s voice was calm and chilling.
Chen Changsheng raised his head and used his right sleeve to wipe away the blood on his lip. He gazed at the Imperial City in the darkness, gazed at the capital that he had lived in for several months yet still found unfamiliar and hard to grow close to. He looked at all the people that lived here that he couldn''t see.
"In truth, I really did come to end the engagement."
His voice was rather exhausted, but it was calm as usual. "She is the one that everyone, including the Divine Empress, loves, the highly regarded Phoenix, but I''ve never thought about marrying her. Ireally did come to end the engagement, but no one ever believed me."
The darkness was eerily silent, the abandoned garden still desolate, very much like the look on his face.
He had come to the capital to end the engagement. In the Divine General of the East''s estate, he had said it twice. Today, in this abandoned garden of the Imperial Palace, he had said it two more times.
Yes, why had nobody ever believed him?
Just because she was the aloof reincarnation of the true Phoenix while he was just an ordinary youth that did not cultivate?
"I know more than the vast majority of the world just what is the most important thing about living. That matter is extremely important, more important than this engagement, more important than all the humiliations and setbacks I received in the capital added together, so I don''t care about them."
He drew back his gaze from the distance and turned to the darkness across the cold pond, saying, "But all of you have done many meaningless things, constantly reminding me that I have a fiance and that she needs to be married to someone else. Even now, you''re still reminding me
"Fine, I have to admit that I''ve begun to care.
"Just like I said to Madam Xu in the Divine General''s estate.
"This time, I really have changed my mind.
"I will not marry Xu Yourong, because I don''t like her and the rest of you.
"But I also won''t annul the engagement, because I don''t like her and the rest of you.
"This is very fair.
"This way, as long as I don''t agree, she can''t get married to Qiushan Jun or anyone else.
"I know that this is unfair to her.
"But it''s very fair to me."
The abandoned garden was still and noiseless.
The chill of the cold pond pierced to the bones.
Mo Yu was quiet for a very long time when she suddenly felt like she had done something wrong.
At the beginning in the Divine General of the East''s estate, Madam Xu had also felt this.
But right after, she smiled. This smile ridiculed herself and also ridiculed the words of this youth.
"Then you must inform the entire continent of the engagement between the two of you.
"Tonight is truly your best opportunity.
"But first, you have to be able to leave here."
58 The Prisoner of Tong Palace
A bamboo carriage was slowly driven from behind the Great Zhou Imperial Palace''s Hall of Cold Light. The heavy curtain hanging in front of the hall was gently raised as Mo Yu appeared on the stone steps. The starlight fell upon her beautiful face, shining upon her slim brows, her bright eyes, and the alluring plum blossom makeup upon her face.
She gazed at the two pure white reindeer pulling the carriage and slightly arched her brows, seeming somewhat surprised. She asked, "Where''s Black Jade?"
The Black Goat had previously vanished into the pitch-black darkness, and no one knew where it was.
Nanny Ning held her hand and walked her down the stone steps, whispering, "The little devil has wandered off somewhere."
Mo Yu knew that the Black Goat had a rather solitary and eccentric personality and had never listened to the orders of anyone else in the Imperial Palace. Shaking her head, she said, "It''s just a young child."
Nanny Ning glanced at the darkness behind the Hall of Cold Light and inwardly thought, he who is currently standing by that pond with nowhere else to go is truthfully also just a young child.
Mo Yu knew what she was thinking and said in a slightly mocking tone, "A child that only knows how to play house can spout off angry phrase after angry phrase, looking exactly the part, yet they don''t know that in the eyes of bystanders, it''s all just false bravado, only making it more laughable."
Nanny Ning replied, "This old servant feels that laughable people are also quite adorable."
The matter of Chen Changsheng joining the Orthodox Academy several months ago had been arranged by Nanny Ning. In their conversation afterwards, Mo Yu came to know that she had a high opinion of Chen Changsheng. Mo Yu did not find Nanny Ning disobedient for insisting on saying good things about Chen Changsheng, because she believed the matter to already be over.
Chen Changsheng could not walk out of that abandoned garden, could not appear in Weiyang Palace before the crowd''s eyes, and so he could not sabotage the engagement between Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun. By that point, he could have said as many foul words as he wished, but they would only be jokes in the end. All his anger could only smolder within his body, only bring him more pain.
The bamboo carriage headed in the direction of Weiyang Palace.
The education overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy was compelled by Zhou Tong''s vile reputation to commit suicide, but the Ivy Festival still required a host, especially given the fact that the Ivy Festival was receiving so many dignitaries from the southern diplomatic mission tonight. The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and Xu Shiji were responsibility for presiding over the feast, Prince Chen Liu was representing the Divine Empress, and Mo Yu also had to personally appear as a show of respect.
Nanny Ning held the window bars of the bamboo carriage, her left hand resting on the window. She would still occasionally look in the direction of the abandoned garden, a look of pity upon her face.
"Nanny, relax. Nothing will happen to that guy."
Mo Yu''s voice came from the bamboo carriage, "The restriction of the Black Dragon cannot be breached, and no one has ever been able to leave without someone opening the gate to the garden from the outside. He''s only stuck in the garden to receive a few gusts of cold wind. Compared to the matters he''s stirred up, what does that count for?"
Nanny Ning thought of that rumor and said with concern, "What if he runs into the taboo?"
Mo Yu replied, "Since it''s taboo, how can it be so easy to run into?"
She spoke very casually, callously, but Nanny Ning could hear the exhaustion in her voice. She then recalled that back on the stone steps in front of the hall, she saw a haggard look on the lady''s face that not even her plum blossom makeup could hide, and she grew somewhat perplexed at her lady''s willingness to use up true essence in order to imprison Chen Changsheng with a secret technique.
"My lady, you already promised Lady Yourong that you would not raise a hand against that youth."
"Did I raise my hand tonight? I only moved my mouth."
Mo Yu thought of the letter from the south she had received several months ago and angrily said, "That stubborn girl doesn''t want to marry him, but she won''t let anyone touch him either. Can''t injure him, can''t harm him, given all these rules, or else it would never be so troublesome and require me to rack my brain for ideas."
With her terrifying level of cultivation coupled with her terrifying power and status in the Great Zhou Dynasty, she had tens of thousands of ways of dealing with a youth like Chen Changsheng. She could make it so painful that he didn''t want to live, make him loathe the thought of living, but because of that letter, she was forced to go to all this trouble.
The more she thought about it, the less happy she became. "Her own family arranged this rotten marriage, and she wants me to waste my time and energy. She hides away in the south and plays the good person yet wants me to play the villain. You didn''t hear how that youth scolded me. If not for her, I would have just killed him!"
Nanny Ning smiled, saying, "My lady and Lady Yourong are like sisters. To expend a bit more energy is only right."
Mo Yu sneered, "Everyone says that Black Jade is a little devil, but in reality, that Phoenix chick is the true little devil. The entire continent thinks her to be as clear as ice and pure as jade, intelligent as ice and snow, her appearance carved from ice or jade, but nobody knows that she''s really a cheapskate. Nobody can offend her or else risk making her truly unhappy. Anything she wants me to do is certainly not done out of any sisterly friendship. I''m just worried that if things aren''t in accord with her heart and she really doesn''t want to marry Qiushan Jun, what can I do then?"
Nanny Ning soothed, "Thankfully, as long as tonight can pass, there''s no need to worry about this anymore."
The curtain was slightly raised as Mo Yu gazed at the abandoned garden behind the Hall of Cold Light, as well as the cold pond obscured by autumn trees and old walls. She thought of Chen Changsheng''s words and thought to herself, could tonight truly pass by smoothly? Why did I have to shut him up there? Just what is the Saint thinking?
...
...
After those words filled with ridicule, Mo Yu''s voice was no longer heard. Chen Changsheng quietly stood in the abandoned garden, the cold pond in front of him, the plum trees to his side. His figure no longer seemed so lonely, as if it was once more brimming with energy.
After confirming that Mo Yu had left, he walked forward. Walking past those bare and lonely plum trees, he arrived at the pond and was assailed by a chill.
This abandoned garden was clearly colder than any other place in the Imperial Palace, and the cause was most likely this cold pond in front of him. He carefully examined the surface of this pond, allowing the chill to accumulate on his face until a sheet of frost gradually formed over it.
This wasn''t self-abuse. He merely wished to use the environment to assist him in cooling his head. He did not wish to waste time on anger and other negative emotionsthe words he had said to Mo Yu were truly very childish words, foul phrases of no use, the complete opposite of being cool-headed, but he still had said them.
Of the Three Thousand Great Daos, he cultivated the Dao of following his heart. He acted according to his heart, lived according to his heart. If the world would not allow him to follow his heart, he had to think of a way around it. Only by following his heart could he obtain true calm, and calmness was the highest level of being cool-headed.
Of course, he also did not want those words of his to become a joke. He had to escape this abandoned garden and hurry back to Weiyang Palacebefore leaving the Orthodox Academy, he had already made corresponding plans, but since those important personages were able to fool Luoluo into leaving Weiyang Palace, he could not place all his hopes upon her.
How could he leave this abandoned garden? In reality, he didn''t even have an idea of how to start. However, he still had the same attitude as when he spoke to Luoluo, when he told Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo that he wanted to participate in the Grand Examination and take first rank of the first banner.
There was clearly no reason, no possibility of success, but he could speak of it calmly and naturally, as if it was only right and inevitable. This sort of unreasonable confidence produced shock and admiration in those close to him, while outsiders would naturally think of it as wishful thinking, laughable to the extreme.
Only he himself understood that this self-confidence arose from necessity. At the start of next year, he absolutely had to participate in the Grand Examination and obtain first rank of the first banner, or else he would die. Tonight, he absolutely had to leave the abandoned garden and appear in Weiyang Palace, so he absolutely could do so.
It had to be done, so he absolutely could do it. Before this happened, he had to believe that he could do it, as only this way could his heart be clearly followed.
It was still that phrase: of the Three Thousand Great Daos, he only cultivated the Dao of following his heart.
After leaving Xining and coming to the capital, all that he had done was closely related to the three words of ''following his heart''.
Because only by following his heart could he defy the heavens and change fate.
...
...
Looking around the abandoned garden, he saw old walls and autumn trees. The remaining lotuses on the surface of the cold pond had long since withered away. The petals under the plum trees from last year had gathered in a pile, but had still not been swept away by the wind.
He did not know this scenery well, yet it seemed like he had seen it before.
He had never walked a ten-thousand-li journey, so he had not seen many sights.
But he had read all sort of books, and in these books, he had walked ten-thousand-li journeys and seen many sights.
Noting the scenery of the abandoned garden deep within his mind, he sat cross-legged on the shore of the pond and calmed his mind, beginning to recall the books he had seen before.
There were Daoist scriptures, travel notes, the essays of previous generations of great scholars, and also fictional stories about strange happenings and supernatural beings.
They were all books that he had read in Xining Village''s old temple, and also books that he had read in the library of the Orthodox Academy.
He sat by the pond with his two eyes tightly shut, yet countless books were flitting past his eyes.
It was like the cold was learning to read, constantly flipping pages and then stopping at the page that he wanted to read.
Those pages had pictures and also annotations.
''The Record of the Southern Bough''.
(TN: An actual play written by Tang Xianzu during the Ming Dynasty about a man who dreams about entering an ant hole and living out a life in the kingdom of ants.)
''A Treatise on the Origin of All Palace Halls''.
''A Catalog of Arrays''.
....
...
....
...
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes, stood up, and gazed once more at the abandoned garden.
The abandoned garden was still the abandoned garden, the cold pond was still the cold pond, but in his eyes, they were now completely different.
Those ten-odd plum trees scattered about the shore of the pond seemed to have nothing to do with each other, no deeper meaning. However, as the scenery was the same throughout the four seasons, ever unchanging, the only thing left that could change were the trees (ľ).
The craggy shore of the cold pond was unbroken, but the old walls of the abandoned garden further out were broken on the south side. That place seemed to be an exit into the darkness, but he knew that this was no exit, only a stroke that had not been completely written.
Those ten-odd plum trees seemed to vaguely be standing in some sort of arrangement.
This was the word ''ͬ'' (Tong).
There was a story written in the Record of the Southern Bough, a picture drawn in the Catalog of Arrays, and in the Treatise on the Origin of All Palace Halls, there was a description of a palace hall from the previous dynasty that had been burned to the ground.
This palace hall was called the Tong (ͩ) Palace.
(TN: ͩ is a combination of ľ, tree, and the word ''ͬ''. Similarly, the trees of the garden form the word ''ͬ''. ͩ is also a general term for the paulownia, tung tree, and phoenix tree.)
The Tong Palace in which a monarch had been imprisoned until his death.
And also an array that had been created by a previous Pope using the sum of his cultivation over his entire life.
Chen Changsheng had recognized this abandoned garden, this cold pond, so what could he do?
Only when one reached the legendary Saint Realm could one forcibly break out of this Tong Palace.
Of course, every palace hall had a door, and every array had to leave a hope for survival.
But since antiquity, no one had ever dared to leave through the Tong Palace''s gate of life.
(TN: ''Gate of life'', , seems to be a term related to the ''Eight Gates'', which are mentioned in a divination manual called Ŷݼ. The eight gates are the gate of opening, the gate of rest, the gate of life, the gate of wounding, the gate of restriction, the gate of scenery, the gate of death, and the gate of shock.)
Because standing guard outside the gate of this Tong Palace that had been burned to ash many years ago was the god of death. By remaining in the palace, one could still struggle on death''s door, but to leave was to guarantee one''s death.
Because of this codependency of fortune and disaster, the so-called thread of life was often a land of death.
Chen Changsheng knew where the Tong Palace''s gate of life was.
The wind stirred, the water rose.
When the wind stirred but did not fade, where the water retreated and did not rise.
He gazed at the cold pond before him in silence.
The graceful and solemn music of rituals could be heard, coming from far beyond the abandoned garden, from Weiyang Palace.
The southern diplomatic mission was already seated, the guest of both sides already present.
He thought no more, walking straight into the cold pond.
59 Charging Alone into the Dragon Pond
Recognizing the Tong Palace did not mean that one could break out of the Tong Palace and leave. Finding the Tong Palace''s gate of life in no way meant that one could escape into the outside world. In reality, in the countless years from now and into the distant past, countless experts had been imprisoned in the Tong Palace, and not one person dared to take a single step into the Tong Palace''s gate of life.
Those worthy of being imprisoned in the Tong Palace were naturally not ordinary, so they clearly understood the principle that life was death. They firmly believed that the Pope who had created the Tong Palace would not leave any gap. Once one stepped through the Tong Palace''s gate of life, it was the equivalent of stepping into the realm of death.
In the abyss of despair, one was not guaranteed to see hope, and who would really face death in order to live? Compared to choosing that seemingly most simple and straightforward yet actually most dangerous path, it was better to try and find some other method. Even sitting and waiting was a better choice.
Chen Changsheng was probably the weakest person to be imprisoned within the Tong Palace in all its history, but he was also the most unique person. He was different from the other prisoners of the Tong Palacehe had always been seeking out hope in the abyss of despair. He was walking every day and night towards death to live.
He was the person in the world that most valued time, and he did not wish to use it in arguing over meaningless things. After having a few of his speculations confirmed by that conversation with Mo Yu, he very speedily made his decision, stepping without hesitation into the cold pond.
At the time, he did not know that the cold pond he was about to enter was called the Black Dragon Pond, but even if he did know, it would not have mattered. He wanted to leave this abandoned garden and quickly return to Weiyang Palace to accomplish that task, so no matter what blocked his way, whether it was a tiger cave or dragon pond, he wanted to charge in.
This abandoned garden was bitingly cold because of this cold pond, so its waters were naturally even colder. Only when his feet fell upon the surface of the pond did he discover than an extremely thin layer of transparent ice had formed upon it. With a few cracking sounds, it was broken into shards of ice.
Chen Changsheng did not feel the waters of the pond soaking his shoes because his feet did not enter the water. The cracking sounds continued as the thin sheet of ice over the pond began to splinter. The water under the ice also began to part, revealing stone steps that descended beneath the pond!
The stone steps gradually descended from the shore towards the depths of the pond, their surfaces extremely dry. There was not a trace of water on these steps, not even moss.
The waters of the pond were parted by some invisible power, a very mystical sight. The stone steps extended into the gloom, faintly portending limitless dangers. However, Chen Changsheng seemed calm and composed as if this mystical sight had never occurred, as if this path had always existed.
After ten-some steps, the stone stairs vanished below the pond waters, extending all the way to the bottom of the pond.
The ground to which the path led was also very dry, but the corners of the walls were filled with snow. The temperature here was even colder than it was on the shore of the pond. The starry sky and the music from Weiyang Palace was gradually fading into the distance as the path proceeded further into the darkness, nothing visible whatsoever. The more one walked, the more one felt that one was departing the real and human world, possibly about to plunge into an abyss at any moment or walk into some other world.
Chen Changsheng did not stop or slow his steps. On the contrary, he increased his pace until he was running.
He ran into the dark abyss.
After running for an unknown amount of time, he reached the end of the path and realized that this place was not completely dark.
The starry sky could no longer be seen and the colored lanterns of the Double Seventh Festival were powerless to illuminate this place, but there was still some feeble light at the end of this path, piercing through the limpid waters of the pond, shining upon his body and upon a stone door.
This stone door was about ten zhang tall and looked extremely heavy. There were no carvings upon the door, it was just two massive stone slabs placed together. It looked just like the toy blocks some god had left behind as a child. It also seemed like the coffin of some god, sinister and solemn to the extreme.
What shocked and concerned Chen Changsheng even more was that an indescribable might could faintly be felt from behind the door.
At the side door of the Heavenly Dao Academy and outside Weiyang Palace, he had felt the mighty pressure and Qi exuded by Xu Shiji, but compared to the mighty pressure behind this stone door, Xu Shiji''s powerful Divine General''s Qi was just like that of a cricket, not even on the same level.
Yes, Chen Changsheng had never felt such a powerful might as the one coming from behind the stone door, or even heard of anything similar. This was an existence that completely exceeded a normal person''s imagination. To approach this existence was to suffer an absolute suppression, to confront a certain death.
Let alone a fourteen-year-old ordinary youth like him, even a Star Condensation expert like Mo Yu would not be able to directly resist the Qi coming from behind the stone door. Even a supreme expert of the Saint Realm might also choose to stay far away!
This mighty pressure was not intentionally released by the terrifying existence behind this door, but was rather the Qi that was able to squeeze past the cracks in the door. Despite this, it was enough to oppress Chen Changsheng''s body and mind with cold. His face was pale as snow and his two feet seemed frozen to the floor.
Nanny Ning was worried that he would accidentally enter the gate of life and encounter that legendary existence beyond the stone door. Mo Yu did not believe so because she was very sure that no one would be able to open that stone door and enter after sensing the pressure coming from behind it. And for an ordinary youth like Chen Changsheng, he couldn''t even stand straight, so how could he enter?
No one expected that the true situation was different from what Mo Yu imagined.
Chen Changsheng was in extreme pain, yet he did not collapse and was even able to maintain a clear mind.
He also didn''t know why this was the case. He had clearly never encountered the awe-inspiring Qi coming from behind the stone door, but for some reason, his body and spiritual sense naturally had a subtle response and adjustment towards it, so much so that he was even able to stand with a clear mind before this mighty pressure.
He did not know that just after he was born, before his eyes had even opened, he had encountered an existence similar to the one behind the door.
That awe-inspiring Qi still existed.
Chen Changsheng''s body had gone stiff. He did not collapse, but he could not leave either.
He subconsciously gripped the dagger in his hand somewhat tighter. He sensed that the tighter he gripped the dagger, the easier he found it to bear the pressure coming from behind the stone door, and the more comfortable he would feel. It was like there was some energy being transferred from the hilt into his body, protecting him.
He did not know what this energy was. He thought it was courage.
The dagger had been gifted to him by Senior Brother Yu Ren before he descended the mountain.
He had read the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon, but he had never heard of a person more courageous than Senior Yu Ren.
So he believed that his senior''s sword was a source of courage.
He gripped the dagger and took one step forward. His palm fell on the stone door and pushed it open.
Without a single noise, the stone door slowly opened.
In the underground space deep below the Imperial City of the Great Zhou, the stone door that had not once been opened since its construction was finally opened tonight.
Dust was sent drifting into the air, the dust of history.
This period of history had already reached one thousand years.
...
...
Behind the stone door was darkness, absolute darkness.
Chen Changsheng held the dagger in front of him while his other hand took out the Night Pearl and raised it in the air.
This Night Pearl was bright and splendid, perfectly round like a melon. This was the pearl Luoluo had gifted to him when taking him as her teacher, but it was a mystery where he had been storing it.
The gentle and watery light spread out from the Night Pearl in his hand to all directions, yet after quite some time, this light still did not shine upon anything like a wall.
This was an extraordinarily vast space, incomparably spacious and empty. One could even place a true palace hall in here.
Chen Changsheng had never imagined that the Great Zhou Imperial Palace would have such a massive underground space beneath it. Judging by the distance he had run, the place he was standing might even be under some place in the capital beyond the walls of the Imperial Palace.
The light of the Night Pearl gradually spread farther, and the vast and limitless space seemed to gradually grow more real.
In the distance, there was a flashing of silver light, densely packed like countless layers of silver scraps or like all the stars in the night sky had descended to the human world.
Chen Changsheng raised the Night Pearl and walked in that direction. When he reached those silver scraps, he realized to his shock that it was actually a pile of silver ingots!
A silver sea formed from innumerable silver ingots.
In the center of the silver sea was a golden mountain made of gold bricks.
At the summit of this golden mountain grew a tree of dark red coral.
On the numerous branches of this coral tree hung countless fruits carved from diamonds and crystals.
A golden mountain, a silver sea, and a coral tree, and also tens of thousands of jeweled fruits.
This scene was truly rather tacky, because it was far too extravagant, extravagant beyond description.
Chen Changsheng was shocked speechless, even almost forgetting about that pressure.
He had never seen this much wealth in his life.
To be more precise, on this continent, there had never been anyone who had seen this much treasure.
The surface of the silver sea was covered in a shallow layer of frost.
The surfaces of many silver ingots had begun to peel and were scattered about like wood shavings. The scraps of silver he had seen were these.
This underground space was so cold that not even silver could endure it.
Just then, there was a sudden gust of cold wind.
The silver sea began to swell as countless silver scraps were sent rustling all over the place. The color of the frost suddenly deepened as snow began to accumulate in the depths of the silver sea.
This gust of cold wind blew for a very long time.
Chen Changsheng''s body was covered in a layer of snow, his eyebrows and eyelashes already stained white.
But his heart was even colder.
Because this cold wind that had persisted for a very long time was just a single breath.
An extremely long and extremely frightening breath.
The gloomy darkness suddenly gave birth to two faint balls of flame.
Those two balls of flame were pure and cold, without a hint of color.
Like flames of ice from the underworld.
The two flames slowly approached Chen Changsheng.
The terrifying pressure completely enveloped this underground space.
Chen Changsheng could no longer endure it, and blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth.
A hint of what could be called emotion suddenly appeared in those two flames.
At first perplexity, then shock, then delight, after that curiosity, and finally, it all transformed into iciness and ruthlessness.
They naturally could not really be flames of the underworld. They were two eyes even larger than Chen Changsheng''s body.
The being that possessed this pair of eyeshow large would it be?
The Night Pearl left Chen Changsheng''s hand and floated upwards, ultimately landing on the dome of this space.
Suddenly, the entire dome lit up. This was because the dome was studded with several thousand Night Pearls. Previously, when Chen Changsheng saw that silver sea, he thought that profuse stars in the night sky had all descended to the human world, but now he knew that this place had its own night sky and its own profuse stars.
The underground space gradually brightened.
A black rock appeared in the air.
It was swiftly joined by more and more black rocks.
Those black rocks absorbed the light spilling down from the dome, not reflecting any back.
Chen Changsheng clearly saw that these were not rocks, but scales.
A massive black rock was actually a black scale.
In this world, only one kind of scale could be so large: dragon scale.
A terrifying black dragon slowly appeared in the night sky.
It looked down at Chen Changsheng, its two eyes like flames of the underworld, cold and cruel.
60 A Youths Soliloquy Before a Great Black Dragon
This was the most noble being in the three thousand worlds, the coldest existence in the world, possessing an indescribable might. Besides those grand cultivators who had exceeded the mundane world, how could insignificant humans stand before a great Black Dragon like this?
No matter how persistent and determined Chen Changsheng was, he could not resist this primordial pressure. He tightly shut his lips so as to avoid the chattering of his teeth from being heard, yet he could not stop his body from shaking, every bone of his body seeming to lament.
Ploomph! He did not prostrate before the Black Dragon, but he could not stand straight either. He fell right onto the hard and cold ground, fell very heavily. His mind was somewhat scattered, not thinking about pain, only constantly repeating these sentences in his heart.
"The legend is true!
"There really is a dragon in the Imperial Palace!
"One of the noblest Black Frost Dragons!"
Before pushing open the stone door, he had thought of many possibilities.
He thought the source of the terrifying pressure behind the stone door might be the old Guardian within the palace who possessed a Saint Realm cultivation and had secluded himself for more than a century already. He also thought that behind these doors could be the pivotal point of the Imperial Palace''s great array, and he even thought that it might be the skeletal remains of a great dragon, yet he never imagined
Behind the stone door was a living dragon!
Since the passing of the ancient era, it had become extremely difficult to find traces of the Dragon race on the continent. Those noble and formidable beings had gradually faded from memory until they were on the verge of becoming divine beings that only existed in books. No person had ever seen them before. Chen Changsheng had imagined the appearance of dragons countless times and wanted to personally see one.
Tonight, he finally saw one, but he would now prefer that he not see one for his entire life.
This Black Dragon was currently floating in the air in front of him, gazing down upon him.
The light of several thousand Night Pearls on the dome of the cavern was completely absorbed by its black scales. The pure black dragon was as terrifying as an abyss brought to life, but its eyes were its most frightening aspect. Those two eyes were brimming with cold indifference and cruelty.
Chen Changsheng understood the meaning of these eyes: it was a human child gazing at the ants on a tree.
It was a particularly pure sort of coldness and cruelty. It did not require reasons, did not require justification.
A child could watch the ants on a tree for an hour, and then crush all the ants to death with their shoe.
This was the attitude of higher lifeforms towards the lowly.
Chen Changsheng finally understood the meaning of Mo Yu''s parting words.
Yes, no person could leave the Tong Palace, because the Tong Palace''s gate of life was beneath the cold pond.
The cold pond was a true dragon pond. A great Black Dragon lived here. Any person that encountered it would die.
However, Mo Yu had not expected him to have the courage, or perhaps the stupidity, to persist until he arrived in front of the Black Dragon.
The frost on Chen Changsheng''s eyelashes suddenly fell off like the snow being blown off the petals of a plum blossom.
A small gust blew through the underground cavern.
The Black Dragon was preparing to breathe.
Chen Changsheng knew that in the next moment, he would die.
When he pushed open the door, he had already prepared many countermeasures. Even if it really was the old Guardian who was in the Saint Realm, he still believed that his death was not assured. He believed that as long as he could communicate, he could change his fate.
But behind the stone door was a Black Dragon.
In the legends, dragons were noble, powerful, but never merciful.
Dragons would not communicate with humans, disdained to communicate with humans. At least, they would disdain to communicate with an ordinary human like him.
For this, he had made not a single preparation.
For death, he had actually been preparing for several years, but now that death was truly on the horizon, he understood that he still had not prepared enough.
As it turned out, death was a matter impossible to prepare for.
A deathly stillness hung over the underground cavern. The light spilling from the Night Pearls was like the snow, falling upon his body.
He was somewhat cold and suddenly felt very tired. He knew that everything he did was futile, so he no longer struggled to stand up, even stopped caring about what was about to occur. He raised his head towards that mountain-like and terrifying dragon head, calm and at ease.
"It looks like Master spoke correctly: my fate really is bad."
He did not know whether this Black Dragon could understand human language, but he thought that even if such a noble being could understand, it would not disdain to listen. Thus, everything that he had never said to another person, he said to the Black Dragon.
"I have an illness that can''t be cured.
"I can''t live past the age of twenty.
"Master is the best doctor of the continent and my medical skills aren''t bad, but the both of us can''t cure it.
"This illness is more terminal than a terminal illness, so it is not an illness, but fate.
"My fate is not good.
"Upon coming to the capital, I wasted a lot of energy and was finally able to enter the Orthodox Academy, obtaining the right to participate in the Grand Examination. Although still very far from Lingyan Pavilion, in the end, I still took my first step. Then I met Luoluo, and I thought that my fate was getting better.
"I didn''t think that tonight, I would meet you.
"My fate turned out to still not be good."
Chen Changsheng''s face was somewhat pale. It was because of the frost and the cold, nothing to do with fear.
He was currently fearless, even when confronting the legendary cruel Black Dragon.
He no longer cared about whether the Black Dragon could understand him, whether it was willing to listen.
He only knew that he was going to die soon, so if he did not say these things, he would no longer have the opportunity.
"Everyone says that fate is foreordained, that no matter how disastrous, it still can''t be changed, but I''m not willing to accept this."
Some sort of mysterious strength helped him stand up. He raised his head to the beautiful Night Pearls in the dome of the cavern and slightly squinted his eyes, just like some pitiable young beast gazing at the first light of the sun, brimming with yearning and joy.
"I want to live. I want live past the age of twenty, and then one hundred, and even five hundred, eight hundred, to live longer and longer, and the best would be to live forever and never diebut first, I have to live past the age of twenty, so I lived with utmost care.
"Every day, I would go to sleep early and wake up early. Every day, I would exercise my body. I''ve never been picky about my food, but I''ve never gorged on too much food or drink, and didn''t take my food with salt or oil. It''s not because of my personality, but because those types of foods aren''t healthy. I lived according to the guidelines of the medical books, measuring out my meat and vegetables with a scale. I''ve never found any of this a trouble, and after the age of twelve, all this became instinct.
"I value time and put all my time in studying and cultivating. I wanted to do my utmost to touch upon those beautiful pieces of knowledge before the age of twenty, and I wanted even more to use cultivation to change my fate. This way, after the age of twenty, I would have the opportunity to see even more beautiful sights."
He said to the Black Dragon, "Yes, everything I did, all the rules I made for myself, were all for the sake of living. The most important part about living is living. For this, I''m willing to pay everything, to do my utmost to live."
At this scene of the cold underground cavern, the distant pitch-black darkness, the gradually fading light from the dome of the cavern, the Black Dragon before the youth, and those calm words containing boundless sorrow, any person would probably feel moved.
The Black Dragon continued to gaze at this youth with cold and cruel eyes. Perhaps it was because it couldn''t understand human language, but it was probably more that it didn''t care. An ant on a tree branch angrily and sorrowfully waving its forelimb would only be interesting, or laughable, in the eyes of the observing child.
Chen Changsheng already didn''t care about the Black Dragon''s response. He only wanted to talk in his life''s final moments.
"To change fate is truly too difficult, and the life I lived in these past few years was truly too tiresome, but no matter how tiresome, I still want to live. Because the pork of Xining Village cut into thin pieces and then dipped in chili oil and rock salt is truly delicious, because there is truly a lot of interesting knowledge in books, because life is truly very beautiful.
"I don''t want to die, but I can''t guarantee that I can live past the age of twenty. To be more precise, I simply don''t have the confidence. I don''t want the girl who gifted me that bamboo dragonfly to become a widow, so I came to the capital, wanting to end the engagement, but the result?
"Everyone who''s acquainted with me feels that I''ve matured early, that I''m not like a fourteen-year-old youth, everyone says that I''m steady and composed, but nobody has ever thought I''m only five years away from death, I''m in the prime of my youth, yet I''m already half-buried in yellow earthhow could I not be calm and steady? But how can I accept this!?"
In these past few years, Chen Changsheng had focused on controlling his emotions because great sorrow and happiness were both bad for his body, but now it was all useless, so he was no longer calm. He gazed at the Black Dragon, perhaps the entire world, and angrily cried out.
"I don''t want to die.
"But I''m going to die now.
"I''m very sad."
Chen Changsheng was very sorrowful, his eyes slightly red. He thought that he would cry, but he discovered that, after controlling his emotions through all these years and refusing to cry, he had even forgotten how to cry. This fact made him feel even more sorrowful, then he returned to an unimaginable level of calmness.
"Thank you for not eating me in one bite. Although this is probably not your true intent, since you still let me finish speaking, I want to thank you. But I really do want to live, so even if it''s laughable, I still want you to permit me to fight a battle with you."
Saying this, he raised the dagger in his hand and bared it towards the Black Dragon.
He silently thought in his heart: Come, Death!
Let us have a final match.
Just like over these past years.
The Black Dragon slowly approached, cold gusts resounding through the vast space. Its body was excessively large, a slight movement sufficient to cause the light to change.
A nigh unimaginable cold descended over Chen Changsheng''s body.
His eyelashes were once more covered in frost, and even the blood in his body seemed to freeze.
Death was right before him.
Yet he showed an unprecedented calm, was even very relaxed.
The shadow of death and that terrifying pressure that had followed him since the age of ten suddenly vanished.
He was at an unprecedented level of calm, comfort. His body felt much lighter. To have no pressure whatsoever was actually such a beautiful feeling.
He finally understood, how to defeat the fear brought upon by death? Only through death itself.
He smiled, the frost on his eyelashes spreading apart like blooming white flowers.
Teacher, do you see?
I''m going to change my own fate.
Teacher said that I would die at the age of twenty.
At the moment, I''m not fully fifteen, but I''m going to die.
As it turns out, fate is not impossible to defeat.
61 Pushing Through the Palace and Entering
The Palace of Young Brilliance was located one thousand, nine hundred and forty zhang from the Imperial Palace''s Gate of the Southern Sun. From the Gate of the Southern Sun to Weiyang Palace was a distance of seven-hundred-some zhang. With her speed, and taking care to not alarm the Guardians of the palace, how long would it take to get from here to Weiyang Palace? What part had the music coming out of the darkness reached?
The southern diplomatic mission had certainly already arrived, and were probably even seated. The Ivy Festival is on the verge of beginning and if I can hurry over soon, I probably won''t be too late. First, I must obtain the reason. Luoluo thought of these matters in silence, her small face seeming to be covered in a sheet of ice, so much so that the entire palace hall seemed to be rather chilly.
Fortunately, besides a single female official, there was no one else in this hall but her and the master of the hall, so no one would criticize her for discourtesy.
The Palace of Young Brilliance was the quietest palace in all of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, yet it was also the most lavish. This was because here resided the Divine Empress''s most beloved and only daughter, the Princess of Ping. The girl sitting at the master''s seat had a gorgeous complexion. She did not look very old, but she had a natural grace about her that seemed inerasable.
Confronting this Princess of Ping who collected the adoration of the countless people of the Great Zhou in a single body, who normal people would not even dare to breathe too heavily while near, Luoluo displayed utter discourtesy, her tone even faintly carrying a hint of criticism. "Ping, you''ve tricked me here and won''t let me attend the Ivy Festival. Are you not even giving me an explanation?"
Previously, that female official had come up, representing the Princess of Ping in inviting her to the Palace of Young Brilliance. Unexpectedly, when she reached the Palace of Young Brilliance, the female official constantly delayed for time. Only after she began to react did the Princess of Ping finally appear, but a long time had already passed.
She was clearly aware that the Princess of Ping was doing this because she had been entrusted with it by someone, that it assuredly had something to do with the Ivy Festival, but she was only thinking about those followers of the Divine Empress who were watching the Orthodox Academy like tigers eying their prey. Yet she had not imagined that their gazes had always been on Chen Changsheng.
The Princess of Ping was not angry at Luoluo''s inquiry. Smiling, she explained, "It was just that we hadn''t met in several months and I heard that you were playing the part of an obedient student in the Orthodox Academy, so I was somewhat interested. That''s right, just what sort of person is that person you acknowledged as a teacher?"
Luoluo ignored the question, staring into her eyes and asking once more, "Why?"
"Mo Yu knew that I had a close relationship with you, so she had me keep you for a while. As for whyshe certainly didn''t tell me."
The Princess of Ping spoke with a very calm expression, not treating this as much of a pressing matter.
Yet Luoluo had seen painstaking care in her appearance. Many people knew that the Princess of Ping and Lady Mo Yu did not have much of a close relationship. It was only because of the Divine Empress that the two maintained a cordial relationship on the surface, so Luoluo would naturally not believe her explanation.
The Princess of Ping commented, "Don''t think about it too much. Mo Yu received imperial mother''s orders to host the last night of the Ivy Festival, and what she''s most concerned about is that engagement between that Phoenix and the child of the Qiushan clan. She had me keep you here probably because she was afraid that you would stir some trouble when the time came."
Her appearance was clearly young and immature, yet she called Qiushan Jun a child. This seemed very bizarre.
Luoluo was most ill-suited for this sort of appearance. She slightly creased her brow and resentfully replied, "Speak properly I''m not you; why would I stir trouble?"
The Princess of Ping''s eyes faintly glowed. Looking rather shy, she replied, "Why would I stir trouble? Luoluo, you really like telling jokes."
Luoluo replied, "You don''t like Xu Yourongas long as they''ve lived in the Imperial Palace, who wouldn''t know?"
The Princess of Ping''s smile faded as she coldly said, "Imperial mother likes her, but for what reason should I like her? Moreover, that child of the Qiushan clan is perfect and so excellent that he should be my Great Zhou Dynasty''s son-in-law. For what reason should he be married off to someone like her, a muddy monkey stinking all over with the smell of the wilderness!"
Luoluo lightly mocked, "Even if you spoke countless times about how you quarreled with her and lost, you still wouldn''t be able to affect her position in the Divine Empress''s heart, and in the hearts of everyone else. Let alone Qiushan Jun, even I would be willing to have him marry her and not you."
The Princess of Ping was very angry, saying, "Just which side are you standing on?"
Luoluo replied, "It''s not like you don''t know, I''ve always liked herof course, if you''re willing to let me go, I can stand on your side."
The Princess of Ping stood up and calmly gazed at her, then suddenly revealed a smile. "This is the first time Mo Yu has requested me to do something. You think I''ll mess it up?"
Luoluo stood up and asked, "I thought you never did these sorts of things that don''t provide you any benefit?"
The Princess of Ping helplessly sighed. "In the end, I''m still a princessI have to do some things for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty."
Luoluo needed to think a while before understanding that the matter she spoke of was most likely related to the southern diplomatic mission''s proposal. Yet she couldn''t understand just how her presence at the Ivy Festival would influence this proposal. Although she also admired Qiushan Jun, she didn''t have any designs on him.
She raised her hand and brought it extremely close to her belt. As long as she willed it, she could take out the Falling Rain Whip.
Standing across from her was the Princess of Ping of the Great Zhou Dynasty, greatly doted upon by the Divine Empress. Even Luoluo could not do anything too excessive against her, but right now, she suddenly wanted to kill her. This was because she suddenly realized that the princess might not only dare to trick her into the Palace of Young Brilliance, but she might dare move against her teacher!
The Princess of Ping knew what she was feeling, but she did not fear. Smiling, she commented, "A few days ago, I heard that during the Ivy Festival, you beat that distant cousin of mine into a cripple, just as can be expected from Luoluo. I can''t beat you, butif something happens to me, can your family bear the responsibility?"
Luoluo looked at her and said, "The Tianhai clan is nothing but a group of madmen, we truly can''t bear itbut you also understand that my family also has many madmen. If something happens to me in the capital, will just you and Mo Yu be able to bear the responsibility?"
The Princess of Ping innocently replied, "This is the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. How can anything happen to you?"
In the darkness outside the Palace of Young Brilliance, countless Guardians and experts were concealed.
Those people would naturally not dare to truly wound Luoluo, but they could entrap her.
Just like how for certain reasons, Mo Yu could not truly hurt Chen Changsheng, forcing her to think of ways to trap him.
Right now, teacher and disciple were both facing similar plights.
"Don''t try to act silly or foolish or cute; I''m also quite skilled in those."
Luoluo gripped and slowly pulled out the Falling Rain Whip, saying very seriously to her, "If I want to make trouble for myself, who can stop me?"
The Princess of Ping''s expression turned somewhat apprehensive, because she had seen Luoluo''s resolve. If something really did happen to Luoluo in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, she and Mo Yu added together would be incapable of bearing the responsibility. Crucially, the Empress did not know of tonight''s matter. If the eight hundred li of the Red River were to rage, what could be done?
"Just what is so good about that youth called Chen Changsheng that you''ve actually become so dead set on doing this?" She gazed at Luoluo, very confused.
"This is not something you need to concern yourself with, nor is it something you really care about."
Luoluo''s right hand lightly moved and the Falling Rain Whip slowly moved along the golden bricks. She looked at the Princess of Ping and said, "Right now, I also don''t want to concern myself over what your goal is. I just want you to order those people outside the hall to open a path. I want to attend the Ivy Festival."
The Princess of Ping fell silent, seeming to hesitate and struggle. In reality, she was silently counting time, waiting until she was sure that, based on what Mo Yu had said, the youth should have been imprisoned within the Tong Palace. Only then did she raise her head and faintly smile.
"Please." She looked at Luoluo and said, "I hope that you are still in time."
...
...
The night was dark, but the palace was bright as day. Luoluo arrived outside Weiyang Palace, her black hair brushing against her cheeks, her forehead beaded with sweat. She turned towards the shadows behind the palace and saw the figures of Guardian Jin and Guardian Li. After tilting her head and listening for a few moments, her delicate brows slightly rose, her anger barely concealed.
Chen Changsheng was not within the palace. A moment ago, he had been outside the hall, speaking with Divine General of the East Xu Shiji. Afterwards, Prince Chen Liu spoke a few words to him, making it inconvenient for Guardians Jin and Li to approach. Unexpectedly, in the next moment, he vanished in the darkness, whisked off to parts unknown.
Luoluo turned to silently gaze through the darkness at the Great Zhou Imperial Palace and its countless overarching eaves and pavilions. She knew how challenging it would be to search such a vast area for a single person at this time, so what should she do next?
There were some people of the Great Zhou Imperial clan that did not want her teacher to take part in the Ivy Festival because of the southern diplomatic mission''s proposal, but why was this? She squeezed the silk bag in her sleeve, thinking of what her teacher had said to her before leaving the Orthodox Academy. Her two eyebrows arched even higher, almost as if they were going to take flight.
The other side did not want her to do this thing, so she would do it.
Luoluo no longer needed to think. She opened the tightly shut door to Weiyang Palace, and walked into the light within.
Within the palace, the southern diplomatic mission had already arrived and were currently in the midst of greeting the important figures of the Ivy Academies, the Imperial Court, and the Orthodoxy. Some people who had never met were currently introducing themselves, both sides speaking about how they had longed to meet the other. It was a joyous and harmonious scene, particularly lively.
Just then, there was a bang as the palace door was pushed open by someone!
Although the chilly wind could not blow inside, the light within the hall still seemed to change, as did the mood. This was because the person who had pushed open the door seemed to be very rude.
But when they could clearly make out the girl who had pushed open the door, the hall grew abnormally silent.
Some had previously noticed to their astonishment that the Orthodox Academy''s seating area was empty. Now, they finally saw this girl.
Luoluo''s gaze flitted through the hall.
That middle-aged man was the leader of the Qiushan clan, Qiushan Yuanxin.
That old man with a head of white who only had a bowl of clear water and a green pear on the table in front of him was probably Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong.
That woman with a serene bearing and a white veil over her face, since she was wearing the ceremonial robes of the Orthodoxy and was sitting extremely close to the female professors of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, was probably a disciple of the Holy Maiden.
Those three youths with indifferent expressions and swords across their knees were probably the rumored Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
She had seen before the young students of the five Ivy Academies and the others who had passed the pre-examination.
There were many people in the hall, but no Chen Changsheng.
Luoluo''s gaze ultimately rested on a seat at the very front.
This seat was very close to the seats of the hosts, such as Prince Chen Liu, only a bit farther than Qiushan Yuanxin''s and Xiao Songgong''s seats.
But the person in this seat was a youth.
This youth had a gentle expression, extremely amiable. He had an ordinary air about him, but he was absolutely not normal.
Because his eyes had a light.
When Luoluo saw this person, she knew that he must be Gou Hanshi of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
The legendary Gou Hanshi.
62 Please Let Me Say to You a Single Word
The southern diplomatic mission had come to the capital as guests. Based on principle, they should not ask questions on their own initiative, but that woman veiled in white was very familiar with the teachers and students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and was also an old acquaintance of Xu Shiji. Seeing the rather abnormal mood, she decided to ask.
The vast majority of the people in the hall had attended the first night of the Ivy Festival, so it was impossible for them to not recognize the girl who had beaten Tianhai Ya''er into a cripple. Hearing this guest''s question, a person responded, "She''s a student of the Orthodox Academy. For some reason, she arrived a little late."
Hearing this answer, the woman from Holy Maiden Peak softly affirmed, somewhat surprised. As for those three youths with swords sitting across their knees, they simultaneously raised their heads to gaze at Luoluo, their gazes instantly becoming extremely sharp, like swords leaving their sheaths.
Even in the distant south, the people knew that the Orthodox Academy had long since been abandoned. On the journey, they had heard of what had happened on the first night of the Ivy Festival, and only then had they discovered that, this year, the Orthodox Academy had gained two new students. This girl was that genius who had appeared out of nowhere?
These three youths came from Mount Li and were three of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws. In their view, defeating Tianhai Ya''er was naturally no great feat, but for this girl to be so strong at such a young age was truly worthy of their regard.
Gou Hanshi also raised his head and glanced at Luoluo, but he only gave a gentle smile, seeming to not care very much.
Luoluo paid no attention to the gazes from these three youths of Mount Li. The Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws were naturally extraordinary, but at the moment, all her focus was on Gou Hanshi. She could clearly sense that this person was truly not simple at all. She was not a match for him, but what of her teacher? Could he defeat him?
The hall was quiet. Standing at the door, she seemed rather striking.
Xu Shiji coldly said, "Your coming late is already lacking in courtesy. Quickly sit down instead of letting guests see this joke!"
Hearing these utterly discourteous words, Prince Chen Liu was somewhat surprised. Then, he smiled as he thought, Xu Shiji still hasn''t managed to guess at this girl''s identity. It seems that even the Divine Empress''s trust in him has a limit, far inferior to Xue Xingchuan.
Prince Chen Liu turned to the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu. Of the people present, only the two of them knew of Luoluo''s true identity. However, he saw that Mao Qiuyu had a solemn and respectful look on his face, acting like he knew nothing at all. Prince Chen Liu suddenly had a thought and turned to Archbishop Mei Lisha, but he only saw that the archbishop''s eyes were almost shut as if he was on the verge of sleep.
"Elders all truly can maintain their composure"
Prince Chen Liu sighed. He was well aware that the archbishop kept his own counsel and had probably long since guessed at Luoluo''s identity.
Luoluo glanced at Xu Shiji. At any other time, if someone dared to berate her so, she would certainly have not taken it lying down. One could not draw any conclusions from the pleasant and cute act she put up in front of Chen Changsheng. If she truly grew angry, didn''t even the Princess of Ping grow afraid?
But tonight, the circumstances were special. Thinking of the silk bag tightly gripped in her sleeve and Chen Changsheng''s orders, she took a deep breath and suppressed all her anger. Saying nothing to Xu Shiji, she walked straight to the Orthodox Academy''s seating area in the corner.
Just then, ceremonial music sounded out, the curtains lightly waved, and under the escort of ten-odd palace maids and eunuchs, a woman dressed in gorgeous palace attire slowly walked into the palace.
It was Lady Mo Yu.
Although she possessed great authority within the Great Zhou Dynasty, she did not have much of a public persona, so logically speaking, she should have been more low-key. However, in this front hall of the Imperial Palace, everyone knew that she was representing the Divine Empress, so it was no good to quietly sit. One by one, they rose up to greet her.
The several hundred people within the hall stood up one by one, the important figures of the southern diplomatic mission no exception. Under the light of the Night Pearls, they seemed like an ocean wave.
Two people did not stand.
One was the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Mei Lisha. The old man''s eyes were closed, an indistinct smile on his lips. It seemed like he had really fallen asleep.
The other was Luoluo in the corner. She quietly stared at Mo Yu''s face, seeming quite rude.
Everyone had stood up except for two. They naturally stood out, so everyone turned their gazes to them.
Xu Shiji had a rather dark complexion. Although he clearly knew that this girl called Luoluo had an unusual background, today was the night on which the southern diplomatic mission would propose, so he had to ensure that everything remained under control. As a result, he had scolded her just a while, all because he needed to see if any variables would appear.
It seemed that the variable had arrived.
The archbishop''s status was different, so he could not express his rage, and could only aim it at the only target left.
He coldly glared at the Orthodox Academy''s seats in the corner.
For similar reasons, nobody dared to directly stare at the archbishop''s seat above, so everyone''s gazes rested on the corner, falling upon Luoluo.
Luoluo cared not for these gazes. She stared at Mo Yu, her eyes calm, her expression solemn, an aura of warning about her.
The crowd inwardly trembled with fear, not knowing what would happen next.
Xu Shiji was just prepared to deliver a heavy rebuke when a melodious voice suddenly rang through the hall.
"There''s no problem."
Mo Yu smiled, her arms extended to her sides, her two wide sleeves hanging down, indicating that everyone should sit.
These words were for the crowd, for Xu Shiji, displaying her lenient and humane heart.
Only Luoluo knew that those words were meant for her.
She was promising Luoluo that absolutely nothing would happen to Chen Changsheng.
Luoluo knew that Mo Yu would not lie, especially at this moment. She already knew that Mo Yu had done something, even after being warned.
Her emotions relaxed somewhat, but she did not.
She sat in the corner, quietly watching Mo Yu, her gaze never moving.
She was just like a tiger hidden in the mountain forests, quietly watching its prey, ready to leap out at any moment and tear its target to pieces.
Mo Yu sensed the gaze from the distant corner and slightly perked her brows, somewhat surprised. Just like the Princess of Ping, she had thought that her so-called attending school at the Orthodox Academy was just because she felt that staying in the Hundred Herb Garden was too boring and so wanted to play around a bit with an ordinary human.
Even if she was friends with Chen Changsheng, it still didn''t make sense for her to value him this much.
Even Mo Yu could sense her gaze, so the many experts in the hall had naturally noticed as well.
This was especially true for the people around the Orthodox Academy''s seating area, who suddenly felt rather cold.
...
...
Chen Changsheng thought that he had died, but he had not.
The Black Dragon had paused in the air in front of him, no longer moving forward.
The two were separated by ten-odd zhang. Because the Black Dragon was so excessively large, this distance was extremely close, so much so that he could even see the snow accumulated on the roots of the dragon''s teeth. The Black Dragon was taking slow and long breaths. Countless cold winds howled, countless grains of snow and shards of frost roiled and danced in the wind.
Chen Changsheng felt that he was standing outside of Xuelao City in the distant north.
What made the Black Dragon slowly come to a halt was not his courage or the words he said before dying, but rather the dagger in his hands.
That seemingly very ordinary dagger.
When it saw the dagger in his hands, it seemed like countless stars successively ignited in the depths of the Black Dragon''s eyes and then extinguished once more.
Every star was an emotion.
Frustration.
Confusion.
Shock.
Unease.
Resentment.
Parting.
Meeting.
Closeness.
Wariness.
Anger.
Vastness.
Indifference.
Incapable of indifference.
Wanting to forget.
Difficult to forget.
Disappointment.
Despair.
Hope.
Still hope.
...
...
Countless complex emotions appeared in the Black Dragon''s cold and cruel eyes.
As a human, it was difficult for him to understand how the eyes were able to hold so many emotions in a single instant.
Chen Changsheng could not understand, so he stood there with his body covered in snow and a dagger in his hand, staring at the Black Dragon in silence.
The Black Dragon calmly stared back, staring for a very long time.
The Black Dragon suddenlylet out a low roar!
The cold wind howled, causing the snow accumulated on the distant walls to rumble down, and the snow on the silver sea to fly about in disorder.
This low roar was a word, because it had a specific meaning.
This low roar was more like a pure sound, because it was a sound, a single syllable.
It was an extremely brief sound, but enormously complex.
It was just like a hurricane. On the surface, it seemed frantic and monotone, but there were countless streams of turbulence within, going in countless directions.
This was Dragon language.
The Dragon language that had vanished from the human world for several thousand, even ten thousand years.
In the present world, there was perhaps no human to be found that had heard Dragon language. As for a human that spoke Dragon languageone wouldn''t know where to start looking for such a person.
The dragon was this world''s most high-class being, possessing a perfect body and soul. Only with their incomparably firm and incomparably complex body structure and their incomparably formidable souls working together could they use such an unimaginable method to communicate.
So simple that it became absolutely complex, supreme.
"Is this the legendary Dragon language?"
Chen Changsheng was shocked beyond compare.
Even if he wasn''t held down by the wind and snow, he would presumably have gone completely stiff at this moment.
Because he was truly very stupefied.
His stupefaction was different from the shock anyone else would feel from hearing a dragon cry, or perhaps, his shock was at another level.
He had heard this sound before.
In Xining Village''s old temple, he and his senior had read the three thousand Daoist scriptures. The final book contained one thousand, six hundred and one characters. According to legend, within these characters was the final meaning of the Heavenly Dao. They had not recognized the words in this book, so they had gone to ask their master. Their master had also not recognized them, but hecould read them.
Thus, he and his senior began to read those words.
They did not know the meanings, but they knew the sounds.
He had always been mystified as to what those bizarre words were.
Until many years later, beneath the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, in front of a Black Frost Dragon, he finally understood.
It was Dragon language.
It turned out that the final book of the three thousand scriptures of the Great Dao was written in Dragon language.
Silence.
A long silence.
The Black Dragon quietly stared at Chen Changsheng, seemingly waiting for something.
Chen Changsheng did not know what it was waiting for, so he remained silent.
Countless stars once more flared to life in the Black Dragon''s eyes, and then extinguished.
It fell silent once more, and then let out another low roar.
This roar was very low. There was no cold, but an aura of silent extinction.
Chen Changsheng''s eyelashes floated.
His Daoist topknot was blown apart, his black hair drifting behind him and then floating.
His clothes were blown to shreds and then began to float.
This dragon roar was low and heavy, the anger ultimately transforming into disappointment, then despair.
Chen Changsheng knew that he was going to die againthe word ''again'' here was not laughable, but sorrowful.
The Black Dragon seemed to have some hopes in him, so he had lived for a few more moments.
But that hope was no more.
Chen Changsheng suddenly felt very sorrowful, not because there was no hope, not because of him.
For some inexplicable reason, when he heard the Black Dragon''s low roar, he felt an indescribable sorrow.
He seemed to see innumerable years, boundless solitude.
A dark underground cavern, trickery and deception, guarding and despair.
He had also experienced those before.
The shadow of death was just like the pitch-black night, painfully torturing at all times for several years.
He had no person to speak to, no place to tell it. Alone, he waited for the final judgment.
He suddenly wanted to comfort this Black Dragon.
He didn''t know what to say, but he felt that he should say something.
Thus, he said a single word to the Black Dragon.
He didn''t know the meaning of this word.
When he was young, this was the first word he had learned in the final book of the three thousand scriptures of the Great Dao.
It was a single syllable, its pronunciation extremely strange.
A moment seemed to contain infinite information.
Hearing this word, the Black Dragon''s eyes suddenly shot out countless frenzied rays of light!
Yet the entire world turned silent.
63 Zhizhi
Silence, absolute silence, interminable silence. There was no whooshing of wind, no dripping of water, no sound of breathing. The Black Dragon and Chen Changsheng were both holding their breaths in silence. It seemed that it was because they were nervous, and they were nervous because they had finally seen hope.
He didn''t know what the Black Dragon''s hope was, but his hope was naturally to escape death. When he saw the Black Dragon''s whisker slowly drift over and silently press between his eyebrows, he found it impossible to know just what would happen next.
The whisker was extremely thick where it connected with the jaw, but it gradually thinned until at this foremost end, it was about the size of a human''s pinkie finger. It looked rather sharp, its surface black as the night. However, it was also transparent as jade, black specks of light tumbling within like dark clouds.
The tip of the dragon''s whisker seemed to touch yet not touch his forehead, so close that it was impossible to tell whether it had actually struck or not. Chen Changsheng grew more and more nervous. Having just returned from the precipice of death, it was even easier for him to feel fear. Sweat poured out of the hand holding the dagger and then was swiftly frozen by the low temperature of the environment.
Noiselessly, the black whisker lightly poked between his eyebrows.
It was a very strange sensation, not at all sticky or frightening. On the contrary, it was a little cool and refreshing and actually caused him to sober up and faintly understand the Black Dragon''s meaning.
It wanted him to continue.
Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng spoke the second wordstill a word from the last book of the three thousand scriptures of the Great Dao.
This word''s pronunciation was also extremely strange and extremely difficult to sound out. Even though his face was covered in snow, it was still easy to see that his face was somewhat red, his lips somewhat pale. It seemed like speaking this single word had consumed an enormous amount of energy.
The black whisker lightly drifted about, its pitch-black tip pulling away from his brow and giving a light flick before lightly prodding it once more.
Chen Changsheng understood, so he said the third word, and then the fourth word, the fifth word
As these strange syllables emerged from his lips, his energy rapidly depleted and he grew weaker and weaker. At the same time, however, he sensed that the coldness around him was gradually weakening. After he had spoken ten-odd words, warmth finally returned to his body.
The Black Dragon''s eyes were still indifferent, but its whisker was flicking faster and faster, reflecting countless black lines under the Night Pearls. Ultimately, it was like they bore countless flowers. Each flower was a flower of joy, all of them in full bloom.
Chen Changsheng could feel its joy, but he still found it hard to erase some of his lingering fearhe had spoken ten-odd syllables of Dragon language, but not according to the order in the final book of the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon. He had just randomly picked from those those sixteen hundred and one words, so it shouldn''t have been possible to form them into a sentence, but he didn''t expect that this dragon would actually be able to understand.
He had acted this way because of the caution embedded into his bones. He didn''t know whether it was wrong or right, but it now seemed that there wasn''t too much of a problem.
The black whisker gradually calmed. Calmly departing his brow, it lightly touched his hand gripping the dagger, no hostility about it.
Chen Changsheng accurately received its signal and finally completely relaxed.
This period of being enveloped by the shadow of death had finally passed. The terrifying pressure that he had suffered for so long instantly vanished. His mood changed along with the environment, the snow covering his body rustling down, the dust that he had accumulated from somewhere traveling through the gaps in his clothes and into the air.
After opening the door, he had been in a constant state of high tension. He only knew that he had seen a black-colored dragon, but only now did he clearly see the Black Dragon''s appearance. To be more precise, it was only now that he dared to carefully take measure of this Black Dragon.
This was a Black Frost Dragon.
Even amongst the Dragon race, this was a high-class existence, a legendary divine being of the same level as the Golden Dragon and the Nine Heavens Dragon.
However, despite how the Black Frost Dragon was described in the myths and legendscruel and murderous yet also fond of cleanliness, beautiful and enchanting as the dark nightChen Changsheng actually saw a lot of dust on the Black Dragon''s body, and even many shattered scales!
Those scales were on the verge of falling and looked extremely ugly, like the belly of a dead fish.
Chen Changsheng was stunned. If the descriptions of the Black Frost Dragon in the Daoist Canon and the legends were not wrong, then how it did it come out like this? As a youth who had a slight obsession with cleanliness, he was keenly aware that a being who valued cleanliness above all else would never be able to accept such circumstances.
Even more shocking was that as the cold retreated and the light spread farther, he saw two extremely thick chains behind the Black Dragon. Those two chains were tightly locked onto the Black Dragon''s two hind claws, digging deep into the scales, a terrifying sight!
This Black Dragonwas not a solitary guardian of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, but a prisoner!
Those two chains were covered in countless layers of frost, yet, perhaps due to their material, there seemed no sign that those chains would break. On reflection, this had to be the case. To be able to imprison a Black Frost Dragon in this underground space, these chains must certainly not be ordinary items.
The other end of these chains was attached to a wall.
This was a wall several hundred zhang high, with a massive drawing carved upon it. The colors of this drawing had already been corroded by time into nothingness, but one could clearly see what was drawn upon it. There were no sceneries or descriptions on this drawing, only two people.
Two fiendish people.
This stone was very tall, the drawing very large, so the two people in the drawing were naturally extremely tall as well. They were like gods, dressed in armor, one holding a metal truncheon, the other a long whip. Their faces had a godly dignity, seeming to look out with a bottomless heroism.
Chen Changsheng recognized these two people. Every human that lived on this continent recognized those two people, because these two people were still hanging over the main doors of every house. These two people were door gods.
The door gods were not gods, but real people, the two most powerful Divine Generals who served at the side of Great Zhou Emperor Taizong.
One Divine General was called Qin Zhong, the other Yu Gong.
These two Divine Generals followed Emperor Taizong in a lifetime of campaigning, from the founding of the Great Zhou until the final defeat of the demons. Although they could not match up to Wang Zhice''s unrivalled achievements, they still had displayed many times that they were incredibly bold and powerful, and fiendish. Their strength was unfathomable, and at the prime of their lives, they had already entered the Saint Realm. They were truly supreme experts.
They were Divine Generals, but they were innumerable times more powerful than the current Divine Generals of the continent.
The chains binding the Black Dragon were tied to the stone wall, gripped right in the hands of those two Divine Generals.
Such an arrangement naturally had its reasons.
Seeing this scene, Chen Changsheng vaguely confirmed that this Black Dragon had been imprisoned in Taizong''s era.
He thought of that turbulent era, thought of those stories on the verge of becoming myths and even those experts of the past within those myths, thought of the portraits in the Lingyan Pavilion, and he truly sympathized with the Black Dragon.
Perhaps because of the humiliation and pressure inflicted by the demons, in that era, humans exploded with an unimaginable brilliance. Countless experts appeared one after the other. Even an existence like the Black Frost Dragon faced insurmountable odds, ultimately becoming a miserable prisoner.
From Taizong''s era to now, how many years had passed?
In this cold, lonely, and gloomy cavern, how had this Black Dragon managed to endure through these endless years?
"You want to talk with me, right?" Chen Changsheng asked.
The Black Dragon''s whisker once more floated, flitting past the corner of his lip like a dragonfly skimming the surface of a pond.
"I only know how to speak them, I don''t understand the meaning of those words."
Chen Changsheng looked at it and said, "But, you can teach me."
The Black Dragon''s eyes suddenly grew abnormally bright, brighter than the light of all the Night Pearls in the ceiling added together.
Chen Changsheng thought, you truly can understand human language. Then if you want to communicate, I only need to learn Dragon language. Gazing at the Black Dragon, he continued, "I know that Dragon language is very difficult to learn, but I''m a person very skilled in studying. As long as you patiently teach me, I will definitely learn it."
Just then, the Black Dragon suddenly let out a low roar.
Chen Changsheng was a little startled.
The Black Dragon''s whisker rose without the wind, lightly poking at his forehead four times, swift like lightning, light as dust.
Chen Changsheng''s brow creased as he pondered the meaning.
The Black Dragon''s whisker lightly poked four more times, the Black Dragon simultaneously letting loose a low roar.
Chen Changsheng understood.
In his statement just now, he had said the words ''I'' and ''me'' four times in total.
This was the meaning the Black Dragon wanted to tell him.
"Me?" Chen Changsheng pointed at himself and asked.
Dragon language was extremely complex. A single syllable contained countless fragments that could be combined in innumerable ways, different combinations having different meanings. Completely grasping it was inevitably a very long process. He knew that this dragon roar contained the meaning of ''me'' and ''I''. That was assuredly not all, butit at least contained the aforementioned.
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s actions, the Black Dragon at first froze, and then suddenly began to roll around!
Its massive body rolled nonstop around the underground cavern, stirring up terrifying hurricanes!
Simultaneously, a bizarre noise came from the Black Dragon''s mouth.
From the time it was born more than one thousand years ago to now, it had never been this happy, so it didn''t know what sort of roar it should make.
Moreover, for certain reasons, it had to suppress its roars, suppress its laughter.
"Zhizhizhizhizhizhi"
These sounds like the cries of a mouse were very comical and amusing.
But there was incomparable ecstasy contained within.
Chen Changsheng didn''t know what the Black Dragon had done in the past, what sort of sin it had committed for the Great Zhou Dynasty to imprison it, but upon seeing it so elated over merely being able to carry out the simplest of communications with a human, he couldn''t help but be somewhat moved, sympathizing even more with it.
After quite some time, the Black Dragon finally ceased its ecstatic rolls and grew quiet.
It quietly gazed at Chen Changsheng, sensing his sincere sympathy, its eyes gradually growing gentler.
The black whisker once more drifted up, hovering in front of his eyebrows.
It was waiting for Chen Changsheng to speak once more.
Chen Changsheng fell into thought, and when he spoke, it was not the words the Black Dragon wanted to hear.
"I know that you really want to speak with someonebut I can''t right now. I have a very important matter that requires me to leave immediately."
The Black Dragon''s eyes returned to cold indifference.
Chen Changsheng''s expression turned solemn. "I promise you that as long as I can conclude this matter, I will come to find you, learn from you how to speak and speak with you."
The Black Dragon''s eyes were still indifferent, but now there was also the sense that it found his words a little humorous.
As a noble Black Frost Dragon who had been imprisoned by humans for so many years, it would never forget the words its royal father had once said to it.
"If humans could be trusted, we would be the rulers of this world."
64 Coincidentally
The Black Dragon thought, humans are all the most shameless tricksters, or else I wouldn''t have to suffer in this ghostly abyss for so many years. Although I''m black, that doesn''t mean I like the darkness. Those first few nights were truly very dark, Mother
Wait, how did I start thinking about this?
Fine, on the surface, this youth looks very sincere, and he smells very nice, not like a swindler. He''s just like that man surnamed Wang from back then, but I don''t even know if that man surnamed Wang is keeping his word to me, so how can I trust this youth?
You want to trick me into letting you go and definitely won''t come back. Saying that after finishing with your matter, you''ll come and chat with me? You think I can''t see that you were also tricked by someone into this place? After you escape, how will you come back? Moreover, above us is the Imperial Palace; you think can come back as long as you wish it? Saying you''re going to come back is just trying to comfort me, no, to trick me. Yes, humans are all tricksters, you are all tricksters!
I''ve suffered alone underground for so many years, and besides that terrifying woman, I haven''t seen any living thingthat terrifying woman doesn''t even count as a human, and I''d prefer to not meet her. Finally, after so many hardships, I met a person I could speak with. How can I just let you go?
If you leave, it will be dark days once more!
"I understand what you''re feeling, your unease, but you should believe me," Chen Changsheng said to it.
The Black Dragon''s eyes were cold and somewhat mocking as if wanting to say, you''re only ten-some years old. You have no idea of the tortures of time.
Chen Changsheng knew that the benevolence the Black Dragon had just shown to him was no guarantee of his safety. It was recorded in the Daoist Canon that these dragons, although powerful, were all very fickle. This Black Dragon had been imprisoned by humans for so many yearswho knew how deep its resentment was?
"I truly understand, even if I definitely haven''t suffered for as long you have. But at the very beginning, I told you my storymy fate also isn''t good. Fine, I understand that it''s very difficult for you to believe, so just count it as a gamble. If you let me go, there''s a chance that I''ll fulfill my end of the bargain and try and find a method to see you in the future. But if you kill me, I''m confident that it will be very difficult for anyone else to appear before you. No matter how you see it, it''s best to take this gamble with me."
Chen Changsheng said with utter sincerity and solemnity, "This is your best choice."
The Black Dragon remained silent. Suddenly, it raised its head towards the ceiling, its gaze resting somewhere amongst the several thousand Night Pearls.
...
...
Within Weiyang Palace, the Ivy Festival was continuing. In reality, though, it had already ended. The literary test that should have taken place tonight was pushed back to later, but no person cared about its results. How could the competition between the Ivy Academies possibly compare to the grand occasion about to take place?
Everyone was reserved and mild because what was about to take place was a happy occasion, a marriage. Even Mount Li''s Guan Feibai, the coldest and most arrogant Fourth Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, had a sort of smile on his face. This was because he knew that this was a major occasion for his eldest brother, and also for his sect and the entire south. Crucially, even he felt that his eldest brother marrying Junior Sister Xu was a grand occasion truly worthy of being proud and celebrating over.
Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong was already standing and speaking. The southern diplomatic mission was formally offering a marriage proposal to the Great Zhou Dynasty. Some processes had already begunafter only going through a few more steps, this marriage anticipated by the entire world would move from the discussions held by countless people over these past few years into reality.
The archbishop''s eyes were closed as if he was once more on the verge of sleep. Prince Chen Liu had on a gentle expression as he chatted with Xiao Songgong. Mo Yu had a calm look as she gazed out of the palace into the darkness. Luoluo watched these people, her right hand tightly clutching the silk bag in her sleeve. She had already decided to open it.
...
...
There was another prolonged silence, the underground cavern as silent as a grave.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the Black Dragon, nervously awaiting its decision.
The Black Dragon glanced at him and then suddenly began to fly backwards.
The several thousand Night Pearls on the ceiling instantly extinguished, leaving only some surplus light to illuminate the forward part of the Black Dragon''s body.
It seemed that it was gradually vanishing into the darkness.
Chen Changsheng understood the meaning of its glance. It wanted him to remember his promise and come visit.
Entering the Imperial Palace was very difficult, much less breaking through the Tong Palace to enter the underground cavern so that he could see it, but without any hesitation, he nodded his head.
He was very grateful to the Black Dragon and wanted to say something. The dragon could understand human language, but he had no idea what he should call it.
''Teacher''? He had a master. ''Senior''? This seemed too distant. ''You''? Too disrespectful. ''Hi''? Was he seeking death? They all seemed inappropriate.
Chen Changsheng pondered this problem, then called out to the gradually vanishing Black Dragon, "DragonUncle."
The Black Dragon turned stiff, its eyes somewhat at a loss. It was clear that it was quite shocked by this address.
"Uncle Dragon." Chen Changsheng did not know what else to say. Words of thanks on their own seemed too little. He suddenly thought of a matter and pointed up towards the ceiling. "I have to take that Night Pearl up there back with me."
The Black Dragon gave a low roar, seeming extremely angry. It had simply not imagined that this despicable fellow would actually want a foot after gaining an inch.
Chen Changsheng was very firm. "Uncle, it belongs to a girl. In the future, I have to return it to her."
...
...
In the garden of a side palace in the Imperial Palace was an extremely small pool.
The darkness lay heavy and the lanterns within the palace hall had already been extinguished. Standing by the pool was a middle-aged woman, her appearance very ordinary, her clothes very plain. She was clearly not one of those imperial concubines who only knew how, and were only allowed, to waste time on dresses and makeup. Nor was she was one of the palace maids in the prime of their youth.
She stood by the pool, perhaps preparing to wash her hands or wash some clothes.
Just then, the water in the pool began to slosh and surge upwards as a youth was flushed out in a very sorry condition.
It was precisely Chen Changsheng.
In the underground space, his clothes had been covered in frost and ice. Now, after being flushed out of the waters of the pool, he was utterly drenched and looked most miserable.
The middle-aged woman had never expected that a person would appear in the darkness. Seemingly frightened, she took a step back.
The woman was wearing wooden clogs, so when she took a step back on the gray stones lining the pool, there was a soft clop.
In the trees by the pool was a squirrel eating a snack. Startled by this sudden noise, it cast away the fruit it was holding in its forelimbs and jumped from the tree to the second-floor balcony of the palace hall, speedily running out of the courtyard. Its bushy tail waved around in the air, coincidentally bumping against a flower pot on the edge of the balcony.
The flower pot tottered, on the verge of falling from the balcony.
Coincidentally, the middle-aged woman was standing right below.
If the flower pot were to fall, it would certainly fall on her body. Let alone injuries, it might have an even more dangerous result.
Chen Changsheng left the underground space and returned to the surface, ending up in the pool. His face was covered in water, and when he wiped it away and was able to see again, the first thing he saw was this extremely coincidental scene, and also an extremely unfortunate scene.
Without even thinking, he rushed over to the middle-aged woman.
He knew that this was deep within the Imperial Palace. There were countless experts here, and if he were to alarm them, it would probably be very difficult for him to reach Weiyang Palace.
He still rushed over, not because he was afraid the fall of the pot would alarm someone, but because the middle-aged woman was in danger.
If he carefully thought about it, he had even better choices, better choices with regards to leaving and getting to Weiyang Palace promptly, but he did not consider them.
He hugged the middle-aged woman to his chest and curled around her.
If the flower pot were to fall, it would shatter on his back.
But the flower pot did not fall.
Consequently, this scene was rather awkward, rather difficult to explain.
Not hearing the sound he had imagined, not feeling any pain from his back, Chen Changsheng raised his head towards the balcony and saw that the flower pot was standing there just fine.
He naturally did not see the middle-aged woman draw back her finger.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the middle-aged woman in somewhat of a panicif this middle-aged woman were to shout, he would be in trouble. And it was so late at night, if a youth were to suddenly rush out of a pool and embrace one to his chest, anyone would probably shout, right?
At this time, the first thing he should have done was knock this middle-aged woman unconscious, just like in the novels he had read.
But there was a problem: he didn''t know how to knock someone unconscious.
Thus, he was currently confronting a very troublesome problem.
The palace shrouded in darkness, the waves in the pool, and the flower pot on the balcony all looked at each other.
He and the middle-aged woman looked at each other.
Very speechless.
Silent and speechless.
He was just a youth.
She was a middle-aged woman.
There was none of the awkwardness between a man and woman.
Only awkwardness.
The middle-aged woman slightly creased her brow, slightly opening her mouth, but closing it again without saying anything.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat surprised, thinking, no way, right?
He released his hands, bowed in apology, and then used his hands to gesture, his movements very adept.
The middle-aged woman looked at him and also made a gesture. Chen Changsheng thought, it truly is this way. He then gestured to say that he was sorry. Seeing that the woman had no intention of prying into this matter, although he did not understand why, he had no time to ponder this question as he hurriedly took his leave.
...
...
"Dragon language, sign language, he knows quite a lot."
Watching Chen Changsheng''s back fade into the darkness, the middle-aged woman smiled and spoke.
She naturally was not really mute. She said to the darkness, "Weiyang Palace is far. Escort him there.
"Truly a good child."
The middle-aged woman''s smile gradually faded as she indifferently commented, "If he did not have the surname Chen, he would be even better."
After saying this, she turned and entered the palace hall.
The previously pitch-black and seemingly deserted side palace was instantly brightly lit.
Several dozen eunuchs and palace maids, as well as several Guardians of the Imperial Court, kneeled on both sides in welcome. None of them dared to raise their heads, all of them holding their breaths.
65 Ask the World
Many people were kneeling on the floor of this side palace, a calm sea. As the middle-aged woman indifferently walked by, the sea naturally parted, light waves over its surface. A chief eunuch gave two light coughs, at which those kneeling Guardians, palace maids, and eunuchs rose so quickly it seemed that they had all been issued an amnesty, and noiselessly exited the palace.
This chief eunuch seemed extremely old, his face covered in wrinkles, yet he very carefully held the middle-aged woman''s hands as he spoke in a low and humble voice. "Even if that youth''s background is somewhat problematic, there is no need for the Empress to go through such trouble."
The middle-aged woman was the Divine Empress. Hearing the old eunuch''s words, she replied with an indifferent expression, "If he were just an ordinary person, there would naturally be no need for the trouble."
The chief eunuch knew that when the Empress spoke of ''ordinary'', she naturally was not referring to the trivial matter of not cultivating. After muttering to himself for a moment, the eunuch said, "The recommendation letter was checked, and there''s no problem with it. It truly is the one His Holiness the Pope left for Lady Mo Yu and the Princess of Ping to play withnews has come from the Li Palace, His Holiness probably does not know of this matter. That youth was probably drawn into this matter by chance. Although his engagement with the Xu Estate is truly beyond expectations, this old servant truly cannot see anything special about him."
The Divine Empress stopped and gazed at the deep darkness behind the side palace. After a pause, she asked, "Have you met someone who isn''t afraid of death?"
The chief eunuch knew that this question of the Empress''s must have an extremely profound meaning, so he began to seriously recollect.
Everyone said those heroes could disregard death and treat departing with indifference, but only those who had experienced countless deaths and departures understood that this disregard and indifference were just borrowing a formidable will to conquer the fear of death, but that fear was always there.
This chief eunuch had lived in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace for several centuries and possessed immense power. Almost twenty years ago when Emperor Xian died, the dukes of the Imperial clan opposed the Empress taking the throne and attempted to break into the palace and start a rebellion. That the Empress was able to so easily stabilize the situation, besides the Pope''s firm support, was also because of the critical role this eunuch had played.
He was a person who had experienced countless deaths and departures, and he was very sure that no one was unafraid of death. Even a great like Emperor Taizong was unable to remain calm when facing death on his sickbed. His two eyes had stared up into the night sky at the multitudinous sky of stars, filled to the brim with reluctance and fear.
He had been at the emperor''s side, so he could see it very clearly.
"No person is unafraid of death," he replied.
"Just then, for an instant, that youth was truly not afraid of death, so he is not an ordinary person." The Divine Empress recalled the words the youth had said before the Black Dragon, and then continued, "I''ve always believed that only the child of the Qiushan clan could match up to that girl, but now it seemsthat might not be the case."
The chief eunuch was slightly apprehensive, thinking, could the Empress be changing her position on this matter?
The side palace fell silent once more.
The breeze caressed the flower pot on the balcony, causing the plant within to rustle. In the distant forest, the squirrel ran even faster across the tree branches.
"Tonight is the Double Seventh Festival and it''s certain to be very lively outside the palace. I''m prepared to go out and see."
"EmpressI believed that you were going to remain in the palace to wait for the results of the Ivy Festival."
"Wait for what? To see which student of which academy is most promising? I certainly have no interest in that."
The chief eunuch was puzzled, replying, "Could Empress not wish to know whether the proposal will succeed or not?"
The Divine Empress replied, "Whether the Xu Estate will enter into a marriage alliance with the Qiushan clan, or fulfill that promise from back then and take in Chen Changsheng as their son-in-law, is not for them to decide."
The chief eunuch slightly bent his body, declaring, "Everything in the world obeys the Empress''s will."
The Divine Empress calmly replied, "You''re wrong again. This matter is also not something I am able to decide."
The chief eunuch was a little shocked, thinking, besides Empress, who can decide the direction of this marriage?
"The person being married off is Yourong, so whether she wants to marry, who she wants to marry, all depends on her position."
The Divine Empress concluded, "That girl has plans of her own, so what meaning do the efforts of anyone else have? Just making themselves more of a joke, that''s all."
...
...
South of the Imperial Palace was a street. Different from the other brightly lit places of the capital on this night of the Double Seventh Festival, this place was a little colder and deserted. Perhaps it was because it was too close to the Imperial City, or it could also be because vast quantities of ice were transported out of here during day, leaving many traces of water on the road at night, the serious moisture and cold deterring anyone from setting up a stall here.
This place was called New North Bridge, but there was no bridge. To be more precise, the arched bridge made of gray stone was fakethe Luo River wound around the Imperial City, flowing through the city along seven causeways, yet it avoided this place, so not a single drop of water could be found under this bridge.
Not far from New North Bridge was a well that exuded a chill in all directions. It was like it was not water in this well, but an ice that would never melt. At this late hour, the lights of the Imperial City could not shine upon this place. The willow branches were like brushes drenched in ink, lightly shaking around the well.
The Divine Empress stood at the well, in her hands a Night Pearl that she had removed from the Dew Platform. She placed her hand over the well and let go. The Night Pearl instantly illuminated the walls of the well and then swiftly descended until, gradually, it was swallowed by the darkness.
After quite some time had passed, a hum came from the depths of the well. Because the distance was too great, the sound was not very loud. It was like the waters of the well splashing against its walls, but she knew that this was not the sound of the water. It was the Black Dragon''s low and angry roars.
The Black Dragon was very angry because it had once more been deceived by humans. You clearly agreed to give one Night Pearl, and that youth took one away, so you should give me two Night Pearls! Even if you''re a woman I can''t provoke, you can''t bully me like this!
The Divine Empress was rather displeased. "Evil creature, that one was originally his. When you were small, did that old dragon not teach you arithmetic?"
...
...
Chen Changsheng was very good at arithmetic. To be more precise, as long as it was related to studying, he was very good at it. However, his skill in finding the way was not very good. After leaving the side palace and entering the palace shrouded in darkness, he very quickly realized that he was lost.
With the many stars in the sky and the lantern light before, he knew which direction was north, so naturally could confirm which direction was south. He could even faintly make out the lights of Weiyang Palace, but the Imperial Palace had many flowers and trees, its paths twisting and turning. Worried about encountering Imperial Guards, he didn''t dare take the main avenues, so he didn''t know how he could reach Weiyang Palace.
Just then, an extremely soft sound came from a dark imperial garden.
A Black Goat noiselessly walked out from the darkness as if its very self was a part of the darkness.
At the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng had met it. Previously outside Weiyang Palace, he had also met it. For some reason, he was very sure that this Black Goat meant him no ill will. After thinking for a few moments, he asked, "Youwant to help me?"
The Black Goat calmly gazed at him, and then turned to walk back into the darkness.
Chen Changsheng hurried to catch up, not daring to delay. Before following, he glanced south in the direction of Weiyang Palace. That place was still brightly lit, but the sound of ceremonial music had already ceased. Just which step had the proposal of the southern diplomatic mission reached? Was he still in time?
...
...
The Ivy Festival had reached its middle segment, so the southern diplomatic mission began to formally propose.
There were many important figures within Weiyang Palace, including the Mount Li Elder, Xiao Songgong, the woman from Holy Maiden Peak, Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy Mao Qiuyu, Xu Shiji, Prince Chen Liu, and Mo Yu. Over the course of the marriage proposal, they all played different roles.
There were participants, presiders, and witnesses.
The exquisite dance and music in the hall had just concluded, the fine alcohol and wine had not yet grown cold, but no person raised up their chopsticks to eat. Everyone watched the stage with smiles on their faces.
The Qiushan clan head stood up and began the ceremony. Mo Yu, as representative of the Divine Empress, expressed her gratitude, saying that the Great Zhou Dynasty was extremely pleased to see this marriage, and even hoped that humanity could use this marriage to grow closer in unity so that they could better resist the demons.
The woman from Holy Maiden Peak was Xu Yourong''s martial aunt, and she represented the Holy Maiden of the south in expressing agreement towards this marriage. Right after, Xu Shiji stood up and welcomed all the guests from the south. To this marriage, he gave his reserved agreement. Of course, everyone knew that this reservation of his was feigned.
How could a marriage be considered a success?
The marriage proposal was the beginning, to bow was the ceremony, and the terms were concluded in a marriage contract. This was to get engaged.
The heavens and earth, the sovereign, the parents, the teacher.
At present, the Divine Empress had agreed to the marriage, Xu Shiji had agreed to the marriage, and the Holy Maiden of the south had agreed to the marriage.
The heavens and earth could not speak, and the present sovereign, parents, and teachers all agreed to the marriage. In everyone''s view, this marriage had naturally succeeded. No one had ever imagined what sort of attitude Xu Yourong herself had to this marriage. Of course, no one thought that Xu Yourong might ever object.
As the most dazzling and radiant couple of this continent''s generation of youth, a marriage between Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun was considered by all to be a match made in heaven. The story between the two had been circulating throughout the world for a very long time, and everyone believed it to be a most beautiful story.
Soon after came the final ask of the marriage proposal ceremony''s Three Asks.
The rites of the Great Zhou Dynasty were not at all complex. They primarily came from the related scriptures of the Orthodoxy. As the Orthodoxy flourished, the rites of the Zhou gradually spread to the south. Tonight''s marriage proposal from the southern diplomatic mission was completely in accordance with the rites of Zhou not purely out of respect for the bride, but because they also practiced the same rites.
The so-called Three Asks were to ask the heavens and earth, ask the relatives, and ask the sovereign and teachers. As for who might oppose this marriage, the final ask was to ask the world.
The reason the rites of Zhou contained the Three Asks, especially the final ask, was nominally to give the people of the world a final chance to bring up any hidden problems with regards to the bride or groom, but in reality, this was a very rare occurrence. It was more to give the bride and groom a final chance to back out.
Under normal circumstances, it was rare for someone to object during the marriage proposal ceremony, because this was tantamount to offending the bride and groom. Tonight, it was very obvious that both sides of the marriage would not back out, so the final asking of the world was naturally just a formality.
Prince Chen Liu stood at the front of the hall, looking out at the several hundred people within. Smiling, he asked, "Qiushan Jun desires to become husband and wife with Xu Yourong. Does anyone object?"
The hall was absolutely silent, but the mood was not oppressive. Everyone had smiles on their faces. At this beautiful moment, they were all thinking about blessings, about how after Prince Chen Liu finished speaking, they would stand up and toast to the two sides of the marriage in celebration.
In the Orthodox Academy''s seating area in the corner, Luoluo''s small face had no smile, only a pale complexion from shock. She had already opened the silk bag in her sleeve and seen the somewhat yellowed marriage contract within. Only after seeing the two names on the marriage contract did she understand that her joke from that day had actually been true. Only then did she finally understand what the grudge was between her teacher and the Divine General of the East''s estate. Only then did she know why Mo Yu and those other people had done all they could to prevent her teacher from being present
The world needed to be asked three times.
Prince Chen Liu gently smiled and asked once more, "Does anyone object?"
The hall remained silent, the faces of the crowd brimming with well-wishing smiles. The world was incomparably beautiful.
Prince Chen Liu glanced at Xu Shiji, smiling to show his congratulations.
Xu Shiji lightly stroked his short beard, no longer feigning reservation. He nodded in acknowledgment.
Prince Chen Liu then turned to the Qiushan clan head, smiling as he nodded.
The Qiushan clan head smiled in silence, clearly extremely happy.
Prince Chen Liu turned back to the hall and asked for the final time, "Is there anyone who objects?"
To this marriage, the entire world agreed. No one objected.
Thus, the entire world was very quiet, very beautiful, every person waiting.
In the corner, Luoluo suddenly stood up.
No one noticed her.
Just then, a voice came from outside the hall.
"I object."
A youth walked in through the doors of the hall.
His body was drenched, his hair a mess, his clothes torn up. All in all, it was a completely wretched figure.
He looked around at the crowd within the hall, his eyes bright, his expression firm.
The hall instantly turned silent.
66 She is My Fiancée
The voice was not deliberately raised or intentionally impassioned. It was a very calm and particularly clear voice that seemed to be speaking on some trivial matter. The two words it spoke were extremely distinct, so much so that even though everyone within the hall hoped to convince themselves that they had heard wrongly, they could find no reason to think so.
Thus, those two words plunged the entirety of Weiyang Palace into silence.
It was different from that beautiful and expectant silence from before. The silence now was true silence, bringing with it a bizarre atmosphere.
In the next moment, the silence was shattered as the crowd erupted into a clamor.
The countless voices almost jolted apart the roof of the great hall!
A person objected?
A person actually objected to this marriage!
In the depths of the hall, Xu Shiji suddenly stood up and stared towards the door at Chen Changsheng, his complexion extremely nasty. Prince Chen Liu was somewhat startled, mystified as to what had just happened. Mo Yu also slowly stood up, her face displaying no expression, but a layer of frost seemed to gradually form on her face.
The reaction from the southern diplomatic mission was naturally even greater. The Qiushan clan head stared at the youth standing at the door but didn''t know who he was. Only after forcing himself to take a few deep breaths was he able to suppress his fury. However, those youths in the group attending next year''s Grand Examination had none of his sophistication. They could barely restrain their rage, especially Guan Feibai and the other two members from the Mount Li Sword Sect. They all had extremely frosty expressions, and stared at Chen Changsheng as if he was a corpse.
Qiushan Jun was their most esteemed eldest brother. They knew how much importance their eldest brother viewed this marriage with, knew the level to which their eldest brother cared for and cherished Xu Yourong, but just when a beautiful companion was about to become a member of the family, the important moment when their eldest brother''s desire was about to come true, somebody dared to make trouble!
Wasn''t this seeking death?
At any other place, these three young experts of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws would have immediately sent out their chilling sword glows and killed Chen Changsheng. However, this was the Great Zhou Imperial Palace and they were southerners, so they could only endure it for the moment and wait for the Zhou people to handle the matter first.
The handling came very quickly. Xu Shiji stared at Chen Changsheng with a gloomy look on his face and coldly shouted, "Where did this scoundrel come from! He dares to cause a ruckus within the palace! Somebody come and escort this person out!"
After being transferred back to the capital from the frontlines, due to the trust the Divine Empress had in him, he and Xue Xingchuan jointly took charge of the Imperial City''s defense, one on the inside and one on the outside. The Imperial Guards within the Imperial Palace were all his direct subordinates, so when they heard this call, ten-odd Imperial Guards surrounded Chen Changsheng.
Xu Shiji stared at Chen Changsheng, his eyes extremely unkind, brimming with warning and an unconcealed killing intenthe would not give Chen Changsheng a single chance to speak. If he really was forced to that step, he would order those Imperial Guards to kill Chen Changsheng.
Many people within the hall noticed his killing intent, but they didn''t associate it with anything else. After all, he was Xu Yourong''s father, and if they were in his place and someone dared to cause trouble at their daughter''s engagement feast, they would probably also have the urge to kill that person.
Those Imperial Guards did not take Chen Changsheng into custody, because someone stood in front of Chen Changsheng. At some point, Luoluo had left the Orthodox Academy''s seating area. With the Falling Rain Whip in hand, she looked right past those Imperial Guards and stared deep into the hall at Mo Yu.
Soon after, another person stood in front of Chen Changsheng.
Tang Thirty-Six.
Earlier, when both Chen Changsheng and Luoluo had just left the hall, Tang Thirty-Six had just arrived at Weiyang Palace, so he had not seen the two of them. Moreover, all his attention had been on the Fourth Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, Guan Feibai. Only after Luoluo returned to Weiyang Palace and he still failed to see any sign of Chen Changsheng did he begin to feel that something was strange.
He didn''t know why Chen Changsheng wanted to object to the engagement between the Xu Estate and the Qiushan clan, he only knew that Chen Changsheng had a grudge with the Xu Estate. But regardless, he was too lazy to think about these questions. Since someone wanted to oppose Chen Changsheng, he naturally had to stand up.
Xu Shiji''s expression became even gloomier. Staring at Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six, he said, "I don''t care who you two are or what your background is, but tonight, this general is going to arrest this criminal, and if anyone dares obstruct me, don''t blame me for being merciless."
"Criminal?" An elderly voice, rather at a loss, came from Xu Shiji''s side.
The speaker was the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.
The elder had just opened his eyes and truly seemed at a loss, like he had just woken up.
He looked all around and then asked Xu Shiji, "Where''s the criminal?"
He clearly knew the answer and yet still asked, causing Xu Shiji to have an extremely ugly expression.
The archbishop followed the gazes of the crowd towards the hall''s doors. Seeing Chen Changsheng, he seemed to finally understand. "This little fellow is a student of the Orthodox Academy. I personally signed and issued the register, so I can''t be wrong. Even if he''s now somewhat late, he can''t be considered a criminal, no?"
The Imperial Guards at the door turned to Xu Shiji.
Xu Shiji''s face was even uglier. He had finally confirmed where the archbishop stood.
Prince Chen Liu was somewhat helpless, explaining to the archbishop, "Just a moment ago, he was saying that he objected to this marriage."
The archbishop looked at the people in the hall and smiled. "Since we have this step of asking the world, we naturally have to allow people to object. If we don''t allow people to object, what need was there for His Highness to ask? If even laws do not need to be respected, then if you want to make an engagement, make an engagementis there any need to come to my Great Zhou to propose?"
From a purely logical standpoint, these words could not be refuted.
Consequently, the people of the southern diplomatic mission only grew more furious. Many people aimed angry gazes at the archbishop, but the elder closed his eyes once more as if continuing his sleep, simply not caring for those gazes that were either as sharp as swords or cold as ice.
The archbishop continued to close his eyes and rest, but his words had set the tone for this matter. At least on the surface, these words represented the stance of the Orthodoxy.
There were not many people who had the right to question these words. Mo Yu was naturally one of them, but she did nothing. She slowly sat back down, her expression rather surprised. Just a moment ago, she had noticed that when Chen Changsheng had walked in through the doors, the Black Goat had simultaneously vanished back into the darkness outside the palace.
She naturally knew what the Black Goat signified.
The Black Goat had brought Chen Changsheng to Weiyang Palace. What did this mean?
Prince Chen Liu had not expected her to maintain silence and couldn''t help but be surprised.
Just then, Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong stood up and asked, "Your Highness, just what is going on here?"
This marriage between Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun had long since ceased being a simple marriage alliance between the Divine General of the East''s estate and the Qiushan clan. Before tonight, the Great Zhou Imperial Court and the various factions and sects of the south had engaged in many negotiations. Only when all sides had agreed did the southern diplomatic mission come to propose.
The so-called marriage proposal was out of respect for etiquette and laws, a necessary procedure, and so no person had imagined that anything out of the ordinary would occur. Xiao Songgong''s question naturally had a basis. As this was the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, as the two sides had already reached an agreement, it was only right that the people of Zhou give an explanation.
Prince Chen Liu gave a bitter and silent smile, thinking, when the Divine Empress had me supervise tonight''s matter, she truly didn''t say anything. You come to me seeking an explanation, but who can I ask? His Eminence the archbishop has gone back to sleep and Principal Mao Qiuyu has lowered his head and is drinking. These old guysare truly going too far.
After racking his brains, he could only ask those involved. "Thiswhat''s the circumstance?"
Prince Chen Liu gazed towards the door at Chen Changsheng, spreading his arms apart, looking very innocent.
From this detail, it could be seen that he truly held some kindness towards Chen Changsheng, or else he would not have allowed him to give an explanation.
"Just now when I was outside the hall, I heard Your Highness ask, ''Qiushan Jun desires to become husband and wife with Xu Yourong; does anyone object?''"
Chen Changsheng paused here, then continued, "So I said, I object."
This answer was not an answer, only a reaffirmation.
He did not make his tone any more serious, yet when those two words appeared once more, they oppressed the mood in the hall even more.
His stance was very clear: I object to the marriage of Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun.
...
...
"Why do you object?"
"For what reason do you object?"
Two voices simultaneously rose up within the hall. One of these voices was Prince Chen Liu''s. He creased his brow, somewhat puzzled and somewhat concerned. The other voice belonged to Elder Xiao Songgong. He arched his brow, extremely angry and incredibly unyielding.
These two questions were questions that everyone in the hall wished to ask.
Xu Yourong possessed the blood of the true Phoenix, Qiushan Jun the blood of the true Dragon. The two possessed a talent and potential rarely seen in a thousand years and had been selected by the human world as candidates to lead the resistance against the demons in the future. And they had even cultivated and studied together in the south, belonging to the same sect and interacting with each other at all times, so they could be considered childhood sweethearts. Let alone the fact that this marriage was critical to the unification of the northern and southern sects. In brief, there were countless reasons for them to be married, yet not a single reason could be found for why they should not.
What was a pair of immortal companions? This young man and woman were regarded by the world as a pair of immortal companions.
This utterly drenched youth with an almost unbearably wretched appearance actually objected to this marriage.
Why? For what reason?
Chen Changsheng used only sentence to simultaneously answer both questions.
"I have an engagement with Xu Yourong."
He said, "She is my fiance, so she naturally can''t be married off to anyone else."
The hall was once more in the grip of a deathly stillness.
Engagement?
He said that Xu Yourong was his fiance?
Preposterous!
The people within the hall were all too shocked to speak. They stared at Chen Changsheng, not daring to believe, thinking to themselves, this must be false!
Xu Shiji stared at Chen Changsheng, his face a little pale, his two hands hanging by his side faintly trembling.
He said it, this kid that should have died reallyfinallysaid it!
He was overcome with limitless regret. At the very start, he should have killed him, rendered him into ash, and then spread the ashes into the Luo River!
After tonight, the Divine General of the East''s estate would become a joke!
The people of the southern diplomatic mission were as furious as Xu Shiji, but they simply didn''t believe Chen Changsheng''s words to be true. They just thought that this youth had been incited by some factions to intentionally cause trouble, to humiliate the Mount Li Sword Sect and all the southern sects.
The Qiushan clan head had an extremely ugly complexion while the female disciples of Holy Maiden Peak frowned in silence. The anger of the youths of the Mount Li Sword Sect was written all over their faces, and Guan Feibai was so furious that his face had gone somewhat pale, his right hand already gripping the hilt of his sword!
"Impudent! Where did such a shameless student come from that he dares humiliate my Mount Li!"
Xiao Songgong suddenly turned around and looked to Mo Yu. "Why haven''t you expelled this mad student from the palace! Just what do the people of Zhou want to do!"
How could this youth be Xu Yourong''s fianc!
Many people within the hall finally began to react, furiously rising up one after the other to incessantly hurl shouts of abuse at Chen Changsheng.
67 The White Crane as Proof I
"What proof do you have that what I say is false?"
Chen Changsheng gazed at the people in the hall and asked, his expression very serious, as he was very angry.
"I never heard from Martial Niece Yourong that she had a fianc like you."
The woman from Holy Maiden Peak veiled in white slowly stood up and said to him. She saw the angry expression of this youth and felt somewhat uneasy. Recalling the arrangements her senior sister had made in the last few months, she thought to herself, could this youth be speaking the truth?
"What do you have as proof?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "I have a marriage contract for proof."
Xiao Songgong''s face was like a sheet of ice as he harshly rebuked, "Even if you took the Heavenly Tomes as proof, no one would believe your words!"
"I believe."
An extremely crisp voice rang through the hall. It was beautiful yet firm, like two pearls lightly striking each other.
Luoluo gave a light hmph, then said, "My teacher is worthy enough to marry anyone."
The hall was momentarily silent, everyone too amazed to speak. Did this girl from the Orthodox Academy know what she was saying? That youth was her teacher? Wasn''t he just a piece of trash who hadn''t even succeeded at Purification? How is it that in her mouth, Xu Yourong marrying him sounded like she would be marrying upwards in status? Could he be even more outstanding than Qiushan Jun?
Luoluo cared not for what these people thought. Turning to Chen Changsheng, she said admiringly, "Teacher, you''re truly too awesome!"
"I also believe." Tang Thirty-Six looked at the crowd in the hall and said, "This guy is a true monster. No matter what he does, I wouldn''t find it strange. Let alone Xu Yourong''s fianc, even if he said he was the Demon Lord''s son, I would believe him."
Zhuang Huanyu, seeing the unpleasant expressions on the southerners, slightly creased his brow and yelled out, "Can''t you be a little quieter!"
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression seemed to chill, but he ignored Zhuang Huanyu and turned to Chen Changsheng. "No wonder this guy is even more narcissistic than me. You were actually hiding a fiance like this. This matteris truly worthy of being proud of. It''s truly admirable, admirable."
Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six had both spoken sincerelythey truly admired Chen Changsheng. However, in the eyes of the southern diplomatic mission, the trust and support they displayed towards Chen Changsheng was naturally a deliberate humiliation against them.
Elder Xiao Songgong furiously roared, "In the south, my Mount Li is revered by all people. Before Emperor Taizu founded the dynasty, he personally wrote the characters ''Sect of a Thousand Generations'' on its nameboard. Emperor Taizong once issued an imperial decree commending Mount Li as the teacher of all people! The present Divine Empress also respects my Mount Li! I did not expect that tonight, a baby would slander my sect''s seven millennia of outstanding reputation! It seems that the Great Zhou Imperial Court doesn''t care about these children, so it seems that this elder will have to discipline them a little!"
Although he could not be considered one of the few great elders of the Mount Li Sword Sect, he had great seniority, and his cultivation was also extremely high, only one step from the Saint Realm. Tonight in Weiyang Palace, he and Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy Mao Qiuyu were the strongest present.
In his current rage, he released his power to its utmost, his slender cheeks flashing with green light, an incredibly majestic Qi surging from his wizened body. In an instant, it crossed several dozen zhang of distance and reached the door of the hall, surrounding Chen Changsheng!
One step from the Saint Realm, this was an incredibly terrifying level of cultivation. Let alone Chen Changsheng who had not even undergone Purification, even Zhuang Huanyu, the young expert ranked tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, could not firmly stand before Elder Xiao Songgong''s Qi. This had nothing to do with the discrepancy in cultivation, but with the natural might of an expert.
Everyone believed that in the next moment, they would see Chen Changsheng kneel down to the ground, yet to everyone''s surprise, besides his face growing somewhat more solemn, he had no reaction.
Chen Changsheng had just endured the terrifying pressure of the Black Dragon in the underground cavern. Even the might of a dragon could not topple him, so how could Xiao Songgong''s? This elder of the Mount Li Sword Sect could be even stronger, yet how could he compare to a fraction of the Black Dragon?
Tang Thirty-Six did not know his situation. Feeling the terrifying Qi, he grew somewhat concerned. He extended a hand to push aside the surrounding Imperial Guards and stared at the thin and short body of Xiao Songgong. He yelled, "Elder, is this the strong bullying the weak?"
Luoluo stood in front of Chen Changsheng and suffered the brunt of this terrifying Qi. She knew that she was far from being Xiao Songgong''s opponent, but she always believed Chen Changsheng to be hiding his true strength, so she believed that he could resist this level of attack. However, she still grew angry.
This person dared to show off his power to Teacher!
She furiously yelled, "You damned dwarf, you think you can wield your old age to bully others!"
The hall fell silent once more, because everyone was stunned, stunned to hear these unimaginable words.
Xiao Songgong himself was also very surprised. Unexpectedly, surprisingly, someone dared to curse him?
Several disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect stood up and coldly glared in the direction of the door.
Their leader Guan Feibai had an apathetic expression as he prepared to strike.
When the prince is shamed, the minister dies; if the teacher is humiliated, what should his disciples do?
At this most tense of moments, the archbishop opened his eyes once more, roused from his sleep.
With tired eyes, he looked at both parties primed to fight and sighed, "It''s not like any of you are children. Could it be that whoever''s loudest is the most reasonable? Shouldn''t the first and most appropriate task be to first look at this little fellow''s marriage contract?"
These words were just like his earlier ones, irrefutable.
From the moment Chen Changsheng entered the hall until now, no one suggested to look at the aforementioned marriage contract, because everybody wanted to take a stand on this matter. They simply didn''t believe Chen Changsheng''s words, even though they were all well aware that looking at the marriage contract was the most appropriate of tasks.
The archbishop wanted to see the marriage contract, indicating that he already prepared himself to believe Chen Changsheng.
When they thought of how he had also protected Chen Changsheng earlier, and also how the Orthodox Academy had reappeared in the world this year, and also the undercurrent in the capital over the last few months, the crowd finally confirmed that he really was the Orthodox Academy''s backer!
"A person humiliates the teachers and elders of my Mount Li. Is it just being disregarded?" Guan Feibai coldly asked.
The archbishop gave a tired chuckle, saying, "First resolve the engagement. You can fight with that girl however you want. I guarantee that no one will stop you."
Prince Chen Liu knew of Luoluo''s identity and naturally could not allow a conflict or dispute between her and the southern diplomatic mission to arise before his eyes. He said a few placating phrases to the southern diplomatic mission, then turned to Chen Changsheng and asked, "You said that you had a marriage contract as proof. Is that marriage contract on your person?"
"Of course it''s not." Chen Changsheng explained, "Although I''m not worried about the marriage contract being destroyed as an additional copy exists in the Li Palace, I don''t want to go through all that trouble."
Luoluo took the marriage contract from her sleeve and offered it to him.
Chen Changsheng handed the marriage contract to an attendant so it could be passed towards the depths of the great hall.
Everyone''s gazes rested on the marriage contract, moving along with it.
"Some people, for the sake of preventing this marriage contract from seeing the light of day, did many things. Very regretfully, they did not succeed."
He gazed at Xu Shiji and Lady Mo Yu, saying, "In truth, I already said to those people that I really came to end the engagement. If those things had not happened, this marriage contract would probably be in the Xu Estate, hidden away where nobody could find it.
"It''s a pity that there is no such thing as ''if''."
...
...
This marriage contract did not seem to have a single difference with the marriage contracts commonly used in the Great Zhou. The clauses were simple and their meanings were clear, but in reality, this marriage contract was very special, because it was clearly stated that only the groom''s side could break the engagement, and the witness was the Pope!
Even if no copy of this marriage contract existed in the Li Palace, no person could destroy this marriage contract. This was because the marriage contract was stamped with the Pope''s seal which contained his supreme might. Anyone that destroyed this marriage contract would simultaneously have to destroy the seal, and this was to commit a grave offense against the Pope.
Chen Changsheng had previously said that after Xu Shiji obtained the marriage contract, he would hide it in some place no one could find. He didn''t say that it would be torn into pieces or burned into ash. In the several months after he had entered the capital, this was the primary reason the Divine General of the East''s estate had never attempted to steal the marriage contract and then destroy it.
It was naturally very easy to distinguish whether this marriage contract was real or fake.
The great hall was eerily quiet, no person speaking for a very long time. The Qiushan clan head''s face was ashen, and every member of the southern diplomatic mission had faces brimming with the anger of being deceived. Even the teachers and students of the Ivy Academies had extremely nasty complexions.
The direction in which this matter had developed was contrary to everyone''s desires. A tale that captivated the entire world had become a farce. The story of these immortal companions had just begun when a sudden stranger was added to the mix. It was only natural that no one was happy, everyone in the crowd aiming complicated gazes at Chen Changsheng.
Just as this youth had said, it was a pity that there was no such thing as ''if''.
If time could reverse, no one in the crowd would have been willing to hear Chen Changsheng speak. This sort of person was probably better off dead, was he not?
What to do next?
Everyone looked at each other in dismay, at wit''s end.
It was clearly the Qiushan clan that had come to propose marriage, but it ended with Chen Changsheng taking out a marriage contract!
The members of the southern diplomatic mission subconsciously turned to a certain place.
Gou Hanshi was sitting there.
The southerners all looked to him because everyone knew that his intellect was without peer. Although there was an elder of Mount Li, a martial aunt of Holy Maiden Peak, and even the head of the Qiushan clan present, they were all used to putting their hopes of resolving this situation on this person''s shoulders.
In these many events that had occurred one after the other, his expression had still remained calm. He had examined Chen Changsheng with interested eyes, sizing him up, yet there was no wariness or anger.
He did not speak once.
Guan Feibai looked to him and said, "Senior Brother?"
Gou Hanshi stood up and smiled at Chen Changsheng, gentle and amiable.
"Everyone says that a marriage is based on the orders of the parents and the words of the matchmaker. The marriage contract in your hands is the latter, while our side is the former, but"
Just when everyone believed this Mount Li genius renowned for his intellect was going to engage in serious debate with Chen Changsheng, he suddenly changed the subject, his expression growing solemn as he said, "None of this is actually important, because the people to be engaged are not the parents, nor the people who wrote the marriage contract, but the two people themselves. Everyone knows that my senior brother and Junior Sister Xu are childhood sweethearts, their love more solid than gold. Even if the marriage contract in your hands is real, does that mean my junior sister has to marry you?"
At these words, everyone in the hall nodded their heads.
Xu Yourong was the most beautiful pearl of the Great Zhou. If some random person came up with a marriage contract, she would have to be married to that man?
Wasn''t this casting pearls before swine?
Even the Pope would not agree to this sort of matter, would he?
Even if the marriage contract was real, if she wanted to marry Qiushan Jun, could any other person still be able to forcefully obstruct her?
In truth, this argument was utterly baseless, but when spoken by Gou Hanshi, it seemed very reasonable, because everyone in the hall required this sort of reason.
Gou Hanshi gently said to Chen Changsheng, "If you truly care about Junior Sister Xu, shouldn''t you respect her view? As a man, this is the sort of bearing you should have."
These words seemed gentle and sincere, but in reality, they were quite frightening.
Chen Changsheng gazed back in silence.
The entire hall was awaiting his reply.
Just then, from the night sky outside the hall came a clear cry.
A White Crane gracefully flew down.
68 The White Crane as Proof II
Gou Hanshi was truly worthy of being one of the leaders of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s young generation, truly worthy of being the second Law that Qiushan Jun relied on for his intellect. He had kept quiet all this time, but when he finally spoke, he made it very difficult for the other party to respond. This was because his words hovered between reasonable and unreasonable, yet they seemed quite sensible.
Chen Changsheng was silent for a few moments. He had just prepared his response, but when he was about to open his mouth, preparing to continue no matter what tribulations this world sent against him, he, just like everyone else, heard the cry of a crane from outside the hall.
The cries of a crane were normally called crane calls.
This crane call was clear and unyielding.
A White Crane flew out of the darkness, its entire body as white as snow. It lightly drifted down to the floor of the great hall, its slender neck slightly turning, its expression proud and indifferent.
Quite a few people present recognized this crane. For example, when Xu Shiji saw it, the look on his face grew even more unsightly. When the disciples and the martial aunt from Holy Maiden Peak saw it, they felt rather nervous. When Gou Hanshi and the disciples of Mount Li saw it, they recalled that they had seen this White Crane several times outside their eldest brother''s cottage.
Chen Changsheng also recognized the White Crane, but he had not seen it for several years. When he saw it now, he felt rather complex.
This White Crane came from the south, bringing Xu Yourong''s letter.
...
...
Mo Yu finished reading the letter, then gazed at the crowd within the hall. She was met by only silence. She gave a soft sigh, then declared, "Let''s just end it here for tonight."
The hall buzzed with the constant and rather annoying sound of discussion. Everyone was quite astonished, mystified as to the contents of the letter. Why did Lady Mo Yu want to directly declare the end of the Ivy Festival? With a gloomy expression, Xiao Songgong asked, "Are the contents of this letter inconvenient to divulge?"
Mo Yu lightly raised her brows. She naturally supported the marriage proposal of the southern diplomatic mission, but upon hearing the words of this Mount Li elder, she couldn''t help but grow a little angry. She thought to herself, I just wanted to leave you all a little face by ending the Ivy Festival early, but since none of you can tell good from bad, forget about it.
She offered the letter to Prince Chen Liu then ceased to concern herself with this matter.
When Prince Chen Liu saw the letter, the expression on his face became rather brilliant.
Then he began to read the letter to the crowd, which had been one of the writer''s requests in the first place.
The contents of this letter were very simple, only ten or so lines, but the meaning they wanted to convey was crystal-clear.
Contrary to the expectations of everyone in the hall, although this letter came from the south, it was not from Holy Maiden Peak. Xu Yourong was not at Holy Maiden Peak, as several weeks ago, she had gone to the Southern Sea to cultivate. If one calculated time, it was right before the southern diplomatic mission had left.
The tone of Xu Yourong''s letter was calm and indifferent. She indicated her extreme respect for all parties involved in this matter, and she also gave her thanks to her teachers and elders that had come to the capital to make this marriage proposal, because this signified how much her teachers and elders cared for and were concerned for her. However, she held a different view towards this matter.
As the first half of this letter came to an end, she had not brought up any sort of matter, but many people within the hall knew the matter which she wanted to bring up. She had no idea that the southern diplomatic mission was coming to the capital to propose. In other words, before the southern sect took on this task, they had not asked for her opinion.
The looks on many people''s faces became rather unsightly while some seemed relieved of a great burden. In brief, there were all sorts of wondrous expressions.
Yes, a marriage ultimately rested upon the order of the parents, the words of the matchmaker, and the approval of the heavens and earth, the sovereign, the parents, and the teachers. It had little to do with the marriage partners themselves and in the engagements of ordinary people, there truly was no need to obtain the approval of the bride. But Xu Yourong was not an ordinary person, especially given the fact that someone had just said certain things.
The gazes the crowd turned to Gou Hanshi were somewhat complex.
Tang Thirty-Six jeered, "So this is your so-called respect."
Gou Hanshi had earlier said that Chen Changsheng should respect Xu Yourong''s view to have the bearing of a man.
Yet the southern sects had never even asked Xu Yourong for her opinion before sending people to the capital to propose. Was this respect?
Gou Hanshi was silent. He had not known that Junior Sister Xu was actually unaware of the situation. He was very confused over what the elders of Holy Maiden Peak were thinking, and he was even more confused over why Junior Sister Xu had sent the White Crane to deliver this letter. Could it be that shereally did not wish to marry his senior brother?
No, it shouldn''t be this way.
He wanted to know what was written in the second half of the letter.
Many people thought the same, all of them looking towards the thin sheet of paper in Prince Chen Liu''s hands.
In the second half of this letter, Xu Yourong did not express any rage or hate. Just as was mentioned before, for her teachers, elders, and family members to arrange a marriage for her could always be understood as out of concern and love.
She was the reincarnation of the true Phoenix, the sole candidate to be the next Holy Maiden of the south, and possessed a talent and potential envied and revered by countless people. She could possess even more freedom, was worthy of even more respect, thus Gou Hanshi''s words, thus when her letter ever so faintly hinted that she did not approve of this marriage proposal, the crowd within the hall reacted in such a way. However, before she truly matured, she was first of all the young lady of the Divine General of the East''s estate, the disciple of Holy Maiden Peak.
She could mention her opinion of the plans made by her family and teachers, but before the common people, she had to present a calm and deferential stance. Only this way could she be the perfect and flawless woman in the eyes of the common people. Of course, that the common people all thought her to be a perfect match with Qiushan Jun was perhaps also because she was so calm.
Yet the second half of this letter directly told everyone that they were all mistaken.
Xu Yourong clearly wrote in her letter that only the friendship of fellow disciples, the affection of brother and sister, existed between her and Qiushan Jun.
She respected her senior brother, but she had never thought about being with him.
She also wrote in her letter that she did not know if this letter would arrive in time, but regardless of whether it did, in brief
She would not marry him.
...
...
It was a very simple ten or so lines, a very clear meaning, but it was lacking a bit in reasoning.
Everyone in the hall stared in shock at the letter in Prince Chen Liu''s hands, incapable of speech.
Why? Just what was the reason for all this? How could she speak so calmly, so certainly?
This marriage was a marriage alliance between the southern sects and the Great Zhou Dynasty, the combined will of the Divine Empress, the Pope, the Holy Maiden of the south, and the Mount Li Sword Sect. In the face of this terrifying will, even if she was Xu Yourong, what reason did she have to reject it?
Xu Yourong used the final sentence of this letter to give an explanation to the entire world.
This explanation was very simple, yet irrefutable.
It was very similar to the explanation given for why Chen Changsheng opposed her engagement with Qiushan Jun.
"Because I already have an engagement. I have a fianc called Chen Changsheng."
...
...
The hall was absolutely silent.
Earlier, no one had believed Chen Changsheng''s words. Even when it was proved that his marriage contract was real, no one had sincerely acknowledged this matter, until the White Crane brought the letter, brought Xu Yourong''s stance. This letter seemed to deliver a slap to everyone''s faces.
Previously, when Mo Yu had been reading the letter, she was silently thinking, this stubborn girl, just what does she want to do?
Luoluo''s eyes twinkled with stars as she sighed in praise, "She really is Xu Yourongso cool."
Chen Changsheng slightly lowered his head, looking at his reflection in the golden bricks of the hall. When Prince Chen Liu had been reading the letter to the entire crowd, his expression had gradually grown calmer as the letter was read, his mind more relaxed, yet in the end, he was still left with a tinge of indescribable confusion.
You clearly don''t want to marry, yet tonight you wrote this sort of letter. Just why did you do all this?
Just then, the White Crane slowly walked over to him and extended its neck to enthusiastically prod at him.
Chen Changsheng raised his head. Seeing the White Crane, he chuckled and snuggled its thin neck in the crook of his arm as he softly petted it.
Seeing this sight, the hall grew even quieter.
Everyone knew that other than when it was sending mail, this White Crane was inseparable from Xu Yourong, and it was extremely proud and aloof. Its closeness with Chen Changsheng could only mean that it and Chen Changsheng were old friends, extremely familiar with each other.
If the crane was like this, then what of the person?
It turned out that everything within the letter was true, not an excuse. And it wasn''t because Xu Yourong was respecting her grandfather''s dying wish and compelled into this marriage.
Perhaps she and this youth called Chen Changsheng were the true childhood sweethearts.
"Childhood sweethearts? Love more solid than gold?"
Tang Thirty-Six said as he looked at Gou Hanshi and the people of the southern diplomatic mission.
These were both phrases Gou Hanshi had used to describe the feelings between Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong.
Tang Thirty-Six''s seemingly indifferent smile contained much jeering and ridicule.
"It looks to me like he was just imagining things, no?"
69 The White Emperor as Surname I
To spend one''s entire life hunting geese but then have an eye pecked blind by a goose, or be slapped in the face by a goosethis saying was truthfully not completely appropriate for tonight''s situation, but after Xu Yourong''s letter and Tang Thirty-Six''s two comments, many people really did get this sort of feeling, their faces seeming to be in scorching hot pain.
(TN: The line about hunting geese but being blinded by one is uttered by Sun Wukong in the Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. It is said when Sun Wukong, who usually swindles things from others, is swindled by the Bull King.)
Xu Shiji had a very nasty expression. Of course, since the opening of tonight''s Ivy Festival, the look on his face had seemingly never been very good. Separated by a large distance, he stared at Chen Changsheng, dark flames burning in his eyes. At this moment, for the sake of redeeming the dignity of the Xu Estate, for the sake of regaining the Empress''s trust, he was required to do a few thingseven if this was the Imperial Palace, he still wanted to kill Chen Changsheng.
Amongst the Imperial Guards surrounding Chen Changsheng and Luoluo was his most loyal subordinate, a so-called suicide soldier. This person tightly held the hilt of his blade, his expression equally frustrated and helpless as the rest of his compatriots, but his gaze was fixated on Chen Changsheng''s nape. This person''s gaze was not at all cold, so as not to arouse the attention of others, but it was extremely focused.
Xu Shiji only needed to narrow his eyes to send the signal, and Chen Changsheng''s neck would be cut by a swift bladethis blade truly was very swift.
But this gory scene had no chance to occur, because just as Xu Shiji was beginning to harbor the notion, two indifferent gazes fell upon his body. One gaze was from the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. This elder who often had his eyes shut, seemingly greedy for sleep, was still able to open his eyes and say a few words at the most crucial of moments, or even just open his eyesopening one''s eyes was an extremely simple action, faster than waving a hand, swifter than drawing a blade. The other gaze falling on Xu Shiji''s body came from a person he absolutely did not expect: Lady Mo Yu. Xu Shiji''s expression fluctuated, but he ultimately chose to do nothing. If it were just the archbishop''s warning, perhaps he would have strived for a single strike, but Mo Yu''s gaze utterly drained him of resolve.
The situation within the hall was extremely tense and also extremely embarrassing, so it also became extremely quiet. When Tang Thirty-Six spoke his two jeering comments, the southerners naturally grew angry, yet they were unable to respond. Just then, a voice suddenly rose up from the scattered seats in the hall.
"A deceased grandfather''s order ought to be respected, butwhat sort of major event is a marriage alliance between the north and south? In order to oppose the demons, what do a few sacrifices made by one person amount to?"
From the position of the seat, the speaker seemed to be an ordinary student who had passed the pre-examination for the Grand Examination. No one knew exactly why they said these words, but it was probably because they were a youth who had spent their life in study, and the reason they studied and cultivated was naturally for the continued future of humanity, thus causing them to say such words.
After these words were said, the silent hall grew even quieter. Every person was silent, but they were not using the silence to express their disapproval. It was because they clearly knew that though these words were completely unreasonable, they were also the final hope for this marriage to succeed. Thus, the crowd used their silence to remove themselves from the matter and to allow the youth who had spoken these words to take center stage.
Chen Changsheng turned towards the origin of the voice and saw a youth with a slightly frustrated and serious expression. He understood that this person really did think this way, so he wasn''t angry, only somewhat sorrowful. Emperor Taizong had clearly led the united army of the humans and demi-humans to drive the demons back to Xuelao City, yet humans were still unable to pull away from the shadow of the past.
"Humans turned out to be truly very shameless."
Another voice echoed through the quiet palace. This was a seemingly ordinary remark, but in reality, it was an assessment of the entire human world delivered from a very high place or the very cold opposite bank of a river. What made the humans in the hall even angrier was that because of that previous moment of silence, they found themselves incapable of refuting this assessment.
This marriage between the north and south was, at the beginning, a grand occasion for the human world, yet when the southerners came to propose marriage, they concealed the matter from Xu Yourong. If any problems popped up afterward, the southern sects and the Great Zhou Imperial Court would probably have used the ''order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker'' argument. But when Chen Changsheng appeared with marriage contract in hand, the crowd finally thought to respect Xu Yourong''s opinion. Then, however, the White Crane gracefully landed, bearing Xu Yourong''s clear stance, and now someone had actually spoken of needing to put the benefit of humanity above all else
If one spoke with these people about benefit, they would speak about feelings. If one spoke with them about feelings, they would bring up virtue. If one spoke with them about virtue, they would counter with reason. In brief, if these people could not win the argument, when they were lacking in justification, they would constantly change the subject until matters proceeded according their view, their imagination.
This was truly very shameless.
The person who uncovered the pretense and exposed the shamelessness of everyone present under the light of the Night Pearls was Luoluo.
She made no effort to conceal her anger and contempt, saying to everyone in the hall, "Do any of you care for your dignity?"
The southerners sitting at the front of the hall found their fury difficult to suppress. Guan Feibai, who had already been restraining himself for a very long time, suddenly stood up and shouted, "Impudent!"
Luoluo glanced at him, wanting to scold him back a word or two, but was concerned that Chen Changsheng would get angry and so only gave two grunts.
Chen Changsheng rubbed her head and smiled. "There''s no need to engage in a battle of words with these people."
On the side, Tang Thirty-Six shook his head. "Since you want to fight, it''s vital that you not lose on the cursing aspect."
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then replied, "That''s reasonable, but I''m really not skilled in that aspect."
"If you want to learn, I''ll teach you."
Tang Thirty-Six said to him, then he turned to the seating area for the southern diplomatic mission, his gaze falling on Guan Feibai, cursing, "She''s talking about you lot! Even a girl can see how shameless your conduct is; are you saying that none of you can sense it? Impudent? Impudent your mother!"
Guan Feibai flew into a rage, his eyes turning frigidly cold.
Just then, the White Crane lightly prodded Chen Changsheng''s palm with its beak.
A little startled, Chen Changsheng glanced at it. Although they had not met for several years, they had still once interacted with each other, so he could vaguely understand its intentions. Of course, it was undoubtedly her intention as well. He pondered: since tonight''s goal was achieved, they truly should leave as soon as possible, or else it wouldmake some people feel very awkward.
"Let''s go," he said to Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six.
"Go?"
Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong stared at them, his expression cold. "You three little things think you can just leave?"
Hearing this, Luoluo slightly perked her slender brows. Chen Changsheng wanted to take her and Tang Thirty-Six and leave so that the southern diplomatic mission would have a way out. However, to outsiders, it looked like they were the ones yielding ground. She was already rather uncomfortable, and seeing that the other side was still not prepared to let the matter drop, she was determined to not show weakness.
"You old thing, you would dare to obstruct us?"
Elder Xiao Songgong''s complexion turned even nastier, every wrinkle on his face beginning to exude a vicious Qi. With his cultivation only one step from the Saint Realm, from the first moment he saw Luoluo, he was able to faintly understand that she was not a human. Because of some certain matters from the past, he had never had any good impressions about demi-humans. To be more precise, he had nothing but malice for them.
With his status, how could he care about a little demi-human? What would it matter if he randomly exterminated her?
Xiao Songgong coldly declared, "Without discussing anyone else''s business, earlier, you, little girl, spoke rudely to this elder. I might be forced to discipline you in place of your family''s elders."
At the words ''your family''s elders'', Luoluo''s brows rose up as she rather angrily said, "Just what sort of thing are you that you dare boast so shamelessly!"
On the first night of the Ivy Festival, she had said something similar to the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
On the third night of the Ivy Festival, she spoke similar words, but Xiao Songgong was an elder of Mount Li, far more respected than the Heavenly Dao Academy. However, in her eyes, how were these two people any different?
Xiao Songgong had originally thought that since he was in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, he should give the people of Zhou a little face, especially in case he alarmed the Divine Empress, which would be highly inappropriate. But tonight''s successive humiliations, especially this little girl''s utter lack of respect for him, made it impossible for him to control his emotions, so he let out a sudden shout!
The Night Pearls within the hall flickered. Elder Xiao Songgong still remained at his original position, his sword still in his sheath, but an extremely swift and forceful sword intent had already left the sheath and was now shooting towards Luoluo!
Although Luoluo had already proved her strength on the first night of the Ivy Festival, she was still a young girl. Let alone her, even Qiushan Jun was no match for Xiao Songgong who was only a step from the Saint Realm. In the face of such powerful sword intent, how could she possibly have any strength to withstand it?
Xiao Songgong was clearly still afraid of the consequences, so this sword intent was not too fierce. It would probably not threaten Luoluo''s life, but injuries were inevitable.
Only this way could he vent his anger from tonight, could he leave a deep enough lesson in these juniors.
He felt himself to be lenient enough, yet he had not expected that there were some people that could not be injured.
"You can''t!" Prince Chen Liu''s complexion somewhat paled as he hurriedly shouted.
Mo Yu''s expression suddenly turned cold, her willowy eyebrows rising like swords as she shouted, "Stay your hand!"
Xiao Songgong''s cultivation was too high, so they simply could not block his strike. They could only hope that he could hear their cries and rein in the horse before it galloped off the cliff.
In the hall, the only expert able to match strengths with Xiao Songgong was Mao Qiuyu, Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy. He was the only one capable of blocking Xiao Songgong''s strike.
Mao Qiuyu''s cloth robe lightly swayed as he stared at the sword intent flying through the air. His two eyes were like those of a god, filled with dense mists of rain.
Prince Chen Liu, Mo Yu, and Mao Qiuyu were the people in the hall who reacted fastest to Xiao Songgong''s attack, but they were not the first to react.
The first to react was Chen Changsheng.
No one noticed when he managed to stand in front of Luoluo.
Just like that night, and just like that other night as well.
From the time Luoluo took him as her teacher, he truly regarded Luoluo as his student, so he had to ensure her safety.
This was his responsibility that then became instinct.
Chen Changsheng appeared before the quick and forceful sword intent.
Xiao Songgong expressionlessly gazed at him. Since he couldn''t kill anyone in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace but wanted to injure someone to show his power, being able to heavily injure this youth would be even better.
If he could cripple this youth in a single strike, would Xu Yourong really marry him in the future?
Of course, if this youth''s luck was not good and he died, that might be even better.
Mao Qiuyu was already prepared to move.
His two sleeves lightly swayed as if dancing in a cool breeze.
Yet right after, his two sleeves suddenly went still.
Not because he saw that Chen Changsheng was going to die, but because someone else had acted first.
A figure exploded onto the scene from a shadow in the corner of the hall!
This figure was fast to a nigh unimaginable level, his momentum as intense as a flame, so much so that an ear-grating howl ripped through the air!
70 The White Emperor as Surname II
Sword intent was a formless sword.
This sword arose from the depths of the great hall and shot straight towards the door, all the true essence this Mount Li elder had refined over several centuries of bitter cultivation. Anything in the world, formed or formless, would be cut in two by this sword, and neither Luoluo nor Chen Changsheng, who had at some point appeared in front of her with his dagger bared, had any hope of blocking it.
With a howl, a figure arrived like a lightning bolt before the sword.
With a light clap, Xiao Songgong''s sword intent that seemed so sharp as to be unblockable was actually blocked!
What shocked the crowd even more was that what blocked this sword intent were actually the palms of two hands!
Those two palms were wrapped in sword glow, imbued with a faint golden hue, like they were plated with gold!
A deathly stillness.
A series of loud cracks arose from the collision of Xiao Songgong''s sword intent with those two palms.
Right after, another series of cracks rang out in the darkness outside Weiyang Palace!
The sword and palms remained still in the eyes of the crowd, but the air around them seemed about to shatter.
The darkness outside the hall already seemed to have shattered.
Buzzzz!
In an instant, the array outside Weiyang Palace that kept out the autumn wind cracked!
The chilly darkness poured in through the countless doors and windows, gusting through the clothes of the seated students and teachers of the academies. Even the light of the Night Pearls seemed to somewhat sway at this moment!
Those people somewhat closer to the door were bowled over. Their faces were pale and they found it difficult to breathe, so they naturally couldn''t shout out either.
A powerful clash of true essence, a terrifying result from their clash.
The hall was deathly still, the only sound being the howling of the wind.
The sword intent gradually dissipated.
Those two palms were slowly withdrawn.
The owner of these two palms was a middle-aged man of unremarkable appearance and ordinary bearing. This middle-aged man was somewhat plump, and he wore a silk gown with a copper coin pattern. He looked just like one of those rich provincials often sighted in the countryside, not possessing the slightest iota of a nobleman''s bearing. Standing within the palace, he seemed extremely out of place.
This ordinary middle-aged man had relied on only his bare palms to casually block Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong''s rage-filled strike!
The middle-aged man put down his palms and gazed into the hall at Xiao Songgong, his face revealing a rather profound smile. Then, he retreated back behind Luoluo.
When he stood in front of Luoluo, he was an ordinary wealthy old man, and when he stood behind Luoluo, he was still an ordinary wealthy old man. He did not reveal any hint of a grandmaster''s bearing, nor did he intentionally hide away his Qi so that he could play the part of a butler.
Because the current him was precisely a wealthy old man. He only loved money, especially gold.
However, there was absolutely nobody in the hall that would believe this. They all gazed at this middle-aged man with astonishment and confusion.
A man able to match up to Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong was at least on the level of Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy Mao Qiuyu, so how could he be just an ordinary wealthy old man?
The members of the southern diplomatic mission were even more shocked, especially the young disciples of Mount Li. Even if their martial granduncle had rather randomly lashed out in anger, and furthermore had not used his full strength because he was in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, this middle-aged man had managed to not fall behind, despite the fact that he used only his bare palms!
Xiao Songgong stood at the back of the hall, staring at the middle-aged man by the door, his gaze very complex. He seemed to have thought of something but didn''t dare believe it.
There was an extremely soft crack.
It was so light that only Guan Feibai and the other Mount Li disciples seated closest could hear.
And only they could clearly see that the sword sheath at Elder Xiao Songgong''s waisthad a new crack!
As disciples of Mount Li, how could they not understand what this signified?
It wasn''t matching up nor was it simply not falling behindthat seemingly ordinary middle-aged man had actually come out the victor over Elder Xiao Songgong in this exchange!
...
...
The hall was silent. Everyone''s gazes were fixed upon that middle-aged man behind Luoluo.
Xu Shiji''s complexion was ashen, his mind tossing and turning with waves. He knew that this female student of the Orthodox Academy called Luoluo had a very mysterious background and unusual identity, yet he hadn''t imagined that she was able to have an expert of such terrifying cultivation at her command. Just who was that middle-aged man? And just who really was that girl called Luoluo?
The robe over Xiao Songgong''s wizened body gently swayed. This was because it was being blown about by the wind from outside the hall, and also because his two hands were currently trembling in his sleeves.
In that previous exchange, they had only collided for an instant before parting. It seemed that there had been no victory or defeat, but he clearly understood that he had lost, and had even suffered significant injuries. His meridians had suffered a shock and true essence was seeping out of thembut what truly shocked him was not that middle-aged man''s power, but his vague recollection of a certain matter, a certain man.
A matter from the past, a man from the past.
Xiao Songgong gazed at the middle-aged man and slightly narrowed his eyes, somewhat hesitant and unsure. He asked, "You are"
The middle-aged man standing behind Luoluo gave two light coughs. From the sound of it, he had also received some injuries from the exchange.
This cough was very light, but it resounded in Xiao Songgong''s ear like a clap of thunder.
The middle-aged man affirmed, "That''s right, it''s me."
Xiao Songgong''s complexion instantly changed. His cheeks turned a ghastly white and his eyes surged with boundless flames of rage, but it was impossible to hide that tinge of fear in their depths.
"Jin Yulu!
"How can you be here!"
...
...
Xiao Songgong''s angry and resentful cry echoed within Weiyang Palace.
Besides this, there was no other sound.
Everyone was struck dumb. Their gazes no longer held confusion, only shock or reverence.
Gou Hanshi, Guan Feibai, and the other disciples of Mount Li''s inner sect had all heard of their martial granduncle''s greatest regret, and so the looks they turned to the middle-aged man were extremely complex.
Even the proud and aloof Tang Thirty-Six was also given a fright upon hearing Jin Yulu''s name. As he looked at the middle-aged man, his eyes opened wide as if wanting to make sure he was looking at a real person.
Chen Changsheng recognized this middle-aged man, but he only knew him as the butler-esque man who stood at Luoluo''s side. The meals sent from the Hundred Herb Garden every day were all meticulously arranged by this person, and he had talked with him a few times. He had not seen anything special about the man, only thatthis middle-aged man was very chatty, very much like some auntie.
The middle-aged man was Guardian Jin of the Hundred Herb Garden.
Chen Changsheng had never imagined that this butler Jin who was very much like a chattering auntie was actually such a powerful man.
However, he had never heard the name of Jin Yulu, so he found it impossible to understand the silence in the hall and the abnormal gazes of the crowd.
Jin Yulu was a legendary figure of the continent.
Back when the humans allied with the demi-humans and engaged in successive years of war with the demons, he was appointed three times as logistics officer.
The logistics officer was a very important position, because if they were late, a disastrous and miserable result might occur.
When he said that provisions and weapons would be sent to a particular place at a particular time, it was certain to occur without a single accident.
Because he stood by his word.
Any person who questioned his decisions had already fallen in the storms of the north.
Jin Yulu, the leader of the demi-humans'' Four Great Divine Generals.
Taizong, Emperor of the Great Zhou, had once personally written in praise of him: golden rules, jade laws!
(TN: Jin Yulu, '''', literally translates to ''golden jade laws'', and the aforementioned saying is to mean that rules and laws must be respected.)
...
...
Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy Mao Qiuyu lightly sighed and then stood up.
Feeling extremely helpless, Prince Chen Liu stood up.
Mo Yu felt a small headache coming on and kneaded her forehead, but in the end, she also stood up.
With Jin Yulu''s military achievements and moral integrity, he was naturally worthy of such courtesy, but to these important figures who knew the secret of the Hundred Herb Garden, the more important matter was that since Jin Yulu had revealed his identity, a certain person would naturally have to reveal their identity as well. Since everyone in the hall would have to stand, it was better that they stand first.
Tonight''s Ivy Festival would assuredly be recorded in the history books.
A little later on, the rest of the people in the hall finally reacted.
Their gazes moved from Guardian Jin''s body to the girl standing in front of him. The gazes moved very slowly, because they were very heavy.
The people of the southern diplomatic mission all slightly paled. Guan Feibai was somewhat unwilling, taking in a few coarse breaths.
Gou Hanshi''s expression turned solemn as he thought, it turned out that you were in the capital this entire time.
At the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area, Zhuang Huanyu slowly stood up, his eyes brimming with pain, his body somewhat unsteady. He had the look of someone rather dejected.
From the first night of the Ivy Festival, countless people had speculated as to the identity of this girl from the Orthodox Academy.
The only thing known for sure was that her background was unusual, her origins a mystery, but not a single person was able to guess at it.
To be more precise, no one dared to even speculate in that direction.
Tonight, with Jin Yulu quietly standing behind the girl, the girl''s identity naturally became obvious.
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at Luoluo with a complex look on his face, his thoughts a mystery.
Silence reigned. Nobody made a single sound.
Eventually, someone would have to break this silence.
Chen Changsheng turned to calmly gaze at Luoluo.
Luoluo lowered her head and mumbled, "Teacher, I didn''t intentionally deceive you."
In the Orthodox Academy, she had once said that as long as Chen Changsheng asked, she would say it.
Chen Changsheng did not ask.
At the moment, he knew without needing to ask.
But it still seemed that something was missing.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the girl''s nervous appearance and smiled. He gently asked, "Who are you?"
She thought this question over, then replied, "I am Luoluo."
Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "This is not a bad thing, this a matter worthy of being proud of."
"Yes, Teacher."
Luoluo raised her head to meet the many different gazes in the hall, and then calmly took a step forward.
The wind blew into the hall, blowing her black hair across her cheeks.
She was a girl dressed in an academy uniform, her appearance beautiful but still somewhat childish, but ordinary.
But when she took this step forward, standing before the entire world, before all the world''s people
Her academy dress seemed to become an imperial robe and a noble aura exuded from her body.
Everyone felt that a light was shining in their eyes.
The entire palace truly seemed to light up.
This was a truly noble air.
The crowd subconsciously avoided her gaze, some people even taking several steps back before this brilliance, and no one dared to look her directly in the eye.
Not out of fear, but because it was too bright.
She was precisely a sun that had just been born.
Calm yet warm, but from which a sufficient respect and distance must be maintained.
She gazed at the people in the hall as she calmly and proudly declared, "My surname is Baidi, the White Emperor''s Baidi."
(TN: Baidi, '''' translates to ''White Emperor''.)
In the faraway west was the land of the demi-humans, and deep within this land was a great city, located at the source of the River of Oblivion, majestic and spectacular. The eight hundred li of the Red River circled and flowed past the city.
The name of this city was White Emperor City, because the White Emperor lived within.
She was the sole daughter of the current White Emperor.
The eight hundred li along the two banks of the Red River was her fief.
She was Luoluo.
She was Princess Luoluo.
71 There Is a Youth
The White Emperor City at the end of the River of Oblivion, the eight hundred li of the Red River as one''s fiefwho else could it be?
The sole princess of the demi-humans had actually appeared here!
Everyone in the hall had expressions of absolute shock. With the rustling of clothes, they all stood up and bowed.
"My mother is the Chief Princess of the Great Western Continent."
Luoluo looked at the crowd and continued, "My father is Bai Xingye."
With the declaration of these two names, the atmosphere in the great hall grew even more oppressive, tense, and silent as a grave.
Those two names represented supreme power and authority. Those two names were ranked amongst the Five Saints.
The husband and wife of White Emperor City were both beings of the same level as the Divine Empress and the Pope.
The southern diplomatic mission was utterly speechless. When they saw Chen Changsheng behind Luoluo, their complexions became abnormally unsightly.
Earlier, the crowd had noticed that the relationship between Luoluo and Chen Changsheng was out of the ordinary.
Just as expected, Luoluo looked to the southern diplomatic mission and said, "My teacher is Chen Changsheng."
After saying this, she turned her head to glance at Chen Changsheng.
''My Father, my mother, my teacher.''
That she spoke this way was the same as placing these three people on the same level.
Contrary to what some people of the capital had thought, Luoluo had entered the Orthodox Academy not because she was seeking an interesting experience, but because she truly wanted to learn. She regarded Chen Changsheng as a member of her family and an elder to be revered.
Everyone in the hall was too stunned to speak, while Gou Hanshi''s expression grew graver.
Just who was this youth called Chen Changsheng that he was able to be spoken of on the same level as the White Emperor couple!
"Might I ask, in what aspects can my teacher not match up to Qiushan Jun?"
Luoluo looked to the southern diplomatic mission and asked.
The southern diplomatic mission had nothing to say, because it was impossible to respond.
No matter how much of a genius Qiushan Jun was, in terms of status alone, how could he compare to the teacher of an emperor''s daughter?
Luoluo then turned to that young and poverty-stricken student amongst the scattered tables who had made that great fallacy, and arched her brow as she asked, "In order to resist the demons, humans must unite, the north and south must converge, so Xu Yourong must marry Qiushan Jun? For the sake of so-called righteousness, a woman has to marry someone she doesn''t want to marry?"
The young student''s voice slightly trembled as he replied, "Should it not be this way?"
"Of course not!"
Luoluo jeered at the student, "That''s my teacher''s wife, and you actually want to marry her off to another man. I really do suspect that you might be a demon spy."
The young student blushed, his face thoroughly red. He was very angry, but he dared not reply.
Luoluo said to everyone in the hall, "Righteousness? This princess is righteousness, my teacher was born with righteousness in hand, and you want to use righteousness to threaten him, truly a joke!"
The young student wanted to explain himself, but upon careful consideration, he realized that he had nothing to say and instantly began to profusely sweat.
No one else in the hall dared to object to Luoluo''s words.
In order to resist the demons, humanity needed to unite, so the confluence of north and south had to proceed more quickly. For this reason, that young student had said that Xu Yourong should marry Qiushan Jun.
But anyone knew that the alliance of the humans with the demi-humans was the foundation of the resistance against the demons!
If one said that resisting the demons was a righteous cause, then protecting the excellent relationship between the humans and demi-humans was the greatest righteous cause!
According to the logic of this young student and a few other shameless people, since Luoluo was certain to represent the demi-humans in supporting the engagement of Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, any person that attempted to block this engagement was attempting to enrage the demi-humans, wanting to break the alliance between the two races. If they were not spies of the demons, what were they!
Could it be that to advance the confluence of humanity''s north and south, they should offend humanity''s firmest and most powerful ally? Preposterous!
No person would make that choice. Let alone the people within the hall, even the Pope, the Holy Maiden of the south, the Sect Master of Mount Li, and even the Divine Empress would be unwilling to bear this responsibility.
Righteous cause? In the end, it was naught but seeking profit or power. Once carefully considered, it was truly quite laughable.
This young student was drenched in sweat. Only now could he see those thoughts hidden behind his clothes and the name of righteousness, those thoughts that could not bear to see the light of day.
His face was still thoroughly red, but out of shame rather than anger.
The hall was completely silent. Many people were as ashamed as the young student, not knowing what to say.
Gou Hanshi looked at Luoluo, his expression very complex.
"If you still want to preserve some face, you should leave right now. What meaning is there in continuing to struggle here?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Gou Hanshi and teased, "Give up, your eldest brother Qiushan Jun won''t be able to marry his wifeis it possible that you still dare to kill Chen Changsheng before everyone''s eyes?"
The disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect were all standing up. Upon hearing these words, they blazed with fury and gripped their swords as they turned to Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi quietly looked back at Tang Thirty-Six, his eyes gradually growing brighter, not growing sharper, but firmer.
After the Qiushan clan head''s examination of Chen Changsheng''s marriage contract, he had remained silent. At this moment, he could no longer restrain himself. Staring at Tang Thirty-Six, he coldly asked, "Is the master of Wenshui doing well?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression flickered, then he replied, "You want to use my grandfather to pressure me? Do you even care about dignity?"
The Qiushan clan was a truly great clan of a thousand generations in the south, and what they cared the most about was their dignity and face. As a descendant of the Wenshui Tang clan, Tang Thirty-Six naturally understood this point, yet he did not act with the slightest courtesy.
In the many misfortunes over tonight''s Ivy Festival, there had truthfully been several chances where the two sides could have backed off and sought ways to extricate themselves from this embarrassing situation. However, for several reasons or incorrect judgments of the situation, the southern diplomatic mission had made the wrong choice in the last few opportunities, resulting in this now very embarrassing situation.
The severity of this embarrassment, disregarding the root cause for the situation, could mostly be credited to Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo''s repeated jeers and ridicule.
Luoluo had taunted and scolded Elder Xiao Songgong and the others because they had earlier taunted and scolded Chen Changsheng. This was a sight she found most unbearable, and regardless, with her status in this place, she could do whatever she wanted.
On the other hand, Tang Thirty-Six shouted and cursed at figures like Xiao Songgong and the Qiushan clan head purely because of his personality.
Whether according to seniority or any other aspect, he should not have acted this way. This way of acting was too preposterous, too profligate, too wanton.
Wantonness did not necessarily mean that one was a wastrel. It was more likely that one was hedonistic or degenerate.
In the eyes of many, Tang Thirty-Six''s behavior was too vulgar, too impudent, too displeasing, too scoundrel-like. He was not at all like a descendant of a noble clan, much less a young genius of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
But he insisted on acting this way, because he did not like these people.
He didn''t like them, so he didn''t like them, so he cursed at them.
This was his personality.
He was a sixteen-year-old youth, truly a youth. He would not feel delight at the spring breeze nor feel sorrow at the autumn winds. He would not sigh at the winter snow, nor would he feel vexed at the chirping of the summer cicadas. If saw what he liked, he would be happy, and if he saw what he found annoying, he would be annoyed. If he saw injustice, he would sigh, and he would only feel sorrow when he saw the back of a heroic figure in the setting sun.
He liked to spend time alone and liked to sleep, and what he disliked was precisely interacting with others. He had a slight bout of narcissism and was extremely proud and confident. He lived with absolute freedom, the human world''s endless pursuit of profit having nothing to do with him. If he saw something that made him unhappy, he would curse, and if he saw something that made him happy, he would want to get close.
He was just this sort of youth. Given his personality, even if he wasn''t a genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky and was only some young beggar taking in the sun at the base of some wall, when he saw some beautiful young lady in her carriage, he would give a couple of whistles, and if he saw some overbearing young master of a wealthy family, he would give a couple of secretive kicks, not caring at all if he was beaten black and blue by the bodyguards.
Thus, in the capital, he had no friends other than Chen Changsheng. Thus, in the Heavenly Dao Academy, he had offended many of his classmates, including Zhuang Huanyu. Thus, he had long since made it known that if he met that little monster of the Temple Seminary that loved terrorizing the common people, he would definitely cripple him. Thus the story about how he was unable to participate in the last two nights of the Ivy Festival.
Tang Thirty-Six was just this sort of this person. If he liked something, he truly liked it, and if he didn''t like something, he really disliked it. As a result, those that liked him would really like him, such as the Old Master of the Wenshui Tang clan or Vice Principal Zhuang of the Heavenly Dao Academy. The people who didn''t like him truly disliked him, like these currently furious youths of the southern diplomatic mission.
He did not care.
But someone did care.
"Impudent! Quickly apologize to your seniors!"
A voice came from the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area.
At the moment, everyone in the hall was standing, so it wasn''t clear who the speaker was. After a while, the crowd finally realized that the speaker was Zhuang Huanyu.
The crowd was somewhat astonished. They didn''t understand why he was scolding Tang Thirty-Six, and they even less understood why he was the one speaking.
Even if Tang Thirty-Six''s words were somewhat vulgar and base, his respect towards the seniors of the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Qiushan clan insufficient, there were others better suited to scold the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Principal Mao Qiuyu was present, as was Vice Principal Zhuang, so how had it come to be Zhuang Huanyu''s turn? Although he was ranked tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he was still just a student.
Let alone the fact that in the present situation, Principal Mao Qiuyu had maintained his silence, so what reason did Zhuang Huanyu have to reprimand Tang Thirty-Six?
Mao Qiuyu turned to glance at Zhuang Huanyu, his expression calm.
The gazes of many people rested on Zhuang Huanyu.
Zhuang Huanyu''s expression also slightly changed. He also did not know why he had opened his mouth to say those words.
But the words had already left his mouth and he could not take them back. He tightly shut his mouth, his complexion ashen, yet he still stared at Tang Thirty-Six.
He thought that he appeared impartial and incorruptible, unaware that in the eyes of others, he already seemed to have lost control.
The reason for Zhuang Huanyu''s loss of control was very complex. Countless important figures had come to tonight''s Ivy Festival, and so he could only quietly sit, not daring to speak, but unthinkably, the Tang Thirty-Six who he normally paid no attention to was speaking so bluntly before the crowd, acting with a wanton ferocity. This made him subconsciously feel a great deal of loathing.
The more important reason was still that Luoluo had revealed her identity.
The legend of the Heavenly Dao Academy that had come back to reality turned out to still be a legend.
His future with this junior sister that he had imagined countless times was instantly rendered into dust.
All along, this junior sisterwas the legendary Princess Luoluo!
Then no matter how he strived, even if he became a genius beyond Qiushan Jun, he still could not be together with her.
A deep disappointment and despair transformed into anger. However, this sentiment had always been hidden in the bottom of his heart and never spoken of to anyone else. Consequently, tonight''s despair and anger naturally had nowhere to go.
Just then, he saw Tang Thirty-Six, his junior brother that, on normal days, he would casually scold.
Thus, he had spoken those words.
The hall became abnormally quiet.
Everyone stared at Tang Thirty-Six.
Earlier, the Mount Li Sword Sect''s Guan Feibai had rebuked Tang Thirty-Six as impudent, and Tang Thirty-Six had replied with, ''Impudent your mother!''
Now, Zhuang Huanyu had also scolded his impudence, so how would he reply?
Some of the people in the southern diplomatic mission seemed to take joy in this misfortune, thinking to themselves, an internal problem has arisen amongst the Zhou people. How will they resolve it?
Gou Hanshi glanced at Zhuang Huanyu and slightly raised his brow, somewhat surprised.
Guan Feibai slightly frowned at Zhuang Huanyu, rather displeased.
Tang Thirty-Six had a rather ugly expression. He turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area, but not one of his classmates returned his gaze. Mao Qiuyu sighed and prepared to speak. Vice Principal Zhuang''s face was somewhat pale, and judging by how he was shaking his head and hesitating to speak, he seemed to be in great difficulty.
After a moment of silence, Tang Thirty-Six gave a bitter smile and said, "Truly boring."
"You truly are lacking in strength."
(TN: ''û'' can mean both ''boring'' or ''tired/lacking in strength''.)
A voice came from his side.
Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "You''re completely unlike your usual self."
72 The Fourth Person
"My usual self? And what is that?"
Seeing that the speaker was Chen Changsheng, Tang Thirty-Six instantly came alive, rolling his eyes as he asked.
"Just like you did earlier, you would directly curse at their mothers."
Chen Changsheng thought some more, then continued, "After you got tired of cursing, you would lie down and go straight to sleep."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the seating area where all the teachers and students of the Heavenly Dao Academy were. After a brief moment of silence, he said in a somewhat softer voice, "In the end, there are some people who treated me rather well."
During the entrance exam for the Heavenly Dao Academy, Chen Changsheng had glimpsed a few scenes from the distance and so knew that Vice Principal Zhuang had greatly cared for Tang Thirty-Six. Now, just as expected, he saw Tang Thirty-Six''s gaze rest on Vice Principal Zhuang and thought to himself, there must be a story hidden behind his. It''s probably precisely because of this person that Tang Thirty-Six would act so differently from usual.
"But as a person, one truly should work for oneself." Tang Thirty-Six gazed at the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating area and recalled the snow and storms that had been concealed behind these past few months of school life, recalled how he had been targeted by his classmates, recalled his unfortunate encounters in the last two nights of the Ivy Festival. His lips perked up, revealing a mysterious smile.
Normally, Chen Changsheng would not bring up any suggestion as to what choice Tang Thirty-Six should makeeven if he was his only friendas a consequence of his personality. However, he saw the situation tonight, and he had also suffered a similar situation as Tang Thirty-Six had in the Heavenly Dao Academy. Caught in his opponent''s shameless trap, he was only able to escape from the Black Dragon with incredible difficulty. As a result, many matters had already quietly changed.
He gazed at Tang Thirty-Six, saying nothing, but his calm and assured eyes signified his support.
"You actually want me to apologize to those southerners?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Zhuang Huanyu and said, "This matter is too boring, and your display is also too boring."
The hall resounded with comments of astonishment.
Zhuang Huanyu was tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the leader of the Ivy Academies'' young experts, of equal reputation to the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws of the south who were said to be able to call the wind and summon the rain. Although he had earlier displayed a loss of control, making others grow displeased or find him shameless, he was still the shining beacon of the Heavenly Dao Academy. For Tang Thirty-Six, as a student of the Heavenly Dao Academy, to so straightforwardly say that he was wrong was inevitably rather disrespectful.
"Because it''s boring, it''s not fun, and since it''s not fun, what''s the use in me continuing to play around here? None of you should think about using the friendship between us as fellow classmates of the Heavenly Dao Academy to bind me, to use your identity as teachers to control me, to use your dignity as senior brother to make me shut my mouth, because Ihave decided to withdraw."
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at those once-peers and teachers of his, his expression calm. "I''ve decided to leave the Heavenly Dao Academy."
Even though the crowd within the hall had already experienced far too many shocks tonight, they still flew into an uproar at his words!
The Heavenly Dao Academy was the number one school of the continent, having raised countless great experts. The current Pope had come from there, and the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner had also been achieved by its students no small number of times. Even though the young students of the Heavenly Dao Academy had had much of their brilliance snatched away by the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws of the south in the past few years, and the peerless genius that was Xu Yourong had appeared in the Great Zhou, the Heavenly Dao Academy was still the Heavenly Dao Academy. No person would dare to question this school''s status. Everyone believed that being able to enter the Heavenly Dao Academy was an honor. Many people took great pains to just step onto the ground of the Heavenly Dao Academy, but tonight, someone voluntarily withdrew from the Heavenly Dao Academy!
The clamor in the hall continued. The faces of the teachers and students of the Heavenly Dao Academy were all extremely ugly, and Vice Principal Zhuang''s complexion was even rather pale.
What astonished people the most was that the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu, had no reaction. There even seemed to be a sense of relief on his face as if all this had been according to his expectations.
"I know that many people will ask me why."
Tang Thirty-Six gazed expressionlessly at the crowd and said, "The Heavenly Dao Academy has the best teachers and the best students, and I have to admit that I also received a lot of care. Even if I''ve been somewhat wronged, compared to all this, it shouldn''t be enough for me to decide to leave, but just like I said a moment ago, the current Heavenly Dao Academy is truly very boring."
"Boring means it''s not fun, and if it''s not fun, what need is there for me to continue playing around here?"
Many people noticed that he had said these words earlier.
"All I said was that I was going to cripple Tianhai Ya''er, and then the teachers and a few senior brothers of the academy forbade me from attending the Ivy Festival! Just because I wanted to challenge Zhuang Huanyu, someone sealed me in the library for the entire night! Don''t talk to me about the importance of the big picture; when did the Heavenly Dao Academy of the past ever care about some other person''s big picture? And the current Heavenly Dao Academy? It''s unexpectedly afraid of even the Tianhai clan! Just what''s going on here? This simply isn''t the Heavenly Dao Academy I read about in the books. This Heavenly Dao Academy is boring through and through, not fun at all!"
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at the students and teachers of the Heavenly Dao Academy, his words very frivolous but his expression extremely solemn, because these were his sincere words spoken before his farewell.
Hearing this, the crowd in the hall grew even more restless, because the youth from Wenshui had mentioned the Tianhai clan.
There was much to digest in these words, but everyone had only heard ''Tianhai clan''.
It''s unexpectedly afraid of even the Tianhai clan!
He had unexpectedly used the word ''unexpectedly''.
He unexpectedly believed that the Tianhai clan should not be feared!
Prince Chen Liu slightly lowered his head. At some point, two wine cups had appeared on the table in front of him, the wine within them reflecting the lights of the Night Pearls. They were very beautiful, and he looked at them like he was in a trance.
Mo Yu gazed indifferently at Tang Thirty-Six, her right hand gently holding a cup of tea. There was not a single ripple in tea within the cup.
Tianhai was the surname of the Divine Empress. The Tianhai clan was the Divine Empress''s maternal clan. After that cruel struggle over the throne ten-odd years ago, the Tianhai clan replaced the Chen clan as one of the most respected surnames on this continent, together with the Bai clan of the west. In terms of power, however, they were the number one without question.
In the present Great Zhou, even the Pope living in the Li Palace treated the Tianhai clan with warmth. Even though countless people secretly burned with hate towards the Tianhai clan, not a single one of them dared to publicly speak such words. Who could be like Tang Thirty-Six, directly reprimanding them before a crowd?
The crowd gazed at Tang Thirty-Six with rather complex looks.
There was admiration and pity, and of course, there were also gazes that looked at him like he was an idiothad this youth suddenly gotten addicted to slapping others in the face tonight? He actually didn''t even let the Tianhai clan slip by?
Tang Thirty-Six acted like he didn''t even feel these gazes, nor did he even consider what dangers these words of his concealed. He looked at Zhuang Huanyu and coldly said, "I know that you lived a hard life as a child, but that''s no excuse for you to criticize anyone you want. Don''t always think that everyone in this world has to feel sorry for you, acting all refreshing and pleasant before the world while inwardly full of remorse. You''re clearly already in the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, yet you still feel that fate isn''t fair, or else you would be as strong as Qiushan Jun. Just who is this secret grudge for? I absolutely can''t stand and absolutely loathe this sort of person. The current Heavenly Dao Academy has precisely too many students like you, so it''s becoming more and more like a theater, babbling all day and singing a few sentimental songs. Of course it''s boring!"
The hall gradually turned quiet, the crowd staring at the Heavenly Dao Academy''s seating, staring at Zhuang Huanyu.
Zhuang Huanyu was silent for a very long time, his expression gradually growing calm. Looking back at Tang Thirty-Six, he replied, "Earlier, I truly did somewhat lose control. No matter what you did wrong, no matter if you cared or not about the Heavenly Dao Academy''s existence, it''s not my place to criticize you. Moreover, although your words are difficult to hear, they are somewhat reasonablebut did you ever think about why, after you entered the Heavenly Dao Academy, the teachers and the rest of us didn''t like you? Why you felt as if we were secretly pushing you out? Pride? No, it''s only right that a student of the Heavenly Dao Academy be proud. You are the descendant of the Wenshui Tang clan, you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth, and when you entered the academy, you came under the care of an important figure. You didn''t need to attend lessons, you didn''t need to keep the academy''s rule, yet you received everything that was allotted to you, but your classmates? They bitterly cultivated and bitterly studied before seeing any gain, so they naturally wouldn''t be able to stand a person like you who only take shortcuts."
At the moment, the people currently seated in the scattered tables were mostly students of ordinary families. Of the several dozen young students amongst the southern diplomatic mission, the vast majority had grown up in poverty. The three youths of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws seemed slightly pacified at Zhuang Huanyu''s words, and Gou Hanshi, who everyone knew had grown up in bitter poverty, seemed deep in thought.
Vice Principal Zhuang had a very ugly expression, because he knew that he was the important figure Zhuang Huanyu had mentioned taking care of Tang Thirty-Six.
"What you say also makes sense. The Heavenly Dao Academy has the Heavenly Dao Academy''s rules, and has grown accustomed to inheriting a lineage of one thousand years. Perhaps the teachers and you lot all believe that only those who have lived a poor and simple life can truly have any promise, butmy clan just has lots of money, and I can''t do anything about it. Could it be that you want me to play the part of a poor person, or do you want my clan''s grandfather to completely break up the family property? That would probably make the Divine Empress very happy."
Tang Thirty-Six shook his head, continuing, "You have your own reasons, I have my own habits, the Heavenly Dao Academy has the Heavenly Dao Academy''s rules. Tonight, we aren''t speaking about right and wrong, only that since we aren''t suited for each other, this matter will never become fun, so I''ve decided to withdraw from the Heavenly Dao Academy."
"Shut your mouth for me!" Vice Principal Zhuang yelled out with a nasty look on his face.
When he was young, he had received the favor of the Tang clan, and he had many stories of old friendship with the Tang clan. Since he had promised the head of the Tang clan that he would watch over Tang Thirty-Six''s life in the capital, he couldn''t just look on helplessly as he messed around. "You''ve made enough trouble! Your father placed you in my handsyou really think I won''t dare discipline you!"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him in thought, then scratched his head and said, "Uncle Zhuang, you always say that it''s my father that entrusted you with the duty to watch over mein truth, on the journey to the capital, I long since opened that letter and looked it over. I know that the person who trusted you to watch over me was my mother, so stop using those words to suppress me."
Vice Principal Zhuang was so angry that his fingers began to tremble. "You little rascal, the letterhow could you open the letter!"
For some reason, when Zhuang Huanyu on the side heard these words, his face slightly paled.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "In short, tonight, I''m leaving the Heavenly Dao Academy."
Vice Principal Zhuang bitterly replied, "You child, why can''t you ever be obedient? The pre-examination has already concluded. If you quit school, what about next year''s Grand Examination?"
Tang Thirty-Six seemed to freeze, realizing that this truly was a problem.
"This isn''t a problem."
Chen Changsheng smiled, saying, "Come to my place."
Tang Thirty-Six arched his brows. "Come to your place?"
Chen Changsheng explained, "The students of the Orthodox Academy also have the right to directly participate in the Grand Examination."
There was no way he would remember this rule incorrectly. After entering the capital, it was precisely because he wanted to skip the pre-examination and directly participate in next year''s Grand Examination that he used every method possible to enter one of the Six Ivies. It was just that he had not expected that fate would ultimately have him become the first new student of the Orthodox Academy in many years.
Tang Thirty-Six''s inky brows rose even higher. It was like he had discovered something that seemed very interesting, very fun.
"How many people do you have right now?"
"Three."
Chen Changsheng pointed at himself and Luoluo, then said, "There''s also another one that remained in the Orthodox Academy tonight. You met him before."
Tang Thirty-Six fell silent, then he smiled and said, "Count me in as well."
Chen Changsheng thought, then commented, "Then we''re four people now."
73 Please Grant Us Your Instruction
Withdrawing from school was a major event, and to withdraw from the Heavenly Dao Academy was even more so.
Vice Principal Zhuang''s reaction had been so intense because he was keenly aware that if a student were to leave the Heavenly Dao Academy, no other school would dare accept him. Yes, the Temple Seminary, the Li Palace Academy, Star Seizer Academy, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green all had their own backers, but in the capital, the Heavenly Dao Academy was still special
How could he have expected that the situation would ultimately turn in this direction? Unexpectedly, the Orthodox Academy had stood up.
Upon seeing Vice Principal Zhuang''s look of concern, Zhuang Huanyu only felt bitterness in his mouth. Looking at Chen Changsheng, he said, "In the end, he''s still a student of my Heavenly Dao Academy. Even if the Orthodox Academy currently has no principal or teachers and the rules are unclear, you can''t just accept them because you want to accept him."
Just as Zhuang Huanyu had said, Chen Changsheng was not clear on those unspoken rules of the academy, but he simply never imagined that the Orthodox Academy would be unable to accept Tang Thirty-Six. He ordered Luoluo, "After we return, put his name in the register, and don''t forget to get his fingerprint."
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression was rather strange, taken with the feeling he had just sold himself.
Luoluo gave a crisp grunt of assent, agreeing without the slightest hesitation.
Everyone in the hall was rather shocked, especially those teachers and students closest to Chen Changsheng. They could clearly see that from the beginning until now, her attitude towards Chen Changsheng had truly been one of a student towards a teacher. What shocked and confused these people even more was what sort of virtue or ability this youth surnamed Chen could have that Princess Luoluo would treat him with such respect.
"It''s a pity that it''s somewhat late."
Since he had already decided to enter the Orthodox Academy, Tang Thirty-Six would naturally not back out, he just felt somewhat regretful upon seeing Luoluo''s attitude towards Chen Changsheng. He thought to himself, if I had entered the Orthodox Academy earlier, this matter would be even more interesting. Going to a broken-down academy to show support all for the sake of friendship, how confident and unrestrained I would seem. But now with the entire continent knowing that Princess Luoluo is studying at the Orthodox Academy, my entering the Orthodox Academy doesn''t look like a show of support at all. On the contrary, it''s easy to misunderstand it as me clinging to someone famous.
Chen Changsheng knew what he was thinking and felt that he was overthinking it. "You don''t need to care about these details, and you don''t need to pay attention to anyone else''s opinion. At the moment, there''s just the few of us in the academy, so what we''re best at is simplicity. There''s no meaning in making matters complicated."
Tang Thirty-Six felt that this argument truly was rather reasonable, but he felt rather angry to be lectured this way, so he teased, "You''re already beginning classes?"
Everyone in the hall watched as Chen Changsheng, Luoluo, and Tang Thirty-Six talked of the Orthodox Academy''s matters as if no one else was around, every one of them in a different mood, their feelings complex. They all clearly understood that after tonight, that graveyard that had been run-down for ten-odd years would finally gain a new life; the Orthodox Academy forgotten for so many years would formally return to the world. Yes, the current Orthodox Academy only had four students, had no principal or teachers or even a handyman, and was still extremely deserted, but after tonight, who would dare disregard the Orthodox Academy as they had in the past?
The sound of applause suddenly arose from the hall. It was crisp and smooth, not one bit hurried or half-hearted, nor deliberately slow. It was sincere applause.
With this applause, Gou Hanshi''s voice also rose up.
He gazed at Chen Changsheng''s group and earnestly said, "Congratulations to the Orthodox Academy."
The crowd became somewhat more solemn.
This was the second set of words Gou Hanshi had spoken at tonight''s Ivy Festival.
Earlier when Chen Changsheng had taken out the marriage contract and made all of the great hall speechless, Gou Hanshi had spoken his first set of words, hoping that Chen Changsheng would be able to consider Xu Yourong''s opinion. Those words had been so calm and serene that they seemed to strike at the softest and weakest parts of the mind. If the White Crane had not come north, it was impossible to say how tonight''s situation would have developed.
Now, he spoke once more.
Everyone in the crowd was somewhat tense, knowing that something was about to occur.
Lady Mo Yu had once thought of breaking up the Ivy Festival in the middle, wanting to quickly end this marriage proposal that had already become a farce, but it had been interrupted by Xiao Songgong''s strike and the shock of Jin Yulu''s appearance. Just what was going to happen next?
Tang Thirty-Six''s withdrawal from the Heavenly Dao Academy was an internal matter of the Zhou people. His following entry into the Orthodox Academy also had nothing to do with the southerners, but the silence of the southern diplomatic mission did not mean that they had accepted this fact. The Ivy Festival had not ended. On the contrary, it had just begun.
Gou Hanshi had a very tranquil look on his face. There was no sign of the verbal abuse that Chen Changsheng''s group had earlier delivered.
"On the journey to the capital, I learned of the news that the Orthodox Academy had reopened. I''ve always thought that it truly was time for the Orthodox Academy, this place possessing such extraordinary history, to be revived. I was very pleased to know of this, but I was very curious as to just what sort of person would be able to bear such a mission."
He gazed at Chen Changsheng and said, "Tonight I learned that Princess Luoluo turned out to be in the Orthodox Academy. I also learned that the Princess''s teacher turned out to also be a student of the Orthodox Academy. Looking at things in this way, how could the Orthodox Academy not once more attain its past glory?
"Many people wish to know just how far the Orthodox Academy will walk, and I am no exceptionI must thank the Divine Empress for permitting us disciples of the southern sects to participate in the Grand Examination, and for the Imperial Court to even invite us to attend this year''s Ivy Festival."
As he spoke, Gou Hanshi left his seat and walked a few steps towards the door. He was clearly only a little closer to Chen Changsheng and the others by the door, but he gave the feeling that he was standing right in front of them, calmly and gently speaking to them.
"Tonight is the third night of the Ivy Festival, and it is also the final chance for the Ivy Academies and all the invited students to exchange pointers.
"We have traveled from afar to reach here. Since we have attended the Ivy Festival, we naturally cannot miss out on this opportunity.
"The Mount Li Sword Sect asks the Orthodox Academy to please grant us its instruction."
...
...
The hall was very quiet, but not the deathly silence of before. Wondrously, no one was surprised at Gou Hanshi''s words and proposal. It seemed that deep down in their hearts, everyone had long since guessed that such a situation would occur, and even secretly anticipated it.
But before Gou Hanshi spoke, the crowd truthfully had forgotten one thing: tonight was the Ivy Festival.
To the southern diplomatic mission, Gou Hanshi''s proposal was the best choice.
If he directly challenged Chen Changsheng, everyone would believe that Mount Li was indignant that Qiushan Jun''s marriage had been hindered and was taking revenge in its rage. He also did not concern himself with Elder Xiao Songgong and Jin Yulu''s meeting of palm and sword as well as their story from long ago, nor did he mention Princess Luoluo''s identity or Tang Thirty-Six''s humiliation of his teachers. He only mentioned the Ivy Festival.
The Ivy Festival had a rule: the academies could challenge each other.
This was not a rule decided by Emperor Taizu of the Great Zhou, nor did it have anything to do with Emperor Taizong. The Ivy Festival was not the Grand Examination, but in terms of history, they were about the same age, so the rules of the Ivy Festival were still worthy of respect. Could the people of Zhou possibly be prepared to break it themselves?
The great hall was silent, with not a single person speaking.
Just then, against everyone''s expectations, Gou Hanshi spoke again.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and indifferently said, "Yes, everything I just said were excuses, or perhaps reasons."
Chen Changsheng was a little startled, Luoluo a little apprehensive, Tang Thirty-Six a little shocked. None of them understood why he had said these words.
The people within the hall were somewhat stunned.
"Far too many things have happened tonight, and whether right or wrong, to us southerners, to my Mount Li, none of these are very happy things. Crucially, my eldest brother is not here and no one can hear his thoughts on the matter. I believe that this is not fair."
Gou Hanshi calmly gazed at Chen Changsheng and said, "As a disciple of Mount Li, I have the responsibility of protecting my sect''s reputation. As a junior brother, I must represent a stance for my senior brother. Thus, even though I clearly know that this excuse, or reason of the Ivy Festival is somewhat hollow, I still want to do these things, because I wish to leave this palace calmly."
Finally, he clasped his hands and said to Chen Changsheng, "Please grant us your instruction."
The crowd was quiet, everyone looking at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng looked back at Gou Hanshi, saying nothing for a very long time.
He understood Gou Hanshi''s thinking. The Mount Li Sword Sect wanted to regain a little face by challenging the Orthodox Academy, and through this course of events, they would also prove that he was far inferior to Qiushan Jun. In truth, Gou Hanshi was making no attempts to hide his intentions, exposing all under the light.
Was this being fair and square?
He said to Gou Hanshi, "It just looks fair and square, that''s all."
Gou Hanshi calmly replied, "It''s not fair and square, only frank and upright."
Yes, the intentions of the Mount Li Sword Sect were not necessarily fair, but Gou Hanshi had made his method clear. The proposal to directly challenge the Orthodox Academy was truly rather frank and there was nothing to criticize about it. As a result, it was very difficult to respond to.
With Chen Changsheng''s personality, if he had not been schemed against by the Divine General of the East''s estate and a powerful figure in the Imperial Palace, he would not have displayed such a fierce stance towards this marriage. If he were confronting Gou Hanshi''s challenge alone, he would have certainly turned and left.
But he was no longer on his own. He represented the Orthodox Academy.
He already felt affection for that school with its great banyan tree, its lake, its library packed with books, and its broken walls and wells.
And what the Mount Li Sword Sect challenged was not him, but the Orthodox Academy.
Thus, he could not act completely in accord with his thoughts.
He turned to Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six, wanting to know their thoughts, but he somewhat helplessly discovered that Luoluo''s and Tang Thirty-Six''s eyes were filled with an intense desire. They were abnormally bright, even somewhat scorching and almost impossible to look at directly.
These two fellows'' desire for battle and fearless mindset was truly difficult to look at directly.
"Umfight or don''t fight?" Chen Changsheng asked.
The Orthodox Academy had no principal or teacher, only these few students. For a major decision like this, it was naturally best to discuss and then decide.
Luoluo still acted cutely, speaking with a childish voice and air, "If Teacher says to fight, I''ll fight."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him like he was an idiot, saying, "The other person has already spoken this muchdo you still have the nerve to not fight?"
It seemed that there was no clear answer. Luoluo had indicated that she would obey his words while Tang Thirty-Six had asked a question back. In reality, however, everyone clearly understood their view.
Fight.
74 Difficult to Satisfy
Besides the monolith in front of the Mausoleum of Books, there were the Proclamation of Azure Sky and the Proclamation of Golden Distinction, both rankings selected by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. What was the most important criterion for these rankings? It was naturally fights between the experts on the rankings. Every person on these proclamations, no matter their identity or status, would have some fighting experience, at the very least having fought once.
Chen Changsheng had no experience in this aspect, so he asked, "Then how do we fight? Who will go fight?"
Luoluo''s eyes became even brighter. Her right hand gripped the handle of the Falling Rain Whip at her waist as she took one step forward. "If the teacher has a task, the student will undertake it."
There was no way Tang Thirty-Six would allow her to snatch away this opportunity. He interjected, "I''m the newcomeryou should let me display my skills."
In the present continent, the Mount Li Sword Sect had a special status, because their younger generation was very strong. Tang Thirty-Six was truly a youthful genius, but it was still impossible for him to be put on par with them. Let alone Gou Hanshi, even the other three youths from Mount Li would, in the crowd''s view, be able to easily defeat him.
The Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws were all at Mount Litheir ranks on the Proclamation of Azure Sky were far above Tang Thirty-Six.
Tang Thirty-Six seemed to not even think about these things. He stared at Gou Hanshi, his eyes growing brighter and brighter in excitement.
The word ''fear'' had never existed in his vocabulary. On the second night of the Ivy Festival, he had wanted to challenge Zhuang Huanyu, ranked tenth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, yet he had been opposed by his school. Tonight, he had just decided to enter the Orthodox Academy and encountered the opportunity to fight with the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws. There was no way he would miss such a chance.
Yes, this was a good thing.
"If I did not recall incorrectly, this year''s third night of the Ivy Festivalshould be the literary test."
Gou Hanshi did not look at Tang Thirty-Six, only quietly gazed at Chen Changsheng. "You could have Her Highness acknowledge you as her teacher, so you naturally have your extraordinary aspects. Your scholarly knowledge must certainly be profound, but I hear that you have not succeeded at Purification. Thus, in my view, the literary test just so happens to be an excellent choice."
He had not completely said what was on his mind, but everyone had understood.
As the other side of this marriagenot speaking about whether he was the second or the third partyQiushan Jun was unable to be present. As Qiushan Jun''s most trusted fellow disciple, that which he wished to grant instruction was nominally the Orthodox Academy, but was in reality Chen Changsheng.
The Mount Li Sword Sect challenged the Orthodox Academy so as to challenge Chen Changsheng.
The hall was very quiet. These words of Gou Hanshi''s seemed very reasonable, sufficiently expressing the Mount Li Sword Sect''s sympathy toward the weak and its pursuit of fairness. Although you have not succeeded at Purification, the third night of the Ivy Festival just so happens to be the literary test, so what reason is there for you to not step on stage?
However, in reality, this proposal contained not one bit of sympathy, let alone fairness.
Gou Hanshi was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, his learning encompassing both the north and south. These young students in the hall needn''t even be considered, as even those priests within the Li Palace who had worked with the Daoist Canon their whole lives would not have any hope of defeating him in the literary testthis was a fact publicly acknowledged by the entire continent. If speaking of cultivation, Gou Hanshi was still young and was rather insignificant before those senior experts who had cultivated for several centuries, but in terms of scholarly erudition, he was a truly supreme expert.
He wanted to match with Chen Changsheng in the literary test to see who was the betterhow could this be fair? This was bullying through and through, the strong cruelly and mercilessly suppressing the weak.
Luoluo''s gaze turned sharp as she stared at Gou Hanshi, her expression extremely unkind as she yelled, "Preposterous!"
Gou Hanshi''s expression did not change. Bowing to her, he asked, "Might I dare ask Her Highness to instruct this one: how is it preposterous?"
Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "The entire continent knows that you''re well-versed in the Daoist Canon, and your knowledge is extraordinary. Where could we find someone to compare to you? You actually want to compete with this guy on these aspects? Do you feel no shame? For you to really make this proposal, how could it not be preposterous?"
Gou Hanshi calmly looked at him and said, "I am also an ordinary person. My memory isn''t better than anyone else''s, and I don''t have any more talent than the average person. I grew up in poverty, so it was impossible for me to begin reading the moment I left the womb. The only thing I know is to read. To read is my method of cultivation and knowledge is my power, just as strength is the power of tigers and leopards. I represent Mount Li in challenging the Orthodox Academy. Do you expect me to give up on my own power? If I use my own powers to walk this world, why do I need to be ashamed about it? If I use my own powers to defeat my opponent, how is that preposterous?"
"That''s an absurd theory. I''m most skilled at sleeping, so if I were to compete with you on who could sleep the longest, you would also agree?" Tang Thirty-Six countered.
Gou Hanshi smiled and replied, "If the rules of the Ivy Festival had a rule about competing on sleeping, why shouldn''t we compete on sleeping?"
Tang Thirty-Six was stifled by these words. After quite a while, he sneered back, "Then how to carry out this literary test? Could it be that you want His Eminence the Archbishop to make up an examination paper on the spot? There''s no need for such trouble. It just so happens that none of us attended the second night of the Ivy Festival, so it would be much more straightforward if we just fought."
Gou Hanshi calmly replied, "If you insist on this, I also have no objectionyou can decide the method, and you can also decide the participants."
Everyone in the hall was a little astonished. Tang Thirty-Six also did not expect Gou Hanshi''s attitude to change so.
With Gou Hanshi''s words, Guan Feibai and the other young disciples of Mount Li expressionlessly stood up and walked behind him.
Seeing this sight, the crowd finally understood that they had misunderstood Gou Hanshi.
The so-called literary test was truly a certain win for Mount Li, but if it was a martial test, Chen Changsheng had not a single chance of winning.
There were not many people from the Mount Li Sword Sect in the southern diplomatic mission. Besides Elder Xiao Songgong, it was just these four youths.
Four Laws of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
Just then, Chen Changsheng spoke once more.
He looked at Gou Hanshi and said, "I agree with your argument. Anything obtained on the path of cultivation is one''s power, just as the food we put into our bellies becomes our strength. It is our freedom to do with that strength anything we want. By coincidenceI also am an ordinary person, and it just so happens that I''ve also read a few books."
They were both ordinary people who had both read a few books. It truly just so happened to be the case, it just so happened that they could compete.
"In the end, desires are difficult to satisfy."
The archbishop looked at Chen Changsheng and chuckled, seeming to hold some deeper meaning.
He then looked out of the hall.
The autumn breeze was chilly, and the lanterns of the Double Seventh Festival were only amongst the people and not within the palace, thus making the breeze seem all the colder.
The elder tightened his clothes and said, "If this match is not fought, when Qiushan Jun learns of this in the future, his desire will certainly not be satisfied. When Tang Thirty-Six was unable to attend the last two nights of the Ivy Festival, his desires were also not satisfied. These southerners also just so happened to not be in time to attend the last two nights, so let them fight. But it''s late, so do it quickly."
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...
The doors to the palace were opened, and the light of the Night Pearls was cast on the darkness, clearly illuminating the plaza in front of the palace.
Outside the Imperial Palace, the streets of the capital were still bustling and lively. In the distance, a person was hanging up an eternal lamp, while in the southwest corner, a flame tree was currently blazing.
Several hundred people stood on the stone steps in front of the palace hall, watching the two groups standing at the east and west sides of the plaza, all with different expressions. Some were completely unconcerned, some were taking delight in the misfortunes of others, some were inwardly concerned, but there was no tension.
In the past Ivy Festivals, the open conflicts and secret battles between the academies of the capital had never ceased, and so some fierce spectacles had always occurred. In this year''s Ivy Festival, the first night had hastily concluded due to Luoluo crippling Tianhai Ya''er, and nothing particularly exciting had occurred on the second night. On the third night, everyone believed that the highlight would be the marriage proposal of the southern diplomatic mission. In the end, a grand drama had truly been played out, but it was only now that an actual fight was about to occur.
It was just a pity that before this battle even began, the results had already been decided, so there was naturally nothing to be tense about.
Gou Hanshi would not personally step forth to competehis cultivation level was already much higher than those of his peers. Like Qiushan Jun, he had already left the Proclamation of Azure Sky and become a member of the Proclamation of Golden Distinction. Whether Luoluo or Tang Thirty-Six fought, he would always be suspected of the strong bullying the weak.
Earlier when he had proposed to have a literary test with Chen Changsheng, he had also considered this. The literary test only moved words, not the heavens and earth. There was victory and defeat, but no injury or death.
In this bout between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect, the Orthodox Academy could select the method and choose the opponents. The Mount Li Sword Sect seemed to be acting very generously, but there was truthfully not much difference. The disciples sent by the Mount Li Sword Sect to the capital were all members of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws. For the Orthodox Academy to achieve victory over any of them was very challenging.
"I originally planned to challenge the Fourth Lawthis guy knew beforehand."
Tang Thirty-Six pointed at Chen Changsheng and said to Luoluo, "But since tonight is fight between school and sect, I can''t act according to my own temper. The Fourth Law is the strongest, so he should naturally be handed over to you. I''ll try and challenge that fellow called Qi Jian."
Luoluo replied, "I have no objection."
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, "Our chances of winning aren''t big this way."
Tang Thirty-Six sneered at him, "I really wanted to use the horse-racing method of the past worthies, to use the weakest horse to compete with the strongestthe problem is that you''re truly too weak and it''s simply impossible to have you take the stage. It''s best if we try to win two in a row so as to save you the trouble of disgracing yourself."
(TN: This horse-racing method is to race the weakest horse against your opponent''s strongest horse, your strongest horse against their average horse, and your average horse against their weakest horse. It was proposed by the military strategist Sun Bin, a descendant of Sun Tzu, during the Warring States Period.)
Luoluo actually had an extremely firm confidence in Chen Changsheng, even though she had no idea where this confidence came from.
Just then, the people from the Mount Li Sword Sect walked out.
Walking at the very front was a youth, his appearance clean and young, his body thin and frail. He looked like he had not completely developed, seeming even younger than Luoluo.
This was the final and weakest of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, Qi Jian.
Qi Jian was the final disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s Master. His age was quite young, yet he was ranked in the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Only at a certain gathering two years ago when Zhuang Huanyu had beaten him by half a move did he fall to eleventh place, but not a single person would dare disregard him.
Because he was truly very young.
The Mount Li sword robe he wore was very loose. Flapping about in the wind, it made him seem rather cute.
Seeing this sight, Tang Thirty-Six sighed, "How can I even attack him?"
Chen Changsheng sighed and replied, "You speak like you can actually defeat him."
Tang Thirty-Six was quite furious, glaring at him.
Chen Changsheng chuckled in reply.
Tang Thirty-Six suddenly fell silent for a few moments, then he said, "If we are able to fortunately win two matches, then this guy won''t need to step out. If I lose, you should just concede as well, Luoluo. Losing two matches in a row, this guy won''t need to fight."
Chen Changsheng noticed that he had used the word ''fortunately''.
Although he had no fear, it did not mean that the blood had rushed to his head and made him lose his senses.
Tang Thirty-Six was well aware that his opponent was very strong.
Luoluo was somewhat confused. Why is that if he loses, I should just concede?
Could it be that Teacher not stepping onto the stage is even more important than the Orthodox Academy losing?
"Yes, the Orthodox Academy just has us few sparrows, so how is it shameful to lose to the Mount Li Sword Sect? Okay, it truly is still a little shameful, but that doesn''t matter, it''s fine as long as you don''t fight If you don''t fight, they won''t have any means of regaining the dignity that they lost today."
Tang Thirty-Six gazed across the plaza at that calm youth in the darkness and sneered, "Suffocate them to death!"
Saying this, he put his hand over the hilt of his sword and walked over to the other side.
75 The Swords of Youths
Why did the Mount Li Sword Sect want to challenge the Orthodox Academy? Because they had come to propose marriage for Qiushan Jun, but had been stopped by Chen Changsheng. Their dignity had all been lost, so they had to think of a way to recover some of it. Just as Gou Hanshi had admitted, only this way would they be able to calmly depart the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, even if it was only with great reluctance.
According to Tang Thirty-Six''s plan, no matter if the Orthodox Academy successively won or successively lost, Chen Changsheng did not need to step forward. Thus, the Mount Li Sword Sect would naturally find it impossible to recover their dignity. Luoluo thought to herself, although this is somewhatshameless, it also seems very interesting. Thus, she used her silence to represent her support. On the other hand, Chen Changsheng had actually wanted to talk a little with that Gou Hanshi who was said to be well-versed in the Daoist Canon and also say a few words to Tang Thirty-Six, but that fellow had already stepped onto the stage.
The bleak wind chilled the palace as Tang Thirty-Six stood on the plaza, his hand resting against his sword as he looked around. With his handsome appearance that exuded freedom and confidence, the female disciples of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and Holy Maiden Peak found him extraordinarily splendid. Yet they had no idea that before this person stepped on stage, he had made many very boring and even angering arrangements.
Examining Qi Jian''s thin and weak appearance from a distance of ten-odd zhang, Tang Thirty-Six froze. Then he remembered something and turned to Zhuang Huanyu, sighing, "Look at this kid. Just how small was he two years ago? And you still had the nerve to win."
Zhuang Huanyu naturally did not respond, only laughed grimly. His meaning was the same as Chen Changsheng''s earlier words: you speak as if you can actually win.
The Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws had the most resounding of reputations, but other than those who had truly met them, nobody would imagine that they had a child like Qi Jian amongst their ranks. When he paid respects to Tang Thirty-Six, his face was clearly rather nervous, even somewhat timid.
Tang Thirty-Six slightly frowned and asked, "How old are you this year?"
Qi Jian replied, "In another two months, I''ll be fourteen."
At this time, there was no way Tang Thirty-Six would let Zhuang Huanyu go. Looking at him, he clicked his tongue a few times, then he turned back to Qi Jian and asked, "So youngis it okay to not fight?"
Qi Jian''s expression turned a little solemn as he spoke like a little adult. "The academy used Her Highness''s identity, the elders'' promises, and the name of righteousness to suppress others. My senior brother is not present and cannot dispute, but how can the academy be innocent? As his junior brother, I naturally have to seek justice in the name of my senior brother."
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression also turned solemn as he refuted, "Wrong! The ones using the orders of the parents and the words of the teachers to suppress others is your group, and you''re the one using status to suppress others, attempting to suppress others in the name of righteousness. All these things were done first by your elders; we were just fighting back. As for your senior brotherhe wants to marry Chen Changsheng''s fiance, so how could it be that Chen Changsheng is the one mistreating him? Don''t forget, the engagement was before this. The White Crane is still right there."
Behind Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, the White Crane was resting its neck on a bronze pillar. In the darkness, its white was extremely striking.
Qi Jian fell silent for a few moments. He chose to speak no more as his small hand gripped the hilt of his sword and slowly pulled it from the sheath.
Just this simple action caused a formidable Qi to suddenly rise.
The thin and weak youth unexpectedly gave off the aura of a grandmaster stepping onto the stage.
The spectators in front of the hall suddenly grew silent. Xu Shiji and the others had strange looks on their faces, and even Mao Qiuyu''s expression turned serious.
Prince Chen Liu praised, "The Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws truly are extraordinary."
With a solemn expression, Tang Thirty-Six drew his own sword from its sheath.
Ever since he was a child, he had been famous for his talent and had always been proud and cold. When he came to the capital from Wenshui and entered the Heavenly Dao Academy, he was still so.
He knew that Qi Jian was the strongest opponent he had ever faced amongst his peers, and he knew that the profound techniques imparted by a sect like the Mount Li Sword Sect would be much stronger than the techniques passed down in his clan. If he studied in the Heavenly Dao Academy for two years, he might have a real chance of surpassing the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
But tonight, he still wanted to win.
He lowered his head to the ground and saw that in the crack in the stone next to his shoe, a blade of grass was growing.
He looked back to Qi Jian and said, "Come."
With a solemn expression, Qi Jian replied, "Please!"
The voice was still echoing through the quiet night air in front of the hall when that blade of grass in the crack suddenly bent backwards as if about to be snapped apart.
Gusts suddenly stirred as two blurred figures lunged towards the center of the plaza.
Boom!
Tang Thirty-Six and Qi Jian met, as did the swords in their hands. Countless harsh winds howled and danced around their bodies, blowing against their clothes, causing them to snap about like some torrential rain was falling upon the ivies outside the Li Palace!
Two swords met in the darkness, reflecting the starlight, a stream seeming to run across their surfaces. They were undoubtedly not ordinary swords.
"The Wenshui Sword!"
A person recognized the sword in Tang Thirty-Six''s hand. That sword as bright as a mirror, able to reflect the stars, was surprisingly the clan sword of the Wenshui Tangs: the Wenshui Sword!
The Tang Old Master had actually passed the clan''s sword over to Tang Thirty-Six to carry with him to the capital. This was a sign of just how much he doted on his grandson, a sign of what great hopes Tang Thirty-Six was bearing, and it was also a sign that the Tang clan had already decided to pass the clan into Tang Thirty-Six''s hands!
Some people were shocked because of the Wenshui Sword, but others were more moved by the sword in Qi Jian''s hands.
The sword in the thin and frail youth''s hands was pitch-black and emitted no light. It didn''t even have an edge and was somewhat wider than an ordinary sword. It looked not like a sword, but an iron ruler. Yes, this sword was the Iron Ruler!
The Iron Ruler Sword was the Relic Sword belonging to the elder of Mount Li''s Discipline Hall.
The Mount Li Sect Master had actually allowed Qi Jian to take this sword and travel the continent. From this, one could see what expectations he had placed on his final disciple!
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...
The Tang clan''s sword versus Mount Li''s sword: just which was the stronger?
This was what the spectators of this battle wanted to know the most.
At least for the moment, neither of these swords showed any sign of losing.
Tang Thirty-Six and Qi Jian simply did not hear the shocked cries of the crowd. Their minds were entirely on their swords.
With the intersection of these two swords as the line, two half-arcs of light appeared in the night sky, enclosing the youths within as they struggled against each other.
These half-arcs reflected the many stars in the darkness of the night sky, countless dangerous undercurrents of energy running beneath them.
Innumerable strands of energy shot from the tails of these arcs to behind the pair, tearing through the air.
The stone beneath their feet was completely unable to withstand this rending. With gouts of shattered stone and teeth-aching clattering, ten-odd cracks appeared on the stone plaza, quickly spreading out from the center like a spider web.
Mao Qiuyu, Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, lightly raised his brow. With a wave of his sleeve, an extremely pure Qi completely enclosed the stone steps in front of the palace hall.
He was one of the few experts in the world, his Daoist name Two Sleeves in the Breeze. All his cultivation was in the brushing of his sleeve. No matter how fierce Tang Thirty-Six and Qi Jian''s battle, it would be unable to involve the spectators on the stone steps, but he paid no attention to the people in the plaza.
With a cry, the White Crane flapped its wings and took flight. It soared through the darkness and came to rest on the roof of Weiyang Palace.
Jin Yulu stood in front of Chen Changsheng and Luoluo.
Xiao Songgong gripped his sheath and gave two low coughs.
When these ten-odd cracks reached these two, they suddenly stopped and found it impossible to continue forward.
Seeing this sight, the spectators were somewhat dumbfounded and shocked.
One was a long-renowned young expert while another was one of the legendary Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, and they were both ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. They both displayed a power beyond their age, but this was not enough to astonish the crowd so. What shocked them was the current situation.
Before the start of the fight, everyone believed that although the Wenshui Tangs were a great clan of one thousand generations, their inheritance was most certainly lacking when compared to Mount Li. In terms of only techniques and fundamentals, Tang Thirty-Six should have been inferior to Qi Jian, but since he was still older and had begun to cultivate earlier, he should at least have more true essence.
No one imagined that when these swords clashed, these youths competed in terms of quantity and purity of true essence, yet Qi Jian was not one bit inferior!
Many people did not understand why this was the case.
Tang Thirty-Six himself was well aware of the reason.
Even if he and Qi Jian possessed the same talent, the Purification and Meditative Introspection methods of the Mount Li Sword Sect would be stronger than the Tang clan''s. After long years of cultivation, even the smallest differences would ultimately become vast discrepancies.
And there was still one more crucial factor.
He was lazier than Qi Jian.
Although he had engaged in continuous and bitter cultivation over the past few months for the sake of the Ivy Festival and to challenge Zhuang Huanyu, not even visiting Chen Changshengit was just a few months.
He was the scion of a great clan, and just as Zhuang Huanyu had said, was born with a golden spoon in his mouth. Every since he was a baby, he had been doted on by the Old Master, lived a beautiful and blessed life. When his cultivation became just a little tough, his grandmother would blame the entire clan, so his maids would think of ways to have him slack off
And the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect had all grown up impoverished, Qi Jian no exception. Even if Tang Thirty-Six used his butt to think, he would still know that Qi Jian''s diligence in cultivation was certainly far above his own. Disregarding the fact that Qi Jian was still two months off fourteen, he had definitely spent more time in meditation than Tang Thirty-Six had
A clang suddenly rang out in the night sky.
The wind became erratic, as did those half-arcs of light reflecting the stars.
If it were a pool of water, it would be like some person had thrown a rock into this pool.
This was the first time the Wenshui Sword and Iron Ruler Sword had parted after they had met.
Then they clashed once more.
Instantly, the two swords clashed several dozen times.
The clang was the sound of swords clashing. Because it was too fast, too close together, the sounds blended into one.
The clang instantly rose up and then ceased. The wind instantly died.
Two figures suddenly parted and then quietly stood. It was just as before, separated by ten-odd zhang.
Tang Thirty-Six lowered his gaze to the ground.
At this time, the winds had calmed and the swords had ceased, and that blade of grass had long since stood back up.
But before, the blade of grass was beside his shoe, while now, it was in front of his shoe.
Tang Thirty-Six raised his head to look across at Qi Jian and realized that this thin and frail youth was still standing at his original position.
"Extraordinary."
He commented, "I originally believed that no matter what, I''ve still eaten two more years of meals than you, so at worst, I should be about the same as you. I didn''t expect that I would retreat half a step."
Qi Jian looked back at him and seriously asked, "Do you want to concede?"
Tang Thirty-Six felt like he had received an enormous humiliation, replying, "Do you think that I''m such a boring person?"
Qi Jian was somewhat mystified, asking, "Then why did you make that comment just now?"
Tang Thirty-Six solemnly answered, "I was making a self-criticismin the future, I truly can''t be this lazy."
Behind him, Chen Changsheng agreed, "It''s truly not right."
Qi Jian sincerely responded, "For you to recognize this is excellent."
"But that''s a matter for the future. Tonight, I still have to win against you."
Tang Thirty-Six''s clothes seemed to slightly swell, and his eyes seemed to faintly glow.
Qi Jian''s expression turned slightly apprehensive. Calming his mind, he waited.
76 Collapsing the Clouds into Disarray
Every one of the Wenshui Tang clan knew that their clan''s young master could not endure long battles. By not being able to endure, it did not mean that he could not keep up or had no stamina, but rather that he was impatient.
Tonight, Tang Thirty-Six acted very impatiently. His right foot took one step forward, the blade of grass was blown flat by the wind, and the Wenshui Sword in his hands reflected the vast sky of stars as it swept towards Qi Jian. Its sword Qi tore through the night, a fiery light faintly visible within.
"Gathering Evening Clouds!"
Someone amongst the spectators on the steps recognized this sword technique and cried out.
Tang Thirty-Six expressed all his true essence, his sword Qi filling the air. It really did seem like the night sky had been set ablaze.
The several wispy clouds slowly drifting over the plaza lit up in the fiery light and also seemed to be set ablaze, just like the blazing clouds at sunset.
Even more frightening was that these blazing evening clouds contained boundless sword intent, extremely swift and forceful sword intent.
The crowd was flabbergasted, thinking, this proud and impudent youth really did have a reason to be proud and impudent.
Gou Hanshi''s expression also grew solemn. He could imagine that after Tang Thirty-Six left Wenshui and cultivated in the capital''s Heavenly Dao Academy for several months, he would certainly have made some progress, beyond the strength that placed him thirty-sixth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Yet he had not imagined that he would make so much progress, that he would reach such a level.
The night sky blazed with evening clouds and sword intent raced forward in assault. Qi Jian''s thin and frail body tottered, his small face slightly pale, but there was no fear in sight.
With a soft shout, he placed the Iron Ruler Sword horizontally in front of his chest. It was like two mountain peaks over a river slowly drawing together, shutting out all the brilliance of the setting sun!
Tang Thirty-Six continued forward, fire all around him. His sword moved within it, tyrannical to the extreme. As it moved, it brightened, a ball of dazzling light forming at the tip of the sword!
The pitch-black plaza in front of the palace was first illuminated by the evening clouds and then was suddenly lit up as brightly as day. It was like the morning sun had risen in advance, or as if someone had pulled the setting sun back into the world!
"Hanging Sunset!"
Another cry of shock arose from the spectators.
Only now were those discerning experts able to finally confirm that Tang Thirty-Six had already grasped the true meaning of the Wenshui Tang clan''s sword style!
Gathering Evening Clouds!
Hanging Sunset!
A Stream of Maples!
The Three Forms of Wenshui!
(TN: The Three Forms of Wenshui take their names from the first line of a poem by Xu Zaisi, ɽϦ, ''Sunset at Xishan''. The line goes ''The evening clouds gather, the sunset hangs, a stream of maple leaves, two riverbanks brimming with reeds''.)
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The Three Forms of Wenshui was the Wenshui Tang clan''s strongest sword style. This sword style only had three techniques, but these were sufficient to affect the world.
With Tang Thirty-Six''s current level of cultivation, even after learning this sword style, he was definitely not able to express its full might, but it was already sufficiently powerful.
Even with his lazy personality, he had still engaged in focused cultivation an entire four years for the sake of this sword style. Coupled with his bitter cultivation over the last few months, he had finally cultivated it into proficiency. He had originally planned to use it at the Ivy Festival, perhaps directly crippling Tianhai Ya''er or using it at the critical juncture of his battle with Zhuang Huanyu, yet he never had a chance until tonight''s match with Qi Jian.
The front of the palace was abuzz with shocked discussions.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat puzzled, so he asked Luoluo, "What''s happened?"
"These three sword techniques are very powerful, swords of blazing death."
Luoluo continued, "But the reason for everyone''s shock, besides this point, is that no one expected Tang Thirty-Six to use his strongest technique the moment he stepped up."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, thinking to himself, is there something wrong with that?
"There''s no one that will use their greatest technique right after stepping on stage."
Luoluo knew that her teacher had no experience in cultivation or fighting. After thinking, she explained, "This wayis too improper."
It was truly very improper.
On the stone steps, whether it was the Temple Seminary and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, or Holy Maiden Peak and the other southern sects, those teachers and elders were just about to calmly narrate the details of this battle to their disciples when, contrary to everyone''s expectations, Tang Thirty-Six unleashed a grand technique right after the battle began. Now, victory and defeat was on the verge of being decided.
Those teachers and elders of the academies and sects had no time to speak. They could only sigh or be struck speechless.
In fights between cultivators, very rarely were major techniques used right at the start of a battle. Of course, this had nothing to do with confidence or bearing, nor did it have anything to with whether it was proper or not. The most important reason was that major techniques were the strongest techniques, deciding techniques. Using a major technique indicated that in the next moment, victory and defeat would be decided.
Only in those battles where the strong and weak were clearly distinguished would this sort of scene occur.
Those experts with absolute confidence in themselves would choose this method, and also those who clearly knew that they were weaker and could only put everything on the line.
Tang Thirty-Six''s and Qi Jian''s cultivation levels were similar. If this fight were to proceed at a normal tempo, at least a dozen exchanges would be required before the outcome became clear.
There was simply no reason for him to take such a risk, to decide victory or defeat on a single attack.
...
...
Tang Thirty-Six was not impatient, nor was he confident that he was too powerful, and it was even less likely that he had no confidence.
He knew that Qi Jian''s quantity and purity of true essence surpassed his by just a bit. If discussing the true meanings and profundities of sword styles, the Mount Li Sword Sect was also probably above the Wenshui Tang clan. If this battle continued, defeat would still ultimately rest on his body.
He wanted to win, so he had to go on the offensive to snatch victory.
Taking the offensive to snatch victory meant being the first to build momentum.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his trump card, the Three Forms of Wenshui. Two mighty and extremely terrifying sword techniques proceeded in spectacular fashion, directly enveloping Qi Jian.
This was what was meant by momentum.
He had thoroughly researched Zhuang Huanyu''s match with Qi Jian two years ago, and he knew what Qi Jian''s weakness was.
He believed that although two years had passed, with Qi Jian certainly getting stronger and strengthening his mind, that weakness had still not been eliminated.
Because a twelve-year-old child after two years was still a child two months from fourteen.
In the end, a child was still a child.
...
...
Children were too young in age, had too little experience. Critically, they could not bear as much pressure as adultsin the end, not everyone could be like Chen Changsheng, constantly living under the world''s most terrifying pressure from the age of ten.
Qi Jian was the youngest disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect, yet he was also one of the two people in Mount Li that took on the most pressure. The other person was Qiushan Jun.
When he was almost twelve, he was able to directly fight against the strongest student of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Even though he lost, it was still a feat capable of shocking the world. When that most legendary martial granduncle of Mount Li made one of his occasional returns to the mountain after traveling the four seas and learned of this fact, he gave this evaluation: "With this disciple, Mount Li will not decline for one thousand years."
How high the evaluation, how heavy the pressure.
Qi Jian had to cultivate and study under this pressure. At his young age, he grew quieter and quieter, becoming more and more like a little adult.
But just as Tang Thirty-Six had surmised, in the end, children were still children.
Tang Thirty-Six attacked with the Three Forms of Wenshui so that he could increase this pressure to the extreme.
Solely through this pressure, he wanted to make Qi Jian collapse.
...
...
Besides capable seniors like Mao Qiuyu, only Gou Hanshi immediately noticed Tang Thirty-Six''s intentions.
His expression grew increasingly solemn. He knew that as talented as his junior brother was, because of his age, he always had a weakness. Two years ago when he lost to Zhuang Huanyu, the world believed that it was because he was lacking in experience, had not cultivated for long enough. However, Gou Hanshi understood that his junior brother had ultimately lost because he had wavered.
The reason for this wavering was that Qi Jian had panicked, and the reason for this panic was that the pressure was too great.
Just as expected, when confronting the blazing sword energy of the evening clouds, confronting the white brightness akin to the setting sun on the tip of Tang Thirty-Six''s sword, Qi Jian seemed to maintain a calm expression. His Iron Ruler Sword was still composed and steady, his Qi had no signs of disorder, the two invisible mountains were still slowly closing shut, but Gou Hanshi could still seethat he had begun to panic.
Gou Hanshi''s forehead slightly creased.
Some people might feel that the intentions carried in Tang Thirty-Six''s sword intent were shameless, bullying the young, but he did not feel this way. Just as he had said earlier, as long as it was one''s own power, then it could be used. Since this was a fight, one''s mind or one''s ability to bear pressure were all prone to attack.
He only felt that it was somewhat of a pity. His junior brother was clearly stronger than his opponent, yet he would still lose because of his mental weakness.
Tang Thirty-Six''s figure had already reached Qi Jian.
The Wenshui Sword ignited all the clouds in the night sky. The blades of grass growing in the cracks of the plaza were transformed completely into a jade color.
The world was ablaze, the setting sun enveloping all the earth.
Qi Jian''s expression was still unswerving, the Iron Ruler Sword gradually forming into a mountain, protecting the clear stream in his heart, unwilling to let it run dry.
Tang Thirty-Six did not give him the slightest chance.
With a clear whistle, the Wenshui Sword began to fiercely tremble. Countless streams seemed to flow along the sword, ultimating transforming into a single great river.
The blazing evening clouds in the heavens, the setting sun at the tip of the sword, and the jade grass on the ground all fell upon this river, forming tens of thousands of golden coins.
The sword intent was completely withdrawn, the river waters lightly washed against their banks, and the green trees on the banks combusted into flames, transforming into the red maples of autumn.
This was the final move of the Three Forms of Wenshui.
A Stream of Maples!
...
...
A tinge of panic appeared on Qi Jian''s small face.
At this time, many people already recognized that he was about to lose.
The final disciple of the Sect Master of the Mount Li Sword Sect, without having any time to display the finer aspects of the Mount Li Sword Style, was about to sullenly lose.
Seeing the frustration and pain in his junior brother''s eyes, Gou Hanshi could no longer bear it.
He shouted towards them, "Clouds come, clouds go, far and near the mountains!"
(TN: Another line from a poem by Xu Zaisi, ͤ, the title of which translates to ''The Evening Pool at the Imperial Pavilion''. This line is part of the first line, going ''The waters shallow, the waters deep, flowing east or west. The clouds come, the clouds go, far and near the mountains''.)
When this voice entered Qi Jian''s ears, the youth did not understand. Why had his senior brother said these words at such a critical point?
These words were a less popular part of the Mount Li Sword Style, a very ordinary sword technique. To be more precise, this was a set of sword movements learned by all disciples after entering the sect to calm their hearts.
But just as he had acted in the past when practicing his sword in Mount Li, Qi Jian very obediently acted according to his senior brother''s instructions, doing so without the slightest hesitation.
He raised his right knee and slightly bent his wrist. The Iron Ruler Sword was swiftly drawn back, and his body lunged backward like a damaged lotus in the wind.
With this movement, those two mountains that were in the midst of collapse stopped in midair.
Tang Thirty-Six''s Wenshui Sword followed in pursuit. Releasing a massive burst of light in the night sky, it instantly arrived in front of Qi Jian.
Cha! Cha! Cha! Cha!
Several corners of Qi Jian''s robe were cut and a wound appeared on his shoulder. He looked extremely miserable, but he had actually succeeded in escaping Tang Thirty-Six''s sword energy!
No person had expected this conclusion.
The crowd was very sure that it was primarily because of Qi Jian''s retreat.
What was so mystical about this retreat? How was it able to escape the Three Forms of Wenshui?
Qi Jian clearly understood that what had allowed him to escape the Three Forms of Wenshui were his own movement techniques and sword intent.
But this was all premised on the retreat.
He first needed to retreat before being able to once more stand firm.
The retreat had been an admission that he was inferior, was going with the flow.
Whether the mountain peak was near or far at the time only depended on whether the cloud on the horizon was coming or going.
What Gou Hanshi had taught him was not any specific sword technique, but how to correctly confront pressure.
Because of his age, because of several objective facts, there would always be a time where he would not be able to bear the pressure.
To hold on in spite of adversity was admittedly quite courageous, but learning how to retreat was a sort of wisdom.
Gou Hanshi had used his own wisdom to help Qi Jian alleviate the overbearing pressure of Tang Thirty-Six''s Three Forms of Wenshui.
Now, it was Tang Thirty-Six''s turn to bear the pressure.
Qi Jian''s expression grew slightly more serene and his sword energy rose once more, swift and forceful like the boulders of a mountain.
But different from before, the Iron Ruler Sword in his hands went with the flow, rising up like a cloud.
Those two mountains were no longer slowly closing shut, but rathercollapsed!
His clothes furiously flapped in a strong gust of wind. The youth wielded his sword and stabbed, breaking through the setting sun, his sword carrying the momentum of an avalanche!
When the mountain face suddenly shattered, it collapsed the clouds into disarray!
With a groan, Tang Thirty-Six drew back his sword, his feet seeming to step on clouds as he retreated. His movements carried a sense of indescribable casualness and ease.
At this time, a thump resounded in the night sky.
The clash of the Wenshui Sword and the Iron Ruler Sword.
In but an instant, the situation had suddenly reversed.
In this single exchange, a wound had appeared on Tang Thirty-Six''s stomach.
His two feet touched down. The hand holding his sword at his side was shaking slightly.
He knew that he was already at a disadvantage, but he was still not the least bit panicked.
Just then, a voice came from behind him.
"Retreat again!"
Tang Thirty-Six heard Chen Changsheng''s voice and thought, what''s he playing?
How confident and at ease he would seem by calmly awaiting Qi Jian''s strike with his sword. If he retreated again, wouldn''t he look rather wretched?
This was what he thought, but for some reason, his feet retreated several steps.
Just as he left, an extremely deep crack appeared where he had stood a moment ago!
Tang Thirty-Six''s complexion slightly changed. Only now did he realize that Qi Jian''s sword intent had managed to stealthily and noiselessly approach him!
Only now was his opponent''s sword intent finally exhausted!
The collapsing mountain face had crossed the river and destroyed the red maples on the shore, but the boulder had tumbled even farther than imagined!
If not for Chen Changsheng''s warning, he would now be severely injured!
...
...
Very surprised, Gou Hanshi turned to Chen Changsheng.
The stone steps in front of the palace were completely silent. Everyone''s eyes were fixed on Chen Changsheng.
Tang Thirty-Six and Qi Jian had only crossed swords a few times, for a few moments, but both had been in extreme danger.
Gou Hanshi was able to see through the true meaning of the Three Forms of Wenshui and break it with a single shout, assisting Qi Jian in using the simplest of Mount Li''s sword techniques to respond, reverse, and strike. This sort of experience, this sort of wisdom, was truly worthy of praise. However, he was Gou Hanshi, so no one felt too shocked or surprised.
Yetwhy had Chen Changsheng been able to see through Qi Jian''s sword energy? Why did he seem uncannily familiar with the Mount Li Sword Style?
Could he be like Gou Hanshi, possessing an incredibly vast and profound amount of experience?
No person could believe this conjecture.
Xiao Songgong also could not believe it. He thought of that old affair from several hundred years ago and then stared across the plaza at Jin Yulu, his eyes even more resentful.
The silence over the plaza lasted for only a brief moment before being broken once more.
Chen Changsheng seemed to be unaware of those several hundred gazes on his body.
He drew back his gaze from Tang Thirty-Six and turned to Gou Hanshi.
"Falling Golden Flask!
"Heavy Sea Air!
"Shadow Cast on the Window!
"Hang the Sword in the Tall Forest!"
He said four phrases in succession.
They were the names of four sword techniques.
Four techniques of the Wenshui Tang clan''s sword style.
77 Pretty Good Youths
At Chen Changsheng''s shouts, Gou Hanshi''s expression turned grave.
"Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff!
"Stars Stitching Across the Day!
"Splendid Dew Withering Wu!"
He also spoke three phrases in succession.
These were three sword techniques.
Three techniques of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s sword style.
The two of them did not look at Tang Thirty-Six and Qi Jian, nor at the crowd with indescribable expressions on the steps in front of the palace.
They only looked at each other and rattled off techniques.
In reality, when Chen Changsheng said the first technique, Gou Hanshi had begun to respond.
Chen Changsheng''s second technique was a response to Gou Hanshi''s response.
Their voices echoed in front of the quiet and serene Weiyang Palace, echoed above the plaza and in the darkness.
Their voices were not loud, but they were very clear, especially in Tang Thirty-Six''s and Qi Jian''s ears. There, they seemed more like the sound of thunder, rumbling and booming!
With a solemn expression, Qi Jian raised his sword and gave a clear cry. In the darkness, his body dragged a trail of broken shadows behind it.
The pitch-black Iron Ruler Sword in his hands tore through the wind. Noiselessly, like a demon or god, it treated hard stone like cakes or pastries.
''Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff''!
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression suddenly became apprehensive and he raised his sword upside down in front of him. The second technique Gou Hanshi spoke of was Stars Stitching Across the Day. He did not know what that technique was, if it would be as powerful as Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff, but he could faintly sense that the three sword techniques Qi Jian used were a set. With each move, power was added on to the next!
If he used his own methods, he would probably be able to receive the first two techniques, but he had no confidence in his ability to deal with the final and most powerful attack.
Chen Changsheng''s voice was still ringing in his mind.
Those four phrases were extremely distinct, and he was extremely familiar with those four techniques.
At this time, he had no time to ponder about how Chen Changsheng knew his clan''s sword style. Subconsciously, he raised his sword and acted according to Chen Changsheng''s words.
The split second that he raised the Wenshui Sword, he realized that something was wrong.
Just how were these four sword techniques supposed to be used in succession!
The Falling Golden Flask was the seventh move of the Original Prosperity Sword Style, Heavy Sea Air was the eleventh move of the Founding Sect Sword Style, Shadow Cast on the Window was the third move of the Original Prosperity Sword Style, and Hang the Sword in the Tall Forest was the opening form of the Founding Sect Sword Style.
These were clearly sword techniques from two different sword styleshow could they be mixed together? The corresponding methods of circulating true Qi for these techniques were completely different, so how could they be forcefully connected? Could he not be afraid of true Qi reversing backwards and inflicting injury? He had been learning the sword styles of the Tang clan from his teachers ever since he was a child, but he had never heard that his clan''s sword styles could be used this way!
No matter how doubtful or confused he was, there was already no time to think.
Qi Jian''s sword was already in front of him. Behind the terrifying sword of Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff, the Stars Stitching Across the Day was already beginning to take shape!
Tang Thirty-Six hardened his heart as his sword used Falling Golden Flask!
Then it used Heavy Sea Air!
His true essence circulated through his meridians to his wrist, then it instantly sank down and returned upon a path it had never used before.
Only this way could Falling Golden Flask move to Heavy Sea Air.
Tang Thirty-Six had already prepared his mind for the backflow of true essence and the vomiting of blood from internal injuries.
Yetnothing untoward happened whatsoever.
His true essence easily traveled through the channels in his wrist, sinking into his Yangming meridian!
Not only was there no injury, that feeling of absolutely no hindrance whatsoever made him want to happily shout!
With a sudden boost of confidence, Tang Thirty-Six moved his sword like the wind, breaking the figure of Qi Jian''s sword bared in the darkness, turning from Heavy Sea Air to Shadow Cast on the Window!
There was still not a single problem!
His true essence circulated with abnormal efficiency. He even felt like these two sword techniques were not part of two separate sword styles, but should have been linked in the first place!
The countless crisp clashes of swords rang out in the darkness.
The spectators on the stone steps only saw Tang Thirty-Six''s movements become extremely strange, seeming just like a puppet with cut strings. In hasty retreat, his actions seemed very awkward, yet they also seemed like the natural and expected actions!
No matter how powerful Qi Jian''s sword energy, it was never able to trap him.
After these countless clashes, Qi Jian''s sword finally used Splendid Dew Withering Wu.
This was also the final technique of Gou Hanshi''s instructions.
It was a major technique of the Mount Li Sword Style. It used the frost that dyed the mountains, the loneliness of the solitary Wu tree on the cliff.
Hidden within the gorgeous sword intent was a desolate, life-stealing aura.
The Iron Ruler Sword seemed covered in ice, slowly pressing down everything in all directions as it came.
It was like the aura of winter creeping into the forest: slow, but unstoppable.
If he had not heard Chen Changsheng''s voice, Tang Thirty-Six would have probably chosen at this time to use his most violent sword technique, attempting to bring his opponent down with him or use this method of indiscriminate destruction to make another attempt at striking at Qi Jian''s weak point.
But now, he didn''t need to.
He only used a simple technique.
"Hang the Sword in the Tall Forest!"
This was the opening move of the Tang clan''s Founding Sect Sword Style.
At any other time, this opening move of the Founding Sect Sword Style would absolutely have no use whatsoever.
But earlier, Tang Thirty-Six''s sword techniques had succeeded at drawing with Qi Jian''s previous two sword techniques, simultaneously making preparations for this final strike.
Whether it was from angle, posture, circulation of true essence, or state of mind, all preparations had been made.
The tall forest was utterly dyed in frost.
He hung his sword above the solitary Wu tree.
He turned his wrist and held his sword horizontally.
The Wenshui Sword passed horizontally above the Iron Ruler Sword, carrying a spark of fire.
The sword did not injure Qi Jian in the slightest, but it stirred up a wind.
After this gust, his elbow struck the hand Qi Jian used to wield his sword.
Smoothly and cleanly, right on the target.
There was a light clap.
The Iron Ruler Sword whistled through the air and fell somewhere in the darkness.
...
...
Tang Thirty-Six retreated two steps and sheathed his sword.
Qi Jian lowered his head and stared at his empty right hand, somewhat at a loss. Only after a moment did he realizehe had lost.
In only an instant, his eyes moistened, and he was overcome with sadness and grief.
Seeing his look, Tang Thirty-Six became rather irritated. "What''s there to be sad about? You''re still stronger than me, and originally I wouldn''t be able to beat you, butthe Orthodox Academy just didn''t lose, that''s all."
He was a proud person so he had to make the distinction clearthe Orthodox Academy not losing did not mean that he had won.
Qi Jian tightly pursed his lips, not willing to cry, his stifled and small face turning deep red. Finally, in a sobbing tone, he said, "Many thanks."
Then he turned to his most trusted and respected senior brother, wanting to make clear just what had happened.
Gou Hanshi was looking at Chen Changsheng.
The plaza was absolutely silent.
Everyone was looking at Chen Changsheng.
Many people had no idea what had just occurred. Not even Tang Thirty-Six himself could describe it clearly.
When the crowd thought back, the crucial moment rested completely on that final wave of the sword and strike of the elbow. That single strike could truly be described as utterly wondrous, subtle and inexplicable.
But no one could imagine that the crucial point of this strike rested on the previous sword techniques.
The sword techniques that Chen Changsheng had stated.
Mao Qiuyu gazed at Chen Changsheng, somewhat surprised. Prince Chen Liu also looked at him, his eyes brimming with praise. Xu Shiji and the Qiushan clan head had abnormally ugly expressions while Mo Yu''s expression was extremely complex. Earlier, she had not been able to understand just how Chen Changsheng had been able to leave the Tong Palace. Only now did she understand that it turned out that everyone had underestimated this youth.
Tonight was the first time many people truly became acquainted with Chen Changsheng.
Including those people who had already met him, such as Xu Shiji and Mo Yu.
The many wrinkles on the archbishop''s face all relaxed as he said, "Pretty good, pretty good."
Everyone knew that the person he was calling ''pretty good'' was not Tang Thirty-Six, but Chen Changsheng.
...
...
78 Telling a Story in Four and Nine City
The silence in front of the palace was broken by Gou Hanshi. He looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "This is a historical record from the Returning to the Origin scripture?"
Chen Changsheng nodded and added, "The endnote to the second book."
Gou Hanshi slightly raised his brows, saying, "The names of these four sword techniques truly were recorded, but the author did not explicitly state their order."
Chen Changsheng replied, "Miscellaneous Notes of the Western Capital and Records of the Youyang Region all mention a spectating Daoist and describe the stories told by this Daoist. In reality, what happens in those stories is precisely the ordering of the phrases in the Returning to the Origin scripture."
Gou Hanshi pondered this explanation. Such records certainly did exist in those classics, but before Chen Changsheng mentioned them, very few people had ever associated them with the story in the Returning to the Origin scripture. The most important reason was that the Returning to the Origin scripture had not been deemed as a scripture by the Orthodoxy. Several hundred years after this book''s publication, the number of people who had read it was extremely small.
The crowd was confused at this conversation, completely mystified as to what he and Chen Changsheng were talking about.
Even figures like the extremely knowledgeable teachers of the academies and the Qiushan clan head felt like they were listening to a reading of the Heavenly Tomes.
The archbishop slightly frowned, asking Prince Chen Liu by his side, "What scripture are they speaking about?"
Somewhat unsure, Prince Chen Liu replied, "Apparently it''s some Returning to the Origin scripture."
The archbishop was rather irritated, questioning, "How have I never heard of it before?"
Only Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng remembered that there was a story recorded in the long-forgotten Returning to the Origin scripture. In the distant past, some ancestor of the Wenshui Tang clan engaged in a bloody battle with a demon expert in Xinxiang County. When none of the spectators had any hope of his victory, this ancestor of the Tang clan displayed four sword techniques in succession, killing the demon expert on the spot.
These four techniques were: Falling Golden Flask, Heavy Sea Air, Shadow Cast on the Window, and finally Hang the Sword in the Tall Forest.
This battle only became a recorded story, handed down until the present day, because all the spectators of this battle could not understand just how these four sword techniques could be linked together. Why had those clearly stiff shifts and changes suddenly become so smooth and casual after confronting the demon expert''s utterly chilling techniques?
"Why did you think about using these four techniques?" Gou Hanshi asked.
"The first technique being Falling Golden Flask was because of Tang Thirty-Six''s personality. He likes these sorts of unorthodox techniques, but you immediately responded with Mountain Spirit Splits the Clifftoo unyielding."
Chen Changsheng explained, "Your three techniques contained both rising momentum and falling momentum, ending finally in splendor, a mountain range covered in frost, all its power resting on the word ''desolation''.
Gou Hanshi replied, "Correct."
Chen Changsheng continued, "I couldn''t think of any sword techniques of the Tang clan that could firmly receive your three techniques, unless the Three Forms of Wenshui were used againbut you also probably understand Tang Thirty-Six''s temperament. In these sorts of circumstances, he wouldn''t do it even if you beat him to death, and I didn''t have the time to convince him."
Tang Thirty-Six rather angrily asked, "Just what sort of personality do I have?"
Chen Changsheng ignored him, continuing his explanation to Gou Hanshi. "Now that I talk about it, it truly was quite the coincidence. I just casually called out the Falling Golden Flask, but your response was so unyielding and desolate that I didn''t have many choices, so I naturally thought of the story in the Returning to the Origin scripture, thought of those four techniques the Tang clan''s ancestor once used."
Gou Hanshi pondered this explanation, then replied, "The demon expert that so miserably lost to the Tang clan ancestor truly did walk the path of desolation, his techniques leaning towards the cold and melancholy, but they''re still different from my Mount Li''s sword style. I also remember those four techniques in the Returning to the Origin scripture, yet I never imagined that they could be used in the situation just now."
Chen Changsheng answered, "I also did not know if these four techniques could be effective, butyou came too fiercely, Qi Jian wielded his sword too steadily, so I couldn''t think of any other method to break it. I could only try."
"Very few people know of the Returning to the Origin scripture, and even fewer know of those four techniques, and there are even fewer who could think of them and dare to try them in the situation just now."
Gou Hanshi evaluated, "You''re really quite good."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I was the first to call out techniques and also said one technique more. If you were to go first, the result might be different."
Gou Hanshi affirmed, "Correct. Fortunately, this is only the first match."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I heard Tang Thirty-Six say before that you are well-versed in the Daoist Canon, that you''re an extraordinary person."
Gou Hanshi considered this comment. On this aspect, it was truly impossible for him to be modest. He replied, "Earlier, I said that I just read a few books."
Chen Changsheng replied, "Earlier, I said that I also just happen to have read some books."
Gou Hanshi gazed at him in silence for a few moments, then said, "It seems that you''re very confident."
Chen Changsheng''s expression was calm. Clasping his hands in respect, he answered, "Please grant me your instruction."
The breeze gently blew, and the starlight spilled upon his face.
Earlier in the hall, Gou Hanshi had also said those words to him.
Now, it was his turn to return these words to Gou Hanshi.
It was just the order that had changed, but it signified many things.
When Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng first began their conversation, some people in the crowd on the stone steps in front of the palace were still whispering to each other, but later on, their discussions grew softer and softer until they petered out of existence.
Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng did not deliberately play out this scene of two talents sympathizing with each other.
But to the crowd, Gou Hanshi''s treating Chen Changsheng as his rival was already shocking enough.
The second match between the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy calmly began under this sort of atmosphere.
The participant from the Orthodox Academy was naturally Princess Luoluo.
Because Tang Thirty-Six had triumphed over Qi Jian, for the sake of Chen Changsheng not stepping onto the field, she had to win the second match.
She was very confident in her ability to do this.
But it was very obvious that no one else in the crowd felt this way.
Even Jin Yulu creased his forehead, not optimistic that his princess would be able to win.
Because her opponent was Guan Feibai.
The Fourth Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
At the same time, he was also ranked fourth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Guan Feibai walked onto the plaza, bowed to Luoluo, and then slightly raised his brow. He was not afraid, but instead rather depressed.
Luoluo understood what this person was thinking. She asked, "Are you not thinking that my fighting you is a very infuriating matter? Because you''re worried about injuring me, you can''t use your full power, and so you feel like your hands and feet are bound, completely out of sorts with your tyrannical personality? You feel that I am taking advantage of you?"
"I would not dare."
Guan Feibai expressionlessly said, "But Your Highness should understand very clearly that no matter what, I also do not dare injure you."
"I am a student of the Orthodox Academy. Since your Mount Li Sword Sect challenged the Orthodox Academy, it''s only right that I stand up. It would be best if you treat me as an ordinary student and use your full power. If you can''t do it and are overcome with misgiving when attacking, and I end up beating you like a dog, you can''t blame me."
Luoluo stared at him and concluded, "Because that''s your own choice."
The girl was very petite, much shorter than Guan Feibai, but when she raised her head to look at him, there was not a single emotion on her face, and she seemed to be looking down on him from high above.
A chill appeared on Guan Feibai''s face as he replied, "Your Highness''s words are reasonable."
In the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, his position was in the very center, yet his personality was the most narrow-minded, the most arrogant and unfeeling, violent and easy to anger. Even in front of Luoluo, he became furious.
"Everyone says that the ranks in the Proclamation of Azure Sky change at every moment, but they forget one thing: before these changes, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets will never make a mistake."
He stared into Luoluo''s eyes, enunciating each word as he spoke, "Four is four, and nine is nine. No matter what, nine can never surpass four."
(TN: The term ''Four and Nine City'' is another name for the capital of China, specifically Beijing. It refers to the four gates of the Imperial City and the nine gates of the inner city, Beijing having once been divided into an outer city, an inner city, and the Imperial City.)
79 Donglins Remote County and Its Seven Stars
The crowd had no response to Guan Feibai''s comment, but Chen Changsheng was rather shockedthe ''four'' and ''nine'' in this statement naturally referred to the rankings on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Guan Feibai was ranked fourth, so could it be that Luoluo was ranked ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky? He had only seen the rankings of the Proclamation of Azure Sky once on the wall outside the Temple Seminary, but he didn''t remember just which name was ranked ninth.
"In the inn outside the Mausoleum of Books, I said to you before that besides Xu Yourong, there were two other people on the Proclamation of Azure Sky that I didn''t want to provoke."
Tang Thirty-Six commented on the side, "A wolf cub from the north, and alsoa mysterious girl. Of course, she''s no mystery at all to you, sothere''s nothing very tasteful about this matter. Speaking of which, when will you let me find some sense of superiority in front of you?"
Chen Changsheng finally recalled that Tang Thirty-Six had mentioned that there was a mysterious demi-human girl who was ranked in front of Zhuang Huanyu. Many people had already guessed that this girl should be the Princess of the demi-humans. He then recalled that on the first night of the Ivy Festival, he had asked Luoluo how she knew Zhuang Huanyu. Luoluo replied that her position was too close to Zhuang Huanyu and it would be difficult to not know him.
Which position? Now that he thought about it, she was naturally not talking about neighborsthe Hundred Herb Garden bordered the Orthodox Academy, not the Heavenly Dao Academy.
This ''position'' was the position on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Even if Luoluo had no care for worldly matters, she would at least know the name and surname of the person right below her on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Chen Changsheng finally understood why even the proud Tang Thirty-Six had left Guan Feibai for Luoluo.
Luoluo''s expression did not change. Her right hand gripped the handle of the Falling Rain Whip as she gazed at Guan Feibai and replied, "If we only needed to look at the rankings, what need would there be to hold the Ivy Festival? What meaning would the Grand Examination hold? Who''s weaker and who''s stronger is ultimately determined through fighting, or else why would Tang Thirty-Six have been able to beat your junior brother?"
Guan Feibai indifferently answered, "That''s because a person was helping him with pointers."
Tang Thirty-Six was furious at this comment, yelling, "You speak like your senior brother doesn''t have a mouth!"
Gou Hanshi extended a hand to stop Guan Feibai. Looking at Luoluo, he calmly said, "Your Highness''s words are reasonable."
He then turned to Guan Feibai and said, "Junior Brother, in this match, you must earnestly use your full might. You absolutely cannot lower the might and prestige of the sect."
Guan Feibai argued no more. After a moment of thought, he unsheathed his sword and looked at Luoluo, saying, "Your Highness, please grant me your instruction."
Although the Great Zhou was strong and the capital vast, amongst this generation of youths, no one other than Xu Yourong was a match for this youth. If he only had his pride and his temperament that was constantly inflamed by rage, just what right would he have to be an inner sect disciple of Mount Li, much less one of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws?
When he held the sword in his hands, his expression instantly grew serene, and all arrogance vanished.
This arrogance now rested in his longsword.
It was a very ordinary sword.
The Mount Li Sword Sect naturally regarded a disciple of such shocking talent as Guan Feibai with great importance. Although they might not treat him like Qi Jian, bestowing the sword of the Discipline Hall, they would certainly have granted him a precious sword of surpassing sharpness, but he was not willing to accept it. He insisted on using this ordinary sword, because he had sworn an oath that until he surpassed his eldest brother Qiushan Jun, he would not change swords.
Everyone knew that Qiushan Jun''s sword was called Dragonscale, but only those disciples extremely close to him knew that the sword their eldest brother normally used was extremely ordinary. It was just a random sword forged in the blacksmith in the village at the base of Mount Li, only worth three taels of silver.
He regarded his eldest brother Qiushan Jun as the model by which he should live his life, the goal which he had to exceed, so he was also only willing to use a normal sword.
The sword was ordinary, but the person was not. As the crowd on the steps watched Guan Feibai slowly walk to the center of the plaza, their expressions subtly changed.
As he walked forward, the Qi of this arrogant and cold young expert grew calmer and lighter, but the sword in his hand grew stronger and stronger.
He placed all his mind on his sword.
"You aren''t worried?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Chen Changsheng''s profile and discovered that his expression had not changed, which surprised him somewhat. He only needed to see Guan Feibai take the ten-odd steps into the plaza, to see how his Qi condensed onto his sword, to know that he was definitely no match for this person. Although Princess Luoluo was ranked higher than him on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, how could she beat this person?
Chen Changsheng gazed at the plaza and replied, "Luoluo will definitely win; what''s there to be concerned about?"
Tang Thirty-Six was speechless as he thought, just because she calls you Teacher? Just where did such narcissism and self-confidence come from?
Everyone thought the same as Tang Thirty-Six. Upon seeing the powerful Qi and profound cultivation revealed by Guan Feibai, no one believed that Princess Luoluo had any hope of winning.
Only Chen Changsheng knew just what Luoluo had learned in these past few months in the Orthodox Academy.
Ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky? That was a matter of the past. Right now, not even he was sure just how powerful Luoluo was.
Watching Luoluo walk to the center of the plaza, seeing the breeze gently blow about her skirt, he suddenly developed a fierce desire.
In these months, the Orthodox Academy consisted of only him and Luoluo. What Luoluo had learned, the progress she had made, had all originated from him. Even if he wanted to be modest, even if he didn''t want to take on this achievement, it was impossible not toin other words, Luoluo was truly a student taught solely by himself.
He really wished to know: if Luoluo and Xu Yourong fought a match, who would be the victor?
He had not yet succeeded at Purification and it was impossible for him to cultivate. At present, it seemed that he would never have the right to carry out a conversation with that girl on the same level.
But Luoluo was his student.
If Luoluo could defeat her, might that not mean something?
This thought suddenly appeared and became difficult to wipe from his mind.
No matter what anyone thought of him, in the end, he was still a teen in the prime of his youth; how could he be lacking in the desire to excel over others?
...
...
Just when everyone believed that the second match between the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy was going to begin, a voice came from the darkness.
Lady Mo Yu gazed at the plaza and declared, "Your Highness, with your status, even the smallest danger is unacceptable."
The crowd was silent. This was the problem that everyone had earlier been concerned about, and the Mount Li Sword Sect had also mentioned it. Luoluo did not care, but this did not mean that the Great Zhou Imperial Court didn''t need to care. So then what of the match?
Gou Hanshi felt those gazes from the palace steps and understood the intentions of these important figures. After a moment of silence, he said, "Only compare techniques, and don''t use true essence."
Guan Feibai slightly raised his brows at these words, but said nothing.
Everyone was well aware that the demi-humans'' area of expertise was comprehension. Princess Luoluo was the White Emperor''s sole daughter, and her talent was naturally extraordinary. Her bloodline was on par with Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun. If not for the fact that demi-humans could not cultivate in human techniques, how would she have ended up ranked only ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky?
If, upon maturing, she were to learn the White Emperor clan''s secret techniques, her strength would naturally be treated differently, but at present, she was still not an adult. Since it was impossible for her to use human cultivation techniques to circulate true essence, the quantity and purity of her true essence would assuredly be lacking when compared to the disciples of Mount Li Sword Sect with their profound cultivation methods.
Gou Hanshi''s proposal to only compare techniques was tantamount to renouncing Guan Feibai''s greatest advantage.
Mo Yu''s statement and the gazes of the important figures on the steps were, from a certain perspective, quite unfair.
But Gou Hanshi had made this proposal of his own volition and Guan Feibai had used his silence to tacitly agree. The Mount Li Sword Sect was truly confident, the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws truly proud.
Luoluo did not expect this development. Out of habit, she turned to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was silent. He knew that Gou Hanshi''s proposal was a choice compelled from him by the pressure of those human experts. This method of competition seemed to favor Luoluo, but only he knew that it actually disfavored herbecause the problem of Luoluo''s meridians being unable to circulate true essence due to her demi-human nature had long since been resolved by him.
With the bloodline of the White Emperor, Luoluo had already built up a terrifying amount of true essence in her body in only a few months. In terms of total strength, she now even faintly exceeded Guan Feibai, or at least matched him. It was precisely for this reason that he was so confident that Luoluo had no chance of losing tonight''s match.
Now that they were competing in techniques and using true essence, the true loser of their greatest advantage was not Guan Feibai, but her.
Luoluo looked at Chen Changsheng.
Everyone looked at Chen Changsheng, somewhat confused. This was clearly a proposal to the benefit of the Orthodox Academy, so why was he so slow to agree?
Gou Hanshi thought that this youth was not willing to accept this arrangement out of pride, so he added, "You are also aware of the other intention behind this proposal."
He spoke not of the outcome, not of advantages of disadvantages, but of him and Chen Changsheng.
If they were only comparing techniques and not using true essence, then if this battle were to proceed as the previous one had, he and Chen Changsheng would inevitably open their mouths.
The two matches between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect would thus become one.
Gou Hanshi wished to use this one battle to put the Orthodox Academy back in its place.
Chen Changsheng looked back at Luoluo and nodded.
Luoluo calmly bowed and then turned.
Seeing this scene, the crowd was no longer as shocked as they were in the hall that she was actually being so respectful to an ordinary youthor perhaps their shock was weaker, because in the match between Tang Thirty-Six and Qi Jian, Chen Changsheng had proved a great deal.
Luoluo walked onto the plaza.
Guan Feibai raised the longsword in his hand with an indifferent expression, holding it horizontally in front of his chest.
His mind was already as still as ice. In his eyes, there was no weak and cute girl, no demi-human princess who was involved with the overarching situation of the continent, only an opponent.
Luoluo raised the Falling Rain Whip in her hands. The tip of the whip howled through the air and then paused in the darkness.
A distance of ten-odd zhang lay between the two. Unless they used true essence or sword Qi to attack, they would not be in the slightest danger.
At this sight, Mo Yu contentedly nodded and the other important figures in front of the palace also settled down.
As long as Princess Luoluo did not suffer the slightest harm, nobody cared about the final outcome of the contest between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect.
No, the important figures gazed through the darkness at Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng standing on opposite ends of the plaza, very curious to know which would be the victor.
...
...
Luoluo raised the Falling Rain Whip, but the one to start was not her. Instead, it was Chen Changsheng, standing far behind her.
Any other proud young man or woman, such as Tang Thirty-Six or Guan Feibai, might feel rather unhappy, or at least somewhat conflicted, but Luoluo did not. The several months she had lived in the Orthodox Academy had planted a sort of understanding deep within her heart: everything Teacher does is correct, everything Teacher does is for my benefit.
So when she heard Chen Changsheng''s voice, she raised her whip like a sword and, without hesitation, stabbed at Guan Feibai ten-odd zhang away.
"Rising Flurry."
This was the first stance of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, and also its opening move.
To open the battle with this sword technique surpassed everyone''s expectations, because it was far too surprising.
Everyone believed that the first technique Chen Changsheng would have Luoluo use would be some extremely esoteric or extremely powerful technique of shocking wind and sobbing rain.
No one expected him to come out with such an ordinary technique.
The Rising Flurry of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong only stirred a storm. There was nothing shocking about it, and no sobbing sounds could be heard.
It was just like he was playing chess and he placed his first piece on the three-three position. It was unremarkable, so commonplace that it was remarkable.
(TN: Chess here refers to Go, which has a nineteen-by-nineteen grid as a board. Three-three is a corner position and is a classic opening move.)
Some people were even disappointed.
...
...
The Falling Rain Whip flicked through the air, howling with a frightening might. In truth, Luoluo had not used her true essence, so this sword technique had all the form, but none of the spirit. From a distance of ten-odd zhang, it was naturally unable to wound Guan Feibai, but since this was a competition, he naturally had to receive the technique. The many seniors and experts in front of the palace all viewed the match, thoughts of victory and defeat in their eyes.
Normally, if confronted by such a commonplace and ordinary sword technique, Guan Feibai would assuredly just casually respond. However, tonight, it was not people that were fighting, but the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect. For the Mount Li Sword Sect which had seemed able to control even the forces of nature to directly challenge the Orthodox Academy, which had already wasted away for ten-odd years, was already quite enough to shame the disciples of Mount Li Sword Sect. This was not even taking into account the fact that the junior brother that they had the most trust in had lost to a student of the Orthodox Academy, which had placed an enormous pressure upon them. Thus, he needed to very prudent. He waited for his senior brother''s opinion.
As expected, Gou Hanshi''s voice rose from the darkness.
"Donglin Seven Star Sword, third move."
...
...
Silence.
The crowd watched the long sword in Guan Feibai''s hand produce image after image in the night sky, yet they had no idea what to say.
Chen Changsheng slightly frowned. He confirmed that he had never seen this sword style before.
The Daoist Canon was like the ocean, and those sword styles recorded or mentioned in it were similarly vast. The sword styles containing the word ''star'' were difficult to count, and there were ten-odd styles containing the phrase ''Seven Star''.
But he truly had not seen this Seven Stars sword style before, nor had he heard of it.
He said, "The final move."
Saying ''the final move'' without mentioning the sword style meant that this was naturally the final move of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
The final move was called ''Embrace the Rain into the Bosom''.
It was meant to both restrict and defend, the most rigorously defensive technique in the entirety of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
Chen Changsheng had not heard of the Donglin Seven Star Sword, so he could only seek to minimize mistakes.
...
...
"Ingenious."
Mao Qiuyu, Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, lightly stroked his long beard and sighed.
As an expert of the capital, his assessment naturally held the gazes of many others.
Xu Shiji asked, "Has Principal seen this sword style before?"
"I have not."
Mao Qiuyu shook his head and concluded, "So it is ingenious."
A voice suddenly rose from the crowd. "It''s the sword style of Donglin County''s Clear River Sect."
The crowd searched for the voice and saw that its owner was an inconspicuous young student belonging to the southern diplomatic mission.
A person asked, "The Clear River Sect? How have none of us heard of it before?"
The young student became rather nervous at all these gazes. He muttered out an explanation, "It''s a very small sect. This student is a member of the Clear River Sect, so I know of it."
Mao Qiuyu sighed, "It really is ingenious."
80 From the Wilderness to the Temple
The crowd finally confirmed that the person Mao Qiuyu was praising was Gou Hanshi, not Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng''s having Luoluo use a very commonplace technique was actually the best choice of an opening move. The first to move would wait while the second to move would break, therefore the first to move should act defensively so as to present no technique for their opponent to break.
In Mao Qiuyu''s view, this was an excellent choice, but anyone could think of it, so it could not be considered ingenious.
As for the technique Gou Hanshi had responded with, anyone could tell that there was nothing exquisite about itjust how could some small and obscure sect of Donglin County possess some exquisite sword style? However, at this moment it was ingenious because Chen Changsheng was just like everyone else present: he had not seen this sword style before.
To speak in a refined manner, Gou Hanshi''s response was like an antelope hanging its horns, leaving no trace to be found. To speak in a coarse manner, he was casually spreading rice seeds over the fields and ceasing to care. As for what this rice paddy would grow come next year, even if it might grow into a field of millet, he had no idea.
(TN: This refers to a myth in ancient China that when an antelope slept at night, it would hang its horns on a tree.)
Then how could Chen Changsheng know?
...
...
Embrace the Rain into the Bosom was Chen Changsheng''s response.
Although she was just acting out the technique, Luoluo still had a focused expression, her mind completely focused on her whip. This technique was displayed to her satisfaction, to an almost perfect level.
Gou Hanshi said another technique.
Just as before, no one in the crowd knew the origins of this sword technique. Only when some student from the countryside who had passed the Grand Examination''s pre-examination called out in shock did the crowd come to know that this sword technique had been developed in some run-down temple in a mountain on the outskirts of Wenshui. In that part of the countryside, it was actually rather famous.
Tang Thirty-Six''s complexion was rather unsightly as he thought to himself, I grew up in Wenshui and I''ve never even heard of this sword technique. Gou Hanshi lives in Mount Li year-round, so just how did he come to know of it?
"Exquisite," the woman veiled in white from Holy Maiden Peak sighed.
Chen Changsheng had Luoluo use the seventh move of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong to respond.
Gou Hanshi immediately responded with another technique, once more a sword technique from some remote and tiny sect that no one knew of.
Chen Changsheng once more responded.
...
...
In the blink of an eye, Luoluo and Guan Feibai, separated by ten-odd zhang, had used ten-odd techniques. The crowd on the steps did not turn silent. On the contrary, their discussion only grew louder.
The crowd aimed gazes brimming with admiration at Gou Hanshi. To actually know so many obscure sword techniques, he was truly too extraordinary.
Xu Shiji slightly nodded and the Qiushan clan head was pacified once more, both very content with the current situation.
Some people looked at Chen Changsheng and found this youth also quite extraordinary. This was because under his instruction, Luoluo had only used the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong yet was able to receive all the extremely obscure sword techniques of Gou Hanshi. There were even two occasions where the same technique was used twice, yet two different results were achieved.
And in the eyes of those people, there was still one more extraordinary person: the Fourth Law of the Divine Kingdom, Guan Feibai.
For Gou Hanshi to know so many obscure sword techniques could be attributed to his profound knowledge. The whole world knew that he was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, had extensively read many books, and the Mount Li Sword Sect held countless sword manuals. Although admirable, it was not beyond expectations. However, what did it mean that Guan Feibai was able to display each technique he spoke without hesitation?
This meant that Guan Feibai knew all these obscure sword techniques and that he even had a complete grasp of them!
There were innumerable Daoist techniques in the world, and the sword styles were beyond reckoning. There were some obscure sword styles that no one present had heard before, but he knew them all!
Just how much time had he expended? Just how much perseverance and patience were required?
"The Mount Li Sword Sect truly deserves its reputation. No wonder so many excellent youths have been appearing from it in these past few years"
Mao Qiuyu gazed at Guan Feibai, his expression complex as he sighed.
Hearing this, the spectating crowd came to their senses. The students of the Ivy Academies, especially the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy, felt thoroughly ashamed.
Just then, there was a sudden change in the match.
With Gou Hanshi''s voice, Guan Feibai''s sword techniques suddenly shifted from those obscure sword techniques to the most commonly seen sword style of the profound orthodox method.
This sword style was the Mountain Gate Sword of the southern sects, frank and upright, brilliant beyond compare.
This was also the sword style Guan Feibai was most skilled at. In the continent''s current generation of youths, when solely considering mastery in this sword style, Qiushan Jun was undoubtedly ranked first, and he was second.
Seeing those suddenly majestic sword techniques on the plaza, seeing the longsword firmly proceeding through the darkness, the crowd finally turned silent.
Many people knew of this sword style, and quite a few had learned this sword style, but to be able to practice this sword style to this level, to perfectly display its sword intent without using true essence? Not a single one of them could do it.
Tonight, Guan Feibai had done this, at the same time giving those young students on the stone steps in front of the palace hall a good lesson.
According to Gou Hanshi''s voice, Guan Feibai proceeded with the Mountain Gate Sword, instantly increasing the pressure on Luoluo. For the first time, her still-childish face revealed a hint of graveness. There was nothing strange about her opponent''s sword style, but following after those obscure sword techniques, a very peculiar tempo had been created.
She had been using the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, the Rising Flurry to Descending Mount Dong, preserving her own tempo, but with her opponent''s change, her tempo was disrupted and she vaguely felt herself being pulled into her opponent''s tempo.
She had to make a corresponding change to escape her opponent''s tempo.
How should this change be made?
Guan Feibai''s sword seemed to hold the power to set fire to the plains, striking at the night, as he gazed expressionlessly at her.
It was her turn to use a technique.
...
...
Luoluo felt the pressure, and Chen Changsheng felt an even greater pressure. He had not expected for Gou Hanshi to, at a moment that no one had expected, go from the remote counties and forests straight back to his sect''s mountain gate. For a moment, he was caught somewhat unprepared.
Gazing across the plaza at the calm Gou Hanshi, he was forced to admit that this person truly was extraordinary.
In battles between cultivators, what was important was real power. The ''real'' was true essence, while power was a more complex concept. It could be sword techniques, cultivation method, magical treasures, and it could also be one''s psychological state. It was like playing chess: regardless of how thick the pieces were, in the end, what mattered was the changes in the state of the board.
To change straight from the Seven Star Sword of a remote province to the Mountain Gate Sword, to return from remote lands to the temple, this sort of change of tempo was extremely tough and sudden. Even more frightening was that this sort of sudden change had greatly intensified the sword intent of the Mountain Gate Sword, all the way until it seemed to condense into real power. Just what sword technique could be used to break it?
It was an extremely simple change, yet it contained Gou Hanshi''s unfathomable intellect and experience.
Chen Changsheng knew that he was on the verge of losing. He had also become well-versed in the Daoist Canon as a child, and in the Orthodox Academy''s library, he had read relentlessly, yet the time he had to formally touch upon cultivation was not more than a few months. In terms of both knowledge of various cultivation methods and fighting experience, he was still far from Gou Hanshi.
He did not want to lose, and wanted even less for Luoluo to lose because of him.
Perhaps it would be difficult tonight to win over Gou Hanshi, this genius who seemed to have a grasp over all the world''s cultivation techniques, but he at least did not want to lose.
At this moment, his preserving such confidence had not much to do with that Dao which he had cultivated since he was a childfollowing his heartbecause he believed that Luoluo was stronger than Guan Feibai.
So first of all, he could not lose to Gou Hanshi in terms of techniques.
Countless Daoist scriptures appeared, the books on cultivation from the Orthodox Academy''s library and those sword style manuals constantly appearing before his eyes, ruffled by the ever harsher and more imposing sword wind. The sword techniques used by the past experts and their experiences transformed into pictures and flashed past.
Which technique should he use?
...
...
81 A Battle That Will Immediately Go Down in History?
The vagrants in the wilderness rarely walked the official roads, and the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong just so happened to have an officious air about it. People of a temple might feel afraid that climbing a mountain could be laborious, but they would still be able to find means for dealing with sword techniques. This being the case, when Gou Hanshi lightly spoke and Guan Feibai''s sword seemed to have a mind of its own, instantly going from the wilderness to the temple, the longsword straightforward and upright, noble and stately, how could it be broken?
In an instant, countless possibilities flashed through Chen Changsheng''s mind, yet he could not find a single way of breaking it. A powerful sword technique like the Three Forms of Wenshui, which brought blazing death, would probably be able to deal with it, but he had never taught it to Luoluo, and those strange and dangerous sword techniques he knew were above Luoluo''s current level of strength.
Now, he finally felt a feeling that he had never experienced before, recalled those words that he had never thought would apply to him: ''It is when you are using what you have learned in books that you wish you had read more books than you have.''
He had read countless Daoist scriptures, but there was truly a massive gap with regards to his knowledge on cultivation. Of course, the three thousand scriptures of the Great Dao encompassed all knowledge in the world. As long as he was given two years, he was absolutely confident in his ability to convert the contents of the Daoist Canon into knowledge of cultivation, even daring to speak of victory against Gou Hanshi, but right now, he still could not do it.
He had read too few books, and in the end, there had just been too little time.
If he had enough time, he could know even more, and could also teach Luoluo even more.
But right now, he could not find a sword technique that could help Luoluo break Guan Feibai''s Mountain Gate Sword.
Seeing Luoluo''s childish face, seeing the focus on her brow, seeing the absolute confidence in her eyes, Chen Changsheng felt rather ashamed.
He did not attribute this predicament to Luoluo''s not knowing all the sword techniques he knew, because this was the equivalent of pushing the responsibility onto her. On that night in the Orthodox Academy, he and that girl met for the first time. After that night, she placed all her trust on him, so he had to bear all the responsibility.
If possible, he was willing to act just as he had on that night, standing in front of her to confront the net, or sword, falling from the heavens.
But tonight, he could only stand behind, to help her confront her foe.
At this moment, Chen Changsheng''s eyes suddenly glowed for an instant.
He thought of that night in the Orthodox Academy, thought of that demon expert, and thus, thought of a way.
If he could not break the sword, then he could momentarily avoid it, just as Gou Hanshi had taught Qi Jian earlier. As long as he could avoid the transition from wilderness to temple''s first strike, his opponent''s sword energy would be exhausted in the following attacks. It would no longer be so powerful without equal, its sword intent no longer boundless without the slightest gap.
How to avoid this strike was naturally also a rather difficult question.
If a sword technique could not be found to break it, then they should use a movement technique to break it!
"Xue Qing!
"Bing Hu!
"Yu Xuan!"
Chen Changsheng took one step forward and shouted out three phrases.
These were three stars in the night sky representing three locations. At the same time, they represented three different dodging postures.
In this world, only one movement technique could be so simply yet so precisely described.
Luoluo grasped her whip, the tip of her feet slightly moving, her body slightly swaying.
A stream of clear wind stirred up over the plaza.
For some reason, she had appeared several zhang away!
Guan Feibai''s sword struck nothing but air!
A soft ''oh'' came from the stone steps in front of the palace, a reflection of the crowd''s surprise.
The hand Mao Qiuyu was using to stroke his beard stiffened.
Gou Hanshi''s expression became extremely solemn as he subconsciously took a step forward.
"Yeshi Step?"
The movement technique Luoluo had just used truly shocked many people.
Because it looked very much like the Yeshi Step used by the demon experts of Xuelao City!
Only after a moment did Mao Qiuyu and the other powerful figures present make out that it was not the true Yeshi Step, but a simplified version, or perhaps a simple movement technique that looked superficially similar.
But this was already enough to escape Guan Feibai''s sword!
Gou Hanshi''s expression was still solemn, still in deep shock.
Even if it was only the simplified version, or a move with the same appearance, to be able to simplify it or imitate it was enough to prove that this person understood the Yeshi Step!
The Yeshi Step was an internal secret of some demon tribe!
Where did this youth learn it?
"Thirteen Returns to the West!"
Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng continued to speak, not paying attention to the shocked gazes of the crowd nor glancing at Gou Hanshi.
After using the imitation Yeshi Step to help Luoluo avoid Guan Feibai''s Mountain Gate Sword and all its accumulated energy, he decided to counterattack!
When he spoke the words ''Thirteen Returns to the West'', his eyes were very clear.
Because his mind was very calm.
He was calm because he was very confident that in the next moment, Luoluo would obtain victory.
Thirteen Returns to the West was the sword technique of some tribe in the north. In truth, the sword style to which this technique belonged had no name, but if one insisted on the name, then in the ''Records of the Return North'', some virtuous predecessor of the Orthodoxy had recorded it as the Sword Beyond the Wall.
No one knew this sword style, and even Chen Changsheng had only skimmed it a few times from a book under the prayer mats of Xining Village''s old temple when he was ten years old.
This book was not in the three thousand scriptures of the Dao. It was only a travelogue, a simple travelogue.
Previously, Gou Hanshi had used the Donglin Seven Star Sword and other such obscure sword techniques from small sects to put him and Luoluo in a difficult situation. Now, it was his turn to use an even obscurer sword technique to win!
Right now, Luoluo and Guan Feibai were separated by ten-odd zhang, both under the Eastern Star, and the locations of the stars were just right. This was precisely the situation he had been waiting for.
The positions of the two were ideal for the extraordinary splendor of the Sword Beyond the Wall to burst forth, for the mad gale to mow down the grasslands!
As long as Luoluo used Thirteen Returns to the West, then with the ability she had obtained in these several months of bitter cultivation, this match was certain to end in the Orthodox Academy''s win.
Gou Hanshi''s gaze had never left Chen Changsheng.
He saw the composure and confidence in Chen Changsheng''s eyes.
He heard the name of the sword technique Chen Changsheng called out, yet he could not think of which sword manual it originated from.
There was a sword technique in this world that he did not know?
Somewhat shocked, Gou Hanshi stared at Luoluo''s hand, preparing to respond, yet he discovered that for the first time in these sorts of matches, he felt a lack of confidence.
There was only silence in front of the palace, the wind noiselessly blowing across the plaza.
Many people sensed that this sword technique was meant to be Chen Changsheng''s winning blow.
Everyone gazed at Luoluo, waiting to see just how mighty this Thirteen Returns to the West was.
After quite some time had passed, Luoluo finally moved.
She turned to Chen Changsheng and said rather pitifully, "Teacher, I also don''t know it"
In front of the palace hall, Mao Qiuyu sighed.
"Thirteen Returns to the West? Long time no see."
His face was somewhat emotional, somewhat sentimental, somewhat sorrowful, yet also tinged with a smile.
"If Her Highness knew this technique, the Orthodox Academy would have probably won tonight."
...
...
There was no ''if''. Luoluo had not been able to use the legendary Thirteen Returns to the West, so the battle continued.
It was just an interlude.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat startled, yet he did not feel any sense of setback. On the contrary, this interlude had let him shake off all his tension, and he immediately spoke the name of another technique.
He once again returned to the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
Gou Hanshi gave a faint smile and responded once more with the Donglin Seven Star Sword.
In a single response, or perhaps in a single moment of harmony, the situation returned to what it was in the past.
It was a quiet beauty like a tiny breeze and fine rain falling in a green forest.
But just when the spectators felt things calming down, the wind and rain suddenly increased in speed.
"The seventh move."
"Mountain Gate Sword eleventh."
"Zhou Sect Sword return."
"Golden Crow Sword opening."
"Falling Golden Crow!"
"Third Sword!"
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi''s voices got faster and faster!
The moment one spoke a technique, the other immediately responded. Earlier, there would be the occasional pause, time required to think, but now there was no pause between the two, not a single break!
The spectators almost didn''t have time to listen, so just what time did the two have to think!
Their voices became faster and faster, so Luoluo and Guan Feibai naturally began to use techniques at a faster and faster speed.
In a few moments, the two had each used several dozen techniques.
The sword styles of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s various halls and mountain gates were all displayed with Guan Feibai''s single sword.
The old sword techniques of the past on the yellowed papers in the Orthodox Academy''s library reappeared today through Luoluo''s hands.
There was no slackening, no rest.
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi continued to call out techniques.
Luoluo and Guan Feibai continued to use them.
Sword intent like the wind raged through the darkness. Sword intent like the rain flooded down to the ground.
With the passing of time, countless sword techniques and countless movement techniques were displayed on the plaza in front of the Weiyang Palace.
Some sword techniques were clearly from different sword styles, but they were spoken together by Chen Changsheng or Gou Hanshi, then used together by Luoluo or Guan Feibai, actually connecting like a rainbow, as if the connection was natural!
Some sword techniques were clearly famed as part of a combination sword style, yet they were forcefully broken apart by Chen Changsheng or Gou Hanshi, only having Luoluo or Guan Feibai use the latter part of the sword style after ten-odd moves, yet surprisingly producing results!
The crowd on the steps watched in stupefaction, occasionally shouting out cries of alarm.
"This way is also okay?"
"What sort of technique was that?"
"Teacher, this technique is too unreasonable, isn''t it?"
"Martial Uncle, do you know this technique?"
The night was late, the many stars twinkled, and the sky was filled with sword glows.
Tonight, this match between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect meant to open a fresh path between the two had the spectating teachers and students of the capital, and the people of the southern diplomatic mission, so enchanted that they seemed idiots.
The deep knowledge and ability displayed by Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi was shocking, but the two people on the plaza raising their swords made the crowd want to prostrate themselves in admiration.
From the beginning until now, Chen Changsheng and Guan Feibai had already called out several hundred sword techniques. Other than the Thirteen Returns to the West, Luoluo and Guan Feibai had been able to use them all, and without a single flaw or mistake, to an almost perfect level. Just how difficult a task was this!
Principal Mao Qiuyu''s earlier evaluation had already shamed the students of the capital''s academies. The Mount Li Sword Sect''s nurturing of its disciples had truly surpassed the Great Zhou Dynasty, as the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws were truly all extraordinary people who diligently and persistently cultivated. But what about the girl, the White Emperor''s sole daughter who had such an incomparably lofty status? How had she been able to endure so much hardship, to learn so many sword techniques?
The cries of alarm gradually grew softer and the sounds of discussion gradually vanished.
The silence in front of the hall represented reverence.
As Mao Qiuyu gazed at the plaza, he suddenly said, "The battle in Luoyang between Zhou Dufu and His Majesty Taizong probably did not surpass this."
Hearing these words, those important figures close to him instantly had a change in expression.
Xu Shiji was quiet because he had no idea what to say.
Prince Chen Liu said in surprise, "Principal, where do these words come from?"
Just what sort of person was Zhou Dufu? The man publicly acclaimed as the strongest man on the continent in a thousand years! And what sort of person was Emperor Taizong! Tonight''s battle between the students of the Orthodox Academy and the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect was admittedly marvelous, but how could it be compared with that battle in Luoyang that had gone down in history?
"Their current selves are naturally far from Zhou Dufu and His Majesty Taizong."
Mao Qiuyu emotionally sighed, "But when the battle in Luoyang took place, Zhou Dufu and His Majesty were at the prime of their lives, and just how old are these two?"
...
...
82 Luoluos Sword
Hearing Mao Qiuyu''s statement finally made the crowd recall the ages of the four people on the plaza.
The oldest was Gou Hanshi, but he was no more than twenty.
Guan Feibai was eighteen.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were even younger.
They were all still young, one of them at Ethereal Opening, two at the upper level of Meditation, and there was even Chen Changsheng, not even having succeeded at Purification. Any random senior expert in the crowd spectating on the stone steps in front of the palace could easily defeat them, let alone Zhou Dufu or Emperor Taizong.
They were truly very young, so young that it was impossible to ascertain their futures. Tonight, they had already displayed a level that shocked the world; just who would be able to judge how far they would walk in the future?
The crowd quietly watched the flurry of swords and listened to the names of the techniques, their moods complex. In their view, the final outcome of this match between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect was truthfully no longer that important. Perhaps it would be better to say this: tonight, there would be no loser.
But Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi did not think this way, nor would Luoluo or Guan Feibai. On the sides of the plaza, Tang Thirty-Six, who was more nervous than anyone else, and Elder Xiao Songgong, whose face was growing increasingly resentful, as representatives of the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect, thought only of triumphing over the other side.
No one knew how much time had passed.
They truly did not know.
The several hundred spectators and the two sides on the plaza had completely forgotten the passing of time.
The speed of Chen Changsheng''s and Gou Hanshi''s words did not slow, but their voices were gradually getting hoarse.
The speed at which Luoluo and Guan Feibai used sword techniques also did not slow, remaining precise and steady, but their breathing was gradually getting hurried.
Finally, at some point, Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi simultaneously stopped speaking.
All movement techniques, all foot techniques, all sword techniques had been used. The water had sunk, revealing white stone. (TN: This final line is evoking the image of the waters of a river dropping all the way until the white stones at its bottom are revealed. The line originates from ''An Account of the Old Toper''s Pavilion'' by Ouyang Xiu.)
At some point, the ten-odd zhang between Luoluo and Guan Feibai had vanished in a manner through which no one had noticed.
The two looked at each other, the Falling Rain Whip and the ordinary longsword silently meeting in the night sky.
This match had lasted for a very long time. Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi both took a step forward.
Luoluo and Guan Feibai had used several hundred sword techniques, used countless movement techniques and foot techniques, crossing the ten-odd zhang of distance.
At the final moment, the two sides met, whip touching sword.
This was not a mutual understanding but seemed a part of nature itself. Thus, it was very beautiful.
This testing of swords had finally reached this moment of meeting. The time of ending had finally arrived, not because the lamp had run dry of oil, but because the setting sun was sinking below the mountains.
The Falling Rain Whip and the longsword had already met. Since they could not use true essence, it was naturally impossible to continue.
This intense, even dazzling and resplendent battle had actually ended in a draw. This was truly beautiful, completely in accordance with the aesthetics of cultivators.
All around the palace was silence.
Even after a very long time, it was still silence.
Suddenly, someone began to clap.
The person clapping was Principal Mao Qiuyu.
Afterwards, Prince Chen Liu, the archbishop, and then everyone else, including the Qiushan clan head and Xu Shiji with their awful complexions, began to clap.
The clapping was in fits, rising and falling like a storm, intermixed with sighs of emotion and praise.
The crowd was praising the demeanor Luoluo and Guan Feibai had displayed in this competition of swords, and also praising the vast knowledge and ability Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi had displayed before the crowd. This was especially the case for Chen Changshengmany people looked at this youth and thought in shock, this person is truly worthy of Princess Luoluo''s deep respect. If he cultivated, would he not become the second Gou Hanshi?
The archbishop whispered a few words to Priest Xin behind him. Priest Xin accepted the order and took his subordinates to the plaza to go to Chen Changsheng''s and Gou Hanshi''s sides to offer recuperative medicines from the Li Palacemany people believed that Luoluo and Guan Feibai had greatly exhausted themselves in this match, but only the archbishop understood that it was Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi who had depleted their mental faculties to a frightening level. It was doubly true for Chen Changsheng who had not begun to cultivate, making it impossible for him to use true essence to nurture his mind. If he did not promptly take medicine, he might suffer some grave injury and even suffer some residual effects.
Defying everyone''s expectations, Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi did not take the medicine or even glance at it.
They were still staring at the plaza, staring at Luoluo and Guan Feibai.
The spectators finally noticed the peculiarity on the plaza.
Luoluo had not withdrawn her whip, nor Guan Feibai his sword. Neither of them had any intention of retreating.
The crowd once more fell silent, staring in astonishment at this scene, mystified as to what would happen next.
Not willing to accept a draw?
Could this match possibly still have not concluded?
...
...
Luoluo and Guan Feibai paid no attention to the countless gazes on their bodies because they had even closed their eyes.
The Falling Rain Whip and the longsword had met in the night sky and had still not parted.
They kept their eyes closed, relying on the faint trembling transmitted through their palms to sense the will and thoughts of their opponent.
Luoluo''s clothes were drenched in sweat, releasing a white smoke into the slight chill of the autumn night, making her seem just like a fairy.
Guan Feibai''s eyes were closed, his two eyebrows like swords. A bead of sweat slowly made its way down his face, making him seem just like the final and matchlessly valiant general on the battlefield.
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi quietly gazed at the plaza, their faces somewhat pale, but they did not speak. They had each done everything that they possibly could so as to not have Luoluo or Guan Feibai lose in this competition of swords. Now, what would decide victory and defeat in this match would not be them, but those other two who had fought for such a very long time.
Without any warning, Luoluo and Guan Feibai simultaneously opened their eyes.
The longsword suddenly rose up and casually lashed out!
Several white threads suddenly appeared in the darkness, the turbulence from the sword cutting through the air!
Gou Hanshi''s eyes began to glow.
He recognized that this sword style was not a part of the Mount Li Sword Sect, not a part of any sect. It was solely Guan Feibai''s.
This was a sword style Guan Feibai had created by himself and that carried his own name: Flying White! (TN: Flying White is a literal translation of Feibai. It is also an actual calligraphy style noted for using a brush that is not dipped in very much ink to write characters that end up with the center of the strokes being white from lack of ink.)
Flying White was a calligraphy style, its style one of flying strokes, a parched brush connecting all and a striking white in between the letters!
This sort of calligraphy style required a parched brushstroke and what it chose was a parched essence!
This sword style was assuredly not Guan Feibai''s strongest sword style, but it was assuredly the sword style that had engraved itself the deepest in his body!
From inside the hall to outside, the perpetually arrogant Guan Feibai had suffered too much humiliation tonight, had held it in for far too long. Even in this endless battle with Luoluo, he had been suppressing his anger, coldly, even cruelly moving his sword according to the instructions of his senior brother, all the way until this moment
Tonight, he had already suppressed himself for far too long.
Yes, his lamp had still not run dry because he had never used his true essence, but his rage and arrogance had simmered for so long that his reserves had almost boiled away.
At the final moment, he finally released the energy he had suppressed for the entire night. This energy was extremely powerful, seeming as if it could fly, carrying a parched essence!
Without needing true essence, only relying on such formidable sword intent, he would be able to defeat any opponent!
...
...
The moment Guan Feibai moved his sword, Luoluo also moved.
Just what sword technique should she use to respond to her opponent''s Flying White?
The Falling Rain Whip suddenly tightened, becoming extremely straight, just like a branch that had been chosen with utmost care.
She stared into Guan Feibai eyes, not even glancing at or caring for his sword. Gripping her whip, she stabbed at him with no hesitation or delay in her actions!
Yes, there were no tricks, no changes, no sword intent or accumulated energy.
She held her whip like a sword and simply stabbed forward.
The Falling Rain Whip was like a branch. It had no need to rise, only move forward and then fall.
Just like how Chen Changsheng in the library of the Orthodox Academy had used the tree branch to poke at her body.
In this stab, she naturally did not use true essence, yet a fierce buzz droned through the night sky.
It could be imagined just how fast she was.
It could be imagined just how many times she had practiced this stab.
This was something that none of the crowd had been able to understand. The majority of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s disciples were born in poverty, so they practiced their swordsmanship relentlessly and possessed an unusual determination, but how could Princess Luoluo, the sole daughter of the White Emperor, endure so much pain?
In White Emperor City, no one dared to discipline her, so she was naturally not taught to be this way.
Chen Changsheng dared to discipline her, but she acted so clever and intelligent, so what was there to discipline?
The Orthodox Academy truly did have a teaching stick, but it had no other use than Chen Changsheng instructing her on how to circulate true essence.
Luoluo had practiced it herself.
For some reason she wanted no one else to know, from the moment she began to think, she had always yearned to be strong.
So she cultivated with great diligence, practiced the sword with great bitterness.
...
...
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi stared at the plaza in silence.
Luoluo''s and Guan Feibai''s final attacks seemed to have nothing to do with them, but in truth, they still had something to do with them.
The lessons they had taught to Luoluo and Guan Feibai in the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect were all displayed in these final attacks.
That Luoluo and Guan Feibai would have this opportunity to use these final attacks was truthfully also the result of them exhausting their minds.
Since they could not accept a draw, there would certainly be victory and defeat.
Who would win and who would lose? Would the sword be more powerful or the whip even faster?
The crowd stared, their expressions tense.
Guan Feibai''s sword howled through the night sky like a parched brush, a whip wielded in the hands of a god.
Luoluo''s whip stabbed through the night sky like a tree branch, a sword wielded in the hands of a god.
...
...
The sword rose.
The whip rose.
The sword fell.
The whip did not fall.
...
...
A hint of pain appeared in Guan Feibai''s eyes, quickly replaced by a sense of incredulity.
He lowered his head to his stomach. The clothes there had been broken and the Falling Rain Whip stuck out of it like a sword. Blood slowly seeped out.
He raised his head to Luoluo, shocked and furious. He wanted to ask something, but no words came out.
Blood trickled down from the corner of his lip.
The Falling Rain Whip had not advanced far, as Luoluo had already stayed her hand.
His injuries were very light. Blood was trickling from the corner of his lips not because of Luoluo''s whip, but because his anger, unwillingness, and all his other emotions had exploded, wounding his heart.
"Concede."
Luoluo drew back the Falling Rain Whip, clasped her hands, and bowed. With a calm expression, she turned and walked back to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng looked across through the darkness at Gou Hanshi, slightly bending his body and clasping his hands.
After a moment of silent thought, Gou Hanshi returned the gesture.
Chen Changsheng turned to Luoluo, a faint smile appearing on his slightly pale face.
Seeing him smile, Luoluo also happily laughed.
This competition of swords had finally reached a conclusion.
Victory and defeat had already been assigned.
Luoluo had won over Fourth Law Guan Feibai.
The Orthodox Academy had won over the Mount Li Sword Sect.
No one in the crowd had expected this sort of result beforehand.
The entire place was absolutely silent.
Suddenly, there was a voice.
"If we could use true essence, that final strike of your whip wouldn''t even be able to break my skin."
Guan Feibai gazed at Luoluo''s back, his face pale, refusing to accept this result.
Luoluo stopped.
83 The Resounding Crack of a Whip
As a member of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, as the fourth-ranked young expert on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, Guan Feibai was worthy enough and confident enough to be proud. Tonight''s competition of swords was, in his view, unfairan emotion only intensified by his unexpected loss to Luoluoso he felt that he could still be proud and self-confident.
However, losing was losing, and his proud self had originally planned to keep his silence, but that changed upon seeing Chen Changsheng''s smiling face and hearing Luoluo''s laughter. He found Chen Changsheng''s smile repulsive, Princess Luoluo''s laughter grating. Thus, he found he could not restrain himself from speaking those words that he had originally been prepared to keep at the bottom of his heart.
Yes, he could not accept this result. His final sword technique was named Flying White and its parched strokes were like threads of iron. If he could use true essence, then when the sword energy rose up, a curtain of iron would stand in front of him. No matter how simple and piercingly cold Luoluo''s final stab was, it would have been simply impossible for it to break through his sword energy and wound his body.
Luoluo turned around to him and, seeing his expression, knew what he was thinking. Raising her brows, she said, "Iftrue essence could be used, then I would have broken through your defense on the seventy-sixth move."
She spoke very indifferently, but also with an unquestionable certainty.
Guan Feibai''s expression subtly shifted as he recalled the situation at the time. The spectators in front of the palace also began to recollect. After a period of solid contemplation, everyone unexpectedly came to the same conclusion: yes, if true essence could be used, then the sword technique of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong that Chen Changsheng had Luoluo use at that time could have directly struck the zhongfu point and obtained victory.
"The problem is, even if you could use true essence, you wouldn''t be able to use that technique."
Guan Feibai felt like he had understood everything and coldly declared, "Let alone that particular sword technique, even those sword techniques of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong that you used at the very beginning wouldn''t be usable with Your Highness''s current level of cultivation. All Your Highness has is the form!"
The noise of discussion gradually began to rise from the crowd. Everyone, including the senior experts such as Principal Mao Qiuyu, had to admit that Guan Feibai''s words were reasonable.
The greatest problem with demi-humans cultivating in human techniques was that the meridian networks of the two were vastly different, resulting in problems arising when circulating true essence. At present, the demi-human experts of the continent, including Jin Yulu who had earlier taken action, perhaps had some interaction with human cultivation methods in their youth, but upon reaching adulthood, they all still learned the secret cultivation methods of the demi-humans.
In tonight''s competition of swords, Princess Luoluo had used human sword techniques and so must have cultivated with human methods. Logically speaking, if she could not reach the upper level of Meditation, it would naturally be impossible for her to use some of the mightiest techniques of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
No one had brought up this matter earlier because it had already been decided that neither side would use true essence, testing more the skills of Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi. Of course, the abilities of Luoluo and Guan Feibai were also tested, but since those sword techniques she used only had the form and were also in accordance with the rules of the match, no one could criticize her.
Only when Guan Feibai broached the matter did the crowd feel that this match was even more unfair to the Mount Li Sword Sect than they had earlier thought.
The wind blew across the dark palace. On the roof of the palace, the White Crane had buried its head in its feathers, seemingly already asleep.
Nobody spoke, only gazed at Luoluo.
Although no one criticized or denounced her, nor dared to rejudge the battle, the meaning behind those gazes was exceptionally clear.
Gou Hanshi shook his head, indicating that Guan Feibai should return.
Luoluo saw the look in the eyes of those humans and slightly raised her brow, a sense of discomfort in her mind. However, she said nothing more, turning and making her way towards the edge of the plaza.
Guan Feibai looked at her back and gave a noiseless sneer before also turning around.
The two walked away, backs to each other, gradually distancing themselves all the way until they had almost returned to their respective groups, separated by several dozen zhang.
Just then, Luoluo suddenly stopped.
Then, she did one thing.
She gripped the Falling Rain Whip and casually lashed it against the ground.
The whip rose like the wind and fell like the rain, precisely the most powerful technique of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
A crisp crack!
The Falling Rain Whip, brimming with true essence, struck like a sword against the incredibly thick ground!
For just an instant, the ground in front of the palace hall seemed to tremble!
Instantly, a massive crevice opened in the ground.
Dust and bits of stone shot out of the crevice, seeming like thousands of moths under the starlight!
Who said that there was a problem with demi-humans cultivating in the techniques of humans?
Just where did the might the Falling Rain Whip had displayed just now come from!
Who said that it was impossible for her to use the mightiest technique of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong?
Just what was that whip strike then!
...
...
At the crisp crack, Guan Feibai suddenly turned.
He had not seen the movement of Luoluo''s whip, but he saw the traces of true Qi in the night sky and heard the cracking of the ground.
He looked to the ground and saw a crevice spreading towards him, ultimately terminating around a foot from his position.
The dust and stone burst from the crevice and clattered to the ground.
His pupils contracted and his face instantly turned pale.
He could guess which technique of the Wind and Rain Sword Luoluo had used: precisely the sword technique he had said she would not be able to use.
When they were competing in swords, they had been separated by ten-odd zhang, while now, they were separated by several dozen.
Right now, her sword intent could reach to right in front of him, so what about back then?
He finally understood that, through some inexplicable method, his opponent had long since broken through that threshold between demi-humans and humans, and completely grasped the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong!
This being the case, if their match had not forbidden the usage of true essence and was a true battle, would he not still have lost?
In this extremely brief moment, he thought of many things, calculated countless possibilities, and came to the stunning conclusion that there was not the slightest chance of him winning!
Could he truly be inferior to her?
The crack of Luoluo''s whip was still ringing through the night, echoing deep into the Great Zhou Imperial Palace.
It was a very crisp sound.
Just like a slap.
When Guan Feibai thought of his cold and arrogant words, he felt his cheeks burn.
His pale cheeks turned slightly red.
The spectators on the stone steps were similarly shocked. They stared at the crevice in the ground and Princess Luoluo quietly standing next to Chen Changsheng with the whip in her hand, too stunned to speak for a very long time.
They also felt that Princess Luoluo''s Falling Rain Whip had fallen upon their bodies!
The immature demi-human who was seldom heard of had actually cultivated in human techniques to nearly break through into the Ethereal Opening Realm!
Just how had she managed to do it?
Mo Yu gazed at Luoluo, her delicate brows slightly knit, with heavier matters on her mindthe blood of the White Emperor clan was actually this powerful?
...
...
"I did not expect that Your Highness had managed to overcome that barrier."
Gou Hanshi looked at Luoluo and continued, "Congratulation, Your Highness, but I do not know"
"Yes."
Luoluo knew what he meant. Turning to Chen Changsheng, she bowed in deference, declaring, "Many thanks to Teacher for your instruction."
Gou Hanshi turned to Chen Changsheng. After a long period of silence, he uttered, "Admirable."
This admiration was true admiration.
...
...
84 Carriages in the Nigh
In terms of scholarly knowledge, no person could surpass Gou Hanshi, and very few people had ever earned his admiration. Tonight, Chen Changsheng had accomplished this.
He looked at Gou Hanshi and said, "I am not worthy of such a compliment."
"You are worthy." Gou Hanshi seemed somewhat sorrowful as he looked at this youth who earlier had not been worthy of the slightest attention from him.
He thought of his astonishingly talented eldest brother, thought of the marriage. He came to the sudden realization that, without a noise, his confidence in his senior brother had been somewhat shaken.
"The last technique her Highness used just now" He wanted to ask Chen Changsheng something, but didn''t know if it was appropriate, so he stopped in hesitation.
"Just what do you want to ask? Just quickly leave! Or do you still want to stay and disgrace yourself?"
The ashen-faced Elder Xiao Songgong yelled. After shooting a resentful glare at Jin Yulu, he angrily flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.
With a slightly bitter expression, Gou Hanshi clasped his hands to Chen Changsheng and said, "Farewell."
Chen Changsheng returned the gesture, replying, "See you again."
"We truly will see each other again."
Gou Hanshi calmed down and said to him, "I greatly anticipate how you and the Orthodox Academy will perform in the Grand Examination. I hope that you will continue to bring pleasant surprises."
Chen Changsheng understood his meaning and did not reply.
Gou Hanshi turned, bringing his junior brothers of the Mount Li Sword Sect to disappear into the darkness of the Imperial Palace.
All in front of the Weiyang Palace was silent.
Too many things had happened in tonight''s Ivy Festival, bringing far too much astonishment.
The marriage between Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong, which had been anticipated by the entire continent, had been brought to a halt by the marriage contract in the hands of the youth called Chen Changsheng.
He was a student of the Orthodox Academy.
Princess Luoluo had made her identity known.
She was also a student of the Orthodox Academy.
The young master of the Wenshui Tang clan had withdrawn from the Heavenly Dao Academy.
He had become a new student of the Orthodox Academy.
All these things were associated with the name of the Orthodox Academy.
Thus, the formidable Mount Li Sword Sect had acted according to the rules of the Ivy Festival to challenge the Orthodox Academy that had withered away for so many years.
Ultimately, the Orthodox Academy won.
And it was an unquestionable victory.
The ups and downs and the surprising conclusion had, for the moment, left many people in a state of utter disbelief.
The crowd looked in the direction of the Orthodox Academy, intending to view those three people, the young men and woman, with a renewed focus, finding it even more difficult to accept the events of tonight.
The vast majority of gazes were fixed on Chen Changsheng, even though he was far inferior to Luoluo in terms of status. However, he was Xu Yourong''s fianc, Luoluo''s teacher, and the current spokesperson of the Orthodox Academy. There were far too many reasons for him to draw the gazes of the crowd.
The crowd clearly understood that after tonight, the Orthodox Academy that had lain dilapidated for so many years might finally walk along the path of rebirth, and that this new student of the Orthodox Academy would no longer be that obscure and ordinary youth. He was about to become the center of discussion for the entire capital, even the entire continent.
The crowd looked at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng only looked at Xu Shiji.
Xu Shiji clearly understood why this youth was looking at him, so his face was ashen.
At his side, the archbishop smiled and commented, "Even though this son-in-law can''t compare to Qiushan Jun, he''s still not bad."
Xu Shiji''s complexion turned incredibly unsightly.
The archbishop gave a hearty laugh and then left, saying no more.
The crowd in front of the palace gradually dispersed.
Principal Mao Qiuyu descended the stone steps and took Tang Thirty-Six aside to say a few words to him.
Mo Yu walked up to Chen Changsheng, her eyebrows slightly arched. She wanted to ask about just how he had managed to escape the Tong Palace, but upon seeing Luoluo stare at her like a miniature tiger, she could only bitterly smile and say, "I say, Your Highness, don''t bear a grudge against me for tonight''s matter. I also had no other choice."
The cry of a crane suddenly resounded through the sky.
The crowd looked up and saw the White Crane fluttering away.
It had come to the Great Zhou Imperial Palace tonight to deliver a letter and meet a person.
All these things done, it naturally left.
Watching the White Crane gradually disappear into the night sky, Chen Changsheng felt like he had forgotten something.
He looked in the direction of that abandoned garden in the depths of the Imperial Palace and nodded his head to give his regards.
...
...
A convoy of carriages was making its way towards the Li Palace.
This was the convoy of the southern diplomatic mission.
Compared to their jubilant arrival in the city, the convoy now was quiet, the mood extremely oppressive and downcast.
A cough would occasionally rise from the convoy.
Gou Hanshi, his brow creased and face slightly pale, held up a handkerchief to his mouth.
He didn''t want his coughing to disturb too many people, especially Elder Xiao Songgong in the carriage ahead.
In tonight''s match, although he had not personally stepped forward, the conversation he had carried out with Chen Changsheng across the plaza had consumed an enormous amount of mental strength. Even though he had taken the medicine gifted by the archbishop after boarding the carriage, he was still in some pain.
"I did not expect that the youth called Chen Changsheng would be so extraordinary."
Gou Hanshi raised the curtain of the window and looked back at the palace through the darkness, sighing, "Fortunately, he can''t cultivate, or else we would truly be in trouble."
Guan Feibai and his other two junior brothers were also in the carriage compartment. Hearing his words, they all had rather peculiar expressions.
They knew what their second brother meant by ''trouble''. There was certainly concern for their eldest brother in his words.
Because the youth called Chen Changsheng was Junior Sister Xu Yourong''s fianc.
"Will Junior Sister really marry him?"
With a slightly gloomy expression, Guan Feibai said, "The entire south has seen how Eldest Brother has treated Junior Sister Xu over these past few years. Just what is Junior Sister thinking? She even had the White Crane come specially to deliver a letter? Did she not think about what position this would put Eldest Brother in?"
"How can you blame this matter on Junior Sister Xu?"
Gou Hanshi sighed as he spoke, but he also didn''t say just who should be blamed for this matter. After all, this matter had been decided by their teachers and elders. As disciples, it was not their place to criticize it.
The carriage was very spacious. Gou Hanshi, Guan Feibai, and the Fifth Law sat on one side while Qi Jian sat across from them. The thin and delicate youth had his head lowered, seeming very pitiful.
Guan Feibai looked at him and slightly frowned, but his tone became somewhat gentler. "I lost to Princess Luoluo, a true loss. Your loss to that fellow Tang Thirty-Six was an accident; don''t be too sad about it."
Qi Jian raised his head, his small face covered in shame and grief.
Gou Hanshi smiled, saying, "The Grand Examination isn''t far, just a few months away. At that time, just return tonight''s loss in full."
His junior brothers calmly agreed, because this was a matter that was only proper and expected.
In tonight''s Ivy Festival, although the Mount Li Sword Sect had lost to the Orthodox Academy, few people truly believed that the Orthodox Academy was stronger than the Mount Li Sword Sect.
There was no need to speak of those rules and not much thought needed to be placed on Princess Luoluo''s unexpected strength.
On the day of the Grand Examination, the Orthodox Academy would not have the smallest chance.
Because the rules were different, because they were the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, and because at that time, Gou Hanshi would personally take part.
Gou Hanshi looked out the window at the streets of the capital. He began to cough once more, his brow creasing.
...
...
Tonight''s Ivy Festival was destined to be remembered by many people and very difficult to wipe away. If some hatred existedlike amongst a few people of the southern diplomatic mission, like the Qiushan clan head who had come in excitement and left in disappointment, like Xu Shiji who had been dealt a hefty slap from Chen Changsheng''s marriage contractthis hatred would become a grudge.
Chen Changsheng would not hold a grudge over tonight''s events, although he truly did hate being imprisoned in the abandoned garden. Truly, when he was at the bottom of the Black Dragon Pool and believed that he was about to die, he was truly filled with resentment, but so many things happened afterwards that now, when he sat in the carriage heading towards the Orthodox Academy, he found it hard to feel any hate, so he naturally would not hold a grudge.
This was the Hundred Herb Garden''s carriage. Jin Yulu was not willing to sit inside, so the compartment only contained the two young men and the one young woman. They sat on the soft embroidered cushions, looking at the scattered lanterns outside the window like stars in the night sky. For a very long time, nobody spoke, and the only sound was the rolling of the carriage wheels across the gray flagstones, a sign that they had arrived at the road that ran along the Luo River.
Chen Changsheng looked out the window, suddenly chuckling to himself.
Tang Thirty-Six was currently eating grapes. Upon seeing Chen Changsheng''s appearance, he almost spit them out, teasing, "Truly foolish."
Luoluo felt that this was somewhat rude to her teacher and was quite displeased.
Chen Changsheng ignored him. He continued to look out the window, a smile on his face.
For some reason, he was not coughing like Gou Hanshi.
Tonight was the Double Seventh Festival, a time when lovers showed their deep affection for each other. However, it was very late at night and the two banks of the Luo River were no longer as lively as they were earlier. The willow branches by the river finally obtained a period of rest while the lantern boats floating on the river seemed even brighter, like innumerable stars. Their light entered through the carriage window, shining upon the youth''s face.
Luoluo propped her arm under her chin and gazed at Chen Changsheng''s profile illuminated in the bright luster of the lantern boats, thinking to herself, tonight, Teacher truly looks handsome.
Tang Thirty-Six finished eating his grapes and used a towel to wipe his hands. He moved to Chen Changsheng''s side and looked out the window, but he didn''t find it very interesting. This sight was far inferior to the enchanting vistas of Wenshui on the Double Seventh Festival.
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s intoxicated appearance, he asked, "What do you feel?"
Chen Changsheng looked at the river, pondering in silence for a very long time.
The old temple outside Xining Village, the rooms filled to the top with old books, the old bamboo dragonfly, the old marriage contract, the humiliation in the Divine General''s estate in the capital, the suppression received in the Heavenly Dao Academy and the other Ivy Academies, his banishment to the desolate and overgrown ruin, the forgotten Orthodox Academymany scenes flashed past his eyes before vanishing once more.
Just like the light emitted from the lantern boats floating on the Luo River.
At the end, only one scene remained.
It was the simple and unadorned academy gate of the Orthodox Academy, clear of ivy, the glossy black floorboards of the library, the lake and the girl under the banyan tree by the lake, and also friends.
"Very happy."
Chen Changsheng drew back his gaze, turning to Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo. "I''m very happy."
He wasn''t exactly clumsy with his words, but he truly did not like to speak, nor did he know how to make his words sound nice.
He said he was happy, so he was truly happy.
I am very happy to have become a student of the Orthodox Academy, very happy that the Orthodox Academy won over the Mount Li Sword Sect, very happy that Xu Yourong won''t be able to marry Qiushan Jun.
Yes, the engagement is not important, but respect is.
Finally, I''m very happy to be able to know all of you.
...
...
85 A Conversation in the Nigh
The willows by the Luo River gently swayed in the darkness.
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and looked at Chen Changsheng, saying, "I am also very happy to know Teacher."
Tang Thirty-Six scratched his head, feeling that it was seemingly his turn to state his opinion. "Okay, I''m also very happy to know everyone."
Chen Changsheng spoke sincerely. In Xining Village''s old temple, when he decided to come to the capital, he had never imagined that he would encounter so many matters or get to know these people. An ordinary youth like him was actually able to become friends with the young master of the Wenshui Tang clan, a young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. He was even able to become friends with the sole daughter of the White Emperor, the most revered demi-human princess.
"Don''t always treat yourself like some ordinary youth."
Tang Thirty-Six saw the look on his face and knew what he was thinking. "On the day of the Heavenly Dao Academy''s entrance exam, I was already very sure that you were no ordinary person, that you were a genius Why was I so sure that you were a genius? Because even a genius like me wanted to become friends with you."
Chen Changsheng recalled that this fellow had said something similar back in the inn. He thought that Tang Thirty-Six was just praising himself, but Chen Changsheng was actually the one being praised.
Luoluo felt that Tang Thirty-Six spoke very reasonably. She had always felt that Chen Changsheng was the most talented person in the world.
"And you''re also Xu Yourong''s fianc."
Tang Thirty-Six sighed, "Just with that alone, just who in the continent would dare call you an ordinary person?"
Luoluo clapped her small hands, her face brimming with admiration. "That''s right, that''s right."
Chen Changsheng froze, then turned to Tang Thirty-Six and said, "Why do I feel that this is the point that you really wanted to talk about?"
"What I want to say is that in the future, for such extraordinary matters as these, remember to tell us as soon as possible."
Tang Thirty-Six extended a hand to him and said, "Take it out and let''s see."
"What do you want to see?" Chen Changsheng didn''t understand what he meant.
"The marriage contract of course."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him like an idiot as he added, "After all, that''s Xu Yourong''s marriage contract!"
After the marriage contract had been shown in the hall, Chen Changsheng had placed it back in his bosom. Seeing Tang Thirty-Six''s look of anticipation, he found himself powerless to refuse, but thinking about Xu Yourong''s birth date, when taking out the marriage contract, he did not open it, indicating that it was only okay to look at the outside.
Tang Thirty-Six had no objections to this. He was already very content with touching Xu Yourong''s marriage contract, and even Luoluo came over in curiosity.
Tang Thirty-Six stroked the surface of the marriage contract, deeply moved. He sighed, "Xu Yourong, Xu Yourongto think that even you would have this day."
Chen Changsheng put the marriage contract back in his bosom and asked in confusion, "Which day?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "The day she gets married."
Still confused, Chen Changsheng said, "Isn''t a girl getting married a very normal matter?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "A woman like Xu Yourongshe always gave off the feeling that she would never marry in her entire life."
Chen Changsheng was somewhat speechless, but then he recalled the name that would often appear alongside Xu Yourong. He asked, "Thenwhat about Qiushan Jun?"
Tang Thirty-Six felt that this fellow was thoroughly uninteresting. "Tonight was originally an extremely happy occasion, so why do you insist on bringing up such unhappy matters?"
Luoluo asked, "Even if she''s being married off, why should you be happy about that?"
Tang Thirty-Six sternly replied, "I''m being happy in place of all those youths on the Proclamation of Azure Sky who have been miserably suppressed by her presence."
Luoluo nodded, adding, "You''re also one of those youths."
Tang Thirty-Six felt rather embarrassed. "And so what? In any case, she''s going to get married. When the time comes, would she still find it proper to go out fighting and killing every day?"
Luoluo replied, "Why not? Who says that a woman can''t leave the house after getting married? The Divine Empress certainly won''t agree with your view."
"As long as a certain person agrees with my view, it''s fine."
Tang Thirty-Six turned to Chen Changsheng and advised, "Teach your wife well, don''t let her always come out to make trouble for the rest of us."
Chen Changsheng chuckled but said nothing.
...
...
By the time they returned to the Orthodox Academy, it was already very late at night. Xuanyuan Po was awakened by their shouts so that he could open the gate. Under the light of the lantern, it could be seen that the demi-human youth''s right arm was wrapped in bandages while his left hand was holding a walking stick. He looked like a soldier that had come back after being discharged from the army, with an indescribable misery and dejection hanging about him, a deep concern that he might not be able to stand steady.
"Weren''t you treating him? How come his condition is getting worse the more you treat him?" Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat astonished and turned to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat helpless. "If you can have him be well-behaved for two days, and not hit every tree he sees or kick every rock, perhaps he might recover faster."
Xuanyuan Po, rather embarrassed, rubbed his head. "I won''t do it in the future, or else it''ll be like tonight where I missed the Ivy Festival. That''s far too sad."
Jin Yulu knew that with all the things that had happened tonight, the princess would assuredly wish to speak with Chen Changsheng and the others. After saying a few words, he took the carriage and returned to the Hundred Herb Garden.
The four people moved from the gate towards the library. Xuanyuan Po asked about what happened during the Ivy Festival, but before Luoluo could say anything, Tang Thirty-Six said, "Yes, we won."
As he spoke, his expression was very serene as if speaking of some mere trifle. He waved his hand as if waving off some speck of dust, and he seemed very light and refreshing.
Xuanyuan Po was a simple and honest demi-human youth and found it very difficult to grasp this sort of aesthetic or demeanor. He sincerely asked, "Won against who?"
"The Mount Li Sword Sect wanted to challenge the Orthodox Academy, and thus we defeated them."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "Right, I forgot to mention one thing. Right now, I''m also a student of the Orthodox Academy. You can address me as Senior Brother Tang."
Xuanyuan Po was not very interested in the fact that this fellow had suddenly become his schoolmate and although he was simple and honest, he would not so obediently call this fellow his senior brother. However, when he heard that the Orthodox Academy had defeated the Mount Li Sword Sect, he couldn''t help but grumble, "You wake me up in the middle of the night just to tell me this joke?"
"It''s not a joke, we really did defeat the Mount Li Sword Sect," Luoluo said.
Xuanyuan Po was flabbergasted. He still felt that this was a joke, butthe joker was the princess and he did not dare retort.
Only when they were seated on the pitch-black floor of the library did this demi-human youth finally understand that they were speaking the truth. When he thought of how a day ago, he felt his foot itch and wanted to kick a stone on the lake shore into pieces, thus breaking the bones in his feet and making it impossible for him to attend the Ivy Festival, he grew angry at himself. To not be able to see the events of tonight was truly too unfortunate.
It had been a seemingly endless night, yet these youths had no mind to sleep. The three youths that had attended the Ivy Festival were already exhausted to the extreme, yet their minds were still excited. Each one had their own reasons for this. For Tang Thirty-Six, it was because of freedom. For Luoluo, it was because of victory. For Chen Changsheng, it was because of proof. In brief, they all wished to continue chatting so as to have this happiness last just a little longer.
Chen Changsheng took out some roast barley tea that he had stored away and said, "To drink this type of tea late at night not only has no adverse effects, it''s also good for your spleen and stomach."
Luoluo would not permit him to labor. She took the tea and began to brew it.
In a short time, the tea was ready.
"Even if you went, you could only be a spectator. If you were compelled to take part by the words of those southerners, the best we could do would be a tie, because you would definitely lose, and Chen Changsheng would lose as well."
Tang Thirty-Six took the tea from Luoluo and casually remarked to Xuanyuan Po.
Then he remembered that this tea had been brewed and personally delivered into his hands by Princess Luoluo. He instantly felt as if the tea in his cup was scalding hot and almost dropped it.
Even the old ancestors of his clan had probably not drunk tea personally poured by the demi-human princess.
Chen Changsheng was truly lucky. How had he managed to just randomly take a female student and have it turn out that she was the daughter of the White Emperor?
As he thought of all this, the gaze he aimed at Chen Changsheng became rather peculiar.
Just as he was doing all this, Xuanyuan Po said with envy, "To see all of you shine from a distance is also quite good."
Tang Thirty-Six got even angrier at these words. Putting down the tea cup, he said, "Shine? That was all taken up by Chen Changsheng himself. We were just two puppets."
"Teacher had you retreat, and didn''t you retreat?"
Luoluo concluded, "You say that you were unwilling, but your body seemed quite obedient."
An awkward silence settled over them.
Tang Thirty-Six rather crudely changed the subject. "Are you guys really not interested in that matter?"
"What matter?"
"Why I wanted to leave the Heavenly Dao Academy."
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo did not respond, while Xuanyuan Po showed his opinion by lowering his head to drink his tea.
Rather incensed, Tang Thirty-Six ignored them and continued, "Zhuang Huanyu is Vice Principal Zhuang''s son, born from his previous wife. Yeah, his mother is already dead, and when he was young, he lived a very bitter life Later on, father and son reunited in the capital, and many years ago, Vice Principal Zhuang and my motherwell, you get the idea."
This was not a very complex drama involving familiar grudges and it wasn''t too melodramatic. Tang Thirty-Six could be considered as someone who was caught in the crossfire.
Chen Changsheng did not respond, as it involved the secrets of others, and he was fine knowing the rough outline. He was more interested in the grudge between Guardian Jin and Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong.
Hearing him ask, Tang Thirty-Six also turned to Luoluo and said, "How can an outstanding hero like General Jin serve as a carriage driver or butler? No matter how esteemed Your Highness is, this matter is still improper."
Luoluo replied, "Uncle Jin is only willing to take up small concerns like managing money. Even Royal Father couldn''t persuade him otherwise, so what can I do?"
The story between Jin Yulu and Xiao Songgong was similarly not that complicated, but it carried a thicker scent of blood.
Many years ago, in that great war with the demons, the grain shipment that Xiao Songgong of the Mount Li Sword Sect and several of his fellow disciples were in charge of escorting arrived late. According to military law, they were all to be executed. At the time, Xiao Songgong and his fellow disciples were young talents with boundless potential, similar in status to the current Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws. The southern generals in the allied army strenuously pleaded for mercy and the one in charge of logistics, Jin Yulu, staunchly refused. After three people were executed, it was finally the turn of Xiao Songgong, who was most valued by the Mount Li Sword Sect. At this point, the Sect Master of Mount Li earnestly requested for Great Zhou Emperor Taizong to personally step forward. It was only after the White Emperor sent several imperial decrees in a row that Jin Yulu was finally compelled to agree.
Because of this matter, the Sect Master of Mount Li sent the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style to the White Emperor as a gift. However, it was also because of this matter that after the war with the demons concluded, Jin Yulu firmly refused to accept the White Emperor''s conferment of a noble title, choosing instead to retire to the eastern banks of the River of Oblivion to live as a farmer. Only after Luoluo was born did he finally return to the Imperial Palace within White Emperor City.
The story of the past had been told and returned to the present.
The happy night was just about to pass. Tomorrow, the sky would be covered in dark clouds.
The youths within the library began to ponder those problems the Orthodox Academy would have to confront in the immediate future.
Chen Changsheng sighed, then said, "I don''t know what will happen tomorrow, but I think it will certainly be very troublesome."
86 Destroying the Academy I
The events of the Ivy Festival were enough for many people to ponder on for a very long time, enough for the people of the Orthodox Academy to hold their heads high for a very long time. However, in a rather short amount of time, the grave consequences incurred by these events would reach Hundred Flowers Lane, and would the great banyan tree on the lake shore be able to stand against those storms?
The most important matter was not the Orthodox Academy''s victory over the Mount Li Sword Sect. Those two matches had been very fair and no one could say anything about them. The problem was the matter that had caused these two matches: Chen Changsheng had taken out the marriage contract before the world, proving that he was Xu Yourong''s fianc.
Before the southern diplomatic mission came to make the marriage proposal, they must have already reached a consensus with the Great Zhou Imperial Court. The participants, Xu Yourong, and even Qiushan Jun, might not have even known, but the Divine Empress knew. The confluence of the north and south had been a top priority since the founding of the Great Zhou, and especially so after the Divine Empress took the reins of power. This engagement was meant to be the most important symbol of this major event.
But it had been broken by Chen Changsheng.
The reappearance of the Orthodox Academy before the people of the academy had already been regarded by many as an enormous disrespect, or perhaps challenge, to the Divine Empress. Perhaps at that time, the Divine Empress simply did not know about such a minor concern. Now that Chen Changsheng had broken the engagement, the Orthodox Academy was sure to enter her gaze once more.
The Divine Empress was assuredly very angry, so the consequences would assuredly be very grave.
This was the trouble Chen Changsheng spoke of, a very great trouble.
"Don''t look at meno one can hold such a massive trouble as this," Tang Thirty-Six said without hesitation.
Chen Changsheng noted, "Given your tone back in the Imperial Palace, I thought you weren''t afraid of the Tianhai clan."
Tang Thirty-Six looked into his eyes, clearly enunciating each word. "Are the Empress and the Tianhai clan the same thing?"
Chen Changsheng was somewhat confused. "Is that not the case?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him like he was an idiot.
He had already lost count of the number of times he had looked at Chen Changsheng like he was an idiot.
Of course, he was well aware that Chen Changsheng was not an idiot. A person that could compete with Gou Hanshi in knowledge could only be a genius, not an idiot.
But there were times when Chen Changsheng was truly very childish. He clearly knew countless obscure bits of knowledge and annotations in the Daoist Canon, yet he had no understanding of the political situation in the Imperial Court and major events of the world. Moreover, he treated this as a very proper and expected matter. He was so naively pure that he seemed very much like an idiot.
"This is a very complex question. If a professor of the Li Palace Academy were to explain it clearly, he would have to write a very long essay."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "You only need to know that although the Divine Empress has the surname Tianhai, she is still the ruler of the Chen Imperial Court."
Chen Changsheng couldn''t understand. After thinking about this, he said, "It truly is very complicated."
"Teacher, you don''t have to worry too much."
Luoluo explained, "I''ve met the Empress quite a few times. The Empress is a very gentle person, and alsoshe really won''t care about matters like this."
Tang Thirty-Six thought to himself, perhaps the Empress might not care, but if Lord Zhou Tong or some important figures of the Tianhai clan believed that the Empress cared, the Orthodox Academy would be drowned in calamity. Chen Changsheng, on the other hand, was thinking, since the Divine Empress is able to rule over the Great Zhou as a woman, how can she be a gentle person? As much of a fool as I am on this aspect, even I don''t think so. Luoluo really does have the temperament of a young girl
Suddenly, he came to his senses. To be able to often meet the Divine Empressthat''s right, the girl sitting by their side was no ordinary girl!
The Orthodox Academy had the White Emperor''s daughter, so what troubles did they need to be afraid of?
"Even if there was massive trouble, Princess Luoluo would be able to resist it."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at her, his eyes seeming to be ablaze.
Luoluo felt somewhat uncomfortable and shifted behind Chen Changsheng.
The most concerning matter was that the Orthodox Academy might face a storm-tossed future, and even a massive trouble, but when they thought of Luoluo''s identity, all these worries went away.
Countless stars twinkled in the pitch-black sky, seeming like rivers, mountains or plains. There were also some stars that seemed to connect into strokes, writing out words.
"Then what we need to consider next is the problem of the Grand Examination."
Tang Thirty-Six warned, "Tonight we''re happy, but we absolutely can''t let those southerners retrieve their dignity in the Grand Examination."
Chen Changsheng fell silent as he recalled the words Gou Hanshi had left behind. Pleasant surprises? Yes, if he participated in the Grand Examination, he had to shock the world once more. If he was still unable to succeed in Purification, he would not be able to participate in the martial test and the matches. Even if he got a full score on the literary test, what meaning would there be in that?
And this was not even considering the fact that his goal was first rank of the first banner.
Luoluo answered, "I have no problems."
The girl''s expression was calm, her tone casual and natural, imbued with power and self-confidence.
"Your Highness will naturally have no problems, but I do."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "It''s still a few months from the Grand Examination. If I continue putting in all my effort, I might have a chance to beat Qi Jian even without this guy''s help, but the other members of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven LawsI''m no match for them."
He also spoke very calmly and naturally, because this was a fact.
"This guy has the biggest problem."
He turned to Chen Changsheng and sighed, "He should clearly be a guy with astonishing talent, but because he can''t cultivate, he''s only trash in the Grand Examination. It''s too sad."
These words were filled with sorrow and anger for Chen Changsheng''s misfortune.
Chen Changsheng could not resolve this problem so he naturally could not respond.
He stood up and said, "I''m going to sleep."
"You''ve changed the topic too crudely," Tang Thirty-Six angrily replied.
Chen Changsheng defended, "I''m really going to sleep."
"On such a fine night, to celebrate our victory in the Ivy Festival, to welcome a genius into the Orthodox Academy, shouldn''t we get drunk?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the cup of roasted barley that gave off a slightly burnt aroma and then said, "Drink a little wine and then sleep."
"Drinking wine isn''t good for your health."
Chen Changsheng turned and walked out of the library.
Luoluo had always followed his lead, so she got up and left as well.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Xuanyuan Po and raised the cup of roasted barley tea. "Do you know where the wine is?"
Xuanyuan Po honestly replied, "I''ve searched for quite a few daysthere''s no wine here."
Tang Thirty-Six rolled his eyes slightly and prepared to ask something else.
Xuanyuan Po promptly added, "There''s no rice wine in the kitchen, or even fermented rice."
...
...
Drinking wine was not good for one''s health, fatty meat was not good for one''s health, and excessive happiness or sadness were not good for one''s health. Sleeping and rising early were good for one''s health, fish was good for one''s health, vegetables were good for one''s health, and green peppers were also good for one''s health. Chen Changsheng had always strictly acted according to what was good and not good for his health.
He had lived out many years with this sort of routine. He had only ever renounced this sort of lifestyle for a very brief amount of time.
That period was not too long ago when he was below the abandoned garden in the Imperial Palace, in front of the Black Frost Dragon. He thought that he was about to die and felt somewhat regretful that he had never indulged himself even once in his life. Consequently, he decided to indulge himself in his final moments, shouting and yelling at the Black Dragon with a face full of tears, incidentally also reviewing his life that had just begun only a few years ago.
It turned out that he didn''t die, so now he felt that his display back then had been rather embarrassing. He then returned to his old habits, once more living by those standards. Of course, just how much of his refusing Tang Thirty-Six''s proposal and going to sleep had to do with wine being bad for his health, and how much it had to do with his inability to confront his problem, not even he knew.
To hide in his little house and live in his own little world? (TN: A line from the poem ''Self-Ridicule'' by Lu Xun.)
He lay on the bed and looked through the window as the night sky gradually turned blue, watched the gradually dimming stars and the dense forest under the starlight. He discovered that he couldn''t sleep.
He was very rarely struck with insomnia and, for a moment, he was at a loss. He didn''t know what one should do when unable to sleep. Should he open his eyes or close them? Should he occupy his mind with thoughts, or think of nothing at all and count sheep?
One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four sheep
On the mountainside covered in white sheep, a black goat suddenly appeared.
He recalled the Black Goat that had led him from deep in the palace to Weiyang Palace, thought of the Black Dragon that had allowed him to leave, and felt that the events of tonight had been far too strange.
He did not think of that middle-aged woman by the pool who had nearly been struck by a flower pot.
Then he thought of Qi Jian and of Gou Hanshi. There was no pride, only admiration.
He truly admired those disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect, especially Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi was well-versed in the Daoist Canon and possessed a deep level of cultivation, so why couldn''t he do it?
Just like Tang Thirty-Six said, during the Grand Examination, what could he do?
He opened his eyes.
The faint starlight fell through the window and fell upon his palm.
He flipped his palm back and forth, watching the starlight fall upon it and gradually disperse, and couldn''t help but sigh.
The song of morning birds came through the window.
This made him remember the White Crane that had returned from the south.
This caused his mind to gradually become calm and serene.
Thus, he gradually fell asleep.
...
...
In the early morning, Chen Changsheng awoke.
He looked out the window at the color of the sky and realized that it was still early, although much later than when he usually woke. However, he had slept too late last night and also had a minor bout of insomnia. As a result, he was severely lacking in sleep and was suffering an unbearable drowsiness.
He still got out of bed, not because of the iron laws of his life, but because the noise from outside his window was far too loud.
He had been roused from his sleep by this noise.
He was not at all used to this feeling of drowsiness and found it quite difficult to bear. After using cold water to wash his face and rinse his mouth, he rubbed his eyes and walked out of the house with a yawn.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po had also been roused awake by the noises from beyond the gate. They had even worse appearances than he did, as they had gone to sleep even later.
"I haven''t even brushed my teeth!"
Tang Thirty-Six listened to the noise outside the academy, his expression gloomy.
"How can it be so noisy this early in the morning?"
Chen Changsheng asked in confusion.
Xuanyuan Po pondered this question, then replied, "Because we beat the Mount Li Sword Sect last night, so a lot of people came today to apply for our academy?"
Chen Changsheng was a little taken aback, thinking to himself, that might really be a possibility.
Tang Thirty-Six jeered, "You think everyone in the capital is as simple-minded as you, a naive idiot like him? Just like I said yesterday, this fellow Chen Changsheng here in one go offended the Divine Empress, the Qiushan clan, the Mount Li Sword Sect, and the Divine General of the East''s estate, and he didn''t make His Holiness the Pope happy eithera ghostly place like this, which parents would dare send their children here for lessons? That''s sending them to their deaths."
The noise outside the Orthodox Academy got louder and louder, but it was hard to tell what it was.
A shapeless pressure accompanied those shouts and began to settle over the school.
Chen Changsheng turned to glance at the newly-built door in the academy wall, still tightly shut, and he had a rather strange feeling.
Logically speaking, even if Luoluo couldn''t get out of bed, the Hundred Herb Garden should have already sent over breakfast.
He suddenly felt a rather ominous feeling.
87 Destroying the Academy II
When they reached the academy gate, it was finally clear what the noises were. Some people were yelling something, some were shouting something, and others were knocking on the gate. Fortunately, those yells and shouts were not too excessive. At least, the words seemed courteous enough. The palms falling upon the gate were also not improper. It didn''t feel like people were pounding on the gates to make trouble. However, there were simply far too many people outside the gate, so all those noises together were still rather frightening.
Tang Thirty-Six shook his head to stop Xuanyuan Po from opening the gate. Taking a wooden ladder he had found somewhere, he placed it on the wall next to the gate and indicated that Xuanyuan Po should go up and see. Xuanyuan Po very obediently climbed and glanced beyond the wall. He only saw an uncountable mass of people and was given quite a scare.
Seeing a head pop out from the Orthodox Academy''s wall, the crowd blankly stared at it and then swiftly became quiet. At this sight, Xuanyuan Po felt even more confident that his earlier conclusion had been correct. He called out to the people at the very front of the crowd, "Are all of you here to apply for the Orthodox Academy?"
The people in the front all looked at each other, thinking, just where did this come from?
Just then, another head appeared next to Xuanyuan Po. It was Tang Thirty-Six, who had been unable to suppress his curiosity and climbed up the ladder as well. He saw that the people at the front were wearing rather low-key yet not inexpensive clothes, and that they were quite old. They were clearly stewards of some sort, and so when heard Xuanyuan Po''s question, he couldn''t help but feel embarrassed.
"Can we not be so egotistic? Do these people look like students to you?"
He rather angrily squeezed next to Xuanyuan Po. Leaning his hand on the wall for support, he looked indifferently at those people and asked, "What are you here for?"
Those people all began to introduce themselves at once, giving their reason for coming. Soon after, other people began to call out, their voices combining into an awful din that made Tang Thirty-Six''s head somewhat ache. He could only clearly hear the names of some mansion or chamber of commerce.
It turned out that all these people had come to visitPrincess Luoluo.
Only after yesterday''s Ivy Festival did the people of the capital come to know that the sole daughter of the White Emperor was actually living in the capital, so they naturally had to come and greet her. It must be known that with the alliance between humans and demi-humans, the two races frequently traded with each other. Even without these things, just how glorious was it to see a princess?
Tang Thirty-Six could understand why these people were so fervent and would come over so early in the morning. He had also said earlier that Xuanyuan Po''s way of thinking was too naive and egotistic. But when he discovered that these were people who had come searching for Princess Luoluo and had nothing to with the Orthodox Academy, he was still rather displeased.
"If you want to visit Her Highness, go to the Hundred Herb Garden. Why are you making noise at the Orthodox Academy?" His expression grew cold.
"No one answered the door at the Hundred Herb Garden. It''s said that Her Highness left last night," the steward of some prince''s mansion said with a bitter face. The others gave similar responses, and one added, "Her Highness is a student of the Orthodox Academy. Since she''s not at the Hundred Herb Garden, she must be here."
"Her Highness is not at the Orthodox Academy."
Hearing these people''s words, Tang Thirty-Six felt rather astonished. He thought, if Her Highness isn''t at the Hundred Herb Garden, where did she go? Standing on the ladder and turning to look at the Orthodox Academy, he saw Chen Changsheng standing under a great banyan tree, silently gazing in thought at the Hundred Herb Garden.
Just then, a carriage slowly drove from the entrance of Hundred Flowers Lane. The people gathered around the Orthodox Academy''s gate all began to bow and then move to the side. Tang Thirty-Six saw the middle-aged man in the carriage and realized that the Vice Principal of the Li Palace Academy had come.
''The Vice Principal of the Li Palace Academy'' was a rather lengthy title. However, his status was clear and the gate of the Orthodox Academy was naturally opened for him.
Chen Changsheng and the other two bowed to this vice principal.
The vice principal took a letter from his bosom and handed it to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng received the letter, his heart thumping. He knew that his earlier ominous feeling might truly be about to reach fruition. His finger lightly rubbed across the letter and he found that the wax sealing the letter was still not completely dry. He knew that it hadn''t been long since this letter was written.
The writing of the letter was rather delicate. It was Luoluo''s handwriting.
Only now did Chen Changsheng understand that Luoluo and her clansmen had moved out of the Hundred Herb Garden last night, departing without a noise for the Li Palace Academy. He did not open the letter to read it, only silently thought for a few moments before raising his head to the vice principal and asking, "Why?"
"Her Highness''s identity was exposed last night in the Ivy Festival and it was no longer convenient for her to live at the Hundred Herb Gardenthe same for the Orthodox Academy."
The vice principal looked towards the Orthodox Academy''s gate, commenting, "You also saw that earlier sight."
"It''s fine if we don''t open the gate," Chen Changsheng replied.
"The greatest problem is safety. I only learned last night that a demon expert once attempted to assassinate Her Highness in the Orthodox Academynow, the entire capital knows she''s in the capital. Whether it''s the demons or some other danger hidden in the shadows, they will all charge at Her Highness."
"But she''s still a student of the Orthodox Academy."
"I understand your meaning. Do you actually think that my Li Palace Academy will steal a student from the Orthodox Academy?"
The vice principal regarded him with a cold expression. "The general situation comes first in everything; we must ensure Her Highness''s safety. Her Highness still counts as a student of the Orthodox Academy, but she is temporarily staying at the Li Palace Academy. There''s no need for any of you to worry."
Xuanyuan Po was still somewhat unconvinced. "Could the Li Palace Academy be safer than the Orthodox Academy?"
Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six patted him on the shoulder in comfort, not wanting him to say anymore.
The Li Palace Academy was adjacent to the Li Palace, and the two had originally been part of the same complex. Moreover, Luoluo going to study in the Li Palace Academy was an explanation for the public. She was almost certainly living in the Li Palace.
The Pope was living in the Li Palace. That place was naturally safer than the Orthodox Academy, safer than the Hundred Herb Garden.
Besides the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, there was no safer place.
From this angle, Luoluo''s leaving the Hundred Herb Garden and the Orthodox Academy and living in the Li Palace had more than enough reasons.
It was simply impossible to dispute.
The Vice Principal of the Li Palace Academy finally said the most important words.
"These are the intentions of His Holiness the Pope."
...
...
The vice principal left, and Luoluo and her clansmen had moved away last night.
Chen Changsheng climbed up the great banyan tree and looked in the direction of the Hundred Herb Garden. There was only silence, a completely different sight from its past few months of bustling activity.
He opened Luoluo''s letter and quietly began to read it, then fell silent for a very long time.
Study hard, he silently said in his heart to that girl.
The bottom of the letter was somewhat wet. Probably, when Luoluo had finished writing the letter, she could no longer hold back her tears, because she was reluctant to go.
Chen Changsheng was also very reluctant and his eyes were somewhat moist.
How could you just leave so suddenly? I still had some questions I wanted to ask you.
His heart felt somewhat empty. Could this be what it meant in those books to feel lost?
Standing on the great banyan tree, he looked around at the streets surrounding the Orthodox Academy and realized that those people that had come to visit Luoluo had also left. All was quiet.
No matter how much happened, as long as she was not here, the Orthodox Academy would still be a place forgotten by the world.
Luoluo was the only female student of the Orthodox Academy and also its greatest backing and supporter.
The Orthodox Academy could last until now and Chen Changsheng could live a peaceful life until now entirely because of her.
Earlier, the Vice Principal of the Li Palace Academy had said that there was no need to worry, but how could he not worry?
Luoluo''s safety was naturally the most important matter for the human world. This was an incredibly formidable reason. However, the expert of the demon Yeshi tribe had attempted his assassination several months ago. If it was solely about safety, why had the Pope not had her move to the Li Palace then?
Why was it that he had Luoluo leave the Orthodox Academy on the night the Ivy Festival concluded?
Why was it so rushed? Just what did this mean? Chen Changsheng understood, as did Tang Thirty-Six. Only Xuanyuan Po was still somewhat muddleheaded, still in suffering from no longer being able to closely attend upon the princess.
Luoluo had been the signboard and the protective talisman of the Orthodox Academy. If those powerful figures wanted to destroy the Orthodox Academy, they had to think of any means of making her depart.
Her departure was the first step of destroying the academy.
The trees of the autumn season were slightly moist, a breeze rustling their leaves.
A torrential downpour was about to come.
"Have you mentally prepared yourself?"
Tang Thirty-Six called up to him.
Chen Changsheng looked at the streets of the capital and called back, "Not yet."
Tang Thirty-Six stared blankly at him, then yelled, "Since you haven''t yet, why are you yelling so loud? It''s very silly!"
Chen Changsheng still yelled at the entire capital, "If we call it out louder, perhaps someone will hear and come help us!"
Tang Thirty-Six shouted, "Your dreams are so beauuuuuutiful!"
...
...
In the afternoon, rain really did fall over the capital. The drizzle of the autumn rain did not carry too much cold. The buildings of the Orthodox Academy were moistened, the weeds growing by the wall dripped with water as if dejected, and the broken statues seemed to be crying, their just-regained vitality seeming to have gone elsewhere.
After the rain stopped, the Orthodox Academy confronted its first trouble.
88 Destroying the Academy III
Someone knocked on the gate of the Orthodox Academy. Xuanyuan Po went to see who it was, returning after a short while. Although this youth''s face was covered in whiskers, they could not completely hide the red flush. This was anxiety and also shyness, because a girl holding an oil paper umbrella was following behind him to the library.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at this elegant and beautiful girl, a little perturbed. "Where did this lilac of a girl come from?"
Xuanyuan Po somewhat nervously wrung his hands, saying, "I also don''t know which family this young lady is from, and she didn''t say anything when I asked her."
Tang Thirty-Six asked, "And you just let her in? Although the Double Seventh was just last night, there''s no need to go this far."
Xuanyuan Po immediately explained, "She said that she knew Chen Changsheng."
Chen Changsheng was reading just then. Upon hearing this, he put down the book and looked out the door, and found that he really did know her. It was not the young lady of some estate, but that important maid Shuang''er from the Divine General of the East''s estate.
He naturally wouldn''t explain to Xuanyuan Po. He walked out of the library and said to Shuang''er, "Long time no see."
It truly had been a long time. Since the last time Shuang''er had come to the Orthodox Academy to find him, several months had already passed.
Shuang''er put away the umbrella and gestured that he should follow her to a somewhat more remote corner.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked.
Shuang''er looked at him, her expression rather complex as she thought of those rumors from last night''s Ivy Festival. After thinking for a few moments, she said, "I''ve heard of your situation, so I must admit that you truly have surpassed the expectations of many people, and the assessment made by the Madam and me back then was incorrect."
Chen Changsheng replied, "You have your standpoint, so you don''t need to apologize."
He spoke with sincerity. He had always spoken with sincerity.
Shuang''er''s delicate brows slightly rose. "Don''t misunderstand. Perhaps my opinion of you was wrong, but that doesn''t mean I support your getting together with my young lady. Even if you possess an outstanding breadth of knowledge, if you can''t cultivate then you''re still just a"
Although she disliked Chen Changsheng, she meant him no harm, so she took back the words ''piece of trash''.
But anyone could tell her meaning.
Chen Changsheng answered, "Your support or lack thereof has nothing to do with this marriage."
Shuang''er was somewhat angry. "I and the young lady are like sisters, and so I care more than anyone else about the young lady''s happiness. You took out the marriage contract during the Ivy Festival with your head held high, but did you ever think, the young lady and Qiushan Jun had originally been such a good match, yet now you''ve broken it. Who could have the heart to do such a thing?"
"So you''ve come to fight for justice in place of Qiushan Jun?"
Chen Changsheng looked at her and said, "You should know that last night during the Ivy Festival, your young lady had the White Crane deliver a letter. In that letter, she admitted to this marriage, and now you seem to have a different view on this marriage and are even fighting for the sake of another man?
"Does your young lady know that you are doing this?"
Shuang''er could not speak, as she did not know why her young lady had done this.
Chen Changsheng asked, "Is there anything else?"
"It truly was not my place to say those words earlier."
Shuang''er calmed down. She raised an arm to wipe a drop off her forehead, then said, "My young lady asked me to tell you something."
"What?"
"Don''t misunderstand."
Chen Changsheng did not give a reply for a very long time. Shuang''er had earlier said something very similar and it had been very hurtful, but just what did Xu Yourong mean?
He asked, "Misunderstand what?"
"I don''t know." Shuang''er examined his face, then said, "You yourself should understand."
Last night, the White Crane had crossed tens of thousands of li to return to the capital and deliver a letter. This letter had given Xu Yourong''s stance. Although he was well aware that Xu Yourong would certainly not want to marry him, there was certainly some other meaning concealed in her actions. However, the annoyance he felt against her had lessened greatly.
Now, though, hearing the words Shuang''er had passed on made his mood quite poor.
"Just these things?"
He said to Shuang''er, preparing to send her off.
Shuang''er added, "The young lady also said that if you have anything else you want to say, you can just write her a letter."
With a cry, the White Crane descended from the sky, flapping its two wings. It landed outside the library, beads of water slowly dripping from its feathers.
Chen Changsheng nodded at the White Crane.
The White Crane walked over to him and lowered its slender neck, knocking against his right arm. It seemed rather friendly.
"Have you been doing well these past few years?" he said to the White Crane.
The White Crane gave two clear cries as if answering.
Shuang''er was astounded at this sight.
Last night when the White Crane flew off, Chen Changsheng had felt that he had forgotten something. At the time, he believed that it was the Black Dragon below the abandoned garden. Now, he realized that he should probably write a letter and then ask the White Crane to deliver it to Xu Yourong. There were many matters that were much better when directly communicated.
Shuang''er had always played the part of middleman between him and Xu Yourong, and he didn''t like that.
After his arrival in the capital, Xu Yourong had only written one letter to him. That letter had only three words, as if words and ink were lacking.
''Do your best.''
Chen Changsheng raised the brush and thought. Just what concise phrase should he write that was resolute and pitying, and proudly looked down upon the world, in order to recover some face from the other side?
This was also the first letter he had written to her since the age of ten.
Ultimately, however, he wrote a very normal letter, the words very normal and the matters discussed also quite normal.
He didn''t really want to get angry at a younger girl.
Even if she was Xu Yourong, even if it was only by three days, she was still a younger girl.
...
...
Far away, to the south of the capital, was Holy Maiden Peak.
The area below Holy Maiden Peak was forbidden ground. Only three hundred li away would one finally be able to find a village. Only ordinary people lived in this village. There was a blacksmith, a tavern, a butcher, and also a gambling den. The games played in this gambling den were usually Pai Gow or dice, by deep within this gambling den was a very plainly decorated room, and in this room was a table.
At this table, mahjong was played.
(TN: Pai Gow is a game played with dominoes where hands are formed from domino tiles and one tries to get the highest value hand. Mahjong is a rather complex game played with 144 tiles and one attempts to form the best hand against three other players. The four players sit around a table, each representing a direction.)
A beautiful girl sat at the eastern position.
This girl was fourteen or fifteen years old, her appearance like a painting, her pupils two dots of paint. She was so beautiful that she did not seem like a mortal.
The three other people at the table knew that she was assuredly no mortal.
Two years ago, the boss of this gambling den had planned to do harm against this girl who was back then even younger, gentler, and even more liable to incite in humans the desire to commit harm. He had died an extremely miserable death. The dealer had taken up the boss''s position, precisely the middle-aged man sitting at the western position of the table.
From that day onwards, at certain intervals, this girl would come to this small village and play mahjong, not allowing anyone to step away from the table for two days and one night.
The plainly adorned room would open once every several months and those who accompanied her in playing mahjong were always these three people, never once changing. These three people were all ordinary people, truly ordinary people who had never imagined that they would encounter such an unusual matter.
It had taken them a very long time to progress from their initial fear and unease to a state where their hands would not shake when organizing their tiles. Now, they could even very naturally interact with this little fairy, no longer throwing games, but truly winning or losing after playing sincerely. They even dared to make the occasional grumble.
To be able to play mahjong with such a beautiful fairy as this, just how great a blessing was this?
And at times, they even really won money.
The cry of a crane came from outside the window, and then the girl said, "I have a matter tonight, so I can''t play anymore."
The three were stunned, thinking, just what''s happened? You moved this session so far up in advance and now you''re ending it? Do we still need that rule of two days and one night?
The girl took out a few golden leaves and placed them on the table as compensation, then left.
The three looked at each other in dismay. A middle-aged woman said worriedly, "I don''t know what happened with the little lady, but she didn''t seem very happy."
...
...
On a cliff outside the small village, Xu Yourong took the letter from the White Crane''s leg and casually tore it open.
Under the sky of starlight, the paper was illuminated clearly. The words of this letter were plain, the writing clean. It was not very long, but she read it for a very long time.
She saw caution in the words and handwriting, but she saw no resentment, or even a speck of negative emotion.
She found it very difficult to imagine how a youth could remain so calm after experiencing such insufferable days in the capital.
She would certainly not have been able to do it.
She recalled that he was only older than her by three days.
She gazed in the direction of the capital and said, "If he''s not a fake, and if he''s not a gentleman, then he must be a true person."
The White Crane cried, clearly disagreeing with her words. What it disagreed with was the word ''fake''.
Xu Yourong felt rather helpless. "Just why do you like that guy? I don''t remember what sort of person he was that he was so worthy of your favor."
The White Crane let out two low cries, reminding her about the words ''gentleman'' and ''true person'' she had uttered just a moment ago.
"Whether he''s a gentleman or true person, he''s not a person that one can spend endless years of cultivation with. That''s too dull."
She looked at the White Crane and said, "I certainly don''t want to live a dull life."
The White Crane slightly tilted its neck as if somewhat confused. Young Lady, if you don''t want to marry Chen Changsheng, why did you write that letter, admitting to the world that you are engaged to him?
Xu Yourong did not explain. She had her own way of thinking, and nobodynot her parents, her teacher, the Pope, or the Divine Empressknew of it.
Afterwards, she opened up Shuang''er''s letter and read, finding out what had happened at last night''s Ivy Festival.
She slightly raised her brows in surprise.
Since the marriage contract had already been announced to the world, there could at least be a period of calm, right?
But that guy was truly quite surprising.
She then saw Shuang''er''s description of the conversation she had with Chen Changsheng.
She held her two hands behind her and once more gazed in silence in the direction of the capital.
"I suddenly rememberwhen I was eleven, I once secretly wrote a letter and had you take it to Xining."
The White Crane lightly poked her with its slender beak. That had been its final visit to Xining. No one in the Divine General of the East''s estate knew of it.
"In that letter, I seem to recall saying that I wouldn''t marry him.
"He didn''t send back a reply opposing, so why is he being so stubborn now?"
...
...
What Chen Changsheng was stubborn about had never been the marriage. Besides his master and senior brother in Xining Village''s old temple, the Black Dragon below the Imperial Palace was the only one to know of what he was truly stubborn about. Of course, he did not know that the middle-aged woman he had encountered by the pool also knew.
For that matter, he had even abandoned his habit of early sleeping and rising. He spent the entire night in meditation, to draw down starlight for Purification. Although he seemed to make no progress, he would never cease his efforts until the final moment arrived.
Early in the morning, he awoke in the library.
Just like yesterday, he had been roused awake by noise.
A massive boom came from the front of the Orthodox Academy.
He pushed open the door of the library and walked over with Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po.
The gate of the Orthodox Academy had been destroyed.
It had been destroyed by people.
The academy gate that had been cleaned just a few months ago had been knocked over by a carriage.
The ground covered in gravel and shards of wood seemed very pitiful.
A horse lay on the wet ground, its spiritless eyes wide open as its four hooves faintly trembled.
The dust gradually dispersed.
Ten-odd cavalry appeared outside the gate.
They had beautiful clothes and vigorous horses.
The horses were of unusual stock.
These horsemen all had cold expressions. It was clear that they were not ordinary people.
A young horseman looked at the shattered gate and expressionlessly asked, "Is there any need to keep this broken-down academy around?"
89 The Counterattack of the Youths from the Orthodox Academy
The horseman was about twenty years old, his appearance fine and delicate yet carrying a cold and noble aura. When he spoke and his gaze fell upon the shattered gate of the Orthodox Academy, it was like he did not even see the hurried figures of Chen Changsheng and the others, making him seem arrogant to the extreme.
Chen Changsheng and the others had come in a hurry. Tang Thirty-Six was tying his hair in a bun, but when he saw the scene before him, he couldn''t help but stop. After hearing the words of that young horseman, he squinted his eyes, glanced behind him, then turned and headed back into the Orthodox Academy without speaking a single word.
Xuanyuan Po did not see those horsemen, only that dying warhorse collapsed in the puddles of water. He was a demi-human youth and so recovered from injuries extremely quickly. His right arm still needed treatment from Chen Changsheng, but his left leg was already better, so he did not require crutches to slowly walk over to it.
Chen Changsheng alone stood at the gate of the Orthodox Academy to look at those horsemen as well as that cold and arrogant young noble.
Forcing open a gate was the most violent of methods, only used in the most insoluble of grudges. He did not recognize this young noble, but he could guess why he had come. He slowly clenched his fists and then remembered that he had forgotten his dagger in the house.
Xuanyuan Po squatted down next to the warhorse, watching as this once-imposing creature took its final gasps in the rainwater, and seeing the bloody foam on its lips. His eyes gradually turned cold.
An early morning drizzle began to fall once more, rain falling into the puddles and producing tiny splashes. As it fell on the horse''s body, it seemed very cold. Xuanyuan Po lowered his head and felt the horse''s gradually cooling body. He extended his right hand and placed it on the horse''s neck, then squeezed.
With a dull crack, the rain continued to fall, and the warhorse closed its eyes, finally obtaining freedom.
Xuanyuan Po stood up and looked at the mounted young noble, asking, "To break our gate, you could have used a rock to smash it, or a tree to batter it down, but why did you have it pull a carriage to crash into it? Because you think it''s valiant this way? No, it just makes you look even more shameless."
The young noble ignored him. Although this demi-human youth assuredly also had something to do with that matter, he was not the primary goal today. He looked down upon Chen Changsheng and coldly said, "You are Chen Changsheng?"
Chen Changsheng did not reply because a gust of wind had just blown past him.
This gust descended together with the morning light in the drizzle, sweeping towards those ten-some horsemen!
It was Tang Thirty-Six. Just like Chen Changsheng, he had left his sword in the house. Seeing the sight at the gate, he had returned without a word to the Orthodox Academy, not out of fear or to search for reinforcements, but to get his sword.
Only with sword in hand could he kill his enemies.
Without any words, Tang Thirty-Six charged out of the Orthodox Academy, wielding his sword, attacking the young noble and his horsemen!
A cold light glimmered on the Wenshui Sword. In the slight gloom of the morning, a sun suddenly appeared, its red rays of light emanating in all directions, carrying no warmth, but a bleak aura!
Hanging Sunset!
Just how infuriating was it to have the academy gate intentionally crashed to pieces by someone?
Tang Thirty-Six was very angry, so he struck with his most powerful Three Forms of Wenshui!
The academy gate that was somewhat dim in the drizzle suddenly became as bright as day.
The young noble slightly raised his brows, his mount retreating several steps back.
Two horsemen appeared in front of him. With a flip of their wrists, two long spears made of essence iron appeared in the rain to meet Tang Thirty-Six''s sword.
Only the most powerful Northern Army of the Great Zhou would be equipped with this sort of spear.
Seeing these two spears rise up through the rain, Tang Thirty-Six realized that these ten-some horsemen with their beautiful clothes and vigorous horses, though looking like knights-errant of the capital, were actually professional troops returning from the north. But he did not care about these things. The Wenshui Sword, with its awe-inspiring aura of blood and murder, continued forward.
Wherever the edge of the sword passed, the rain would hiss into steam!
Two deafening clashes exploded in the rain!
Bang! Bang!
The two spears became four pieces that flew off into the rain. As they heavily crashed to the ground, they sent rain flying, shattered flagstones, and wrecked the outer wall of a building. The broken ends of the spear faintly glowed red and the rain falling upon them was instantly turned to vapor!
With a groan, the two horsemen were knocked from their mounts and fell in the rainwater. Two distinct sword slashes were visible on their abdomens, with blood gurgling out!
This was the true might of Hanging Sunset of the Three Forms of Wenshui!
On the night when he had been fighting Qi Jian in front of Weiyang Palace, they had been competing over victory and defeat, not life and death. In addition, with Chen Changsheng on the side instructing him, Tang Thirty-Six had felt somewhat tied down, not able to act as wantonly as he pleased. In contrast, this morning, he was brimming with rage and had truly released all his strength.
Of course, the horsemen were all experts of the Great Zhou Northern Army. For Tang Thirty-Six''s furious strike to cleave their spears and send his opponents into the rainwater also required him to pay a price. The hair which he had just tied with his hands was now loose, his black hair spilling over his shoulders, his face somewhat pale.
He gripped the Wenshui Sword and stood in the rain, looking at the horsemen with an extremely arrogant look, not seeming injured at all.
For just a moment, he had brought his true essence to its maximum, so that lava seemed to flow through his meridians, and the Wenshui Sword gave birth to a sun. The rain falling upon his black hair, his body, and his sword was all transformed into steam.
It looked like he was standing in the steam.
The young noble stared at Tang Thirty-Six, seeming to guess at who he was. His eyes slowly narrowed until they were like willow leaves, his gaze growing sharper. The cold words emerging from his thin and emotionless lips also became much sharper. "How bold, to actually dare"
He did not finish speaking, because Tang Thirty-Six yelled, "What are you still waiting for? Don''t let him finish!"
When he said ''What are you still waiting for'', Xuanyuan Po had already raised up the corner of a large wooden board from the water.
The gate of the Orthodox Academy had been built many years ago, but the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had not changed it when performing repairs, as it was still sturdy enough. The academy gate had been about two people high and had the thickness of two palms. Earlier, if it had not been for that warhorse charging a carriage into the gate and paying with its life, it would have been very difficult to batter the gate apart.
The academy gate had already been destroyed, but the plank of wood that had once been part of the gate and that Xuanyuan Po now raised up was still two people high, two palms thick. Raised up, it looked just like a fake mountain.
Even a cultivator who had undergone a very thorough Purification would find it difficult to raise this piece of the academy gate with just their own strength.
Xuanyuan Po''s right arm was injured, but his left arm could still exert strength. Purely relying on his demi-human blood, he was able to raise up this wooden board.
Several horsemen had noticed his movements. In order to protect the young noble, they had approached him.
At this point, Tang Thirty-Six had finished speaking.
With a bellow, Xuanyuan Po used his single arm to raise up the giant piece of wood and slammed it at the young noble!
Boom! A massive explosion blasted through the morning rain as dust and water was sent flying.
The ground in front of the Orthodox Academy slightly shook and the water puddled on the ground seemed about to leap up!
Two groans!
Two horsemen became black figures as they flew deep into the rain and heavily crashed to the ground.
They were still clutching their spears, but their spears were already bent!
The young noble''s horse had very swiftly taken a few steps to the side, so he had not been struck by Xuanyuan Po. Naturally, he was not injured either. However, his clothes had been splashed by the filthy water and dust, and it was now very difficult for his cold countenance to maintain that lofty and noble air.
His face became rather pale, and the right hand gripping the reins of his horse began to shake.
Not out of fear, but anger.
His gaze fell upon the three youths standing outside the gate of the Orthodox Academy.
Tang Thirty-Six, holding his sword and standing in the steam.
Xuanyuan Po, standing in the rain and holding a wooden board of the gate.
Chen Changsheng, standing under the eaves of the gate, who had not attacked or even gotten his clothes wet.
He was truly very angry.
For the price of a warhorse, he had rammed to pieces the gate of this broken-down academy. He felt this to be very tough and unyielding, very appropriate for his identity and personality. After the people within this broken-down academy came out, he had intended to reprimand them, establish his prestige, and then go crazy.
It turned out that let alone going crazy, he didn''t even get to finish speaking his first sentence before four of his subordinates were heavily injured.
He had destroyed the gate of the Orthodox Academy, but the other side had actually used this destroyed gate to put him in such a wretched position!
The grandeur that would have resulted from his destroying the academy in the morning rain had suffered a major setback. This made him extremely uncomfortable, extremely angry!
Everyone in the capital knew what sort of terrible result there would be when he got angry.
At the peak of his anger, even Zhou Tong had to keep silent!
He stared at the three youths in the rain as if they were already dead.
"Very good, very good"
The young noble angrily smiled, a hint of scarlet appearing on his pale cheeks. It looked very unhealthy, and also somewhat sinister.
...
...
Before the young noble spoke again, Tang Thirty-Six said to Chen Changsheng, "In a little while when he speaks, don''t let him finish."
Xuanyuan Po also turned to Chen Changsheng. The two of them had already moved, so now it was this fellow''s turn.
Chen Changsheng looked at Tang Thirty-Six in confusion. "Why?"
"Don''t give him a chance to go crazy. Suffocate him to death!"
"Just like your initial plan last night?"
"Yes.
"It''s very important, because I''m not very happy, so he shouldn''t think about being very happy either."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the already-ruined gate of the Orthodox Academy and spoke emotionlessly.
Chen Changsheng turned to the destroyed gate in silence, coming to the realization that he also wasn''t very happy.
Just then, the young noble''s voice could be heard in the drizzle. "Very good, very good"
Chen Changsheng resolved himself, raising his head and saying a few words to him.
He spoke with some hesitation, somewhat conflicted, as if speaking alien words. This was because he had never said anything like these words before. However, other than this, he had no means of halting this noble''s words. Moreover, just like Tang Thirty-Six, the shattered gate of the Orthodox Academy in the rain had also made him very angry.
"Well"
He looked at the young noble and said with caution and sincerity, "f**k your grandaunt."
...
...
From Xining Village to the capital, he had never much scolded others, and rarely cursed. He spoke these words with great unfamiliarity, even somewhat stiffly. He paused several times, just like a child learning how to speak, spitting out each and every word.
Logically speaking, the noble had sufficient time to stop his words, but he did not.
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, I''ve finally done it, although it was rather clumsy.
He looked to Tang Thirty-Six, hoping to obtain some praise, but then realized that the atmosphere was rather strange.
The gate of the Orthodox Academy was quiet in the morning rain. The dust in the shambles lay soaked on the ground, not daring to rise.
90 Breaking the Curtain of the Rain
After saying the ''curse'', Chen Changsheng felt as if he had been relieved of a great burden, but he realized that the mood around the academy gate had somehow gotten heavier, and this heaviness came from Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po. The two had very strange expressions. This was especially the case for Tang Thirty-Six, whose eyes were filled with shock and who now seemed certain that Chen Changsheng was an idiot.
The young noble was also shocked to the extreme. He thought to himself, perhaps there are people in the capital willing to curse me, but who would dare insult my grandaunt? The horsemen had never expected such a thing to occur, and were so lost in shock that they forgot to be angry or curse. The gate of the Orthodox Academy descended into a bizarre silence.
Tang Thirty-Six walked to Chen Changsheng''s side and whispered, "Do you know who he is?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "I don''t know who he is, but he''s probably someone from the Tianhai clan."
"You know he''s a part of the Tianhai clan, but you still cursed him this way?" Tang Thirty-Six sucked in a cold breath of air.
Chen Changsheng replied, "Weren''t you unafraid of the Tianhai clan? And you also said before that the Divine Empress and the Tianhai clan were not the same thing."
Tang Thirty-Six stared at him in astonishment. After staring for a long time, he confirmed that Chen Changsheng really did not know. When he thought of how lucky or unlucky those words of his happened to be, he finally had to laugh, yet it wasn''t convenient to laugh, and so he choked it back down until his face was red. He looked to be in extreme pain.
"Just what''s going on?" Chen Changsheng asked in confusion.
Tang Thirty-Six patted him on the shoulder and said in a soothing tone, "The Tianhai clan truly is not the Divine Empress, but that person''s grandauntis precisely the Divine Empress."
Chen Changsheng froze, utterly clueless as to how to respond. He naturally knew that the Divine Empress had the surname of Tianhai, but he had not imagined that the person he had randomly cursed atto be more precise, the first person he had cursed in his entire life, and the first time his speech had ever used the word ''grandaunt''was actually the Divine Empress.
His expression was rather strange as if he wanted nothing more than for time to immediately reverse, but this was impossible, and he could not take back the words that had already left his mouth. All he could do was lower his head, stare at the raindrops splashing down by his shoes, and pretend that nothing had happened.
The young noble finally awoke from his stupor and looked at Chen Changsheng with an extremely weird gaze. Perhaps because he was shocked and furious to the extreme, the hint of a smile was on his lips. However, his voice was even colder than the autumn rain falling from the sky as he praised, "Truly an extraordinary youth."
Someone who dared to insult the Divine Empress on the streets of the capital was truly quite extraordinary. An extraordinary person was naturally liable to end up dead.
...
...
This young noble was called Tianhai Shengxue. His grandfather was called Tianhai Youguo. His father was called Tianhai Chenwu.
Tianhai Youguo was the Divine Empress''s eldest brother.
And so the Divine Empress was his grandaunt.
The third generation of the Tianhai clan consisted of ten-some people, the most famous of them being the four brothers of the eldest branch. They were called the Four Sons of Tianhai, and of these four sons, one was in the Imperial Court, one was in the army, one was in business, and the last onewas playing around. Tianhai Shengxue was the son putting all his efforts into the army, and his cultivation was the strongest in all the third generation of the Tianhai clan. He had once been ranked twelfth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and he was presently one of the experts ranked on the Proclamation of Golden Distinction. He was a strong candidate for obtaining first rank of the first banner in next year''s Grand Examination.
Just yesterday, he had brought his entourage back from the frontlines in the north. After finding out about what had happened in the capital, especially about how his younger cousin Tianhai Ya''er had been crippled, he quietly waited for one night. When he was able to confirm that Princess Luoluo had left the Orthodox Academy to go to the Li Palace Academy, the first thing he did after getting out of bed was to go to the Orthodox Academy.
He destroyed the gate of the Orthodox Academy and what he wanted to do next was to have the Orthodox Academy close its doors. His goal in coming today had always been to go crazy.
He had not expected his successive attempts to go crazy to all be interrupted by the youths of the Orthodox Academy. The other side didn''t play according to the rules. Without even saying a word or even washing their faces, they carried their swords and gate boards and charged, heavily injuring four members of his entourage. And that final youth had actuallycursed his grandaunt in front of his face.
Tianhai Shengxue had a charming appearance, with extremely white skin. He had caused many girls to swoon in both the snowy plains of the north and the capital, and now, the morning rain falling upon his face made it seem even whiter, like white jade. But only those people truly familiar with him knew that this meant that his anger had reached its peak.
...
...
Luoluo had gone to the Li Palace Academy. This had been the first move made against the Orthodox Academy by several factions. Chen Changsheng and the others were very sure that they would soon face an enormous trouble. Yesterday, when they were standing under the banyan tree and looking at the streets of the capital over which a storm seemed ready to break out, they had already mentally prepared themselves. However, they had not expected that this first storm would be so sudden and fierce.
The stories in novels rarely developed in this sort of fashion. In those stories, the first to appear were always some unremarkable henchmen. After they were fended off by the righteous male main character, their stronger master would appear. However, this time, a general of the enemy had taken the stage at the very start.
"The climax came a bit too earlybut it''s more exciting this way."
Tang Thirty-Six raised the Wenshui Sword and stood in the rain before the stone steps. Suddenly he whispered a word to Chen Changsheng beside him.
"Run."
With a real battle about to begin, the situation was completely different from the Ivy Festival last night. There was no meaning in Chen Changsheng''s lingering, or could he possibly still give instructions as he did during the Ivy Festival? Although they weren''t playing around with their lives in this battle, there were certain to be severe injuries. Just how could Chen Changsheng''s body and bones possibly endure them?
As for chances of victoryTang Thirty-Six was very cool-headed and knew that this was impossible. With Tianhai Shengxue''s strength, even three of Tang Thirty-Six would be easily defeated. Then even if Chen Changsheng did not leave and the three of them worked together, they would not even be able to beat one of Tianhai Shengxue''s hands.
There were no footsteps, no shoes splashing in the puddles. He turned and saw that Chen Changsheng was still standing at his side. He couldn''t help but slightly frown and rebuke, "At this time, what need is there to pretend? You remaining here would just be a burden. Instead of helping us, you would only drag us down."
Xuanyuan Po nodded, but said nothing.
"Don''t worry about meI know that running is the best choice, but I really can''t move my legs."
Chen Changsheng added, "Moreover, you guys aren''t running either, so it''s impossible for me to drag you down."
Tang Thirty-Six thought his options over. Since it was impossible to convince this fellow, he decided to speak no more. Raising the Wenshui Sword, he began walking out the gate. As he trod on the stone steps, the puddles upon them splashed. At the same time, he slapped the Wenshui Sword on his waist a few times, creating a very crisp ring.
With each slap, beads of water left the sword and scattered.
After being washed in the rain, the Wenshui Sword gleamed like it was newly forged. In a little while, when it would be suffused with that sunset glow, it was sure to be extremely beautiful.
When retreating, it was truly difficult to move one''s legs, but he could move forward, and his footsteps were very light.
Chen Changsheng followed Tang Thirty-Six out of the Orthodox Academy''s gate.
Xuanyuan Po glanced at the wooden board of the academy gate in his hands, pondered, and decided to not let it go. Carrying it, he followed after them.
Outside the Orthodox Academy, ten-some horsemen returned from the north were waiting to spring into action.
The three youths were without fear.
"Burst right through them."
Tianhai Shengxue impassively commanded, his right hand lightly raising his reins.
He knew that if he needed to strike down these three youths of the Orthodox Academy, he could do it alone.
But he knew that although it was early morning, there were already many people in the streets outside the Orthodox Academy.
Those people all wanted to see how the Tianhai clan would deal with the Orthodox Academy.
He wanted to directly crush, to smash the Orthodox Academy flat.
He wanted to prove to the entire continent that the dignity of the Tianhai clan was not easily challenged.
The rain suddenly intensified, the drops of rain descending from the sky becoming much larger. As they fell upon the gray stones of Hundred Flowers Lane, they created countless splashes of water.
The curtain of rain gradually thickened, obscuring the view of many spectators.
There was the stamp of a hoof, and then the hooves rumbled like thunder as ten-some black silhouettes shot towards the Orthodox Academy like arrows!
These warhorses were clearly of uncommon stock, carrying the blood of some monster. In such a short distance, they had actually managed to build to such a terrifying speed!
At this sight, Tang Thirty-Six thought to himself, I clearly just had a cup of hot tea when I went to get my sword, so why do I feel somewhat cold?
Raindrops fell on Xuanyuan Po''s face, soaking the youth''s whiskers and seeping into his lips, but he thought to himself, why do I still feel a bit dry?
This was because they were nervous, because they were afraid. Even though they were a proud young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky and a brave and daring demi-human youth, they had still never experienced true life-and-death battle.
Chen Changsheng''s expression did not change. Perhaps it was because he had always been standing on the edge between life and death?
...
...
Suddenly, a massive gale exploded in Hundred Flowers Lane, blowing the rain almost sideways!
A figure, moving with unimaginable speed, appeared on the scene. It instantly rushed in front of Chen Changsheng''s group and confronted Tianhai Shengxue and his horsemen!
With several terrifying cracks, ten-some pikes were chopped apart in the middle, and ten-some horsemen fell into the rainwater.
Nobody could tell clearly just what had happened.
Only after the sound of breaking spears had dissipated did several footsteps appear in the puddles on the stone, did a blank space appear in the heavy curtain of rain!
Just how fast were this person''s movement techniques?
Unobservable with one''s eyes, only leaving traces when passing through the rain!
Tianhai Shengxue''s pupils constricted as he felt an intense danger.
He had not expected that the Orthodox Academy would be concealing this sort of expert!
He did not retreat. He was well aware that he could never be as fast as his opponent.
With a roar, the spear in his hands stabbed into the rain in front of him!
The place where his spear stabbed was precisely the most forward of those blank spaces in the curtain of rain!
The true essence in his body poured out without end, coordinating with his tyrannical spear to shatter the curtain of rain before him!
Innumerable drops of rain formed thin threads that incessantly revolved around the tip of the spear!
A fist suddenly appeared in the air, right in front of the tip of the spear!
The moment this fist appeared, all the brilliance of this spear was completely snatched away.
Those threads of rain revolving around the spear began to crumble and disperse.
The fist broke through the rain and smashed against the tip of the spear!
The spear used by Tianhai Shengxue was certainly not ordinary. The tip of the spear had been personally forged by a master craftsman of the Imperial Court and was made with meteorite iron. It was abnormally tough, and on the battlefields of the northern plains, it had stabbed through the iron-like skin of countless demon soldiers. But before this fistthe tip of the spear bent!
An unimaginable strength traveled along the spear.
Blood began to flow from Tianhai Shengxue''s hands, making it impossible for him to hold on to the spear. With a buzz, the spear fiercely trembled, fell down and shot backwards towards him like a feathered arrow!
If this spear were to collide against his chest, if he didn''t die, he would certainly be heavily wounded!
And it was right at that moment that a hand appeared in the air.
It was a very thin hand.
This hand fell on Tianhai Shengxue''s shoulder.
91 Faster, Tougher, Stronger
The thin hand carried Tianhai Shengxue''s body and instantly took it from the back of his horse. Tianhai Shengxue flew backwards into the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane as swiftly as an arrow. The rain was knocked aside and a clear track was left on the gray flagstones. Finally, when Tianhai Shengxue had been dragged several dozen zhang away, a figure appeared.
It was a tall and thin old man dressed in an ordinary gown meant for leisure. His two shoulders were raised rather high and he seemed to give off an ancient aura, mixed with the extremely clear scent of blood. In his thin hand, Tianhai Shengxue looked just like a child.
The blank spaces had punched forward through the rain, ultimately stopping in front of Tianhai Shengxue''s warhorse, and finally, another figure appeared. It was only after all these events that the rain began to fall once more. The threads of rain which had been cut apart once more linked together and the curtain of rain descended.
From these sights, one could calculate that figure''s speed.
This figure was that of an extremely ordinary middle-aged man, his silk gown embroidered with a pattern of copper coins, his fingers adorned with several gold rings. His entire body gave off a golden light and the stench of copper. He looked just like a rich old man often seen in the countryside or a member of the newly rich. If one only looked at the surface, no one would think this man to be the owner of that fist, the one who had suddenly appeared in the morning rain, instantly sent ten-some horsemen flying, easily destroyed Tianhai Shengxue''s spear, and forced the tall and thin elder to appear.
He was Guardian Jin of the Hundred Herb Garden, who had revealed his identity in Weiyang Palace on the night of the Ivy Festival: Jin Yulu.
The tall and thin elder gazed at Jin Yulu, his white eyebrows slightly raised, the beads of rain moistening and bursting upon them. He seemed very solemn, his mouth slightly open as if prepared to speak.
With Jin Yulu''s appearance, Tang Thirty-Six confirmed that the Orthodox Academy was out of trouble for today. In his delight, he saw the thin elder about to speak and yelled, "Fight, then talk."
These words were naturally meant for Jin Yulu. With Tang Thirty-Six''s age and generation, to order around this legendary figure like so was extremely rude, but Jin Yulu did not seem discomfited. "These words are reasonable."
By the time these words fell from his mouth, Jin Yulu had once again vanished in the rain.
The puddles on the flagstones suddenly began to shake. Footprints appeared on the walls of Hundred Flowers Lane and several dozen blank spaces appeared in the heavy curtain of rain. In the blink of an eye, he had already crossed several dozen zhang!
Those who saw this sight were shocked speechless as they thought, how can such a fast movement technique exist in this world?
The old man''s eyes slightly narrowed, seeming like swords leaving their sheaths, his expression becoming even more solemn. As an elder who had participated in that war, he naturally knew how terrifying Jin Yulu was, especially his speed. Thus, he did not hesitate to use his most powerful technique.
He raised up his two thin palms and pushed forward. A slightly cold yet powerful Qi instantly enveloped Hundred Flowers Lane. The autumn rain falling from the sky slowed its descent, and as they fell, those drops of rain seemed to form a layer of frost. When they fell on the flagstones, they popped like shattering pearls!
The curtain of rain became a curtain of hail, layer after layer of rain becoming layer after layer of defense! Jin Yulu appeared several zhang away from the old man, several dozen beads of frozen rain knocked away by his arrival. They shot off in all directions, boring deep holes in the walls of the lane!
When Jin Yulu''s figure appeared, his two hands had already come out of his sleeves. He stared at the thin elder protected by the curtains of icy rain, his eyes narrowing. His pupils also constricted, emanating a terrifyingly cold black light.
Chachachacha! Countless chafing noises could be heard in the rain pouring over Hundred Flowers Lane, and countless lights flashed. Those lights curved, appeared and disappeared, and were extremely sharp. If someone were able to see them clearly, perhaps they might associate them with the claws of monsters.
The thin old man had used his deep reserves of true essence to lay down a most formidable defense. The curtain of rain frozen into ice truly could place the greatest limitations on Jin Yulu''s terrifying speed, but it could not lower the speed at which Jin Yulu could wave his hands, and the most powerful defense would not be able to withstand a ceaseless and unbroken assault.
In a few moments, only a few drops of water from the rain were falling to the ground, and Jin Yulu had waved his hand at the curtain of rain several hundred times. Of course, neither Tang Thirty-Six nor Chen Changsheng, or even the horsemen fallen in the rain, could see this sight. This was what it meant to be a true expert.
With several rips, the heavy curtain of rain was torn apart. As the rainwater trembled, Jin Yulu''s body blurred. He appeared in front of the tall elder and sent a fist flying towards him. With a shout, the elder raised his two thin palms like blades raised to block, firmly receiving the blow!
With a thump, countless waves were formed and rain was sent flying in all directions. With a crack, several breaks formed in the academy wall.
Tianhai Shengxue, protected behind the thin elder, did not receive the direct impact, but his mind received a heavy jolt. He groaned and his complexion grew even paler.
The tall elder had borne the full brunt, all the terrifying might of Jin Yulu''s fist. His face was even paler, a trickle of blood flowed from his lips, and his two legs trembled.
Jin Yulu expressionlessly gazed at him, but did not continue his assault. Instead, he placed his hands back in his sleeves and turned back towards the academy.
The posture he took when walking and his hands tucked in his sleeves made him no longer seem like a rich old man or one of the newly rich, but like an old peasant.
This battle between experts had begun very quickly and ended even more quickly, faster than any of the spectators could have imagined. This was because Jin Yulu was too fast, fast to an absurd level, even faster than those immortal birds that were famed for their speed. He might have even been the fastest in the entire continent!
"Wasn''t an old peasant like you supposed to be farming on the eastern slopes? How did you end up here!"
The elder demanded of Jin Yulu''s slightly stooped back.
After fighting, they could talk, and it was even with an old acquaintance from many years ago. Jin Yulu did not turn around. He continued walking forward with his hands tucked in his sleeves, saying, "Fei Dian, weren''t you sweeping snow in the north? How did you end up here?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s complexion slightly changed upon hearing Fei Dian''s name, while the depths of the street seemed to undergo some unrest.
This tall and thin elder was actually Fei Dian!
Fei Dian was one of the most senior and most powerful of the Great Zhou''s Divine Generals. He was a veteran general who had taken part in that war of the past and had made many contributions. Even Xue Xingchuan, Divine General of the Heavens, the most impressive of the present-day Divine Generals, would treat him with courtesy and respect.
No one had expected that this sort of important personage would appear outside the Orthodox Academy in the early morning to secretly act as Tianhai Shengxue''s escort.
And no one had expected that this sort of expert would actually so cleanly lose to this middle-aged man.
Everyone in the Great Zhou Army knew that Fei Dian cultivated in the Chilling Eagle Style. This style specialized in being swift and forceful, yet this middle-aged man had turned out to be both faster and stronger than him.
Those in the lane who did not know of the middle-aged man''s identity were too astonished for words. They thought to themselves, just who is this man?
Chen Changsheng and the others naturally would not think this.
"After so many years, Jin Yulu, you still rely on your strength and speed to eat."
Fei Dian looked at his back and mocked.
Only now did those people in the lane know of Jin Yulu''s identity. Still, they were too astonished for words.
It was only after the final night of the Ivy Festival that many people realized that Jin Yulu had been living with Princess Luoluo in the capital this entire time. After several hundred years, this valiant demi-human general who had even received the complete appreciation of Emperor Taizong had become a living legend. Since it was him, it was naturally not a surprise for the battle to end this way.
Fei Dian could be even faster, but he still would not be faster than him.
Jin Yulu''s speed was in the top five of the entire continent.
Hearing Fei Dian''s words, Jin Yulu still did not turn around. "Seven hundred years ago, you said the same thing. Seven hundred years have passed, and you''re still saying it What you''re best at is strength and speed, but in both aspects you''re no match for me; what can you do about it?"
Those descendants of noble clans who truly had potential would always have experts keeping watch, ensuring that they could peacefully mature from young geniuses into the true experts. For instance, when Tang Thirty-Six came from Wenshui to the capital, Vice Principal Zhuang was responsible for his care, so his clan had not sent anyone over. However, no one in his clan had ever thought that he might leave the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Fei Dian had had a good relationship with the Tianhai clan for three hundred years. He was responsible for defending Snowhold Pass on the northern frontier, and so when the Tianhai clan sent Tianhai Shengxue to Snowhold Pass for tempering, Fei Dian took on the role of caretaker. He fulfilled this role at Snowhold Pass, and he fulfilled this role after returning to the capital.
Tianhai Shengxue had come this morning to the Orthodox Academy to establish his prestige. Without saying anything, Fei Dian had secretly followed him, as he knew that there was no way this matter would be as simple as imagined. Just as expected, the three students of the Orthodox Academy were very unusual, and at the final moment, Jin Yulu had made a surprise appearance!
"If I did not recall incorrectly, you should be at the Li Palace Academy right now."
Fei Dian took the handkerchief offered by Tianhai Shengxue and lightly wiped the blood from the corner of his lips.
By this point, Jin Yulu had already reached the gate of the Orthodox Academy. Taking the handkerchief offered by Chen Changsheng, he lightly wiped the rain from his face. He turned around and said to Fei Dian, "And just why do I need to be at the Li Palace Academy?"
"Her Highness Princess Luoluo is at the Li Palace Academy. This is the will of His Holiness, and also the will of the Empress."
Separated by several dozen zhang, Fei Dian narrowed his eyes and spoke.
Jin Yulu laughed, then asked, "And what does any of that have to do with you?"
Fei Dian slightly frowned. "You should be well aware that His Majesty the White Emperor turned Her Highness over to the Empress to take care of. The Empress''s words are the words of His Majesty the White Emperor, so even Her Highness Luoluo must obey. As a subject, are you defying the decree of His Majesty the White Emperor?"
"The White Emperor''s decreeI stopped listening to those several hundred years ago. I remember that you were also there, or did you forget?"
Jin Yulu''s smile faded as he impassively said, "From the day His Majesty began to send out those absurd orders, I ceased to be His Majesty''s subject. His Majesty''s words have no effect on me. Her Highness must obey the words of the Divine Empress because the Empress is her elder, because the White Emperor ordered it. I do not need to obey the Divine Empress''s words because I am not a subject of the Great Zhou, and the Empress is not my elder either. Moreover, the White Emperor no longer has the power to order me around.
"I am Her Highness''s Guardian; I only obey Her Highness''s words.
"Her Highness wanted me to come to the Orthodox Academy and take a look, so I came to take a look.
"Is there a problem with that?"
Fei Dian looked at him with a rather complex expression. He knew that the absurd orders of the White Emperor that Jin Yulu spoke of referred to the execution of the Mount Li disciples for tardiness. At the time, this matter had caused a vicious argument within the army, dividing it into two factions and almost shaking the alliance between the humans and demi-humans.
He sighed and said, "So many centuries have passed, but your personality is still so tough, your momentum still so strong."
Jin Yulu expressionlessly said, "Back then, I was responsible for military law and killed countless people. I did not listen to the White Emperor''s words and Emperor Taizong had no means of getting ahold of me. Why? Because I was not wrong, so for what reason should I not be tough? Why should my momentum not be strong?"
Hundred Flowers Lane was quiet, the only sound that of rain striking against the gray flagstones.
Whether it was the ten-some people in front of the Orthodox Academy''s gate or the more numerous people hiding in the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane, nobody spoke.
92 The Academy Gate and the Hearts of the People
Jin Yulu was dressed like a rich old man, and the way he kept his hands in his sleeves made him seem like an old peasant. There did not seem to be anything unusual about him, until he said those words.
People reacted differently to these words, with Chen Changsheng having the most intense response, especially to that final line: "Because I was not wrong, so for what reason should I not be tough? Why should my momentum not be strong?"
When he first entered the capital, he had once said similar words at the Divine General of the East''s estate, in front of the Temple Seminary.
Because of the response from the outside world, he had always been somewhat worried if he stood out too much from the masses. To put it a different way, might those things he persisted on not seem too stubborn, too sour and bitter, in the eyes of others, or be regarded as a very strange thing? Only when he heard Jin Yulu''s words did he finally realize that there were actually many people like him in this world.
This made him somewhat happy.
...
...
"Could it possibly be that Senior will stand guard over the Orthodox Academy forever?"
Tianhai Shengxue walked out from behind Fei Dian with a cold gaze fixed on Jin Yulu.
Jin Yulu calmly replied, "And why can''t I?"
Tianhai Shengxue replied, "Senior is the Guardian of the Red River; do you not need to attend to Her Highness''s everyday life? Do you not need to care for Her Highness''s safety?"
Jin Yulu slightly squinted his eyes. "You people of Zhou say that the Li Palace is the safest place, which is why Her Highness moved out of the Hundred Herb Garden and went there This being the case, Her Highness''s safety is naturally the responsibility of you people of Zhou, so what do I need to worry about?"
In order for the Tianhai clan to move against the Orthodox Academy, they had first used this excuse to have Luoluo leave the Orthodox Academy.
Now, however, Jin Yulu was using this reason to say that he didn''t need to be at the Li Palace and could remain for the long term at the Orthodox Academy.
Tianhai Shengxue could not find another reason.
Just then, several carriages drove through the rain into Hundred Flowers Lane.
Tianhai Shengxue had chosen the early hours of the morning to bring his subordinates to the Orthodox Academy because he was keenly aware that some people in the capital were protecting the Orthodox Academy. He wanted to take advantage of this bout of morning rain and crush the Orthodox Academy flat with the force of a thunderclap before those people had a chance to respond.
He had not expected these three youths of the Orthodox Academy to put up such a tough resistance, and he had not expected Jin Yulu to appear. With the passing of time, those spies hidden in Hundred Flowers Lane had reported back to their masters, and those people had naturally hurried over.
These carriages had come in spite of the rain, and it was obvious that they had come in great haste.
When Prince Chen Liu got out of the carriage at the very front, one of the buttons on his front lapel had even been tied incorrectly, so it could be imagined how hastily he had departed.
A middle-aged man of slender build held up an umbrella and sheltered him as he walked to the gate of the Orthodox Academy.
Prince Chen Liu looked over the scene and knew what had happened. Frowning at Tianhai Shengxue, he ordered, "Go back."
In terms of seniority, Prince Chen Liu and Tianhai Shengxue were of the same generation, and Tianhai Shengxue was even a bit older than Prince Chen Liu. However, Prince Chen Liu was still a member of the Chen Imperial clan, and more importantly, the Divine Empress treated him much better than she did her nephew and grandnephews in the Tianhai clan, so the tone with which he spoke to Tianhai Shengxue was not very courteous.
Tianhai Shengxue coldly glanced at him with an unspeakable scorn, yet he did not issue a word of protest.
Toward this member of the Imperial clan who had been able to live in the Imperial Palace for a long period of time, the youths of the Tianhai clan felt both admiration and resentment. It was not as if some people had not attempted to deal with him over these past few years, but after the Divine Empress displayed her thunderous wrath, no one dared to treat him with the slightest disrespect, at least on the surface.
The person to descend from the second carriage was Priest Xin.
Yesterday, the entire capital came to know of the fact that the Pope had called Princess Luoluo to the Li Palace Academy to study. With the Orthodox Academy''s situation unstable, he felt his own heart begin to sway and become impossible to soothe. He anxiously thought, was I wrong back then when I saw that recommendation letter and treated Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy so well? For this reason, when he learned early in the morning of what was happening, he did not immediately head out, but went to the archbishop''s residence first. He was worried that he would once more misunderstand the Pope''s intentions.
The archbishop had laughed but said nothing, which made him extremely afraid. Could the archbishop''s view be different from the Pope''s? Could the archbishop really be preparing to overturn the verdict on that matter? Was he really prepared to stand opposite to the Pope? Was the Orthodoxy really about to split?
Priest Xin was very fearful, but he discovered that it was already too late to retreat, because all of the capital and all of the Li Palace knew that the Orthodox Academy had obtained a chance at rebirth and had been invited to attend the Ivy Festival through his arrangements. Who would believe that he was just the executor?
Right now, he could only stand on the Orthodox Academy''s side, so he had to stand on the Orthodox Academy''s side.
This sort of panic from being forced to choose a side would often make the chooser act with incredible courage as they had already put everything on the line. Consequently, Priest Xin displayed an attitude even more unyielding than Prince Chen Liu''s, harshly reprimanding Tianhai Shengxue without the slightest concern for his dignity.
Tianhai Shengxue''s face grew paler and paler, angrier and angrier.
But with both Prince Chen Liu and the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education arriving, he had lost the opportunity to flatten the Orthodox Academy.
Jin Yulu stood in front of the gate to the Orthodox Academy.
Crucially, those three students of the Orthodox Academy had put on a somewhat surprising performance.
He stared at them and slightly perked his eyebrows. Then, he took the reins of his horse from one of his soldiers and shouted, "Let''s go!"
"Go?"
It was the same word but in different tones, so they reflected two completely different meanings.
Tang Thirty-Six raised his sword and asked, "You think you can go just because you want to?"
In this morning''s battle, the students of the Orthodox Academy had heavily injured four of Tianhai Shengxue''s personal guards while Jin Yulu had completely crushed the rest, wounded Fei Dian, and given Tianhai Shengxue quite the fright. On the other hand, the Orthodox Academy had come away without a scratch, so no matter what, it looked like they were the ones with the advantage.
But Tang Thirty-Six was still not willing to let the matter drop. Prince Chen Liu slightly frowned at this young master of the Wenshui Tang clan. When he thought of how rudely and boorishly this youth had acted two nights ago at Weiyang Palace, he found himself rather displeased at this person''s rash behavior that paid no mind to the general situation.
"We require an explanation."
The autumn rain was gradually lightening as Chen Changsheng took two steps forward and spoke, pointing behind him at the ruins of the gate.
Why did Tianhai Shengxue want to destroy the gate of the Orthodox Academy, and even annihilate the Orthodox Academy itself? Because he wanted to take vengeance for his cousin Tianhai Ya''er. Although he and Tianhai Ya''er were normally not very close, he was still a member of the Tianhai clan, yet he was crippled by the Orthodox Academy.
But that was a match of the Ivy Festival, a fair duel. Losing was losing, so what reason was there to take revenge? And if he wanted to take revenge, he should be seeking out Luoluo. Using the Orthodox Academy to vent his anger was not truly a reason that could be brought to the table.
There was still one more reason hidden at the very bottom, and it was helping the Divine Empress resolve a somewhat vexing concern, but there was no way this reason could be publicly announced.
As for the final reason, it also could not be mentioned.
Chen Changsheng knew that the other side could not give a reason, so he had asked for an explanation.
Tianhai Shengxue had a rather ugly expression.
Fei Dian sighed. Looking at the lessening rain and pointing at the puddles on the ground, he said, "The road was slippery from the rain, so the carriage crashed and resulted in injuries. How is this explanation?"
The carriage that had crashed into the Orthodox Academy had the finest carriage compartment and the finest warhorse. Let alone the streets of the capital drenched by an autumn rain, even the stormy snows and the frozen lands of Snowhold Pass would not cause it crash and lead to such a disastrous result.
This was naturally a quite shameless explanation, but its shamelessness served as an acknowledgment of defeat.
Neither Chen Changsheng nor Tang Thirty-Six could say much about it.
"I''ll be coming back."
Tianhai Shengxue leaped onto his horse and then said to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng thought, then replied, "If you come to apply for the Orthodox Academy, I won''t accept you."
Tianhai Shengxue angrily smiled, then left without saying any more.
Fei Dian looked at Jin Yulu and shook his head. "You aren''t Zhou Dufu; you can''t change much."
Jin Yulu, his hands in his sleeves, ignored him and did not reply.
The rain finally stopped and the people gathered around Hundred Flowers Lane gradually dispersed.
The events that had taken place in front of the Orthodox Academy in the early hours of the morning had caught the attention of many people.
On the surface, this was the first clash between Tianhai Shengxue and the Orthodox Academy. In reality, everyone knew that this was a struggle between the new powers of the Great Zhou and the old Imperial clan, between the Pope and the conservative faction of the Orthodoxy, but it was obvious that the power affiliated with the Orthodox Academy was too weak.
The opponent had only dispatched Tianhai Shengxue, recently returned from Snowhold Pass, but Prince Chen Liu and the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had been forced to come so as to protect the Orthodox Academy. One could say that this showed how much Prince Chen Liu and the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education valued the Orthodox Academy, but the true situation was that there was simply no one else that the Orthodox Academy could send.
Prince Chen Liu greeted the three students of the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng returned the greetings, but he did not give thanks. "In the palace, Your Highness once said that minor figures like us were dragged into matters between important figures like you, so I won''t thank Your Highness."
"Thanks are truly not needed." Prince Chen Liu smiled at him, then continued, "Butafter the Ivy Festival, the entire continent knows that you are Xu Yourong''s fianc. You are no longer some ordinary youth, you are no longer someone dragged in by us, so I won''t express any apology to you either."
Chen Changsheng fell silent. Only now did he realize the effect that exposing the engagement had on him.
Many people did not want him to marry Xu Yourong, including the Tianhai clan.
This morning''s incident perhaps also had this reason.
"If something comes up, just notify me."
After saying this, Prince Chen Liu very indifferently left, deliberately not leaving any goodwill.
The slender man glanced at Chen Changsheng and then left, still holding up the umbrella.
Priest Xin came over and said a few words, together with Tang Thirty-Six cursing the arrogance of the Tianhai clan, and then left.
Only now did Xuanyuan Po put down that piece of the gate.
He had been carrying the heavy board for a very long time. Even with the special body of a demi-human, he found it very painful.
"In a little while, I''ll go and bury this horse. When do we fix the gate?" he asked.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the shattered gate and shook his head. "We''re not fixing it."
Tang Thirty-Six said, "If you wanted the Tianhai clan to fix it, we should have forced them to lower their heads just now."
"And what would we do if they really lowered their heads and fixed it?"
Chen Changsheng continued, "It''s quite fine for the gate to be broken like this."
Xuanyuan Po scratched his head and looked at the ground covered in bits of wood and stone, thinking, what''s so good about this?
"You''ve made progress."
Jin Yulu smiled and noted, "You know to strive for the greatest benefit."
With the gate of the Orthodox Academy shattered like this, with each passing day, the people of the capital would think the Tianhai clan more wanton and shameless.
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng said, "Senior, I don''t like this sort of progress."
"I also don''t like it."
Jin Yulu patted him on the shoulder and consoled, "But what can we do? There are too many shameless people in the world. Unless you become like me, hiding away in the mountains and farming, or something changes, you can only accept it."
93 A Gatekeeper, a Conversation, and the Person in the Bed
Chen Changsheng expressed his gratitude towards Jin Yulu. If not for him, no matter how valiant Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po were, they would not have been able to protect the Orthodox Academy before Prince Chen Liu and Priest Xin hurried over. Jin Yulu smiled. "You are Her Highness''s teacher, so you''re one of us."
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat embarrassed at this. After all, this man was a true legend. Guardian Jin had appeared at the Orthodox Academy and taken action for those three youths naturally because Luoluo had ordered it. Luoluo''s person had left the Orthodox Academy, but her heart was still here. This fact made him very happy.
"Will Sir remain at the Orthodox Academy?"
Xuanyuan Po looked at Jin Yulu with an expression of childlike admiration. Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six thought, despite what Jin Yulu said to Tianhai Shengxue, he has to attend to Luoluo; how can he actually stay here forever? They indicated that Xuanyuan Po shouldn''t say too much.
"It''s not out of the question for me to stay." Jin Yulu looked at the expressions of the three youths and gently laughed. "I''ve never committed any sort of crime in all my life because there''s not much that I like, but I do really like money."
Chen Changsheng glanced at the coin patterns embroidered on Jin Yulu''s silk gown and laughed. Knowing that he was prepared to stay, Chen Changsheng clasped his hands and thanked him once more.
Tang Thirty-Six went up to Jin Yulu and grabbed his somewhat rough hands, shaking them nonstop as he said, "Sir certainly knows that my family has nothing else except money. We''re lacking in everything but money."
The Wenshui Tangs were a famously wealthy clan, their countless riches accumulated over hundreds of generations. Ten-some years ago in that rebellion, the first thing the old Imperial clan did was seek out the Tang clan in hopes of their support. Although they had ultimately not succeeded, it could be imagined from this how vast the Tang clan''s wealth was.
"Without counting Her Highness, the Orthodox Academy at present only has us three students. We''re just lacking a teacher."
Chen Changsheng humbly requested Jin Yulu, "I hope that Sir can instruct us."
With Jin Yulu''s cultivation, he had been able to stably suppress Mount Li Elder Xiao Songgong, and he was presumably at about the same level of strength as Principal Mao Qiuyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Coupled with his qualifications and his experience in cultivation, having him as a teacher at the Orthodox Academy would be more than enough.
But he did not agree with Chen Changsheng''s request. Chuckling as he shook his head, he said, "Since when does a student invite the teacher?"
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat helpless. "The Orthodox Academy at the moment only has students, no principal."
Jin Yulu looked at him with a rather profound expression. "His Eminence the Archbishop naturally had a reason for giving you both the register and keys."
Chen Changsheng did not know what the archbishop was thinking. He only thought about what sort of status Jin Yulu should have while remaining at the Orthodox Academy, his brow creased.
"Based on your intentions, it seems to me that you won''t be repairing the academy gate for quite some time."
Jin Yulu looked at the destroyed gate and continued, "Since this is an academy, the most important thing is studying. Even if it''s just you three students, your education shouldn''t be disturbed. Since the academy gate exists in name only, you might need a gatekeeper?"
Chen Changsheng understood his meaning, but was somewhat shocked and unwilling to reply.
"I farmed on the eastern slopes outside White Emperor City for several hundred years; what''s there to be afraid about being a gatekeeper?"
Jin Yulu said, and laughed. Not giving the three youths a chance to refuse, he said that he had to prepare some materials to build a little house by the gate and left on his own.
Xuanyuan Po was very happy while Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six exchanged speechless glances, thinking, are we really letting a legend like Jin Yulu be a gatekeeper? The standards of the Orthodox Academy seemed somewhat too high. In the future, just who would dare come to the Orthodox Academy to make trouble?
With the cessation of the autumn drizzle, the morning fog set in. Xuanyuan Po went to dig a grave for the horse by the academy''s western wall, refusing Chen Changsheng''s help. Chen Changsheng thought and felt that he was truly somewhat lacking in sleep. He decided to return to the house and go back to sleep, but he was pulled over to the library by Tang Thirty-Six.
"Back there when Tianhai Shengxue and his followers were charging toward us, I was actually very scared," Tang Thirty-Six said to him.
Chen Changsheng replied, "Everyone is afraid of deaththat''s a normal thing. Don''t feel humiliated about it."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him with a solemn expression. "Yes, everyone is afraid of death, so they''ll always feel fear in that sort of situationbut back then, I saw you out of the corner of my eye, and I didn''t see a single hint of fear on your face. This is very shocking to me."
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then said, "You know that I''m somewhat slow, so maybe I didn''t have enough time to show my fear."
"No." Tang Thirty-Six shook his head and firmly said, "I could see that you were truly not afraid."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, then asked, "Just what do you want to say?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "To be completely without fear in that sort of situation, there are only two possibilities. You might have guessed that Luoluo would send Jin Yulu to the Orthodox Academy, and so there would naturally be no need for you to be afraid. However, it''s very obvious that you also did not know that Jin Yulu would come."
Chen Changsheng asked, "And the other possibility is?"
Tang Thirty-Six answered, "You simply aren''t afraid of deathso you naturally wouldn''t show fear."
Chen Changsheng scratched his head. "We just agreed that everyone is afraid of death."
Tang Thirty-Six was very concerned. "I also believed that to be true, so I feel that you must have some secret, or something must have occurred recently."
Chen Changsheng sighed, saying, "Do I look like someone with the resolve to die in my heart?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "You truly don''t, and to be able to have Xu Yourong as a wife, there''s no way you would think about dying."
Chen Changsheng asked, "Then what are you worried about?"
Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes. "You''re not sick, are you?"
Chen Changsheng had no idea that this fellow would be so smart, able to guess at so many things from so few details. Of course, that was also because this fellow cared a lot about him. This made his heart feel a little warm, but his face turned slightly chilly as he rebuked, "You''re the one that''s sick here."
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s ugly complexion, Tang Thirty-Six realized that his questions were truly somewhat inappropriate, his thoughts too nonsensical. Soon after, he thought of another matter and seriously asked, "At the beginning, did you really not know that Tianhai Shengxue was the Divine Empress''s grandnephew?"
After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng affirmed, "I knew."
Tang Thirty-Six thought to himself, that''s right. Even if you grew up in the remote countryside and only spent your days in the capital reading and cultivating in the Orthodox Academy, since you were able to guess that the other side was a member of the Tianhai clan, you would also be able to guess at Tianhai Shengxue''s identity through his age and bearing.
"Why?"
He asked why Chen Changsheng had pretended that he did not know that and cursed Tianhai Shengxue''s grandaunt in front of so many people before the gate of the Orthodox Academy.
"Because I want to know just what the esteemed Divine Empress''s position is towards the Orthodox Academy."
Chen Changsheng continued, "If the Empress truly does not want the Orthodox Academy to obstruct her eyes in the capital, she only needs to say a word, and the Orthodox Academy would be wiped away. There would be no need for all this trouble."
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "They''re guessing at the Empress''s intentions."
"They can guess, but I don''t want to guess. I came to the capital to study and cultivate, to participate in the Grand Examination. Time is very precious to me, and if the Orthodox Academy has to welcome trouble after trouble, that would be far too troublesome."
Tang Thirty-Six''s brows slightly rose. "So?"
"I directly cursed her, which will assuredly be relayed to the palace. No person will dare to stand in the way and block it."
After a momentary pause, Chen Changsheng continued, "And so we should very quickly find out what sort of position the Empress holds on the Orthodox Academy."
Tang Thirty-Six felt somewhat cold. "You want to see if that blade will fall or not? This is truly a lethal impatience."
Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "It''s still better than the feeling of that blade always hanging over your head."
"It seems that what I said at the beginning was correctyou really aren''t afraid of death."
Tang Thirty-Six stared at him in amazement. "Just what sort of illness do you have?"
"I''m not ill."
Chen Changsheng laughed and said, "I know how to treat illnesses."
There was a phrase that remained at the bottom of his heart: an illness that can''t be cured isn''t an illness, it''s fate.
"Fake, too fake."
Tang Thirty-Six clicked his tongue and then sighed. "You''ve almost surpassed that county prince."
Chen Changsheng did not expect him to suddenly mention Prince Chen Liu. He looked at him in surprise. "Just when did Prince Chen Liu offend you?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Did you notice, when he stepped off the carriage, one of his buttons wasn''t tied correctly."
"So?"
"Without this, how could he show that he had come in a rush, how deeply concerned he was for the Orthodox Academy?"
"You''re thinking too much."
Chen Changsheng deeply admired this fellow''s ability to perceive even the smallest details, but he didn''t agree with his view.
"In short, I don''t like Prince Chen Liuhe''s too fake."
"Perhaps because he doesn''t much like you?"
"I''m so real, if he doesn''t like me, it''s precisely because he''s fake."
"You can change the word ''real'' for ''unrestrained''."
"Whatever, he''s still a fake."
"If you weren''t the sort of person that likes looking at people through the eye of a needle, who would notice a small detail like Prince Chen Liu tying the wrong button?"
(TN: To look at someone through the eye of a needle means to look down upon/underestimate them.)
"My grandfather taught me a similar phrase: looking at people through the eye of a coin gives the most accurate picture."
(TN: Chinese coins of the past had holes through the center so that they could be threaded on strings. The meaning of Tang Thirty-Six''s saying here is that seeing how people act in front of money gives you the best idea of their character.)
Chen Changsheng shook his head and said no more. In his view, even if Prince Chen Liu had intentionally tied his button incorrectly, as the only descendant of the Imperial clan left in the capital, isolated and with little help, a little more thought so that he could obtain the support of the elders of the Orthodoxy through the Orthodox Academy was understandable.
After burying the horse by the western wall, Xuanyuan Po had returned and heard the second part of their conversation. Repeatedly shaking his head, he honestly said, "You guys are so young, yet thinking of such complex topics. Humans truly are too crafty; it''s impossible to deal with you all."
...
...
Upon returning to his bedroom in the house, Chen Changsheng felt very tired, his eyelids heavy.
His mood was also rather heavy because he knew well that his calm life of reading and cultivating would never return. Regardless of what sort of position the Divine Empress displayed after his curse was relayed to the palace, nothing good would happen.
In the abandoned garden within the Imperial Palace, Mo Yu had said that he was borrowing authority, a treacherous schemer, but he actually learned it all from Luoluoafter all, she was the sole daughter of the White Emperor. Although she had no brothers or sisters and had never experienced a palace conflict, as a member of an imperial bloodline, Luoluo was naturally knowledgeable in these matters.
As for himself? He was skilled in calculation, but not in being calculating.
Just as he had said to Jin Yulu, he did not like that sort of thing. It was too tiring.
He walked to his bed and prepared to rest for a while, but then he suddenly stopped.
He walked to the cabinet by the window and took the dagger, then returned to the bed.
There was no hesitation. It was all done very naturally.
To this, that person had no reaction.
Chen Changsheng stared at the bed, his fingers slightly whitening as he gripped his dagger.
A person was hiding under the sheets.
94 Blame It on the Autumn Rain
Immediately, Chen Changsheng''s anxiety somewhat lessened, because he saw that waterfall of black hair. It wasn''t because it was a woman, but because an assassin would not be so easily found out, much less sleep on another person''s bed.
As a few remaining drops of rain lightly pattered against the window, that person turned around in bed, still asleep. He could barely make out that her ears were plugged with the softest silk. Her appearance was still as tender and beautiful as usual, but perhaps because her eyes were closed in deep sleep, she did not give off an arrogant demeanor or aura of cold.
Chen Changsheng was deeply shocked as he stared at the beautiful face. No matter what, he had never imagined that he would see Mo Yu. As the person most trusted by the Divine Empress of the Great Zhou, she should be extremely busy. How had she appeared in his house in the Orthodox Academy and was even sound asleep in his own bed?
Mo Yu was truly asleep, and for some reason, she was sleeping very soundly. Perhaps because she did not need to think about plots or schemes while sleeping, she seemed very relaxed. She was softly snoring and would occasionally extend her slightly wet tongue to lick the corners of her mouth. She was not deliberately enticing anybody, just seemed as innocent as a child.
Chen Changsheng creased his forehead, unable to understand this no matter how much he thought. Seeing Mo Yu''s face still holding a few traces of makeup, he thought in astonishment, this beautiful woman with the heart of a snake actually has this sort of innocent and exhausted side.
He returned his dagger to its sheath. If Mo Yu had come to kill him, it wouldn''t matter even if he was holding the Frost God Spear. He extended a hand to gently push Mo Yu''s body through the blanket. Even though it was separated by the quite thick blanket, the feeling felt through his fingers was still extremely clear, a tender elasticity.
The moment his finger fell on the blanket, Mo Yu opened her eyes.
She had not been sleeping this early morning sleep for too long, but she slept very well, much better than she had ever slept in the Imperial Palace or in the Little Orange Garden. This made her very satisfied. She squinted her eyes until they were like the leaves of willows by the lake, brimming with happiness.
And then she saw Chen Changsheng. As she recalled where she was and what she had come to do, why she had fallen asleep, her eyes slightly chilled. The happiness in her eyes was like the reflection of willow leaves in the waters of a lake, shattered by a thrown stone and leaving not a single trace behind.
Her expression became extremely serious, exuding both grace and an incredible cold.
She blinked her eyes to completely wake up. She became calm as usual, not laughing or cold or graceful, only calm.
In a very short amount of time, she went from an innocent child to a cold figure of power and then to an ordinary woman, freely transforming from one to the other. At this sight, Chen Changsheng felt rather sorrowful, thinking inwardly, wearing so many faces, will you still be able to remember what your true self is like at the very end?
"What time is it?" Mo Yu asked.
Chen Changsheng told her.
Mo Yu looked out the window, seeing the autumn rain wet the slightly yellowed leaves, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain. She commented, "The sound of autumn rain striking against the window is truly good for sleep."
Saying this, she walked to the bronze mirror by the window and seated herself. She took a wooden comb from her sleeve and began to tidy her hair. Her actions were very natural, with no awkwardness or tension in sight. It was like this was not the Orthodox Academy, but her own bedroom in the Little Orange Garden.
Chen Changsheng moved his gaze away from the beautiful belt of her palace dress and fell upon her face in the bronze mirror. Seeing those traces of makeup and that inerasable exhaustion, he said, "You seem very tired."
Only a person exhausted in both body and mind would sleep with such soundness and relaxation. He was very sure of this.
The hand Mo Yu was using to hold the comb momentarily went stiff and then continued to move along her black hair as she teased, "What does a little child know?"
In her view, Chen Changsheng was just a little child.
Chen Changsheng replied, "Even a little child won''t run off to someone else''s house to sleep."
Mo Yu''s hand went stiff once more.
"I heard that the Orthodox Academy would be lively today, so I came over to take a look. I didn''t expect it to be so dull, so I fell asleep."
She calmly explained, but it was truthfully difficult to not be somewhat embarrassed. However, she could not let Chen Changsheng see her embarrassment, or else she would feel even more embarrassed. It was just like how the first thing she had done upon waking up was attributing the soundness of her sleep to the gentle pattering of the autumn rain.
In reality, she herself did not understand why she had fallen asleep, and even on Chen Changsheng''s bed. Her only theory was that Chen Changsheng was just a little child and also had nothing much to do with the affairs of the Imperial Court, so she very easily became relaxed, and also the scent of these blanketsit was so nice as to be unreasonable.
It was like the scent of the sun, but not intense. Like the scent of the autumn rain, but not damp. Like the scent of a fruit, but not sticky. In brief, it was a very nice smell.
Mo Yu came to her senses and realized that she was thinking too much. Slightly frowning in perplexity, she examined her face in the mirror. She became somewhat displeased and said, "I didn''t expect that a young man like you would place such a large mirror in your room. You don''t normally put on makeup, and you don''t seem like a person that cares about external appearances."
"A bronze mirror can help one straighten their attire, and it can also help straighten their mind," Chen Changsheng explained.
"Reasonable." Mo Yu paused, then continued combing her hair.
After a few moments, her black hair became supple as it was before. She extended a finger towards the window. It was clearly some distance away from the outside, yet a ball of water still formed on the fingertip.
This was a very beautiful sight, and if an ordinary person who did not understand cultivation were to see it, they would think it incomparably mystical.
Chen Changsheng knew that this was the formidable control Star Condensation experts had on their surroundings, but he did not know why she had done this.
Mo Yu gently pressed her fingertip between her eyebrows and slowly rubbed. The remnants of her makeup descended with this water, like a flowering tree shedding countless bits of powder after being struck.
Only then did Chen Changsheng understand that she had displayed her formidable cultivation and nigh perfect control just so that she could wash off her makeup He felt that women were truly difficult to understand. On this matter, he had a very different view, but after thinking about it, he decided to restrain himself.
"Do you know what the Empress said?" Mo Yu asked as she removed last night''s makeup from her face.
Chen Changsheng fell silent. Earlier, he had said to Tang Thirty-Six that he wanted to know the Divine Empress''s position. Now, the Divine Empress''s position was about to appear, but he suddenly didn''t want to know.
"The Empress said, ''Children just like to mess around.''"
Without turning around, Mo Yu continued, "Although you are also a child, the Empress was naturally not speaking about you."
Chen Changsheng understand that up until today, the Divine Empress might not have even known who he was. The child she was speaking of was naturally Luoluo.
"The White Emperor couple entrusted Her Highness Luoluo to the Empress. The Empress is her elder and must teach her, so Her Highness Luoluo must obey. Previously, Her Highness studied in the Orthodox Academy, acknowledging you as teacher. All this can be regarded as a child messing around, and the Empress would not care, but in the Ivy Festival, all of you messed around too much."
Mo Yu looked at the youth through the mirror, finishing, "The Empress does not want Her Highness to continue messing around with you."
Chen Changsheng lowered his head and stared at the floor in silence.
"Don''t think that you could really borrow Her Highness''s power. With just a single sentence, you could lose everything. You must be clear on this point."
"I never had anything in the capital, so I have nothing to lose."
"And your life? That you''re able to appear in front of me somewhat surprises me. It seems that Tianhai Shengxue is much more cautious and less daring than when he lived in the capitalright, you don''t know that fellow. Don''t be fooled by his ordinary appearancewhen he truly goes crazy, Tianhai Ya''er doesn''t even have the right to carry his shoes. If he hadn''t been sent to suffer for a few years at Snowhold Pass, with his temper of the past, you would definitely have died this morning in front of the Orthodox Academy''s gates."
Chen Changsheng raised his head and looked at her face in the mirror, saying, "Officer Tianhai''s temper is still very bad. This morning, he truly wanted to kill someone. The reason I can stand right here is not that he displayed kindness or mercy, but that he couldn''t kill me"
He added, "Just like two nights ago when I took out the marriage contract in Weiyang Palace, it wasn''t because of my lady''s sympathy, but because my lady had no way of stopping me."
Mo Yu arched her brows, somewhat unhappy.
"I forgot to tell my lady, Guardian Jin is now the Orthodox Academy''s gatekeeperTianhai Shengxue won''t have the chance to take even one step into the Orthodox Academy. If my lady wants to do anything else, my lady might need to personally appear and not act as you are now, chatting a few words in the aftermath."
Mo Yu''s forehead creased even tighter.
"You don''t usually talk this much."
"I also find it strange. Whether it was in front of Weiyang Palace, or in the abandoned garden, or right now, whenever I meet my lady, I find myself speaking a lot more."
Mo Yu turned around and quietly stared at Chen Changsheng. For some reason, she shook her head.
She did not understandthis youth was clearly ordinary to the extreme, but why did Princess Luoluo regard him with such importance? Even Xu Yourong had sent a letter speaking of this person. No matter how outstanding Chen Changsheng''s performance was at the Ivy Festival, she still did not understand.
But what puzzled her the most and what she cared about the most was still that matter.
"Just how did you get out of the Tong Palace?"
Chen Changsheng did not answer, only looked at her.
At this moment, Mo Yu''s face was completely clean of makeup. Her skin was white and tender as if new, her appearance elegant, her eyes graceful. She looked even more like a twenty-some-year-old young woman.
But she was not some young woman who had no understanding of worldly affairs, she was the extremely shrewd number one female official of the Great Zhou.
Her figure was visible behind all these matters, from Luoluo leaving the Orthodox Academy for the Li Palace Academy, to the Tianhai clan''s assault in the morning.
She was the instigator behind the curtains, the Orthodox Academy''s greatest enemy at the moment.
"Some people believe that you and the Orthodox Academy represent something, but you and I both know that this is only a misunderstanding."
She looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "When Xu Shiji sought my assistance, his daughter also just so happened to send a letter. I racked my mind but couldn''t think of a way to take care of the matter, so I threw you into the Orthodox Academy, intending to let you do what you wished. However, I didn''t expect that you would get to know Her Highness Luoluo and thus crawl out of this graveyard."
Chen Changsheng agreed, "Yes, that''s exactly how matters stand."
Mo Yu''s expression gradually grew cold. "I just casually did something and ended up stirring these ripples, but what does that matter? I don''t care whether the Orthodox Academy continues to exist or not, I only care about the fact that my view has not yet been realized."
Chen Changsheng asked, "What are you intending to do?"
"As things develop, they often ultimately return to the very start. So it is with this matterwe started with the marriage contract, so let us end it with the marriage contract. Take out the marriage contract, annul the engagement of your own will, and start over. This is your best choice."
"Xu Yourong herself has already admitted to this engagement."
"Did you ever think of why she wanted to admit to this engagement''s existence? Do you really think she actually likes you? Do you really think that a girl like her would marry someone she didn''t know just because of the words of the matchmaker and the orders of her parents? Or do you think that she''s a person that really cares about promises?"
Mo Yu stared at him and said, "You can discuss the Dao with Gou Hanshi, so you''re naturally a smart person. Two nights ago when you saw the White Crane bring that letter, you should have already guessed at her intentions, so why do you pretend as if you didn''t know? Being treated as a memorial archway, could you not be ashamed?"
95 Fighting a Capital I
Chen Changsheng understood what Mo Yu meant. If it was different from the rumors, if Xu Yourong had no intentions of marrying Qiushan Jun or even marrying at all, her engagement with him was the best excuse for rejecting Qiushan Jun or anyone else besides him, an excuse that could perfectly obstruct all the living beings in the world for a very long time.
The marriage contract was her best reason, and he was the indestructible memorial archway behind her.
Yes, this explanation was the most suitable for the current situation, and it was also perfectly in line with those words that Xu Yourong had Shuang''er specifically relay: ''Don''t misunderstand.'' But Chen Changsheng did not agree with Mo Yu''s argument. It had nothing do with reason, he just found it somewhat difficult to listen to when she said it.
"It seems that your relationship with Young Lady Xu is not as good as I imagined."
"This has nothing to do with how close our relationship is. The demons have been recuperating in the north for several centuries now, so the human world must maintain the alliance with the demi-humans, and it''s even more essential that we maintain internal unity, making the confluence of the north and south extremely important. The engagement between Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun won''t inherently affect the general situation, but it''s a symbola symbol that the entire continent is watching. Her thinking and actions are extremely irrational."
"But you have no means of dealing with her, so you intentionally say all that to enrage me?"
"Do you think that it''s not a fact?"
"Something can only be confirmed as a fact after it has happened."
Chen Changsheng thought of those words he had said in the abandoned garden and decided that he didn''t need to keep to those words. He didn''t want to delay anyone''s youth or life, but he had encountered too many things in the capital and could no longer lightly trust anyone. At least, there were some matters that needed to be said face-to-face before he could trust them.
"It''s not actually that difficult to get me to annul the engagement on my own. Just have the young lady of the Xu clan tell me personally."
He looked at Mo Yu and said, "Everyone says that she has the bearing of the Heavenly Phoenix, but I, at least, have never seen it."
Mo Yu suddenly said, "In truth, I feel very annoyed."
Chen Changsheng agreed, "This matter also makes me very annoyed."
Mo Yu''s black hair gradually spread out, her slender eyebrows rising like swords as she stared at him. "If I could, I would rather just kill you with a finger."
At such a young age, she was already a Star Condensation expert, a trusted confidant of the Divine Empress. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, she wielded supreme power and status, a truly outstanding personage. Being forced to handle this marriage and even having her hands tied for certain reasons had truly made her feel very oppressed.
Chen Changsheng sensed danger and only now recalled that the beautiful woman before him was no ordinary person. He stared back into her eyes and asked, "Does the Empress know of my lady''s visit to the Orthodox Academy and what my lady had the Tianhai clan do?"
Mo Yu coldly laughed, but said nothing. Besides her own ability, the reason she was able to gain the deep trust of the Divine Empress, was able to climb up from an ordinary female official to the peak of power in the space of a few short years, was that she was good at understanding the Empress''s intentions.
In many matters, the Divine Empress would, for this or that reason, not display a stance, or even reveal her thoughts on the matter. At these times, Mo Yu would always begin to secretly take action, properly handling these matters for the Empress.
Just like this engagement involving the confluence of the north and south.
Mo Yu had never made a mistake in this aspect. She clearly understood what sort of result the Empress desired.
"The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, and those other old fellows in the Li Palace and elsewherethese people who once possessed limitless glory in the Orthodoxy seem to want to protect the Orthodox Academy, but in reality, they''re just using you. Can you not even see this?"
"It was my lady who arranged for me to study in the Orthodox Academy."
Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes and said, "If those elderly seniors in the Orthodoxy wish to use, and ultimately succeed at using me, before the Empress''s rage falls upon my head, it should first fall upon my lady''s. Could it be that my lady is afraid of exactly this, thus causing my lady to so urgently wish me to end the engagement, thus gaining an achievement to make up for the loss?"
Mo Yu''s expression subtly changed, but Chen Changsheng did not know if it was because he had struck at the heart of the matter or not. She then gave a disdainful laugh and said, "The entire continent knows of the trust the Empress places in me. Do you think that a child like you with these ordinary and flat words can affect anything?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "Yes, my lady''s plan to have me enter the Orthodox Academy was just a coincidence. Perhaps the Empress will not misunderstand my lady as having any other thoughts, but she will remember that it was my lady''s casual decision that caused her august majesty to be challenged. Right now, the Empress still likes and trusts my lady, so there isn''t a single problem. However, some day in the future, if the Empress no longer likes or trusts my lady, this matter will bring my lady much trouble."
Mo Yu slightly raised her slender brows, which seemed even more like swords.
"The current situation of the Orthodox Academy truly is somewhat tense, but the situation my lady faces is truthfully not too good either."
Chen Changsheng continued, "Just like I said at the abandoned garden, I won''t end the engagement voluntarily unless she comes on her own will to discuss it with me. In this respect, my lady will not obtain any initiative or leadership. I invite my lady to return home and think of another method."
Mo Yu felt that what she was hearing was very interesting. Her eyebrows gradually flattened, her voice gradually grew indifferent. "Is this child hurrying me to leave?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "I would not dare. I am inviting my lady to leave."
Mo Yu truly began to laugh, finding all this too inconceivable. "You actually dare to treat me this way?"
Chen Changsheng answered, "As we disagree, it is useless to talk further."
In this conversation, his performance was very much like an adult, but in reality, he was just a youth. He spoke with a frank assurance and sharp words, but when paired with his still-childish face and the somewhat stiff gestures of his arms, he actually looked very cute, and also very clumsy.
Only the cuteness and clumsiness were real. As a result, Mo Yu was truly angry. In the previous parts of their conversation, she could understand the need to meet sharpness with sharpness, but it was only at the final moment that she realized that Chen Changsheng truly did not care for, and truly was not afraid of her.
Ever since she began following the Divine Empress, no one dared to treat her this way, much less dare request her to leave on her own. Whether it was the Prime Minister, the nobles of the Tianhai clan, the important personages of the Orthodoxy, or even the Pope himself, they would all somewhat pamper or indulge her, but Chen Changsheng did not.
"Are you truly not afraid of death?" she bit her lip and resentfully asked.
Because of her anger, she had lost self-control, and her current self was really like that of a honest and straightforward young lady.
Chen Changsheng sincerely replied, "If my lady could kill me, I would already have died two nights ago by the Black Dragon Pond. Since I''m not dead, it must be for some reason that my lady cannot kill me. Thus, I am afraid of death, butI''m not afraid of my lady."
There was a saying: the truer it was, the more hurtful it was. Consequently, this line of his was most wounding.
Mo Yu''s gaze turned colder and colder.
"Correct, I promised someone, so I can''t touch youbut there are still many people that do want to move against you. So what if you have that engagement? You can''t marry Xu Yourong, and she certainly won''t marry you, because she''s the sole Phoenix of the continent, and her status is incomparably holy and pure. The engagement between her and Qiushan Jun is a story that has captivated the minds of the people for years. Everything related to her should be a legend in the view of the people, and now an unremarkable speck of mud like you has appeared; do you think the people will agree?"
She looked at Chen Changsheng and jeered, "Do you know what you are doing? You are shattering the finest imaginings and anticipations in the hearts of the people. Those imaginings and anticipations were naturally childish and laughable, but you''ve succeeded in making the entire world unhappy. Just how do you think this world will treat you?"
...
...
Mo Yu left the Orthodox Academy. As the master of the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng sent her off, not at the gate, but at the very depths of the academy, in the deepest parts of that lush and dense forest. He watched her make her way through the trees until she vanished from sight, then stood in the same place for a very long time.
There was a wall in this forest, a wall that separated the Orthodox Academy from the Hundred Herb Garden. As this wall extended deep into the fog and ivy, it could faintly be seen connecting to a thick wall. This thick wall was covered in a thick layer of moss, and upon it was a door that had not been opened for a very long time.
The thick wall was the wall of the Imperial City, and Mo Yu had used that door to return to the Imperial Palace.
On normal days, when standing on the lake shore or atop the great banyan tree, it was possible to see the buildings of the Imperial Palace between the tree branches. He knew that the Imperial Palace was nearby, but it was only today that he learned that such a door existed in the deepest depths of the Orthodox Academy, that the Imperial Palace was this close.
Because of the Ivy Festival, he had entered the Imperial Palace once. With regards to that vast collection of palaces, he remembered the middle-aged woman by the pool, and he had even more vivid memories of that Black Frost Dragon chained beneath the Black Dragon Pond for so many years.
In that underground cavern, he had promised the Black Dragon that he would visit it if he had the time and accompany her in chatting. He had not forgotten this promise, but he didn''t know how to enter the Imperial Palace. Tonight, upon seeing that old door covered with moss, he suddenly realized that there truly might be a chance.
But the Imperial Palace was so large, even if he braved such great risks to sneak inside, how could he find that abandoned garden? On that night, he had been able to find Weiyang Palace completely thanks to the Black Goat leading the way. Now, he had no Black Goat, so he did not dare run around blindly.
...
...
Those final words akin to a curse that Mo Yu had left very quickly became reality.
After making sure that the autumn rain had ceased, several hundred youths went to the gate of the Orthodox Academy. There were students of the Heavenly Dao Academy, part-time laborers of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, aspiring scholars of the capital, and also many ordinary commoners, idlers, and the like. The composition of the crowd was very complex, but they all came for the same purpose.
The crowd gathered around the shattered gate, a mob enraged, their arms flying as they continuously shouted.
"Get that little rascal surnamed Chen out here!"
"A vicious and greedy traitor, anyone has the right to punish him!"
"Just what do you think you are! Actually wanting to marry Xu Yourong!"
"Do you think you''re Qiushan Jun!"
"Take out that fake marriage contract!"
"Where''d this hick come from? Drive him out of the capital!"
"A toad wants to dine on Phoenix flesh! Pah!"
Ear-piercing shouts and curses resounded in front of the Orthodox Academy''s gate, crescendoing in volume, the words growing increasingly offensive''hick'', ''shameless little traitor'', and ultimately the most direct of obscenities. More and more people gathered in front of the Orthodox Academy, coming to either add their curses to the pile or delight in someone else''s suffering
In brief, the entire capital, at this very moment, carried not a hint of kindness towards the Orthodox Academy.
96 Fighting a Capital II
Why did the entire capital hold such malice towards the Orthodox Academy, or to be more accurate, that youth within the Orthodox Academy? Naturally, because of that marriage contract he carried.
In the capital, ''Xu Yourong'' was a name that could not be desecrated.
Apart from her identity as next Holy Maiden of the south, she had the talent that came from being the reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix, and the love of the Divine Empress. Crucially, she was also very beautifulso at least in the eyes of the people of Zhou, she was perfect. Naturally, there were countless young men who adored her, and even young women.
But also because she was too perfect, adoration in most cases became veneration or worship. People only dared to fantasize alone in the middle of the night, but would never reveal it in public, as it would only invite the mocking of others.
That was a sort of desecration.
When the events of the Ivy Festival spread throughout the capital, this situation underwent a massive change. Amongst Xu Yourong''s male admirers, those of slightly older ages were still able to maintain their cool. The younger men, on the other hand, could no longer suppress their feelings. They decided to go to the Orthodox Academy and express their rage.
In these past few years, no one would ever go to the mansion where the southern diplomatic mission was staying to make trouble, much less hurl curses at Qiushan Jun without end. Why? Because Qiushan Jun was also very beautiful, shining with an endless brilliance. Moreover, his relationship with Xu Yourong had obtained the tacit approval of the Imperial Court and the endorsement of the people.
This sort of mentality was rather complex and difficult to explain. It probably had to do with the fact that the existence of Chen Changsheng and the engagement meant that Xu Yourong was no longer perfect, Qiushan Jun no longer as unmovable. Thus, these young men began to use this reason to express their rage and announce their own existences.
The primary reason was that the youth holding the marriage contract was called Chen Changsheng and nobody knew who he was. After asking around, they learned that he was a new student of the Orthodox Academy and very ordinary. After asking around again, they learned that he couldn''t even cultivate, that he was useless.
How could they endure this? They couldn''t compare to Qiushan Jun, but what did that fellow called Chen Changsheng count for?
To use a simpler phrase, it was really justthe Daoist priest can grope her, why can''t I? (TN: This rather vulgar phrase is an adaptation of a line from ''The True Story of Ah Q'' by Lu Xun. The original line features a monk who gropes a nun, the protagonist Ah Q using this as an excuse for why he should also be allowed to grope the nun.)
This young Daoist from Xining Village wanted to marry the Xu clan''s lady?
It was just like the curse being shouted the most frequently outside the gate of the Orthodox Academy: A toad wants to dine on Phoenix flesh?
Pah!
...
...
The sounds of cursing and obscenities grew louder and louder, heard loud and clear from the academy gate to the library.
Chen Changsheng was reading a Daoist scripture and seemed oblivious to the noise outside, as well as oblivious as to what was taking place.
Tang Thirty-Six found it impossible to be so calm. The Wenshui Sword had long since been unsheathed and gripped in his hand, reflecting the autumn sun and blue sky and exuding an indescribable chill.
Xuanyuan Po had already walked to the stone steps, prepared to once more take up a piece of the gate.
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s complete failure to react, Tang Thirty-Six angrily asked, "You can still endure this? If you don''t do anything, after today, you''ll become the most famous toad in history! Then what will the Orthodox Academy be? A pond for raising toads?"
Xuanyuan Po earnestly added, "That''s right, are we all toads like you?"
Chen Changsheng looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "Do you think that if they curse me as something, I''ll actually become that? Then if I curse you a few times as being a bird, you''ll really grow wings and fly off with a whoosh into the Imperial Palace?"
"This joke isn''t a good joke. And if I had to be cursed, I would prefer being cursed as a bird to being cursed as a toad. Birds eventually have to do bird-like things, but you? You haven''t even met Xu Yourong, you''re just holding a marriage contract, and you still have get cursed at like this?"
After saying this, Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t be bothered anymore. Grasping the Wenshui Sword, he walked towards the gate.
Seeing the situation, Xuanyuan Po hurriedly brought up the board that was about two people high and ran after him, huffing and puffing.
Chen Changsheng was momentarily stunned. He put down the book and prepared to go to the gate and look around. After all, this was his personal matter.
...
...
"Bring that Chen guy out here!"
"Drive him out of the capital!"
"Actually daring to forge a marriage contract, far too bold!"
"Did he not look at a mirror and see what sort of thing he was before telling such a pack of lies? Is he not afraid of being struck by thunder?"
"The Divine General of the East''s estate might not want to bicker with a lowly person like you, but we who are stimulated by righteousness will come to teach what is right and wrong!"
More and more people gathered outside the Orthodox Academy''s gate. By noon, over a thousand people had arrived. They were a dense crowd with a powerful momentum, their obscenities unending, curses and reprimands never ceasing. The mood grew increasingly tense.
In the early morning, the Tianhai clan had sent people to destroy the academy gate, and the remaining shambles were incapable of halting anyone. Moreover, the Orthodox Academy had simply let those people curse, with no one ever responding. Some youths could no longer control themselves, with blood rushing to their heads. "Let''s get in there and seize that vile man!"
The so-called wrath of the public was indignant and spread generously, and with the constant cries for action, youths were the most prone to fall into a state of passion, to be overcome with an urge to break things. With this call, the crowd rumbled towards the Orthodox Academy.
Soon after, there was a massive boom!
Countless strands of energy shot out of the Orthodox Academy''s gate.
The rain water still on the ground was drawn by this Qi to leave the ground, shooting like countless arrows fired from their bowstrings to shoot holes through the tree leaves on the side of the lane.
The young men charging towards the Orthodox Academy all cried out in pain as they fell to the floor, covered in wounds, their hands propping their bodies against the ground. Those who ran the fastest and had already charged inside were sent flying over ten zhang. They were knocked unconscious, their bodies covered in blood, their ultimate fate uncertain.
Those curses that had persisted outside the Orthodox Academy for more than an hour suddenly stopped.
A silence settled over the scene, punctuated by moans of pain from the young men.
Jin Yulu, clothed in a rich silk gown, slowly walked out from a room by the gate.
His left hand was holding a precious clay teapot made in Yi County and his right hand was rolling around two jade spheres. His expression carried an indescribable sense of relaxation and casualness.
He stood on the stone steps, raised his head to the sky, and sighed in praise.
The autumn rain had long since ceased and the blue sky seemed newly washed. It was truly very beautiful.
Then he drew back his gaze and turned to the dense crowd outside the gate, his expression slightly chilling. "Do you want to die?"
He did not use his true essence when speaking, so the crowd did not feel like a clap of thunder was ringing in their ears when they heard it. However, it still felt like a clap of spring thunder had exploded in front of the academy, because the miserable state of those on the ground served as a footnote to his words.
Several dozen people were bleeding from the head, while several people were covered in blood and unconscious. It was a horrifying sight.
"Youjust who are you?"
A youth in the crowd who was a bit bolder said in a shaky voice, "You actually dare to commit violenceto kill!"
When a person was leading the charge, to bravely follow was a somewhat easier endeavor. More voices rose up, and as the crowd saw the miserable state of their companions, their questioning voices grew louder and louder. The crowd grew angrier and angrier as the silence was shattered, the atmosphere once more becoming intense.
"Murderer!"
"Quickly report it to the palace!"
Hundred Flowers Lane had long since been packed to the bursting. Hearing the words coming from the front, ten-some people at the back truly did leave, probably to report this matter to the capital government. And then, some passionate people helped the wounded up, while those who knew some medicine began to treat the unconscious.
If one did not think of the reason these people were besieging the Orthodox Academy, the sight was actually somewhat movingwhen had the capital ever been so united?
Unity was strength. People had already gone to report to the authorities, and in a little while, the Imperial Court would assuredly dispatch someone to punish this vicious murderer dressed as a hick. This sort of confirmation was also a sort of strength, and the crowd was no longer as scared. Gathering their courage, they charged once more at the gate.
Jin Yulu had moved a bamboo chair from somewhere and sat upon it like a soldier upon his horse. He took a drink of tea from the teapot and then glanced at the crowd.
Some people were already several zhang away from the stone steps, but upon receiving his casual glance, they hurriedly retreated with all their might, stepping out on the feet of the people behind without a care. Instantly, a wave rose up in the crowd.
The might of a single glance was just that domineering.
Jin Yulu would not be content over such a minor matter. He impassively said to the crowd, "I am the gatekeeper of the Orthodox Academy. The Orthodox Academy is an important place of education, and entry is not permitted without invitation. And if anyone dares to step past the threshold? Those people are examples."
Only now did the crowd recall that the middle-aged man who looked like some rich man from the countryside had come out of a small room by the gate.
Butwhich academy had such a formidable gatekeeper? Not even the Heavenly Dao Academy would have one like this!
It had been raining from yesterday to this morning. The temperature had gradually dropped and a chill had been settling in.
The crowd looked at their groaning companions, especially those few that had been knocked unconscious, and then they looked back at the middle-aged man who called himself a gatekeeper and instantly felt even colder. Only a few people in the deepest parts of the crowd dared to shout a few curses, but who would dare to step forward?
It was at that moment that a warm breeze suddenly blew across the scene, immediately followed by an extremely clear aura of aridity.
The leaves of the tree sticking out beyond the academy wall, which had already begun to yellow, instantly dried up.
A red cloud descended from the sky.
The Red Cloud Qilin noiselessly descended. As its four hooves stepped on the gray flagstones, the water in a radius of one zhang around it instantly transformed into steam.
A middle-aged man sat on the Red Cloud Qilin, his body covered in blood-colored armor, his expression solemn and dignified.
Seeing this person, Jin Yulu stood up and placed the teapot on the chair''s armrest to show his respect.
When the crowd saw this person, they bowed in complete respect as soon as they guessed at his identity.
Xue Xingchuan, the Great Zhou Divine General of the Heavens, with a Red Cloud Qilin as his mount, and wielding a divine blade that glowed with blood!
Of the thirty-eight Divine Generals of the Great Zhou, he was ranked second!
This person was deeply trusted by the Divine Empress and had managed the Great Zhou Imperial Guard for many years. He had the right to concern himself with anything that happened in the capital. Of course, he also had the ability to concern himself. Xue Xingchuan''s arrival took some people by surprise. Even if some people had gone to report to the capital government, they couldn''t be this fast, and how could the capital government possibly have the right to move such an important personage?
But when they thought of how Divine General Xue Xingchuan had always been famed for his upright and strict attitude, the crowd was filled with hope and began to call out.
"The Orthodox Academy committed assault and murder in broad daylight!"
"Divine General, please uphold justice!"
After a moment, a squad of Imperial Guards entered Hundred Flowers Lane, parting the crowd and coming to the gate of the Orthodox Academy.
Under more than a thousand attentive gazes, Xue Xingchuan slowly ascended the stone steps and stood himself before Jin Yulu.
At this point, Chen Changsheng and the other two also arrived.
97 Fighting a Capital III
"Senior, what need is there to interact with these children?"
Xue Xingchuan said expressionlessly to Jin Yulu.
These words surpassed everyone''s expectations. The crowd in front of the Orthodox Academy''s gate instantly became silent.
Everyone could see that although Xue Xingchuan seemed expressionless and cold, he spoke the word ''Senior'' with a calm air and without the slightest hesitation. Those who knew of Jin Yulu''s background did not find it strange. Even Fei Dian, the most senior of the current thirty-eight Divine Generals of the continent, could not hold his seniority over Jin Yulu, so no matter how famous a general of the Great Zhou Xue Xingchuan was, it was only right that he address him as ''Senior''. However, those youths gathered outside the gate of the Orthodox Academy did not know of this fact, so they were incredibly shocked.
Jin Yulu laughed, then said, "Some people wanted to charge, so I could only stop them."
Xue Xingchuan turned around and looked those blood-drenched young men of the capital. Slightly creasing his brow, he said, "Your methods were a bit too heavy-handed."
Jin Yulu shook his head. "In the past, I was a soldier with the duty of protecting the country. When demons dared to take a single step over the border, I would beat them back with any method at my disposal. Now, I am the gatekeeper of the Orthodox Academy with the duty to watch the gate. If someone wants to intrude upon the Orthodox Academy, I have to beat them back without regard for the consequences."
Xue Xingchuan fell silent. He knew the weight of Jin Yulu''s words.
Just then, a young deputy general came up to his side and whispered a few words.
Xue Xingchuan slightly raised his brows. "This matter has caused too much trouble. It''s rather unsightly."
Jin Yulu pointed at the crowd, which was beginning to once more show signs of unrest, an occasional filthy phrase issuing forth from it. "Sir, what can we do? They''ve already been making a racket for quite some time. It''s fine if the Imperial Court doesn''t come to preserve order, but do they want to stop us from preserving order as well?"
Xue Xingchuan creased his brow even more. Today, incident after incident had occurred at the Orthodox Academy, and it was especially because of this matter, completely because of these rotten matters, that he had to appear. If the palace had not ordered him to come and control the situation to prevent the effects from being too nasty, there was no way he would have come.
The young deputy general said, "Sir, we can just keep watch on the sidelines. If someone violates the laws again, it will not be too late to punish them."
Xue Xingchuan was greatly gratified at these words, thinking, no wonder I''ve regarded you with such importance; this advice is very proper.
Without the slightest delay, he walked to a nearby restaurant, truly intending to act as a spectator. After looking around in puzzlement, the Red Cloud Qilin followed. The squad of Imperial Guards arrayed themselves by the Orthodox Academy''s gate, clearly showing that they would not come to the aid of either side, but that no one should act too excessively.
Xue Xingchuan was very satisfied by this sort of situation, but the two groups of people parted by the Orthodox Academy''s gate were extremely dissatisfied.
The people who had come to make trouble felt that since members of their side had already been severely injured, it was truly too unreasonable that Xue Xingchuan and the Imperial Guard were not even showing interest in the matter, much less seizing the murderer. Tang Thirty-Six, on the other hand, felt that it was completely unreasonable for the Imperial Guard to not stop these people after they had made a racket in front of the academy for such a long time.
In any case, it was all unreasonable.
Xue Xingchuan felt that it was even more unreasonable for him to be compelled to take care of this matter, so he didn''t want to talk about reason. In any case, with the Imperial Guard present, presumably no one else would dare to charge at the Orthodox Academy, and the people of the Orthodox Academy would not disrespect him so much as to continue injuring people. It was good enough as long as he could give an explanation.
The only places that would require a powerful personage like him to give an explanation were the two palaces: the Imperial Palace and the Li Palace.
But it never occurred to him that although the three youths of the Orthodox Academy might give him his due respect, they cared even more about giving themselves an explanation.
Seeing the Imperial Guard just sternly interposing themselves between the crowd and the academy gate, the troublemakers guessed that as long as they did not continue to charge at the Orthodox Academy, the Imperial Court would not care. The bolder amongst them very quickly continued their cursing.
The curses were much clearer at the gate than at the library. Upon hearing those words like ''toad'' and ''hick'', hearing those people who unreasonably declared that the marriage contract was fake and wanted to bite him to death, Chen Changsheng felt rather gloomy. Tang Thirty-Six''s face seemed to be covered in a sheet of ice as he tightened the grip on his sword.
"Are you deaf? Can you not even hear a noise this loud?"
Tang Thirty-Six called out to the young deputy general from the Imperial Guard.
The deputy general turned around and gave him an emotionless glance. "I can hear it very clearly. What about it?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "Since you can hear them cursing, shouldn''t you stop them?"
The young deputy general paused for a few moments as if very seriously considering the notion, then asked, "Why should I stop them?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression grew colder as he said, "Then if I say ''I''ll f**k your sister'', is that also okay?"
The Imperial Guards were infuriated at these words and began to move towards them. Right now, their Divine General was taking a rest in the restaurant. With a word from their commander, they would charge forward and knock this filthy-mouthed youth to the ground, properly sorting him out.
Very strangely, the deputy general was not angry. On the contrary, he seriously replied, "You are sure you are going to do that?"
Tang Thirty-Six recalled that girl''s barbaric appearance when she was a child and shivered. Forcing himself to be calm, he said, "I was just saying it, but I didn''t intend to seriously do it."
"You don''t dare do what you want to do, you don''t dare say what you want to say. At this time, a thousand people are cursing you in front of your face, but you won''t return them. Truly lacking in potential."
The young deputy general jeered, "Quickly run back to Wenshui and cry in front of the Old Master."
Tang Thirty-Six was infuriated at these words. Pointing at the vast crowd beyond the gate, he said, "One person cursing at one thousand? Do you think I''m a fool?"
The deputy general sternly said, "I can''t do anything about that. Their mouths are their own, but their voices are being heard in the academy. Who can do anything about it?"
Chen Changsheng felt that there was something off about this conversation. Walking forward, he whispered, "You know each other."
"Send off these people first and then I''ll tell you," Tang Thirty-Six said.
Someone saw Chen Changsheng and felt that he was very similar to the person of rumors, truly ordinary to the extreme. As for Tang Thirty-Six, with his resplendent clothes and handsome face, he was probably not the one. Whispers began to rise from the crowd and it was very quickly confirmed that the ordinary fellow was Chen Changsheng. This information was like spraying oil on a raging fire as the curses and abuse instantly surged as if they wanted to tear open the sky above the capital.
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression was growing more and more unsightly. He made a secretive gesture with his left hand.
The remnants of the gate that had been shattered in the early morning had been placed in the back. At some point, Xuanyuan Po had already left the gate. According to Tang Thirty-Six''s commands, he followed the academy wall west for a very long distance. Then, he put a ladder on the wall and went over, squeezing himself into the crowd within Hundred Flowers Lane.
Although the crowd was very dense, very few could stand up to the strength of a demi-human youth. While Tang Thirty-Six had been carrying on his conversations, Xuanyuan Po had come to a distance some twenty zhang from the gate. By his side were youths boiling with rage, so no one noticed his strange appearance.
A stone was in his hands.
When he saw Tang Thirty-Six''s gesture, he knew that it was time. However, he was still hesitating until he saw Tang Thirty-Six''s extremely cold gaze. He thought, if I don''t do this, what sort of life will the future have in store for me at the Orthodox Academy? Thus, he finally gritted his teeth and resolved himself.
He raised the stone and threw it at the gate, simultaneously yelling, "Crush this scoundrel to death!"
The crowd brimming with curses and obscenities fell silent for a very short instant. Everyone clearly heard that call and also saw the rock fly towards the gate of the Orthodox Academy. They could even clearly make out the path of the stone. Some people were prepared to cheer, while others paled.
Was this matter truly about to become very troublesome?
...
...
Thump!
With a muffled boom, the stone crashed against the stone steps in front of the gate and split into several pieces that flew off before finally landing.
At the time, the stone had only been a few inches from Chen Changsheng''s feet. That the stone shards did not strike his legs could only be attributed to his luck.
Tang Thirty-Six inwardly sighed in praise. As expected of a demi-human, his control over his strength was truly higher than that of a human. He was actually able to throw it with such precision!
In the crowd, Xuanyuan Po fearfully thought, did I use a little too much strength?
Regardless, a stone fell on the ground.
The matter taking place in front of the Orthodox Academy instantly turned from a battle of cursing to an actual battlefield.
"You actually dare to use ranged weapons!"
Tang Thirty-Six angrily cursed. Taking up a stone from the ground, he tossed it at the crowd!
There was a whistle, followed by a yelp of pain.
A man dressed as a scholar gripped his forehead and collapsed backwards, blood flowing from between his fingers.
Soon after, Tang Thirty-Six''s second stone arrived. With a thump, several of a man''s teeth were dislodged and his mouth filled with blood.
The crowd outside the academy finally came to their senses. Some cried out in panic for a doctor while others angrily called for a counterattack. Others charged up to the Imperial Guard, pointed at their two companions covered in blood, and made accusations, demanding that the Imperial Guard quickly arrest the attacker. Thus, the entire scene fell into chaos.
Finally, someone began to counterattack. They began to pick things off the floor and hurl them at the Orthodox Academy''s gate.
A chaotic battle began to take place and so the Imperial Guards arrayed at the academy were naturally unable to appear and put a stop to anything.
When the crowd was beginning to pick up rocks, Tang Thirty-Six had already led Chen Changsheng away from the gate. Climbing a long-prepared ladder, he indicated that Chen Changsheng should hand him stones from the bottom. A plum blossom was planted below this wall, its base formed of a shallow layer of stone, providing plentiful ammunition.
The situation outside the Orthodox Academy was completely different. Hundred Flowers Lane had always been meticulously cleaned, so how could it be so easy to find throwable stones on the gray flagstones? Lift up the gray flagstones? It would be faster to go home and bring back kitchen knives.
Some people looked over at the shambles of the Orthodox Academy''s gate and realized that there were quite a few pieces of stone and wood lying around, ready to use. They were about to go over and get some ammo for their companions when they realized that Jin Yulu was still sitting on his chair, so how could anyone get in?
To pit those with intention against the masterless, to pit those prepared for battle against the unprepared, the side who had the momentum in this chaotic battle was far too clear.
Tang Thirty-Six stood guard atop the wall. With every stone he threw, one person would fall.
With a series of groans, several dozen people were struck by stones!
In the early morning, the Orthodox Academy''s gate had been broken by the Tianhai clan''s carriage, and now it was being besieged by a city''s worth of abuse. He had already felt suffocated for a very long time, and now he had finally found a path to vent his anger, so he did not strike softly. Stones howled through the wind and the area below the wall was a field of anguished howls and cries of pain!
One person was standing a little farther away and thought that Tang Thirty-Six''s rocks couldn''t reach him. Opening his eyes wide, the person began to curse and yell with all his might, utterly unaware that a rock would come whistling through the sky right after and smash against his forehead, flipping him right over!
When Tang Thirty-Six used strength powered by true essence to throw these stones, what was he thinking?
"This is great!"
He stood on the wall and happily yelled. With a casual wave of his arm, a stone would whistle through the air and knock someone over. This could truly be called acting as one wished.
A young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was using true essence to deal with ordinary people who had come to make trouble. If this was not the strong bullying the weak, what was?
At the present, he was already at the upper level of Meditation, a peak expert of the younger generation. Even if he did not use true essence to throw stones, they would still have the strength of an arrow. How could the people in the lane possibly endure them?
The filthy curses outside the Orthodox Academy had long since been replaced by cries of pain, the scoldings and reprimands supplanted by wails that reached to the heavens.
In front of the wall, the crowd had already scattered, escaping every which way. Blood freely flowed and plumes of dust rose into the air.
As was often said in casual banter, a powerful enemy had vanished in a puff of smoke.
...
...
"Too much! Too much!"
The young deputy general of the Imperial Guard looked at the miserable state of the crowd and finally could not endure, turning around and calling out to Tang Thirty-Six on the wall.
When it came to it, Tang Thirty-Six had truly done things with extreme carelessness. He could stand at any other place, but the place he chose to stand was the wall right above the Imperial Guards. Earlier, the crowd had finally managed to find some stones to throw, but when counterattacking, at least half had not thrown for fear of hitting others from lack of accuracy.
Tang Thirty-Six continued to hurl stones as he asked, "How is it too much?"
The deputy general helplessly said, "You''ve already struck people into this state and you still don''t think it''s too much?"
"Earlier, you said that their mouths were their own, but their voices could be heard in the academy, so there was nothing you could donow, these stones are mine, and the hand is also mine, but they just so happened to fly outside of the school. What''s the difference? Anyway, the first stone was thrown by them!"
As he spoke, Tang Thirty-Six swept his gaze through the crowd. Confirming that Xuanyuan Po had long since taken advantage of the chaos to escape, he completely relaxed and continued to throw stones.
Dust continued to rise from the lane, the weeping shocking the heavens. The crowd supported each other and retreated. It was a horrifying sight, like an army that had been defeated in battle.
The crowd had already fled in all directions, but Tang Thirty-Six still felt somewhat dissatisfied. Narrowing his eyes, he took up a piece of stone and aimed at the person at the very backhe remembered very clearly that this person had earlier abused Chen Changsheng as living off a woman. How could he just let him get away with his head scratched by a stone?
Because of the marriage contract, the entire capital had displayed its collective ill will towards the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng.
Tang Thirty-Six had taken this ill will and depression and used these stones to hurl it all out.
Chen Changsheng didn''t do much other than hand stones up from the base of the wall. Usually, he might think this was messing around, wasting his time and life. Today, however, he was very happy, not even noticing that the plum branches had torn through his clothes.
Originally, there had been so many ways of living, or playing.
Perhaps there was no meaning behind it, but it was truly very interesting.
Moreover, it was truly very easy to cheer up like this.
98 The Bloody Case of the Bureau and the Academy in the Autumn Rain
It was at this moment that a figure moved. The young deputy general lunged up to the wall and extended a hand to stop Tang Thirty-Six while whispering, "That''s enough! If you really do end up killing someone, it''ll be very difficult to wind this matter down. That guy of yours was so big, do you really think no one will remember him?"
Tang Thirty-Six spread out his hand and dropped the piece of stone back into the plum blossoms growing along the wall. "Thanks."
Today, if not for this young deputy general and the Imperial Guard, he still would not have allowed the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng to continue enduring such humiliation, but no matter what, he would have never been as happy as he was right now. Moreover, now he didn''t need to worry about any problems from the aftermath.
The young deputy general expressionlessly said, "Your thanks aren''t needed, I just hope that you remember what you said."
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression subtly changed. "I said a lot of things today."
The deputy general patted him on the shoulder and said with heartfelt sincerity, "Those words of yours that mentioned my younger sister and disgraced my familyyou have to give an explanation, right?"
Without hesitation, Tang Thirty-Six declared, "I''ve devoted my heart to cultivation and breaking through. I''ve decided that before the age of fifty, I won''t think about matters of man and woman."
The young deputy general''s complexion changed and he angrily said, "F**k your grandmother, what about my younger sister then?"
Tang Thirty-Six smiled apologetically. "Isn''t my grandmother also your grandmother? Cousin, that''s not appropriate."
...
...
Gone were the crowds in front of the Orthodox Academy. Not a single person remained, just a street littered with stone and no small number of bloodstains. There were also a few plum branches, most likely the result of Chen Changsheng handing over stones too quickly and accidentally mixing in a few branches as well.
Chen Changsheng looked at the Imperial Guards in the center of the lane preparing to move and said, "So that was the case."
Tang Thirty-Six helplessly sighed, "You have no idea of how frightening that female cousin of mine is."
At this point, Xue Xingchuan walked out of the restaurant and mounted the Red Cloud Qilin in preparation to leave. From his expression, he was probably somewhat satisfied with the result.
As the second-ranked Divine General of the continent, Xue Xingchuan had an extremely rigorous management style, and so there was no way he did not know the background of an important subordinate like the young deputy general. He naturally knew that the deputy general was a relative of Tang Thirty-Six, but he still let him manage this matter, so his position was very clear.
With the people gone and the lane empty, Xuanyuan Po had at some point sneaked his way back. The three youths thanked Jin Yulu and then returned back into the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat confused. "Why did Divine General Xue want to help the Orthodox Academy?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "For so many people to gather to make trouble in such a short time, even if your ability to attract hatred is too strong, there must have been someone to incite them."
Chen Changsheng asked, "Who could it be?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Who else could it be?"
Even Xuanyuan Po knew that it must have been the Tianhai clan that had attempted unsuccessfully to crush the Orthodox Academy this morning.
Chen Changsheng grew even more confused. "Divine General Xue must be one of the people the Divine Empress trusts the most, or else he would not be able to control the Imperial Guard."
"I already told you, the Divine Empress and the Tianhai clan are not the same thing."
"But why?"
"To put it more simply, she is a daughter-in-law of the Chen clan. Although she carries the surname of Tianhai, her children carry the surname ''Chen'', her grandchildren will carry the surname ''Chen'', and all her descendants until the end of time will carry the surname ''Chen''. It was rumored that His Holiness the Pope once said to the Divine Empress that there has never been a nephew who swept and maintained his aunt''s grave."
"But the rumors say that the Divine Empress doesn''t have any"
"Quiet." Tang Thirty-Six looked straight ahead and said, "There are some matters that can''t be said and shouldn''t be said."
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then stopped thinking about this question. "Thank you."
He was thanking him for the matter from before.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "You''re welcome."
...
...
Besides the few people in the Orthodox Academy and the demi-humans, who felt this way because of Luoluo, the entire continent was unwilling to see Xu Yourong marry Chen Changsheng. Many great ministers had expressed their concern and opposition to this matter, and their views were naturally unaffected by things like envy, jealousy, or hatred. Instead, they stemmed from the resistance against the demons and the confluence of the north and south. From the time of Emperor Taizu to the present reign of the Divine Empress, the confluence of the north and south, the true unification of humanity, had always been the Great Zhou''s paramount policy priority.
In today''s gathering of the Imperial Court, an extremely intense quarrel had broken out over Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong''s engagement. Although those ministers who were still secretly loyal to the old Imperial clan were delighted at this matter, before these ministers of the new faction who spoke about the greater good of the country, they were forced to retreat, step by step. Ultimately, the Imperial Court reached the opinion that more time was needed to make a decision on this engagement.
Of course, the opinion of these ministers was not important because the engagement was a private matter between families. No matter how powerful these ministers of the court were, they could not interfere, only express their position. As long as the Pope''s seal was still on that marriage contract and the Divine Empress remained silent behind her curtain, no one could reject this marriage.
Soon after, the news that a bloody incident had occurred in front of the Orthodox Academy very quickly spread throughout the capital. Some professors slapped their tables in anger, unable to endure it all, and some ministers gloomily and sourly criticized Xue Xingchuan for supervising the matter unfairly. Some of the common people even began to demonstrate, gathering in front of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and demanding that the archbishop expel Chen Changsheng and drive him from the capital.
For a moment, everyone in the capital turned their gazes to the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. They all wanted to know how this archbishop who seemed to always be asleep would resolve this intractable problem while also taking into account the unfathomable intentions of the Divine Empress and the Pope.
To the surprise of all, the archbishop simply did not care for the positions of the Divine Empress and the Pope, did not spend so much time in thought as people imagined. He went straight to the simplest and cruelest of methods: breaking up the crowd in front of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.
The archbishop directly ordered the Orthodoxy guards to sally forth with horses. The area in front of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education was covered in dust and howls of misery. Bones were shattered and blood flowed as the crowd fled in all directions. It was very much like the scene that had taken place in front of the Orthodox Academy, but bloodier and more frightening.
Everyone watching the activity in front of the bureau was stunned. Only now did they realize how unyielding of a person the archbishop was. Some people understood even more from this matterwithout making a request to the Pope, the archbishop was able to move so many guards of the Orthodoxy, meaning that the archbishop was far more powerful than had been imagined.
According to the statistics collected in the aftermath, in the two bloody incidents of the Orthodox Academy and the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, three had died and three-hundred-plus had been injured, with seventy-some people having heavy injuries. Compared to the number of casualties, the sight had been much crueler and bloodier, its effects much deeper and more despicable.
On that day, there had been a bout of autumn rain, so in the later records, this matter became known as the Bloody Case of the Bureau and the Academy in the Autumn Rain.
Behind this bloody case of bureau and academy, many people could faintly see the shadow of the Tianhai clan.
In the western part of the capital was a secluded manor, the home of the Tianhai clan.
A middle-aged man sat in a bamboo chair by the edge of a forest, gazing into the distance at the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. "You see, those elders were finally unable to hold back."
Xu Shiji stood at his side and slightly frowned, his mind occupied with unknown thoughts.
99 Listen to the Empress
The middle-aged man was called Tianhai Chenwu. At the age of twenty, when his father Tianhai Youguo died suddenly, he became the head of the Tianhai clan. Under his leadership, the Tianhai clan prospered, so much so that there were even times when people forgot that he was the Divine Empress''s nephew.
It must be said that for him to be able to accomplish this in the context of the Divine Empress''s reign was truly a feat worthy of extraordinary praise.
"These elders are all very powerful; not even I will lightly provoke themShengxue acted too childishly. As a friend of mine, not only did you not stop him, you let him do as he pleased. Did you want him to see just how much blood would flow in the end?"
Xu Shiji sat down in the chair placed in front of him. With an indifferent expression, he looked beyond the walls of the courtyard and replied, "With people dead, His Eminence the Archbishop must pay some price."
Xue Xingchuan commanded the Great Zhou Imperial Guard, and Xu Shiji, as a similarly trusted subordinate of the Divine Empress, after being transferred back from the frontlines, was given the charge of maintaining peace and safety over the districts of the capital. Today, it would have been simply impossible for so many idlers and the like to gather in front of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education without his silent agreement.
"What price then? Are you saying that he will be driven out of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education? All of you are wrong. The more disastrous his relationship with His Holiness the Pope, the firmer his position. This is because within the Orthodoxy, only he has the seniority to oppose His Holiness, so Auntrequires him."
Tianhai Chenwu continued, "Anyone Aunt likes, such as Xu Yourong or Mo Yu, will brilliantly shine. Anyone Aunt thinks highly of, such as you or Xue Xingchuan, has the right to be proud. However, none of this compares to being requiredbecause this signifies a uniqueness, a right to stand on the same level as her.
"Cease your attempts to provoke that sleeping fox in the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education."
He stared at Xu Shiji and warned, "I''ve observed Mei Lisha for several decades and still haven''t been able to see through himhow could a youth like Shengxue be his match?"
Xu Shiji fell silent for a few moments, then said, "It''s not like we can just sit around and do nothing."
Tianhai Chenwu knew what he was concerned about and shot him an indifferent glance. "The marriage contract has already been announced to the world. The more you attempt to sound things out, the less meaning it will have. On the contrary, things will only get more and more troublesome, because the bigger the matter, the harder it is to kill someone."
Xu Shiji slightly frowned, but said nothing.
"I still don''t understand. That youth has already been in the capital for a few months, so why didn''t you kill him at the very beginning? Instead, you waited until the final moment, all the way until he used the marriage contract to flip over the table at the Ivy Festival. This is not your style of doing things."
Tianhai Chenwu gazed at him and said, a hint of anger evident in his words.
Xu Shiji very rarely saw this sort of emotion on his face, so he knew that he truly must have been rather angry.
The Tianhai clan had always had good relations with the southerners. On the surface, they were just working with the policy set down by the Great Zhou Dynasty and vigorously pushing the confluence of the north and south. In truth, the discerning person would be able to clearly see what this master of the Tianhai clan valued the most: the disposition of the southerners would be extremely important when he competed for the imperial throne in the future.
From this perspective, whether it was a matter of state, clan, or the imperial throne, the marriage alliance between the Divine General of the East''s estate and the Qiushan clan played a most crucial role. Now, however, it had encountered a rather significant inconvenience, one that should have been long since wiped away by Xu Shiji.
"Yourong sent a letter that forbids us from touching him," Xu Shiji replied after a pause.
Tianhai Chenwu angrily slapped the arm of his bamboo chair. Slap! Slap! He shouted, "That''s your daughter!"
With a slightly bitter expression Xu Shiji added, "She also sent a letter to Mo Yu, and I''m not sure if the Empress has seen it."
This area by the bamboo forest instantly grew quiet.
After a very long time, Tianhai Chenwu gave a faint sigh. "Everyone believes that my Tianhai clan appearing for that little monster Ya''er is just an excuse. Few people understand that I really do want to knead that fellow Chen Changsheng into tiny pieces.
"Correct, Ya''er is from the sixth branch, rather distant from the main branch, but that little fellow truly did have a lot of potentialat such a young age, he had already reached the upper level of Meditation. You should know very well what that meant. If he had been ranked in the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he would have easily ranked in the top twenty."
There had been many theories in the capital as to what Tianhai Ya''er''s cultivation level was, but it was only on the first night of the Ivy Festival that some indications could be seen. However, to see it and to hear from the master of the Tianhai clan''s mouth were two different things. Xu Shiji''s expression grew even more solemn.
Gloomy flames burned within Tianhai Chenwu''s eyes. "In terms of cultivation potential, he''s even stronger than Shengxue, and he''s many times stronger than Shengxue''s three brothers. To reach the upper level of Meditation at such a young age, if things proceeded smoothly, he would assuredly have reached the threshold of Ethereal Opening within five years. If he were fortunate enough to not die when crossing the threshold, then he would havereached Ethereal Opening at an even younger age than Qiushan Jun. And yet, he was crippled, just like that."
Xu Shiji seemed rather at a loss. "Just what does Sir want to say?"
"I want Chen Changsheng to die."
Tianhai Chenwu gazed at him with a smirk. "Princess Luoluo can''t be touched, and it''s also not convenient for me to touch Chen Changsheng at this time. But you''re differentyou''re his future father-in-law. You could do things against him much more conveniently than others."
Xu Shiji''s complexion became abnormally unsightly at these words. After the Ivy Festival, he had become the laughingstock of the capitaleveryone now knew that he was a snob, and although the truth might have been more complicated, it was roughly the caseand that marriage contract had been slapping him in the face this entire time.
Each day the Orthodox Academy remained in the capital, each day Chen Changsheng existed in this world, this humiliation would persist for another day. He did not have the slightest positivity towards Chen Changsheng. He could be considered the person that wanted Chen Changsheng dead the most in this world, but he was also simultaneously the person that was least able to touch him.
Xu Shiji had no idea how many people were watching the Divine General of the East''s estate, wanting to see how he would respond, especially those elders in the Orthodoxy. It was likely that when he did respond, if he really did dare to strike at Chen Changsheng, the capital would fall into a massive crisis that might even implicate the Divine Empress.
Xu Shiji would never take this sort of risk. He stared into Tianhai Chenwu''s eyes, wanting to see just what this Tianhai clan head famed for his tyranny and brutality was thinking. "In the past, I would have just killed him, but I can''t do it now."
"Could it be that the Lord Divine General does not want to help the Tianhai clan with its difficulties?" Tianhai Chenwu stood up and said to him, an indifferent expression upon his face.
Xu Shiji understood his meaning. After a period of silence, he replied, "Sir, I am a Divine General appointed by the Divine Empress."
After saying this, he began to make his way out of the garden.
Tianhai Chenwu looked at his back and said, "Is that so? Then what did you chat about in your last meeting with Prince Chen Liu?"
Xu Shiji did not pause, acting as if he had never heard that question.
...
...
In the early morning during an autumn rain, Tianhai Shengxue came riding on a horse with the desire to destroy the gate of the Orthodox Academy and thus crush the academy. He had been halted by Chen Changsheng and the other two students, and then the sudden appearance of Jin Yulu forced him to return without the desired result. Afterwards came the common people besieging the Orthodox Academy, warhorses rampaging in front of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, and the wretched sight of the bleeding people.
In the short span of a day, several conflicts centering on the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng between the new and conservative powers of the Great Zhou occurred. Although it could not be considered a bloodbath, it had been an eye for an eye. For a moment, the atmosphere in the capital became extremely tense, and many people recalled the days from ten-some years ago.
Fortunately, the scope and level of the conflicts had been strictly controlled. Both the new and conservative factions had been rather cool-headed or wise, as the Divine Empress and the Pope had not once made their positions clear. The entire capital entered a faint standoff. As the cause of this matter, the Orthodox Academy took on an even greater symbolic meaning.
Could this academy continue to stay open? In which direction would Chen Changsheng''s fate proceed? Would the marriage contract be torn apart by powerful personages using the excuse of popular will? In the end, these questions could only await the judgment of the Divine Empress and the Pope.
...
...
"Emperor Xian ascended to the throne four hundred years ago. His body was wracked with illness and he was fond of the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. He had no patience for the complexities of ruling the government, so the Empress began to act on memorials in her husband''s place, taking care of matters of state. Based on this, she had already reigned for two-hundred-some years. The politics of the court were completely in her grasp, and she appointed most of the Divine Generals and ministers. If not for this, how could the Empress have ascended to the throne as Divine Empress after the death of Emperor Xian? The Imperial clansmen could be as infuriated as they wished, the ministers could find it impossible to accept, but after a massacre, they would all be as docile as sheep.
(TN: A memorial, in this case, refers to memorials to the throne, the formal means of communicating a message to the emperor, usually in the form of an essay.)
"The Divine Empress is naturally very outstanding, but as for how she''s outstanding, I really don''t know. I only know that even someone as arrogant and impudent as my grandfather has spent these past few years secluding himself in Wenshui. He curses the Tianhai clan as dogshit, but whether in public or private, in the hall or in his room, he doesn''t dare to speak ill of the Divine Empress.
"As for the Great Zhou as a whole, it ultimately depends on the Divine Empress''s attitude and the health of her esteemed body. In the end, though, what happens afterwards must be considered, so just who should the imperial throne of the Great Zhou Dynasty be passed on to? The Empress can rely on her supreme prestige to awe the ministers of the court, and even His Holiness has to keep his silence, but if the imperial throne is not returned to the Chen Imperial clan at the end? Then not even the most outstanding Tianhai Chenwu or the shrewdest Tianhai Chenwen would have the ability to suppress the opposition. But if the imperial throne is returned to the Chen Imperial clan, after the Divine Empress departs, the Tianhai clan will assuredly be purged. In the end, she still carries the surname of Tianhai, so how could she bear seeing such a sight?
"Thus, the Empress must also be very hesitant. The conflict between the new and conservative factions is precisely because both sides see a chance in the Empress''s hesitation, and they also see danger. Very unfortunately, our Orthodox Academy has become a symbol of their confrontation. His Holiness, by bringing Luoluo to the Li Palace Academy, is already expressing a sort of position. If the Divine Empress holds the same position, then the Orthodox Academy will be in danger. Let alone Princess Luoluo, if the Divine Empress truly wants to kill someone, not even the White Emperor can protect them."
Finally, Tang Thirty-Six said to Chen Changsheng, "If I were you, the first thing I would do is to think of a way of finding the Divine Empress and then prostrate myself before her, cling to her leg, bitterly account about how I was wronged, and then request her esteemed self to carry out justice."
Chen Changsheng thought over these words for a very long time, then asked, "So, just how would I be able to find her esteemed self?"
Tang Thirty-Six fell silent, then he suddenly cried angrily out the window, "Is the food still not done yet?"
100 Cultivation Is Above Life and Death
Xuanyuan Po carried a tray of food into the library. Now, with the Hundred Herb Garden empty of people, no one was left to send over food, leaving the Orthodox Academy to begin doing its own cooking. In these first few days, the one so unfortunate to draw the short stick of cooking duty was this demi-human youth.
The starlight poured in through the windows of the library. It was very light and mild, just like the food he had cooked today.
At noon, Jin Yulu had tried some. He told them that in the future, they would not have to wait for him to begin eating.
Tang Thirty-Six placed down his chopsticks and looked at Xuanyuan Po very seriously, asking, "Did you forget to add salt again?"
Chen Changsheng chuckled at him and said, "Just as you often say, you changed the subject too roughly."
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression did not change. "That''s because your demands are too excessive."
After consuming their tasteless dinner, the three began to walk around the Orthodox Academy''s lake. They could faintly see the lights from the newly built room by the academy gate, accompanied by the fragrant scent of roast chicken and the smell of alcohol.
Smelling these fragrances, Tang Thirty-Six found himself quite envious of Jin Yulu''s dinner. He proposed that from tomorrow onwards, they would always eat out. In any case, neither he nor Chen Changsheng were lacking in money, and it wasn''t like Xuanyuan Po was going to eat so much as to bankrupt them. Xuanyuan Po was rather moved at this suggestion, but Chen Changsheng clearly expressed his opposition. Food taken to go was always very oily and salty, and was not at all good for one''s health. Although the food Xuanyuan Po cooked had no taste, it was not lacking in nutrition.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po had already grown used to Chen Changsheng''s strict and even harsh way of living. Besides shaking their heads in regret, they were too lazy to struggle with him. The three continued their walk around the lake, all the way until the night deepened and the surface of the lake glimmered with the light of countless stars.
The branches of the great banyan tree extended over the lake. They gently swayed in the breeze, looking as if they wanted to pluck the stars from the sky.
When Chen Changsheng saw this scene, he was reminded of Luoluo.
They had only been separated for two days, but he was already beginning to deeply miss her. Was she happy in the Li Palace Academy? Who was she studying cultivation with? Had the true Qi obstruction in the second left arm meridian been broken through? Was shealso thinking of this lake and the great banyan tree on its shores?
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po smelled the fragrances coming from the little house by the gate and were also reminded of Luoluo.
Without Luoluo, there was no one in the Hundred Herb Garden, no vast assortment of delicacies and gourmet foods, no pretty girls. They would not be able to see the princess cause others to be disappointed and frustrated. To confront so many troubles was truly very troublesome. Just when will you come back? Quickly come back, your teacher truly won''t be able to hold on for much longer.
...
...
After their walk concluded, Tang Thirty-Six was prepared to stroll around the streets, but then he saw Chen Changsheng walk into the library and sit on the floor, actually preparing to begin meditating for cultivation. Xuanyuan Po also began to practice his strength against several trees on the shore, so Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t help but feel somewhat ashamed.
He fell into thought, then followed Chen Changsheng into the library and sat across from him. He closed his eyes, calmed his breathing, and casually placed his hands on his knees, their palms turned up towards the starry sky. He also began to meditate.
After quite some time had passed, he opened his eyes. He calmly perceived the flow of true essence through his meridians. Using his spiritual sense as sight, he carefully examined the situation within his internal palace. This was Meditative Introspection, and as this introspection continued, a faint luster appeared over his eyes.
For Meditative Introspection to show a response on his body was proof that he had already cultivated to the upper level of Meditation. As someone who was able to cultivation to the upper level of Meditation at the age of sixteen, he would inevitably have been nurtured and had great importance placed on him by the Heavenly Dao Academy or the Mount Li Sword Sect, or any other sect. Now, however, he could only cultivate by himself in the Orthodox Academy.
Tang Thirty-Six would naturally not regret this. It was just that the lack of a teacher''s instruction would inevitably have some influence on his cultivation progress. Moreover, it had severely weakened his confidence in breaking through.
Just then, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes. Tang Thirty-Six looked at him and thought, you were able to teach Princess Luoluo, so what harm is there in my condescending to call upon you and ask for your instruction? While he was still thinking, his voice was already rising, asking several questions on cultivation that had stumped him for many days.
Chen Changsheng seriously considered these questions for a very long time, then said, "I don''t understand."
Tang Thirty-Six somewhat angrily said, "You managed to resolve the difficult question of how demi-humans should circulate true essenceif not for Princess Luoluo and Guardian Ji, I''d dare to wager that His Majesty the White Emperor would have already sent someone to seize you and bring you back to the Red River, and you say that you don''t even understand my questions?"
"The constitutions of demi-humans are unique, and Princess Luoluo is even more unique. It''s precisely because it''s unique that I can think of a few methodsthis is because I''ve researched meridians for many years. But your questions involve specific methods of Meditative Introspection. I can''t do Meditative Introspection, so where could I start?"
Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "I really don''t think there''s a need for you to be so rushed. At such a young age, you''ve already reached the upper level of Meditation, and the threshold of Ethereal Opening is right in front of you. As long as you continue cultivating, a day will come where you break through. It''s best if you don''t disorder your mind."
"It has nothing to do with the Grand Examination."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the expression in his eyes and knew that Chen Changsheng had misunderstood something. He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the uncountable stars in the night sky. After a moment of silence, he said, "Cultivation is to row a boat against the current of a river. The farther you travel, the harder it is to progress. For me to have reached the upper level of Meditation is already great no matter how you look at it, butthat threshold is too difficult to step over."
Chen Changsheng said nothing.
In Xining Village''s old temple, he had no understanding of cultivation. Now, he had studied in the Orthodox Academy for half a year, and he knew what Tang Thirty-Six wanted to say. However, he had not even succeeded at Purification and was still extremely far from that day, so he had never truly thought about it.
The more one progressed in cultivation, the more difficult and dangerous it became. The threshold between Meditative Introspection and Ethereal Opening was the first high mountain. Each following breakthrough in cultivation required ascending an ever more precipitous peak. And it was that first high peak where the most people collapsed, because it was in that period where cultivators had no experience.
Countless eons ago, the Heavenly Tomes descended to the earth, opening the minds of humanity. Humans began to cultivate, and in the endless years, countless young geniuses appeared. In their youth or even childhood, they were able to easily succeed at Purification and move into Meditation, yet they ultimately fell before Ethereal Opening, their lives paid as the price of moving forward.
Those young geniuses were once paid as much attention as Tang Thirty-Six, and perhaps were also names on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Unable to cross that threshold, it did not take long after they died for them to be forgotten by the people of the continent and be replaced by new youths.
Why was it that Qiushan Jun, Xu Yourong, Gou Hanshi, and Mo Yu and Tianhai Shengxue even earlier, were regarded as true geniuses, and were even viewed in a different light by their seniors? They were completely different from other cultivators because when they were very young, they had been able to break through into Ethereal Opening.
These people had already surpassed that threshold which held both the highest failure and mortality rates. Although they still might fall in other lofty peaks in the long years of their cultivation, like the middle level of Star Condensation, and thus become a wisp of a soul, their chances of becoming true experts were already many times higher than other people''s.
Tang Thirty-Six did not want to die, and even less to be forgotten. For the sake of breaking past Meditation, for the sake of obtaining victory in next year''s Grand Examination, for the sake of advancing forward on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he had journeyed far from his hometown to the capital, entering the Heavenly Dao Academy for study.
Only truly powerful schools and sects like the Heavenly Dao Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect had the deep resources that could increase the chances of success for their students and disciples.
Now, he had withdrawn from the Heavenly Dao Academy and come to the Orthodox Academy which had only students and no teachers, so who could help him?
Guardian Jin was admittedly powerful, but he cultivated in demi-human techniques and would find it very difficult to help him.
After a very long silence, Chen Changsheng proposed, "If you trust me, I can research it and see if I can''t find a way to help you."
Tang Thirty-Six forced a smile as he asked, "You''re prepared to treat me as an experiment?"
"You''re not willing to accept it?" Chen Changsheng said, smiling.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I have a lot of courage."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I feel that it''s because you have a lot of trust in me."
Tang Thirty-Six didn''t know how to respond, so he said, "If I didn''t remember wrong, you haven''t even succeeded at Purification yet?"
This matter didn''t need to be remembered. He only needed a glance to know.
The hands poking out of Chen Changsheng''s sleeves and his hair were no different from an ordinary person''s, so ordinary that they couldn''t be any more ordinary. If he were to take a dull knife and cut at his wrist, it would assuredly leave a thin red line from which blood would soon come forth.
"I also don''t understand why."
In this half a year, he had spent every night in meditation, drawing in starlight for Purification. There was clearly no problem with any of the steps he had taken, but he had not gained any sort of result. Even someone with as firm a resolve as him sometimes felt exhausted. As he looked at the profuse stars beyond the window, he shook his head and said, "Maybe it''s really a problem of talent."
After hearing all the details from Chen Changsheng regarding the drawing in of starlight for Purification, Tang Thirty-Six extended a hand and gripped Chen Changsheng''s wrist. He closed his eyes and used his true essence to carefully perceive the state of Chen Changsheng''s body. He realized that he could not sense the slightest bit of star radiance and couldn''t help but be very puzzled.
He had always believed that Chen Changsheng was a true genius. After learning of the engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, he only grew more confident in this view. He could not understand how someone he had confirmed to be a genius would have a lack of talent in cultivation. How could he not even be able to succeed at Purification?
"Perhaps it''s a problem with your meridians."
A voice came from the door of the library. Jin Yulu walked in and glanced at Chen Changsheng. "When we demi-humans cultivate, we also have to bathe in starlight, but because our meridians are different from humans, our methods are different. I don''t know if your situation might be similar."
After a pause, Chen Changsheng answered, "Yes, there is a problem with my meridians."
Tang Thirty-Six felt somewhat perturbed. "Earlier, you spoke about talent."
"You''re born with your meridians, so they''re naturally a sort of talent as well."
Chen Changsheng did not explain too much, as it involved his greatest secret. If Tang Thirty-Six were to continue asking, he wouldn''t know how to answer. He was well aware of the enormous pressure cast by that shadow, so he was not willing to let anyone else bear it with him.
Jin Yulu calmly gazed at him, then suddenly said, "The Heavenly Dao has truly never been fair."
Yes, the Dao of the heavens had always been both extremely fair and extremely unfair. ''Excessive harm and insufficient reparations'' encapsulated it in its entirety.
101 The Generation of Wildflowers Blooming Across the Mountain and Fields
Demi-humans were born with robust bodies and did not need to go through Purification. Their meridians were unimpeded and simple, so they could directly draw in starlight and convert it into true essence. However, it was precisely for this reason that a flaw appeared: demi-humans simply could not use many of the powerful cultivation techniques developed by humans. Even if an occasional genius would appear and use a similar method to the one that Chen Changsheng taught to Luoluo, it could only be considered an imitation. When cultivating to the highest level, they would encounter many challenges.
The meridians of humans were as complex as the sea of stars. True essence flowing amongst them could imitate the heavens and earth, could display countless masterly techniques. However, the constitution of humans was much weaker, requiring long periods of time drawing in starlight for Purification, and when breaking through, it was easy for them to die.
As for demons, whether it was the body, meridians, or intellect, it was all perfect. They were naturally born with a body suited for cultivation. But perhaps because they were so perfect that even the heavens themselves felt somewhat jealous, the fertility of their race was extremely low, and they also had their own troublesome problems that required resolution.
The world was not perfect and regrets could be seen everywhere. This fact was made all the more evident on Chen Changsheng''s body.
As a child, he had become well-versed in the Daoist Canon, reading each book a hundred times and storing their meanings within his mind. Without realizing it, he had cultivated and refined his spiritual sense to an unimaginable level. If he could succeed at Purification, then it was without question that he would become the second Gou Hanshi. Unfortunately, it now seemed that for him, even the first gate was difficult to break through.
"The Heavenly Dao is high above and difficult to evaluate. We can only seek the world and diligently press forward."
Chen Changsheng added, "These words were said to me by my senior brother. I''ve always kept them in my heart."
"Your senior brother must be an extraordinary person."
Jin Yulu praised, then he looked at both Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six and said, "In the future, you two will also become very extraordinary."
Tang Thirty-Six was a genius youth ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but for him to receive a compliment from such a legendary figure was actually because of his personality. Jin Yulu deeply admired the resolve he had shown in withdrawing from the Heavenly Dao Academy and his attitude in dealing with matters. With this sort of attitude, he was bound to be extraordinary in the future.
He was even optimistic about Xuanyuan Po, who was not present at the moment. This demi-human had exceptional talent, or else Star Seizer Academy would not have accepted him, and after encountering such a brilliant teacher as Chen Changsheng at the Orthodox Academy, he was certain to advance with amazing speed.
Yes, Jin Yulu highly valued Chen Changsheng, as he was Princess Luoluo''s teacher, and Jin Yulu was also well aware of how much progress the princess had made in her several months in the Orthodox Academy. Moreover, all this progress had come from this seemingly ordinary youth.
Most importantly, it seemed like none of these three fellows knew what fear or discouragement was. They each had their own way of viewing the world, and they were firm, their thoughts as clear as colored glass. When the sunlight fell upon their bodies, it would reflect a most a most gorgeous and dazzling brilliance.
Jin Yulu thought with emotion, the Orthodox Academy seems broken-down and deserted right now, but with three such outstanding students, as long as they are not suddenly destroyed by violent storms from the outside world, the Orthodox Academy will certainly revive. It could even be said to be just around the corner.
Hearing this praise from their senior, Chen Changsheng waved his hand in embarrassment. Tang Thirty-Six had an expression on his face that said that this praise was only right and deserved. At some point, he had once more gripped Jin Yulu''s two calloused hands, and incessantly shook them as he praised, "Senior truly possesses a blazing insight."
Jin Yulu withdrew his hands, holding them behind as he walked out of the library. Laughing, he left them with one final saying.
"Talented people appear out of the rivers and hills with each generation, each with their own works that will last for centuries."
(TN: This is a line from the short poem by Zhao Yi, a poet of the Qing Dynasty. The full poem is ''The poems of Li and Du were once on everybody''s lips. Now they lack any freshness. Talented people appear out of the rivers and hills with each generation, each with their own works that will last for centuries''. Li and Du are Li Bai and Du Fu, two famous poets of the Tang Dynasty. The meaning of the quoted line is that the fame of each generation will eventually supplant the last, pushing forward the world.)
Yes, progress in the continent had never advanced in a straight line, and experts did not appear year after year. At times, several centuries would pass before one expert of the upper level of Star Condensation would appear, and at other times, in the span of ten-some years, several supreme experts of the Saint Realm would appear one after the other!
It was just like the wildflowers growing on the mountain slopes. There would be none in summer, none in autumn, none in winter, but at the start of spring, they would all suddenly bloom. However, the flowering season was related to the climate, but what was the frequency at which experts appeared related to?
This sort of phenomenon was very strange, operating according to no laws or reasons. There would be a long period spanning centuries of calm, as if resting, and then at some point, as if this continent felt that it had been lonely for too long and experts were needed, experts would just appear.
In the past one thousand or so years, the Central Continent had experienced two periods in which the number of experts had exploded. The Great Zhou had replaced the previous dynasty and awed the world with its might, and behind it stood the Orthodoxy, but in the several centuries preceding its ascension, all under heaven was in chaos, the continent seriously fractured. Countless experts all took control over their own regions and fighting never ceased. Finally, they began to die off, one by one, crashing down like falling stars. Several hundred years ago, the demons invaded and Emperor Taizong allied with the previous White Emperor. Leading the countless experts of the continent, they resisted the terrifying power of the demons. Countless stars had fallen then as well. Those falling stars had all once twinkled brightly in the night sky.
Those were two great generations in which the stars had twinkled brightly.
The Divine Empress, the Pope, the current White Emperor, the Sect Master of Mount Li, the Holy Maiden, and also Jin Yulu, Fei Dian, Xiao Songgongthese were all experts left from that last great generation. Several centuries had passed since that generation.
This continent had been peaceful for several centuries.
Starting from several decades ago, or to be more precise, around the time the Divine Empress ascended to the throne, the frequency at which experts appeared on the continent began to markedly increase. Of course, that didn''t mean that a bunch of upper level Star Condensation experts or Saint Realm experts suddenly appeared on the continent. What it meant was that many talented youths began to appear.
This included the youngest members of the Proclamation of Liberation, Qiushan Jun, Mo Yu, Xu Yourong, Gou Hanshi, the wolf cub in the north, Luoluoand still many more.
Given the several centuries that cultivators usually lived, they were all youths. Perhaps they were still at the Ethereal Opening Realm and were still nothing much when compared to the experts of the previous generation, but everyone could see their potential, could see their future, and knew that they would be able to walk very far.
In these past few years, the Proclamation of Azure Sky and Proclamation of Golden Distinction, the Ivy Festival, the practice matches held between the academies, and the Grand Examination were being regarded with more and more importance. The various sects and schools were all paying more and more attention to their young disciples and students. It was all because everyone had taken note of this growing trend.
Jin Yulu believed that perhaps these three youths of the Orthodox Academy, for this or that reason, might not walk as smooth a path as those other youths, but their futures were certain to burst with their own sort of light, to blaze with their own sort of splendor.
Walking to the library and standing on the stone steps, this elder who had experienced the war with the demons quietly gazed up at the innumerable stars in the night sky. As he thought of another matter, his expression gradually grew solemn and his heart heavier.
Based on what Zhou Dufu had said back then, the frequency at which experts appeared on the continent was closely linked to fate. In the several centuries after the cessation of the war with the demons, the storms over the continent had calmed. All was peaceful and good, so the number of experts that appeared was extremely small. Now, with so many young experts beginning to suddenly appear, did that not mean that this peace was about to end?
...
...
Because his drawing in starlight for Purification still had no success, Chen Changsheng had not spent the entirety of the last few nights in meditation. He wasn''t discouraged, nor had he given up. It was just a means of more effectively using his time. When he stopped his meditation, Xuanyuan Po also concluded the honing of his body on the lake shore.
Xuanyuan Po''s right arm was heavily injured and it still could not be used in practice, so he could only hone his body. Chen Changsheng''s heart ached for the suffering of the trees on the lake shore, so he naturally would not slacken his treatment. However, Tianhai Ya''er had struck too fiercely. The bones and meridians of Xuanyuan Po''s right arm had been completely shattered, and pairing that with the special constitution of the demi-human meant that treatment was very challenging. Even the imperial physicians in the Imperial Palace had been unable to do anything. Although he recalled a few methods from old medical cases, treating Xuanyuan Po would still require a long amount of time and much effort.
After using a warm towel to wipe his hands and clear the sweat from his forehead, Chen Changsheng had Xuanyuan Po go rest. As for himself, he was far too tired to immediately calm his mind and fall into sleep. After seeing that tonight''s starlight was just right, he decided to take a stroll in the forest by the lake.
He climbed up the great banyan tree and gazed beyond the walls at the streets of the capital.
To stand on this tree and take in the scenery had already become a part of his daily routine, had already become a sight of the Orthodox Academy.
The night sky above contained the numberless stars, and the capital contained the lights of myriad families, each adding to the brilliance of the other. After looking at it for too long, one would find it difficult to distinguish which was the heavens and which was the earth.
He looked for a very long time, wanting to make sure he knew which of these lights was from the Li Palace. He did not know if there was someone there who was looking towards the Orthodox Academy at this very moment.
Luoluo had only been gone for several days, but he had climbed up this tree many more times than that.
Suddenly, he heard a faint sound from far behind him. Turning around, he only saw a pitch-black forest and a ray of dim light from very far away. It was probably the Hundred Herb Garden. It seemed like someone was there.
He was somewhat surprised. Luoluo and the other members of her race had moved to the Li Palace and the Hundred Herb Garden was now empty of people. It had been dark for several nights, so why was there suddenly light and the sound of people coming from there? He subconsciously turned to the academy gate and saw that the lights were still lit in that newly built wooden room. Guardian Jin was probably still inside, sowho was in the Hundred Herb Garden?
Could it be Luoluo?
He knew that the chances were very small. If Luoluo had really left the Li Palace, the first thing she would do was assuredly to come to the Orthodox Academy. However, he still kept a ''just in case'' in his heart. Jumping down from the tree, he began making his way towards that distant light.
After he jumped from the great banyan tree to the ground, that dim lantern light could no longer be seen, most likely obscured by the high wall between the Orthodox Academy and the Hundred Herb Garden. Following his memory, he continued forward. Reaching the wall behind his house, he pushed open that door.
The door that had been installed by Luoluo.
From the day this door appeared, the Orthodox Academy and the Hundred Herb Garden had become one.
Chen Changsheng pushed upon the door. He gazed in silence at the ivy-covered corridors of stone before him for a few moments, then walked in.
The Orthodox Academy and the Hundred Herb Garden were only separated by a single wall and were connected by a door, but for various reasonshe did not want to interfere too much in Luoluo''s life, he had not known of Luoluo''s true identity and wanted to avoid embarrassment between themthis was the first time he had entered the Hundred Herb Garden.
As a former garden of the Imperial clan and later a garden of medicinal herbs and spirit fruits managed by the Orthodoxy''s Hall of Heavenly Virtue, the Hundred Herb Garden was naturally heavily guarded. However, these guards were concentrated on the walls bordering Hundred Flowers Lane and to the southeast. There was no one standing guard around the Orthodox Academy.
How could only a hundred types of medicinal herbs be growing in this garden? Under the starlight, Chen Changsheng was able to easily see countless precious medicinal herbs that he had seen before in pharmacopeias. He even saw precious fruits with strange effects like vermillion fruit lightly swaying on their branches.
He was no stranger to these medicinal herbs and spirit fruits. In the past few months, with Luoluo''s blessing, he had eaten quite a few.
The ground of this autumn forest was carpeted in fallen leaves. Dampened by the night dew, they made no sound when he stepped upon them.
He followed a path that had been naturally stamped through the forest, getting closer and closer to that dim light.
He finally reached the light.
In the forest stood a simple and crude table of stone. On the table was an ordinary oil lamp.
Sitting at the table was not Luoluo, but a middle-aged woman.
The oil lamp shone upon her face. It was clearly an ordinary face, yet it gave off a very indistinct and very unusual feeling.
Perhaps it was because the forest was too dense and the light of the lamp too dim?
102 Reminiscing on the Past in the Hundred Herb Garden
Chen Changsheng walked up to the middle-aged woman, clasped his hands, and bowed.
After seeing that it was not Luoluo, he did not immediately turn and leave, because he recognized this middle-aged woman.
On the night of the Ivy Festival, he had been imprisoned by Mo Yu and ended up at the bottom of the Black Dragon Pond. Ultimately, after experiencing great difficulties and dangers, he had been able to escape, and where he appeared on the surface was a pool. This middle-aged woman had happened to be at the edge of the pool, perhaps preparing to wash her hands or some clothes, and had almost been injured by some mischievous squirrel.
He clearly understood that there was not much chance that the light in the Hundred Herb Garden was Luoluo returning, but after seeing that it truly wasn''t Luoluo, he couldn''t help but feel somewhat disappointed.
As he looked around at the pitch-black forest, he somewhat absentmindedly thought, since this middle-aged woman is from the Imperial Palace, how did she end up in the Hundred Herb Garden? Given her age, this middle-aged woman was probably a female official of the Imperial Palace. If she was a concubine of Emperor Xian, then this matter would become somewhat troublesome.
Somewhat wary, he walked up to the middle-aged woman and gestured a few questions. Out of concern that he might startle her, he kept his expression as calm as possible. The gestures he made to speak sign language were also done with ease so as to avoid upsetting the woman.
He asked about how she was able to leave the Imperial Palace.
The middle-aged woman calmly gazed back at him, not responding.
Chen Changsheng gazed blankly at her, then he gestured again, his speed much slower this time. He believed that his meaning was clear enough: how did my lady come from the Imperial Palace to here?
The middle-aged woman smiled and raised her right hand. Between her fingers was a key.
Chen Changsheng''s eyesight was decent. Even in the somewhat dim light of the Hundred Herb Garden, he was able to see the rust on the key as well as the two brand-new scratches upon it, perhaps made just a few moments ago. It seemed that before tonight, this old key had not been used for a very long time.
On that day when Mo Yu left the Orthodox Academy, he had seen an old door on the walls of the palace. Could this key be for that door? Could this middle-aged woman also have the power to enter and leave the palace as she pleased? Then her status in the Imperial Palace was assuredly not low.
The middle-aged woman pointed at the stone table, indicating that he should sit.
Chen Changsheng thought for a few moments, then sat down.
The middle-aged woman turned to gaze at a wooden cabin deep within the Hundred Herb Garden. After a very long period of silence, her left hand suddenly fell on the table, lightly knocking on it twice.
There was a teapot on the table, and behind the oil lamp were two teacups.
Chen Changsheng understood her meaning. Taking up the teapot, he filled one of the teacups and respectfully placed it in front of the middle-aged woman.
The tea within the pot was not fragrant, but it was very rich. Most likely, it was an aged dark tea.
Sitting across from each other at the table, they were able to see each other much more clearly. With the middle-aged woman''s appearance, she was probably not a concubine of Emperor Xian. Perhaps she was one of the female officials the Divine Empress employed in the palace, perhaps even the head of the female officials. However, the respect Chen Changsheng displayed towards her had nothing to do with her probable status. It was just that she was clearly much older than him.
He believed that the length of one''s life was extremely important, and it was just like the dark tea in the teacup. The older it was, the sweeter, the more precious, the more one could taste from it. He regretted that it would very difficult for him to experience so many years, so he was particularly respectful to his elders, emphasizing the ethics of seniority.
The middle-aged woman lifted up the teacup and brought it to her lips, taking a sip.
Chen Changsheng noticed that compared to a normal woman, her lips were much thicker and seemed much stronger.
To stare at a woman''s lips, even a much older woman with a very ordinary appearance, was still a very rude act. He came to his senses and swiftly tore his gaze away. Then he saw the remaining teacup on the stone table.
The night was late, people asleep, the garden devoid of inhabitants, so why were there two teacups?
He turned to the middle-aged woman and gestured to ask if he could drink some tea. Earlier when he was treating Xuanyuan Po, he had sweat a lot and he was truly rather thirsty.
Without looking at him, the middle-aged woman gave a slight nod. She had probably assented.
Chen Changsheng took a sip from the tea cup and realized that the tea was strong and moistened his heart and spleen. This was truly an excellent tea that was difficult to find. Even those famous teas gifted to him by Luoluo could not compare with this seemingly unsophisticated dark tea in the pot.
The quality of tea''s flavor rested on the quality of the tea leaves, but more importantly, it relied on the brewer of the tea.
A person that was able to brew such a pot of dark tea was naturally unusual.
The gaze Chen Changsheng aimed at the middle-aged woman became even more respectful and cautious.
He put down the teacup and waited for her to ask a question.
And yet, even when the starlight descended into the bottom of the cup, the middle-aged woman still had not done anything.
She calmly sat by the table, watching the trees and flowers of the Hundred Herb Garden. There was no emotion in her eyes, yet there was also all sorts of emotions.
But he was not in her eyes.
Chen Changsheng felt somewhat awkward and nervous. He was not very used to sitting across from someone in silence.
As time passed, he gradually grew used to the mood. He no longer thought. He poured tea for both himself and the middle-aged woman and then drank. No words passed between them, and he silently listened to the final chirping of the insects in the autumn garden. His mind gradually grew serene, even began to fall into intoxication.
It was only at this point that he remembered that he always loved the quiet, was used to the quiet.
He didn''t like to speak, which had been the case since he was small.
However, after coming to the capital, whether it was the Divine General of the East''s estate or the abandoned garden in the Imperial Palace, whether it was speaking with Madam Xu, Shuang''er, or Lady Mo Yu, for several reasons, he had talked a lot. And after Tang Thirty-Six came to the Orthodox Academy, it was no longer like when they first met where he valued words like gold. His nature as a chatterbox had been exposed, and so Chen Changsheng had no choice but to accompany him in conversation.
All this had been very painful for him.
No one had set down a law, but when two people sat across from each other, they talked.
But to quietly sit like this was also quite fine.
If they felt the occasional need to communicate, they didn''t need to speak, just make a few gestures. This was also quite fine.
It was like he had returned to Xining Village, sitting by the stream behind the old temple. He and Senior Yu Ren would quietly read Daoist scriptures and when they saw a place they didn''t understand, he and his senior brother would gesture at each other on their observations, and then they would quietly continue to read.
The side of the stream from that time was just like the Hundred Herb Garden now: very quiet and very comfortable.
Xining Village was incredibly remote, and when night set in, it was pitch-black. The starlight, however, was extremely bright, falling upon the ground like snow. After coming to the capital, what he was least accustomed to, besides the complicated people that lived here, was that the lights in the night seemed to greatly muddy and dim the starlight.
Several periods of autumn rain had washed the sky above the capital. Coupled with the fact that the only light present in the Hundred Herb Garden was the feeble glow of the oil lamp on the stone table, the lights on the arrow towers of the nearby Imperial Palace blocked by the dense foliage, the starlight seemed to be much brighter.
The starlight penetrated through the branches of the trees and fell upon his face.
He raised his head up to the innumerable stars in the sky, yearning for Xining Village''s old temple and his senior brother, but the dazzling brilliance of the starlight caused him to squint his eyes.
Under the silver brilliance of the starlight, his face seemed very clean.
The moment he squinted his eyes, the childish air that he usually kept concealed revealed itself.
He was still as amiable as usual, but he was also somewhat cuter.
It just so happened that it was this moment the middle-aged woman chose to draw back her gaze from the Hundred Herb Garden and look at him.
She quietly gazed at him.
He squinted his eyes, completely unaware, yearning, reminiscing.
She gazed at him in a daze.
Her yearning and reminiscing had just concluded, and it had just been yearning and reminiscing.
She raised her right hand and gently placed it on his face, slowly caressing it.
Startled, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes wide and looked at the middle-aged woman.
He was deeply unaccustomed to such an intimate closeness. He had never experienced it as a child, and that wasn''t even considering the fact that he didn''t even know this middle-aged woman, having only met her twice.
He subconsciously wanted to back away, but then he saw the middle-aged woman''s eyes.
Those eyes like two lakes of stars contained incomparably complex emotions which gradually transformed into sorrow and grief.
When he thought of how this middle-aged woman could not speak and had lived deep within the palace for many years, probably experiencing many sinister and sorrowful events, he found himself somewhat unable to leave. He found it best to just let her move her hand lightly about his face, but that feeling was truly very strange.
The woman''s warm and broad palm slowly caressed his face, and his body became extremely stiff. Only after a long while did he gradually begin to relax.
Suddenly, the middle-aged woman pinched his cheek, just like an elder playing with an infant.
Chen Changsheng found it impossible to continue peacefully sitting. He quickly stood up and retreated two steps, then bowed. "I must go back."
When he spoke, he realized that the woman was deaf and quickly gestured.
The middle-aged woman, seeing how intense his response was, heartily laughed.
Her laugh naturally made no noise, but from the bold way in which she moved her head up and down, anyone who saw it could tell that she was laughing to her heart''s content.
Without waiting for Chen Changsheng to leave, the middle-aged woman stood up and headed deeper into the Hundred Herb Garden.
Chen Changsheng thought for a moment, then followed.
In the gentle night breeze, fallen leaves drifted onto the stone table, surrounding the teapot and two teacups and gently rotating about them.
After waiting for twenty years, the teapot, the teacups, and the water boiler by the table had welcomed their owner once more. No one knew how many more years they would have to wait.
...
...
What somewhat surprised Chen Changsheng was that the middle-aged woman did not go to the Orthodox Academy. Instead, she walked deeper into the Hundred Herb Garden, all the way until she reached the old-fashioned and mottled wall of the palace. Seeing the old door there, he realized that the door she used was different from Mo Yu''s.
The middle-aged woman ignored him, not caring that he followed. She took out the key and inserted it in the lock. With two clacks, the lock opened. A creak cut through the night as the old wooden door was pushed open and she entered.
Only now did Chen Changsheng confirm that there was nothing going on. He relaxed and slackened his grip on the hilt of his dagger. Watching the middle-aged woman''s back, he lightly called out, wanting to say something, but unexpectedly, the door swiftly closed before his eyes.
Just leaving like this? He was rather stunned, but then he realized that she couldn''t hear, which put him somewhat at ease.
The closed wooden door seemed to be one with the palace wall.
He looked at the door, somewhat confused.
Were the events of tonight actually real?
Why were they so similar to those stories of ghosts and immortals described in the Daoist Canon?
But the slightly tart and fragrant flavor of the tea was still lingering on his tongue.
The warmth of her touch was still upon his face.
Shaking his head, he turned and left.
...
...
On the side of the door unseen by Chen Changsheng was a long and quiet passage.
All around the passage was moss and vines. Beneath the vines, at least six mechanisms or arrays capable of killing an expert of the upper level of Star Condensation were concealed.
The floor of this passage was formed from dry bricks of stone.
As the middle-aged woman slowly proceeded forward along the stone bricks, her expression gradually began to change.
With only ten-some steps, an indescribable majesty once more returned to her body.
The ordinary face became one of unmatched beauty.
Not a delicate beauty, but a blindingly dazzling beauty.
When she walked out of the passage, the scene surrounding her also changed.
The Imperial Palace in the darkness, towering and magnificent.
103 Contemplating the Present on the Dew Platform
Xue Xingchuan, leading the Red Cloud Qilin, welcomed the woman at the exit of the passage. This second-ranked expert of the continent''s thirty-eight Divine Generals was extremely deferential at this moment. The Red Cloud Qilin he led was in an even more unbearable state. Its body incessantly shook and it found it impossible to stand straight. The hammer of fire that was its tail swung back and forth, seeming very pitiful.
The middle-aged woman slightly raised her brow.
Xue Xingchuan did not know why his mount was acting so strangely today. After rising, he attempted to explain, "The Empress''s divine prestige is limitless"
The middle-aged woman was the Divine Empress of the Great Zhou, the most revered master of the world.
"It has nothing to do with me, and there''s no need for you to be nervous either." She recalled the scene of that youth from the Orthodox Academy tightly gripping his sword on the other side of the door. She walked up to the Red Cloud Qilin and gently caressed its neck. After a moment, the Red Cloud Qilin calmed down.
"Next time, stand a little farther, or else it truly might escape and die," she advised Xue Xingchuan.
Xue Xingchuan shivered slightly at these words as he thought, could it be because of that ordinary youth, Chen Changsheng?
"You still think he''s really so ordinary?"
The Divine Empress seemed to be able to see into the minds of all and know what they were thinking. She indifferently continued, "If he really was an ordinary youth, how could he vie on an equal level with Gou Hanshi at the Ivy Festival? If he didn''t have any ability, would he be able to push out all those old codgers and have them appear before my face?"
Xue Xingchuan fell silent, because at this moment, it was not convenient for him to speak, especially today, when the Empress had clearly displayed a stance of displeasure towards the Orthodox Academy. This meant that during the day, when he managed the matter of besieging the Orthodox Academy, he might have already committed a great offense.
...
...
Of the Night Pearls embedded in the Dew Platform, only one was lit. The Black Goat that carried the name of Black Jade stood by this Night Pearl, its head lowered to rub its nonexistent horn against the surface of the pearl. Mo Yu was in front of a desk, grinding ink. The night wind at this high altitude blew against her cheeks, making it a little messy.
Hearing a sound, she turned around and saw the Divine Empress ascending the platform. Hurriedly, she went to assist her.
"Empress, the autumn rain has washed the sky several times, making it a perfect night to view the stars, but Empress came late."
The Divine Empress replied, "I''ve already seen it tonight."
Mo Yu was somewhat startled. She cautiously asked, "Where did Empress see it?"
The Divine Empress answered, "The Hundred Herb Garden."
Mo Yu was slightly shocked at this answer, thinking to herself, everyone in the palace knows that after Emperor Xian died, the Empress has never once been to the Hundred Herb Garden. Why was tonight an exception?
"You went to the Orthodox Academy today?" the Divine Empress casually asked.
She did not say ''I hear you went to the Orthodox Academy'', because she was the Divine Empress, and she did not need to speak in such a roundabout fashion.
The chill in Mo Yu''s heart increased and she dared not hide anything. She softly affirmed, "Yes."
The Divine Empress raised her right hand and lightly caressed Mo Yu''s delicate cheek. "And you were the one to do all these things?"
Mo Yu knew that the Empress was asking about the two consecutive bloody incidents that had taken place today, as well as the role the Tianhai clan had played in the matter.
She did not clearly understand the Empress''s position, so she did not dare to casually admit to it. She softly replied, "I would not dare."
"How would any of them dare to act without first asking you? The Orthodox Academy is so close to the Imperial Palace."
The Divine Empress lightly said to her, her hand continuing to caress Mo Yu''s face.
Mo Yu noticed the barely discernible smile on the Empress''s lips, and her heart froze solid, fear running through her veins.
She had no idea that the Divine Empress was just recalling that youth from earlier, comparing the feel of their faces on her hand.
Mo Yu lowered her head and explained, "The matter of the engagement has to be resolvedXu Yourong used the engagement as an excuse and isn''t willing to marry Qiushan Jun. The confluence of the north and south"
"So what about the confluence of the north and south? I already said, if Yourong doesn''t want to marry, she doesn''t need to marry, butno one believes what I say."
The Divine Empress drew back her hand. Holding her hands behind her she walked to the edge of the Dew Platform and looked down upon the capital in the darkness, her voice somewhat desolate. "All of you always feel that I put the world above all else, so what does the sacrifice of a few girls'' developing romances count for? So none of you believe, not even Yourong believes, and thusall methods possible are used."
Mo Yu fell silent for a few moments, then said, "Even ignoring the matter of the engagement, I also think that youth is rather strange. The time he appeared was far too coincidental."
The coincidence she spoke of was the disastrous effect the engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had on the policy of the Great Zhou, and the Orthodox Academy he resided in was also a symbol the conservative factions were using to oppose the Empress.
Without turning around, the Divine Empress said indifferently, "Was it not you that let him enter the Orthodox Academy?"
Mo Yu''s expression grew slightly apprehensive as she said, "Yes, but I was thinking that there might have been someone encouraging things in secret, borrowing the pressure of the Divine General of the East''s estate and Xu Yourong''s letter to misguide me into making a wrong decision, thus allowing Chen Changsheng to appear before the people of the capital."
"And why does his appearance matter?"
"He has the surname of Chen. I suspect that those people want to intentionally have the people of the capital associate him with the Imperial clan."
"Then what have your investigations turned up?"
"His teacher truly is Daoist Jibut nothing else could be found. According to the information sent from Xining, the old temple is still there, but it''s deserted."
Upon hearing the name ''Daoist Ji'', the Divine Empress fell silent for a very long time. Suddenly, she ordered, "Stop investigating."
Mo Yu was somewhat astonished, confused as to why she was given this order.
The Divine Empress quietly gazed up at the starry sky. Fate was there, but no one could clearly see their own fate, and neither could she.
But she had the confidence to control her own fate. Not even the heavens could disrupt that.
Was that youth the baneful star upon her fate?
How utterly ridiculous.
She commented, "The capital is vast."
Mo Yu was a little perturbed, confused as to the meaning of these four words.
"The continent is also vast, the heavens even vaster, but none of them can compare to the vastness of my heart."
She slowly said, "Could I possibly be unable to hold an additional academy?"
Mo Yu was even more stunned. Even if it displeased the Empress, she intended to make her opposition known.
The Divine Empress did not turn. She raised her right hand to signal that no further discussion on this topic was needed.
This was the first time she had displayed her stance on the Orthodox Academy, and also the final time.
Her attitude towards the Orthodox Academy depended upon her attitude towards Chen Changsheng. She knew of Chen Changsheng''s illness and felt a slight pity. Whether he was being used by someone or something else, she had decided to give him a chance, a chance to prove that he could live.
"Stop disturbing that youth, at least before the Grand Examination."
Mo Yu''s shock was beginning to fade when she heard the Empress''s order. Puzzled, she asked, "Why the Grand Examination?"
The Divine Empress replied, "A child that up to now has still been unable to cultivate wants heart-and-soul to obtain first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examinationdo you not think this is very interesting? Do you not find this child very interesting?"
Mo Yu recalled Chen Changsheng''s wooden appearance and thought to herself, what''s so interesting about him?
Then she looked at the figure standing at the edge of the Dew Platform and suddenly felt that the Empress was somewhat different today, but she could not say how.
...
...
"Those people have moved to the Li Palace. In the future, I will no longer let anyone live there or disturb the tranquility of that place, so you should stop appearing in my dreamsyes, even if you do appear in my dreams, can you chat about happier things and not always complain?"
The Divine Empress calmly gazed at an empty spot in the sky and quietly said to herself, "Today, I went to the Hundred Herb Garden to drink tea."
Right now, the only thing in that part of the night sky was the void, but twenty years before, a star of incomparable brilliance once shone there.
It was an emperor''s star.
That star held a very important meaning to her, just like the Hundred Herb Garden.
Several hundred years ago, she was forced out of the palace and cultivated in seclusion within the Hundred Herb Garden, staying within for several years.
In those several years, Emperor Xian would come in through that door and meet with her.
She was a Daoist nun, and because of certain matters, she had no idea how many people of the court were spying on her in secret. She didn''t even know if there were the spies of others amongst her closest attendants. Even though she dared to meet Emperor Xian, it was not easy to do anything more.
What she and Emperor Xian did in the Hundred Herb Garden the most was to drink tea, wordlessly looking at each other, communicating a thousand lines through tears. (TN: The final part of this line is a reference to a poem by Su Shi, a Song Dynasty poet, which he wrote after seeing his wife in a dream ten years after she died.)
Occasionally, when the night was dark and everyone asleep, when no one was by their side, the most intimate action she and Emperor Xian would have was to caress each other''s face, to foolishly stare into each other''s eyes.
"Tonight, I saw a youth who was very similar to you."
The Divine Empress smiled and said to the night sky.
But right after, her smile instantly faded and her voice grew extremely cold and callous. "He just so happens to also have the surname of Chen."
...
...
The autumn rain fell intermittently, not continuously as that of spring, but its gloomy cold was still rather irritating.
The autumn remained as if nothing had happened, but in reality, many events had taken place.
The Divine Empress had not given a single word of her opinion towards this crisis in the capital, but everyone who had the right to know her opinion knew of it.
Thus, the capital returned to peace and tranquility.
The southern diplomatic mission lived in the Li Palace Academy as if apart from the world.
As for the slim and graceful idol of the world that was Princess Luoluo, no more news was heard of her, other than that she was also in the Li Palace.
The Tianhai clan was gathering rare treasures all over, apparently in preparation for the marriage next year of Tianhai Shengxue and the Princess of Ping, but Tianhai Shengxue himself had returned to Snowhold Pass.
Of the students who had passed the pre-examination for the Grand Examination, some of them had been recruited by the great academies, while others assiduously prepared in their inn rooms.
The center of gravity around which the capital''s life revolved and the focal point of its discussions had already shifted to the approaching Grand Examination.
As one of its past focal points, the Orthodox Academy was currently extremely peaceful.
After that bout of autumn rain, no one dared to come and make trouble for the Orthodox Academy, nor did the Orthodox Academy have any intention of repairing its gate. The broken-down academy gate was left there, a silent jeer aimed at the Tianhai clan. Perhaps this was what it meant to find problems too broken to fix and so just leave them be.
The heart of the capital remembered the magnificent sight of the Zhou under the Chens, and the number of people who loathed and detested the Tianhai clan was beyond measure. Gradually, the broken-down gate of the Orthodox Academy became a famous sight. Every day, people would come to see, thus displaying their opposition to the Tianhai clan, and even the Divine Empress.
The Orthodox Academy''s gatehouse was also a part of the sightsomeone who had taken part in the war against the demons, and it was a legendary figure like Jin Yulu! One couldn''t even hope to see such a person in other places, but here, one could see Jin Yulu every day.
As for the youths of the Orthodox Academyamongst the crowd who stopped outside the Orthodox Academy''s gate to look, whenever they discussed Xu Yourong''s fianc, their faces would be full of disdain and contempt. However, their voices were all very soft, and no one dared to yell a curse.
Because now, everyone in the capital knew that there were many stones in the Orthodox Academy
The gate of the Orthodox Academy became a scenic view, but very few people dared to step within this scenic view.
Of course, there were some people who simply didn''t care about these things, who could even sleep inside this scenic view.
Under the sunlight, the autumn forest outside the window was suffused with a golden light, a very beautiful scene.
Chen Changsheng drew back his gaze from the window and looked at the waterfall of black hair running down his sheets, feeling somewhat helpless. He thought to himself, just what is going on here?
104 Falling in Love with Your Bed
Chen Changsheng walked up to the bed and pushed through the blankets. The distinct feel transmitted through his fingertips reminded him that he should probably change to thicker blanketsyes, because the weather was getting colder with the autumn?
Mo Yu opened her eyes, waking from her sleep. She plucked the plugs of velvet from her ears, sat up, and stretched. Yawning, she got up as if no one was around, seating herself in front of the bronze mirror to tidy her appearance. She combed her hair and then washed her face of any leftover makeup.
She once more displayed the mystical techniques of a Star Condensation expertseveral balls of water spontaneously appeared around her slender finger, glimmering in the sunlight like precious gems.
As he watched her softly place those spheres of water upon her face and carefully knead them, Chen Changsheng could not help but shake his head.
From the first time he had seen Mo Yu rise from his bed and tidy up her makeup, Chen Changsheng often recalled this matter and felt far too great a waste of life.
Yes, it was not a reckless use of things, but a waste of life.
Those sparkling clear balls of water had been condensed using her true essence. True essence was transformed from starlight that had been drawn in through meditation. Meditation required time, and time was life.
To cultivate to such a level and use one''s abilities to wash the makeup off one''s face was naturally a waste of one''s life.
Seeing the disapproving look of the youth in the mirror, Mo Yu knew what he was thinking. "Only the water condensed from the air is the purest, and only by not handling it with any tools can it not be polluted, making it the supreme item with which to clean one''s face."
Chen Changsheng said nothing.
Mo Yu took a tissue from the drawer and lightly dabbed the water on her face, thinking to herself, speaking with a man about these things is truly like a chicken speaking to a duck.
Immediately, she found the description to be inappropriate.
Then she thought, why do I need to explain this to him?
"The peace that the Orthodox Academy has experienced these past few days will last until the Grand Examination."
She rose and expressionlessly gazed at Chen Changsheng. "You should well understand what level of benevolence and mercy this gesture signifies, so all of you should behave yourselves."
Chen Changsheng fell into thought, but said nothing.
"I hearthat in the Grand Examination, you intend to take first rank of the first banner?" Mo Yu asked with interest.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat perturbed at this question.
His most important goal in coming from Xining to the capital was to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. However, if this matter were to be spoken of, it would incite more jeers and discussion than his engagement with Xu Yourong, so he had only spoken of it to the two people that he deeply trusted.
Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six knew, and the Black Dragon also knew.
Where had Mo Yu heard it from?
He thought of a possibility, but he was unclear on whether he had mentioned it in his conversation with Shuang''er in the Divine General of the East''s estate.
He did not want to announce his goal to the world, but since he was being asked, he would not deny it. Lying and concealing had never been a part of his style of dealing with things.
"Yes, I want to see if I have a chance," he said to Mo Yu.
Mo Yu''s expression gradually turned cold, because Chen Changsheng had spoken these words with such a calm expression that she actually felt like she could not tease him. She slightly frowned and said, "Although I don''t like you, I know that you''re no egotistical or ignorant imbecile."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I just want to try."
"A few days ago, did you meet anyone?"
Mo Yu suddenly asked. When she asked if he had met anyone, she didn''t have a specific description in mind, or even a name, but she was very sure that if Chen Changsheng met that person, he would absolutely remember, and he would also know just who she was asking about.
The matter of Chen Changsheng wanting to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination had been told to her by the Divine Empress.
The peace and safety of the Orthodox Academy had also been bestowed by the Divine Empress.
She had not once understood why the Empress''s stance had changed on that night and wanted to try and see if she could find any hidden connection.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat startled, thinking, in the past few days, I''ve been cultivating and reading in the Orthodox Academy. I didn''t even step out of the gate, so just when could I have met
He suddenly thought of the silent middle-aged woman sitting across from him and drinking tea in the Hundred Herb Garden, and became slightly apprehensive. Was Mo Yu inquiring about the middle-aged woman? What did she want to do? With the grand authority Mo Yu held within the palace, he was worried that she would cause trouble for the middle-aged woman.
"Who?" He did not admit nor reject, but asked another question.
This was a very clever way of responding, and Mo Yu really did not think too much about it. She stared at Chen Changsheng''s clean appearance and recalled the emotions the Divine Empress revealed when speaking about this youth, and felt more and more that something fishy was going on.
Her thoughts slightly shifted and she looked at Chen Changsheng with a smile. Her normally indifferent and arrogant eyes instantly gained a captivating charm as she softly asked, "I''ve slept on your bed twice now. I don''t know if I left any scent. When you went to sleep, did you smell anything?"
Her smiling eyes narrowed, thus making the charm a sliver. Her voice also became a little hoarse, yet it was very pleasant to hear.
Chen Changsheng retreated two steps to keep his distance, then replied, "I didn''t."
Mo Yu stepped forward with him, opening her eyes wide. Walking very close to him, she very seriously asked, "Why?"
She did not seem to deliberately be doing anything, yet her eyes were very bright and seemed very prone to flustering men.
"Because right after you left, I changed the bedding."
Chen Changsheng continued, "In a little while, when you leave, I''ll change the bedding again."
The room became very quiet. The golden autumn forest outside the window swayed in the breeze as if mocking her grasshopper-like posture as unsightly.
Mo Yu''s body became very stiff. After a moment, she slowly straightened herself and stared into his eyes as she asked, "Why?"
Chen Changsheng earnestly replied, "A problem of hygiene."
Mo Yu''s breathing became rough as she coldly asked, "You think I''m not clean?"
Chen Changsheng seriously answered, "I know that an obsession with cleanliness isn''t a good habit, but every time you sleep, you never take off your outer garmentsthis is truly not acceptable."
...
...
Mo Yu forcefully suppressed the urge to annihilate this entire house and grind Chen Changsheng''s bones into ashes. She clomped to the door and then suddenly stopped. Thinking of what Chen Changsheng had said, she turned around and inclined her head, asking, "You dislike my clothes being dirty or my body being dirty?"
Chen Changsheng didn''t know how to answer. At the moment, from his angle, her tilted head and curious question was actually rather cute, even somewhat similar to Luoluo. How was she in any way like the mighty and prestigious Lady Mo Yu who had the mind of a snake or scorpion?
Mo Yu looked at him and gave a sweet smile, charmingly asking, "Since it''s this way, then in the future, if I take off my outer clothes, at worst even taking off my inner clothes, and wrap your blankets around my naked body, will you still change your bedding?"
Chen Changsheng had never encountered such a sight before. He gaped, at a loss on how to answer.
Mo Yu somewhat bashfully lowered her head as she said, "If this still isn''t okaythen I''ll take a bath first, washing my skin white and clean, and then it should be okay, right?"
Chen Changsheng''s mouth dropped even further. He could only make a single syllableand this was certainly not the Dragon language taught to him by Daoist Ji.
"Ah?"
"Shy?" Mo Yu covered her lips with her hand as she asked, a hint of satisfaction flashing across her eyes.
"I''d still rather not."
Chen Changsheng came to his senses and said to her with heartfelt sincerity, "After all, men and women are different, and you have your chambers in the palace, your mansion in the Little Orange Garden, so why do you insist on sleeping at the Orthodox Academy? Why do you insist on sleeping in my bed? If this were made known to anyone else, then my lady''s reputation"
Mo Yu had no time to listen to his lectures. Fluttering her lashes, she softly asked, "Could you not be moved?"
Chen Changsheng pondered this question, then, scratching his head, answered, "I very rarely think about matters of men and women, and alsoI really don''t understand it much."
Mo Yu''s eyes overflowed with cheer as she offered, "If you don''t understandI can teach you."
Chen Changsheng took another two steps back, reaching the window. He sternly rebuked, "My lady, I am engaged."
His room was not very high up, only on the second floor, so it would be very easy for him to jump down.
"I''ll stop teasing you, child."
Mo Yu giggled and then said, "Now that I think about it, you and that wild girl Xu Yourong really are alike. As long as it''s needed, you''ll take out the engagement at any time to use it as a shield. But, what if you weren''t Xu Yourong''s fianc?"
Chen Changsheng shook his head. "I wouldn''t."
He didn''t even need to think before giving an answer, thus making it very hurtful.
Mo Yu was somewhat angry, asking, "Why?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "Because you are ill."
Enraged, Mo Yu shouted back, "You''re the one that''s ill!"
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, I really am ill, but there is no use in telling others. He earnestly said to her, "I''m saying that you really are ill. Your worries weigh heavily on your mind, and you sweat at night and suffer from insomnia. I think that whether in the palace or the Little Orange Garden, you find it very difficult to sleep, thus you walk around everywhere in the early morning."
Mo Yu slightly arched her brows as she stared at him in silence, thinking, just how does he know?
In the past year, she had been suffering from night sweats and insomnia, unable to sleep throughout the night. During the day, she had to accompany the Divine Empress and read over memorials, so she simply didn''t have the leisure to close her eyes. She could only endure, day after day, and even a Star Condensation expert like her was quickly reaching the end of her tether.
She carried soundproof velvet earplugs and had a sachet of spirit-pacifying incense tied to her waist all for the sake of being able to sleep.
But none of it had been of any use. All this changed several days ago when the Tianhai clan was attacking the Orthodox Academy. As the person directing things behind the curtain, she had come to the Orthodox Academy to see the excitement and also to exercise control over the situation. While thinking about how to force Chen Changsheng to annul the engagement, she had unknowingly fallen asleep on his bed.
She did not understand why.
Besides being clean, there was nothing special about Chen Changsheng''s bed, so why did it make her sleep so sweetly? The bedding had a plain design and was made with the most ordinary of materials, so why did she smell an indistinct scent that was able to make her feel incomparably at ease?
Mo Yu could not understand why, so she thought the experiences of that day had just been a fluke. However, in the past few days, her insomnia had been getting worse and worse, especially after the Divine Empress went to the Hundred Herb Garden. She had too many things to think about and found it impossible to sleep. Today, she finally found it too much to bear and so had come here.
She told herself she was only coming to the Orthodox Academy today to warn Chen Changsheng while also inquiring into the Empress''s connection with this matter. But the moment she saw Chen Changsheng''s bed, she knew that she had only been thinking of sleeping in his bed this entire time.
"My worries weigh heavily on my mind?" Mo Yu asked him, her expression rather grave, a hint of ice in the depths of her eyes.
105 Thinking of a Person
"Yes, your worries weigh heavily on your mind."
Besides insomnia and anxiety, Chen Changsheng mentioned several other symptoms that completely matched her situation. At the end, he also seemed to mention something about disharmony.
"Enough!"
Mo Yu''s face was slightly red as she said, "I admit that everything you said is correct. Just tell me how to treat it."
Chen Changsheng was somewhat baffled. He asked, "Even if the imperial physicians can''t immediately cure your illness, there should be no problem with temporarily alleviating it. Did you not go see them?"
Mo Yu did not reply.
Chen Changsheng shook his head and advised, "It''s not a good thing to hide your illness and not see a doctor."
"What do you understand?" Mo Yu couldn''t help but ask as she stared at him.
As she was the female official who served as the Divine Empress''s most trusted aide, no small number of people in the Great Zhou Dynasty were keeping a watch on her every movement. There were some illnesses that she could consult a doctor over, and some illnesses that she couldn''t. At the very beginning, when her own assessment of this illness showed a possible relation with her heart, she broke off any idea of seeking out the opinion of the imperial physicians.
Her worries weighed too heavily on her mind? What worries did she have?
The entire continent knew that all of her family had been executed. Was this her greatest worry?
Could the Divine Empress still hold some resentment?
Thus, she could not treat it.
She could not let anyone know that her mind was so heavily weighed with worries that she could not sleep.
Until today, when Chen Changsheng exposed it with a single sentence.
She stared into Chen Changsheng''s eyes, thinking about which was the greater risk: killing him or believing him.
"Can you keep my secret?" she asked.
She and Chen Changsheng were enemies, but for some reason, she believed in Chen Changsheng''s promises. Chen Changsheng''s thoughts were simpler. Since a medical consultation had already taken place, the relationship between them was no longer that of enemies, but of doctor and patient.
The doctor naturally needed to protect the secrets of the patient, so he nodded his head.
"How will you treat it? Do you need to take my pulse?"
When Mo Yu recalled that he was Daoist Ji''s disciple, she developed some confidence in his medical skills. She extended her arm in front of him and said, "It''s best if decoctions aren''t used."
Chen Changsheng knew why she didn''t want decoctions, because the dregs of the decoction would make it very difficult to keep a secret When he thought of how this seemingly well-off woman actually had to live with such care and prudence, living every day as if right before an abyss, his ill will towards her inexplicably lightened somewhat.
He lightly pressed his fingers onto her wrist and, in a short time, reached a diagnosis, saying, "It will still be okay without taking medicine, but it will be somewhat slower."
Mo Yu relaxed a little and waited for what he would say next.
"Relax your mind, take more strolls, eat pearl barley porridge mixed with thickly cut pseudoginseng, and also"
Chen Changsheng looked at her face. The makeup had already been cleaned off, but a tinge of impatience was still visible. After hesitating for a while, he said, "There are some illnesses that will naturally be cured after marrying."
Mo Yu was a little startled and then understood. Her two cheeks instantly flushed red, but her face exploded with a monstrous aura.
She fiercely glared at him, and then without any words, her body blurred and she vanished.
Chen Changsheng walked to the window and watched the woman''s figure vanish into the autumn forest, shaking his head.
While walking amongst the thick leaves covering the ground of the forest and listening to them rustle, Mo Yu felt her mind to be somewhat messy. Although the chilly autumn wind blew through the trees and across her face, it was still boiling. Earlier when Chen Changsheng had spoken of disharmony, she had already felt extremely humiliated and angry, but his revealing that she was still a virgin only added to these emotions.
If Chen Changsheng were some old imperial physician advanced in both years and virtue, it naturally would be okay, but no matter how she saw it, he was just a youth inexperienced with matters of the world.
The fallen leaves crumbled beneath her feet, and the autumn wind blew against her sleeves and through the Orthodox Academy''s forest. As she reached the palace walls, she gradually calmed down. Turning her head back to look at the indistinct house behind the forest and thinking about those things she had just done, she found it impossible to believe.
She actually aimed flirtatious glances at a youth, and even spoke such shameless words to seduce him? Although he currently knew her secretthe youth was not her enemy, and she was very relaxed around him, butwhat she had done today was too excessive, wasn''t it?
The just-cooled cheeks once more became scalding hot, and her beautiful eyes exploded with resentment. If someone were to find out how she had acted in front of Chen Changsheng today, the entire capital would probably go insane.
Suddenly, she became calm. She stood in the forest by the palace walls for a very long time, seemingly lost in thought. Rustling fallen leaves drifted about her dress, gradually accumulating around her and making her figure seem somewhat thinner and much lonelier.
...
...
As the autumn deepened, winter was naturally not far, and the Grand Examination grew ever closer.
The Orthodox Academy once more welcomed a long period of peace. Chen Changsheng deeply valued this peace and put all his time into cultivating and studying. Xuanyuan Po did so as well, and while Tang Thirty-Six still thought of the world of flourishing blossoms beyond the academy''s walls, he was compelled to be more diligent in the face of two such companions.
In the library, Chen Changsheng would spend each night drawing in starlight for Purification. Although his body remained the same and his cultivation continued to make no progress, he was not the slightest bit discouraged. Every part of the process, from the meditation to the receiving of starlight, was done meticulously, without the smallest error.
The injuries of Xuanyuan Po''s right arm gradually began to improve, and at an ever-increasing rate. If he could completely recover before the start of winter and begin to learn the cultivation techniques in the library from Chen Changsheng, there was a real possibility that he could still make the Grand Examination.
Tang Thirty-Six cultivated incessantly, the quantity and purity of his true essence incessantly advancing. He stabilized his position at the upper level of Meditation more and more and had long since reached the threshold of Ethereal Opening. However, just like his fellows on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he was absolutely not intending to take that step until he had finished all preparations.
In order to cross this pass of life or death between the Meditation and Ethereal Opening realms, this steepest and most dangerous of passes, even the most genius cultivator would prepare for a very long time. Even Qiushan Jun had used an entire year to prepare, and this was with the Mount Li Sword Sect providing him countless medicines to help firm up his foundation.
It now seemed that Tang Thirty-Six was certain to be the first person in the Orthodox Academy to confront this trial of life or death that was the threshold of Ethereal Opening. As the first student of the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng would never just look on as Tang Thirty-Six struggled on his own. In reality, Chen Changsheng had already made many preparations.
The first was medicine. In the past few days, he and Tang Thirty-Six had taken advantage of the darkness to sneak into the Hundred Herb Garden three times, taking from it many rare medicinal herbs and spirit fruits. When they were needed, he would refine them into medicines using the methods taught to him by his teacher, Daoist Ji. He was confident that he could definitely refine medicines that would not lose out to the medicines in places like the Mount Li Sword Sect or the Heavenly Dao Academy. The second was the method. Although he had not yet succeeded at Purification, he had already begun to read books concerning Meditative Introspection in the hopes that he would be able to help Tang Thirty-Six smoothly make it through the pass when the time came.
When they were stealing medicinal herbs in the Hundred Herb Garden, he had felt very nervous. These actions were somewhat contrary to his principles, but before the great principle of placing matters of life and death above all else, he didn''t think too much about it. However, when he saw the oil lamp on the stone table, he very naturally thought of the middle-aged woman.
And then he thought of Luoluo.
If not for the fact that Luoluo had opened up that door in the academy wall, if she had not lived in the Hundred Herb Garden for so long, if Guardian Jin who she had asked to remain in the Orthodox Academy had not shadowed them while they were stealing herbs, none of this would be possible.
On a certain night, when Chen Changsheng was reading a notebook left behind by someone who had passed from Meditation into Ethereal Opening, he thought of a very important matter that he had forgotten.
It was still about Luoluo.
In an instant, the back of his clothes was soaked through with sweat.
106 Going to the Li Palace
Luoluo possessed the blood of the White Emperor clan and had abundant quantities of true essence. In her several months within the Orthodox Academy, she had cultivated in accordance with his instructions and easily reached the upper level of Meditationif demi-human cultivation followed the same levels as human cultivation, then she was also confronting an extremely perilous pass.
When thinking about this, Chen Changsheng was overcome with remorse and fear. If Luoluo were to encounter some problem when breaking through, he truly would not be able to forgive himself. Right now, he had some understanding of the process of breaking into Ethereal Opening, and more importantly, he had medicine.
He could no longer sit still. Rising, he ran over to the small wooden house by the gate and asked Jin Yulu, "Luoluowhen will Her Highness be able to take a trip outside the Li Palace?"
Jin Yulu was drinking wine, his eyes squinted as his hand ferried white nuts into his mouth. Hearing this question, he became somewhat puzzled and asked, "What''s wrong?"
Chen Changsheng saw his expression and felt that he had been thinking too simply. After considering his response, he said, "I have some things that I need to tell her and want to meet her. Ifit''s truly too inconvenient, could I trouble Sir Guardian to help me by delivering a letter to her?"
Jin Yulu threw a peanut into his mouth, chewing on it while he said indistinctly, "Just that?"
Chen Changsheng was somewhat confused. What did he mean by ''just that''?
"If you want to see her, go see her. What need is there for me to deliver a letter?"
Jin Yulu raised his wine cup and downed it all in one gulp, constantly clicking his tongue at its fiery taste.
Chen Changsheng was even more confused, his eyes opened wide as he asked, "I cansee her?"
"It''s not convenient for Her Highness to leave the Li Palace because of her safety, but you are Her Highness''s teacher, and you''re not going to harm her. If you want to see her, go to the Li Palace and see her. Who''s going to stop you?"
"Sir Guardianwhy didn''t you say this earlier?"
"I saw that you never took a step outside the Orthodox Academy and thought you wanted to focus on cultivating."
"Guardian"
"What''s wrong?"
"I''ve thanked you"
"But I don''t seem to be hearing any gratitude in your voice."
...
...
It was not possible to enter the Li Palace at night, so early on the morning of the next day, before the sun was even up, before five o''clock, Chen Changsheng woke up early for the first time ever. He then proceeded to wake up Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po. Afterwards, he went to the gatehouse to place awakening incense under Jin Yulu''s nose to stir him from his drunken stupor.
The carriage wheels rolled across the flagstones of Hundred Flowers Lane, rumbling as the carriage carried two humans and two demi-humans towards the Li Palace.
The Li Palace was the residence of the Pope and the center of the Orthodoxy, and it had always been on equal level with the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. It was located in the western part of the capital and was a vast collection of palace halls, a most towering and grandiose sight. Even as far as New North Bridge, ten-some li from the Li Palace, it was still visible.
The Orthodoxy was established in the year fifteen-seventy-three of the Calendar of Light and had now existed for eight hundred years. However, given how long ago the Heavenly Tomes descended to the world and the Dao of light became prevalent on the continent, its history exceeded ten thousand years. The Li Palace, as a symbol of the Orthodoxy, was naturally extraordinary.
This collection of palace halls occupied such a vast amount of space as to seem boundless. The Divine Avenue, able to hold eight carriages running side by side at once, ran through the entire complex. The true Li Palace in which the Pope resided was at the very back of these palaces, in the deepest part of the Li Palace. The several dozen palace halls and stately buildings surrounding the plaza of white stone at the front belonged to several large institutions of the Orthodoxy.
The Li Palace Academy was naturally within this group of palaces. Contrary to what the average person might expect, the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and the Temple Seminary, also schools belonging to the Six Ivies, were also contained within these palaces. They were so close as to seem like one, leading some people to occasionally call the Li Palace the Academy City.
The Ivies of the Li Palace, one of the famous sights of the capital, particularly referred to the seemingly endless ivy vines growing on the surrounding wall that connected these three academies. Of course, it also referred to the greenery in the very back of this collection of palace halls, closest to the Pope.
When Chen Changsheng and his group left the Orthodox Academy, it was still dark. When they reached the Li Palace, it just so happened to be half past five, right when the Li Palace opened. Jin Yulu could not help but laugh and shake his head at how precisely this youth had calculated the time.
The outermost perimeter of the Li Palace was lined with countless stone pillars. These stone pillars were around ten zhang tall and would take several people to completely circle them. Each pillar was separated from the others by one hundred zhang. From a distance, there seemed nothing special about them, but from up close, the rows of stone pillars gave off a sense of grandeur.
As he walked in front of a pillar, Xuanyuan Po realized that there were no chinks on its surface. He couldn''t help but drop his jaw in astonishment. These stone pillars had actually been carved and polished from a single piece of stone. He was absolutely mystified as to how, when they were building the Li Palace, the workers had been able to find so many complete stones and transport them to the capital.
The morning wind passed between the pillars and the morning light shone upon them. Nothing lay between these stone pillars, and only the sky was above them. It was all empty, as if nothing stood in the way, and the occasional bird flying through did not seem to invoke any strange phenomena.
But these stone pillars were the main gate of the Li Palace.
If someone entered without permission or attempted to sneak in after the gate was closed, they would trigger a restriction. As for what this restriction was, nobody knew. It had been far too many years since this restriction had last been triggered. There was simply no one who dared to invade the Li Palace, so the true appearance of the restriction had gradually been forgotten.
These stone pillars did not bar Chen Changsheng''s group. He offered a document and very easily passed the inspection. However, the gazes that were aimed at them were somewhat peculiar, because this document very clearly stated that they had come from the Orthodox Academy.
Solely from its name, one would know that the Orthodox Academy was closely related to the Orthodoxy, but that was an old matter from ten-some years ago. From the moment the previous Principal of the Orthodox Academy joined with the Chen Imperial clan and caused trouble, and was consequently suppressed by the Pope, this relationship was ended.
This was the first time in ten-some years that the Orthodox Academy had appeared in front of the Li Palace.
The three youths of the Orthodox Academy were now famous in the capital, let alone the fact that Jin Yulu was their gatekeeper.
In the upper part of the stone pillars, illuminated in the morning light, some sort of design could faintly be seen.
Chen Changsheng had once applied for the Temple Seminary, but he had gone to the River Wang Branch Academy, which had been assigned the responsibility of enrolling students, so this was also his first time coming to this place.
He drew back his gaze from the pillar and followed Jin Yulu onto the broad and straight Divine Avenue. Countless trees had been planted on both sides of the Divine Avenue. Even in the bleak chill of autumn, when more and more leaves were beginning to fall, it was still difficult to see into the forest because of the closeness of the trees.
The Li Palace opened at half past five, which was also the time when the students of the Li Palace Academy, the Temple Seminary, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green began their morning cultivation.
From the distant academy walls came the faint sounds of recitation. Sword Qi crisscrossed through the forests on both sides of the Divine Avenue, startling birds into flight. All sorts of different Qis shuttled back and forth through the forest.
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at those sword glows and sensed those Qis, his eyebrows slightly rising in interest. The students engaging in morning cultivation within the forest had quite a few unusual members amongst them. He could even sense a few Qis that were no weaker than his, but he didn''t know which academies they belonged to.
Chen Changsheng valued time and adored studying, so he would naturally be very pleased at this sort of sight, even feeling a slight yearning. However, when he thought of Luoluo, he decided that he didn''t have time to stop and look. He quickened his steps, walking towards that imposing palace at the end of the Divine Avenue.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Jin Yulu and the other two youths also stopped.
Something rather strange had happened.
In the forests to the sides of the Divine Avenue, in line with where they were standing, the sounds of sword Qi howling through the air could be heard. Those sounds had suddenly stopped, leaving an abnormal silence.
Chen Changsheng looked at the sides of the avenue and then continued forward, Jin Yulu and the others following.
As they walked forward, the clanging of swords and howls of Qi on both sides of the Divine Avenue gradually ceased. Wherever they walked, silence followed.
It was like a wind was traveling through the forest, bringing news. It was also like the creeping spread of some strange atmosphere.
By the time they reached the center part of the Divine Path, still quite far from that spherical palace in front of them, the forests on both sides of the Divine Avenue had already become completely silent. Suddenly, there was a rustling soundnot the sound of silkworms gnawing on mulberry leaves, but many footsteps.
Several hundred young men and women walked out of the forest. Standing on both sides of the Divine Avenue, they looked at Chen Changsheng''s group.
These people were the students of the Temple Seminary, the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, and the Li Palace Academy.
They naturally did not line the avenue to welcome them, but to gawk at them.
They looked upon Chen Changsheng and the others with very complex gazes: curiosity, vigilance, disdain, loathing, and much more.
At the Ivy Festival, the Orthodox Academy had actually managed to defeat the Mount Li Sword Sect, and along with that engagement with Xu Yourong, Chen Changsheng was famous. The students of the Ivy Academies that had not attended the Ivy Festival were very curious about him.
But it was impossible to enter the Orthodox Academy, and Chen Changsheng and the others never came out, so it was not possible to see him. Today, they heard the news that the people of the Orthodox Academy had come to the Li Palace, including Chen Changsheng. They would not miss out on such a hard-sought opportunity.
They wanted to see what Chen Changsheng looked like and what sort of person he was to actually want to marry Xu Yourong!
Many gazes were also aimed at Tang Thirty-Six, but they were different from those complex gazes looking towards Chen Changsheng. These gazes were filled to the brim with adoration, and the vast majority of them belonged to the female students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green.
A young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the descendant of a noble clan, a handsome appearance, a cold and arrogant personalityfrom any angle, Tang Thirty-Six was a complete match for the sweetheart that dwelled in the dreams of young women. If one also recalled that the Wenshui Tang clan was so wealthy that even the Imperial Court was envious, Tang Thirty-Six''s place in these girls'' hearts was even higher than Gou Hanshi''s.
Tang Thirty-Six had a chilly appearance and his gaze did not stray. He exuded an indescribable aura of confidence and pride, but it was precisely this appearance that cause several girls to almost shriek. Chen Changsheng and Xuanyuan Po were rather surprised. They had grown used to his normal frivolous and lazy appearance and long since forgotten that he was famous.
The loving gazes of the girls diluted the indistinct hostility aimed by the several hundred people on the Divine Avenue at the Orthodox Academy. Chen Changsheng calmed his mind, ignoring those unkind gazes falling upon him, and silently proceeded forward. Only he could feel with abnormal clarity the invisible pressures that weighed down on him.
They first passed the forests outside the Temple Seminary. The students here looked at Chen Changsheng and the others with the coldest gazes.
Tianhai Ya''er certainly could not have had a good relationship with others, but he was still a student of the Temple Seminary, and the students of the Temple Seminary had all hoped that he would put on an astonishing display in next year''s Grand Examination. In the end, however, he had been beaten into a cripple by Luoluo. In the discussions taking place in the capital after the Ivy Festival, the Temple Seminary was often described as suffering the most, mentioned alongside the Mount Li Sword Sect as the two greatest losers.
None of the teachers and students of the Temple Seminary dared say anything about the Longevity Sect, so those grudges had no place to go other than the Orthodox Academy. To be more precise, they fell on the three youths of the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng ignored these gazes, walking right past the Temple Seminary.
Just then, a voice came out of the crowd standing by the Divine Avenue.
"So he was nothing but a fellow who hasn''t even succeeded at Purification."
107 Crossing the Divine Avenue
The fervent gazes of the female students naturally meant that Tang Thirty-Six had to keep his cold and aloof appearance, but when he heard that jeer directed at Chen Changsheng, his expression grew even colder, his gaze sharper. As he glanced in the direction of the voice, he found that it had probably come from some student of the Temple Seminary.
Chen Changsheng extended a hand to stop him while shaking his head.
He had come today to the Li Palace to meet Luoluo and communicate some very important matters, so he did not want to waste time.
It was impossible for him to just turn the other cheek, but he also couldn''t let a single jeer from a bystander cause him to fly into a rage. Anger, jealousy, grievances, sorrowthese negative emotions were not good for one''s health, and they had no meaning besides wasting time.
Tang Thirty-Six coldly glanced at the Temple Seminary students and then caught up with the rest of the group.
Hisses of displeasure arose from the Temple Seminary students. They were deeply displeased at this warning glance, and the one who had started it all called, "That''s how it is, so we can''t say it out loud? Didn''t the Orthodox Academy just begin enrolling new students again this year? Does it want to be as overbearing as the Heavenly Dao Academy?"
Tang Thirty-Six thought of Chen Changsheng''s attitude, took a deep breath, and ignored them. He thought to himself, I''ll just treat myself as deaf for now. In a little while, after we finish with these matters and come out of the Li Palace, if someone still dares to provoke me, I can consider it then.
In the collection of palaces at the front, the Temple Seminary, the Li Palace Academy, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were connected by an academy wall, and each academy could hear the bells of the others. Not long after walking past the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, they came to the Li Palace Academy. On the side of the Divine Avenue here were planted green scholar trees which did not lose their leaves, even in late autumn. They were lush and verdant, truly matching with the status of the Li Palace Academy.
The news of the Orthodox Academy''s visit had already spread to all three academies. More and more students were rushing to the Divine Avenue to look with curious stares at Chen Changsheng''s group. Both sides of the Divine Avenue, especially the western side, were so crowded with people as to seem spectacular.
The Li Palace Academy had the most students in the crowd, standing under the green scholar trees as they gazed at the calmly walking group from the Orthodox Academy. Some people suddenly felt a little admiration. If it were them, wouldn''t it be very difficult to walk so steadily under the gazes of so many people?
"Senior Brother Su is here!"
A stir swept through the Li Palace Academy students as the youths voluntarily gave way to open a path.
A calm and elegant young scholar exuding a noble air walked towards the Divine Avenue along this path.
This young scholar was the student representative of the Li Palace Academy, Su Moyu. His status in the Li Palace Academy was similar to that of Zhuang Huanyu in the Heavenly Dao Academy. On the second night of the Ivy Festival, in the martial test, it was he who had taken first place.
To take first place in the martial test of the Ivy Festival should have been a glorious accomplishment. Unfortunately, on the first night of the Ivy Festival, Princess Luoluo had crippled Tianhai Ya''er with a single fist, and the third night had played host to countless grand dramas. The limelight had been completely snatched away by the Orthodox Academy and few cared about the results of the martial test.
Although Su Moyu had not given his opinion on this matter, he was still a youth, so he was probably not very happy.
"Gou Hanshiactually could do nothing to this person?"
He gazed at the ordinary youth on the Divine Avenue, rather confused. "Could it bethe Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets rated Gou Hanshi too highly?"
In order to prepare for breaking into the upper level of Meditation, he had needed to use his own true essence to assist his teacher in refining medicines. For this reason, he had missed out on the third night of the Ivy Festival and had not seen the competition between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect. He only knew a few details through the stories recounted by his teachers and classmates.
Although many people had explained the circumstances, he still could not understand how the Orthodox Academy was able to defeat the Mount Li Sword Sect, especially that youth Chen Changsheng. How could he have not been disadvantaged against Gou Hanshi?
Today, he saw Chen Changsheng with his own eyes and with a single glance was able to see that he had not succeeded at Purification. Without Purification, no matter how precocious one was, it would still be impossible to calculate the world, let alone have any sort of spiritual sense, yet Gou Hanshi had actually lost to him
He could only conclude that Gou Hanshi was not as excellent as the continent believed.
"Senior Brother Su''s words are reasonable. I feel that during the Grand Examination, if Senior is somewhat cautious, you might be able to win against Gou Hanshi."
A student of the Li Palace Academy praised, but they were all experienced. Gou Hanshi was capable enough to be ranked second in the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws and leap from Azure Sky to Golden Distinction, so he was naturally a most incredible individual. Thus, even if they were encouraging Su Moyu, there was still a limit.
But to the people of the Orthodox Academy, no limit was required.
"That Chen Changsheng hasn''t even succeeded at Purification. He probably won at the Ivy Festival by sheer fluke."
A student of the Li Palace looked at Chen Changsheng and shook his head.
When this student saw the junior sisters of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and even a few of his female schoolmates in the Li Palace Academy look upon that blue-clothed youth of the Orthodox Academy with lovestruck expressions, he inexplicably felt depressed. He resentfully said, "And it looks to me that Tang Thirty-Six''s fame is also unwarranted."
Su Moyu slightly frowned and said with a heavy tone of disapproval, "If things go as expected, the three people of the Orthodox Academy will all attend next year''s Grand Examination and will be our competitors. This irreverent attitude all of you have is truly unwise, and Tang Tang himself is quite the formidable opponent."
The Li Palace Academy student knew that his senior brother always acted in a scrupulous manner, so he hurriedly said, "Senior Brother will discipline him."
Su Moyu saw his expression and knew his advice had not taken root. Shaking his head, he chided, "In the Ivy Festival, the Orthodox Academy defeated the Mount Li Sword Sect. No one expected itwhy? Naturally it wasn''t because Chen Changsheng was really stronger than Gou Hanshi, but because Her Highness Luoluo was too powerful, and Tang Thirty-Six was also very powerful.
"Critically, I believe in the rankings of the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
He looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets ranked him at thirty-six, so he must match with that rank."
"No matter how strong he is, he''s just thirty-six."
The Li Palace Academy student praised Su Moyu, "While you, Senior Brother, are ranked thirty-third, he can never surpass you."
Su Moyu smiled but said nothing.
...
...
Chen Changsheng was in a rush to see Luoluo, so he did not pause. Tang Thirty-Six could only act deaf in order to avoid making trouble. However, matters of the world often proceeded in this fashion: the less one wanted to make trouble, the more trouble would seek one out.
He had already drawn level with the Li Palace Academy, yet still another jeer rose behind him from the Temple Seminary.
"A fool who hasn''t even reached Purification? What right does he have to marry Xu Yourong!"
With a thud, Tang Thirty-Six came to a stop.
Chen Changsheng, however, did not stop; not even his tempo was disordered. He said, "A dog barks, and you still want to go and talk reason to it?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at his back and replied, "Of course I won''t speak reason. We have to throw rocks to smash it."
Chen Changsheng stopped and turned, saying, "The Divine Avenue is swept clean, just like Hundred Flowers Lane. There''s no place to find rocks."
Tang Thirty-Six knew what he was talking about. Thinking about that battle with those troublemakers from the capital, he couldn''t help but smile, then shook his head as he sighed. Walking to Chen Changsheng''s side, he said, "I originally thought that after that day, no one would dare say these sorts of words to you."
"If the Divine Empress said it, what would you do?"
Chen Changsheng patted him on the shoulder and comforted, "So it''s best to act like you can''t hear it."
Tang Thirty-Six pondered this suggestion and then replied, "So why am I not feeling comforted?"
...
...
Upon realizing that no one from the Orthodox Academy was reacting, not even the Tang Thirty-Six rumored to be cold and irritable, the voice coming from the crowd of Temple Seminary students grew louder and louder, the derision thicker and thicker. "It turns out that the Orthodox Academy was just a bunch of cowards."
Chen Changsheng naturally ignored it, Xuanyuan Po obeyed him, and Tang Thirty-Six was numb. On the side, Jin Yulu looked at them and smiled.
Tang Thirty-Six saw his smile and found it impossible to keep feigning numbness. He asked, "Does Sir not care?"
Jin Yulu continued to smile as he said, "I''m just a gatekeeper, and the main gate of the Orthodox Academy isn''t here."
A student of the Temple Seminary decided it was best to just walk out of the crowd and yell at their backs, "Chen Changsheng, does a coward like you dare to fight a match with me?"
Without turning around, Tang Thirty-Six shook his head and lowered his voice so that only those around him could hear. "What nonsense is this?"
"I''m sorry, I''m sorry." Chen Changsheng very apologetically patted him on the back.
Seeing that there was still no reaction from the Orthodox Academy, the Temple Seminary student gave two cold laughs but finally said no more.
Walking along the Divine Avenue, Chen Changsheng''s group continued to get closer and closer to that spherical palace. They could already clearly see several hundred stone steps. The plants here were no longer scholar trees, but pine and cypress, still verdant and lush, but now somewhat chillier.
The Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green was located here. The status of this academy was no higher than the Li Palace Academy''s, but because the vast majority of students were female, the Orthodoxy''s Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had arranged to have it located in a more central region in order to avoid any problems.
Under the pine and cypress, the girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green watched them. They were primarily looking at Tang Thirty-Six, their expressions very excited, yet in order to not seem excessively so, they intentionally looked to the sides. There was something indescribably adorable about this, such that even Tang Thirty-Six, whose mood had been thoroughly destroyed by that Temple Seminary student, began to show a somewhat better complexion.
Across from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green was a quiet courtyard containing ten-some houses. They were not as stately or grand as the other buildings of the Li Palace, yet they had their own quiet beauty. This was the guest courtyard of the Li Palace, and those of the southern diplomatic mission taking part in the Grand Examination were currently residing within.
When he thought about how the people from the Mount Li Sword Sect and Holy Maiden Peak were in that courtyard right now, Chen Changsheng inadvertently turned to look. He saw ten-some girls standing under the white pines, probably disciples of Holy Maiden Peak, but he did not see anyone from the Mount Li Sword Sect.
The Mount Li Sword Sect was subordinate to the Longevity Sect, but Holy Maiden Peak looked to South Stream Temple. To put it more accurately, South Stream Temple was the inner sect. As girls who had been selected to come to the capital and attend the Grand Examination, the majority of them were probably disciples of South Stream Temple and had extraordinary cultivation levels.
When he thought of how these girls were probably Xu Yourong''s true fellow disciples, interacting with her on Holy Maiden Peak from morning to night, Chen Changsheng was somewhat perplexed as to how to deal with themas Xu Yourong''s fianc, was the proper etiquette for him to take the initiative to greet them?
When he gazed at the disciples of Holy Maiden Peak, those girls were also looking at him.
As Xu Yourong''s fellow disciples, it was only right that they be very interested in this youth.
108 A War of Words
When gazes met, it became impossible for either side to pretend that they had not seen the other, so Chen Changsheng nodded his head in greeting. Under the white pines, one of the slightly older Holy Maiden Peak disciples slightly nodded her head. Although the two sides had made very small actions, they could be considered to have acted with courtesy. The rest of the ten-some girls also nodded at Chen Changsheng.
One of the girls, who still had a childish air about her, did not nod. Her petite face was practically a sheet of ice and the gaze she aimed at Chen Changsheng was extremely cold. The slightly older female disciple was probably her senior sister and whispered a few words to her. The girl was somewhat irritated, saying, "Senior Sister Yourong will marry him? Since she won''t, why should I greet him?"
At these words, the expressions of the other Holy Maiden Peak disciples subtly changed, but none of them knew what to say. The senior sister looked helpless and whispered a few more words of persuasion. However, this girl was still unconcerned, sneering at Chen Changsheng, "A toad wants to eat Phoenix flesh? What need is there to pay attention to such a delusional fool? Senior Sister, you also shouldn''t pay him any attention."
She did not lower her voice as she spoke, intentionally allowing Chen Changsheng and the others to hear. At the very beginning, Chen Changsheng thought that there was no need to pay attention to just one girl, but after her second remark, they were forced to stop. Tang Thirty-Six refused to proceed any further.
The girl had an appearance of childish beauty and was very young, but her words were unexpectedly harsh. Her voice traveled very far, and while the students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green across from her remained composed, the students of the Temple Seminary and the Li Palace Academy exploded with laughter.
The Divine Avenue of the Li Palace was very broad and straight, and also very long. Tang Thirty-Six, walking past the different expressions and gazes of these students and hearing the words of that Temple Seminary student, had already endured for a very long time. After hearing the harsh words of this girl and the laughter they induced, how could he suffer any longer?
The girl did not mind the laughter coming from both sides of the Divine Avenue. On the contrary, she was rather pleased with herself. Looking at Chen Changsheng, she snorted and then said to the senior sister beside her, "Don''t you hear it? Even these people of Zhou think my words are reasonable."
The Li Palace was very quiet in the early morning, so the laughter resonated through the palaces and the forest, grating on the ear.
The reason the students of the Li Palace Academy and the Temple Seminary had reacted so uproariously to this girl''s harsh jeers was that the phrase about a toad wanting to eat Phoenix flesh was already the most famous joke in the capital. Of course, it referred to Chen Changsheng''s engagement with Xu Yourong.
No one dared to say it in front of the Orthodox Academy, and they naturally couldn''t say it in front of Chen Changsheng''s face, given that he was the target of the joke. Today, however, it had been spoken by this girl, and so those students who had avoided saying it so as to not make trouble had no reason not to join in the jeering.
"It looks to methat this saying will be recorded in the dictionary and become a common saying on the continent, no?"
A voice came from the Temple Seminary studentsperhaps from that student that had jeered at Chen Changsheng earliercausing another bout of laughter.
Chen Changsheng turned to the girl under the white pine. Seeing her young face, he thought to himself, she''s probably only twelve, about the same age as Luoluo. As a result, he was somewhat hesitant.
The senior sister from Holy Maiden Peak gave him an apologetic smile.
The girl confronted Chen Changsheng''s gaze yet she seemed unconcerned. She sneered back at him, "What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong?"
After a pause, Chen Changsheng replied, "You truly did say something wrong."
The girl gave him a disdainful look and said, "Then say it, just what did I say wrong? In what way can you compare to Senior Sister Yourong?"
"Perhaps she really is a Phoenix."
Chen Changsheng looked at her and declared, "But I am certainly no toad."
He also wanted to say, and if I were, this toad here has no interest in Phoenix flesh.
The girl didn''t give him the chance, jeering, "You aren''t one just because you say so? Then who were all those people roaring with laughter at?"
"I don''t know who they were laughing at."
Chen Changsheng suddenly gazed into the depths of the pine and cypress forest, saying, "But I know that there is someone who would definitely not believe that I''m a toad."
At some point, the gate to the guest courtyard had been opened. Gou Hanshi and his three junior brothers from the Mount Li Sword Sect had made their way through the forest and to the side of the Divine Avenue.
Gou Hanshi had heard the final part of Chen Changsheng''s conversation with the girl and knew what he had meant. With a rather ambiguous expression, he shook his head and said, "Of course you''re not a toad. If you are, then what are the rest of us?"
The laughter resounding through the palace halls instantly stopped and all returned to quiet.
During the Ivy Festival, the Orthodox Academy had defeated the Mount Li Sword Sect. As long as one was present, one would know who had played the critical role in this feat.
Although one could not say that Chen Changsheng was stronger than Gou Hanshi, he at least was not inferior.
If he was a toad, what was Gou Hanshi? And what were the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws?
If the crowd was ridiculing Chen Changsheng, were they not slapping the Mount Li Sword Sect in the face?
No one dared to speak, let alone laugh. The girl from Holy Maiden Peak uneasily looked at Gou Hanshi, wanting to explain, but not knowing how to start.
Amongst the Li Palace Academy students, Su Moyu watched and slightly creased his brow. He was somewhat perplexedwhy had Gou Hanshi appeared and spoken on behalf of Chen Changsheng?
Only Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi knew that there was another reason besides the Mount Li Sword Sect''s wanting to show its grace. This reason was Qiushan JunChen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were the two parties of this engagement while Qiushan Jun looked on from the distance, so this matter could not be made too ugly.
The white pines were beautiful in their tranquility.
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi clasped their hands and bowed to each other.
No one paid any attention to the girl, including her senior sisters. The silence made her rather nervous. Offending a senior brother from the Longevity Sect was an unimaginable matter to her. She was very panicked and sobbed out, "I certainly didn''t mean that, hehe can''t even cultivate, so how can he not be trash?"
These words of hers made the mood over the scene freeze once more.
Guan Feibai slightly arched his brows, greatly displeased with this girl''s way of doing things. Fifth Law Liang Banhu shook his head. Even Qi Jian, who put all his heart in cultivation and was quite unsocial, felt her words to be too much and looked to his senior brother in the hopes that he would do something.
Gou Hanshi had a slightly bitter expression but did nothing. Although the disciples of the various sects of the south all considered themselves to be under one umbrella, addressing each other as brother and sister, each sect was still independent. As the second eldest brother of the Longevity Sect, he did not have the right to concern himself with matters of Holy Maiden Peak.
But someone already wanted to concern themselves with it.
"I''m very curious as to why you so detest Chen Changshengalthough he truly is rather detestable at times," Tang Thirty-Six suddenly commented.
The girl resentfully glared at Chen Changsheng, but did not answer.
"No matter how talented you are, it''s impossible for you to surpass that Phoenix. Putting aside the problems with your personality for the moment, just with your age, it''s not possible for you to enter South Stream Temple. So, which sect under Holy Maiden Peak are you a disciple of? Hm, I''m guessingyou are from Gentle Stream Monastery."
Tang Thirty-Six said.
Because he had mentioned problems of her personality, the girl was very abashed and angry. She originally wanted to ask him just how her personality was problematic, but upon hearing his final words, she instantly froze. She thought, Holy Maiden Peak has ten-some different sects under it; how did you guess that I was from Gentle Stream Monastery?
"Correct, I am called Ye Xiaolian, junior sister of Gentle Stream Monastery. Next year, when my age is enough, I want to enter South Stream Temple, and so what?"
She said to Tang Thirty-Six with her head raised, making no effort to conceal her pride and hostility.
Tang Thirty-Six suddenly asked, "Gentle Stream Monasteryis very close to Mount Li, right?"
Guan Feibai was somewhat flabbergasted at this question, thinking, this guy isn''t a southerner. How does he even know this?
"Of the several dozen peaks that are a part of the Longevity Sect, Mount Li is the highestand it just so happens to be right next to Gentle Stream Monastery. I think that you were probably able to often see Qiushan Jun''s graceful bearing?"
Tang Thirty-Six didn''t give her a chance to speak, continuing, "Given the sort of person that Qiushan Jun is, if you see him a lot, you''ll naturally come to like him. Although you''re very young, you''ve already secretly given your heart to him. Why do you detest Chen Changsheng? Precisely because in this matter, he was outdone by Chen Changsheng."
"Just what nonsense are you babbling?" the girl called Ye Xiaolian yelled, shame and anger intermixed in her voice.
Gou Hanshi also could not continue listening, shaking his head as he said, "These words are untrue."
Ye Xiaolian''s small face slightly blushed as she rebuked, "What does my detesting this fool have to do with Eldest Brother? I am saying he is unworthy on Senior Sister Yourong''s behalf."
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Don''t lie; some women might be so kindhearted, but definitely not you. If you heard that your Senior Sister Yourong was about to marry a toad, you would probably wake people up in the middle of the night with your laughter."
Ye Xiaolian was slightly taken aback, asking, "How could I possibly act this way?"
In the end, she was only a twelve-year-old girl. She didn''t know that her expression in the eyes of others was already a sort of proof, and her fellow sisters of Holy Maiden Peak could not help but slightly frown.
Tang Thirty-Six was expressionless as he spoke, seeming to speak with great solemnity. However, in reality, nothing in his words was solemn, making them seem all the more painful to listen to. "However, Qiushan Jun is still your idol, and since he lost against Chen Changsheng in a fight over a girl, if I were in your position, I would also be angry."
Chen Changsheng couldn''t help but shake his head at these words, thinking to himself, what need is there for this?
Gou Hanshi and his junior brothers all had rather ugly expressions.
"What right does he have to compare to Eldest Brother?"
Ye Xiaolian''s voice was enraged now. She stared at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "I just don''t understand why Senior Sister Yourong wrote that letter. To actually force Eldest Brother to be compared to this piece of trash, does she not realize what sort of insult this is to Eldest Brother?"
"As it turns out, the one you detested was not Chen Changsheng, butyour Senior Sister Yourong."
Tang Thirty-Six did not pretend that he had come to some sudden realization, as he disdained that sort of acting. He calmly asked, "And you still say that you don''t like Qiushan Jun?"
Both sides of the Divine Avenue were quiet. Everyone in the crowd was looking at the young junior sister from Holy Maiden Peak, their expressions complex.
Ye Xiaolian stared blankly at him for a few moments, then suddenly understood what had happened: the thoughts she had hidden at the bottom of her heart had suddenly been exposed. Her small face instantly blushed a deep red, her eyes turning moist as if about to cry. She looked extremely worried.
"Why are you crying? Is liking someone like Qiushan Jun not a very normal thing?
"Because you understand that you don''t have the right to like Qiushan Junin these past two years, there''s been a very strange problem in the human world. It seems like only Qiushan Jun has the right to like Xu Yourong, and only Xu Yourong has the right to like Qiushan Jun. Thus, Chen Changsheng is ridiculed, and now, everyone also looks at you rather strangely."
Tang Thirty-Six turned to the crowd and calmly declared, "But truthfully, you aren''t wrong. There''s nothing wrong about liking someone, it''s these people that are wrong. For what reason can''t you like someone? None of you dare to like them, so no one else can? That''s absurd.
"So, you shouldn''t hate Chen Changsheng. On the contrary, you should commiserate with his suffering."
Ye Xiaolian raised her head, wiping away her tears. Seeing the unkind gazes falling upon her, she understood his meaning.
Everyone was still quiet. Tang Thirty-Six''s words, though rather rude, were very reasonable.
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, it''s actually different, because I don''t like Xu Yourong. However, he wouldn''t say this in front of so many people. During the Ivy Festival, Xu Yourong''s letter had helped him, so he also had to give her some face.
The morning wind lightly brushed against the scholar trees and white pines, causing the light to waver, the temperature to slightly rise, and the autumn to calm.
The students all looked at Tang Thirty-Six, very moved as they thought, just as expected of the descendant of a noble clan, his style is overflowing with warmth and harmony. He simply resolved the sore point in this junior sister''s heart. The girls from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green looked up to him more passionately than before.
Just when everyone believed that this matter would end with a perfect conclusion
Tang Thirty-Six turned around again to look at Ye Xiaolian.
"But in factthere''s a fundamental difference between you and Chen Changsheng.
"He has an engagement with Xu Yourong. Let alone liking her, no one would be able to say anything even if he pulled her by the hand to go and see the sunset. However, there''s no relationship between you and Qiushan Jun, and the entire continent knows that he likes Xu Yourong. On the other hand, because you like him, you humiliate Chen Changsheng. Is that reasonable?
"If he''s a piece of trashthen aren''t you a little slut?"
He calmly said to the girl, clearly articulating the last two words so that nobody would mishear.
The entire scene was still and then exploded into an outcry!
Ye Xiaolian began to weep, covering her face as she ran into the guest courtyard within the forest.
The other girls of Holy Maiden Peak fiercely glared at him and then followed. Those girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green who once ardently gazed at him also greatly changed. Who could have expected that his many words from earlier, those sensible and moving words, were all for the sake of the final two words!
Jin Yulu and Xuanyuan Po had been listening on the side the entire time. Demi-humans had always believed that humans were sinister, crafty, shameless, and untrustable. After experiencing this disturbance, Xuanyuan Po subconsciously edged closer to Chen Changsheng, not wanting to be too close to Tang Thirty-Six. Jin Yulu sighed, "You''re the true slut here."
Chen Changsheng didn''t know what to say, so he clasped his hands towards Gou Hanshi to bid farewell. Although Tang Thirty-Six''s words were harsh and unpleasant, they did not concern the Longevity Sect. Gou Hanshi also only shook his head and clasped his hands in return, then took his three juniors back to the guest courtyard.
No one liked how that junior sister from Holy Maiden Peak had acted, but she was still just a twelve-year-old girl. Seeing her beautiful face stained with tears as she ran away, many young men felt pity for her and felt that she had been wronged. In order to right this wrong, they spoke out.
"He can only use words to bully a child."
In the crowd of Li Palace Academy students, Su Moyu said nothing. He was just rather disappointed. Everyone said that the Orthodox Academy might be revived, but after observing today''s events, he did not think so.
Chen Changsheng was worried that Tang Thirty-Six would waste more time and said, "Let''s go."
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at the young students standing by the Divine Avenue and said concisely and clearly, "Once we finish these matters, I''ll come back. If any of you have the guts, don''t run."
The crowd was still in an uproar. The young students thought, this is the Li Palace, where our academies are! This guy just bullied a girl into crying and now he still acts with such arrogance! He''s clearly inviting everyone to beat him until he looks like a pig.
Just then, the clear and long ring of a bell came from academy walls deep within the forest, accompanied by several simple and clear admonishments.
109 One Flower, One World
"Count yourself lucky! If you have the guts, you better not sneak away!"
Upon hearing the bell and the reprimands of their teachers, even the most furious and hot-blooded students were forced to halt their attempts to pursue Chen Changsheng''s group. After cursing a few words, they all returned to their own academies, becauseit was time for class.
At the end of the straight Divine Avenue was a set of around one thousand stone steps. These stone steps were laid with white jade and were glossy as mirrors. At the top of the stone steps was that spherical palace that could earlier be seen from the distance. This palace was not the main hall of the Li Palace, but the Hall of Pure Virtue.
From the base of the stone steps, the palace hall that was already dignified and imposing from a distance seemed even loftier.
"Why did you have to say that last part?"
The stone steps were many and abilities could not be used in the Li Palace, so they could only slowly walk up them. Chen Changsheng thought of that final scene of the crowd surging with emotion and couldn''t help but say, "After we finish, how are we supposed to get out? Are we really going to fight our way out?"
Xuanyuan Po was a simple and honest demi-human youth, and also very courageous, but he was absolutely no fool. Looking around, he asked, "Who knows where the back gate is?"
"Relaxneither of you will be fighting, and I''m certainly not afraid," Tang Thirty-Six replied.
"Gou Hanshi and the others might not appear, but the Li Palace and the Temple Seminary have their own experts of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and no matter how good you are at fighting, are you saying you can fight alone versus one thousand?"
"Guardian Jin also has to return to the Orthodox Academy, and although it''s bad for the strong to bully the weak, would his esteemed self be able to watch on as we''re beaten to death?"
Jin Yulu chuckled but did not answer.
Chen Changsheng felt rather helpless, saying, "If Guardian Jin acts, won''t the teachers of the academies, or even their principals, also appear?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "If even the principals appear, do you still think the fight will continue?"
Chen Changsheng didn''t know how to respond, but Xuanyuan Po commented, "You humans truly are too cunning."
"Speaking of which, you also spoke too harshly to that girl."
"Eh? And just who was I putting myself out there for? That''s too much from you!"
"Fine, I admit my mistake."
"I accept."
"But there''s still something that I can''t quite figure out. When I met you at the very beginning in the Heavenly Dao Academy and also later on at the inn, you were very different from how you are now. It''s said that you''re famous for your cold arrogance and reclusiveness, so how did you become such a chatterer? And to have a mouth full of such filthy words"
"You just don''t understand."
Tang Thirty-Six stood on the stone steps and looked back on the capital with an indescribable sense of sorrow. "Just like that day when Tianhai Shengxue charged at the academy gate and I stood in the rain, sword in hand, exuding a natural arrogance and dashing aura, it was all a pretense. Feigning despair for a long time is actually very tiring."
Chen Changsheng said, "Ah, so you were just pretending in the past?"
Tang Thirty-Six coldly laughed, then answered, "Duh, besides that wolf cub in the north, who is born naturally lofty and cold?"
"So why don''t you continue pretending?"
"In front of all of you, I still need to continue pretending?"
"Thencould you please at leastat least curse a little less, that''s really no good."
"How can any of you understand the depression a person like me feels? From the moment we begin to think, we have to act arrogant and aloof, above the common people. After holding back for so many years, it''s like a flood being held back by a dam. As soon as the dam springs a leak, can anything be done other than letting the damn thing flood for a few days?"
"Your meaning is that either you keep holding it back until it causes you internal injuries or you become a scoundrel?"
"Correct, the longer I hold it, the more terrifying the explosion. It''s just like that wife of yours. She''s such a fairy-like existence that even the demons of Xuelao City would want nothing more than to grovel at her feet, yet I''m extremely sure that there are often times where she"
Tang Thirty-Six slightly paused as he looked at Chen Changsheng, then continued, "gets the urge to curse."
Chen Changsheng froze, then suddenly understood that he was talking about Xu Yourong and kept his mouth shut.
"But just now, all those girls changed how they looked at you," Xuanyuan Po said with great pity.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I hate it when those girls stare at me like that. In Wenshui it was like that, in the Heavenly Dao Academy too. If it''s still like this now, why did I enter the Orthodox Academy? I''m not the Mausoleum of Books; what''s so good about looking at me!"
Xuanyuan Po recalled the beautiful girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and said with yearning, "It would be great if they could look at me like that."
"Big Brother, although you look old, aren''t you just thirteen? You''re prepared to spread your seed so early?"
"Chen Changsheng is only older than me by a year, and isn''t he about to get married? Anyway, where I live, a thirteen-year-old having children is very normal."
"Now that we''re talking about it, I''m truly very curious: how many can you demi-humans give birth to at a time?"
Jin Yulu''s coughing could suddenly be heard on the stone steps.
Tang Thirty-Six quickly brought the topic back on track. "What''s so good about being stared at?"
"What''s so bad about it?"
"What if they look you to death?"
"What do you mean by ''look to death''?"
"They just stare at you until you die."
"Ahthen they can do it after I reach the Saint Realm."
"It''s impossible to talk with you."
"Just say it."
"Back then Zhou Dufu''s younger brother Zhou Yuren was the most handsome man on the continent. When he first entered the capital, thousands of women lined the street to welcome him. Those women had such burning gazes that they practically wanted to take a bowl of water and swallow him whole. Zhou Yuren had a weak body in the first place, and he received such a fright that he nearly fainted to death, which is where the phrase ''looked to death'' comes from."
"Ah, we demi-humans have much stronger bodies than you humans. Nothing will happen no matter how much they look."
"It truly is impossible to talk with you."
"Thirty-Six, I''ve suddenly realized that not even you are that handsome. Perhaps you''re overthinking things?"
The sincere truth from the mouth of an honest person was the most powerful and most hurtful.
Right now, the Orthodox Academy had two such people: Chen Changsheng and Xuanyuan Po.
Tang Thirty-Six felt like he had been deeply wounded.
...
...
Although the thousand stone steps were long, they could not last against Chen Changsheng''s hurried steps and chatting. It didn''t take long before they arrived in front of the Hall of Pure Virtue.
With Jin Yulu leading them, their identities were checked and they very smoothly entered the Hall of Pure Virtue.
The Hall of Pure Virtue matched its name. A pure wind blew through the place and there were few furnishings within. The ground was clean of dust and the hall was extremely spacious, serene, and cold. What confused Chen Changsheng was that he looked all around but saw no trace of habitation, so he could not tell where Luoluo''s chambers were.
Jin Yulu also didn''t say much. The priest leading the three youths continued deeper into the hall. The Hall of Pure Virtue was paved with green bricks two feet in length. When stepped upon, they would emit a faint light. It was very mystical, and Xuanyuan Po lowered his head to look down at this scene, thoroughly interested.
Chen Changsheng had also noticed this special property of these green bricks. Looking around, he saw that although the other green bricks were not emitting light as the ones under their feet were, they were different shades. He thought, given the area of the Hall of Pure Virtue, there must be tens of thousands of green bricks. Could they form some sort of pattern?
However, it was difficult to get the complete view of a mountain while within it, and so even if there was a pattern, he wouldn''t be able to see it while standing amongst the green bricks. Thus, it was best not to think about it.
If one looked down from the dome of the Hall of Pure Virtue, one could see that the tens of thousands of differently shaded bricks of green joined together into a lonely green leaf. Chen Changsheng and the others were currently walking on one of the veins of this leaf.
The priest was uncommunicative, occasionally saying a few words to Jin Yulu while completely ignoring the three youths.
With their steps, green brick after green brick lit up, causing the stem of this leaf to light up, almost as if they were pouring some sort of energy into it.
Ultimately, the entire vein of the leaf was lit, and Chen Changsheng''s group had been led by the priest into the utmost depths of the hall.
And then, there was naught but darkness.
...
...
The darkness lasted for a very short time, so short that it gave Chen Changsheng the feeling that he had merely blinked his eyes. In the closing and opening of the eyes, a night had passed. This was something that everyone had experienced. For everything before the eyes to go dark and then brighten, revealing another world, was not something that everyone had experienced.
At the sight before him, his jaw slightly dropped. So stunned was he that he could not speak.
Standing beside him, Xuanyuan Po had an even more exaggerated expression.
Countless clouds drifted about the porcelain-blue sky. These clouds were perfectly shaped, just like the magic clouds described in the Daoist Canon. Several hundred immortal cranes soared amongst the clouds, their cries purifying both heart and soul. A towering and magnificent palace lay before their eyes.
In the distance were ten-some palaces of similar style.
This was a beautiful world. The magic clouds, the immortal cranes, the palaces, the jade-colored lakes, and even the fresh and clean atmosphereall of it was perfect, so perfect that it didn''t seem real. However, standing amongst it, they knew that this was all real.
"Don''t shame the academy. Quickly catch up."
Tang Thirty-Six whispered to the two of them and then walked forward as if he didn''t know them.
Chen Changsheng came to his senses and saw that Jin Yulu and the priest had already reached that towering and majestic palace. He hastily patted Xuanyuan Po and hurried to catch up.
When they reached Tang Thirty-Six, Chen Changsheng asked, "This is?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "This is a miniature world. You should have heard of it before."
Chen Changsheng said nothing. He was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, so he naturally knew of miniature worlds. However, only today, by actually coming to a miniature world, did he realize how shallow knowledge from books was.
It was said that when the Heavenly Tomes descended upon the world, divine fire followed from the sky. Space fractured, ultimately leaving behind countless shards of space. These spatial shards spread all over the continent. Some spatial shards were extremely unstable, annihilated almost as soon as they appeared. On the other hand, others were quite stable and were able to persist for a very long time.
With the passing of time and the procession of countless years, fewer and fewer spatial shards remained in the continent. Those spatial shards that continued to exist were naturally extremely stable. This led to the famous saying: ''Time is the only standard by which to test the world.''
The stable spatial shards were found by humans, opened up by cultivators using frightening divine techniques, and set up with the most profound magical artifacts as doors. Through their efforts, these spatial shards were connected with the real world. The so-called spatial shards were often of vast size and able to be used in countless applications. This was what was meant by a miniature world.
The Wenshui Tang clan possessed a miniature world. Although it was not large, it was enough to push the Tang clan to a level above other wealthy families. Tang Thirty-Six was not so shocked because he would often be brought into that miniature world by his grandfather to play around.
"This is one flower, one world"
Chen Changsheng stared at the beautiful sight before him, the magnificent building, and was somewhat emotional. Then, for some reason, he lowered his head to gaze at the dagger at his waist.
(TN: This is a famous Buddhist saying expressing that all the truths of the world can be found even in a single flower.)
110 Reunion
"One flower contains one world; one leaf also contains one world. These are metaphysical descriptions, but they''re truthfully not accurate, or could we really be in a flower or a leaf? What we call flowers and leaves are all magical artifacts forged by our ancestors using grand divine abilities, gates that lead to spatial shards."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "The larger the spatial shard, the more stable it is, and the more difficult it is to open a gate. A truly grand divine ability is needed to successfully create magical artifacts. Only at this point can we finally say that this is a miniature world that has a master."
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, that''s true, this argument is easy to understand. Xuanyuan Po had grown up with his tribe in the wilderness, so he had neither experience nor knowledge in this aspect. Hearing the two talk, he was very confused and scratched his head. "This place is so big; how can it be called a miniature world?"
Tang Thirty-Six said nothing, as he too had truthfully been stunned by the world before him. He had just not shown it. Compared to this beautiful world, the Wenshui Tang clan''s miniature world didn''t even count as a thatched cottage. They were two completely different concepts.
Chen Changsheng asked, "This miniature world is so large. Just who does it belong to?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him like he was an idiot. "His Holiness the Pope, of course."
Chen Changsheng came to his senses. Across the continent, the people who had the divine ability to control this sort of miniature world could be counted with one''s fingers, and since this was the Li Palace, who else could it be?
"The opening of a miniature world rests solely in the thoughts of the holder."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the immortal cranes above and sighed, "There is nowhere safer for Princess Luoluo to live than here."
If the demons still had any desire to assassinate Luoluo, they would first have to kill the Pope so that they could enter this hall.
This was an impossible matter, so Luoluo''s safety was assured.
Chen Changsheng understood. Luoluo''s living here was the safest and most dependable choice, but when he thought of how this was the Pope''s world and her entry and exit were completely in another person''s hands, he felt somewhat uncomfortable, feeling that this was no different from being a prisoner.
However, when he thought of the assassination attempt that took place in the Orthodox Academy several months ago, he decided to remain silent.
They entered the magnificent and towering palace, climbing the stairs upwards. As they climbed higher and higher, they were able to see farther and farther, yet even at the twenty-ninth floor, they were still unable to see the edge of this world. Chen Changsheng was truly amazed, thinking, His Holiness truly deserves to be called one of the strongest on the continent.
There were still ten-some palaces flickering in and out of sight in the distance.
Chen Changsheng looked at those palaces and faintly felt that something was wrong. He walked up to Jin Yulu and whispered a few questions, and only then did he find out that there were actually many famous and meritorious priests of the Orthodoxy, as well as many experts, cultivating within the Pope''s Green Leaf World.
He voiced his concerns. "If the demons wanted to do harm to Her Highness, it would truly be impossible for them to destroy this worldbut what if one of the priests of the Orthodoxy cultivating in this world has always been a spy for the demons? How do you guard against that?"
"What demon spy could possibly deceive His Holiness''s enlightened eyes? Even that old traitor Black Robe wouldn''t dare."
The guiding priest had heard Chen Changsheng''s question and coolly replied.
Chen Changsheng said no more.
After quite some time, the group finally reached the top floor of the building. Atop the roof, which was flat like the deck of a boat, was a small courtyard. Bamboo was planted within and without the courtyard, giving it a delightfully verdant aura.
Knowing that Luoluo was living in a place like this made Chen Changsheng''s mind slightly relax.
Jin Yulu sent the three youths to the gate but proceeded no further. Smiling at Chen Changsheng, he said, "The words of that priest definitely haven''t addressed your concerns. I just want to tell you, it''s impossible for me to take a single step into this courtyard, so what are you still worried about?"
Chen Changsheng knew that miniature worlds had a maximum capacity, especially very small spatial shards. If a person possessing an excessive quantity of true essence entered the space, the spatial shard would collapse, bringing the person that entered with it into nothingness.
But this courtyard clearly lay within the Pope''s Green Leaf World.
Why couldn''t Jin Yulu enter?
And if this were true, wouldn''t it be even easier for the demons to assassinate Luoluo, only needing to send in a suicide soldier?
Jin Yulu explained, "In some worlds, the threshold is too high. In some worlds, the roof is too low. In some worlds, the door is too narrow"
Chen Changsheng understood, but he recalled the description in the ''Doctrine of Space and Void''.
Some miniature worlds would be destroyed if someone with too much true essence entered. This was what was meant by the roof being too low.
Some miniature worlds were impossible to enter unless one had reached a certain cultivation level. This was what was meant by the threshold being too high.
Some miniature worlds, on the other hand, were impossible to enter if one surpassed a certain cultivation level. This was the door being too narrow.
Some miniature worlds had many rooms.
Space was forever the most unfathomable of objects, the laws governing it forever the most complex and abstruse.
The Pope''s Green Leaf world was obviously a world where the roof was too low. However, this world was too large, so even such a low roof was enough to hold an expert like Jin Yulu. However, all the places they had earlier passed were just a part of the courtyard.
The courtyard at the roof of this palace was a real room of the Green Leaf World, and the roof of this bedroom was even lower, so Jin Yulu could not enter.
"Only those at Ethereal Opening or below can enter," Jin Yulu finally explained.
At last, Chen Changsheng was completely at ease. As Luoluo''s teacher, he was extremely sure that no one at Ethereal Opening or below could threaten her in the slightest.
...
...
Chen Changsheng and the other two entered the courtyard. They wound their way around two clumps of green bamboo, and before there was any time for the maid to stand up, they saw Luoluo.
Luoluo was at the window, holding a brush and diligently writing something. Occasionally, she would pinch her slender brows or nibble on the tail of her brush, making her seem very adorable.
Seeing a corner of the paper stirred up by the wind, Chen Changsheng knew that she was following his instructions and writing down notes on cultivation. This was because this paper was still the paper that he had found in a cabinet in the recesses of the library, and each paper carried the seal of the Orthodox Academy.
His heart warmed at this sight.
Luoluo was just sending the brush into her mouth when she sensed something and turned around, the brush stopping at her lips.
"Ah!"
With a cry, she threw away the brush and charged at Chen Changsheng, her white dress dragging a blurred image in its wake. She was as swift as lightning, her momentum frightening, and the air rumbled before her!
Tang Thirty-Six quickly stirred from his daze and his complexion instantly changed. He hurriedly pushed Xuanyuan Po out of the way, leaving only Chen Changsheng in her path.
In the blink of an eye, Luoluo had charged from the window to Chen Changsheng. it was only at this point that she realized that if she did not drop her speed, her teacher might become the first person in history to die in an innocent hug, and her petite face instantly became as pale as snow.
"Ah!"
There was another cry, though this time a clear and forceful shout.
One of her feet stepped on the ground, and with a thud, a spider web of cracks appeared on it. A terrifying power spread to the surroundings and the entire hall seemed to slightly tremble as plumes of dust rose!
In the dusky light, the alarmed questions of the priest could faintly be heard outside the courtyard.
And then, there was silence.
The dust gradually settled and the room was clear and bright once more, though the green bamboo by the wall had been dirtied somewhat.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo stood in front of each other.
Today, she was wearing a brimless hat, her hair tied into a thin braid. Because she had been running too fast just now, the braid had come undone. Her black hair was pressed down like wild grass under the hat, and because she had used her true essence too suddenly, her small face was thoroughly red. Once again, she seemed very cute.
A long time passed.
"I pay respects to Teacher."
She very properly greeted her teacher in the manner of a student, not a single detail out of place.
She was still as short as she was back in the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng rubbed his hand on her head.
Luoluo giggled and stood on her toes, rubbing the top of her head against his palm.
Chen Changsheng used his hand to wipe the dust off her face.
Luoluo giggled again and then burrowed into his chest, rubbing her face against it. It didn''t take long before her face was clean.
Xuanyuan Po had gotten used to seeing this sort of scene. Although he still hadn''t accustomed his mind to it, he knew that he should keep his silence.
Tang Thirty-Six had not seen it before, so his jaw practically dropped to the floor.
His admiration towards Chen Changsheng was already as torrential as the Luo River, as unbroken as the Tan Stream.
Then he began to worry about Chen Changshengwhat would happen to him in the future?
Beyond the gate of the small courtyard, Guardian Li had a rather unsightly complexion.
From the moment Luoluo burrowed into Chen Changsheng''s chest, the hand she had placed on the gate had begun to shake.
Jin Yulu smiled but said nothing.
Guardian Li walked towards the railing, indicating that he should follow.
Jin Yulu glanced at the gate of the courtyard and saw the extremely deep impression left by the finger.
This place was the Pope''s Green Leaf World, and the palace was made of abnormally tough materials. That she was actually able to leave such a deep fingerprint signified that she had already reached the point where her rage was about to explode.
"We just managed to drag Her Highness from his side. Why did you bring him back?"
Guardian Li anxiously looked at him and said, "This really, really cannot continue."
Jin Yulu laughed and said, "There''s no problem, they''re all good kids."
...
...
This was the roof of the palace, already in the depths of the clouds.
Luoluo''s room was in the deepest part of the courtyard. Several plants were arranged by the door, but there weren''t any trees, and outside the window were the drifting clouds.
Luoluo sat by the window and looked at the paper before her. The ink was already dry, but it was clearly very new, so it had probably been written through the night. When she thought about how well her teacher treated her, she went into a daze, barely putting any attention into the words on the paper.
"Focus."
Chen Changsheng still acted as usual. He was similar in age to Luoluo, and he was still a youth, so he naturally wouldn''t put on the air of an elder or care too much about a student''s respect for their teacher. However, in the aspects of study and cultivation, he was always meticulous, even harsh at times.
Carefully considered, this was the first time the two had met after the night of the Ivy Festival.
He now knew that Luoluo was the White Emperor''s only daughter, but he still treated her with the same attitude.
Luoluo really liked it when her teacher acted this way. With a grunt of assent, she began to carefully read the paper over.
After quite some time, she finished reading the words on the paper and raised her head to look at Chen Changsheng, prepared to receive his instruction.
"In the library, I found four-hundred-plus cases in total where cultivators failed in breaking into Ethereal Opening. Amongst them, three hundred thirty-three died. The rest either went insane and ultimately committed suicide or had their entire body paralyzed, suffering a fate more painful than death. The risks are enormous. I can''t really help all of you, but I can do my utmost to collect and summarize the experiences of those who came before. We can''t know the way to succeed in breaking through, but we can at least avoid the errors committed by those of the past. According to my calculations, the reasons for failure can be divided into three classes and ninety-seven types."
Chen Changsheng walked to her side and pointed at the words on the paper as he earnestly explained. Luoluo earnestly listened, occasionally nodding her head. The sunlight was clear and mild, the white clouds quietly drifted by the window, and the green plants swayed outside the door. It was like they had returned to the Orthodox Academy.
111 Teachings
After a very long period of time, Chen Changsheng finally finished lecturing on the contents of the paper. Luoluo hastily offered up with two hands an already-cooled cup of tea.
He took the cup of tea and drank it dry, then said, "Your situation is different from Tang Thirty-Six''s. A demi-human cultivating in human techniques attempting to break through is a very rare occurrence, so you have to be especially cautious. However, if you can really make your internal elixir imitate the environment of the Ethereal Palace, it''s not a complete impossibility."
Luoluo nodded, saying, "Teacher, please relax. Only after all preparations are completed and I''ve obtained Teacher''s approval will I attempt to break through."
Chen Changsheng looked at her and seriously said, "In truth, I''ve been thinking this whole time that there''s simply no need for you to take this risk."
As the only princess of the demi-humans, she had far too many possessions, and those who attended upon her were all legends like Jin Yulu. There was truly no need for Luoluo to be so diligently set upon the path of cultivation, let alone cultivating human techniques, yet she insisted on taking on that critical juncture of life and death.
"The techniques of the White Emperor clan are only suitable for males. It''s simply impossible for females to cultivate them to the peak, but my royal father and mother had only one daughter" Luoluo''s voice got softer and softer, her little head drooping lower and lower. She looked rather dejected, then she suddenly raised her head and firmly declared, "So I must find another way."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, ceasing his attempts to persuade her. He took a prescription from his bosom and passed it to her.
Seeing the cautious expression on his face, Luoluo knew that these prescriptions were unusual. After warily looking around to make sure that no maids had dared to approach, she turned back to take the prescription. Unexpectedly, she saw that the table had been piled high with herbs, fruits, tubers, and other such things.
The medicinal herbs had already been organized into types, their names written on their wrappers. Those tubers still carried fresh dirt, and there was even still dew on the fruit. Luoluo was rather shocked, mystified as to how Chen Changsheng had managed to bring these things inside and where he had been keeping them.
Chen Changsheng did not explain. He told her the names of those herbs, fruits, and tubers, and also gave her very simple explanations of their uses. He then pointed at the prescriptions he had given her and said, "The Li Palace should have masters of refining medicine. If there''s someone you trust, have them do it. Heat control and everything has already been written out."
Luoluo asked, "What will all these refined medicines be used for?"
"It''s mostly for strengthening your body and essence. These are also the medicines being used to train Tang Thirty-Six''s body. However, it''s not convenient to come to the Li Palace every day, and refined medicines should have a greater effect, so I''ve come up with such a method. I hope that when you break through, it will be of some help to you, or at least lower the danger a little."
Chen Changsheng had her put the prescriptions away and then said to her, "After today, I have to put all my focus into preparing for the Grand Examination, so I won''t be able to visit you often. Take good care of yourself."
Luoluo did not understand why he placed such importance on the Grand Examination, but in her few months living in the Orthodox Academy, she had come to clearly understand that this was so. When she thought of how her teacher still did not forget about her and cared for her at such a period, she was deeply moved.
Then she recalled what Jin Yulu had said earlier about Chen Changsheng being jeered at and humiliated on the Divine Avenue, and her slender brows rose. Earlier, she had been deeply moved, and now she became just as furious, harshly saying, "Those people dared to disrespect Teacher; that''s truly too impudent!"
When she spoke, she was just like a little tiger, both cute and extremely menacing.
Chen Changsheng rubbed her head and smiled. "This is like the daughter of the White Emperor."
Luoluo stuck out her tongue, instantly causing her menace to vanish.
After finishing his urgent task, Chen Changsheng finally had the attention to spare on worrying about her environment. "Is everything okay here?"
At this question, Luoluo began to pout as she grumbled, "It''s so boring. I think about the Hundred Herb Garden, the Orthodox Academy, and Teacher."
Chen Changsheng now knew that this space called the Green Leaf World was formally called the Minor Li Palace and was connected with the Pope''s divine sense. Even if Luoluo had thoughts of sneaking out, it would be impossible. Although the Minor Li Palace was vast, it was not connected to the outside world. It was difficult to not feel somewhat stifled after living in it for a long time.
"I''ll think of something."
Chen Changsheng very naturally said these words, but with his current status and strength, it was simply impossible for him to do anything about it. However, he had made a habit of treating Luoluo''s problems as his problems, not knowing how arrogant and lacking in awareness that seemed.
Fortunately, only he and Luoluo were in the room, and Luoluo would certainly not think this way about him. She said, "The Grand Examination is almost here. Teacher, you should be a good student, resting and preparing. You absolutely shouldn''t be distracted by me. After all, Teacher has to get first rank of the first banner."
The trust she and Tang Thirty-Six had in Chen Changsheng was almost approaching a blind trust and far exceeded the trust he had in himself. For this, Chen Changsheng was both deeply moved and deeply grateful. Every time he was about to lose his self-confidence, she and Tang Thirty-Six would always use their words or attitudes to help him regain it.
"Earlier I saw that you were biting on your brush again?" Chen Changsheng recalled this matter and looked at her.
Luoluo was somewhat anxious. In the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng had chided her several times that brushes were not clean and that it was easy to get sick if she nibbled on them. It had not been easy for her to finally change this bad habit, but after she came to the Minor Li Palace, nobody was there to watch, so she fell once more into the habit of biting her brush.
"Thisthis"
She rather nervously explained, "Teacher, I''ve recently been growing in new teeth and it really itches, so there are times when I can''t endure it."
Up to now, Chen Changsheng still believed that she was eleven or twelve years old. Logically speaking, at that age, one''s permanent teeth should have grown in. He couldn''t help but grow nervous at her explanation. After cleaning his hands with clear water and herbal powder, he had Luoluo open her small mouth by instructing, "Ah"
Luoluo very obediently went ''Aaaaaah'', opening her mouth wide.
Chen Changsheng placed his finger in her mouth, carefully checking over her teeth. He realized that she really was growing new teeth, though there didn''t seem to be any problems.
"Teacher, I have to keep growing new teeth until I''m sixteen. It''s so troublesome."
Because her mouth was open, Luoluo''s words were muddled. The word ''Teacher'' (Xiansheng) sounded just like ''shengsheng'', as if she was calling Chen Changsheng by a nickname.
Chen Changsheng suddenly remembered that Luoluo was a demi-human princess, and there were many aspects in which she was different from a human.
He washed his hands again and then wrote another prescription. This was not a prescription for illness, but methods on increasing appetite and also on how she could make a biting stick.
"Only the branch of the iron tree will do."
Luoluo took up her brush. The end of the brush was covered in many clear teeth marks. "This brush was made with iron tree wood, or else I would have bitten it to pieces."
Chen Changsheng then recalled that she had the White Emperor''s blood. Getting the materials to make a biting stick that could last was truly rather troublesome. Looking out at the potted plants arrayed outside the door, he asked, "Are those iron tree saplings? They look a bit different from the pictures in books."
Luoluo explained, "Those are banyan saplings. I don''t know if they''ll be able to grow."
There was a lake in the Orthodox Academy, and by the lake was a great banyan tree. She and Chen Changsheng often stood on the banyan, watching the sunset.
Chen Changsheng laughed and said, "They will definitely grow."
...
...
When the autumn sunlight passed through many eaves and windows to finally arrive at the true depths of the Li Palace, it became much purer and fainter. Only when it was reflected by the crystal throne at the highest point did it become dazzling once more. The clear and pure crystal was carved into a lotus blossom, and upon the lotus blossom was a crown. The crown was colored black and white, but there was no clear boundary between the two colors. However, they also did not mix into gray, but instead, through some mystical and incomprehensible method, fused into one perfect whole that exuded a divine Qi.
To the side of this lotus blossom throne was a chair carved completely from black wood. Upon the chair sat an old man wearing a relaxed hempen robe. His grizzled hair spilled over his shoulders like a waterfall in winter that was in the middle of freezing.
This old man was currently reading.
Across from this old man was another old man.
Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, Mei Lisha, as one of the few people of the same generation as the Pope, was naturally extremely old. Whenever the priests of the Li Palace and the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education saw the liver spots on his face, they would be overcome with boundless concern, always concerned about which day the elder would return to the starry sky.
Mei Lisha himself could not see the wrinkles or liver spots on his face, because ever since that day two hundred years ago when his first hair began to go white, he refused to look at himself in the mirror. Whether it was in a luxurious bronze mirror in one''s own room or a water mirror formed using true essence, to watch oneself grow old was a most harrowing ordeal. This was especially the case for people like them, for whom growing old was an extremely long process that might last several hundred years, up to even one thousand, making it all the more harrowing.
Not seeing did not mean that one did not know, and blinding oneself did not mean the starry sky would cease to exist. Mei Lisha was well aware that he was old, because he was becoming ever drowsier. Different from those normal old men who would awake at three in the morning, he became more and more fond of sleep. He always had this feeling that his own body was gradually accustoming itself to a long sleep.
At the moment, he had the greatest seniority in the Orthodoxy, and because of the matter of the Orthodox Academy, he was regarded by many people as the leader of the conservative faction, or at least its symbol. It was believed that right now, he was using many matters to oppose the Pope. He lived in the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education year round and had not taken even one step into the Li Palace for a very long time. He did not even attend the Orthodoxy''s regularly scheduled Congregations of Light. This fact seemed proof that those rumors were true. Who could have expected that he would appear in the Li Palace today, and that he was even able to sleep there?
Pop!
Because this hall was too quiet and serene, this light sound was heard loud and clear.
Mei Lisha opened his eyes, and it took some time for his turbid gaze to gradually clear. He looked across that hempen-robed old man reading, hobbled to his feet, and looked with a slightly bent body towards that potted plant at the old man''s side.
The pot was a light gray pot, very ordinary. One could probably go to the streets of the capital and buy three for one hundred coins. The plant within the pot was very strange. It had several stems, but it only had one leaf. This leaf was very green, its veins extremely clear.
The clear pop had come from the green leaf. The very front of the vein seemed to be slightly shaking. It was not the leaf that was shaking, but the vein. This trembling was so faint that in the entire Li Palace, only he and this hempen-robed elder could see it.
"That little princess is already this angry, and your esteemed self still has the mind to read a book?"
Mei Lisha turned to the hempen-robed elder, respectful yet also seeming very close.
The elder closed the book and raised his head to gaze at the potted plant. He had a very ordinary appearance, except for his extremely deep eye sockets. From the side, they seemed like the terrifying entrances to an unfathomably deep abyss, but from the front, one could see tranquil eyes as blue as the ocean.
112 The Pope
The ocean within the elder''s eye was very tranquil, giving off an aura of limitless benevolencebut it was still an ocean. It was difficult to imagine how massive the waves would be when this elder flew into a rage, how great the thunder when these waves crashed, how majestic and divine such a sight would be.
The elder chuckled and said to Mei Lisha, "I was speaking with you earlier when you just fell asleep. Besides reading, what else could I do?"
Mei Lisha was still gazing at the Green Leaf in the pot, shaking his head and saying, "I came to visit your esteemed self for a very clear purpose. Your esteemed self should indicate a path for these children to take."
"Every person has to walk their own path."
The hempen-robed elder continued, "Ever since that child came to the capital, he has walked an extremely stable path. I am not too concerned; I only hopethat he can mature a little faster."
It was very obvious that the elder was very concerned about the child he had mentioned.
Upon hearing the word ''mature'', Mei Lisha fell silent for a very long time. An invisible pressure seemed to gradually envelop this quiet hall in the depths of the Li Palace.
"Maturation requires the moistening of rain, and at times, what it needs even more is pressure."
The hempen-robed elder added, "The new proclamations from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets should arrive soon."
Mei Lisha understood his meaning: one''s ranking was a sort of pressure. Liberation, Golden Distinction, and Azure Skycountless experts and geniuses would exhaust their minds and bitterly cultivate to strive for a place on these rankings. Moreover, when these people on the rankings saw the people in front of them, they would receive a limitless motivation. The reason the continent had the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, had these proclamations, was so that human and demi-human cultivators would be pressured. Only this way could they oppose the demon experts.
"That child will have no chance to get on the proclamation. Furthermore, his lot is miserable, and his fate filled with hardships. Perhaps he can even see more thoroughly through the words ''fame'' and ''profit'' than you and me."
The hempen-robed elder sighed at these words, saying, "Then we can only look to see if we can help him at the Grand Examination."
Mei Lisha considered this and then agreed with the hempen-robed elder''s view. This was because while fate was in the starry sky above, under the starry sky, only life was worth revering. Life itself was the greatest pressure, and under this sort of pressure, that child would probably mature very quickly.
"I''m going."
He stood up, bowed to the hempen-robed elder, and then turned around to leave the Li Palace.
The hempen-robed elder showed no reaction. He raised his book and began to read again.
Time slowly and stubbornly passed.
The Green Leaf within the pot was very calm, as there was no wind.
After some time, the hempen-robed elder moved his gaze from the book and gazed at the sky above the Li Palace, an expression of envy suddenly appearing on his face.
If the priests of the Li Palace were to see this expression, they would undoubtedly be shocked to the core.
Just what was there in this continent that could make this elder feel envy?
The clear ring of a bell could be heard from the distance. It was not the signal for the students of the Li Palace Academy and the Temple Seminary to begin class, but the signal that the Congregation of Light that was scheduled every ten days was about to begin.
The elder stood up and untied his hempen robe.
A black-robed priest appeared and silently helped the elder put on a Divine Robe.
The elder began to ascend the stone steps. As he passed the lotus blossom carved of crystal, he took up that crown. His action was very casual, as if he was grabbing a piece of trash.
The black-robed priest that followed behind the elder was known in the Orthodoxy for his cold and severe demeanor, his expression rarely changing across the decades. However, each time he saw this sight, the corners of his eyes would twitch uncontrollably. He was thinking, what would happen if the Yin Yang Crown happened to fall and break?
At the top of the stone steps was a mural, monotonously painted with dark ink, exuding an aura of absolute austerity.
The elder stood in front of this mural and donned the crown.
The mural began to slowly part, boundless light surging out from between the walls like a tide.
This tide of light curled and danced around the elder''s Divine Crown and Divine Robe as if celebrating and worshipping.
On the other side of the wall was a lofty and spacious church.
This was the center of the Li Palace, the center of the Orthodoxy, the center of the continent''s faith: the Great Hall of Light.
Several dozen tall statues stood on either side of the hall: legends of the continent, past worthies, saints, and twelve knights who had once protected the church.
In the tide of light, countless priests prostrated themselves in worship.
These priests had lowered themselves so that their foreheads touched the back of their hands, their poses ones of absolute piety.
The object of their worship was this elder.
The fourth Pope of the Orthodoxy.
...
...
By the time Chen Changsheng''s group emerged from the Minor Li Palace, it was already afternoon. Chen Changsheng gazed up at the sun, confused as to what time it was. Turning his head to look at the still quiet and empty Hall of Pure Virtue, at those green bricks, and thinking about how he had just been in another space, he fell into a momentary daze.
The late autumn did not mean that the Li Palace was somber and bleak. In the slightly warm air of the afternoon, the cold-resistant scholar trees and white pines seemed to come to life, their branches and leaves becoming more verdant. When one looked down, all that could be seen was the limitless elegance and beauty of spring, like time had reversed.
As they descended the seemingly endless stone steps, they could faintly see from very far away that more and more people were gradually beginning to appear on both sides of the Divine Avenue. Some had even walked onto the Divine Avenue, already prepared to stop them.
"I told them to not leave if they had the guts, so what now?"
Tang Thirty-Six angrily looked at the apathetic Li Palace priest.
This Li Palace priest had been the one to receive them at the Hall of Pure Virtue and bring them into the Minor Li Palace. From his current appearance, it seemed that he intended to escort them out of the Li Palace. Tang Thirty-Six knew that this had been Luoluo''s request so as to avoid their group clashing again with those students.
He was not very satisfied by Luoluo''s arrangements, as it would make it look like he was afraid. On the other hand, Jin Yulu had no objection, as he did not feel that the princess was dissatisfied with his performance. Chen Changsheng was not dissatisfied whatsoever, as he had been the one to make the request to Luoluo.
Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! The resounding toll of a bell came from some palace or academy. As opposed to the clear and melodious bell calling the start of class, this bell was flat and moderate, most likely intended for announcing or sending out some sort of news.
"Is the bell also allowed to toll for this sort of assembly? Is this the Li Palace or an army camp?" Tang Thirty-Six thought that this bell was a signal for the students of the Li Palace Academy and the Temple Seminary to gather for a fight. At this array of forces, even if he was fearless, his complexion still slightly changed.
Just then, a flock of birds on the horizon suddenly scattered like a crowd opening a path. A hole suddenly appeared in the clouds to the east and a dark silhouette broke through the sky at an unimaginable speed. Passing through the space left by the flock of birds, it swiftly flew towards the Li Palace.
Xuanyuan Po was a demi-human youth and had grown up in the wilderness, encountering many immortal birds. Moreover, his vision was many times sharper than a human''s. Shielding his eyes as he looked, he recognized what the dark silhouette was. Rather shocked, he exclaimed, "It''s actually a Red Goose!"
Compared to true divine beasts like the Unicorn and the Ten Thousand Li Deer, the Red Goose was not that special. However, this species of bird had one good trait: its speed. In the present continent, it counted as one of the fastest species of birds, only second to the Red Falcons used by the army for sending messages. Of course, the White Crane was not a part of this ranking.
By the time Xuanyuan Po finished speaking, the dark silhouette had already arrived above the Li Palace. On the ground, priests with profound cultivations and people like Tang Thirty-Six could already see the long red tail of the bird. It truly was a Red Goose.
The Red Goose left an afterimage in the sky as it instantly vanished deep into some place within the Li Palace.
"I wonder what''s happened?"
Tang Thirty-Six thought to himself, since it wasn''t a Red Falcon, it''s not some strange movements from the demons up north, and it shouldn''t be anything bad either, or else that bell earlier wouldn''t have been so steady. So just what sort of matter would require using a Red Goose? Also, the Congregation of Light is going on right now; were they not afraid of the bell disturbing it?
No matter how much they thought, it was impossible to speculate on the matter without any sort of clue. Led by the Li Palace priest, Chen Changsheng''s group continued forward, soon reaching the bottom of the steps. They saw many people on the Divine Avenue in front of them, but they couldn''t know how many had come because of Tang Thirty-Six''s provocation in the early morning.
The Li Palace guest courtyard to their left was still tightly shut. Gou Hanshi had not come out, and the other three of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws also did not appear. Not even the disciples of Holy Maiden Peak and the various other sects of the south appeared.
Chen Changsheng''s gaze looked past the white pines and fell upon the guest courtyard.
Due to this engagement with Xu Yourong, upon coming to the capital and visiting the Divine General of the East''s estate, he had suffered disdain, contempt, ridicule, and even humiliation. Naturally, he had no good will towards that man called Qiushan Jun, nor for those teachers and fellow disciples of his.
During the Ivy Festival, he finally met with the other side.
However, his two meetings with them had been different from what he imagined. He realized that the other side had not acted very nastily at all. Whether it was Gou Hanshi, Guan Feibai, or Qi Jian, they were magnanimous, or carried an arrogance worthy of being respected, or an admirable persistence. In brief, each of them had their redeeming qualities. He could see that Gou Hanshi and the other disciples of Mount Li had a reverence for Qiushan Jun that came from their hearts, so how could Qiushan Jun be someone who won his fame through deceiving the people?
The autumn breeze that assailed him was not cold, but it roused him from his stupor.
He laughed at himself, thinking, I''ve really overthought it. Qiushan Jun is an idol praised by the continent for his talent and virtue. He was probably never a bad person, but because of my perspective, I''ve thought of him that way.
113 The Proclamation of Azure Sky has New Entrants I
By the time they had walked down the stone steps and reached the Divine Avenue, all the academies, excepting the guest courtyard where the southern diplomatic mission was staying, had already become hubbubs of voices. The autumn forest to either side of the Divine Avenue was crowded with people, and there were even people standing on the Divine Avenue. Teachers of the Li Palace Academy, the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, and the Temple Seminary had all appeared, and even some priests of the Li Palace had come to see the spectacle. Naturally, it was so lively because in the early morning, Tang Thirty-Six had left those words for the crowd in front of the Hall of Pure Virtue.
The priest that had led Chen Changsheng''s group out of the Hall of Pure Virtue had a quite significant status in the Li Palace. He frowned in displeasure at the raucous disorder on the Divine Avenue and spoke a few words of harsh reprimand. At these words, the teachers of the academies hurried to restore order, driving those students who were attempting to block Chen Changsheng''s group to the side.
Chen Changsheng''s group of three walked down the Divine Avenue while a crowd of several hundred young students watched them from the forest. It was very similar to the scene from this morning, though the gazes of contempt and disdain were now much more numerous. A student from some academy yelled, "Tang Tang, if you have the guts, don''t go!"
These words were returning Tang Thirty-Six''s words from this morning and attracted roars of laughter. Given Tang Thirty-Six''s personality, he refused to walk any further, but then the priest gave him a cold stare. He didn''t want to bring the Orthodox Academy too much trouble, so he could only angrily retort, "I just don''t like being called Tang Tang."
Seeing Tang Thirty-Six swallow his anger, the young students were elated. They knew very well that the icy-faced priest handled matters with severity, so none of them dared to step on the Divine Avenue, but they also would not give up the chance to strike at the Orthodox Academy with their words.
"Chen Changsheng, can you do anything else besides hug Princess Luoluo''s waist?"
"Is it true that without Princess Luoluo''s arrangements, you didn''t even dare come down those steps just now?"
"That''s not necessaryhe could still take out that marriage contract and use it as a protective talisman."
"That''s right, Xu Yourong''s fianctsk tsk, who would dare offend him?"
The occasional harsh word or slanderous gossip would rise from the forests lining the Divine Avenue, brimming with scorn and derision, every one of them daring to offend him. Some people even began to heckle him as someone who lived off women.
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression grew nastier and nastier while Chen Changsheng, on the other hand, slightly lowered his head and continued forward as if he had not heard anything. His two hands were concealed in his sleeves, making it impossible to see what shape they were in. Similar to the besieging of the Orthodox Academy in the autumn rain, he clearly understood where this hostility came from. It was not because of that war of words in the early morning, nor was it related to that junior sister of Holy Maiden Peak who had not shown herself. It was all because of her.
That girl called Xu Yourong.
Yet this matter still could not be blamed on her, as it had no relationship to her.
Then it seemed that all he could do was endure it.
Suddenly, the taunting and jeering receded like a tide. Chen Changsheng raised his head and saw a young student of gentle and noble air standing upon the Divine Avenue. Under the force of the priest''s reprimands and the pressure of the teachers, the Divine Avenue was clear of people, wide, straight, and deserted, yet this student had decided to stand upon it.
It was Su Moyu of the Li Palace Academy.
Su Moyu first bowed to the priest, and then he clasped his hands at Chen Changsheng, with Chen Changsheng returning the gesture. His status in the Li Palace Academy was special, similar to the status that Zhuang Huanyu had in the Heavenly Dao Academy. Even the priest, who held real power in the Li Palace, had to give him a little face, so the priest only frowned but did not rebuke him.
"Their words are very rude. As representative of the Li Palace Academy, I apologize," Su Moyu said.
Chen Changsheng replied, "That''s not necessary."
Su Moyu still stood on the Divine Avenue. It was evident that he was not yet prepared to yield the path.
Tang Thirty-Six slightly raised his brow, saying, "Do you intend to fight?"
Su Moyu shook his head and bowed once more to the priest dispatched by Luoluo. "With Divine Priest Huo present, do any of us students dare to act presumptuously?"
The priest surnamed Huo seemed slightly pacified and said nothing.
"If you don''t want to fight but you don''t want to stand aside, what''s your intention?" Tang Thirty-Six squinted at him.
Su Moyu ignored him. Looking at Chen Changsheng, he said, "I have something to say to you."
Chen Changsheng said, "Please speak."
"Did you ever think about why everyone treats you so rudely?" Su Moyu asked.
Chen Changsheng did not reply, as the answer was fairly evident.
"The words everyone says are unpleasant, marred by envy, and very rude, butthat does not mean they are without basis. This is because what you possess is, from every angle, not something that you should be able to possess."
Su Moyu calmly gazed at him and judged, "Because you are not strong enough."
At these words, Tang Thirty-Six''s and Xuanyuan Po''s expressions slightly transformed. Even the teachers of the Li Palace Academy and the Temple Seminary showed expressions of disapproval.
"Yes, on the Ivy Festival, you and Gou Hanshi discussed the Dao, and you seemed to assist the Orthodox Academy in defeating the Mount Li Sword Sectbut I don''t believe this. I just think that your luck is good, that you have many strong companions. Princess Luoluo carries the blood and talent of the White Emperor clan, herself being a genius. Moreover, no reason other than luck can explain how you were able to get to know her. Friend Tang Tang here is also a young genius of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. If he were not so proud of his abilities as to break up with the Heavenly Dao Academy, why would he enter the Orthodox Academy?"
Chen Changsheng said nothing.
"What does it mean to be strong? For oneself to be strong and then to be strong together with your companions, that is what it means to be truly strong. I don''t hold the extravagant hope that I can rank first, I only hope that the number of people from the Li Palace Academy on the rankings surpass the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer, letting it becomethe head of the Six Ivies. At the very least, I will not drag down the Li Palace, but what about you? When the Grand Examination comes and you have to step onto stage to fight, will you still have as many tricks as you had during the Ivy Festival? What does it matter if you''ve read extensively? What does it matter if your knowledge is comparable to Gou Hanshi''s? If Gou Hanshi were not at Ethereal Opening, what right would he have to be ranked second in the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws and to have even Qiushan Jun respect him?"
Su Moyu said with a grave expression, "To only read and not know how to put it into practice, many of this sort of person can be found in the private schools of the countryside. You believe that you can help your companions, but no, they are the ones that are helping you. Without them, you would just be a useless scholar; you can only be the Orthodox Academy''s burden."
Tang Thirty-Six taunted, "It sounds to me that you''re more worried about the Orthodox Academy''s grades than we are."
"Of course."
Su Moyu slightly raised his head, exposing his feelings on the matter for all to see. "I''m a very conservative person, and just like many conservative people within the Li Palace and the academies, I hold a boundless yearning and fondness for the glorious past of the Orthodox Academy. We all look forward to seeing the Orthodox Academy''s revival. That is why I''m saying all this to you. I hope that you can work harder, and I hope that by the time of the Grand Examination, you can at least have succeeded at Purification. Even if you are still a burden on the Orthodox Academy, you don''t have to put on too unsightly of a display."
After saying all this, he finally yielded the path.
Chen Changsheng very rarely saw someone so serious, grave, and even somewhat wooden. He felt very depressed and helpless, then suddenly thought about himself and thus began to sympathize with Tang Thirty-Six and the others.
Tang Thirty-Six did not think that Su Moyu and Chen Changsheng were the same type of person. Although they both seemed wooden and each had their own set of ideals and persistence, Chen Changsheng very rarely imposed his views on others.
He knew that Chen Changsheng was feeling somewhat downcast and so he found Su Moyu even more unpleasant. He thought, for what reason can you look down from on high and instruct us on the Orthodox Academy''s future?
He sneered, "Is it interesting to talk such nonsense?"
Su Moyu proudly declared, "Once you surpass me on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, come and tell me again that what I said was wrong."
Tang Thirty-Six tidied his blue gown and proudly replied, "Then let''s fight."
With a wooden expression, Su Moyu refused. "I won''t fight with you."
Tang Thirty-Six froze, then asked, "If you don''t fight with me, how can I surpass you?"
Su Moyu explained, "I promised the principal that before the Grand Examination, I would safeguard my mind and nurture my Qi, refusing any fights."
Enraged, Tang Thirty-Six asked, "Isn''t this too shameful?"
At this question, the students of the Li Palace Academy began to berate him one by one, but Su Moyu''s expression did not change. Seemingly indifferent to both praise and humiliation, he said, "We''ll meet at the Grand Examination. What''s the rush?"
Tang Thirty-Six angrily answered, "Then doesn''t that mean before the changing of ranks for the Proclamation of Azure Sky, I won''t be able to slap you in the face?"
Su Moyu calmly replied, "You can take it that way."
Tang Thirty-Six was on the verge of being so oppressed that he was going insane. He decided to ignore that Priest Huo and the teachers on the side, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword so that he could go and chop at Su Moyu once or twice.
Chen Changsheng''s hand fell on his shoulder as he shook his head.
He could clearly tell that Su Moyu, this young genius of the Li Palace Academy, was not someone who liked humiliating his rivals. His nature was just somewhat awkward, too abiding of the rules, a conservative. He esteemed authority and saw the Proclamation of Azure Sky and other such rankings as extremely important. He also regarded promises with paramount importance. Without taking into account the fact that the many seniors of the Li Palace on the two sides of the Divine Avenue would not let Tang Thirty-Six attack, even if Tang Thirty-Six chopped his sword at him, Su Moyu, with his personality, might just stand there and let him do it.
Furthermore, there were still some inevitabilities in this matter. Even if Tang Thirty-Six chopped Su Moyu into a flower or spoke a mouthful of flowery phrases, he would not be able to resolve the inevitabilities that Su Moyu spoke of.
His inability to cultivate was his shortcoming, so his words lacked force, and so people looked down their noses at him and derided him as someone who lived off women. He had to think of a way to resolve his problems with Purification so that he could correct the prejudices and biases of the world, and it was only this way that he could prove himself in the Grand Examination.
Of course, there was an even more important reason for participating in the Grand Examination besides just proving himself, and that companion of his required that he resolve this problem of Purification. Today, Su Moyu had done nothing more than bring this problem to light.
There was another person present who was in a foul mood. Xuanyuan Po stared at Su Moyu, unable to hold back his thoughts. "With that little chicken body of yours, you have the nerve to teach us what being strong means?"
"You? Talk to me once you get on the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
Su Moyu glanced at him, then turned and walked back to the Li Palace Academy as the crowd laughed at Xuanyuan Po.
Compared to the tall and sturdy body of this demi-human youth, the normal human youth that was Su Moyu seemed much thinner and weaker, but his words were still very forceful.
In the end, strength had nothing to do with one''s body.
One was the thirty-third-ranked genius on the Proclamation of Azure Sky while the other was a demi-human youth who had just come from his tribe by the Red River to the flourishing capital of humanity to begin his studies. How could the two possibly be compared?
Xuanyuan Po thought and thought, but realized that he couldn''t find a way to refute Su Moyu.
Chen Changsheng gave him an apologetic smile.
Just then, Xuanyuan Po heard someone call out to him.
The voice was very far and very faint, but he could clearly hear that someone truly was calling him.
Bewildered, he turned to the depths of the Li Palace and asked, "Who''s calling me?"
The hearing and vision of demi-humans was quite a bit stronger than that of ordinary humans. The human students by the Divine Avenue did not hear what he had heard and believed he was playing the fool to dilute the earlier awkwardness, so they couldn''t help but laugh.
But soon after, that voice came from the depths of the Li Palace to the Divine Avenue.
It was a resounding voice that spoke with great clarity.
No one was calling Xuanyuan Po''s name.
A person was announcing Xuanyuan Po''s name.
"Xuanyuan Po, the capital''s Orthodox Academy, one hundred and forty-eighth on the Azure Sky."
The autumn breeze blew through the forest, the yellow leaves rustling in response. All was quiet on the Divine Avenue.
Xuanyuan Po, his mouth ajar, was mystified as to what had just happened.
Countless gazes stared at him.
The young students in the autumn forest were utterly stunned.
The Proclamation of Azure Sky was changing its ranks?
How?
And how could this guy get on the proclamation?
114 The Proclamation of Azure Sky has New Entrants II
A bright and clear voice came from the depths of the Li Palace. From the direction, it most likely came from the Hall of Announcements and was using a sound-projecting array.
The crowd were very sure that they had not misheard, so both sides of the Divine Avenue were cast into absolute silence. After a moment, whispered conversations began to rise, and then they exploded into an uproar. Only now did the crowd completely come to their senses and realize what had happened. It turned out that the news that the Red Goose had brought from far away was actually the new ranking for the Proclamation of Azure Sky!
"The new Proclamation of Azure Sky!" Many young students called out so many times in their shock that their voices turned hoarse.
It was clearly late autumn, so why was a new ranking for the Proclamation of Azure Sky coming out?
Countless years ago, when the demons were still invading from the north, in order to motivate young experts to diligently cultivate and bravely strive for first place, various powers headed by the Orthodoxy began to establish rankings, with demi-human cultivators being added later on. With the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets in charge of making and promulgating the rankings, no one had ever doubted the fairness of the proclamations, as each proclamation was ultimately personally examined and approved by the Elder of Heavenly Secrets.
As the leader of the Storms of the Eight Directions, the Elder of Heavenly Secrets possessed a supreme intelligence, profound stores of knowledge, and sublime virtue, receiving the respect of all.
Of all the rankings promulgated by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, ''Liberation'', ''Golden Distinction'', and ''Azure Sky'' were the three most famous, referred to by the masses as the Proclamations of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
In order to keep the original intention for which these rankings of experts were created, as well as avoid human experts fighting amongst themselves for fame and thus weakening their ability to fight against the demons, the Proclamation of Liberation had for a very long time only been orally transmitted amongst a small group of people. The Proclamation of Golden Distinction was only posted. Only the Proclamation of Azure Skyin order to motivate young experts to vie against each otherwas publicly announced to the world, placed on stone walls in front of the Six Ivies, the Longevity Sect, and other such places.
There was no set time at which a new Proclamation of Azure Sky was promulgated, but over the many years, a sort of convention had been formed. Every year after the capital''s Grand Examination, the rankings would be changed once. Other than this, a changing of rankings would occur after each Boiling Stone Summit, which was held every three to five years. Thus, the rankings were usually changed once a year with very few exceptions.
And in the most recent twenty years, the Proclamation of Azure Sky had only twice changed rankings early.
Those two occasions had been under special circumstances, because two geniuses had appeared far too suddenly and were far too dazzling. If the rankings had not been promptly changed, the fairness of the Proclamation of Azure Sky would have faced severe questioning, and even the power and prestige of the Elder of Heavenly Secrets would be shaken. Even those young geniuses that were ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky would not have felt their rankings to be legitimate.
The reason that the Proclamation of Azure Sky''s rankings had been changed several years ago was Qiushan Jun, and the most recent incident was because of Xu Yourong. The Proclamation of Azure Sky had already been changed once this year, at the conclusion of this year''s Grand Examination in the spring, and there was no Boiling Stone Summit this year either, so why was there suddenly a new ranking in the late autumn? Could it be that another person like Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong had appeared this year?
The cries of shock from the two sides of the Divine Avenue gradually ceased. The crowd still found it difficult to suppress their astonishment, racking their minds for what could have happened recently. The Ivy Festival? No, the Ivy Festival was held every year, and it was just a rehearsal for the Grand Examination. No one had ever heard about it influencing the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Some people inadvertently gazed at Xuanyuan Po, the confusion and perplexity in their minds deepening.
Xuanyuan Po was also very shocked. He was an unsophisticated demi-human youth who grew up in the wilderness with his tribe, but even someone like him knew of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. After all, this was a ranking that every young genius longed to attain, and it was a goal that he too had once strived for. But even he could not understand how he had managed to be ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Although he was ranked at one hundred and forty-eight of the Proclamation of Azure Skywhich, according to how the rankings were read in the past, was probably the final position on the ranking this time, not a very glamorous rankingit had be known that every young expert under the age of twenty, excluding demons, had the right to compete for a place on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Ranking within the Proclamation of Azure Sky was an incredibly difficult task. The academies of the capital were constantly abuzz with talk of wanting to get on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and how difficult it was to do so. To be ranked was already an extraordinary accomplishment.
Of course, those truly monstrous young geniuses like Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi who entered the Proclamation of Golden Distinction before the age of twenty were another thing altogether.
Xuanyuan Po himself did not understand how he was able to rank on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, so other people would naturally find it difficult to understand as well. Many people recognized Xuanyuan Po and knew that he had once been a new student highly valued by Star Seizer Academy. However, on the first night of the Ivy Festival, before he could show his skills, he was crippled by Tianhai Ya''er. Even the imperial physicians and professors of Star Seizer Academy admitted that his wounds could not be cured, so how did he suddenly appear on the Proclamation of Azure Sky?
Tang Thirty-Six stood on his toes and patted Xuanyuan Po on the shoulder, stirring the still-stunned youth from his daze as he sighed, "Pretty goodwhat have you been doing recently? Sneaking out in the middle of the night and fighting? Don''t tell me you went back to Star Seizer Academy to look for people to fight?"
Many people present thought the same as Tang Thirty-Six. It seemed that Xuanyuan Po''s injuries were already cured and that he had even engaged in private bouts with some youth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, or else how could he enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky? As for how a private matter was known by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, this did not require an explanation. With the full support of White Emperor City and all the factions of the human world, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets knew everything in the world.
Tang Thirty-Six turned to Chen Changsheng and asked, "When did you cure his injuries? Why didn''t you say anything? We should have at least downed a few cups of wine to celebrate."
"Drinking wine isn''t good for your health," Chen Changsheng said out of habit. Then he realized what was being asked and shook his head. "Xuanyuan''s injuries truly are improving, but they haven''t completely recovered."
Tang Thirty-Six slightly creased his brow and said to Xuanyuan Po, "Since your injuries aren''t completely cured, you shouldn''t fight. There''s no meaning in striving for a momentary rank on the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
Xuanyuan Po shook his head in denial. "I''ve spent my entire time in the Orthodox Academy with you guys, eating and cooking. I''ve never left, not even once."
Tang Thirty-Six asked in shock, "Then how did you get into the Proclamation of Azure Sky?"
Xuanyuan Po honestly answered, "I also don''t know."
Tang Thirty-Six was too shocked to speak. He thought to himself, this guy journeyed from the remote lands of the demi-humans to the human world and has only been here for half a year. His heavy injuries still haven''t fully recovered and he hasn''t even fought a match, but he entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky? Could the Elder of Heavenly Secrets have gone senile, or is this fellow a bastard of the White Emperor? That would make him Luoluo''s brother from a different mother, but on that night when the two were talking, they didn''t seem similar
His thoughts began to trail off into all sorts of possibilities, and the conjectures of many people in the crowd had also reached rather absurd levels.
Thinking was a fast process, so in reality, not much time had passed. After a clamor of noise, the Divine Avenue quickly fell silent.
The Li Palace''s Hall of Announcements continued to send the voice through the sound-projecting array.
This voice was bright and clear, refreshing as the autumn breeze.
The commentary the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets gave for Xuanyuan Po was very simple and similarly refreshing.
"Abundant true essence and great strength. Injury is curable, and good prospects if secret techniques can be found. Luck is extremely good, meeting a wise teacher in the capital, thus placing him at the end of the ranking."
The most important use of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was to motivate young talents to strive forward, so every time a new ranking was issued, a commentary or reason was given so as to avoid any arguments. Those sparse commentaries were extremely simple yet very exquisite. Moreover, everyone would be convinced by them, as these commentaries had been personally written by the Elder of Heavenly Secrets.
The meaning of these words was this: his potential was extraordinary and his strength astonishing. The right arm crippled by Tianhai Ya''er could be treated, and once his injury was cured, if he was able to cultivate in one of the secret techniques of the demi-human experts appropriate for himself, much could be expected of his future. The most important information in this commentary was that he had encountered an excellent teacher in the capital.
Xuanyuan Po earnestly listened and thought, my teacher is Princess Luoluo and she''s naturally excellent beyond compare, and Her Highness''s teacher He inadvertently turned to Chen Changsheng. At this point, Tang Thirty-Six had also understood the meaning of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets'' commentary and also turned to Chen Changsheng. He couldn''t help but ruefully shake his head.
Only the people of the Orthodox Academy understood. Others did not, so they were left wondering at the identity of Xuanyuan Po''s teacher. When they heard the line regarding the secret techniques of demi-human experts, some people noticed that Jin Yulu was standing by the three youths of the Orthodox Academy and were instantly enlightened, believing themselves to have understood the commentary from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. Although there were still people who did not understand why Xuanyuan Po had been ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and were still unconvinced by the commentary personally written by the Elder of Heavenly Secrets, no one dared to voice their doubts. Anyway, none of them were in the mood to care about Xuanyuan Po and the Orthodox Academy.
The grudges between the Orthodox Academy and the other Ivy Academies, the engagement between Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, and even the conflict and probing between the new and conservative factions of the Great Zhou, had today been supplanted in importance. From the capital to White Emperor City, from Holy Maiden Peak to the Boundless Valley, from Mount Li to Scholartree Manor, and even in the distant Xuelao City, everyone was concerned about only one thing.
Just as it had been in the past, on the day in which the new rankings of the Proclamation of Azure Sky were released, the entire continent would focus their attention on this matter. Everyone could only hear the names as they were announced. This wasn''t even taking into account the fact that a new ranking was being released in the late autumn, meaning that there must have been a massive change, causing people to pay even more attention.
The forests lining the Divine Avenue were quiet, the only sounds being the rustling of leaves in the wind and birds pecking at their food. The teachers and students of the academies and also the Li Palace priests who had come to see the spectacle were all looking in the direction of the Hall of Announcements, listening to the voice with absolute focus for fear that they might miss a word.
The voice from the Hall of Announcements continued, and the entire capital could hear the names of each and every youth.
Some of these names were familiar, some of them strange. Some of them belonged to young talents who were already famed in the world while others were like Xuanyuan Po''s, belonging to people who had seemingly come from nowhere. A professor of the Li Palace Academy even heard the name of a student who had passed the pre-examination for the Grand Examination and had been taken by the Li Palace Academy. In his shock and surprise, he nearly pulled off his own beard.
Besides the sounds of these names, the entire continent was silent.
Today, at the Li Palace, at Scholartree Manor, at White Emperor City, and in countless other places of the continent, countless people were listening to these names, nervous and hopeful. Some would weep, some would raise their arms in celebration, some would wistfully dream, some would go crazy. No person did not want to be ranked, and those who were ranked would not be able to endure falling from the ranking.
This was the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
115 The Proclamation of Azure Sky has New Entrants III
With the passage of time, the silence was gradually broken. A cheer rose from the autumn forest, as apparently some student of the Temple Seminary had ranked in the proclamation. Soon after, however, came the sound of weeping girls. It seemed that one of the senior sisters of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green had fallen from her rank in the nineties to somewhere in the hundreds.
Just as they had been in the past several years, the end and middle ranks of the Proclamation of Azure Sky were mostly filled with youths from the south, the most numerous held by the Longevity Sect and Scholartree Manor. The Longevity Sect was truly the greatest sect in the world, as even the ranks of all the academies of the capital added together, including the Heavenly Dao Academy and Star Seizer Academy, were only enough to barely exceed the ranks held by the Longevity Sect.
Many people subconsciously turned to the still-quiet guest courtyard. That was where Gou Hanshi and the other disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect, as well as all the other students of the southern diplomatic mission, were staying. The Mount Li Sword Sect was just a part of the Longevity Sect, and everyone knew that each one of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, excepting Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi, would be on the proclamation. It was just that their names had not been announced. When they thought about this, all the students of the Li Palace Academy, the Temple Seminary, and the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were rather depressed, their heads lowered in disheartenment.
The teachers of these academies knew well that swords came from Mount Li, and the supreme strength of the Longevity Sect had always relied on the young disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect. However, this point would provide no succor for their students, so they could only say that the cultivation methods of the southern sects were not too different from those of the Orthodoxy. The southern sects had always emphasized ways to quickly build up power, but they were not necessarily better than the academies of the capital at helping their disciples cultivate to the truly profound realms. If one looked at the Proclamation of Liberation, there was no such problem of a strong south and a weak north.
The students of the capital''s academies felt slightly better at these words of encouragement, but they couldn''t feel truly happy. The Proclamation of Liberation was not a real secret, but it had been many years since it had last been updated, so it could not provide an accurate picture of the current situation. After all, with Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi entering the Proclamation of Golden Distinction ahead of time, the southern sects were now leading in two of the proclamations.
Because of the mood, the forests lining the Divine Avenue fell quiet once more. Of course, it was also related to anxiety. The middle and end ranks of the Proclamation of Azure Sky had all been announced, so now the top forty would start to be announced. Let alone those hot-blooded young students, even someone as wooden-faced as Su Moyu had a reaction.
Only Chen Changsheng didn''t care much about the Proclamation of Azure Sky, because he clearly understood that there was currently no relationship between him and the Proclamation of Azure Sky. He was not Xuanyuan Po, who was naturally blessed with a body that did not need to undergo Purification. Given that he had not succeeded in Purification, he simply had no right to be ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, not even if he were the Elder of Heavenly Secrets''s own son.
However, this was the first time he had experienced the changing of ranks for the Proclamation of Azure Sky, his first time seeing such a sight, so he found it all very fresh. Upon seeing his peers'' nervous expressions, he also gradually began to grow nervous, began to feel excited. He also began to feel many other emotions, but those emotions were not enough to draw the attention of others.
He looked at Tang Thirty-Six and comforted, "Don''t be nervous, you also just said to Xuanyuan, although it''s the Proclamation of Azure Sky, there''s no meaning in fighting over a momentary ranking. You have to look a bit farther."
More than half a year had passed since the Proclamation of Azure Sky was first changed at the start of the year, and Tang Thirty-Six, besides that one formal fight during the Ivy Festival, had not participated in any other matches. Moreover, in that one match, anyone could tell that his strength was far inferior to Qi Jian''s. The wise Elder of Heavenly Secrets would naturally not see wrong.
This being the case, he truly found it rather difficult to predict his new position on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
"There''s naturally no meaning if fighting over a momentary ranking, but I''ve already been ranked, and if I were to fall a few places, wouldn''t I just be completely humiliated? At least I have to keep my original ranking!"
Tang Thirty-Six still maintained his cold and arrogant expression, but his thin lips were quickly moving as he very quietly and angrily responded.
Helpless, Chen Changsheng asked, "Do you not find it humiliating to be so nervous?"
Tang Thirty-Six coldly snorted, "I said before, feigning loneliness is very tiring, and anyway"
He turned and stared at Chen Changsheng, "When was I nervous?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "It''s very easy to see."
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression slightly changed, becoming a little nervous. He whispered, "Am I still not acting calm enough?"
Chen Changsheng''s gaze moved slightly downwards, to Tang Thirty-Six''s rippling sleeves. He whispered, "Your hands are shaking rather fiercely."
"That''s because I''m bored to death! I''m a person that can joke together with Gou Hanshi! What do you know!"
With a nasty expression, Tang Thirty-Six softly retorted, at the same quietly bringing his hands behind his back.
Chen Changsheng chuckled and said no more.
As they were speaking, the voice from the Hall of Announcements had finished reading the thirty-seventh name. Next was naturally the thirty-sixth name, the thirty-six that Chen Changsheng was abundantly familiar with, Tang Thirty-Six''s thirty-six.
The person did not have the surname ''Tang'', was not called Tang Tang, and also had no relationship with Wenshui.
Everyone turned simultaneously to Tang Thirty-Six, somewhat amazed, somewhat confused.
The mood was rather strange.
Chen Changsheng looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said with concern, "There shouldn''t be a problem, right?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression did not change. Only Chen Changsheng and Xuanyuan Po, who were very close to him, could clearly see that his two eyebrows had trembled for a moment.
"It seems that I''ve advanced."
He spoke with no confidence. There was no way he could possibly fall from the rankings entirely, so it should be that Thirty-Six was now ranked even higher, but he could not understand why his ranking would have improved. Just because of his performance during the Ivy Festival that even he was not pleased with?
The voice from the Hall of Announcements very quickly reached the thirty-third rank.
Praise arose from the Li Palace Academy students, even the sound of clapping as Su Moyu calmly expressed his thanks. His grades in the martial test held on the second night of the Ivy Festival had not been enough to let him advance. This took him by surprise, but since he had kept the rank he had received at the beginning of the year, he had nothing to be discontent over. His goal had always been the Grand Examination.
He glanced at Tang Thirty-Six and slightly creased his brow. For some reason, he felt a little uneasy.
"Tang Tang, Orthodox Academy, thirty-second on the Azure Sky."
Just then, the voice from the Hall of Announcements was clearly transmitted into the autumn forest. The crowd seemed to grow restless. Then came a clamor of shocked discussion.
Tang Thirty-Six slightly perked his brows and said, "I hate it when people call me Tang Tang."
This was what he said, but he could not hide the happiness on his face. Besides happiness, there was also some confusion. He truly did not understand why he had advanced four places, just like how Xuanyuan Po didn''t understand how he was able to get into the Proclamation of Azure Skybut he was too lazy to think about these things. First, he had to enjoy the glory of his thirty-second rank.
Thirty-second was truly excellent. It was one rank higher than thirty-third.
He turned to Su Moyu with an indescribably annoying smirk on his face.
Su Moyu recalled the words he had earlier said to the three students from the Orthodox Academy, and even with his personality, he found it difficult to endure. Thus, his complexion became rather unsightly.
At the time, he had said to Tang Thirty-Six, "Once you surpass me on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, come and tell me again that what I said was wrong." He had also said to Xuanyuan Po, "Talk to me once you can get on the Proclamation of Azure Sky." In just the blink of an eye, Xuanyuan Po had entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and Tang Thirty-Sixhad surpassed him in ranking.
The Divine Avenue was quiet. The gazes that the girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green aimed at Tang Thirty-Six grew increasingly ardent, the students of the Temple Seminary became increasingly quiet, and the Li Palace Academy students all had complexions as unsightly as Su Moyu''s.
"For what reason should Xuanyuan Po have entered the proclamation? And for what reason should that guy have surpassed Senior Brother Su?"
Finally, a student could no longer restrain himself and began questioning the rationale behind the new ranking for the Proclamation of Azure Sky. When it was said that no one dared to question the fairness of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, it referred to the fact that no one would question it before the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets or the Elder of Heavenly Secrets. In private, some people would be unwilling or unconvinced. Today, the faces of the students of the Li Palace Academy had been given too painful a slap by the new Proclamation of Azure Sky, so a few people could not help but voice their doubts in public.
The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets could not hear the aggrieved questions of this young student, and even if they did hear it, they wouldn''t care, much less give any special explanation.
But everyone could hear the commentary of the Elder of Heavenly Secrets.
"This person is too lazy, or else would have long ago entered the top ten. Now he has encountered a lucky chance and can no longer be lazy. Truly excellent."
The Elder of Heavenly Secrets''s commentary for each person on the Proclamation of Azure Sky was concise and simple, allowing everyone to understand the reasoning behind why each person had their rank and what their strengths were. Only when he spoke of Tang Thirty-Six did he not mention true essence or comprehension. He only spoke of being lazy and not lazy, and also the vague term that was ''lucky chance''.
Countless gazes fell on Tang Thirty-Six.
No matter how skilled Tang Thirty-Six was at feigning aloof arrogance, after being given such an evaluation by a peerless master like the Elder of Heavenly Secrets, even he found it impossible to maintain his stoic expression.
Somewhat embarrassed, he said, "Isn''t it okay that I''m not lazy now?"
He understood that the lucky chance spoken of in the commentary probably referred to his leaving the Heavenly Dao Academy and joining the Orthodox Academy. To be more precise, it referred to his meeting Chen Changsheng.
With a companion like Chen Changsheng at their side, who would be shameless enough to continue being lazy?
As he thought of this, he turned at Chen Changsheng and said with gratitude, "Greetings, Brother Lucky Chance."
Those who heard and understand what these words meant revealed a little surprise on their faces.
Chen Changsheng did not reply to this greeting, as he was more curious about another question. "So will we have to call you Tang Thirty-Two now?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression slightly changed as he thought, this really doesn''t sound that good. I have to work a little harder in the Grand Examination so that when the ranks change again next year, I can get a better-sounding name.
Butshould it be the twenty-eight of the twenty-eight constellations or the twelve of the twelve knights? Three was naturally great, but the difficulty was too great. Guan Feibai, Liang Banhu, and that wolf cub in the north were truly too difficult to pass. As he thought and thought, he suddenly recalled something very important and ceased his ponderings. (TN: Chinese astronomy has twenty-eight constellations. The ''twelve knights'' is probably a reference to the Twelve Knights of the Round Table.)
He raised his head and looked at Su Moyu, the corners of his lips rising. Maintaining his smirk, he mouthed three words.
"You were wrong."
Su Moyu turned slightly ashen-faced, but there was nothing he could say.
...
...
The battle of words between youths was just a minor interlude.
Today, the Proclamation of Azure Sky was the most important matter in the entire continent.
Xuanyuan Po had inexplicably entered the proclamation, and Tang Thirty-Six had advanced four places to thirty-second and now confronted the problem of being forced to change his name. Today''s impromptu changing of the ranks for the Proclamation of Azure Sky had undoubtedly made the Orthodox Academy the focus of many people. This academy of once-incomparable radiance had lain silent for ten-some years before finally appearing before the world once more. Who would have expected that the moment it appeared, so would its radiance?
However, since the Proclamation of Azure Sky was undergoing this impromptu changing of ranks, there was assuredly an even more important change. Even if it wasn''t the sudden and shocking rise of a genius like Qiushan Jun or Xu Yourong, it was certain to be sufficiently astonishing. This sort of change could naturally only occur at the very top of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. The first change that no one had expected appeared when the voice from the Hall of Announcements reached the eleventh rank.
116 The Top Ten
The name that appeared on the eleventh rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was unexpectedly not the Mount Li Sword Sect''s Qi Jian, but the proud Zhuang Huanyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy! The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets provided no commentary on Zhuang Huanyu. This meant that the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets did not feel that Zhuang Huanyu''s strength had greatly changed over the greater part of the year.
As expected, the person that replaced Zhuang Huanyu on the tenth rank was Qi Jian. This exchange of ranks perplexed many people. Zhuang Huanyu had clearly defeated Qi Jian in the past, and Qi Jian had also lost in the Ivy Festival to Tang Thirty-Six, so how had Qi Jian not only resisted falling, but even advanced?
The commentary of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets came from the Hall of Announcements. In these sparse words, one could tell that the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had a rather high assessment of Qi Jian''s performance in the Ivy Festival. The teachers and students around the Divine Avenue all listened attentively, but Chen Changsheng did not. He was looking at the guest courtyard, thinking to himself, will that courtyard still be so quiet?
The announcing of names finally reached the most critical segment, the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Those who had their names appear here were all the most talented young men and women of the continent.
To everyone''s surprise and yet not entirely unexpectedly, the name that followed after Qi Jian was not Luoluo. The ninth rank belonged to a young genius from Scholartree Manor.
Chen Changsheng had never heard the name of this young genius, but he presumed that it was someone who had been ranked even higher on the proclamation. At the moment, he only cared about which rank Luoluo ended up in, how many ranks she would advance.
What happened next truly took everyone by surprise.
The eighth rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was not Luoluo, nor was the seventh. The seventh rank belonged to Liang Banhu. This brilliant disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect, the Fifth Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, had been ranked sixth in the past two years. Today, it seemed that, just like those other talented youths, he had been pushed down by Luoluo.
Chen Changsheng lowered his head and seriously listened. He would already be very satisfied if Luoluo was able to enter the top five, but for some reason, he felt like Luoluo could rank even higher. He knew just how much progress Luoluo had made in the months she had spent in the Orthodox Academy, and he could only hope that the people from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets knew as well.
The crowd lining the Divine Avenue could no longer suppress their gasps of shock. At this point, many people had already begun to guess at the reason for the Proclamation of Azure Sky''s impromptu changing of ranks, becausethe sixth rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky still did not contain Luoluo''s name.
Chen Changsheng didn''t even hear the name of this person. He clenched his hands, somewhat worried and nervous. He hoped that Luoluo could continue advancing, but he knew how difficult such a thing was.
After the gasps of shock came utter silence. It could be presumed that many places in the capital, such as the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy, were similarly quiet. Everyone was waiting for Luoluo''s name to appear.
The voice coming from the Hall of Announcements was not in the least affected by the nervous atmosphere. Somewhat monotonously, even dryly, it read out the fifth name on the Proclamation of Azure Sky: Guan Feibai!
It was actually Guan Feibai! As expected, it was Guan Feibai! The Fourth Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, Guan Feibai, had truly been displaced from the rank that he had dominated for three years!
Countless eyes cast their gazes towards the courtyard on the right side of the Divine Avenue behind the white pines. However, the guest courtyard was still completely quiet. After a moment, those gazes fell upon Chen Changsheng and the students of the Orthodox Academy, the emotions within them extremely complex.
The crowd was both shocked and confused.
Based on the rankings of the Proclamation of Azure Sky that were being announced, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had completely recognized the result of the match between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect. However, the two matches that had taken place were different from normal matches, so how had the pavilion been able to see who was stronger and weaker? And according to past practice, if the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets recognized the result of the match, Guan Feibai should have fallen straight down to ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and Princess Luoluo should have advanced one or two ranks. How could Guan Feibai only fall one rank and Princess Luoluo go directly into the top four?
After all, those who were able to appear in the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky were all the most outstanding young geniuses of the continent. The gap between each of them was very small, so judgments about them had to be made with great prudence, and advancing even one rank was extremely difficult!
Since Guan Feibai had fallen to fifth, the fourth rank should naturally belong to Princess Luoluo. Just when everyone had prepared themselves to hear her noble name, another surprise occurred!
In an instant, the two sides of the Divine Avenue were awash with noise, the uproar of the crowd rising up and startling birds from their perches, seeming to want to overturn the clear autumn sky.
The fourth rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was still not Princess Luoluo, but another name!
Chen Changsheng looked somewhat dazzled. He asked, "What''s happened? Who is this person?"
Tang Thirty-Six also had an expression of utter shock. Only after quite a while did he come to his senses and answer, "The Third Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws. After Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi went to the Proclamation of Golden Distinction, he became the strongest of the Mount Li Sword Sect on the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
He very solemnly added, "He''s always been ranked third."
Chen Changsheng needed a little time to completely understand it all. To be more precise, he needed a little time to shake off his daze. The corners of his lips perked upwards, as he couldn''t hold back his smile no matter how hard he tried.
Luoluo had entered the top three of the Proclamation of Azure Sky!
As Luoluo''s teacher, he had interacted with her in the Orthodox Academy for a very long time. It wasn''t right to call their relationship very close, but they were still friends that shared the same table. Right now, he felt even happier than if he had gotten into the Proclamation of Azure Sky himself!
The number three had always had a different meaning. Perhaps it was because three was the most stable, or perhaps for some complex psychological reasons. In short, three was different.
For instance, the Grand Examination had only three banners, and the first banner took only three people.
Thus, the top ten of the Proclamation of Azure Sky had one sort of feeling, and the top three had a feeling all its own.
For Luoluo to be able to rank in the top three of the Proclamation of Azure Sky meant that she was already standing at the peak of her generation.
From this moment on, she would not merely possess a most noble and powerful bloodline, she would also possess a most noble and powerful status, and the latter had been obtained through her own bitter cultivation, not through her surname.
Just how glorious was this!
Chen Changsheng raised his head and looked at the Hall of Pure Virtue atop the endless flight of stone steps, wondering if Luoluo knew of this news within the Pope''s Green Leaf World.
However, the shocks had still not ended.
The third rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was still not Luoluo.
The forests lining the Divine Avenue were absolutely silent. The crowd had already grown numb from these shocks.
Amongst the palaces of the Li Palace, however, rose cries of surprise.
His face slightly pale, Tang Thirty-Six said incredulously, "How can this be!"
Chen Changsheng did not have much of an understanding of these geniuses in the Proclamation of Azure Sky''s top ten, so his reaction was not as intense. However, when Tang Thirty-Six thought of how respectful and obedient Luoluo acted in front of Chen Changsheng on that night in the Orthodox Academy, he truly found the situation difficult to accept. Such a cute and charming little girl had actually surpassed that cold-blooded wolf cub in the north who made a living by hunting down solitary demon soldiers!
The moment had finally come.
The crowd had already waited a long time in order to hear this name. At the very beginning, presumably no one had expected that such a long time would be required.
"Baidi Luoheng, Orthodox Academy, second on the Azure Sky."
The silent Divine Avenue was still silent, but cries of surprise exploded from the halls of the Li Palace. Even the quiet guest courtyard where the southern diplomatic mission was staying showed signs of activity.
The entire capital, even the entire continent, had presumably sunk into a state of shock.
Baidi Luoheng, Princess of the Demi-humans, had in the past been ranked ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. In the short span of a few months, she entered the top three, ultimately ending up at second!
Everyone understood that in the Proclamation of Azure Sky where advancement grew more challenging with each step, to go from ninth to second was far more inconceivable than going from the very last to the top ten!
Just how terrifying was this progression speed!
In the history of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, this sort of situation very rarely occurred. In the last ten-some years, the only similar cases were when Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong first entered the rankings!
Could it be that in the eyes of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, Luoluo was almost at the level of Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong?
Many people were thinking of this question, especially when they thought about her performance during the Ivy Festival. Although Luoluo had shown herself to be powerful, she could not be said to have far surpassed her peers. At the very least, it was not enough to convince the common people that she was better than the wolf cub of the north.
As they wanted to know the answer, the crowd would not miss out on the routine commentary from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.
The Elder of Heavenly Secrets''s assessment of Luoluo was still simple and concise, and also tyrannical and direct, very in keeping with the style of the White Emperor clan. It directly stated that since she had now overcome the demi-humans'' barrier to cultivating human techniques, with her incomparably tyrannical bloodline and talent, no one but Qiushan Jun or Xu Yourong could be a match for her!
Such a tyrannical commentary made the crowd somewhat despondent, so much so that many people missed the final part of the Elder of Heavenly Secrets''s commentary, that all this had come to pass because she had met a wise teacher.
Some people heard these words, such as Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six.
Su Moyu turned to Chen Changsheng, his feelings extremely complex.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him, feeling a deep admiration.
Even if Chen Changsheng''s personality were even quieter, he would still feel rather happy and proud at this moment.
Xuanyuan Po''s injuries would be cured by him, Luoluo''s cultivation problems had been resolved by him, and three students of the Orthodox Academy had ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky; these were all things that he could be proud of.
However, he swiftly calmed back downa true calmas the voice from the Hall of Announcements was still speaking. There was still one last name to appear on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Before this name, those things that made him proud were not powerful enough.
At the moment, everyone now knew that the reason for the Proclamation of Azure Sky''s impromptu change was because Princess Luoluo''s strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, so few seemed interested at this final name.
It was not because they dared to show no respect for this name, nor was it because the number one rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was not important. Instead, it was because starting from two years ago, over three revisions of the rankings, that name had always been at the very top, so there was nothing new about it.
No one believed that another name would ever appear at the top of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, unless she herself willed it.
"Xu Yourong, South Stream Temple, first on the Azure Sky."
117 Declaration
''Xu Yourong'' was a name known throughout the world, but no person felt more complexly about this name than Chen Changsheng.
When he saw this name for the first time on the marriage contract in Xining Village''s old temple, he was still very young. He didn''t have much of an understanding of worldly matters, but he already knew what it meant to be embarrassed. He naturally had imagined many times his future with her. What sort of appearance did a girl with this sort of name have? Did she have long hair and a gentle and beautiful heart?
Later on, because of his fate, he no longer thought about the engagement, and her name gradually faded from his memory. Only when he went to the capital and encountered so many incidents did this name begin to bring him many humiliations and difficulties. In the inn, it had begun to annoy him; in the abandoned garden, it had begun to anger him. And yet, at the most vital moment in Weiyang Palace, this name had appeared on his side.
He was well aware that the reasons she had sent the letter agreeing to the engagement were not as simple as they seemed on the surface, that there must be some ulterior motive, and perhaps his role as a fianc really was just an excuse. But at least at that moment, she had helped him, so he no longer found that name so annoying. However, he still could not bring himself to like that name.
The frigid scorn and scorching jeers he had received this morning on the Divine Avenue had all been because of that name. It was already impossible for him to escape the pressure, the shadow, brought on his life by that name.
Did he also need to thank her? No, the only thought on his mind at the moment was the Grand Examination. If, in this struggle to change his fate, he was able to surpass her and crush all the emotions brought by this name, he would naturally be very pleasedeven if almost everyone believed such a thing to be impossible.
Luoluo has already gotten close to you, so just how far away am I from you?
Chen Changsheng silently thought as he drew his gaze back from the Hall of Pure Virtue and turned towards the distant south.
...
...
The voice from the Hall of Announcements ceased, and the impromptu late autumn revision of the Proclamation of Azure Sky came to a close. However, the crowd around the Divine Avenue did not disperse, nor did the teachers of the various academies urge their pupils to return to class as quickly as possible.
Chen Changsheng was still standing on the Divine Avenue.
Everyone in the capital knew that the Orthodox Academy had only four students, and today, three of them were ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. The one who had ranked the highest, Princess Luoluo, had even gone straight from rank nine to rank two! Whether in terms of number of students ranked or how high their rankings, the Orthodox Academy was without a doubt the greatest winner of this Proclamation of Azure Sky. The Heavenly Dao Academy, the Temple Seminary, and all the other Ivy Academies could not compare. Even Scholartree Manor, South Stream Temple, and the Longevity Sectwhich had all been flourishing in the past few yearswere unable to match the brilliance of the Orthodox Academy!
Everyone was staring at Chen Changsheng.
He was the first student of the Orthodox Academy. Before he appeared, the Orthodox Academy was just a cold and deserted graveyard, even at risk of fading into the long river of history on account of not taking in any new students. After he appeared, the Orthodox Academy appeared before the world once more, and changes quietly began to take place.
Yes, this youth had not even succeeded at Purification, was still unable to cultivate, and simply had no right to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky. However, the commentaries of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had stated it clearly: the so-called lucky chance, the so-called wise teacher? Who were they referring to? Today, the Orthodox Academy''s brilliance was all because of him!
Was this youth really the one who the crowd had derided as trash? Just like Gou Hanshi had said in the morning, if Chen Changsheng was a toad, what were the other students present? Was this a person who lived off women? Was he someone that required Princess Luoluo''s power and that marriage contract to establish himself in the world?
Earlier, Su Moyu had said that he could not be considered truly strong, so what was the actual definition of strength?
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the crowd of people from the Temple Seminary, staring at the one student who had jeered at the Orthodox Academy most forcefully, and sneered, "Such short-sighted people; even if they climbed to the very top of the Mausoleum of Books, they wouldn''t be able to recognize a single word."
The student''s face paled.
"That''s what you call a proverb, or maybe a common saying."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, his expressionless gaze looking over the crowd. The meaning of his words was very clear. After the Ivy Festival, many people of the capital had ridiculed Chen Changsheng as a toad wanting to eat Phoenix flesh, and someone had even mentioned today that this joke was on the verge of becoming a proverb.
The Divine Avenue was completely quiet.
Just then, Chen Changsheng suddenly spoke.
"You just gave your view on what it means to truly be strong"
As he spoke, he looked at Su Moyu. The students of the Li Palace Academy underwent a sudden transformation, as they believed that Chen Changsheng intended to act the same as Tang Thirty-Six and jeer at Su Moyu.
To everyone''s surprise, he didn''t. Instead, he said, "What you said was actually quite reasonable. I can make my companions even stronger, but if I don''t want to drag them down, I also have to become stronger. I hope that by the Grand Examination, I can become a little stronger. I look forward to seeing you then."
After saying all this, he clasped his hands at Su Moyu, and then turned to begin walking down the Divine Avenue.
Su Moyu looked at his back, a little more respect visible on his face. Clasping his hands in return, he said, "We''ll meet at the Grand Examination."
Seeing that no one dared to speak, Tang Thirty-Six felt completely refreshed. He roared with laughter and said, "It might be difficult for you to meet him at the Grand Examination. I''ll have you know, he wants to get"
Without turning, Chen Changsheng ordered, "Xuanyuan, stop him."
In Xuanyuan Po''s mind, Chen Changsheng was his schoolmate, his teacher, and most importantly of all, his savior. Through his relationship with the princess, he was also his grandteacher. Thus, without the slightest hesitation, he extended his giant palm and grabbed Tang Thirty-Six''s face, using the movement to also put him over his shoulder.
"Mmmmmmmmmm!"
With Tang Thirty-Six''s capabilities, it would be easy for him to knock Xuanyuan Po over, but no matter how vicious and merciless he could be, after having his face covered up by Xuanyuan Po''s palm, he suddenly couldn''t speak, only give muffled cries. The fact that he couldn''t announce that bold and daring matter to the world made him thoroughly depressed.
Xuanyuan Po was not depressed, but happy. He couldn''t contain his joy from getting onto the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but he didn''t know how to express it. His body brimmed with energy and happiness with no place to vent it. Carrying Tang Thirty-Six on his back, he ran faster and faster, occasionally patting Tang Thirty-Six''s back while running. He very quickly reached the main gate of the Li Palace.
Chen Changsheng laughed and then ran after them. Smiling, Jin Yulu followed behind.
Under the warm evening sun, the late autumn air, and the peace of the Li Palace, the three youths ran, occasionally quarreling with each other.
This sight was seen by many people, and even after many years, it would still often be mentioned.
No one noticed that at the top of the flight of stone steps that seemed as endless as the path of cultivation, on the balcony at the highest level of the Hall of Pure Virtue, Luoluo was watching them. As the sunset shone upon her petite face, she grinned with an expression of absolute joy.
...
...
The youths of the Orthodox Academy had left, so the crowd lining the Divine Avenue began to gradually disperse. Besides the sounds of their footsteps, there was no other sound, not even of whispered discussion. Many people were still in shock, while others were deep in thought.
Those still in shock at the brilliance of the Orthodox Academy upon the Proclamation of Azure Sky were mostly students of the academies, while those deep in thought were some of their teachers and many priests of the Li Palace. As adults, they had more to think about than those youths, so they were perplexed by many things. They were especially confused by the commentaries from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets announced together with the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
They did not question them. They just found that the commentaries the Elder of Heavenly Secrets had made for the three rankers of the Orthodox Academy were somewhat strange.
Xuanyuan Po, for instance, had entered the rankings without fighting a single match out of anticipation for his future. This was certain to incite all sorts of discussion, but the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets did not seem to care. And in the commentaries for Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets seemed to want to intentionally point out Chen Changsheng''s role in their ranks.
Some people began to indistinctly come upon an almost absurd possibility.
Today''s impromptu change of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was truly about Princess Luoluo''s shocking leap in strength, but was the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets also intending to make Chen Changsheng''s existence known to the entire continent?
If this was true, why?
Just as the crowd was partially dispersed, an elderly voice rose up from the forest.
"Did all of you want to know what Tang Tang wanted to say at the end? He wanted to tell you all"
When they heard this voice, the people who were just preparing to leave came to a stop.
The elderly voice continued, "Chen Changsheng is the man destined to take the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination."
The forest exploded into an uproar!
Chen Changshengwanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?!
The crowd turned in a daze towards the voice.
Mei Lisha, Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, walked out of the forest with the support of Priest Xin.
This elder who had lived for so many years had a stooped body, and the liver spots that covered his face were somewhat obscured by the wrinkles that similarly covered his face, but none of these could conceal the gratification and joy in his eyes.
This gratification and joy were naturally for Chen Changsheng.
Everyone quickly prostrated themselves, not daring to show the slightest neglect. However, the shock and incredulity on their faces from the archbishop''s words still remained.
Even if the limitless radiance the Orthodox Academy had experienced today on the Proclamation of Azure Sky had to do with Chen Changsheng, just as Su Moyu and Chen Changsheng also admitted, he still had to take the stage himself in the Grand Examination. Chen Changsheng hadn''t even succeeded at Purification yet, so how would he be able to handle the imminent Grand Examination? From every perspective, it was utterly impossible for him to enter any one of the three banners, let alone take first rank of the first banner!
Priest Huo was expressionless, but there was a tinge of surprise in the depths of his eyes. Some of the Li Palace priests and teachers looked each other in the eyes and saw the shock of their colleagues.
Their earlier perplexity seemed as if it was soon to receive an answer. Yes, some people felt that the pressure given by his performance at the Ivy Festival and his engagement with Xu Yourong was still not enough, and so that undercurrent that had been silently surging beneath the capital was about to burst through the firm earth.
But why did all this have to happen?
The archbishop said to the crowd, "There''s no justification, and no reason is required. Since he says that he can take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, I will believe that he can do it."
No one around the Divine Avenue dared to rise.
Priest Huo and his fellow priests were also prostrating themselves.
Whether they believed or not, since this was what the archbishop said, they could only listen.
Before the archbishop, no one dared to question, no one dared to doubt.
However, this declaration that the archbishop had made on behalf of the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng would very quickly spread to the entire palace, the entire capital, and on to the entire continent. At that time, many people would undoubtedly express their contempt for this declaration, their ridicule and rage, and all of it would ultimately fall upon the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng.
It was still that question.
Just why did all this have to happen?
118 Starlight Between the Fingers I
The archbishop said no more. Supported by Priest Xin, he slowly departed. In the twilight, the elder''s stooped body seemed somewhat lonely. Unlike those three youths that had been running under the evening light, this elder was a true setting sun, and no one knew if he would be able to climb back up once he had set behind the mountains.
After a very long time, the priests, teachers, and students finally dared to rise. Gazing at the archbishop''s figure in the twilight, the crowd ran the gamut of emotions through their faces, yet none of them dared to show the slightest disrespect.
In the late spring, the wrinkles on the archbishop''s face had seemed to multiply, as had his liver spots. He had rapidly turned elderly. Humans remained middle-aged for a very long time, especially those masters who had met with success in their cultivation of the Dao. For them, it would last several hundred years. For the archbishop, it seemed like he had experienced these several hundred years in just a few months.
Why had the archbishop turned old so quickly? It was naturally because he had too many things to worry about. In the view of some people, this was also a notice to the many people within the Orthodoxy and the continent that he was a member of the same generation as the Pope. He was the only priest with enough seniority to oppose the Pope.
In the past, everyone had always felt that Archbishop Mei Lisha was the aide that the Pope could absolutely trust. Although his status as leader of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education was very high, the bureau was only one of the Orthodoxy''s six Sacred Halls. As a result, he was not a very prominent figure, such that normal people didn''t even know he existed. However, now, all of this had changed.
The Orthodox Academy had once more appeared in the capital, and several elders and factions within the Orthodoxy had begun to voice their disagreement towards the Pope. And there was also the autumn rain that fell in front of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, the crowd dispersed by charging horses, the blood flying into the air, the countless casualtiesbehind all these matters was the stooped figure of the archbishop.
Only now did people suddenly realize that countless people within the Orthodoxy were supporting him. He could now use the strength and resources allocated to him, and was quietly on the verge of threatening the Pope!
Today, he had even appeared in the Li Palace, stunning Priest Huo and the other priests of the Li Palace. Yes, the archbishop was the real driving force behind the Orthodox Academy''s revival, the greatest backer of Chen Changsheng''s group. He viewed the Orthodox Academy optimistically, was optimistic on Chen Changsheng''s chances of taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, even announcing the matter for him. Presumably, he had his reasons, but were the radiance of the Ivy Festival and Xu Yourong''s engagement not enough to bring attention on Chen Changsheng? To announce that Chen Changsheng was going to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, the archbishop had placed a massive pressure on Chen Changsheng''s shoulders, but why?
"Pressure is force."
A carriage was parked outside the Li Palace, illuminated in the sunset. Within the carriage, the archbishop sat across from Priest Xin and slowly explained, "The Proclamation of Azure Sky was just the appetizer while the Grand Examination is the main feast. Everyone will gather from all around, all eyes will be focused upon it. Only this way can we assist him in maturing quickly."
Priest Xin muttered to himself for a few moments, then replied, "I am just worried that if the pressure is too great, Chen Changsheng will not be able to bear it."
The archbishop did not give any further explanation, nor did he tell this subordinate he considered loyal that, contrary to popular belief, Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy had never been some weapon used by him and some elders in the Orthodox Academy to oppose the Pope. Indeed, everything concerning Chen Changsheng had been personally decided by him and the Pope.
Only this way could they have him mature as quickly as possible. Only this way could the entire continent know of his existence and some people would find it impossible to tear their gazes away from him. As for the pressure that this would bring to Chen Changsheng, he and the Pope were not too worried. They were both well aware that in the past few years, this youth had been constantly living under the most terrifying pressure, or perhaps shadow, in the world.
...
...
The stone wall placed at the gate of the Heavenly Dao Academy was surrounded by people. A military instructor of Star Seizer Academy was holding a sculpting knife and attentively engraving upon their own stone wall. With the changing of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the stone walls placed before the gates of the great academies had to be remade. The very top did not need to be changed, as it was still Xu Yourong''s name, but still many changes had occurred. The greatest winner of the impromptu autumn revision of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was of course the Orthodox Academy. The Orthodox Academy had only four students, but three of them had ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, Baidi Luoheng even taking second place. How great this glory was!
At the gates of the capital''s academies, the crowd looked up at the names on the wall with all sorts of emotions, especially the young students who had participated in the besieging of the Orthodox Academy. Soon after the new rankings for the Proclamation of Azure Sky were carved on the stone walls, another piece of shocking news quickly spread through the capital, precisely that declaration the archbishop had made to the entire world on the Orthodox Academy''s and Chen Changsheng''s behalf!
In the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng wanted to take first rank of the first banner.
When people first heard this news, they first felt that it was a joke and didn''t believe it. However, after people began testifying to this incident, the vast majority of people were rendered speechless from shock. Of course, they still couldn''t believe it.
If Princess Luoluo were not the White Emperor''s daughter, or perhaps if her identity were still undiscovered, then she could represent the Orthodox Academy in the Grand Examination, and perhaps she would have the ability to fight a single battle with Gou Hanshi and the experts of the other sects. However, the archbishop had specifically stated that the one to obtain first rank of the first banner was not the Orthodox Academy, butChen Changsheng.
That Chen Changsheng that the entire capital knew had still not succeeded at Purification?
The Orthodox Academy''s performance on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and the commentaries of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets meant no one dared to believe that Chen Changsheng was trash, but stillhe did not know how to cultivate. Even if fortune were to suddenly fall from the sky and he immediately succeeded at Purification, there were only around three months until the Grand Examination. How could he possibly surpass his strong peers who had equally astonishing talent but had cultivated for so many more years?
No, even if he were Xu Yourong or Qiushan Jun and blessed with such talent, he would not be able to do it. Such a feat would completely violate the laws of this world.
...
...
Different people had different responses towards the brilliance of the Orthodox Academy on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and Chen Changsheng''s intent to take first rank of the first banner.
In a remote courtyard within the Heavenly Dao Academy, Zhuang Huanyu sat by an abandoned well. His entire body had been drenched in the cold and icy well water and his black hair was draped over his shoulders, dripping water onto the ground. The reason he was like this was that he had earlier been very hot, and he had been very hot because he had been very angry. He had fallen from tenth to eleventh on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, overtaken by Qi Jian. He found this very unfair. Qi Jian had lost at his hand, and his own goal was Qiushan Jun. Thus, after entering the top ten of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, he had not challenged a single person. Why did this happen? Didn''t the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets always take the outcomes of battles between experts as the direct standard of judgment for making the rankings?
His soaked black hair drooped over his eyes, cutting off his sharp gaze. When he thought of how his junior sisterno, of how Princess Luoluo was ranked second on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he had a maddening impulse. However, he cooled back down in an instant, the only remaining sign being the slight reddening of his eyes. He had once believed that there was no need to prove his power to anyone else, but only today did he understand that he was wrong. That youth called Chen Changsheng wants to take first rank of the first banner? Junior Sister calls him Teacher? Very good Zhuang Huanyu raised his head and realized that he had an overpowering desire for the Grand Examination to quickly come.
In the mansion of the Tianhai clan, the current clan head, Tianhai Chenwu, and his son, Tianhai Shengxue, had carried out a most simple conversation with regards to the Proclamation of Azure Sky and that declaration.
"If Chen Changsheng really can take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, then perhaps he really might have a chance of marrying Xu Yourongbut he won''t have a chance."
"Yes, it''s impossible."
Tianhai Shengxue calmly replied to his father''s words, his face seemingly carved from white jade showing no emotion. He simply didn''t care about whether Chen Changsheng could succeed in Purification or not, or even if he encountered successive miracles. He knew that Chen Changsheng could never succeedhe had returned to the capital from the distant Snowhold Pass for only one goal, and that was the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination.
In the complex of palace halls at the front of the Li Palace, behind the forest of white pines to the side of the Divine Avenue, the guest courtyard where the southern diplomatic mission resided was as quiet as it had been during the day.
Gou Hanshi sat on a bench on a porch, gazing out at the night sky cut out by the sky well of the courtyard. He remained quiet for a very long time, as if he wanted to see some sort of principle amongst the uncountable stars.
Liang Banhu, Guan Feibai, and Qi Jian sat close by him in chairs, carrying out a whispered conversation between them. Elder Xiao Songgong had left, as had the Qiushan clan head. Those elders who had come for the sake of the engagement had all begun the journey back south. As participants in the Grand Examination, they had remained. Without their elders at their side, these youths of the Mount Li Sword Sect were clearly much more relaxed.
"Is there a chance?" Liang Banhu asked, his brow creased.
After a long period of silence, Guan Feibai concluded, "No matter how I see it, there''s no chance."
Qi Jian somewhat cautiously shifted about, then asked, "Has anything like this happened in the past?"
These three youths of the Mount Li Sword Sect were naturally discussing the matter of whether Chen Changsheng had a chance or not of taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination.
As members of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws who could be said to have swept away all opposition on the rankings with a crushing momentum in the past few years, they were actually so seriously and prudently discussing a youth who had not even succeeded at Purification. If others were to see this, they would be flabbergasted. From this sight, one could see how much pressure Chen Changsheng had given to these proud and self-confident youths through the Ivy Festival and the commentaries of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.
Qi Jian asked about the past in search of stories, so these three martial brothers very naturally cast their gazes toward Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi drew back his gaze from the stars and smiled at his juniors. Shaking his head, he replied, "It''s never happened before."
His tone was very serene and did not seem intentionally resolute and decisive, yet it gave off the feeling that his words could not be refuted.
For some reason, Liang Banhu and Guan Feibai both exhaled.
Yet Qi Jian''s slender face still carried an expression of concern. "That it''s never happened before doesn''t mean it can never happen."
"Junior Brother''s words are reasonable, but I think that it probably will not happen. To go from being unable to perform Purification to Ethereal Opening in the short span of three monthsit''s impossible."
Gou Hanshi continued, "This is not a problem of cultivation, but a simple question of math. Without discussing Purification or Meditation, even opening the door of the Ethereal Palace requires borrowing the power of starlight for one hundred nights. Unless those divine artifacts of legend that can slow time really do exist, it will be impossible for Chen Changsheng to reach Ethereal Opening by the time of the Grand Examination."
He had studied tens of thousands of books and was well aware that only math could not lie, so he was very sure about his conclusion.
When his three juniors heard this, they understand why their senior brother was so sure.
At the Grand Examination, if Chen Changsheng was not at Ethereal Opening, he could not take first rank of the first banner.
Because their second-eldest brother was already at Ethereal Opening.
There were also a few young students at Ethereal Opening that might come to the capital for the Grand Examination.
Ethereal Opening was a pass of life or death, and also a high threshold. Before and beyond this threshold were truly two different worlds.
....
...
....
...
In the blizzards of the north, a youth turned towards the south, his fingers stained with blood.
Outside Scholartree Manor in the south, several blue-clothed scholars bid farewell to their schoolmates.
In various places on the Central Continent, the youths participating in the Grand Examination, one by one, began to move.
In contrast to past years, they all shared one common goal.
It was called Chen Changsheng.
...
...
"It''s just building interest in him, butthe momentum is truly rather impressive." The Divine Empress walked along the pool to the base of the Imperial Palace''s walls. Extending a hand, she plucked a chrysanthemum and handed it to her side as she continued, "If not for Chen Changsheng''s truly being too young, even I would wonder at what those people were doing."
There was no one at her side except the Black Goat.
The Black Goat slightly tilted its head, avoiding the chrysanthemum that she offered, indicating that it was not interested in such food.
The Divine Empress shook her head and then pushed upon the door in the wall. Passing through the long and quiet passage, she brought the Black Goat to the Hundred Herb Garden, then said, "You also haven''t come in many years. If there''s any you want to eat, go eat it."
All sorts of extremely rare medicinal herbs and magical fruits were grown in the Hundred Herb Garden, the prices of the medicines made with them incalculable. Even the nobles of the capital would find it extremely difficult to get their hands on a few such plants, but to the Divine Empress, they were all just snacks for the Black Goat, ones that she didn''t even know if it wanted to eat.
There was a tale beyond the palace walls that said that the Black Goat that pulled the small bamboo carriage had been raised by Lady Mo Yu, but this was not the caseand this Black Goat had also not been raised by the Divine Empress. On the contrary, back when she had been locked in the cold sideroom of the Hundred Herb Garden by Emperor Taizong for the first time, she would often go hungry, but luckily, the Black Goat would from time to time bring fruits in its mouth for her to eat.
Walking to the stone table, the Divine Empress began to drink tea. There was clearly no one attending upon her, but the teapot had been filled with tea, as had the teacup, and the tea was even giving off steam.
The Black Goat had wandered off to eat.
She looked past the steam and looked upon the autumn forest, looked upon that academy wall.
This academy wall was the Orthodox Academy''s.
...
...
Chen Changsheng was not in the library, but in his own room within the house. He sat by the window, one hand holding a book, one hand extended out the window, attempting to touch the starlight descending from the night sky.
The archbishop''s declaration had stirred all sorts of gossip within the capital that had transformed into a storm that overcame the walls and loomed over the Orthodox Academy. No matter how little he paid attention to external matters, the noise of this storm was too great to shut out of his ears. As a result, his mood was rather depressed. He did not know what the archbishop was thinking, nor did he know why the archbishop knew that he had to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, and he knew even less what sort of meaning participating in the Grand Examination would have if he could not even succeed in Purification.
The starlight fell onto his palm, vividly illuminating his veins, but nothing changed.
He could clearly sense that star in the depths of the night sky that was his own. That barely discernible connection gradually caused him to calm down.
The book in his hand was the ''Four Classics on Meditation''. In the past few days, he had been researching all the various methods of the Meditation Realm so as to make preparations for when Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six broke through the life-or-death pass that was Ethereal Opening. However, he had also not given up on his own cultivation. He had spent many nights drawing in starlight for Purification, yet still no transformation occurred with his body. This exhausted him, and even caused him some measure of despair.
However, just now, he had seen a certain passage in the ''Four Classics on Meditation'' that made him think of a certain possibility.
He slightly spread out his five fingers. The starlight fell through the cracks between his fingers and onto the window frame.
119 Starlight Between the Fingers II
If one''s fingers were to slightly exert their strength and close together, they could hold things. However, some things were very difficult to grab hold of, like sand, the sea breeze, sunlight, starlight, or time.
Chen Changsheng spread apart his fingers, and the starlight leaked out.
In those countless nights from spring until the late autumn, did that starlight falling upon his body trickle out just like this?
The beginning of cultivation was the lighting of one''s Fated Star and then drawing in starlight for Purification. For thousands of years, countless cultivators had repeated this same course. The radiance of the stars that fell from their Fated Stars silently changed their bodies, from their hair, fingers, and skin, all the way to their bones, muscles, and organs. There had never been a case in which the starlight leaked out from the body of a cultivator.
The body of a cultivator was not made of colored glass, nor was it made of water.
Chen Changsheng was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, but even he had not read of any similar case. However, when he was reading the appendix of the ''Four Classics on Meditation'', he had seen a certain passage regarding a medical case. A hundred-some years ago, a southerner had mysteriously combusted. Later on, when the authorities and a neighboring sect went to investigate the cause of this person''s death, they were unable to turn up any hints. The only thing they found out was that this person had undergone Purification for thirteen years but had never succeeded.
As someone who had been learning the medical arts from Daoist Ji since he was a child, Chen Changsheng noticed several details of this case. The author mentioned that this southerner who had combusted was afflicted with a leakage disease.
A leakage disease referred to an inborn deficiency of Qi and blood, making the body weak. What did it have to do with combusting to death?
From this passage, the bizarre medical case, and his own strange situation, Chen Changsheng obtained a most audacious and absurd hypothesis.
The leakage disease that afflicted this southerner who had combusted was actually just a result of his rather unique body. When he drew in starlight for Purification, the starlight did not cause any changes in his hair or skin but went directly through it, entering the deepest part of his body.
That person had undergone Purification for thirteen years, so it could be imagined how much starlight had ultimately accumulated in that person''s body. Later on, for some reasona reason that Chen Changsheng could already vaguely guess atthe radiance of the stars that had accumulated for so many years had suddenly exploded, catching the person completely unawares.
This sort of hypothesis seemed rather difficult to acceptwhy was starlight able to pass through one''s skin? Though when this was carefully considered, one realized that when a cultivator meditated, not even the roof or his clothes could cut off the connection between the cultivator and his Fated Star, nor could they cut off the starlight. Thus, why couldn''t starlight pass through the skin and directly enter one''s body?
And if this was a complete impossibility, why had that virtuous predecessor of the Orthodoxy so solemnly recorded this medical case in the appendix of the ''Four Classics on Meditation'' several hundred years ago?
The main reason Chen Changsheng had developed such an audacious hypothesis was still that he had encountered too many incomprehensible problems in his cultivation. That he was able to light his Fated Star was proof that his spiritual sense was strong enough. Logically speaking, the steps that followed should be like water flowing through a canal, a right and expected matter. Who would ever expect to be stopped at Purification for half a year?
Even if it was because his meridians were different from others and he could not practice Purification in the same manner as normal people, where had all the starlight gone? Had it all truly just scattered without a trace?
No, he did not believe that. After all these nights, he had long had his doubts about the matter, but he still felt that such a thing was baseless. If the Heavenly Dao was said to reward the diligent, was there anyone in the world as diligent as him? Of course, if the Heavenly Dao truly was unfair, then there was nothing he could say. However, at this very moment, he firmly believed that he had at least accomplished drawing in starlight for Purification.
Yet even an expert like Jin Yulu could not sense a single ripple of true essence within his body. If the starlight he had drawn in over those many nights was all in his body, where was it? How could he find it and then begin to use it?
Just like when searching for one''s Fated Star, when one wanted to learn the situation in one''s own body, oneself was the best observer.
Chen Changsheng knew what he had to do.
He had to perform Meditative Introspection.
...
...
Cultivators first lit their Fated Stars, then went through Purification, and only after that did they perform Meditative Introspection. This order was absolute, as straying from it would result in death or severe injury for the cultivator with no exception. Countless years ago, there were still some cultivators attempting other paths, but now, no one dared to try such a crazy thing.
The body of a human cultivator was the weakest amongst the three races of Demon, Demi-human, and Human. Without succeeding at Purification, without ensuring that the meridians were strong and wide enough to hold and convert starlight into true essence, someone attempting Meditative Introspection and using one''s spiritual sense to stimulate true essence was just seeking their own death.
Without even ensuring the dikes of the river were firmed up, you want to let the sea water pour in?
Without thoroughly strengthening every hair and bone of your body through Purification, you dare to let the power of true essence run free through your body, opening new lands and wantonly making changes?
If one wanted to perform Meditative Introspection, greater completion of Purification was the most basic requirement. Chen Changsheng was no demi-human, so he had to respect this iron law. If he attempted to jump over the pass of Purification and directly perform Meditative Introspection using the knowledge contained within the Daoist Canon, even if he could find where the radiance of the stars was hiding in his body, there was probably a high chance that he would immediately die once he triggered it.
If his conjectures were not wrong, the southerner who had combusted to death written about in the appendix of the ''Four Classics on Meditation'' had very evidently blundered this way into their death.
But if he did not perform Meditative Introspection, he would never be able to find where the radiance was hiding in his body, and he would remain for the rest of his life at Purification, never able to take another step forward. How could he not despair at this?
This was a dilemma.
Even someone who so cherished time as him had to spend a long time in thought, weighing the pros and cons and hesitating between both sides.
But the Grand Examination was not far, and there truly was not much time left for him.
The Heavenly Dao and fate were truly very unfair.
His fate was truly dismal. Not only did he have such an incurable illness, it now seemed that a situation rarely encountered by cultivators had fallen upon him.
He was stewing in depression when he heard Xuanyuan Po call from far away that it was time to eat midnight snacks.
For reasons of health, he very rarely partook in midnight snacks, so he felt even more depressed.
He didn''t want to see them, so he walked out of the house, pushed upon the gate in the academy wall, and walked into the Hundred Herb Garden.
The trees of the forest lightly swayed in the night breeze. In the distance was a faint light.
What should he do? He was still hesitant. Very naturally, he recalled the Black Dragon beneath the Imperial Palace, recalled the words he had once said to it.
If he wanted to live, it seemed that he really did have to put his life on the line.
Then he recalled that he had promised to go and see the Black Dragon, but he had never found the opportunity.
Just then, he saw a pitch-black, almost mystical, existence.
It was not the Black Dragon.
It was the Black Goat.
Somewhat surprised, Chen Changsheng walked up to the Black Goat and squatted down, asking, "How did you end up here?"
120 Riddle
The Black Goat quietly gazed at Chen Changsheng, then suddenly lowered its head and lightly pressed it against Chen Changsheng''s forehead.
Chen Changsheng thought he understood what it wanted and felt his clothes in search of something it could eat. However, he realized that he didn''t bring any, and raised his head to look around. He saw that on his right-hand side was a tree bearing several fire loquats that seemed to have just ripened. He gestured at the Black Goat to keep silent, stood on his tiptoes and picked one, and then offered it to the Black Goat.
The Black Goat tilted its head and continued to calmly watch him. This made him feel rather embarrassed, as if he was just a joke in its eyes, which in turn caused him to feel at a loss for what to do. Right then, the Black Goat lowered its head, took the fire loquat in his hands, and began to slowly chew on it.
Chen Changsheng exhaled, feeling like he had accomplished a most extraordinary feat.
Once the Black Goat finished the fruit, it nudged Chen Changsheng on the knee and then walked into the forest. In the Imperial Palace, it had done the same thing when it was showing Chen Changsheng the way to Weiyang Palace. Chen Changsheng followed it, thinking, where are you taking me? The moment he thought this, he saw the light shining from the forest.
It was still that stone table, that oil lamp, that teapot, those two teacups, and that mute middle-aged woman.
Chen Changsheng bowed to the middle-aged woman, his expression calm but his heart nervous. He knew that the Black Goat had a very special status within the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. It was rumored that only Mo Yu was able to be intimate with it. Tonight, however, the Black Goat had followed the middle-aged woman to the Hundred Herb Garden, so just who was she?
In the past, he had believed the middle-aged woman to be a female official of the Imperial Palace, even the extremely powerful leader of them all. Now it seemed that her status might even higher.
He thought of another possibility but immediately rejected it. After all, the entire world knew that that Saint''s radiant beauty dazzled the world. In Taizong''s era, she was already known as the most renowned beauty of the continent. If this middle-aged woman really was that Saint, why would she deliberately change her appearance to meet such a minor character like him?
Upon discovering that her visitor was Chen Changsheng, the middle-aged woman did not show any surprise. She only slightly raised her brows at the Black Goat as if disapproving of its bringing him here. The Black Goat, perhaps guessing that she did not want to be disturbed, departed immediately after bringing Chen Changsheng, not even meeting her gaze.
Tap, tap. The middle-aged woman lightly rapped her finger on the stone table.
Chen Changsheng sat down and used the teapot to fill the teacups, then respectfully placed one in front of the middle-aged woman.
The middle-aged woman used two of her fingers to pick up the teacup as if it was some rock by a stream, and slowly took a sip.
Chen Changsheng used his two hands to raise the teacup as if he was carrying a Night Pearl, and lightly blew on it.
Seeing his appearance, the middle-aged woman silently laughed. Her expression showed an indescribable ease and naturalness, and she seemed to be laughing at his extreme caution.
"It''s too hot, it''s not for any other reason."
Chen Changsheng explained, feeling rather embarrassed. Then he remembered that she couldn''t speak and didn''t seem to be able to hear either. He put down the teacup and made a few gestures.
After that, they drank tea.
On their first meeting in the Hundred Herb Garden, the woman and youth did not engage in much conversation. They only drank tea, with even their gazes rarely falling on each other.
Chen Changsheng was very used to this sort of atmosphere, as it reminded him of his senior brother. He didn''t know how his senior brother was doing in Xining Village''s old temple, nor when he would be willing to come to the capital.
He had no idea that Mo Yu had already sent people to Xining Village and that the temple there was vacant. Daoist Ji had brought Senior Yu Ren and left for parts unknown.
Chen Changsheng''s gaze fell on the middle-aged woman and paused for a few moments.
He needed to get into the Imperial Palace to see the Black Dragon, but he didn''t know the way, and he could not entrust this matter to the Black Goat Tonight, seeing as he had guessed that the middle-aged woman''s status in the Imperial Palace was unusual, he suddenly came up with the idea of consulting with her. How does one sneak into the Imperial Palace? Has my lady ever heard of a black dragon?
No matter how he thought about it, this was seeking his own death. To speak with an enigmatic noble of the Imperial Palace on how to sneak into the Imperial Palace, and to even ask about a taboo like the Black Dragonif this wasn''t seeking death, what was?
For some reason, he had this feeling that she was willing to tell him, and that she wouldn''t harm him.
He had grown up together with Senior Yu Ren and so always felt that those who were deaf or mute were kind and good people. When he saw this middle-aged woman, he very easily thought of his senior brother and felt close to her, felt that he could trust her. It was just like the feeling many people had when they first saw him. In addition, that night when she had gently caressed his face with her hand had made him recall a person, or perhaps a word, that he had not thought about for a very long time.
He was an orphan, and those two people, those words, had never existed in his life. It was naturally difficult for him to think of them, naturally easy for him to not think of them for a very long time.
The hot tea within the teapot was endless, and the steam rising from the cups would never completely disperse. In the night breeze, however, the steam would drift about somewhat.
Chen Changsheng''s hands quickly gestured in front of his body, expressing his intentions.
The middle-aged woman expressionlessly watched his movements, the previous tranquility replaced by a cold atmosphere. It was evident that she was somewhat unhappy at Chen Changsheng''s question.
When Chen Changsheng asked about the Black Dragon, she raised her right hand and used three of her fingers to cryptically trace a few lines in the air.
The movement of her fingers was as unfathomable as that of a clear breeze. If Chen Changsheng''s eyesight had not been sharp and his mind incredibly focused, it would have been utterly impossible for him to understand her meaning.
Of course, there was no reason to be happy about understanding her meaning.
She asked Chen Changsheng, "Are you not afraid of death?"
Chen Changsheng gestured in reply, "I don''t want to die, but a promise is a very important thing, and I also will have to face some rather troublesome problems soon. If I don''t resolve them properly, I might never have another chance to enter the Imperial Palace, never have another chance to meet the Black Dragon, so I''ve taken the risk of asking my lady."
The forest was dark and cold as the woman calmly stared at him, examining him for a very long time. Suddenly, she gave a noiseless laugh and gestured, "It seems that you really aren''t afraid of death."
Her question about whether he was afraid of death or not represented her displeasure and threat towards him, while this statement about how he wasn''t afraid of death represented her judgment of him.
And this was also the aspect she most appreciated about him.
The woman dipped her hand in the teacup and wrote a single word on the table. She then rose and walked back to the Imperial Palace.
The Black Goat sauntered out from some place in the garden and followed her into the forest, turning its head to glance at Chen Changsheng one final time.
Chen Changsheng had originally intended to escort her to the secret gate in the walls of the Imperial Palace as he had done last time, but he was worried that the word on the table would disappear, so he remained behind.
The tea was dark tea, a dark red that left vivid words on the slightly gray table.
It was the word ''ice''.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat confused. He raised his head, but both the woman and the Black Goat had disappeared.
He could not speak with the woman, only use sign language (), but this word was a true riddle ().
121 New North Bridge
The breeze blew through the forest and chilled Chen Changsheng''s body, waking him from his stupor. Only now did he realize how much of a risk it had been to ask the middle-aged woman about the Black Dragon, and only now did he feel fear over his actions. Just then, he heard the sound of Xuanyuan Po''s angry roars from the distance. Most likely, Chen Changsheng''s portion of the midnight snack had been eaten by Tang Thirty-Six. Smiling, he shook his head and stopped thinking about these problems, deciding to head back to the Orthodox Academy.
The word ''ice'' left by the woman on the table was Chen Changsheng''s only clue for finding the Black Dragon, and it also seemed like a sort of test. The Black Dragon was a Black Frost Dragon, a species that had always been associated with ice and snow.
The problem was that ice was a very common object, especially in this period between autumn and winter. One could often see shards of ice in the canals and rivers of the capital and against stone walls. Further north, massive chunks of ice were probably already floating atop the rivers. Even at the height of the summer, the estates of the princes and nobles contained icehouses holding significant quantities of ice.
To cultivators that walked the path of cold, ice was something that could be seen everywhere. They could prepare a pot of water, stick their hands in, and after a few moments, ice would appear in the pot. Places like the Li Palace even had arrays that were especially meant for producing ice for the use of the Pope and high-ranked priests.
Chen Changsheng had encountered a few problems, because ice in the capitalwas far too commonplace.
In Xining Village during the deep winter, he and his senior brother would occasionally go to the stream in the mountain to pick out pieces of ice to play with. After coming to the capital, he had fewer chances to interact with ice. Now that he thought about it, the event involving ice that left the greatest impression on him was when he and Luoluo went strolling outside the Orthodox Academy and the two bought ice pops to eat.
He remembered very clearly that it had been midsummer and the streets had been packed with tourists. Almost all of them, whether they were young ladies or noble sons, servants or peddlers, had an ice pop in hand. In Xining Village and in the summers of other cities as described in the Daoist Canon, this was an extremely rare sight.
Both cultivators and arrays could easily create chunks of ice, but no one would ever use such ice to create something as low-value as ice pops. Even if all cultivators lowered themselves, if all arrays worked at full capacity, they would not be able to fulfill the needs of the entire capital for the whole summer.
He walked out of the Orthodox Academy and to the miscellaneous goods store by the well in Hundred Flowers Lane, asking about where they bought their ice pops during the summer. He followed this trail of clues all the way until he arrived at a desserts store in the New Morning Market. From there, he found an icehouse that was strictly administered by the Imperial Court.
The result of his investigations indicated that during the summer, the ice used by all the desserts stores in the capital was bought from this icehouse.
This icehouse was located in the Western Market and had a very small gate. In no way could one tell that the icehouse located beneath its courtyard was able to hold such vast quantities of ice.
Chen Changsheng had Tang Thirty-Six walk around and realized that this icehouse in the Western Market did not contain any sort of array. At the same time, he also made a few inquiries and confirmed that this icehouse was truly a natural icehouse. Apparently, it was connected to some cold vein running under the capital, so it could provide an unending stream of ice.
After thinking of every way to have Tang Thirty-Six hurry back to the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng found a simple restaurant in the Western Market to sit down. With brush and paper, he began to seriously carry out calculations.
Naturally, he did not believe the so-called cold vein theory. Based on the knowledge in the ''Water Classic'' and the related laws of the Imperial Court, paired with the position of the icehouse as scouted out by Tang Thirty-Six, he used about an hour to get a rough estimate of the deepest point of the icehouse. There was no underground river there, and cruciallythis was the origin of the cold.
Walking out of the Western Market, he walked according to the path traced out on the paper.
After quite some time, he realized that the noise around him had vanished. Raising his head in amazement, he saw a massive wall before him. He was actually in front of the Imperial Palace!
As expected, he was in front of the Imperial Palace.
He saw the barely visible roofs beyond the palace wall and distinguished which ones were buildings. Then, using the position of the Orthodox Academy as a reference, he obtained a rough estimate of the Weiyang Palace''s position. He closed his eyes. He began to walk in his own mind, replaying the events of the Ivy Festival. He walked into the abandoned garden, entered the cold pond, and then began to run. After running, he finally opened that door.
He opened his eyes and walked into a path to the left and behind him. Treading on a carpet of golden leaves, he reached his destination.
The golden autumn of the palace walls was as famous a sight as the ivy vines of the Li Palace. It was currently the best season and best time to view them, so although the weather was rather chilly, there were still many tourists.
He carefully dodged a child with mud-stained hands, courteously bowed to an elder, detoured around a few trees, and came to a well.
He knew that this place was called New North Bridge, but this was the first time he realized that there was a well here.
He peered into the well and discovered that its bottom could not be seen. However, there was not even a hint of moisture, so this well was probably dry and abandoned.
He raised his head to glance upwards at the autumn, looked at the nearby crowd of tourists, and felt stunned and perturbed.
The Black Dragon was actually sealed under this place? The entrance was just placed in broad daylight like this?
...
...
New North Bridge was not a bridge, but the name of a place.
Why was this place called New North Bridge despite the clear lack of a bridge?
There was a very famous legend told in the capital about this matter.
It was said that many years ago, when the allied army of humans and demi-humans engaged in pitched battle with the demons on the Central Plains, a formidable evil dragon took advantage of the situation to make trouble wreaking havoc in the capital, devastating life and slaughtering the innocent. No one could control it, and just when the capital was in absolute chaos, Wang Zhice unexpectedly returned from the plains, sneaking into the capital. Together with the Divine Generals that remained to protect the capital, he defeated the evil dragon.
The evil dragon was still a member of the Dragon race, a divine being of the highest class, so it was very difficult to thoroughly kill it. Moreover, it was also said that the blood of this evil dragon was that of the Dragon King. Even a legendary figure like Wang Zhice was worried over the possibility of inciting the fury of the Dragon race that had withdrawn from the world if he killed this evil dragon. He was also concerned that if he killed this dragon, the dragon might do its utmost at its last moment of life to bring a calamity on the capital. Thus, he decided to give the dragon a chance to live. Wang Zhice requested that the evil dragon accept being imprisoned by humanity as atonement for its crimes. He then promised the dragon that he would construct a new bridge over the place where it was imprisoned. If this bridge were to become old or be drowned by the Luo River, it would be released.
The lives of the Dragon race were long to an unimaginable degree. The evil dragon thought to itself, a new bridge turning old might take a few decades or at most a few centuries. In addition, with its understanding of the capital''s drainage system and its innate abilities, it was very sure that a massive wave would sweep through the Luo River every sixty years. As it was heavily injured and on the verge of death, it agreed to these conditions.
The evil dragon surrendered and the Great Zhou Imperial Court set up an enormously powerful seal outside the Imperial Palace, sealing the dragon underground, and yetthey never built a bridge on the surface.
The Luo River wound around the Imperial City, not once passing through it. The so-called bridge was just a fake bridge.
Wang Zhice did one other thing. He changed the name of the place to New North Bridge.
This bridge would forever remain unflooded by the Luo River.
This bridge would forever be new.
This evil dragon would forever remain imprisoned.
(TN: New North Bridge is an actual place in Beijing, and a similar legend exists with regards to it.)
...
...
Chen Changsheng sat under the tree, his gaze on the book in his hands, yet he could not take in a single word.
Behind the tree, a father was recounting this legend to his child.
That father praised Immortal Wang''s flawless plans, while children happily clapped their hands. A child asked, "If this is the case, then that evil dragon is right under our feet?"
The other children were all somewhat frightened at this question, but the adults all roared with laughter, saying, "A story is just a story; how could it be true?"
Chen Changsheng had also heard this legend, but he had never expected that this legend might actually be true.
He turned to the nearby abandoned well, his feelings more and more confused.
Upon hearing the legend of New North Bridge, people would always express loathing for the evil dragon''s brutality and praise for Wang Zhice''s intellect, but he felt that the dragon was extremely pitiful.
Of course, since the legend might be true, perhaps the dragon really did kill many innocents, necessitating Wang Zhice''s scheme. He knew that his standpoint was rather unsteady for him to feel such emotions, but he had seen the dragon''s current misery, and when he saw the beautiful autumn scenery on the surface and thought of the cold stone cavern down below, it was hard to not feel some sympathy.
During the day, there were many people at New North Bridge, and the distant palace walls were patrolled by Imperial Guards. Above the walls, a flying carriage would descend at set intervals. Occasionally, a fiery light could be seen in the distance, probably Xue Xingchuan mounted on his Red Cloud Qilin. Chen Changsheng knew that there was presently no way for him to head underground. He had to wait for a while.
He lowered his head and continued to read.
The falling leaves left their branches and fell on his shoulders, a dazzling yellow akin to leaves of gold.
As time passed, the surrounding sounds gradually deadened, the twilight retreated, the darkness descended. He raised his head, confirmed that no one was paying him any attention, and walked to the well.
He knew that he could not display any hesitation, or else he might attract someone''s attention.
So he jumped right in. The seemingly golden leaf drifted off his shoulder and fell on the edge of the well.
...
...
The well had no bottom, so there was also no mud, and it felt like he was dropping straight into the void. There was no light here, only darkness, and Chen Changsheng was falling ever faster into this darkness. When he jumped into the well, he covered his head with his hands, the bones toughened by the broths and beatings of his master and senior brother ensuring that his collision against the wall of the well did not do him any harm.
Upon falling into the darkness, he felt the wind howl past his face. He was not concerned about falling to his death, as he knew that the Black Dragon was certain to detect his arrival. Moreover, for some reason, the closer he got to the Black Dragon, the closer he approached the emotional state he was in on the night of the Ivy Festival. He lost his fear of many things, including death.
While his body was still in the air, he could hear the prolonged and distant breathing, and then he heard it come to a stop.
Two faint spheres of divine flame appeared in the darkness, its eyes.
The Black Dragon had awakened.
A finely crafted, seemingly solid cushion of air appeared under Chen Changsheng''s body, helping him fall gently to the floor.
A massive figure akin to a mountain range moved with a terrifying slowness towards him. The air of the cavern, squeezed by the enormous body, shrieked as it moved.
An extreme cold instantly enveloped his entire body. His eyelashes were coated in frost and seemed ready to drop off at any moment.
"It''s me." He took out the Night Pearl and illuminated his face.
As he took out the Night Pearl, the several thousand Night Pearls in the dome of the dark cavern lit up in response.
The Black Dragon appeared once more before his eyes, its mountain range of a body undulating and extending into the darkness. Its head was as massive as a palace hall, its scales like mirrors. Ice and frost twinkled on its dust-covered body, and it gave off an indescribable aura of a being that had endured the many tribulations of time. Its floating whiskers were like real, frozen lightning bolts.
This was the second time Chen Changsheng had seen the true appearance of the Black Dragon, but he was still stunned. It took a very long time for him to finally wake from his daze.
He put away the Night Pearl and greeted the Black Dragon. Thinking of the Black Dragon''s age, he naturally gave the bow that a junior would give to a senior, saying, "Uncle Dragon, I''ve come to visit you."
When the Black Dragon saw that Chen Changsheng had really come, the two balls of divine flame in its eyes continuously jumped about as if dancing. It seemed particularly happy, but when it heard this form of address, those balls of flame instantly froze into clumps of ice.
Its terrifying might once more appeared in the cavern.
In terrible suffering, Chen Changsheng hurriedly raised his right hand and yelled, "I understand!"
The dragon''s might slightly receded as the Black Dragon indifferently regarded him, awaiting his second greeting.
Chen Changsheng understood. It must be that the address of ''Uncle'' was too homely. Moreover, based on how long dragons lived, even if the Black Dragon had been imprisoned for several centuries, it might still be a teenager, or still young at least. Moreover, it was probably just like that woman in Xining Village who never liked being referred to as ''wife'', and instead preferred to be called ''sister''
He greeted the Black Dragon, affectionately saying, "Big Brother Dragon, long time no see."
With a clap, the Black Dragon released its terrifying power, causing Chen Changsheng to crash against the ground and send ice flying everywhere.
The Black Dragon slowly flew above him, its whiskers dancing in the air like a tentacle probing out of an abyss. It was evident that it was beyond furious.
Lying on the ground, Chen Changsheng raised his right hand with great difficulty and implored, "Senior, Senior, don''t be angry!"
...
...
The address of ''Senior'' was perhaps not completely appropriate, but the Black Dragon reluctantly accepted it. Chen Changsheng sat himself on the snow-covered ground, still feeling fear over the earlier sight. He thought to himself, if I had addressed it as ''Zhizhi'', would I have been instantly blown into chunks of ice on the ground by its terrifying dragon breath?
According to the promise he made on that night, Chen Changsheng had come to visit the Black Dragon to accompany it in speaking. However, the present scene of a human and dragon speechlessly gazing at each other made the atmosphere rather oppressive and awkward. The Black Dragon could understand human language, and Chen Changsheng understood some of the pronunciation for Dragon language, but did not understand it, so how could the two communicate?
Suddenly, Chen Changsheng thought of the abandoned well in New North Bridge he had jumped into not too long ago. Pointing at that barely visible black dot on the roof, he asked, "Has it always been this way? After so many years, some people must have mistakenly fallen into the well; did all those people die? Or were they saved by you? If you saved them, where did those people go?"
This was truly the problem that he was most concerned about. Although he became rather sympathetic to the Black Dragon after listening to that legend and was deeply grateful to it for letting him leave alive, ifthose people that fell into this cavern ultimately became its food, he refused to continue sitting in front of it.
He wasn''t afraid that this Black Dragon might eat him, but he could not accept conversing with a Black Dragon that ate humans.
122 The Dragons Worries
The Black Dragon indifferently glanced at Chen Changsheng, showing no emotion, or perhaps showing just one emotion. However, just like the Dragon language it spoke, this extremely simple stance contained all sorts of complex information. Chen Changsheng''s and the Black Dragon''s eyes met only for an instant, yet he felt like he saw countless stars and received many of the meanings that it wanted to convey.
The abandoned well had been constructed under the personal supervision of Wang Zhice and was the gate of life for the array that imprisoned the Black Dragon, similar to how the Black Dragon Pond in the abandoned garden served as the gate of life for the Tong Palace. There had originally been three interweaving nets constructed of metal alloy at the bottom of the well that ensured both that the gate of life for the array would remain open and also that none of the capital''s people would accidentally fall into the well and become the Black Dragon''s food. However, not long agoChen Changsheng could not tell how long this ''not long ago'' was, several decades or several dayssomeone from the Imperial Palace had come and removed those three metal alloy nets.
The Black Dragon had required only an indifferent glance to transmit all sorts of information into Chen Changsheng''s mind. He understood much, but there was still much more that he did not have the time to organize and understand. However, he understood the final idea that the Black Dragon wished to express: humans are truly boring.
Chen Changsheng was not very willing to accept that an existence that had been imprisoned for several centuries and lived a cold and lonely life unable to communicate with anyone would actually think that humans were boring. He thought, if you weren''t so excessively bored, why were you unwilling to let me leave on that night and instead insisted on having me promise to accompany you in chatting? And also, why has that person taken away the three alloy nets? Were they not worried about people falling in?
He shifted his gaze to those two chains behind the Black Dragon that extended off towards that wall in the distance. He looked at those portraits of the two Divine Generals which seemed as tall as mountains drawn on the wall and felt very puzzled.
He had never thought about helping the Black Dragon escape. On one hand, he did not know how much was true and false about those legends, so he did not know what would happen if the Black Dragon were to leave this underground cavern, whether or not it would wreak some devastating calamity on the people of the capital. More importantly, this array that imprisoned the Black Dragon had been laid down by Wang Zhice and other peerless experts of Taizong''s era. He wanted to break this array with his current ability? The mere thought of it was absurd.
Suddenly, he thought of something. Since the Black Dragon could understand human language and he could gain information directly through its eyes, there should be no problem communicating with the Black Dragon. Now that he thought about it, that was as it should be. Cultivators at the Star Condensation Realm and up could communicate with each other very quickly using their thoughts, so why couldn''t a divine being like the Black Frost Dragon?
Chen Changsheng turned to the Black Dragon''s eyes, wanting to say something to it. Unexpectedly, the Black Dragon seemed to know what he wanted to do and closed its eyes with unimaginable speed, causing frost to splash everywhere. Seeing its response, Chen Changsheng fell into a daze. He began to vaguely understand that the Black Dragon did not merely wish to communicate, it also wanted to hear the language of its own race? But why was this? Was it just out of longing?
"On that night, I promised that I would come and visit Senior as quickly as possible, butit''s difficult to enter the Imperial Palace, and to come isn''t easy, requiring great risk. Senior knows that I''m very afraid of death. But right now, I''m facing a problem that''s rather difficult to resolve. I might die soon, so I thought that I should meet you at least once before then. Thus, I came."
Chen Changsheng did not speak about the word that the middle-aged woman had left on the stone table, nor did he speak about all the energy he put into meeting the Black Dragon.
"On that night, when I met Senior for the first time, I spoke a lot about death. Today, I will speak more about it, so I hope that Senior won''t be annoyed."
At this point, he suddenly recalled that the Dragon race had an innate grasp over the source that powered the world and the stars. With their intelligence, they probably had a deep understanding of this aspect. Chen Changsheng suddenly felt a boundless hope. He recounted all the problems he had encountered in his cultivation and then earnestly waited for it to open its eyes.
After a long period of silence, ice rustled down as the Black Dragon slowly opened its eyes.
It looked at Chen Changsheng, its eyes still indifferent. However, Chen Changsheng could see an extremely subtle change: a tinge of bewilderment and frustration.
Of the three noblest and most powerful branches of the Dragon race, the Black Frost Dragons had always been famed for their wisdom, yet this cultivation problem of his was something that not even the Black Dragon could resolve. This fact made Chen Changsheng feel even more depressed.
The Black Dragon''s whisker drifted upwards towards him, then poked him on his brow, waking him from his daze.
This action indicated that it was somewhat losing its patience.
Just what did the cultivation of a human youth have to do with it? It was only concerned with how it could have him grasp the Dragon language as quickly as possible and then have him do a few things for it.
Chen Changsheng helplessly shook his head, his heart feeling rather bitter. Back in Xining Village, when he was reading the Daoist scriptures and feeling fear over the arrogance and ruthlessness of the dragons recorded in the Daoist Canon, how could he have imagined that he would actually meet a real dragon, and it was also one that liked to lecture others?
A while passed.
"Owww"
Chen Changsheng let loose something similar to a low snarl, but it sounded more like the wind, and it was absolutely not any sort of normal sound. This sound was very simple and also complex, using many very fine muscle groups in the throat, and it even required the fine tuning of some meridians that the human mind had no conscious control over, yet it did not require the use of the tongue.
This was the first word the Black Dragon had taught to him on that first night. When he was young, he had learned a similar sound in the old temple of Xining Village, so he quickly had a handle on it, and he had also not forgotten how to speak it. This word had a very complex meaning, encompassing at least a dozen meanings in human language. The most complex of these meanings would require a significant period of time to describe, while the simplest was just ''I''.
The Black Dragon was extremely pleased at Chen Changsheng''s performance, its whisker drifting about in pride at its ability to teach others. For some reason, two Night Pearls dropped down from the ceiling and rolled around in its front claw. If the Night Pearls were a little bigger or its claw a little smaller, perhaps it would seem like a teacher of some private school in the countryside.
The Black Dragon slightly rolled its eyes towards that Night Pearl by Chen Changsheng''s side.
Chen Changsheng clearly remembered that on that night, this greedy Black Dragon had attempted to seize his Night Pearl, so quickly put it away.
The Black Dragon''s whisker gently drifted down as if feeling rather helpless, then the Black Dragon let out another noise.
This was the second word it was teaching to Chen Changsheng.
Night Pearls, colored glass, rainbows, the golden scales on the surface of a lake, the blazing clouds at sunset, or perhapslight.
Chen Changsheng awkwardly laughed, rubbed his brow to focus himself, and then began his attempts to imitate the Black Dragon''s pronunciation. To humans, Dragon language was truly too difficult to grasp. Even the rather experienced him felt this way. Moreover, this process consumed a great deal of mental power, so his face was visibly paling.
The most crucial factor was still time. The Grand Examination was close and he still had not resolved his problem of Purification, so the risk of death was right before him. To Chen Changsheng, time was the most precious object in the world. Logically speaking, he should not have been wasting his time learning Dragon language. It must be known that it was even more meaningless than learning dragon-slaying arts.
But he did not refuse the Black Dragon''s request, nor did he leave. He continued to attentively learn. He loved to learn, and also, he had promised. He would deal with his own matters, and what he promised he would do until the day he died. This was a habit he had picked up when he was young. It might not have been a good habit, but it was a very formidable one.
Although this underground cavern cut off from the world was illuminated by thousands of Night Pearls, it was still cold, lonely, and unbelievably vast.
On the ground, Chen Changsheng was just like an ant before the massive Black Dragon.
He was like an infant just beginning to learn how to speak.
Occasionally, a very strange sound would resound through the vast cavern: he had mispronounced a word.
Then, the ''zhizhi'' laughs of the Black Dragon would echo without end.
123 I Really Do Want to Live Another Five Hundred Years
After some time had passed, Chen Changsheng estimated that it was early morning. He stood and indicated to the Black Dragon that tonight''s lesson had to stop here.
The Black Dragon was clearly not too happy, but, in its great benevolence, did not stop him from leaving.
He raised his head to the ceiling of the cavern. From the ground, the bottom of the well was just a tiny black dot, with no morning light leaking through.
How could he get up there?
He recalled how he had left this cavern the first time and his expression seemed to slightly freeze. With all due haste, he took off all his clothes and put them away. He was mentally preparing himself for what was soon to come, so he failed to notice that as he was doing this, the Black Dragon was clearly showing disgust and anxiety in its eyes.
With a flash of light, Chen Changsheng''s body vanished.
The Black Dragon raised its head to the surface. Its whisker gently waved, not in farewell, but requesting that he needed to come back soon.
In the next moment, Chen Changsheng returned to the surface.
It was still that side palace in the Imperial Palace, and still by that pool.
He walked to the shore of the pool, saw that no one was around, and hurriedly put on his clothes.
The morning light was slightly warm, but the late autumn was cold. A wind blew from the palace and, in a very short amount of time, it made him almost unbearably cold. Even those bones of his tempered by many years of medicinal broths and beatings could barely endure it.
Now how was he to get out of here?
His two arms wrapped around him, he recalled the path from that night, but then suddenly spotted the Black Goat on the other side of the pool.
He was slightly startled, but his hands gradually relaxed. Every time he went to do something, the Black Goat would appear. Today, he did not encounter the middle-aged woman by the pool, but he still saw the Black Goat. He was finding this stranger and stranger, beginning to think that there was some connection here that he was missing.
But he didn''t know who to ask, and he was certainly not going to obtain an answer if he asked the Black Goat.
He walked to the other side of the pool. The Black Goat gently nudged his knee, just like it had done before, then it began to show him the way. For some reason, perhaps because it was too early, there was no around the Imperial Palace this morning, not even a servant sweeping a courtyard. One human and one goat very smoothly reached the palace walls.
Ivy grew along the walls, concealing an old door. A lock was on the door.
A key was hanging across the Black Goat''s neck.
Chen Changsheng took the key and opened the door. He walked into a quiet passage and shortly afterwards returned to the Orthodox Academy.
This was not the door used by the middle-aged woman, but the one used by Mo Yu.
Chen Changsheng tried to retie the key onto the Black Goat''s neck, but the Black Goat tilted its head in refusal.
He fell silent, then said a word of thanks before solemnly putting the key away.
The Black Goat walked back to the Imperial Palace, and the old door closed once more.
...
...
In the following days, life on the surface was very calm. The Divine Empress''s orders had been transmitted through Mo Yu to all the factions in the capital. The Orthodox Academy''s gate remained unrepaired, but no one dared to come and make trouble. Jin Yulu acted as the main gate, and when he sat down on the bamboo chair, a pot of tea in hand, it meant that the gate was closed.
Chen Changsheng acted as he had in the past, spending each day diligently studying and cultivating. However, in preparation for the Grand Examination, he had made the appropriate adjustments. For instance, he had begun studying the test from the last Grand Examination, and he had also brought Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po to the neighboring Hundred Herb Garden to once more pilfer all sort of medicinal herbs. Xuanyuan Po''s right arm had completely recovered and Chen Changsheng had found an appropriate technique for him to cultivate in, but he didn''t know if there would be enough progress by the time of the Grand Examination.
As the pampered grandson and young master of the Wenshui Tang clan, Tang Thirty-Six''s participation in the Grand Examination was naturally a matter of utmost importance for his clan. Although the Old Master had expressed his deep resentment towards Tang Thirty-Six voluntarily withdrawing from the Heavenly Dao Academy in a letter, the resources prepared for Tang Thirty-Six were not decreased in the slightest. On the contrary, the amount actually increased. It seemed that the Tang clan was well aware of recent events within the capital and knew the Orthodox Academy''s situation.
In addition to all this, the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had taken care of many matters so that the Orthodox Academy could participate in the Grand Examination. Priest Xin had personally stepped forward and handled all the paperwork. Of course, it was still Luoluo who had the greatest contribution. She had had all the herbs Chen Changsheng had brought refined into pills and medicines according to his instructions. Along with many other things, she sent them to the Orthodox Academy.
Everything was prepared and it seemed like all that was needed was to wait for the day of the Grand Examination. However, in this period, a small interlude took place.
One morning in the early winter, Chen Changsheng concluded his usual session of drawing in starlight for Purification and walked out of the library to return to the house, upon which he once more saw Mo Yu. Lady Mo Yu''s black hair was like a waterfall draped over her shoulders, yet she was not sound asleep. Instead, she was holding her waist and standing by the bed, her face seething with anger, looking for all the world like a dissatisfied housewife itching to argue.
Chen Changsheng had recently seen this sort of expression many times. Every time he went to rouse Tang Thirty-Six from his bed, he would see it. He knew that this was called ''waking up on the wrong side of the bed''. In other words, she had not slept well.
"What''s wrong?"
Although the Orthodox Academy and Mo Yu were enemies, he was still very curious about why she would have such an appearance. He remembered very clearly that the pillow had been newly stuffed with medicinal herbs that should have greatly assisted in calming the mind.
Mo Yu flipped open his bedsheets and pointed at the crystals scattered about his bed, angrily saying, "If you don''t want me to come here and sleep, just say it. Is it necessary to put these rocks here to annoy me?"
The rocks were not meant as an annoyance, but in her view, Chen Changsheng had placed them precisely to annoy her.
(TN: The words ''rocks'' and ''annoy'' here are and Ӧ. The latter term might be directly translated as ''responding with rocks'' and is a slang term that means making someone feel uncomfortable.)
Chen Changsheng was very confused. These crystals had been sent to the Orthodox Academy by the Wenshui Tangs and Luoluo, and contained all sorts of fine properties. If one were to hold them while meditating, the speed at which one drew in starlight would greatly increase, so he had put a few of them under his bedding.
For the Grand Examination, he would not miss a single detail.
"I''ve already put down two layers of bedding. I''ve personally tried and couldn''t feel them at all," he explained to Mo Yu.
Mo Yu couldn''t help but be speechless, thinking to herself, if he knew that Ping would not be able to sleep even if there were ten layers of bedding between her and a pea, he definitely would find it impossible to comprehend.
Snowflakes suddenly began to fall outside the window, the first snow of the year.
Inside the room, it suddenly turned quiet. The two silently gazed at each other, the atmosphere becoming rather awkward.
At this moment, Mo Yu understood that her resentment was quite unreasonable, and Chen Changsheng also understood that he didn''t need to give her any sort of explanation at all.
This was his room and his bed, and there was no friendship between him and her. On the contrary, they were enemies.
Mo Yu left, and up to the Grand Examination, she never returned to the Orthodox Academy. It was as if she had finally realized how ridiculous her actions were.
However, on the next day, Chen Changsheng discovered that his pillow and bedding had vanished.
Was this also okay? He raised his sleeve and took a sniff, but he couldn''t smell anything.
But why did Luoluo and the Black Goat like to smell him? And now, even a person like Lady Mo Yu
Chen Changsheng could not find a single thing to be proud about. As a person slightly obsessed with cleanliness, he found it quite difficult to accept the thought of Mo Yu hugging his blankets as she slept every night.
...
...
Time passed, and the joy brought about by the first snow quickly disappeared. Snow fell over the capital every day, making everyone sick of it. The autumn departed and winter set in, and the day of the Grand Examination grew closer and closer.
Chen Changsheng knew that he could no longer keep hesitating, so he stopped hesitating.
When the Grand Examination was just a few days off, he departed the Orthodox Academy under the cover of the early morning snow, letting no one else know, and went to New North Bridge. The golden fallen leaves had been covered by snow, and those who wished to see this famous sight of the capital could only wait for next year. There was no trace of any tourists, and there was no one else besides the distant Imperial Guard and the barely visible traces left behind in the sky by the flying carriages.
No, it was not completely deserted. In the distance, a palace maid dressed in fur was walking two Snow Mastiffs.
Snow Mastiffs were not dogs, but powerful monsters that dared to fight with human cultivation experts in close combat. Born in Mount Blackstone outside Xuelao City, they loved the cold and detested the heat, and it was a mystery as to how they had managed to survive in the capital. Of course, someone able to raise Snow Mastiffs was assuredly no ordinary person. The Snow Mastiffs were not both white, as one of them was a very faint shade of yellow. The snow was falling fiercely, so the yellow Snow Mastiff was gradually turning white while the white one was gradually getting larger.
In front of the palace walls was a boundless world of white, all features blurring into one, all except a black hole in the ground.
It was the mouth of the well.
Chen Changsheng walked up to the well, glanced at the palace maid and her two Snow Mastiffs, confirmed that they were not paying attention to him, and then jumped down.
....
...
....
...
On the surface, a snowstorm had persisted for several days, but underground, the snowstorm would never end, as it came from each breath the Black Dragon took.
In these past few days, Chen Changsheng had come to see the Black Dragon several times. It was no longer as awkward as it was in the beginning, where he didn''t even know how to stand or where to put his hands.
The Black Dragon was very satisfied at his comprehension of the Dragon language, but was greatly displeased at the frequency with which he came to study. However, even though it was a dragon, it knew the significance of the Grand Examination towards humans, so it did not feel right to demand too much.
The dragon''s whisker lightly danced, sweeping clean of ice the ground in front of Chen Changsheng.
In a practiced fashion, Chen Changsheng took out several packages of oil paper and several novels often sold in the capital''s markets, and placed them on the floor.
The oil papers were untied to reveal roast lamb, roast chicken, roast deer tail, braised ox tongue, and a steamed double-headed fish.
"Leave the ox tongue for me," he said.
Knowing that the Black Dragon had been imprisoned underground for several hundred years, lonely and pitiful and not having eaten anything for a long time, Chen Changsheng would bring some food with him each time he came to visit.
This food naturally couldn''t make the Black Dragon full, only take the edge off its hunger.
At the very beginning, the Black Dragon had turned its nose up at this food, giving off a demeanor that said, This one used to eat human flesh in the Imperial Palace and didn''t blink an eye."" However, when it actually ate, it showed no courtesy whatsoever.
"I''ve decided."
Chen Changsheng had used his most dauntless patience to wait for the Black Dragon to finish savoring these foods at its most slothful pace before beginning to speak.
The Black Dragon stared at him like he was an idiot.
In the past few meetings, it had come to know what Chen Changsheng wanted to do.
The lowly humans had only their fragile bodies. Without a successful Purification, attempting Meditative Introspection was seeking death.
Although it had not paid particular attention when it was learning from its royal father, it could still understand this simple reasoning.
In truth, Chen Changsheng also knew that there was basically no chance of success, as no previous case of success had ever been recorded in the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon.
But he had to do this, because the Grand Examination was imminent.
He had to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, because only this way could he get the right to meditate for one night in the Lingyan Pavilion.
Only this way could he have a chance of defying the heavens and changing his fate.
Only this way could he possibly live past the age of twenty.
If he could not do this, there was no difference between twenty and fifteen.
Yes, in that dry and monotonous life of cultivation and studying, he had reached the age of fifteen.
Twenty minus fifteen left five years.
But five hundred minus twenty was still about five hundred years.
He wanted to gamble five years for five hundred.
He truly did want to live another five hundred years.
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s face, the Black Dragon knew that he was serious.
The Black Dragon''s eyes gradually turned solemn, intending to put a stop to this matter.
If you die, who will come to speak with me, to handle that matter for me?
Chen Changsheng said nothing, only calmly stared at it. Thus, it knew that it could not stop him.
The Black Dragon''s eyes became somewhat irritated.
Chen Changsheng took the dagger from his waist and said to it, "If I die"
When the Black Dragon saw the dagger, its eyes turned grave.
Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, "Forget it. If I die, I die; there''s no meaning in leaving any words behind."
The Black Dragon''s eyes gradually shifted from solemnity to calm, ultimately leaving behind only admiration.
Any being that could calmly confront death, challenge death, was a being worthy of admiring.
Whether it was a dragon, demon, demi-human, human or even a sparrow.
It remembered that its royal father had once said something like this.
Out of admiration, it did not attempt to stop Chen Changsheng. Its whisker gently drifted over, lightly prodded him on the brow, then withdrew.
Chen Changsheng sat down and took up the ox tongue that he had requested the Black Dragon leave behind.
At the age of ten, upon learning that he would not live past twenty, he had ceased eating food like ox tongue which was unhealthy yet delicious.
He seriously ate it, savored it. His expression was quite satisfied.
After eating the ox tongue and drinking some water, he took up some snow to wash his hands and rub his face, ensuring that he was alert and aware.
After making all possible preparations, he closed his eyes and began Meditative Introspection.
124 Blazing Plains
Just like he had done on that spring night, Chen Changsheng closed his eyes and forgot everything. His spiritual sense departed his sea of consciousness, separated from his body, and drifted about the still space of the underground cavern. A vague image of the surrounding environment appeared in his mind. The stone walls and the light of the Night Pearls were deformed and then appeared in his consciousness.
When one closed one''s eyes, the sky went dark. Only when the sky was dark could the stars emerge, and only this way could one find the star in the night sky that was one''s Fated Star. However, what he was doing now was not fixing his Fated Star, but performing Meditative Introspection. Thus, his spiritual sense did not continue floating higher, but instead slowly drifted down like snow back onto his body.
Spiritual sense was weightless and shapeless, easily passing through his clothes and skin and entering the deepest part of his body. There, it would send back information on all that it encountered. This was introspection, self-introspection.
There was truthfully no precise boundary for the Meditation Realm. Any cultivator that had condensed their spiritual sense and was able to enter Meditative Introspection as they pleased could be considered to have entered the Meditation Realm. If one wished to continue improving, one had to also pay attention to the interaction between the spiritual sense and one''s meridians. However, the most fundamental method was still self-introspection.
A single phrase was recorded in the cultivation methods regarding Meditation of all sects: ''Only by inspecting one''s own body can one see the world.''
Why? Because every cultivator''s body contained a world. In contrast to the natural world, the world within the body of a cultivator was much finer and subtler. If one said that the source of a cultivator''s strength was the natural world, if one wanted to become stronger, they needed to constantly remold the small world within themselves.
Purification was the first step cultivators took to remold their bodies, but that was a relatively crude method. Meditative Introspection was observation and also a subtler method for the cultivator to remold their body. Moreover, at the Meditation Realm, cultivators no longer directly used the strength of star radiance, but began to learn how to convert this radiance into true essence.
The radiance of the stars belonged the greater world of nature, while true essence belonged to the small world of the cultivator.
Compared to normal cultivators, Chen Changsheng had special circumstances. He first had to enter his small world and find that star radiance. Then, he would attempt to convert it into his own true essence, which would also be the most dangerous juncture. His body not having undergone Purification, could it contain the explosive power produced the instant star radiance was converted into true essence?
He did not think about these problems as he sent his spiritual sense into his body to begin introspection and his search.
A small world was still a world, and so when he began Meditative Introspection, his spiritual sense became a wisp of cool breeze within this world. His search tonight for the star radiance in his body was like those nights he spent searching for his Fated Star. It similarly required constantly searching a vast world, an extremely long process, so long that he forgot about the passing of time.
The fuzzy horizon and the constantly fluctuating light formed into all sorts of strange sights. These indistinct sights made this world seem equally familiar and foreign.
Land bulged out from the ground like lofty mountain ranges. Were these bones? But what were these cracks in the ground, these earth veins faintly exuding Qi? Meridians?
The cool breeze slowly crossed this world, his spiritual sense constantly searching his body. He gradually got used to this sensation, and the sight within his consciousness gradually became more distinct. Then he saw ruptured cliffs, the firm mountain ranges of granite twisted about, the earth veins shattered. It was a dismal scene of utter desolation.
This was his body, and this was the first time he clearly saw his body''s true appearance. It truly did make him feel utter dismay. Were those ruptured cliffs and shattered earth veins his severed meridians? Or perhaps they were sections of meridians? Was this the shadow of death hidden within his body?
Butwhere did that terrifying strength that could deform mountains come from?
The cool breeze drifted across thousands of li of wasteland, passing over nine mountain ranges crossed over with giant gashes, and came to a plain covered in snow.
He didn''t what this place was, only that this vast plain of snow was extremely cold. Moreover, the mantle of snow was extremely thick and so clean that it was somewhat dazzling.
He did not know what this snowy plain was, nor did he know what such a thick mantle of snow, such a clean plain of snow, signified to a cultivator. And he also did not know that if the legendary Junior Martial Uncle of the Mount Li Sword Sect or a similar supreme expert were to find that he possessed such a perfect plain of snow, they would undoubtedly want to make him their successor.
Finally, he saw a lake.
This was a lake suspended between the heavens and the earth, a vast expanse of dark blue. His spiritual sense told him that it had a radius of several hundred li. To be more precise, this lake was a sphere of water suspended in between heaven and earth. There were no impurities, grass, mud, or sediment within this lake, only clean and transparent water, so light naturally could pass through it.
At this time, his spiritual sense had already made one complete circuit of this small world. From a cultivating perspective, he had already entered the Meditation Realm. If this fact were to be made public, it would certainly shock the world, because this indicated he possessed the world''s purest and most serene spiritual sense that could even cross that threshold between cultivation realms!
The problem was that such a fact was meaningless.
No matter how strong the spiritual sense was, without true essence, one was still just an ordinary person. All the spiritual sense could do on its own was at most to widen his scope of perception.
True essence originated from the radiance of the stars.
From spring to the late winter, he had spent every night drawing in starlight for Purification, but the Purification had still not succeeded, so where was all that radiance accumulating?
Chen Changsheng began to get nervous.
The moment his spiritual sense found the star radiance and touched it, all of it would be converted into true essence. His body had not undergone Purification, but it had been tempered by the medicinal broths of his teacher and senior brotherwould it be able to hold against that monstrous explosion?
His spiritual sense made another journey around the small world, crossing tens of thousands of li in a single breath.
Ultimately, he turned to the snowy plaina boundless sheet of white, truly clean, truly beautiful.
His spiritual sense floated even higher to get a clearer picture. He saw that this snowy plain was gradually thawing, but because snow was constantly falling, the area the snow covered was not shrinking. Instead, it was expanding and thickening. Only where the light was fiercest did a few cracks appear.
There were very few of these cracks, but they ran through the entire plain, dividing the snow into several dozen sections.
Was this the place?
It was.
He quietly and happily gazed at the snowy plain.
This snow was not actually snow, but crystals condensed from star radiance.
He could cultivate.
The star radiance was all here.
What should he do next?
He didn''t take too long to think. This matter didn''t need thinking about, nor was it up to him whether he could think about it or not.
In the instant he confirmed that this snow was star radiance, the small world also sensed it.
To observe and then draw a conclusion was to touch upon something.
To travel from the sky from the ground, to cross a distance of tens of thousands of li or that of a single finger, his spiritual sense needed only a moment''s thought.
His spiritual sense fell in the southeast corner of the snowy plain on a section of the snow that was slowly beginning to drift away.
His strand of spiritual sense was just like a torch landing in a mountain of dry leaves.
The crystals formed of star radiance instantly began to release limitless light and then fiercely burn.
There was no sound or smoke, only an explosive flame.
This small section of the snowy plain was still several thousand qing in area, yet it only took an instant after the spiritual sense descended for this part of the snowy plain to be set completely ablaze.
(TN: A ''qing'' is a Chinese measurement of area equivalent to about 16 acres or 6 hectares.)
Clean and transparent flames carrying a boundless heat seared the sky.
On one side the crystals blazed while on the other they melted into something akin to lava which slowly flowed in all directions. It didn''t take long before this stream of lava spread to the edge of the snowy plain and touched the wasteland. This lava was the essence of star radiance and contained an unimaginable power. It exuded a bright red light that seemed particularly horrifying. Everything it passed, whether grass or rock, began to burn.
The lava flowed into the ruptured cliffs, and the cliffs began to burn.
It poured into the shattered earth veins and the underground began to burn.
The entirety of this small world began to burn.
...
...
A sudden warmth appeared in the cold and lonely cavern.
The Black Dragon gazed at Chen Changsheng as he meditated, saw the snow on his body instantly melt, and the indifference in its eyes was replaced by a tinge of astonishment.
Immediately after, its eyes became extremely grave.
Chen Changsheng''s face became completely red, the breath coming from his mouth and nose instantly turning into white steam upon colliding with the cold air.
The snow fell on his body and then swiftly vaporized, enveloping his entire body in steam.
Just how high was his body temperature?
The Black Dragon showed concern in its eyes and gently blew at him.
Dragon breath speckled with shards of ice fell on Chen Changsheng''s body.
For just an instant, Chen Changsheng''s body was covered in a transparent armor of ice.
Yet soon after, this armor of ice cracked, melted, vaporized!
Chen Changsheng''s face was becoming redder and redder, his body becoming hotter and hotter. The veins on his neck thickened and then bulged. Soon after, more and more veins began to thicken and bulge from his skin. This dense network of blue veins was a horrifying sight, and blood could faintly be seen swiftly flowing through them.
Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump. The silence of the underground cavern was broken by this drumbeat of a sound. It washis heartbeat.
His heart was quickly beating, his blood swiftly flowing. His clothes were instantly soaked and then steamed dry.
His body had already made many automatic responses to resolve his current difficulties.
But at this moment, the true essence converted from star radiance was currently running free through his body. Without having undergone Purification, how could his body last?
And this wasn''t even considering that his meridians were innately broken and thus able to hold much less true essence than normal, making his situation even more dangerous.
Chen Changsheng''s eyes were tightly closed, the veins at the corners of his eyes pulsing. His forehead was furrowed extremely tight, making it seem like he was in great pain.
He had jumped past Purification to directly enter Meditation because he wanted to see if the star radiance was there or not. Only this way could he calm his heart, as otherwise he would be completely unwilling to just give up on the Grand Examination.
Now he saw the snowy plain, the star radiance began to burn and convert into true essence, and he was about to die, so was his heart satisfied now?
As it looked at the suffering youth, the Black Dragon revealed pity in its eyes, but it did nothing.
125 Stainless
The Black Dragon did not do anything because it was well aware that it could not save Chen Changsheng. Even its royal father would not be able to save this youth. The process by which the star radiance of the natural world became the true essence of a cultivator''s world, and also the following flow of true essence throughout the body, had very high requirements with regards to the toughness of a cultivator''s body. Chen Changsheng had not cultivated, so his muscles, bones, and organs were all too weak and were simply unable to bear it. True essence was currently exploding outward from his body, innumerable tiny and sharp knives cutting at his body. Even the Ethereal Palace was destroyed in an instant, so who could save him?
Chen Changsheng''s face was getting redder and redder, not a healthy sort of red, but a terrifying one. His body was enveloped in scalding steam and he seemed in excruciating pain, his brow tightly furrowed and his face twisted. With a pop, the bulging vein at the corner of his eye burst under the pressure.
Blood spurted from his face like a flower, steaming as it shot off into the cold air. It was almost instantly frozen into crystals that clattered to the ground like coral. Soon after, more and more veins on his body began to burst, several dozen spurts of blood shooting out of his body with scalding heat, slightly warming the cold space before swiftly being frozen.
More and more red coral-like objects began to appear around Chen Changsheng. It was very beautiful, yet equally gory.
Once the veins burst, what followed right after was the skin, then the muscles. Blood was pouring out of every part of his body, and a bone could occasionally be glimpsed. He still kept his eyes closed despite his suffering, yet he could no longer keep his sitting posture. He collapsed to the ground and began to twitch. The entire process was a sight too terrifying to watch, one of absolute horror.
The Black Dragon raised its right foreclaw to cover its eyes, unable to watch this sight, and felt a profound regret. This rather decent human youth had just died like this and would be unable to help it with completing that matter. It could have stopped all of this, but Chen Changsheng himself had chosen death, and out of thanks for the roast lamb, it had respected his choice and not involved itself.
At this moment, the Black Dragon ceased thinking about escape, ceased thinking about its centuries of solitude and its oncoming repetition. It only silently prayed, hoping that Chen Changsheng''s death could come just a little faster so that he did not need to endure so much pain. When pain could just end a little faster, that was called joy, and only this way could it match with Chen Changsheng''s courage to calmly face his death.
(TN: The Chinese term for joy used here is ʹ, which is made up of the words ''ʹ'' and '''', which mean ''pain'' and ''quickly''/''pleasant'' respectively.)
This underground cavern was cold as winter year round and the ground was covered in snow and ice. Chen Changsheng lay collapsed on the ground, his flesh bursting and his bones breaking, his scalding blood hissing onto the frigid ice and instantly creating a cloud of steam. The star radiance in his body burned so fiercely that even his blood began to boil.
Just like that medical case recorded in the appendix to the ''Four Classics of Meditation'', if he had not spent tonight in this cold underground space, perhaps Chen Changsheng''s final end would have been death through combustion. At present, thanks to the bitter cold brought about by the Black Dragon, he did not burn, but he had done nothing more than switch to a more beautiful method of death.
Time slowly passed.
After quite a while, the Black Dragon put down its right foreclaw, intending to mourn for Chen Changsheng''s death. After all, this human youth was the first person it had truly gotten to know in its centuries of imprisonment.
When it thought about this, it decided that even if Chen Changsheng''s corpse had become a repulsive pile of cooked flesh, it would still hold its nose and bury him.
When the Black Dragon turned to the center of the ground covered in bloody coral, its eyes instantly constricted, boundless shock surging in the abyss of its eyes.
Steam still wafted off the ground and the blood in the ice was still boiling, not swiftly cooling because of Chen Changsheng''s death.
BecauseChen Changsheng was still alive!
Why was he not dead yet? How could he not have died?!
Of course, the Black Dragon did not wish for him to die, but it was still stunned at the sight before it. This sight already surpassed the understanding the Dragon race held about this worldand anyone knew that the Dragon race had the most extensive understanding of this world.
When star radiance blazed out from the body, everything from the heart to the skin would be destroyed. This was an unstoppable and irreversible process. Why was he still alive?
The Black Dragon suppressed the shock and inexplicable fear in its heart and slowly drifted over.
As its massive body moved, a cold wind stirred in the cavern.
This wind blew about the bloody coral on the floor, blew away the steam produced by the boiling blood, blew away the bloody foam covering the horrific wounds on Chen Changsheng''s body, revealing the scene within.
The explosion of star radiance had truly exploded from the inside out. The majority of his organs had been heavily damaged.
But in his chest, there was still something forcefully beating!
His heart was still vigorously beating!
The Black Dragon''s pupils constricted.
It naturally knew what a human heart looked like.
But it had never seen such a clean and beautiful heart.
The blood on the heart''s surface would be jolted off with each beat, revealing the heart''s original appearance.
It was a clean, pink heart, seemingly made of colored glass. It gave off no repulsive feeling and looked more like a fruit that had been washed in a stream for a very long time.
The Black Dragon was stunned as ifit had seen a Bone Dragon in a desert.
Chen Changsheng''s flesh, skin, and even bones had all been destroyed and as time passed, that star radiance was still blazing, his body was constantly festering. So how was his body still functioning? What was this heart made of? It was actually completely undamaged!
The Black Dragon''s gaze fell on the scattered blood coral and the steaming blood, finding things stranger and stranger. It was clearly a scene of mangled flesh and blood, yet the sight did not stir any disgust in ittruly noble existences like dragons had never regarded other intelligent beings as foodand that blood did not seem like blood, but something else.
Yes, it was like coral or colored glass, clean and transparent.
The Black Dragon turned again to Chen Changsheng''s heart, faintly seeming to understand something.
Purification by starlight washed one''s body of filth, leaving behind cleanliness. Purification was a matter that cultivators did throughout their lives to pursue the highest realm: Stainless.
Chen Changsheng''s body was very special with many aspects about it that didn''t make sense, such as nine severed meridians. Then perhaps his flesh and bones were also different from the rest, perhaps evennaturally stainless. Even if he were to gain a few impurities on the following day from breathing or eating, it would be an extremely tiny amount, so when he began drawing in starlight for Purification, only an instant would be needed to complete the process.
Then what could the starlight still purify?
When starlight fell on a colored object, it could display its color, but when it fell on something absolutely transparent, what sort of color could it show?
To be transparent was to have no color.
The starlight would naturally not stop.
From spring until now, the starlight that Chen Changsheng had taken in every night for Purification had not been used on his hair and skin, nor had it effected any change to his flesh or bones. Instead, it had directly entered his body, following along the connection between the greater world and smaller world, and arrived outside his Ethereal Palace.
At the end of a winding path was a quiet and secluded place, a palace.
This was the Ethereal Palace.
126 Red Makeup
The Ethereal Palace was the heart.
All the starlight Chen Changsheng had gathered over these many nights had fallen around the Ethereal Palace, gradually and silently accumulating.
Upon understanding this point, the Black Dragon displayed even more shock in its eyes.
Chen Changsheng had drawn in starlight for Purification every night yet had gained no result, ultimately forcing him to resolve himself into taking such a massive risk and attempting Meditative Introspection in advance. However, he was completely unaware that all the starlight he drew in every night had penetrated through his body and fallen outside his Ethereal Palace, lightly knocking on its door every night.
He was not at Purification, but had directly passed Meditation and was in Ethereal Opening!
Just how many nights had it been since he had first lit up his Fated Star?
The Black Dragon stared at the youth collapsed in blood whose breath was about to stop, finding itself so nervous that it almost forgot to breathe.
...
...
Ever since the Heavenly Tomes descended upon the world, there had never been anyone who cultivated like Chen Changsheng. This was because very few people had his stainless constitution, and there were also very few people who lived under the shadow of death every night and who possessed an unimaginable perseverance and will. Even if someone did possess all these straits, those people did not have his sort of good luck.
Without luck, he would still die. Even if he directly leapt past the two realms of Purification and Meditation, and succeeded in entering Ethereal Opening, he would still die. There could be no mistake with the cultivation realms that had been developed through the sum knowledge of humanity. It was simply impossible to leap past cultivation realms, and a cultivator who had not succeeded at Purification would never be able to withstand the energy released when star radiance converted into true essence.
Chen Changsheng''s heart was still forcefully beating, but less and less blood was coming out of those burst veins. With his tightly closed eyes and his pale face, he looked like a corpse.
The Black Dragon silently stared at him, its eyes a turmoil of emotions: struggle, hesitation, unwillingness.
It knew that it was Chen Changsheng''s good luck.
Chen Changsheng was on the verge of death, and not even the rarest of panaceas could save him now. Not even the personal appearance of a Saint like the Pope would be able to save him, but the Black Dragon could.
In the entire world, only one method existed to save Chen Changsheng.
The Black Dragon hesitated and struggled for a very long time. When it thought about its bitter encounter with humanity that had led it to being imprisoned for several centuries, it truly wished to turn and leave and wait for Chen Changsheng to die.
For just a human youth, it had to pay such a great price?
Butit had not been easy for him to finally gain this chance at life.
In addition, it still needed him to help it with something.
In addition, he really was the first person it had truly gotten to know in the past several hundred years.
Perhaps his one chance at life was also its own one chance at life?
The Black Dragon silently thought, yet it failed to sense that it was truthfully just seeking an excuse for it to save this human youth.
After some time, it finally made a decision.
The Black Dragon floated in front of Chen Changsheng and let out a deep roar. With this roar, a scale between the dragon''s eyes gleamed.
It raised its right foreclaw and slowly approached this scale.
Squelch.
This dragonscale broke.
Blood gushed out of this small wound.
It was the true blood of the dragon.
Splash.
The dragon''s blood poured down from the dark air and fell on the ground, drenching Chen Changsheng''s entire body.
...
...
It was just a simple action, but it seemed to consume all of the Black Dragon''s strength. This amount of dragon blood was sufficient to immerse Chen Changsheng''s entire body, but compared to the massive size of the dragon''s body, it wasn''t much at all. Yet for some reason, it quickly weakened.
The Black Dragon slowly descended to the ground, its whisker lifelessly drifting in the air. Then, the slightly twisted and massive body of the dragon became utterly devoid of vitality, transforming into a silently sleeping mountain range.
Soon after, an incredibly mystical event took place.
Dragonscales scraped against the icy ground, rustling like the crumbling of metal or stone.
The Black Dragon was slowly getting shorter! Slowly getting smaller!
The sleeping black mountain range was gradually becoming a mountain ridge!
The Black Dragon continued to shrink!
The mountain ridge transformed into a small protrusion on the ground.
Those scales covered in frost and dust became an old and black-colored dress!
After a moment, a hand slowly emerged from the dress, a white and tender hand.
This hand fell on the ground and slightly pushed, propping her body off the ground.
Under the black dress was a little girl.
A very beautiful girl.
The little girl''s face was frigid, its pupils two slits. She was naturally enchanting and although she was very young, she gave off a feeling of extreme callousness.
Between her eyes was a red line, as if something was broken there.
It was a wound that was very difficult to heal, but it was very beautiful, just like the sort of makeup that was very popular in the capital of the Great Zhou several centuries ago.
She was not able to stand up, as she was currently very weak and exhausted, but also because two thin chains were tied to her ankles.
These chains were covered in rust and extended into the darkness, to be held in the death grip of the portraits of those two legendary Divine Generals on the stone wall.
She gazed at Chen Changsheng amongst the blood and said with a grim expression, "If you betray me, I will overcome my disgust and eat you."
She spoke with great indifference and composure, but also with great certainty.
She spoke in human language, her voice melodious and pleasant to hear, a good match for her young and tender appearance. She looked in every way like a little girl.
In reality, in terms of human age, she just so happened to be thirteen or fourteen.
...
...
Chen Changsheng''s wrecked body was covered in blood.
But now it was not clear which was his own blood and which was the dragon''s.
He was soaked in her blood.
The true blood of the dragon was slowly repairing his body.
Those burst veins were visibly closing back together. The tattered skin was slowly becoming smooth once more under the light of the Night Pearls. As for the snapped bones and damaged internal organs, they naturally required more time, but it was evident that all of it was taking a turn for the better.
His face was still pale, but his breathing was gradually stabilizing.
The black-clothed girl stared at him, stared for a very long time.
Only after this long period of time could she confirm that Chen Changsheng would live, that her drop of precious dragon blood had not been wasted. She could no longer support her weak body, and fell into an exhausted sleep.
Chen Changsheng slept across from her in the pool of blood.
The two lay in the cold space, sleeping across from each other.
Steam slowly drifted about while pieces of bloody coral lay scattered across the floor.
It was all blood, yet it seemed like a scene from the paradise that was the Divine Kingdom.
...
...
Wind and snow covered the sky, and this place just outside the Imperial Palace was quiet and deserted.
Two Snow Mastiffs gleefully played in the snow, pouncing at each other. Only the cold light flashing through their eyes could make people remember just how savage and terrifying these beings were.
The palace maid held their leashes and stood on the side, looking bored to death. A snowflake drifted past her face, upon which a hint of red makeup could still be seen in the center of her brow. Unexpectedly, it was Mo Yu. She had originally been a palace maid, and if she had not been recognized by the Divine Empress, her only fate as the descendant of a criminal official would be to suffer in some remote and cold palace until she died.
A figure gradually appeared in the snow and Mo Yu smiled as she walked forward to welcome it.
The Divine Empress paid no attention to those prostrate Snow Mastiffs expressing their humility and fear, and walked expressionlessly to the well.
After a moment, her eyebrows slightly rose and she felt rather speechless. He had still managed to survive in this state?
127 Wondrous Changes
The thick and endless snow silently descended. All was silent around the well. The trees of New North Bridge had shed all their leaves, the snow-bearing branches looking just like sentinels wielding spears. The Divine Empress, her hands held behind her, gazed in the direction of the distant Orthodox Academy. After a period of silence, she asked, "The Grand Examination is about to begin. What are your thoughts?"
"His Holiness the Pope complied with Empress''s will and brought Princess Luoluo into the Education Palace, and has since displayed no other stance."
Mo Yu gazed at the Empress''s profile and softly said, "In truth, my view is that the simplest method is to just kill Chen Changsheng, ridding ourselves of many troubles."
After the Divine Empress made her stance known, no one dared to stir up any disturbance over the Orthodox Academy. However, Mo Yu did not think that the Empress wished to display her open-minded temperament through this matter, but wanted those people hidden behind the Orthodox Academy to stand up. The Empress understood everything in the world, and she only posed this question to Mo Yu presumably because she wanted to know her stance. Thus, Mo Yu''s stance had to be sufficiently firm.
To her surprise, the Divine Empress did not show any satisfaction at her cold and resolute stance. On the contrary, her lips perked upward into a mocking smile. "How dull is this way of doing things? What''s more, if he''s killed, how can you peacefully sleep? After all, the scent on the pillow and bedding will eventually disperse."
Mo Yu became somewhat panicked at these words, thinking to herself, how do I explain this matter?
The Divine Empress did not give her a chance to explain. She turned to look at Mo Yu, a smirk on her face. "On the night of the Ivy Festival, it was you that confined him within the Tong Palace?"
Mo Yu suddenly found that the cold today pierced into her bones. Not daring to show the slightest hesitation, she replied, "Yes."
The Divine Empress no longer looked towards the well as she noted, "That is a good place."
Mo Yu did not dare to say any more. She respectfully and humbly lowered her head, took the Empress''s hand, and began walking towards the Imperial Palace.
She had imprisoned Chen Changsheng in the Tong Palace during the night of the Ivy Festival at the request of some powerful individual. As for how Chen Changsheng was able to escape, and whether or not he had truly descended to the bottom of the cold pond and encountered that taboo, Mo Yu had no idea, nor did she dare to find out. Regardless, it was all because of her.
The Empress did not say whether she was pleased or displeased by Mo Yu''s arrangements, but since she had mentioned it, it was a warning.
All of the Great Zhou Dynasty knew that Mo Yu was the world''s second most powerful woman, possessing unimaginable glory and wealth, and power that reached to the heavens. She might occasionally dab a bit of red makeup on her brow, thus causing that fad that had remained dormant for centuries to rise up once more, but she was well aware that all this had been granted, consented to, by the Empress.
Once the Empress began to doubt her, she would lose everything and die without a grave.
The snowstorm today was truly very cold. The fingers of the hand supporting the Empress were rather white, and her lips were deathly pale, utterly devoid of blood.
...
...
Chen Changsheng awoke on his bed in the Orthodox Academy.
His face was incredibly pale, as were his lips, both lacking the hue of blood.
But his body was covered all over in blood, from his shoulders to his chest to even beneath his fingernails. All of it was encrusted in dried blood. Against the snow-white sheets, it presented a particularly striking and terrifying picture.
He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling in silence. Only after five breaths had passed and his breathing had gradually stabilized did he slowly turn over, his left hand gripping the edge of the bed as he slowly sat up.
He sat on the side of the bed for five more breaths, waiting for his heartbeat to gradually normalize before rising and walking to the mirror.
He stared at the blood-covered youth in the mirror for a very long time.
He was still alive, a truly fine feeling.
He had taken a stroll around the edge of death and then returned to the world of humans, a truly excellent feeling.
He could not clearly remember what had taken place in the underground cavern, only that once the star radiance began to burn, his spiritual sense descended into an abyss. Within this abyss was nothing but blazing flames, scorching smoke, horrifying tears, unbearable pain, and also despair.
He felt like he had been in a dream, but he knew that all of it was real. He was still somewhat absent-minded, subconsciously raising his sleeve and smelling it. His clothes were stained in blood, and although he could not smell any of its pungent scent, it was still a difficult state to bear for someone who loved cleanliness like him.
He thought that this blood was all his, but this did not make the sight any more endurable. Thus, he took a bath, washing himself many times before finally being able to conclude that all the blood had been washed away. He took a large towel and wiped off any remnants of water, then walked in front of the mirror, intending to open the window and let a little of the clean winter air inside.
Upon walking in front of the large mirror, he suddenly stopped and examined his reflection.
In the mirror, the naked upper half of the youth looked very ordinary. However, he discovered a few unusual aspects.
In this world, there were very few people like him who had a deep understanding of their own bodies. Because of his illness, he had always paid particular attention to all aspects of it. He remembered very clearly that there should have been a scar on his left arm caused when his senior brother had a slip of the hand while performing moxibustion. Now, however, this scar had vanished, leaving the skin on his left arm completely smooth.
Only now did he notice that his skin had become much smoother, similar to a newborn infant''s. What confused him even more was that he had clearly suffered grievous wounds, yet he could find no scar on his body. Even his old scars had disappeared, down to the smallest scratch.
Was this possibly Purification? When that star radiance that he had absorbed from that distant Fated Star from spring until now transformed into true essence, did a part of it also help him succeed with Purification?
He did not experience any ecstasy over the fulfillment of his long-cherished desire. He was at the moment greatly puzzled, still in an absent-minded daze.
He stared at the youth in the mirror, his brow furrowed in thought.
Thought was the best action for calming oneself down and rousing oneself from a daze. He gradually became more clear-headed and began to recall more and more. Only at the end did he finally recall that before he fell unconscious, he should have been in the cold underground cavern in front of Senior Black Dragon. How was it that by the time he awakened, he was back at the Orthodox Academy?
He gazed at the damp towel and rubbed it with his hands, confirming that the moisture was real.
He walked to the window and looked towards the walls of the Imperial Palace in the forest''s depths, thinking to himself, that pool is where I come out of the underground cavern. If it wasn''t the Black Goat thinking of some way to bring me back to the Orthodox Academy, the only other possibility is the middle-aged woman. Just who is she?
Just what happened down there? Why am I still alive? Could it be that I truly succeeded in Purification?
He stood in silence by the window for a very long time before finally making a decision. He returned to his bed, stripped it of bedding, and sat cross-legged upon it. Closing his eyes, he entered Meditative Introspection.
That abyss of flames and despair had arisen from his Meditative Introspection. He had survived, but now he plunged straight back into Meditative Introspection. True, living was an extremely important matter to him, but he could not live a confused life. He needed to understand just what his current situation was.
His spiritual sense entered his body and once more began to roam. However, with his experience, his roaming was no longer an aimless survey, but more like a patrol around his territory. It did not take long for his spiritual sense to reach that vast plain of snow. High up in the sky, he looked down.
While his eyes were closed, his eyelashes gently fluttered, his face pale as snow.
He was very nervous, concerned that his spiritual sense would do the same thing as before, descending to the snowy plains and igniting a horrifying wildfire.
Even someone with as unswerving a will as him had no desire to experience that sort of pain again.
Fortunately, this time, his spiritual sense did not descend, nor did anything else unforeseen occur.
The vast plain of snow remained a vast plain of snow. His spiritual sense noticed that a corner of this plain was burning away, transforming into dozens of tiny little streams that flowed south, moistening the desolate wastes on their journey. However, the thinness of these streams and the cracked mountain ranges meant that the streams could not form into a river system.
Those thin streams should be true essence. Due to the special circumstances of his meridians, it was impossible for these streams to connect in the same way as normal cultivators, so this true essence could only exist in a small area.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and began to think.
On the surface, his present circumstances were rather similar to Luoluo''s, but there was actually a large difference.
Luoluo''s body was brimming with an excessive amount of true essence, but because the meridians of demi-humans were different from humans, being much simpler, it was very difficult to cultivate in human methods. The quantity of true essence he possessed was pitifully small and all his meridians were severed, making it even more difficult to cultivate. But there were a few areas of overlap between the two.
With regards to the problem of his meridians, he had spent years considering this problem, thus allowing him to resolve Luoluo''s difficulties in the short span of a few months. Moreover, in the process of addressing Luoluo''s problem, he had also been making preparations to address his own problems. He had long since made arrangements as to how he should cultivate.
Yes, there was truly little true essence in his body and his meridians really were all ruptured, but this did not mean that he was unable to cultivate.
He walked to the window, his eyes fixed upon that conspicuous cloud pine growing by the lake. After adjusting his breath for a few moments, he gripped the hilt of his dagger.
With a zing, the dagger left its sheath, and an incorporeal sword intent left the second-floor window and shot towards that tree.
The first stance of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong: Rising Flurry.
However, he did not move his true essence according to the method of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but used the imitated method he taught to Luoluo.
This was Chen Changsheng''s first time using true essence. From this moment onward, he began to consider himself a cultivator, a practitioner of the Dao.
Anyone else who had experienced what he had experienced might be overcome with joy, so moved that tears would begin to roll down their face, but he was not. Just like when he confirmed that his true essence was flowing through his body just now, he was so calm that he seemed less like a fifteen-year-old youth than a five-hundred-year-old senior cultivator.
Cultivation had never been his goal, only his method. He had also imagined this present scene countless times, thinking of it so much that he had grown numb to the sight.
As the sword intent tore through the air, his face instantly paled and he groaned in pain.
The distant cloud pine was not even touched, but the stone balcony beyond the window cracked, shooting several stone fragments like arrows into the room. With several thumps, they shot into the walls while one of them struck him on the left arm.
There were still a few problems when using the method he taught to Luoluo. He had to find a new route. This was truly no easy task.
Chen Changsheng shook his head and examined his body, preparing to take out some medicinal powder and bandage his left arm.
Although his true essence was feeble, making it difficult to display the true might of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, it had still been a strike powered by true essence. Those stone fragments were no less powerful than ordinary arrows. They were able to penetrate deeply into the wall, so they were naturally able to injure his left arm.
I should be more careful in the future, he cautioned himself.
Then he realized that his left arm wasn''t even injured, not even a single hair harmed.
128 Ten Thousand Strings of Cash Wrapped Around the Waist I
He wasn''t injured? Chen Changsheng was rather shocked, unable to understand why this was the case. Even if it was as he conjectured, and the star radiance had also put his body through Purification while being converted into true essence, it could not have toughened his body to such an astonishing extent. It must be known that this stone had carried no small amount of lethal power.
He extended his hand out the window and borrowed the light reflected off the snow to carefully examine his hand. Although he had been very calm earlier, the fact of true essence flowing through his body had taken up his complete attention. Only now did he begin to truly scrutinize his body.
After a few moments, his eyebrows slightly rose. Besides his skin being tighter and whiter than before, there was no perceptible difference. However, after putting his complete attention on his body, he had this faint sensation there was something more in his body, some kind of strength or Qi.
He walked up to the mirror and noticed a hairpin. This hairpin had probably been dropped by Mo Yu a few days ago. He raised the hairpin, examined its sharp end, thought, and then stabbed it without hesitation into his arm. He could vividly sense the sharpness of the pin, sense it touch against his skin, but the prick of pain was incredibly weak. There was no woundthe sharp end of the hairpin had left not a single mark.
As he gradually increased his strength, the pain caused by the hairpin became increasingly distinct, but it still could not pierce through his skin. His skin had seemingly gone through some magical transformation. It continued to sink downward under the pressure of the hairpin but never once showed signs of breaking, like a lotus leaf bearing the weight of a dewdrop.
Chen Changsheng put down the hairpin and tried with his dagger.
After a moment, he gazed at the clear but narrow line of blood on his left arm, once more confirming for himself that his body had gone through some mysterious and magical change. It had grown much tougher, so tough that even the most perfect of Purifications described in the Daoist Canon might not have been able to obtain such results.
Just what had happened? He could only ask this question to Senior Black Dragon. Chen Changsheng felt that strength, that Qi, flowing through his body and found it impossible to further suppress his confusion. He also found it impossible to suppress sudden energy vigorously running through his body. He put on his clothes and shoes as quickly as possible and then leaped out of the window.
His shoes crushed through the snow and flattened the dead grass. As he steadied, he appeared rather bewildered. His room was on the second floor and was not too far from the ground. Even when he was just relying on the body strengthened through the broths and tempering of his teacher and senior, he would not be injured from jumping down, but it would never have been so easily, so agilely accomplished.
He fell silent, looking through his warm puffs of breath and the frigid lake through the forest. He wanted to try.
His knees slightly bent, then he put his strength into his waist, and jumped.
Whoosh!
A small hole appeared in the snow in front of the house. Snowflakes and bits of grass fluttered about.
Chen Changsheng''s body had vanished.
Immediately after, he appeared several dozen zhang away by the lake.
A cold wind blew and fallen leaves stirred.
His expression was still somewhat bewildered, his complexion slightly pale.
He had never once imagined that he could ever be so fast.
All this had come from his strength, which had suddenly increased by leaps and bounds, and his body, which had suddenly toughened by leaps and bounds.
Where had this strength come from?
Was this truly a result of Purification?
It seemed that Purification was the only explanation, but it was an explanation he found very difficult to believe.
When he thought of that strange mental sensation he had felt when he had been washing off that dried blood, he inexplicably grew uneasy.
He jumped over the wall and departed the Orthodox Academy, borrowing the cover of the snowstorm to return once more to New North Bridge.
The snow was still coming down, the mantle on the ground still thick.
The footsteps of the two humans and two Snow Mastiffs had long since been concealed.
He looked around and confirmed that no one was paying attention, that the distant soldiers were in the middle of changing guards, and leapt into the abandoned well.
With a thump, his feet landed on solid ground, much to his astonishment.
He had already mentally prepared himself to fall for a very long time. He had not expected to hit the ground as soon as he jumped.
This abandoned well originally had no bottom. Beneath it should have been an almost abyssal darkness through which he could have fallen until he descended in front of the Black Dragon.
Now, the well had a bottom formed of firm yellow soil covered in a thin layer of snow.
He raised his head to the mouth of the well. A snowflake drifted down, causing his eyes to squint.
He crouched down and measured the thickness of the snow layer. He confirmed that this well had not even been sealed for half a day.
...
...
"You aren''t doing this, right?
Tang Thirty-Six snatched the kitchen knife from Chen Changsheng''s hands and looked him in the eye.
In recent days, it had become Chen Changsheng''s turn to cook. Tang Thirty-Six disliked his cooking, feeling that it was even more tasteless than Xuanyuan Po''s. He had just been about to remind Chen Changsheng that when making pickled peppers and fried meat, putting in the pickled peppers was a requirement, when he happened to see Chen Changsheng prepared to bring the kitchen knife down on his own fingers.
Chen Changsheng knew that something had been misunderstood here and asked, "What sort of person do you think I am?"
What sort of person? Naturally the sort of person that can''t take the pressure from the outside world anymore and thus attempts to harm themselves in order to avoid any challenge. Or perhaps it was a person that can''t take the pressure from the outside world anymore and has gone funny in the head, taking pleasure from wielding a knife at themselves. Or perhaps it was one of those people that can''t take pressure from the outside world, forgets the kindness their father and mother showed by raising them, and jumps from the upstairs window.
"You truly aren''t one of those idiots, but I''m just worried that you''re hardening your heart and want to cut off a finger to show your will."
Tang Thirty-Six offered him back the kitchen knife and said, "Geniuses like us who have obtained a perfect Purification won''t produce such misunderstandings."
Cultivators who had succeeded in Purification would receive a huge boost to the toughness of their bodies. It wasn''t that they couldn''t use a kitchen knife to hack off one of their fingers, but it would be a much more difficult task.
"Perhaps Purification means you don''t have to be afraid of kitchen knives, but I haven''t seen you helping to cut the vegetables recently." Chen Changsheng took the kitchen knife and continued cutting white radishes.
In these past few days, he had gone to New North Bridge twice and realized that the abandoned well truly had been sealed up. He could only teach himself how to grow accustomed to his changed body. Using a kitchen knife to hack at his own finger was something he had often done. Only by growing used to the toughness and strength of his body could he accurately use this toughness and strength, and to rely on them to fight.
It was very normal for Tang Thirty-Six to be worried about him. After all, the Grand Examination was imminent.
Those people taking part in the Grand Examination had already arrived at the capital from various places of the continent. Countless gazes were looking towards the Orthodox Academy, looking towardsthat Chen Changsheng who had declared that he would assuredly take first rank of the first banner. Although it was the archbishop that had declared this matter to the world and Chen Changsheng himself had never admitted to it, nobody cared about these details.
Xu Yourong''s engagement, the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and this declaration had made Chen Changsheng extremely famous, pushing him to an extremely high status. The problem was, who would serve him? If not for Jin Yulu reclining on his chair, enjoying the snow and drinking hot tea, that dilapidated gate of the Orthodox Academy would already be leveled flat.
One could scarcely imagine the pressure Chen Changsheng was enduring.
"In truth, there''s something I''ve never understood. If the conservative faction of the Orthodox Academy and those ministers still loyal to the Chen Imperial clan want to use the Orthodox Academy''s revival to challenge the Divine Empress''s authority, then compared to you who still haven''t succeeded in Purification, aren''t I a much better choice?"
Tang Thirty-Six said as he took up a cabbage leaf, ladled some rice in, then placed a few peppers and pickled vegetables inside.
Chen Changsheng took the chopped radish and threw it into the bone broth that had already been stewing for quite some time, then said, "A minor character like me might be easier to control."
Tang Thirty-Six took a satisfied bite out of his cabbage wrap, his voice indistinct as he said, "I think it''s about your engagement with Xu Yourong. That''s more important."
The youths of the Orthodox Academy were well aware of each role that they played, otherwise Chen Changsheng wouldn''t have used such a term as ''minor character''. But it was precisely this casual attitude that clearly indicated that they simply didn''t care about any major characters and what they wanted. It had nothing to do with them, and they would just live their own lives, participate in their own Grand Examination, take their own first rank of the first banner.
Chen Changsheng did not tell Tang Thirty-Six about the changes within his body, nor about the star radiance converting into true essence. He found it impossible to imagine suffering through that terrible burning that was worse than death.
That snowy plain was like the age of twenty, a shadow that he could never escape, pressing down on him and making it difficult for him to breathe.
How could he ensure that this snowy plain would not be disturbed? The way was to not disturb it, to not enter Meditative Introspection, or even think about, to completely and utterly forget about it. But it was truly difficult to not think about it whatsoever, especially when he thought about how this snowy plain was completely formed of crystallized star radiance. If this were all converted into true essence, how much would there be?
He sighed, "Being rich is truly a good feeling."
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I don''t feel anything."
Chen Changsheng replied, "That''s because you grew up with far too much money."
"Perhaps." Tang Thirty-Six had to think for a few moments before admitting to this.
Chen Changsheng continued, "But the feeling of having money you are unable to spend is a truly unpleasant feeling."
Tang Thirty-Six said sympathetically, "Truly a child of the countryside. After the Grand Examination concludes, I''ll teach you how to spend money."
...
...
The snowy plain was Chen Changsheng''s ample savings, but it was also a terrifying pile of chaff. A single spark was enough to ignite it. The instant it turned into ashes, it would bring him away from this world.
In this situation, anyone with intelligence would shy away from adding oil or piling on grass, but not Chen Changsheng. He still spent every night in quiet meditation, drawing starlight into his body, his hands gripping the jade essence sent by Luoluo while a pile of crystals gifted by the Wenshui Tangs sat at his side. His attitude was absolutely fearless.
No one else knew of the situation with his body, so they would naturally feel rather differently about this sight. Tang Thirty-Six''s admiration towards him was already at its peak, as he thought, anyone who failed to succeed in Purification after such a long time would have given up, but this guy still persists. His will is truly astonishing.
Admiration was just admiration. He had already given up any hope that Chen Changsheng would take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination.
The most optimistic of people would think the same.
So Tang Thirty-Sixbecame abnormally diligent.
The assessment of the Proclamation of Azure Sky and Chen Changsheng''s example were reasons enough for Tang Thirty-Six to be diligent, but there was an even more important reason. If Chen Changsheng could not take first rank of the first banner, he was doomed to become the laughingstock of the populace. As Chen Changsheng''s friend and a student of the Orthodox Academy, Tang Thirty-Six had to do something.
Xuanyuan Po was similarly diligent. His right arm had recovered, and with Chen Changsheng''s instruction, he was cultivating with a certain method. His strength was growing by leaps and bounds, his energy seemingly limitless. Thus, a great calamity was visited on the great banyan tree by the lake and the hard gray stones of the academy were constantly fractured like the ice on the lake.
This calm school life was disrupted one early morning by a carriage.
At the time, Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po were bickering while Chen Changsheng was walking in the snow and mumbling to himself, seeming to be reciting something.
(TN: Ancient Chinese coins had holes in the middle, so you could tie them on a string, usually termed in English as a ''string of cash''. If you had so many coins that you could have ten thousand strings of cash, you would be ostentatiously rich. Of course, tying them all around your waist would probably break it.)
129 Ten Thousand Strings of Cash Wrapped Around the Waist II
The following conversation took place by the lake.
Tang Thirty-Six could faintly see iron-like black hairs on Xuanyuan Po''s right arm and asked, "Black bear?"
Xuanyuan Po glanced at him and knew that this question had been asked without malice. He replied, "Bear."
Tang Thirty-Six went, "Oh, it really is a black bear."
(TN: ''Black bear'' can also mean ''coward''.)
Xuanyuan Po seriously pondered the difference between a black bear and a bear and confirmed that he was being made fun of. He noted, "Tang Thirty-Two, you are not a good person."
Tang Thirty-Six''s face turned somewhat unsightly. "I said before, don''t call me Tang Thirty-Two."
Xuanyuan Po was very stubborn. "Tang Thirty-Two, didn''t you say that we should call you whatever rank of the Proclamation of Azure Sky you were?"
"That was for the sake of motivating myself."
Tang Thirty-Six explained, at the same resolving himself to put everything on the line for the Grand Examination so that he could enter the top ten when the Proclamation of Azure Sky was next revised.
Xuanyuan Po said, "You also don''t like the name Tang Tang."
Tang Thirty-Six explained, "It''s too much like a girl''s name."
Xuanyuan Po''s gaze fell on Tang Thirty-Six''s chest and said, "If you weren''t too flat, a person with such a sharp and unkind mouth as yours would truly be easily mistaken for a woman."
After saying this, he carried the half of a tree that he had chopped down and walked to the kitchen, paying no more attention to Tang Thirty-Six.
This boring conversation had ultimately been won by the demi-human youth.
As they were conversing, Chen Changsheng was swiftly walking in the nearby snow.
He walked very quickly, his course followed by a cold wind. He was naturally not taking a stroll, nor was he walking off his meal. He was cultivating. Although he had inexplicably crossed the pass of Purification, and true essence had begun to flow through his body, the problem of his meridians had still not been addressed. Fortunately, he had long since made preparations for this, and the progress that Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po had made was proof that his thinking was correct.
The difficulty lay in the fact that the amount of true essence he possessed was truly too small, and he did not dare risk setting ablaze the snowy plain again right before the Grand Examination. If he wanted to attain any sort of accomplishment in it, he needed to think of another way, like fully using the wondrous changes that had occurred in his body: he now possessed a strength greater than that of an ordinary demi-human, possessed an unimaginable speed and toughness.
In the end, he decided to place his hopes onto movement techniques, so he decided to continue his research on the Yeshi Step.
The Yeshi Step was a demon secret that was never transmitted to outsiders. He had gained some understanding of it through his reading of the Daoist Canon and could recite its several thousand positions. He had even taught Luoluo a simplified version of it that had shocked the entire audience during the fight with Guan Feibai. However, Guan Feibai''s sword had not been carrying true essence at that time. If he wanted to defeat such cultivators during the Grand Examination, the simplified Yeshi Step was far from enough.
The snowy ground was covered all over in his footprints. While they were still not covered by the snow, they formed all sorts of patterns, some simple and others complex. If the clouds in the sky were to disperse and people were to gaze up at the starry sky, they would probably be able to find the connection between these patterns and the multitudes of stars.
It was right at this moment that a carriage from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education entered the Orthodox Academy. Priest Xin had come to pay a visit.
Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six were somewhat surprised. The application procedures for the Grand Examination had been completed a long time ago, all of it handled by Priest Xin. The Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had even secretly sent the information for all the other applicants to the Orthodox Academy. Logically speaking, everything that should be done had been done and the Grand Examination was about to begin. What was he coming to the Orthodox Academy for? Was he not afraid of provoking criticism?
Jin Yulu, holding his teapot, shook his head at the two youths, thinking to himself, truly such good children, not even able to understand a matter like this.
Priest Xin''s stated purpose was that there had been an omission in the application and Chen Changsheng needed to take out the register and seal to confirm things once more.
After this matter was settled, Priest Xin did not immediately leave.
Chen Changsheng had Xuanyuan Po bring up a cup of good tea to express their gratitude.
Priest Xin took the tea, but did not drink it. He walked out of the library and stood in the snow next to the lake, gazing at the shore on the other side. He suddenly said, "Reaching the other shore truly requires a supreme intelligence."
Upon finishing this melancholy statement, he returned the teacup to Xuanyuan Po''s hands, smiled at the youths, then boarded his carriage and left the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng and the other two were truly quite confused, mystified as to what Priest Xin had intended with this scene.
''Other shore'' was a phrase belonging to Buddhism, but the Buddhist faith had faded into nothingness ages ago and was rarely mentioned by others. Was this sentence of Priest Xin''s a pure sigh of melancholy, or was there some deeper meaning? (TN: ''Other shore'' can also refer to the Buddhist concept of paramita, meaning perfection.)
"This guy, when did he suddenly take a liking to voicing his deepest thought?" Tang Thirty-Six asked.
Jin Yulu could no longer restrain himself, cursing, "Fool, you can''t even tell that he''s so obviously leaking the questions to the test?"
"Eh?" Xuanyuan Po gaped, thinking to himself, where are the questions?
Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six glanced at each other, thinking, His Reverence''s ways of doing things is truly unreliable. On such an important matter, couldn''t he speak a little more clearly?
The Grand Examination was divided into a literary test, a martial test, and one-on-one matches. All the consideration the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education showed for the Orthodox Academy had basically been for Chen Changsheng''s sake. Based on his specific circumstances, the literary test was not something worthy of concern, and the one-on-one matches relied on strength and had no questions. Thus, the question that Priest Xin had specifically come to divulge would most likely occur during the martial test.
"Crossing a lake?"
Tang Thirty-Six walked to the lake and stood on a rock that had been half-shattered by Xuanyuan Po, gazing at the other shore several dozen zhang away. Somewhat puzzled, he said, "This is very simple."
"It''s pretty difficult for me to cross." Xuanyuan Po then turned around to Chen Changsheng and added, "But to throw a stone across to the other side is very simple."
Chen Changsheng understood what he meant, but did not reply. He fell silent for a while, then said, "I have to think about it."
...
...
The tree that Xuanyuan Po had hacked down was too thick and very difficult to chop into firewood. In a rare sight, Jin Yulu''s interest was piqued. He took the half-tree and set it on fire, then suspended a black deer sent by Luoluo from the Li Palace over the fire. Roasting something like deer and eating it was a domineering act. As oil and fat streamed down from the roasting deer, the Orthodox Academy swiftly became engulfed in the fragrant scent of meat.
Xuanyuan Po stood by the roasting deer, waiting for the meat to cook, his eyes fixed in an unblinking stare. Tang Thirty-Six stood with knife and plate, occasionally gulping in anticipation. Only Chen Changsheng was not by the bonfire. Even though the Grand Examination was soon to begin, he did not relax in the slightest, but strictly continued his routine. How could he possibly eat something as unhealthy as roast deer?
He was still swiftly moving through the snow by the lake, borrowing the memories of his body to make the Yeshi Step an instinct. The question leaked by Priest Xin was not at all difficult for him. At present, he had at least three methods of crossing a lake, but using them would expose his secrets and would harm his chances in the one-on-one matches, so he was still thinking of other methods.
After some time, the deer was done roasting. Xuanyuan Po called across the lake to him and he waved back, indicating that he really didn''t want to eat any of it. He then saw Xuanyuan Po tear at the meat with his arms, Tang Thirty-Six cut at the meat with his knife, and Jin Yulu carry out a pot of good wine that he refused to share with the two youths.
Chen Changsheng shook his head, thinking to himself, what''s so good about wine and meat? But the ox tongue had truly been delicious. As he thought about these insubstantial things, he climbed up the great banyan tree and stood at the tip of one of its thick branches. The snow had stopped, and he stared silently at the white roofs and black eaves of the capital, his hands on his waist, for a very long time.
There was probably a vast plain of snow outside the capital by now.
There was also a vast plain of snow in his own body.
Perhaps right beneath his palms.
That snow plain was entirely made of star radiance. At any moment, it could be converted into an incalculable amount of true essence.
Although he did not dare to touch this star radiance, its existence soothed his mind.
He was just like the wealthy young master who possessed a ridiculous amount of wealth. He only had a few pieces of silver ready to use, yet he did not dare untie the bundle carrying ten thousand taels of silver. A demon was also inside that bundle, and if he untied it, that demon would escape.
A normal person in his situation would probably have gone crazy by now, but he was still very calm.
To have was always better than to lack.
If ten thousand strings of cash were wrapped around his waist, even if he couldn''t spend it, it was still something worth being happy about.
He stood on the tree branch and looked upon the snow-covered capital, his heart happy.
Only the sealing of the well in New North Bridge made him somewhat concerned.
Just then, a white puff of smoke shot out of a distant cloud.
At the very head of this smoke was a pure white crane.
With several clear cries, the White Crane flapped its snow-white wings and landed on the tree branch, its weight causing the branch to slightly sink.
It had returned from the Longevity Sect in the south, carrying Xu Yourong''s letter with it.
Chen Changsheng remembered that it had been a very long time since he had written that letter to Xu Yourong and was somewhat confused as to why she had not written back for so long. He was also curious as to what she had written in this letter. Was it still that he should not misunderstand, that he should do his best, or was she giving him a silver banknote?
Fine, he admitted that this final scenario was too ill-intentioned; she would probably not do such a thing.
He took the letter from the White Crane''s body, opened it, and began to read. Then, he fell quiet for a long period of time.
In this letter, Xu Yourong mentioned the Ivy Festival, offering him her congratulations. She mentioned the Grand Examination, offering him her blessings. She also mentioned that because of some matters she needed to take care of in South Stream Temple, she could not return to the capital to attend the Grand Examination. In his letter, Chen Changsheng had requested a face-to-face interview, but she could not fulfill it at this time.
Lastly, she mentioned the White Crane, asking him just what he had done for the White Crane to treat him so amicably. She also told him to not misunderstand, she was just curious about the matter and didn''t mean anything else by it. She also said that she had heard that he wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. It was not convenient for her to offer any evaluation on this, so she only wished that he do his best.
Very good.
''Do not misunderstand'', ''do your best''.
Both phrases were included.
Chen Changsheng shook his head, crumpled the letter into a ball and intended to toss it below into the cracks in the ice created by Xuanyuan Po. Unexpectedly, the White Crane closely stared at him, forcing him to put the paper ball into his bosom.
Thinking about the matter Xu Yourong asked about in the latter, he felt incredibly grateful towards the White Crane, and warmly rubbed its neck.
He suddenly remembered something and asked the White Crane, "Can you stay in the capital for a few days?"
...
...
The winter had just passed and spring had not even truly begun to return to the world. The branches peeking into the streets of the capital were still plum branches, not plum blossoms. The branches had only newborn daubs of green, no complete leaf in sight. In this period during which a haze of green enveloped the world like the oft-occurring morning fog, the Grand Examination began.
130 The Youths Before the Rising Sun
The Mausoleum of Books was in the capital, and the capital was the center of the Great Zhou, the center of the human world, and even the center of the continent. Both the factions in the south and humanity''s allies, the demi-humans, had to admit to the legitimacy of this dynasty situated on the Central Plains, giving many concessions to it in all manner of disputes.
Only those who had passed the Grand Examination and a few very special existences had the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books and comprehend the Dao, so the Grand Examination was the world''s most important activity, even more important than the Boiling Stone Summit that was held every three to five years. This year''s Grand Examination was still conducted in the Li Palace. In the early morning, thousands of people had already gathered outside the stone pillars of the Li Palace. Some people were selling fruits and melons, others selling cooked flatcakes and other meaty foods, and there were even some people selling stools. When carefully surveyed, however, it was actually the water sellers that were the most numerous. The people of the capital could watch the Grand Examination every year and were familiar with the rules, so the vast majority of them were still in their homes. The majority of the crowd gathered here were sightseers from various parts of the continent. One could imagine how lively was the scene as everyone gathered outside the Li Palace to wait for the Grand Examination to formally begin.
The students participating in the Grand Examination naturally needed to arrive even earlier than the spectating crowd. An area about a thousand zhang long in front of the stone pillars had been divided from the rest, and all sorts of carriages were parked within. In the slight warmth of the morning sun, the teachers of various academies were giving their final words of advice to their students and some students had their eyes closed in rest.
This area was partitioned from the masses by a very long strip of yellow silk. Logically speaking, this cloth was completely incapable of blocking off the passion of the masses, let alone the instinct of peddlers to fight for territory. Strangely, however, neither the masses nor the peddlers dared to cross this line of yellow silk.
This was because several hundred officials and Imperial Guards sternly stood guard at the strip of yellow silk''s perimeter, and it had even more to do with the carriage drawn by a black rhino standing at the end of the yellow cloth. The entire continent knew that only one carriage in this world was drawn by a black rhino, and only one person would ever sit within it: Lord Zhou Tong of the Department for Purging Officials.
The students from the south had arrived the earliest. People had come from each sect of the Longevity Sect, with Gou Hanshi and the three other disciples from Mount Li standing at the very front. Their expressions were calm, as if today was just like any other. The morning light fell on their faces, the morning breeze brushed against their clothes, and they gave off an indescribable aura of easygoing calm, attracting many gazes from the crowd.
The sects under the administration of Holy Maiden Peak all sent disciples as well. The junior sister from Gentle Stream Monastery that had been driven to tears by Tang Thirty-Six stood amongst this crowd, watching the crowd in the morning light. Her small face was fraught with anxiety and disappointment. A senior sister of hers rubbed her on the head and smiled, saying a few words to her.
A girl wearing the uniform of South Stream Temple''s outer sect slightly creased her brow as if bearing some great pressure. South Stream Temple was divided into an inner and outer sect. Xu Yourong was the only member of the inner sect, but the number of people in the outer sect was not small. As the person chosen by her teachers to participate in the Grand Examination, she naturally bore a sort of responsibility.
The sects to the south of the River of Oblivion were so many as to be uncountable, but the vast majority of them belonged to the Longevity Sect or Holy Maiden Peak. These two were both factions of the south, but they could also be considered part of the same sect. Their young men and women stood together, occasionally whispering something to each other to alleviate that unease caused by being in a foreign land and the coming of a great test.
The only exception to this was several young men wearing long brown gowns, who stood a little distance away. These young scholars were all from the legendary Scholartree Manor.
Opposite to the students from the south, the students of the capital''s academies and those who had passed the pre-examination all stood on the east end of the plaza. They were somewhat closer to the rising sun, and were also subject to less of the cold winds from the west. Their position was much better, and their numbers were greater as well. It was a crowd so dense that it was simply too difficult to count how many people were present.
Zhuang Huanyu stood with an apathetic expression at the front of the students from the Heavenly Dao Academy, and the Heavenly Dao Academy''s position was in front of all the rest. Behind them was Star Seizer Academy, then the Temple Seminary, followed by the other Ivy Academies. In this quiet crowd, the constant chitter-chatter from the girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green was particularly conspicuous. Behind the Ivy Academies were the ordinary students who had passed the pre-examination.
The Grand Examination had three banners, and those viewed most optimistically for them were naturally the disciples from these academies and the large sects. From the capital, this included the Heavenly Dao Academy''s Zhuang Huanyu, the Li Palace Academy''s Su Moyu, two young military officers from Star Seizer Academy, and a senior sister from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. The most outstanding of the southern sects'' young generation naturally drew even more attention. The four disciples from the Mount Li Sword Sect and those young scholars from Scholartree Manor were regarded by most as shoo-ins to enter the three banners.
What people were most concerned about was who could enter the first banner.
Just like the history of human cultivation, the Grand Examination was divided into great years and minor years, and this year was clearly a great year, the competition reaching an unprecedented level of intensity. It must be known that last year''s first rank of the first banner was taken by the Third Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, but if he had entered this year''s Grand Examination, he might not have even gotten into the first banner.
This year, the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws had sent four people, Scholartree Manor had sent four, and Holy Maiden Peak had sent the female disciple with the greatest potential. On the capital''s side, the proud Zhuang Huanyu finally decided to stop waiting, and even an expert like Tianhai Shengxue decided to stop waiting and show off his brilliance in this year''s Grand Examination. Only the young experts of the demi-humans did not send anyone to attend this year''s Grand Examination, perhaps because Princess Luoluo was in the capital. Of course, nobody counted that honest and simple youth from the Orthodox Academy.
Tianhai Shengxue had never attended a Grand Examination before because he had not been in Ethereal Opening at the time, so did not have the confidence to defeat the legendary Qiushan Jun and take first rank of the first banner.
Yes, if Qiushan Jun was not attending the Grand Examination, then Tianhai Shengxue simply had no interest in the Grand Examination. Zhuang Huanyu felt the same as Tianhai Shengxue. For a similar reason, these scholars from Scholartree Manor also did not come to the capital until this year.
All the proud young geniuses of the continent had always kept Qiushan Jun as their goal.
Unfortunately, Qiushan Jun did not appear this year.
However, they could no longer keep waiting. The Mausoleum of Books had been waiting for them over there for several years now. If they continued to put off entering the Mausoleum of Books to comprehend the Dao, it had a high chance of affecting their cultivating life.
Since Qiushan Jun would not attend this year''s Grand Examination, there were two candidates who had the highest hopes of taking first rank of the first banner this year: Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue. The odds set out by the great gambling houses of the continent said the same. As for those scholars from Scholartree Manor and Zhuang Huanyu, they had some good chance of charging into the first banner.
That name which had been all the buzz recently had been intentionally forgotten, and when discussing what might happen in the Grand Examination, people would rarely mention the name of that academy.
As if to prove the crowd correct, the odds ranking released by the great gambling houses for the Grand Examination had always ranked that name last, with outrageously long odds. Yet for some reason, a fierce fluctuation took place on the odds ranking for first rank of the first banner. That name''s odds continued to shorten until it was eventually ranked fourth.
This year''s Grand Examination was a converging of experts, the most intense competition in the past ten years. And there were all sorts of things to discuss, like that academy and that person, but it was still somewhat regrettable. The much-anticipated Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong still were not participating. Everyone knew that they both had the right to be given an exception and enter the Mausoleum of Books to comprehend the Dao whenever they pleased, but if they had also participated, then this year would be far too stunning.
Nobody knew why Qiushan Jun had chosen not to attend the Grand Examination this year, not even Gou Hanshi or his other junior brothers.
Logically speaking, given his level of strength, he should have attended one of the past few Grand Examinations. In the past, people thought that he had been waiting for Junior Sister Xu Yourong so that they could enter the Mausoleum of Books together to discuss and comprehend the Dao. People had also thought that Xu Yourong should have attended this year''s Grand Examination, but unexpectedly, she did not. Perhaps this was why Qiushan Jun also did not come?
Why did Xu Yourong not come? Because of the marriage proposal made during the Ivy Festival, or was it because of the engagement made by her grandfather?
Just then, a carriage crossed the strip of yellow silk and arrived on the scene.
The crowd in front of the Li Palace buzzed with discussion, as someone had recognized the people stepping down from the carriage.
That person walking at the very back was that Chen Changsheng who had recently caused so much unrest in the capital?
Such an ordinary-looking youth was actually Xu Yourong''s fianc?
It was this youth that wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?
...
...
Innumerable gazes fell upon Chen Changsheng.
He seemed as if he was unaware. Following the rules that Priest Xin had relayed to him in advance, he took out the register and the related application papers, and then stood in the area designated for the Orthodox Academy.
The work done in preparing for the Grand Examination had all been handled by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, and so this order of the position had naturally been arranged by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education as well.
The Orthodox Academy''s positionwas at the very front.
It was even in front of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
It faced the rising sun, a most conspicuous position.
For both the spectating populace and the youths of the south opposite, it was very easy to look at them.
They were the focus of the entire crowd''s gazetruly very convenient.
There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at the three youths of the Orthodox Academy.
Thenthere was a boom as countless people began to discuss amongst themselves.
"This youth hasn''t even succeeded at Purification and he wants to take first rank of the first banner? Is this a joke?" "That youth is the sole grandson of the Wenshui Tang clan? How much has the Tang Old Master wasted on him?" "Just who is that savage-looking fellow? He''s just thirteen? Oh, so he''s a demi-human oaf."
The Orthodox Academy was placed at the very front, so the ones who were the most furious were naturally the students of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Ever since the Orthodox Academy fell into decline ten-some years ago, the Heavenly Dao Academy became the undisputed leader of the Ivy Academies. Who would have thought that their position from the past years would actually be snatched away by the Orthodox Academy this year? Zhuang Huanyu said nothing, but a fellow student of his criticized, "You even ended up being late today?"
Tang Thirty-Six had intentionally dressed himself up today. His blue gown blew about in the breeze, a jade belt was tied around his waist, and he gripped a paper fan in his hands. With an impassive expression, he gave off an indescribably cold arrogance.
He completely ignored this once-schoolmate of his. He lightly waved the fan, but just as he was feeling elegant, he heard a burp from beside him.
He somewhat angrily turned around, using the fan to cover his nose. He glared at Xuanyuan Po and said, "I told you not to eat so much, but you insisted. What''s so tasty about leftover deer meat?"
Xuanyuan Po rubbed his belly and said rather embarrassedly, "I heard that sometimes the Grand Examination takes three days and nights, and they don''t give anything to eat. How frightening is that? And also, although it''s been cold recently, that deer meat has already been kept around for two days; won''t it spoil after another three? It''s not very good to waste food."
The expressions of the nearby students upon hearing this conversation were truly a sight to behold.
The Grand Examination was about to begin and these two fellows from the Orthodox Academy were still in the mood to discuss these problems?
Chen Changsheng was in no mood to chat about these things.
Right now, countless people were staring at him, yet he felt rather lonely.
He reminisced about Xining Village.
He was currently very sensitive to gazes.
He discovered that one person was not looking at him.
It was a youth.
This youth was standing amongst Star Seizer Academy''s ranks, yet he was not wearing that uniform of Star Seizer Academy that was extremely similar to a military uniform.
The weather was chilly, but this youth was only wearing one layer, and he had even rolled up the sleeves, exposing his arms to the cold winds.
Everyone in front of the Li Palace was watching Chen Changsheng, but this youth was staring at the distant rising sun that was just beginning to peek over the horizon.
Amidst the sea of people, this youth seemed particularly lonely.
Chen Changsheng suddenly felt that he and this youth were of the same kind of people.
131 The Literary Test Begins
The youth was somewhat thin, but absolutely not weak. A great deal of strength seemed to be concealed beneath his thin clothes.
This youth squinted his eyes as he looked east towards the rising sun. There was yearning in these eyes, and also fear and an unwillingness to get close, so this youth was deliberately displaying a cold indifference, similar to Chen Changsheng''s attitude towards the bustling human world.
The sun gradually rose, breaking through the thin layer of clouds on the horizon and finally appearing before everyone''s eyes.
Everyone was still watching Chen Changsheng and chatting amongst themselves. "I hear that he hasn''t even succeeded at Purification; for what reason does he think he can get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?"
Gou Hanshi slightly raised his brows, finding that the Chen Changsheng today was somewhat different from the one on the Divine Avenue that day, but he could not see just what about him was different.
Mao Qiuyu would naturally not line up with the ordinary teachers and students. Seated on the viewing platform within the Li Palace, he gazed at the distant Chen Changsheng and thought in surprise, he actually succeeded at Purification, but why does it feel a little strange?
Just when Chen Changsheng was going to ask if Tang Thirty-Six recognized that solitary youth standing with Star Seizer Academy''s group, Priest Xin walked over.
"You have to win," Priest Xin sincerely said, patting him on the shoulder.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat puzzled. In all of Priest Xin''s previous visits to the Orthodox Academy, he had never said such words and had only ever worked to alleviate Chen Changsheng''s pressure, so why was he saying such things now, right as the Grand Examination was about to begin?
"I bet all my property on you winning," Priest Xin explained. "If you don''t win first rank of the first banner today, remember to go to the Luo River tomorrow to bury me."
In the present situation, if Chen Changsheng was unable to take first rank of the first banner, the one most affected would not be the Orthodox Academy, but the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education which backed the Orthodox Academy. If the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education could not endure, then Priest Xin would naturally have no future prospects. This being the case, his betting all his property on Chen Changsheng''s success was very reasonable.
Chen Changsheng didn''t know what to say, but Tang Thirty-Six said, "No wonder the odds changed so much last night."
The Wenshui Tangs had never been willing to fall behind when it came to moneymaking activities. Although they might say that they did not care about the trifling sums that could be made from betting on the Grand Examination, they had still been watching very closely.
Priest Xin replied, "How can just my meager property be enough to affect the betting odds?"
They all gazed at the Li Palace''s viewing platform, at the Orthodox Academy''s greatest patron.
There, Archbishop Mei Lisha slightly squinted his eyes. It was impossible to tell whether he was asleep or awake, and it was impossible to know just how much money he had bet on Chen Changsheng.
Similarly, no one knew how much money Mo Yu sitting next to him had bet on Chen Changsheng.
Yes, Lady Mo Yu believed that Chen Changsheng could take first rank of the first banner, even though she had no basis for it, only the inexplicable feeling that he could.
...
...
The Grand Examination was divided into a literary test, a martial test, and one-on-one matches. There was no set order, as it was decided specifically for each year. This year, the first test conducted for the Grand Examination was the literary test. Five days ago, when the rules were first released, many people believed that the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had done this for the Orthodox Academy''s sake. To be more precise, they had done it out of consideration for Chen Changsheng.
The literary test was being carried out in the Li Palace''s Hall of Shining Words. There was still some time before the exam began, so Priest Xin whispered to the three youths of the Orthodox Academy, using the time to introduce their competitors. Although this information had been delivered to the Orthodox Academy several days ago, only now could the names be matched with the people.
Tang Thirty-Six grew increasingly grave and stern as the presentation went on while Chen Changsheng remained his taciturn self. There were far too many powerful foes in this year''s Grand Examination, and there were even a few experts that had used a different identity to apply, perhaps at this very moment concealed in the ranks of some sect. All of these people had made the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng their current goal, so one could imagine the pressure that these three youths had to endure.
Just then, the crowd grew slightly restless, many people standing on their tiptoes and peering into the distance. Chen Changsheng and the rest turned their heads in the same direction and saw a carriage emerging from the depths of the Li Palace, slowly being driven along the straight Divine Avenue. Ten-some maids silently followed the carriage and Guardian Li walked in front of the carriage.
Under the gazes of countless people, this carriage passed through the stone pillars to arrive on the plaza, stopping at the Orthodox Academy''s position.
Luoluo descended from the carriage and deferentially bowed to Chen Changsheng, "I have seen Teacher."
The crowd exploded into an uproar and the students prepared to participate in the Grand Examination fell into turmoil, especially those who had only recently come to the capital. They had only heard the rumors, but now they realized that this rumor was true. Princess Luoluo truly had acknowledged that youth called Chen Changsheng as her teacher!
Since this youth really was the princess''s teacher, he surely had genuine talent. Many people thought this way, but to take first rank of the first banner? That was still impossible.
The young scholars of Scholartree Manor looked in the direction of the Orthodox Academy with cold expressions.
Zhuang Huanyu kept his gaze looking forward as if he did not notice, but his trembling sleeves said otherwise.
Across from the Orthodox Academy''s spot, Gou Hanshi and his group bowed to Luoluo.
Chen Changsheng reminded Luoluo, and Luoluo turned around to slightly nod at them, thus returning their bow.
"You came to cheer us on? Has His Holiness agreed?" Chen Changsheng asked with concern.
"Teacher, I am a student of the Orthodox Academy. Of course I have to represent the Orthodox Academy in participating in the Grand Examination."
Luoluo pondered her response, then added, "His Holiness has also agreed."
As the two conversed, they made no attempts to lower their voices. Luoluo''s clear and young voice drifted about the plaza in front of the Li Palace, falling on everybody''s ears.
The plaza once more erupted with noise!
Zhuang Huanyu could no longer restrain himself and turned to look.
The young students of Scholartree Manor slightly frowned, apparently rather displeased.
Everyone who intended to take part in the Grand Examination was shocked by this news and completely unwilling to accept it.
Only Gou Hanshi and the other three disciples of Mount Li maintained their calm expressions, seemingly unaffected.
Many people were perplexed, or perhaps dissatisfied, but the first who dared to bring up an objection was still that most pedantic and most wooden Su Moyu of the Li Palace Academy. "If Your Highness participates, how can anyone else compete?"
The archbishop opened his eyes, tightened his Divine Robe against the cold wind, and indifferently commented, "Her Highness is only participating, but will not be ranked."
Everyone was stupefied at these words. At this moment, they finally understood that if Princess Luoluo insisted on relying on her status as a student of the Orthodox Academy to participate in the Grand Examination, what justification did they or their schools or sects have to stop her? Now that it was also mentioned that the princess would not take up a place on the three banners, what argument did they have left?
With nothing left to say, time slowly passed. With a melodious ring of a bell from deep within the Li Palace, the Grand Examination formally began.
Several hundred young men and women stood in front of the Hall of Shining Words, the morning breeze blowing at their clothes and the rising sun shining upon their youthful faces.
Their elders from the academies and sects had already departed, and they were left to fend for themselves. The word ''nervous'' could be clearly seen written all over the faces of many of these youths.
On the Orthodox Academy''s side, only Xuanyuan Po was very nervous. When he was taking the entrance exam for Star Seizer Academy, his weakness had already been exposed. In these past few months, Chen Changsheng had made him study quite a few books, but when he thought about all those dense inky words he was about to be faced with, he found it a little hard to breathe.
Tang Thirty-Six dispensed some advice. "Time is the most important. Answer what you can answer and don''t think about what you can''t answer. The three tests come one after another, so the martial test will begin as soon as the literary test ends. No matter how good your grades on the literary test are, if you can''t pass the martial test, you won''t be able to compete in the matches, and ultimately you won''t get a grade at all."
Xuanyuan Po nodded his head, realizing that this was the only way. Chen Changsheng knew that Tang Thirty-Six was also warning him to not waste too much time on the literary test. Whether or not he could pass the martial test was the most concerning question. As for what grade he got on the literary test, nobody was concerned, a fact that could be seen in the gazes of all the people standing in front of the Hall of Shining Words.
Many people were still looking at Chen Changsheng, but there was no doubt or scorn this time, only a faint envy or a complex sort of admiration.
After the match in the Ivy Festival of the Orthodox Academy against the Mount Li Sword Sect and the proof that was added with the assessment of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets during the changing of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, people ceased to doubt Chen Changsheng''s abilities in the aspect of knowledge. People realized to their shock that after Gou Hanshi, another monster who was well-versed in the Daoist Canon had appeared in this generation of youths.
No one believed that Chen Changsheng would be able to take first rank of the first banner, but everyone had to admit that during the literary test, he was absolutely qualified to challenge Gou Hanshi and take the best rank. The only odds ranking released by the great gambling houses for the literary test was proof that these assessments struck true. Chen Changsheng''s odds were only behind Gou Hanshi''s, ranked second.
With a second toll of the bell, the examinees entered the testing area.
The Hall of Shining Words was massive, its several dozen doors opening simultaneously. Under the hawkish gazes of the Orthodoxy''s priests and the officials of the Department for Purging Officials, several hundred youths streamed like fish in single file through the doors. No one knew which one of these fish might become dragons, which might end up in the fishing basket of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and which would end up being plucked away by hawks and falcons.
A noise-dampening array activated, and the Hall of Shining Words had heavy curtains hanging down from its galleries to keep out the wind. Only clear light could enter the hall. Wind, rain, and miscellaneous sounds were kept out.
The area inside the hall was incredibly spacious. Several hundred tables were arranged upon it, but it still did not seem cramped. There was room to spare, with each table spaced very far from the others. Even after one''s eyesight was improved through Purification, it was still very difficult to peep at another table without making too much noise, and there were also twenty-some priests of Ethereal Opening and above constantly patrolling to further ward off any cheating.
After the priest passed out the tests, the examinees began to open them to read through the questions. The simultaneous rustling of paper sounded like a great rain coming down.
Some people, such as Tianhai Shengxue, did not open the exam book but instead began to grind ink to calm their minds.
Some people, such as Luoluo, were bored to death. At any rate, her grades did not count, so she naturally couldn''t be bothered to expend her mind on working these problems. After a while, a priest walked to her table, respectfully bowed, then whispered a few words to her. She then rose and left with this priest, most likely going to a side hall to rest.
Some people, such as that thinly-dressed youth who Chen Changsheng had been keeping an eye on this entire time, decided to close their eyes in rest.
There were some people who did what they wanted. If they wanted to take a few glances through the exam book, they would. If they wanted to grind ink, they would grind it. If they wanted to look at someone they found interesting, they would look. If they wanted to close their eyes in rest, they would shut their eyes. If they felt thirsty, they would raise their hand and ask a professor for some tea. If they felt drowsy, they would rub their eyes. They treated today just like every other day. An example of this sort of person was Chen Changsheng or Gou Hanshi.
Only an unintentional calm was true calm. Only then did it represent self-confidence.
With the third toll of the bell, the examinees began to write.
Chen Changsheng raised his brush but did not bring it down to the paper. Instead, he gazed at the black words in silence for a few moments.
To go from Xining''s old temple to the bustling capital, to go from a young and obscure Daoist to an object of everyone''s attention, he had needed ten months.
He brought his brush down and began to move it across the exam book.
Nearby, Gou Hanshi also began to answer questions.
132 The Last Two to Hand in Their Exams
Brushes moved across the snow-white paper like people wandering about a desert, silence punctuated by the rustling of sand.
It seemed like many mulberry trees had instantly grown within the Hall of Shining Words, each raising up many silkworms.
Chen Changsheng gripped his brush and seriously answered the questions on the test. His brush on the exam was like a lingering serpent, one brush for a single stroke so seriously drawn that he gave off an air of caution.
This caution made him seem rather nervous, but in reality, he was very relaxed. The countless essays he had read as a child now constantly flitted through his mind like leaves in the wind. When he saw a question, he would lightly pick out a leaf and copy down what was written there, with no time needed to think. Those questions that required contemplation to reach the answer had not appeared yet. The several pages of questions he had seen had not yet gone beyond the scope of the knowledge in the Daoist Canon. The priest that had written the questions had not yet displayed wisdom that surpassed the countless sages of the past.
Nearby, Gou Hanshi put down his brush and massaged his wrist, then continued to write. His expression was calm and relaxed as if he had returned to taking notes on his homework in Mount Li''s study room.
The Hall of Shining Words was quiet, the only sounds those of flipping pages and writing brushes. Occasionally, someone would cough once or twice, a sign that this person was nervous.
Just then, something completely unexpected happened: a person turned in their exam early.
Of course, it was not Gou Hanshi or Chen Changsheng. Their brushes had just begun writing on their exams. As the two viewed as having the best chances in the literary test, they should at least answer all the questions, right?
It was also not Xuanyuan Po. "There''s no chance of elimination in the literary test, so if you''re really not good at it, just give it up." This was Tang Thirty-Six''s advice to him, and the same advice was dispensed by the teachers and elders of many academies and sects to their own students. This advice was a result of experience. If one could have an extremely good performance in the martial test and one-on-one matches, then even if one completely failed the literary test, there was still hope of entering the three banners.
Someone turning in the exam early was a very common sight in each Grand Examination, but this incidence was still very surprising, because it was still far too early.
The first to turn in their exam was precisely that thinly-attired youth who Chen Changsheng had been paying attention to this entire time. This youth had not even looked at his exam. To put it more accurately, the moment the exam booklet was put on his table, he rose and began walking towards the chief examiner with exam in hand. How was this any different from giving up on the exam? This was exactly giving up on the exam.
In the Grand Examinations of the past, even if there were many people like Xuanyuan Po who were endowed with the experience of their teachers and elders and had decided to completely give up on the literary test, they would at least give a little face to the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy, enduring the exam for at least an hour before turning it in.
But this youth had chosen without hesitation to give up on the test as soon as it began, as if completely unaware of the ways of the world. The examinees all stared at his back in shock, and some also seemed to take delight in this youth''s suffering. For the examiner to have this sort of examinee, even if they didn''t explode on the spot, they certainly wouldn''t have any good impressions of the unlucky examinee.
This youth walked up to the chief examiner and placed his exam booklet on the table.
This thick booklet was naturally blank.
The several chief examiners dispatched by the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy all stared at this youth in silence, causing a strange atmosphere to develop.
A priest broke this silence, coldly asking, "You truly wish to turn in your exam?"
This youth had a delicate appearance, his most defining feature being a pair of very thin and flat eyebrows that looked almost like straight lines. It was by no means unsightly, but it did make him seem rather cold.
At this priest''s question, the youth showed no change in expression. He asked, "Is it not allowed?"
As he spoke, his slender brows slightly rose as if rather annoyed. Apparently, he found conversing with other people extremely unenjoyable.
His voice was as mild as ice, his tone as flat as a wasteland, and he spoke very slowly, as if each word was jumping out of his mouth one at a time. All in all, it seemed like it had been a very long time since he had last opened his mouth to speak.
This priest slightly frowned, his displeasure evident in his voice. "According to the rules of the Grand Examination, it is naturally allowed to turn in your exam early, but"
Not waiting for the priest to finish, the youth declared, "I am turning in my exam."
His speech was still very slow, his tone still very flat, his mood still extremely cold. His meaning was clear, his resolve firm, so there was no ''but''.
The priest glanced at the blank exam booklet and then said no more. Another examiner harshly scolded, "Now it''s impossible for you to enter the second banner. As long as you have a heart that can feel shame, then you should feel ashamed, but instead you still act so proud of yourself! I really don''t know how your teacher taught you!"
The youth remained expressionless and did not reply to these words.
He had no teacher, and he had only participated in the Grand Examination to take part in the one-on-one matches. He wanted to defeat everyone, especially that lady from White Emperor City, so that he could once more tell himself that he was the strongest. As for the first rank of the first banner decided by the Great Zhou Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy, he simply didn''t care.
Soon after, someone came and brought the youth out of the Hall of Shining Words and to the location of the martial test.
As the several hundred examinees watched him leave, their eyes roiled with all sorts of emotions.
Gou Hanshi had a vague guess as to who this youth was and his expression became somewhat solemn.
Zhuang Huanyu slightly raised his brow, his expression calm, but with a little unease in the depths of his eyes.
After an hour had passed, examinees began to turn in their tests.
These examinees were led out of the Hall of Shining Words by officials and taken down the Divine Avenue of the Li Palace for a very long time before finally arriving at the location of the martial test: the Garden of the Morning Sun.
The Garden of the Morning Sun was a large garden in the eastern section of the Li Palace. In the warm spring season, its vast fields of grass were like an ocean of green and its countless trees carried the serene aura of a forest. In the morning, one could listen to the birds sing, and at dusk, one could view the winding streams. It was an extremely beautiful sight, and even now, when winter had just passed and spring was beginning to bud, despite the yellow grass, the scenery was still very enchanting.
What was the true intention of the Grand Examination?
To select talents for the Orthodoxy and the Imperial Court, to act as a threshold of entry for the Mausoleum of Books? Yes, it was both these things, but the most important goal of the Grand Examination was to pick and then nurture more and more of the truly talented youths so as to build a stockpile of reserve strength for the war against the demons.
The fighting ability of a single demon was far too powerful, so the humans and demi-humans could only rely on their numbers to gain an advantage and put up a bitter resistance. Starting from a thousand years ago, humans came to realize that only by nurturing more and more experts that were supreme in the true sense of the word would they be able to obtain a true and overwhelming advantage in this conflict.
In the endless path of cultivation, Ethereal Opening was the most important threshold. As long as one passed this threshold, one would become an important focus of the human world. However, age was an important consideration. To the human world, a thirty-year-old upper level Meditation cultivator was far less important than a thirteen-year-old initial level Meditation cultivator. Anyone could understand the reasoning. Even if an eighty-year-old cultivator were finally able to enter the Star Condensation Realm, the oil of his lamp had been spent, and it would be impossible for him to ascend to those higher realms, so what meaning did it have in the war against the demons?
Thus, just like the Proclamations of Heaven, Earth, and Man promulgated by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, the Grand Examination focused on the potential and talent of its examinees, focused on their future. From a certain perspective, talent and potential were one and the same, though the latter had a more subjective and conscious factor to it than the former. When these were combined, what they displayed was ability.
The martial test was the most direct method for the Grand Examination to realize its goal.
Geniuses like Xu Yourong and Luoluo were naturally blessed with the talent of their bloodlines, and it was both unnecessary and impossible to test this talent, but ability could be tested. First was the strength of one''s spiritual sense, which decided how distant one''s Fated Star was, determined the efficiency of one''s cultivation over time. The second factor was quantity of true essence, which concerned the examinee''s diligence and the effectiveness of their perception of the world.
Under the guidance of the officials, the examinees entered the Garden of the Morning Sun, heading towards its easternmost and deepest part. They did not see that youth who had turned in his exam first, only holly trees that had been pruned extremely flat and were about as tall as two people. Some examinees from the capital knew of the origins behind this lush forest and thus came to realize the contents of this year''s martial test, and could not help but moan in their hearts.
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...
Leaving these examinees taking the martial test in front of their challenging situation, the literary test in the Hall of Shining Words was still continuing. Some students gnawed on the ends of their brushes, their faces pale as if they could fall unconscious at any moment. Some students were actually profusely sweating in the chilly air of early spring, and light steam rose from their bodies. The mood in the hall was particularly oppressive.
The questions for this year''s literary test were too difficult, requiring a level of knowledge too broad and too deep, far surpassing the literary tests from the past few years. No matter how much one racked one''s brains, one''s strength had a limit. There was a constant stream of examinees who ended up defeated in their battle against the question maker and turned in their exams early. Occasionally, the sound of sobbing could be heard from outside the Hall of Shining Words.
More and more of the examiners and priests were focusing their gazes on Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng, yet the two seemed blissfully unaware. They continued to work the problems, the brushes in their hands never stopping.
As time passed, only ten-some people remained within the Hall of Shining Words. The vast majority of tables had been moved away, making the hall feel even more spacious and deserted. Even those who remained had given up on answering the questions on the last few pages and begun to earnestly check their answers, hoping that they had not made any careless mistakes. Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng were still answering questions.
The early spring sun rose from the horizon to its zenith, and the number of people taking the literary test continued to dwindle. Even Tianhai Shengxue and the four youths from Scholartree Manor had stopped answering questions, but Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng were still silently continuing to write. At this point, they had both reached the final page.
The chief examiner and the other priests in the hall found it impossible to remain seated. One by one, they left their desks and walked with their teacups into the examination area. Concerned that they might affect the pair''s test taking, they did not get too close. From a generous distance, they watched a sight very rarely seen in the Grand Examination. Nobody made a single noise, and the expressions on their faces grew more and more splendid.
In the past few years, no one had been able to completely answer all the questions of the Grand Examination''s literary test. This was because the ones who drew up the questions for the literary test were all elder priests of the Li Palace who had extensively studied the Daoist scriptures. Perhaps those old priests had ordinary cultivation and were lacking in power, but they had spent their entire lives buried in old books, so their stores of knowledge were extremely deep and profound. They had grown used to placing the most difficult of problems on the last few pages of the exam so as to prove their worth. Even these extremely erudite elder priests would find it an arduous task to answer these final questions on their own, much less these students who had come to take the literary test.
Gou Hanshi was famed for being well-versed in the Daoist Canon, and Chen Changsheng had now also received a similar reputation. Perhaps because this was the case, those erudite, old priests of the Li Palace had been provoked and made this year''s questions much harder. This was especially the case for the questions on the last few pages, which delved into the most obscure and refined of topics, all for the sake of making things difficult for Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng.
The chief examiners and those priests were well aware of the story behind the literary test. Now that they saw Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng reach the final page, apparently able to answer all the questions, they were naturally shocked to the extreme.
Tianhai Shengxue had already turned in his exam and stood at the door to the hall. He turned around to look at Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng still writing and creased his brow in silence. As the descendant of the Tianhai clan with the most prospects, he had never relaxed the demands he placed on himself, but the questions on the last few pages had truly been too difficult. He could not understand how Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng were able to continue answering them. Was the gap in knowledge between him and them truly this vast?
The scholars of Scholartree Manor were the second-last to leave. Logically speaking, they should have been proud of their feat, but the sight of those two still writing in their exams made it impossible for them to feel such an emotion. They were not surprised that Gou Hanshi, who was famed for his knowledge, was able to endure until now, but they believed that the youth called Chen Changsheng would never be able to answer the last few questions, that he was only unwilling to leave out of pride. They could not help but show scorn on their faces.
No one knew how much time had passed.
The sound of clothes brushing against a table was heard in the quiet Hall of Shining Words. Whispered discussion and agitation, no longer able to be restrained, rose from the east side of the hall.
Gou Hanshi had finished answering the questions and was standing up.
At almost the same time, the sound of table and chair moving, the tidying of exam papers, arose from the west side.
The crowd gazed in that direction and saw Chen Changsheng holding the exam booklet to his chest, preparing to turn it in.
Silence once more descended over the hall.
Separated by ten-some zhang, Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng quietly gazed at each other and then slightly bowed their bodies in respect.
This was the first they had looked at each other since the first toll of the bell. Of course, they had always known that the other was present.
The literary test concluded, the noise-dampening array outside the Hall of Shining Words was removed, and sound crashed down like a wave.
The crowd who had come to spectate the Grand Examination had been kept very far away. Even so, the noise they made could still be heard, so it could be imagined how lively it was.
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...
The spectating crowd already knew the specific circumstances of the literary test and knew that Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had actually been the last to turn in their exams, that they had actually managed to answer all the questions. They couldn''t help but be so excited that they shouted. Two youths well-versed in the Daoist Canon had ultimately turned in their exams together. This was a sight that enraptured the imaginations of the crowd.
Gou Hanshi was famed throughout the world and was the leading candidate for taking first place in the literary test. He was deeply respected, but he was still a youth from the south. Although Chen Changsheng had offended all the young men of the capital through his engagement with Xu Yourong and the story of the autumn rain, he was still a person of Zhou. At this time, he became the representative for the people of the capital, the pride of the Zhou. Unexpectedly, the majority of the crowd was cheering for him.
Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng could not clearly make out what the crowd was yelling. They took towels from waiting attendants, soaked them in water, and then washed their faces and hands. After tidying their appearance, they were led out of the Hall of Shining Words by an official. It was evident that this treatment was especially meant for just the two of them.
Upon walking to the trees in front of the Divine Avenue, Gou Hanshi asked Chen Changsheng, "''Although the Zhou is old, only its mission is ancient''. What is your view on this question?"
(TN: The question seems to be a modified form of a line from the "Classic of Songs" which goes ''Although the Zhou is old, its mission is new''.)
133 The Dallying Fores
Chen Changsheng was somewhat surprised. There was no logic or reason that made it convenient for the two to speak to each other, yet Gou Hanshi had very casually asked him a question. Chen Changsheng had never held any sort of malice towards Gou Hanshi, and now the casual air displayed by him made Chen Changsheng feel very comfortable. After pondering the question, he described how he had answered it.
"I also think it should be that line of reasoning proposed by Master Song in his lectures at the Lian Stream, but the order that I remember is somewhat different from yours."
Gou Hanshi then described his own answer.
The two compared their versions and realized that, just like during the Ivy Festival, the difference in the contents of what they had learned stemmed from the revision the Orthodoxy conducted around the year fifteen-eighty-one. The Daoist scriptures that Chen Changsheng learned from were the old, unedited editions while Gou Hanshi naturally learned from the versions approved by the Orthodoxy. The former preserved the original meaning while the latter made the purpose clearer. As for which one was more accurate, it was truly difficult to say.
Even in the early spring, the trees lining the Divine Avenue had sufficient foliage to block out the sun and make the avenue quiet and secluded.
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi walked beneath the foliage, chatting about the literary test. Their voices were not loud and they did not engage in any fierce quarrels, only calm discussion. This was not the imagined clash of two powers, nor was it the appreciation two mavericks had for each other''s talents. It was nothing more than two ordinary seekers of knowledge.
They did not walk far before Luoluo emerged from a pavilion by a stream behind the trees.
Gou Hanshi bowed to her.
Luoluo returned the gesture and then hugged Chen Changsheng''s arm, asking with concern, "Teacher, are you tired?"
She did not ask about Chen Changsheng''s performance, as Gou Hanshi''s presence made it rather inconvenient to ask this question, and also because she knew that he had done well.
"I''m not tired."
Chen Changsheng massaged his wrist and asked, "When did you leave the Hall of Shining Words? I never saw you."
Luoluo pulled on his hand and said, "I didn''t answer any questions. I was here, drinking tea."
She did not need a grade, so she naturally would not waste her energy on the literary test. She had been in this pavilion outside the hall the entire time, waiting for Chen Changsheng to turn in his exam and come out. Chen Changsheng was somewhat confused, thinking, this being the case, why did you specifically request for His Holiness to agree to your participating in the Grand Examination?
Gou Hanshi understood why. He glanced at Luoluo, feeling somewhat moved at Chen Changsheng''s good luck and destiny. Clasping his hands, he bowed and bid farewell.
....
...
...
Upon walking into the Garden of the Morning Sun, they were confronted by a vast plain of grass. The forest was far in the distance, so there was no foliage or pavilion to keep out the sun.
Luoluo extracted an umbrella from some place and unfurled it to shade Chen Changsheng from the light.
Upon seeing this, the examinees standing in front of the holly bushes revealed rather unnatural expressions.
To be treated in such a way by the princess, was this youth not afraid of his life being cut short from this excessive treatment? This was what many people thought.
Chen Changsheng was used to being attended upon this way by Luoluo in the Orthodox Academy so he found nothing inappropriate. However, when he saw the gazes of those examinees, he came to his senses, took the umbrella from Luoluo''s hands, escorted her to the holly shrubs, and began listening to the Education Overseer of the Temple Seminary''s explanation of the martial test''s rules.
Many of the examinees who had turned in their exams for the literary test had already entered that vast and endless sea of holly trees. At the moment, only twenty-some examinees remained outside, including Chen Changsheng, Luoluo, Gou Hanshi, the four scholars of the Scholartree Manor, and Tianhai Shengxue.
Upon hearing the education overseer''s explanation, Chen Changsheng came to know that this holly forest was actually a maze. The green trees that had been trimmed extremely neatly were countless barriers dividing this area into countless paths. The first half of the martial test involved passing through this forest. If one could not pass through this forest in two hours, one would be disqualified.
Seeing the stern and even somewhat fearful looks on the faces of the other examinees, Chen Changsheng felt rather confused. He thought to himself, there are many similar mazes in the gardens of the capital. Even children can walk through them. No matter how vast this forest in the Garden of the Morning Sun and how complex the paths, could it be more difficult than the questions of the literary test?
"This forest is called the Dallying Forest."
Luoluo knew that although Chen Changsheng was well-versed in the Daoist Canon, he was very much lacking in general knowledge known by most ordinary people. She softly explained, "It''s said that at the very beginning, it was a game that Wang Zhice used to relax his mind while he studied in the capital. At the time, he used just brush and paper, but later on the maze became more and more complex, becoming more and more difficult to pass. Many years later, the then-Pope felt that this game was very useful for honing the wills of youths and testing the strength of their spiritual sense. Thus, in the Garden of the Morning Sun, he planted a forest of holly trees according to the design."
"It''s very difficult?" Chen Changsheng asked.
"Wang Zhice called this game Dallying precisely because it was so difficult that one could simply dally one''s time away on it," Luoluo explained.
If even a legend like Wang Zhice found this game very difficult, then it truly must be very difficult.
Chen Changsheng digested this information, then asked, "Many of Wang Zhice''s solutions should have been left behind, so why have I never seen any in books?"
Luoluo said, "Wang Zhice used brush and paper and relied on his calculation ability. He believed that it was just a game and wasn''t worth recording in his notes, so right now, no one knows the solution."
Chen Changsheng gazed at the endless forest and said, "One can trace a path through the maze using a brush and paper countless times, but now that the maze has become so large, a person can''t walk faster than a brush on paper. To find a way out in just two hours is truly very difficult."
"So one absolutely has to have a strong enough spiritual sense."
Luoluo examined him and said, "Use your spiritual sense like a brush. The stronger it is, the farther you will be able to sense, so the farther your brush can travel, and so you can calculate faster."
"So it''s for testing the strength of one''s spiritual sense and perception. I thinkthat it shouldn''t be a problem."
Chen Changsheng thought of that distant Fated Star of his and felt extremely confident. Suddenly, he thought of a question and asked, "Is there only one correct solution?"
If there was only one correct path, then even if the examinees couldn''t calculate it using their spiritual sense, couldn''t they just follow someone else?
"Based on the statistics and calculations His Holiness made in his youth, there are at least four thousand entrances to this holly forest, more than seven hundred exits, and at least three million, nine hundred and forty-seven thousand, and four hundred solutions. If an examinee in front were to successfully pass through the maze through a certain route and you were to very unfortunately or very shamelessly walk the same route, then with deepest apologies, you will have to walk the maze again."
The Education Overseer of the Temple Seminary said to the examinees, "Now, you must each choose your entrances."
At this time, a scholar from Scholartree Manor asked, "It''s okay as long as the route is different, so can we use the same entrance and then split up in the middle?"
The education overseer slightly raised his brow and then said, "That is not allowed."
According to the rules of this year''s martial test, only those examinees able to pass through this holly forest of the Garden of the Morning Sun had the right to participate in the one-on-one matches at the end. Those examinees that could not walk out would be directly eliminated. Moreover, those students who passed through this forest first would obtain a large advantage in the one-on-one matches. There was also one more particularly important rule: the martial test had to be done alone. The Grand Examination was originally meant for breaking the boundaries between schools and sects and collecting outstanding young cultivators for the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy to use, so it was naturally forbidden for examinees from the same school or sect to work together. This rule was in extremely stark contrast to the rules of the Boiling Stone Summit.
Scholartree Manor was a famous school of the south and frequently participated in the Grand Examination and the Boiling Stone Summit, so how could they not know of this rule?
This young scholar had clearly meant for the answer to this question to be heard by someone else.
The entire time he was speaking, he was staring at Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, his meaning exceptionally clear.
134 Listening to the Waves of the Sea of Trees I
This scholar from Scholartree Manor was a little fat, his face a somewhat sickly white as if he didn''t get much sun. When he spoke to the education overseer from the Temple Seminary, he was actually looking at Chen Changsheng and Luoluo. Although his face held no emotion, the slight curve of his lips contained a deep scorn and warning.
Chen Changsheng felt that this person was overthinking things and shook his head, brushing off this gaze. He patted Luoluo on the arm, hinting that she should go and choose her own entrance. Luoluo truly had intended to assist Chen Changsheng during the martial test phase, but now that it had been so bluntly pointed out, she couldn''t help but be rather angry. She gave the scholar a cold glare. When thinking of Princess Luoluo''s identity, this scholar felt rather regretful, but the words were already spoken and could not be taken back. All he could do was hold his hands behind him and put on the appearance of a proud and noble existence who dared to plead on the behalf of the common people.
After the Education Overseer of the Temple Seminary finished his explanation of the rules, the twenty-some examinees dispersed, following the stone path running along the edge of the holly forest to find their own entrances. This sea of trees truly seemed as vast as the sea. It was impossible to get a full view of the forest by standing on the edge, so it was naturally impossible to distinguish which entrance was best. One could choose based off their feelings or luck.
Chen Changsheng had never trusted in things like feelings or fate. He chose the entrance closest to him, and Luoluo without hesitation chose the entrance right next to it. He had chosen very casually and Luoluo had casually followed. At this sight, the other examinees found it difficult to suppress the turmoil in their hearts. They felt envy, jealousy, and dejection.
It didn''t take long for each examinee to choose their entrance. At this point, several dozen Li Palace priests came out, brush and book in hand, and began to record the names and schools of the examinees. They then recorded the time by their names. Thus began the martial test, and it was also at this moment that the timer began running.
None of the examinees heedlessly rushed into the Dallying Forest. A maze designed by Wang Zhice could not be solved through luck alone. The examinees paused outside the holly forest, some sitting on stones by the path, some leaning on trees, and some choosing to just sit on the ground. Regardless of the posture they took, they all closed their eyes and began to meditate, releasing their spiritual sense.
Only two people did not close their eyes.
Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue stood outside the forest, quietly looking into the sea of trees, their minds seemingly occupied.
Twenty-some spiritual senses drifted into the Dallying Forest, some strong and some weak. There was also some slight differences with regards to their Qis, but the differences in spiritual sense could only be sensed by experts of Star Condensation and above. Even someone like the Education Overseer of the Temple Seminary could not rely on his perception alone to draw a conclusion.
The education overseer looked at Chen Changsheng, as did many other people, including the Li Palace priests responsible for taking record of the proceedings, just like in the examination area for the literary test.
Chen Changsheng, as someone who had claimed that he would take first rank of the first banner, was inevitably the focus of everyone in the examination area. On the other hand, Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue, who were both widely seen as having the greatest chance of taking first rank, were not being paid much attention. This was because everyone knew that these young cultivators who had already passed into the Ethereal Opening Realm were very powerful, but nobody knew Chen Changsheng''s current level of strength.
Everyone in the capital knew that, at least ten-some days ago, Chen Changsheng had not succeeded in Purification, so how strong was his spiritual sense? Did he have a Fated Star? If he had fixed his Fated Star successfully, why was he still unable to complete Purification? Wouldn''t this mean that the strength of his spiritual sense was absolutely disastrous?
Everyone was very curious as to how far he could go in the Grand Examination. For instance, would he be able to pass through the Dallying Forest? Would he at least avoid elimination in the martial test phase?
Chen Changsheng had never imagined that he would be eliminated, especially after he learned the specific rules regarding this year''s martial test.
He sat under a hanging cloud pine at the edge of the holly forest, his eyes shut and his legs crossed, his palms hovering slightly above his knees. His spiritual sense had already departed his body and dived deep into the sea of trees.
The barriers formed by the trees and the complicated paths woven between them were perceived by his spiritual sense and created a blurry picture in his sea of consciousness. All these real sights changed color under this perception, the light deformed. A normal person would assuredly find this vision remarkably strange, but to reform the true image from this blurred perception was not very difficult at all.
This was especially the case for cultivators with a strong and stable spiritual sense.
Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense was very strong and very stable, or else his Fated Star would not have been so far away, or else Luoluo would not have jumped over the Hundred Herb Garden''s wall and gone searching for him in the Orthodox Academy.
He closed his eyes and used his spiritual sense to perceive the paths of the Dallying Forest. In a short period of time, he had completely investigated the area several qing around the entrance.
It had to be said that the Grand Examination was truly marvelously designed. Using one''s spiritual sense to perceive the sea of trees was very similar to searching for one''s Fated Star or entering Meditative Introspection. Looking from the perspective of the test designers, it was perhaps the case that only those who had at least cultivated up to Meditation Realm would have a chance of crossing this sea of trees.
Chen Changsheng had a sudden thought. Perhaps Wang Zhice often played this in order to train the strength of his spiritual sense? Everyone on the continent knew that Wang Zhice did not possess too powerful of a spiritual sense, or else it would not have taken until his middle age for him to finally begin cultivating.
Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense floated about the Dallying Forest. At the same time, many other spiritual senses were also floating about the sea of trees. He could faintly sense the presence of those spiritual senses, but he had no means of communicating with them. As his spiritual sense continued to dive into the sea of trees, he began to sense more and more people. It turned that there were still many examinees trapped within the Dallying Forest.
The scholars from Scholartree Manor had their eyes closed in meditation, their foreheads tightly creased. The other examinees also had their eyes tightly shut, with pained expressions on their faces. Only after one completely investigated all the areas of the Dallying Forest and placed the entire map of it in one''s mind could one begin calculation and find a proper path. To these youths who could only have possibly cultivated for a set amount of years, this was very difficult task.
Just then, Gou Hanshi walked into the sea of trees. Tianhai Shengxue was just a moment behind at starting his journey. Shortly afterwards, the two vanished amongst the newborn and tender shoots of early spring.
Those at Ethereal Opening were truly different from the rest.
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...
The Hall of Shining Words was very quiet.
After the literary test concluded, the archbishop, Mo Yu, Prince Chen Liu, and other important figures like Mao Qiuyu entered the hall. Occasionally, a Li Palace priest would step forward and report on the martial test''s situation. Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue''s entering the sea of trees did not cause any stir, as this was how it should be for Ethereal Opening Realm cultivators. In their view, Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue had acted a little too cautiously.
Not long after Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue had entered the sea of trees, an examinee walked out of the Dallying Forest, completing the first half of the martial test.
This person was Liang Banhu, Fifth Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
The important figures within the hall were also unsurprised by this development. All of them were familiar with the level of the examinees for this year''s Grand Examination. Besides Guan Feibai, the remaining three disciples from the Mount Li Sword Sect also possessed outstanding strength. No matter which one of them emerged from the Dallying Forest first, it was all very normal. However, Prince Chen Liu somewhat curiously asked, "What of Guan Feibai?"
The next person to walk out of the Dallying Forest was also not Guan Feibai, butZhuang Huanyu.
This time, the mood in the hall finally changed a little. They all turned to Mao Qiuyu while Prince Chen Liu smiled and said a few words of congratulation. It was very obvious that Zhuang Huanyu had not slacked on his cultivation after defeating Qi Jian. Although he had dropped down to eleventh on the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets'' Proclamation of Azure Sky, the strength of his spiritual sense very clearly belonged in the top ten.
"Guan Feibai could not get first or even second. It''s hard to imagine how angry he will get."
The Principal of the Li Palace Academy lightly mocked. The people of Zhou had always had rather complex impressions regarding the disciples of the southern sects.
The first half of the martial test was not ranked by who was the first to come out of the Dallying Forest, but ranked according to how much time was spent within. At this moment, the people within the Hall of Shining Words had already obtained the starting times for the examinees, so they knew that Liang Banhu, Guan Feibai, and Zhuang Huanyu had all entered at the same time. Now that Zhuang Huanyu had come out, he would naturally be ranked in front of Guan Feibai.
Just then, the chief examiner for the literary test shook his head and said, "Liang Banhu is not first, so naturally, Zhuang Huanyu isn''t second. Guan Feibai won''t even be able to get into the top three now."
The Principal of the Li Palace slightly frowned. "Are you actually counting Gou Hanshi and Young Master Tianhai?"
The chief examiner replied, "Before all of you entered the hall, someone had already left the Dallying Forest, and the time he took was shorter than Liang Banhu''s by one-third."
Everyone was shocked at this information and began to cast questioning gazes. Only the archbishop in the very center kept his eyes shut, seemingly asleep.
Someone was actually faster than Liang Banhu, and this much faster? Just how powerful was his spiritual sense?"
"Who is it?" the Principal of the Li Palace Academy asked in shock.
"The registered name is Zhang Tingtao. Of course, everyone knows who he is." (TN: Tingtao '''' translates to ''listening to waves'')
The chief examiner turned to the Principal of Star Seizer Academy and teased, "Even if it''s a fake name, this name is a little too ordinary."
The Principal of Star Seizer Academy carried the consistent style of the Great Zhou Army. Without concealing anything, he declared, "If he''s willing to fight for Star Seizer Academy, he can call himself whatever he wants."
The crowd silently agreed.
"The furious Zhexiu" Prince Chen Liu gave a rueful sigh. "I''m really quite curious as to just how he grew up."
The Principal of the Li Palace Academy countered, "I''m even more curious as to how Chen Changsheng is doing right now."
At this question, everyone turned to look at the archbishop.
The chief examiner replied, "Chen Changsheng''s grade in the literary test is bound to be extremely high. It''s just a question of who gets first and second between him and Gou Hanshi."
The crowd thought that this was only to be expected.
The Principal of the Li Palace Academy looked at the seemingly asleep archbishop and mocked, "No matter how good his grades in the literary test are, what does it matter if he can''t even pass the Dallying Forest? At that point, he would be directly disqualified and won''t even be able to enter the third banner, and he''s thinking about first rank of the first banner? I really don''t know if someone will still be able to continue sleeping so soundly when that time comes."
The hall was completely quiet. Nobody replied.
In the capital and in the Orthodoxy itself, the principals of the Six Ivies had very special status. Powerful personages like Mao Qiuyu and the Principal of the Li Palace Academy had no need to fear anyone. Moreover, everyone in the hall knew that the Principal of the Li Palace belonged to the new faction of the Orthodoxy, just like the Bishop of the Temple Seminary, so he had always had a close relationship with the Tianhai clan.
The archbishop''s making that declaration in place of Chen Changsheng was a very serious challenge to him, the Li Palace Academy, the Heavenly Dao Academy, and all the other Ivy Academies. It was obvious that the Principal of the Li Palace Academy was already preparing his counterattack. As long as Chen Changsheng could not take first rank of the first banner, the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and its archbishop would be harshly called into question, even directly attacked.
Just like he had said, if Chen Changsheng couldn''t even pass the Dallying Forest, what need was there to discuss first rank of the first banner?
Time slowly passed, and after quite a while, a priest entered the hall and reported, "The Orthodox Academy''s Chen Changsheng has entered the forest."
Everyone was slightly startled at this report. The eyebrows of the Principal of the Li Palace Academy shot up extremely high, almost about to take flight off his face, and his eyes filled with astonishment and doubt.
"How can he be even faster than those people from Scholartree Manor?!"
135 Listening to the Waves of the Sea of Trees II
The Dallying Forest encompassed a vast area, but to cultivators who had succeeded in Purification, it did not take too long to cross. The critical factor in passing through this holly forest was using one''s spiritual sense to find a path, so only when an examinee was confident that they could cross through the sea of trees would they enter the forest. The reverse was true as well. An examinee''s entering the forest essentially signified that they had the ability to walk out of the sea of trees. It was just a question of how much time they would use.
This new development in the martial test caught the people in the Hall of Shining Words by surprise. Mao Qiuyu took up the record book and realized that the time Chen Changsheng had spent from sending out his spiritual sense to walking into the sea of trees was even shorter than the time that Liang Banhu had used. Prince Chen Liu had also spied this fact from the side and exclaimed in shock, "Could Chen Changsheng possibly possess this strong of a spiritual sense?"
"If his spiritual sense was truly this strong, how come it was impossible for him to succeed at Purification?"
The Li Palace Academy Principal''s face was expressionless as he spoke. He simply did not believe that Chen Changsheng could possess such a powerful spiritual sense.
Prince Chen Liu muttered to himself for a few moments before saying, "Earlier when I saw Chen Changsheng, he seemed to have succeeded at Purification."
The principal sneered, "So what if he succeeded at Purification? To only succeed at Purification after such a long time, his spiritual sense is presumably mediocre. I''m afraid this youth simply couldn''t understand the paths of the Dallying Forest, knew that he couldn''t pass through and decided that things couldn''t get any worse, so he blindly rushed in."
The Hall of Shining Words fell silent once more, as everyone felt that the Principal of the Li Palace Academy''s argument was rather reasonable. Of the several hundred examinees currently in the Dallying Forest, many were almost certainly just as described, completely incapable of using their spiritual sense on the outskirts of the forest to get a complete and clear map. Helpless, they could only enter the sea of trees and charge into a path, relying on their luck. Chen Changsheng might also be under such circumstances.
The crowd turned to the archbishop seated in the center. The archbishop still had his eyes shut as if asleep, simply unaware of what they were talking about.
What happened next caused the Li Palace Academy Principal to quickly take on a rather unsightly expression.
News on the situation in the Dallying Forest was constantly being delivered into the Hall of Shining Words. A priest unfurled a map to mark the present situation. The red dot representing Chen Changsheng had never stopped after entering the sea of trees, but was constantly moving. Although the route it took was inevitably rather twisted, the direction was always forward. His stable movements and speed signified that he had already planned his movements in advance and was very confident.
As time passed, the red dot representing Chen Changsheng continued to move closer to the perimeter of the sea of trees, walking a seemingly complex, but actually the most direct path out. The Hall of Shining Words grew quieter and quieter, with the crowd transfixed on the front of that line. Although it was still not completely clear, there was a general understanding that Chen Changsheng would not encounter any sort of problem.
Priest Xin, who had been standing outside the hall this entire time, seemed to see something and wiped the sweat from his forehead, a faint smile appearing on his face.
A priest came to report on the newest developments in the martial test. The striking red dot on the map moved forward again, only this time, it had moved right out of the Dallying Forest.
The Hall of Shining Words was still quiet, and the archbishop''s eyes remained shut. He seemed not the slightest bit concerned.
The Principal of the Li Palace Academy was speechless.
Prince Chen Liu sighed, "Who could have expected beforehand that this fellow''s spiritual sense would be this strong?"
Truly no one had expected this. Chen Changsheng, who had not even been able to complete Purification, surprisingly possessed such a potent spiritual sense.
Mao Qiuyu said, "After the Grand Examination concludes, we should inquire as to how this child fixed his Fated Star."
The crowd nodded one by one in agreement. Since Chen Changsheng possessed such a powerful spiritual sense, the Fated Star he had fixed also had to be unusual. It naturally had to be recorded clearly for the glory of the Great Zhou.
A little after the Hall of Shining Words came to know, the spectating crowd outside the Li Palace also very quickly learned of the newest developments in the martial test and erupted in cheers.
As she listened to the distant cheers, Mo Yu said to Prince Chen Liu, "None of them dares to bet on Chen Changsheng''s taking first rank of the first banner, so tell me, why are they cheering?"
Prince Chen Liu''s expression froze as he came to comprehend her meaning. His newborn joy was instantly extinguished.
Mo Yu smiled.
None of the common people had bet on Chen Changsheng''s winning but they were overjoyed that he had passed the martial test. This was naturally because they were all well aware that Chen Changsheng had zero chance in the one-on-one matches. Since this Orthodox Academy youth would not lose them any money, the common people were naturally charitable enough to cheer for him.
...
...
Upon walking out of the sea of trees, Chen Changsheng was welcomed by a cool breeze which roused his somewhat exhausted mind. As for those astonished and shocked gazes, he intentionally ignored them. The Li Palace priest standing outside the sea of trees responsible for recording the grades, and those fellow examinees of his, had never imagined that he would come out so quickly. Chen Changsheng had needed only a brief span of time to cross the Dallying Forest, even shorter than Liang Banhu''s record. The only question that remained was just who was faster, him or that thinly-clothed youth participating as a student of Star Seizer Academy.
He turned his head back to the sea of trees. When he thought about how he had faintly been able to hear the waves of leaves as his spiritual sense ventured through the forest, he fell into a contemplative silence.
The Ivy Festival and the Proclamation of Azure Sky had proved that he was not trash. However, being well-versed in the Daoist Canon and having an erudite learning in this world that respected the strong was only a beautiful and empty decoration. What was most important in this world was still strength, that direct strength that could influence life and death.
Today was the first time he proved to the world that he had this strength.
But this was still not enough. Passing through the Dallying Forest was only the first half of the martial test. If he wanted to reach the one-on-one matches phase, he still had to do much more.
After walking out of the sea of trees and crossing a meadow, he arrived at a beautiful spring river.
This river was called the Qu River. It flowed through the Li Palace and ultimately converged with the Luo River. However, the part of the Qu River that passed through the Garden of the Morning Sun was much wider than the Luo River as it passed through the capital, due to the terrain and the dredgings that had been performed on it over the course of history. At its widest, the two shores were several dozen zhang apart.
The Qu River''s surface was very calm, its water a deep green. To the scholars or literati, this scene might seize them with the urge to write a poem or draw a painting. However, to Chen Changsheng and the vast majority of examinees, this river barring the way before them was like a bronze mirror covered all over in a green rust. There was truly nothing picturesque about such a sight.
One''s emotions when viewing things depended on the viewer''s mood.
The martial test for this year''s Grand Examination was truly quite marvelous.
The first half tested examinees through crossing the sea of trees.
The second half had the examinees cross this green river.
As long as examinees could cross the several-dozen-zhang-wide Qu River, flat as a mirror, and reach the opposite shore, they would be considered to have passed the martial test and have the right to participate in the one-on-one matches.
The problem was that this was not a simple matter.
This was especially because the rules stated very clearly that other than the bottoms of one''s shoes, if any part of the examinee were soaked by the river water, their attempt would count as a failure.
Chen Changsheng walked to the shore and gazed at the green forest on the other side. He naturally began to think of the Orthodox Academy''s lake.
Ah, so it turns out that this is the other shore that Priest Xin spoke of.
136 Like Walking on Thin Ice
The martial test consisted of passing through the sea of trees and crossing the green river. The former tested the examinee''s spiritual sense and perception while the latter tested the examinee''s quantity of true essence and skill in using it. This seemingly simple assessment almost seemed like a child''s game, but its aim and standards were plainly set. The Grand Examination was truly deserving of its title.
Upon walking out of the Dallying Forest, one would emerge in the northeastern region of the Li Palace. The so-called ''other shore'' was the southern shore, and how could one reach the region south of the river?
Chen Changsheng looked at the solemn-faced examinees standing at the shore of the Qu River and then listened to the footsteps, some near and some far, coming from the sea of trees behind him. He knew that many examinees would assuredly be unable to walk out of this sea of trees and many would be unable to cross the Qu River. It seemed that the martial test phase would eliminate many people.
He ignored the strange gazes aimed at himself as he quietly stood on a stone on the shore. He looked at the meadow on the southern shore and looked at the barely discernible figures in the pavilion within the distant forest, seeming to be thinking of something.
Liang Banhu had already crossed the river, as had Zhuang Huanyu, Guan Feibai, and Qi Jian. Just as he had walked out of the forest, he had just so happened to spy Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue almost simultaneously reach the grass on the southern shore. What of the thinly-clothed youth who had been the first to finish the literary test? Was he in the forest?
To cross this wide river without assistance from magical artifacts was not too difficult a feat to these people blessed with abundant true essence and exquisite Daoist techniques, but to ordinary examinees, this was one of the hardest tasks in the world. Those examinees who were confident that they could cross the river had rushed across as soon as they had walked out of the sea of trees. Those that remained on this side were all hesitating.
Just then, a female examinee from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green walked out of the forest. After hearing the rules from the examiner, she walked straight towards the Qu River without a second thought. As a slightly chilly spring breeze blew in from upstream, wafting the girl''s dress in the breeze and causing it to dance like a leaf, she just very straightforwardly walked across the river!
Those examinees on the shore could only sigh in envy. The Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green specialized in the teaching of Sacred techniques, but its students were also skilled in body-lightening movement techniques. However, those techniques were like the sword style of Mount Li, never transmitted to outsiders. Examinees of other schools could only envy in vain while those ordinary students who had never had a chance to interact with such profound techniques could only be overcome by helplessness.
A disciple of the Longevity Sect''s Purple Qi Cliff angrily said, "Every cultivation method is different. This test is far too unfair."
The examiner said, "As long as you can cross, it counts as a pass. Nothing could be fairer."
The Purple Qi Cliff disciple raged, "So you''re saying if I brought the mount of my sect''s elder here and mounted it to fly across, I would pass?"
The examiner coldly said, "If you brought it, then it could count as your ability."
The disciple was at a loss for words. Many magical artifacts could assist a cultivator in flying across a short distance, but the rules of today''s martial test had forbidden the use of magical artifacts. As for those birds that could fly with a person on their backthey were extremely rare. Other than the Red Eagles used by the military, the vast majority of them acted as mounts for the elders of various sects. How could one be just casually taken on a journey by a disciple? Most critically, the format of the Grand Examination was kept under a strict layer of secrecy and this year''s examination was far too different from the ones of the past. Which examinee could have known that participating in the Grand Examination required a bird at their side?
The sight of the girl from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green easily crossing the river had caused people to go green with envy, but it had also given some wavering examinees much more self-confidence and courage. An examinee from the Snow Mountain Sect in the northwest began his own attempt. His right foot descended towards the Qu River and right as it touched the water, the surface of the river froze into ice.
"The cold Qi of the Snow Mountain Sect! Truly extraordinary!" an examinee exclaimed in praise.
With a grave expression, the Snow Mountain Sect disciple carefully walked into the river. When his left foot touched the river, another layer of ice formed beneath it.
He slowly walked across the Qu River, sheets of ice forming beneath his two feet. It was sublimely beautiful, these lotuses of snow blooming in the river, yet it made the spectators extremely nervous, as if he really was walking on thin ice. Everyone had already stopped speaking, holding their breaths and nervously staring, afraid to disturb this disciple.
After a while, when this Snow Mountain Sect disciple had walked ten-some zhang, a sudden vexing gust of wind blew from upstream, causing his body to sway. After just barely holding on for a few moments, he realized that he could no longer last. With a shout, he gathered his energy and rushed towards the opposite shore, leaving extremely thin shards of ice on the rippling waters of the river.
Regretfully, he did not have sufficient true essence to last for too long. When he was about seven zhang away from the southern shore, he finally fell into the river.
"Aiya!"
The spectating examinees on the shore felt a great pity. Their confidence in passing the martial test had been dealt another heavy blow.
Even when an examinee from Star Seizer Academy rode a sword across the river a little while later, the examinees were still unable to regain confidence. Riding a sword across a river seemed very natural and unrestrained, but it had very high demands on the true essence and skill of these people crossing the river. Of the examinees that had succeeded in crossing the river, only the four disciples of Mount Li and Zhuang Huanyu had used this method.
On the southern shore of the river, examinees from Star Seizer Academy and some examinees from the capital who knew the fellow who had crossed just now on his sword were waiting and were now stepping forward to offer their congratulations.
As time passed, a stream of examinees walked out of the forest, listened to the rules for crossing the river, and instantly had the joy they felt in emerging from the sea of trees banished.
Just then, the crowd suddenly parted and examinees began to bow.
Luoluo had arrived.
Luoluo walked up to Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher?"
Her eyes carried a questioning gaze.
Chen Changsheng replied, "Wait for Xuanyuan and Tang first."
After a few moments, Tang Thirty-Six walked out of the sea of trees. His blue gown drifted about, with no fallen leaves attached to it, and his fan gently waved. He exuded an indescribable elegance and arrogance, but Chen Changsheng could clearly tell that there was a hint of impatience about his appearance. It was very obvious that he had encountered some sort of incident in the sea of trees.
This made sense. After all, Tang Thirty-Six had been part of the second-to-last batch of examinees to leave the Hall of Shining Words. Logically speaking, he should have come out long ago.
"What''s wrong?" Chen Changsheng asked.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I met a scholar from Scholartree Manor in the forest."
Chen Changsheng was rather shocked. The Dallying Forest was massive and held countless paths. It was very rare for two examinees to meet on the same path. For instance, he had not met a single person on his journey through the forest.
"And then? You didn''t fight over the path, did you?"
Tang Thirty-Six impassively said, "We naturally didn''t fight. One, an examiner was watching. Two, I wasn''t guaranteed to beat that person. But since they dared to fight over the path with this young master, perhaps we had to engage in a debate. Relax, I''ve never lost in an argument."
When he thought of how Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo had humiliated Xiao Songgong, Chen Changsheng was unconcerned about Tang Thirty-Six''s ability to out-curse someone. On the contrary, he felt some sympathy towards that scholar. However, when he thought about how Tang Thirty-Six had admitted that he might not be able to beat that scholar, Chen Changsheng also could not suppress his wariness.
It was right then that one of the scholars from Scholartree Manor walked out of the sea of trees.
After a few moments, the rest of the scholars also walked out.
The four scholars gathered together and engaged in a whispered discussion. Then they all turned to where the students of the Orthodox Academy were standing, one of them carrying an expression of absolute fury.
It was plain to see that this was the one that Tang Thirty-Six had quarreled over the path with and that had been disciplined by his words.
137 Holding Hands
Fighting over a path had always been one of the easiest matters to fall into conflict over, let alone in such a tense affair as the Grand Examination where the rules forbade examinees from using the same path. Thus, one side would be forced to change their path. The Dallying Forest encompassed a vast area and so it was very difficult for two examinees to walk the same path, so it could only be said that Tang Thirty-Six or that scholar from Scholartree Manor had poor luck.
With the understanding that Chen Changsheng and the others had of Tang Thirty-Six, it was definitely not his luck that was bad. Reality bore this out, as it was ultimately the scholar that had been forced to change paths. This scholar was now staring at the Orthodox Academy''s group with a face filled with anger. He wanted to step forward and engage in a debate, but he was stymied by his schoolmates. Only then did he notice Princess Luoluo''s presence, so he could only coldly laugh.
The students of Scholartree Manor passed by the Orthodox Academy''s group. Displaying their techniques, they walked with extreme elegance and ease across the Qu River. Before leaving, they gave somewhat mocking glances to Chen Changsheng and the rest.
At this moment, Su Moyu also walked out of the sea of trees and up to Chen Changsheng''s group. For some reason, this young expert of the Li Palace Academy was not in good condition today, and the time he had needed to walk out of the Dallying Forest was much longer than expected. Tang Thirty-Six did not like this wooden and stubborn fellow, but Chen Changsheng didn''t have much ill will against him. Seeing Su Moyu''s slightly pale face, he asked, "Are you okay?"
Su Moyu explained, "Last night, I suddenly felt a sign that I was about to break through. In forcefully suppressing it, my true Qi flowed backward and my sea of consciousness was somewhat shaken."
The top fifty young experts on the Proclamation of Azure Sky were basically all at the upper level of Meditation. As long as they were willing, they could attempt to break through into Ethereal Opening at any time. However, the threshold was too high and breaking through too dangerous, so very few people would rashly choose to break through without completely making preparations. Su Moyu was a diligent cultivator and had reached that threshold a long time ago, but because of the Grand Examination, he had controlled it this entire time. He had not expected that right as the Grand Examination was about to begin, he would sense a sign of breakthrough, and what should have been a cause for celebration became a trouble.
Logically speaking, information on one''s cultivation like this was critical information that should never be revealed to other people, and this wasn''t even considering that the Orthodox Academy and the Li Palace Academy were competitors. But for some reason, Su Moyu had seen Chen Changsheng''s sincere expression and very naturally explained.
Tang Thirty-Six''s complexion slightly changed and his impressions of Su Moyu suddenly improvedto be trusted by someone was a very good feeling. He looked at Su Moyu and asked, "How long do you need to recover?"
If one were to ever so improperly forcefully suppress signs of breakthrough, it would cause harm to one''s sea of consciousness. For a short period of time, one''s spiritual sense would be rather unstable. It was no wonder that someone with as deep and sturdy a foundation as Su Moyu needed so much time to cross the Dallying Forest. However, with sufficient time to meditate and calm his mind, this situation would not persist for too long.
"If I can get into the second round of the one-on-one matches, I should be able to recover."
Su Moyu clasped his hands to the Orthodox Academy''s group, and then also said to Chen Changsheng, "I''ll wait for you south of the river."
After saying this, he walked to the river, his body slightly blurring as he utilized the wave-walking Daoist technique of the Li Palace Academy. He swayed forward and quickly reached the opposite shore.
His spiritual sense was somewhat unstable, but his true essence had not decreased and his Daoist technique was still exquisite.
As time passed, more and more examinees walked out of the Dallying Forest and began to cross the river. Some examinees crossed to the southern shore with great difficulty while others fell into the river and were then rescued by the Li Palace priests. Fewer and fewer examinees remained standing on the shore, making Chen Changsheng''s group stand out more and more. On the other hand, more and more people came to be standing on the meadow on the southern shore. Some were people who had long since finished the martial test, such as Gou Hanshi and the other three disciples of Mount Li, and had come out of the pavilions and towers in the forest to the meadow. No one knew what they intended to do, but it presumably had something to do with the Orthodox Academy.
Many startled birds suddenly flew out of the two-man-high holly trees, followed closely by the sounds of snapping branches and the slight shaking of the ground. Even the waters of the Qu River began to ripple and dust began to rise. An extremely tall and sturdy figure charged out of the sea of trees, his clothes ripped all over by tree branches.
Xuanyuan Po had finally walked out of the Dallying Forest.
This demi-human youth''s spiritual sense was actually quite strong, or else he would not have been chosen by his tribe to go study in the capital. But he had not received much training in spiritual sense and perception, his personality was too honest and straightforward, and his spatial thinking and calculation ability were rather lacking. It would be very simple for him to run around the mountains searching for prey, but it was truly difficult for him to walk out of this maze deliberately designed by a sage.
Chen Changsheng and the others had been worried precisely about this point. Although he was looking rather worse for wear, they were still very happy to see him walk out of the forest.
Xuanyuan Po ran over to them. Chen Changsheng had just shaved his beard off last night, revealing a young and tender face more appropriate for his age, but after just half a day, perhaps because he was in a rush or for some other reason, a thin layer of stubble had appeared. This coupled with his face full of sweat from running made his appearance seem very apprehensive.
"I''m late, I''m late."
Xuanyuan Po walked up to Chen Changsheng, seemingly in a great rush. He was worried that he had delayed everything and so extended a hand to grab Chen Changsheng''s hand.
Priest Xin had come especially to the Orthodox Academy to leak this question. This meant that to him or the archbishop, the ''crossing river'' phase of the martial test posed the most difficulty to Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng had said nothing about this, but Xuanyuan Po and Tang Thirty-Six had privately made preparations, preparations to sacrifice Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po was prepared to grab Chen Changsheng''s hand and then throw him straight across to the other shore.
Tang Thirty-Six had silently moved to position himself behind Chen Changsheng. Both he and Xuanyuan Po were well aware that Chen Changsheng would never agree to this sort of method and would certainly resist. His mission was to immediately seize Chen Changsheng as soon as he began to resist and tie him up.
Only now did Chen Changsheng react. Guessing at their plans, he said, "Don''t act recklessly."
At this moment, Tang Thirty-Six''s hand was only a foot from Chen Changsheng''s back, ready at any time to subdue him.
Xuanyuan Po looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "Although we don''t know the reason, we all know that you must have a reason to take first rank of the first banner, but I don''t care. I can wait for the next Grand Examination."
As he spoke, the demi-human youth still had that simple and honest expression of his, yet he spoke with great resolve.
Chen Changsheng was deeply moved, but he would not accept this heavy act of friendship, saying, "I have my own way."
He could not finish because Tang Thirty-Six''s hand fell on his shoulder while Xuanyuan Po''s hand extended forward like a bolt of lightning. These two schoolmates both understood Chen Changsheng''s personality very well and would not give him a single chance to convince them, yet in the next momentthey discovered that all their plans had completely failed, because Xuanyuan Po was not able to grab Chen Changsheng''s hand.
A small pair of hands extended from the side and held Xuanyuan Po''s hand.
They were Luoluo''s hands.
138 The Shallow River
In this year''s Grand Examination, the martial test phase was precisely meant for eliminating examinees. To many people, the Dallying Forest and the Qu River were natural moats that were exceedingly difficult to cross. The Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had privately leaked the details of this phase to the Orthodox Academy. Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po had long since made preparations for the sake of helping Chen Changsheng enter the final phase of one-on-one matches. Even though they were clearly aware that his chances of getting first rank of the first banner were almost ethereal, they were still willing to do a few things and pay some price. However, when they were making these preparations, they, like many other people, did not think that Princess Luoluo would be taking part in this year''s Grand Examination.
Thus, they had not anticipated that Princess Luoluo would insert herself in the proceedings and grab Xuanyuan Po''s hand.
"Did none of you think about why I wanted to participate in the Grand Examination? I''m also a student of the Orthodox Academy. That none of you thought that I could also do a few things makes me rather disappointed."
When Luoluo looked at Xuanyuan Po and Tang Thirty-Six and spoke of disappointment, her two eyes twinkled like stars, not looking disappointed at all.
After saying this, she lightly shook her sleeve, her hand holding Xuanyuan Po''s hand suddenly exerting strength.
With a whoosh, Xuanyuan Po vanished from where he was standing, becoming a black silhouette in the sky.
The abruptness of it all left him completely unprepared. He hollered out in panic midair, attracting the gazes of many examinees on both sides of the Qu River.
The Qu River that ran through the Garden of the Morning Sun was at its widest pointseveral dozen zhang separated the sea of trees from the meadows and open forest on the opposite shore.
Watched by countless gazes, Xuanyuan Po whistled through the air, his hands and legs flailing as his body drew a long arc through the sky and eventually fell into the grass on the southern shore.
Both shores of the Qu River were very quiet, the only sound being his panicked shouts. One could vaguely hear that he had apparently called for his mother.
Crash.
The meadow on the southern shore of the Qu River momentarily shook and vast amounts of dust were sent flying into the air. The slightly yellowed grass of early spring was completely overturned and black dirt splattered everywhere like splashing water.
Xuanyuan Po crashed to the ground like a heavy stone.
After a moment, the dust settled and Xuanyuan Po stood up. Patting the dust and grass of his body, he looked around in bewilderment. He looked rather dazed from his fall, but he was otherwise uninjured.
At this sight, the Li Palace priests and examinees on both sides of the river were shocked speechless, thinking to themselves, just what is this demi-human youth''s body made of? It''s actually this sturdy?
Gou Hanshi, Zhuang Huanyu and the others, on the other hand, were looking towards the other shore at that petite figure, their expressions abnormally complex.
This display was truly worthy of the second-ranked expert on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Princess Luoluo had needed only a casual toss to show off her power. It was truly too magical.
On the northern shore of the Qu River, Luoluo turned to Tang Thirty-Six, her slender brows rising as she used her eyes to state her intentions.
Tang Thirty-Six hurriedly backed away from Chen Changsheng and hastily said, "I certainly don''t need help."
He certainly had no wish to be thrown across the river like Xuanyuan Po. That there might be problems with the landing was one thing, but the crucial reason was that it was just too ugly.
"Then I''ll leave first."
Tang Thirty-Six said to Chen Changsheng. It was only now that he came to his senses and realized that he and Xuanyuan Po had forgotten Princess Luoluo''s existence when making their plans. Since Princess Luoluo was now taking action, he no longer needed to worry. He was only worried that Luoluo might develop a habit of throwing people and do so despite his protests. Like an escapee, he charged towards the Qu River.
Although his escape was rather embarrassing and his figure rather comical, the instant he stepped on the Qu River, he immediately regained his elegance.
Gathering Evening Clouds.
The Wenshui Sword was still in its sheath at his waist, so he used the Three Forms of Wenshui with his bare hands.
A blazing Qi instantly enveloped the northern shore of the Qu River. It was clearly still rather bright out, yet the sun seemed to be setting.
His body was within the sunset, a golden light dashing several dozen zhang across the surface of the river. In a flash, he had arrived on the southern shore.
Besides the four disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect, he had been the only examinee today to directly use sword energy to cross the river.
At this sight, Zhuang Huanyu''s expression turned grave while Guan Feibai and Liang Banhu seemed rather surprised.
Not too many days had passed since that final night of the Ivy Festival, but the increase in Tang Thirty-Six''s strength surpassed what many had imagined. When they thought about the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets''s commentary on this youth from Wenshui during the changing of the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the examinees standing on the southern shore all felt rather perturbed. They silently thought, could it be that as long as he diligently cultivates, he really does have the strength to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky''s top ten?
"Teacher, I''ll have to be rude." Luoluo walked up to Chen Changsheng and bowed.
She did not know how tough Chen Changsheng''s body was after his Purification, but it was presumably far weaker than Xuanyuan Po''s. However, other than throwing him across to the opposite shore, she couldn''t think of any other method. Moreover, Tang Thirty-Six had already gone across, so he should be able to think of a method to catch him. Her only concern was that she was a student throwing a teacher, so she couldn''t help but be worried that Chen Changsheng might be unhappy.
Before Chen Changsheng had time to say anything, an examiner hurriedly walked up and stopped Luoluo.
The Li Palace priest somewhat nervously said to Luoluo, "Your Highness, these actions of yours violate the rules of the Grand Examination, so"
Luoluo noticed that on the southern shore, those several scholars from Scholartree Manor were currently speaking with the proctor and she vaguely understood what was going on. Slightly arching her brows, she somewhat unhappily said, "Earlier when I listened to the rules of the martial test, I did not hear of such a rule. Moreover, I''ve already thrown someone across, so are you saying that doesn''t count?"
When designing this year''s Grand Examination, no one had imagined that the Orthodox Academy would use this sort of method. The examiners did not dare to offend Luoluo, yet they felt that this truly went against the Grand Examination''s spirit of forbidding examinees from the same sect or school from assisting each other. Added together with the fact that many examinees, along with the scholars from Scholartree Manor, were beginning to ask questions, they inevitably felt themselves in an awkward situation.
It did not take long before the final decision was sent down from the Hall of Shining Words. Since Xuanyuan Po had already been thrown across the Qu River by Princess Luoluo and the examiner had not clearly stated the rules beforehand, it was best to just accept the result. In the future, however, it was absolutely forbidden for any examinee to assist another. One could only rely on their own strength to cross the river, and it was reiterated once more that the use of any magical artifact was strictly forbidden.
It was very obvious that people like Mo Yu and the Principal of the Li Palace Academy had remembered that Princess Luoluo was always carrying numerous treasures on her person. If she were to give Chen Changsheng a Thousand Li Button, let alone crossing the Qu River, even crossing the River of Oblivion in an instant would not present a problem.
Luoluo was very angry and said, "I would really like to see who would dare to try and control me."
After saying this, she made to grab Chen Changsheng''s hand.
Just when Tang Thirty-Six had used Gathering Evening Clouds to elegantly cross the river, the toll of a bell had come from the sea of trees. This signified that the two hours were up and all the examinees still in the sea of trees had been disqualified. Afterwards, all the examinees still on the northern shore made their final attempt, but they all fell in the deep green waters of the river.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were the only two examinees left on the northern shore.
Besides them, there were also several dozen Li Palace priests. Those priests did not dare to use force to stop her and so could only attempt to strenuously persuade her on the side.
Chen Changsheng also attempted to persuade her. "I have a means of crossing the river. You don''t need to worry."
No one noticed that as he spoke, he secretly put a Thousand Li Button into his sleeve. But he wasn''t lying. Priest Xin had leaked the question in advance, so how could he have failed to prepare? With his current level of strength, he had at least three ways of crossing the river, but he wanted to leave these cards hidden so that he could use them in the matches.
Luoluo opened her eyes wide and seriously asked him, "Teacher, are you really confident?"
Chen Changsheng rubbed her head and said, "Haven''t you always had the most confidence in me? If I can''t even cross this river, how can I take first rank of the first banner?"
The Li Palace priests were all stunned when they saw how close he was with Luoluo and they were all speechless when they heard what he said. However, when they saw that Princess Luoluo was apparently almost convinced, they relaxed and left the riverbank, returning to their positions to await the final moment of the martial test.
Luoluo had always obeyed Chen Changsheng''s words. Since he had made his decision, she said no more. She stood on a rock on the shore, bent her knees, and then pushed.
With a light crack, the rock half-covered in moss split in two.
An ear-piercing howl resounded through the blue sky.
An invisible bell seemed to have been struck on the southern shore.
This was the sound of air being pushed apart.
A dress slightly lifted in the air and then descended.
Luoluo appeared in the meadow, two plumes of smoke rising from beneath her dress like flowers.
The Li Palace priests and examinees were all stunned at this sight, their mouths agape. She was truly too powerful.
Luoluo completely ignored the shocked gazes aimed at her. The first thing she did was turn around to the opposite shore, her eyes filled with concern.
She had always believed in Chen Changsheng''s strength, even worshipped it, and she always believed that her teacher was hiding many things. But she was still very worried, because she couldn''t think of how her teacher could possibly get across.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po walked up to her side and also looked at the opposite shore.
Gou Hanshi, Tianhai Shengxue, Zhuang Huanyu, Qi Jianall the examinees that had already passed the martial test had appeared by the river and were looking at the northern shore.
There, Chen Changsheng stood alone.
Even Luoluo was worried about him, let alone other people.
No one could understand what sort of method Chen Changsheng could use to cross the river.
Even if he had succeeded in Purification, even if his spiritual sense was powerful, if he did not have enough true essence, he could not break through this natural limit placed down by the world.
Some examinees revealed expressions of joy at his future failure.
The four scholars from Scholartree Manor had apathetic expressions, but their eyes were brimming with disdain and ridicule.
The junior sister from Holy Maiden Peak''s Gentle Stream Monastery happily laughed.
The entire continent knew that Chen Changsheng wanted to get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. If he could not even make it past this river, then such a claim would truly be a joke.
Guan Feibai suddenly said, "I hope that he can cross."
Qi Jian and Liang Banhu nodded.
Gou Hanshi commented, "I''ve never worried that he might be unable to make it across."
Qi Jian and his other martial brothers turned to look at their senior, somewhat confused.
Gou Hanshi said, "Those who truly have high aspirations will never neglect a single detail. He wants to take first rank of the first banner, so how could he not be able to cross this shallow river?"
Just then, Chen Changsheng finally began to move.
Under the gazes of countless others, he did not walk towards the Qu River, but raised his head up towards the blue sky.
He seemed to be searching for something amongst the white clouds of the early spring sky.
At this moment, the cry of a crane could be heard in the distance.
139 Riding a Crane to the Southern Shore
A green river was divided into two shores. All the examinees stood on the southern shore, while only Chen Changsheng stood on the opposite shore, looking rather forlorn. The declaration that had spread throughout the entire continent made this sight seem even more moving and tragic, or perhaps sorrowful. Sympathetically, or disdainfully, or indifferently, the crowd watched him, waiting for him to conclude his Grand Examination. No expected that what they heard first would be the bright call of a crane.
A line had suddenly charged out of the white clouds drifting over the capital. On the very front of this line was a white crane.
Countless eyes followed the movements of the White Crane, watched as it flew through the sky into the Garden of the Morning Sun. When it landed on the opposite shore in front of Chen Changsheng, the crowd began to react.
Is it possible? Gou Hanshi thought in surprise.
Guan Feibai walked a few steps toward the shore and stared at the White Crane opposite, his voice shaken. "Is it possible?"
Qi Jian''s mouth was slightly agape. With great difficulty, he swallowed the words ''Is it possible'' back down his throat.
Upon seeing this sight, many examinees standing on the shore could not help but exclaim, "Is it possible?"
Xuanyuan Po lowered his head, feeling his face to be rather hot. He found the entire thing rather embarrassing.
Tang Thirty-Six seemed normal, but he was also deeply embarrassed. He thought to himself, is this really necessary? It''s just crossing a river; is it really necessary to use this sort of method?
Zhuang Huanyu coldly laughed but said nothing else.
Su Moyu''s way of thinking was the simplest. He asked in astonishment, "This way is also okay?"
The crowd''s reaction to the White Crane''s descent was mostly astonishment and disbelief. Only Luoluo''s reaction was different.
She looked at the opposite shore, her two hands clasped together in front of her, her face one of utter adoration. "Teacher''s intellect truly surpasses others''."
This sentence attracted everyone''s attention.
If she were not Baidi Luoluo, if she were not the Princess of the Demi-humans that no one could offend, she would definitely have received everyone''s disdain and perhaps even a few blows.
Not even Xuanyuan Po or Tang Thirty-Six would have helped her.
Was this called intellect?
Was it not shamelessness?
How could the White Crane travel across a vast distance from the south and arrive right during the Grand Examination?
The Orthodox Academy must have known about the questions for today''s Grand Examination!
Of course, without any proof, no accusations could be made.
The crowd looked at the opposite shore and thought, does Chen Changsheng really have the nerve to do this?
...
...
For the sake of taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng was willing to do anything.
He walked up to the White Crane and warmly rubbed it on the neck. He said a few words to it, and then, under the flabbergasted stares of the crowd on both sides of the Qu River, he mounted the White Crane.
The White Crane lightly flapped its wings and took flight.
A wind blew across the river, sending bits of grass flying and ripples spreading across the green waters.
After a moment, Chen Changsheng had flown the crane into the air, further and further away from the ground. The Qu River looked just like a belt of jade.
The wind upon his face was rather chilly and moist.
An inexperienced person mounting the White Crane to such a high elevation would inevitably feel some panic or fear, but he would not. He had experience. His only experience flying the White Crane to high elevations was that when he was small, he had once ridden the White Crane to that peak shrouded in clouds behind Xining Village.
The White Crane of that time was the White Crane he was sitting on right now.
Before his tenth birthday, each time the White Crane would come to deliver letters and gifts to Xining Village, he would go off to the mountains with the White Crane to play and search for herbs.
But after he turned eleven, the White Crane no longer returned to Xining Village. It was only a few months ago that they were finally reunited in the capital.
The chilly wind blew against his face, and he squinted his eyes. He was not looking at the green river or garden beneath him, but at an even further place.
He greatly enjoyed the feeling of flying on a crane, and it had been such a long time since he had felt it.
...
...
At present, Chen Changsheng''s body contained a vast amount of true essence. Although he could not use it, he still felt like a rich man, a rich young master with ten thousand strings of cash strapped around his waist and a bag that he could not open. The place he wanted to go was the Qu River''s southern shore. It truly gave the feeling of having ten thousand strings of cash around the waist and riding a crane down to Jiangnan.1
Somewhat unfortunately, the Qu River was not the River of Oblivion or the Red River; even the widest of rivers had a limit, and this was only several dozen zhang. Moreover, he was still taking part in the Grand Examination, and so it did not take long, even with the White Crane flying as slowly as possible, for him to descend onto the meadow of the southern shore.
Chen Changsheng dismounted from the White Crane like an elder, then clasped his hands in thanks.
Luoluo came up to welcome him, very delighted. She was also rather curious about the White Crane.
Her royal father had once said that white cranes had an immortal aura. Moreover, they were also ''white'', so White Emperor City had never used white cranes as mounts. She had met all sorts of monsters as a child, but she had rarely interacted with white cranes. When she had last seen this one during the Ivy Festival, she had wanted to get close to it. Now, she turned to Chen Changsheng and asked with her eyes if she could touch it.
She knew that this White Crane was not her teacher''s, but she believed that the White Crane would become her teacher''s in the end. As his student, she did not think this request too excessive.
In the end, though, she was a demi-human princess, and so the White Crane was somewhat discomfited by her body''s Qi, or perhaps fearful. Without waiting for Chen Changsheng to say anything, it let out a bright cry and took off into the sky with a flap of its wings.
Chen Changsheng waved goodbye.
Luoluo felt thoroughly regretful, but she was thankful to the White Crane for helping her teacher cross the river today, so she also very seriously waved goodbye to express her gratitude.
The crane''s cries eventually faded into the distance.
The meadow of the Qu River was silent.
What did this mean?
Was this Grand Examination a game? In order to cross the several dozen zhang of the river, the examinees from the various schools and sects had used all sorts of techniques, exhausting all possibilities, and in the end, Chen Changshenghad actually mounted a crane to cross it!
Crucially, he had ridden that White Crane!
Yes, this was a very famous white crane. Many people recognized it, especially the youths from the south.
This was Xu Yourong''s White Crane.
Many people noticed that when the White Crane left, it was flying south.
Holy Maiden Peak was in the south.
The crowd turned to Chen Changsheng, their expressions running the gamut of emotions.
The disciples from Holy Maiden Peak and the Longevity Sect had especially nasty faces.
Nobody knew that the White Crane had come to the capital a few days ago and then been asked to stay by Chen Changsheng.
People would inevitably speculate. Perhaps Xu Yourong had let the White Crane travel the vast distance from the south to the capital specifically for the purpose of lending her fianc a helping hand in the Grand Examination?
Luoluo grasped Chen Changsheng''s sleeve, her face brimming with joy as she incessantly praised his wisdom.
She praised with deep sincerity, so much so that even Chen Changsheng began to feel embarrassed.
Tang Thirty-Six patted him on the shoulder and said nothing.
Xuanyuan Po shook his head at him, wanting to say that it was no good to do things this way, but when he thought about how Chen Changsheng was his grandteacher, he could only settle into a depressed silence.
Su Moyu walked over and asked his question again. "Is this way also okay?"
He asked very earnestly, with no intent to jeer or ridicule. He truly wished to ask Chen Changsheng if this method went against the rules or not.
This was a question that many other examinees also had.
One of the scholars of Scholartree Manor found a proctor and solemnly spoke to him.
The examinees watched, waiting for the final result.
After some time, the proctor walked to the Orthodox Academy''s group and sighed at Chen Changsheng, "This way is not allowed."
Of the proctors and Li Palace priests overseeing today''s examination, more than half were from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, so they were naturally looking after the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng. However, their care was in the details, like in tea, or brushes, or one''s seating area. Right now, many people had seen Chen Changsheng cross the river by riding a crane, so they had no means of looking after him.
Chen Changsheng was naturally certain about the outcome before making this sort of plan.
"There is no such rule forbidding this method of crossing the river."
He then pointed at another examinee and said, "Earlier, he asked the examiner across the river if bringing his elder''s mount and using it to fly across the river would also count as passing, and the examiner did not reject the idea."
The disciple from the Longevity Sect''s Purple Qi Cliff froze. He thought to himself, could it be that my question actually helped you? But as it had many witnesses, he could not simply deny the existence of such a conversation.
The proctor was somewhat startled at his words. Then he laughed and shook his head, saying no more.
This naturally resulted in many examinees'' raising a fierce protest, but Gou Hanshi and his fellow disciples, Tianhai Shengxue, and Zhuang Huanyu said nothing.
Su Moyu commented, "Althoughthis method is truly rather opportunistic, since it does not break the rules, I have no objection."
As he represented the Li Palace Academy, his words carried some weight amongst the students of the capital''s academies. Adding on the fact that Zhuang Huanyu and the two students from Star Seizer Academy also said nothing, the voices of protest gradually faded. Only a few young cultivators of the south were still unrelenting in wanting the examiner to strip Chen Changsheng of his credentials.
"Eh? Where did those people go?"
Someone suddenly realized that Chen Changsheng''s group had vanished from the riverside.
The crowd all turned to look and saw that the Orthodox Academy''s group had already left and were just about to enter the sparse forest neighboring the meadow.
One of the scholars of the Scholartree Manor glared at them and icily said, "Truly shameless to the extreme."
...
...
Chen Changsheng did not feel that crossing the river by riding the crane was anything shameless. Of course, he also did not think it was anything to be proud of. Just like the petty shrewdness often spoken of by the common people, it was very difficult to give an accurate assessment uncolored by emotion. But the Grand Examination was too important to him and his opponents were too powerful. He needed to utilize all his advantages.
As long as he could reach his goal without harming anyone else, the opinions of others would have no effect on him. He wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination and his greatest advantage at the moment was that no one knew just how strong he really was, not even Luoluo. At the same time, with the assistance of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, he had a very deep understanding of the strengths of all the other examinees.
So when he saw that youth under the pavilion, he became very uneasy.
This youth was too mysterious, almost unfathomable.
In the chilly spring wind, this youth was thinly dressed, with his sleeves rolled up to reveal his arms. He seemed fearless of the cold.
According to the information provided by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, this youth was an examinee from Star Seizer Academy called Zhang Tingtao.
Chen Changsheng was confident that this was not his real name.
This youth simply didn''t take part in the literary test, was the fastest to cross the sea of trees, and the earliest to cross the Qu River. After entering the forest and walking under the pavilion, he never moved.
Whether it was Gou Hanshi or Tianhai Shengxue crossing the river, Luoluo crossing the river, or even Chen Changsheng crossing the river by riding a crane, no matter how excited the meadow on the shore got, he never walked out of the pavilion.
The youth had not even shot a glance at the river.
He stood alone in the pavilion, thus causing the pavilion and this mountain to also become lonely.
It was impossible for such a solitary person to be called Tingtao.
''Listening to the waves on the shore'' seemed like a lonely and refined image, but such a person was actually still yearning for noise and clamour.
"If I''m not mistaken, his real name should be Zhexiu."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the youth in the pavilion, his expression grave. "This is a wolf from the north."
140 The Wolf Youth
Upon hearing Tang Thirty-Six''s comment, Chen Changsheng knew who the youth under the pavilion was. After becoming acquainted with Tang Thirty-Six, and even more after becoming schoolmates with him in the Orthodox Academy, he had heard the words ''wolf cub'' from his mouth far too many times. Only now did he realize that this small wolf had been in the north this entire time.
A wolf was not a dog, and so being called a wolf cub was not an insult as being called a dog pup would be. Tang Thirty-Six and many other young geniuses on the Proclamation of Azure Sky had grown accustomed to using the term ''wolf cub'' to describe that terrifying youth from the north. In reality, it was used to ensure that they and this youth remained on the same level, to close a sort of distance between them, and it also signifiedrespect.
The first time Chen Changsheng heard Tang Thirty-Six mention the wolf cub was in the inn near the Mausoleum of Books. At the time, he felt that when Tang Thirty-Six said those words, his mood was rather complicated, a mixture of both fear and respect. It must be known that Tang Thirty-Six was such a proud youth that even Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi did not command his respect.
He had never asked Tang Thirty-Six who this wolf cub was, nor had he inquired on the background or teacher of this wolf cub. This was because all his energy had been focused on cultivation, and also because he could hear from Tang Thirty-Six''s tone that this wolf cub was very far away, so he naturally wouldn''t care too much.
But today, in front of the Li Palace, before the rising sun, his gaze had fallen on this thinly-clothed youth and found it impossible to pull away. Now, he realized that this youth had a very unusual name: Zhexiu. Presumably, if he wanted to forget this name in the future, it would be extremely difficult.
"Wrathful Zhexiu" Luoluo stood next to him and looked at the youth in the pavilion. She whispered, "This is also my first time seeing him."
Chen Changsheng could hear the shaking in her voice and glanced at her. He saw that the gaze she aimed at the youth was brimming with sympathy and, for some reason, he suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.
"I think that this is the first time everyone participating has seen him."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the youth, his expression complex. "From his birth to cultivation to hunting, he''s always been in the cold snowy plains of the north and has never once left. Even the people of Snowhold Pass rarely see him, let alone us fellows who live in the peaceful and flourishing world."
Upon hearing these melancholic words, Chen Changsheng fell silent for a time, then asked, "So just what sort of person is he exactly?"
"He is a demi-human."
Tang Thirty-Six glanced at Luoluo and added, "A true demi-human."
...
...
The demi-humans and humans had a very close alliance, but they rarely married, and there were no sad and beautiful tales of love about the two races.
This was because the intermarriage of the two races usually produced poor results.
A demi-human human was the descendant of a demi-human and a human. These hybrids resulting from the mixing of two species were innately intelligent, but they would often encounter obstacles in cultivation that were difficult to resolve.
Luoluo''s father was the White Emperor and her mother was a human princess from the Great Western Continent. Thus, she was a demi-human human. On the surface, she could not cultivate in the explosive techniques of the White Emperor because she was female. In reality, it was known only to the few people closest to the White Emperor Imperial clan that it was her mixed blood that made it impossible for her to cultivate the White Emperor''s techniques to the most profound levels.
The White Emperor couple had a very good relationship, so it was absolutely out of the question for the White Emperor to take a concubine. The White Emperor couple were also very doting on their sole daughter and were not willing to have another. Since Luoluo was unable to cultivate the techniques of the White Emperor clan to their peak, she could not inherit the White Emperor''s throne. This was currently the greatest problem facing the vast domain of the demi-humans. Such important figures like Jin Yulu and Guardian Li treated Chen Changsheng like one of their own not merely because Luoluo had acknowledged him as her teacher, but because they saw that with Chen Changsheng''s assistance, there was a chance that Princess Luoluo could resolve her difficulties.
The youth called Zhexiu was under very similar circumstances to Luoluo. His father had been a member of the wolf tribe and his mother was a human. However, his parents'' blood had not been as powerful or noble as Luoluo''s parents, and his father''s blood had the overwhelming advantage. Thus, his talent in cultivation had been relatively well-maintained, but the problems he encountered were far more serious than Luoluo''s.
Two years ago when the Great Zhou Dynasty was conferring military honors, the Divine Empress had a conversation with the Pope. Later on, the contents of this conversation were leaked, letting the entire continent know that the wolf youth had a problema major problem that was very difficult to address, a problem that not even the Divine Empress or the Pope could resolve. It was just that no one knew what exactly the problem was.
In the end, a secret bit of news was actually sent from Xuelao City to the Central Plains. Based on the narratives of some demons who had escaped the hands of the wolf youth by luck, it could roughly be determined that the problem confronting this wolf youth was a mental one. This was also probably why he had been known by both the demon and human armies on those cruel plains of snow as Wrathful Zhexiu.
After hearing all this, Chen Changsheng turned once more to the youth under the pavilion, but now he found that the youth seemed even lonelier.
Xuanyuan Po said, "He''s also very famous in our tribe."
In the vast domain of the demi-humans, the majority of tribes still lived off hunting, and so they regarded outstanding hunters with the highest respect.
Wrathful Zhexiu was the most outstanding of hunters.
He interacted with neither humans nor demi-humans. He walked amongst the snowy plains and hunted demons for a living.
The number of demons that had died at his hands over the past few years was difficult to count.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he had resolved many problems for the Great Zhou Northern Army, so when the Great Zhou Dynasty conferred military honors, his name would never be missing. When he expressed his wish to use the identity of a student of Star Seizer Academy to participate in the Grand Examination, the Great Zhou Army, from top to bottom, gave him the warmest of welcomes.
It was at this moment that Su Moyu walked over. He also gazed at the distant pavilion and asked, "All of you also recognized him?"
Chen Changsheng nodded.
"Earlier during the literary test, Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue thought that there was something off about his eyes, after which I began to think that it might be him." Su Moyu bowed to Luoluo and then continued, "I hear that both His Majesty the White Emperor and the Divine Empress want to obtain his service, but no one has been able to find him. I didn''t expect him to participate in the Grand Examination."
A wolf would travel one thousand li to eat meat.
Why had this wolf youth who always kept to himself left the snowy plains and come to the bustling capital to participate in the Grand Examination?
"He''s interested in the Heavenly Tomes?" Chen Changsheng proposed, his gaze turning in the direction of the Mausoleum of Books.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Everyone is interested in the Mausoleum of Books, but if he took all the demons that he killed and converted it into military merit, he would have the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books quite a few times."
No one knew why the wolf youth was participating in the Grand Examination.
At this point, all the examinees already knew of his true identity, but nobody approached the pavilion, much less attempted to start a conversation with the youth.
This even included the examiners. The eyes of everyone in the crowd were filled with respect, and there was simply no one willing to approach him.
Even Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue, both already at Ethereal Opening and the strongest out of all the examinees, did not walk over.
This youth stood there, still very lonely, both the mountain and pavilion becoming lonely as a consequence.
"He is very strong," Luoluo suddenly said.
It was only right that this wolf youth be very strong. He had always been ranked second on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, all the way until this year''s impromptu revision, when he was finally surpassed by Luoluo. In the past two years, he had only been beneath Xu Yourong, and many people believed that this was only because of how difficult it was to find him. If it were truly a life-or-death struggle, even Xu Yourong might not be a match for him.
Because what this youth was best at was killing.
If one were to total up the number of kills of all the people currently on the southern shore of the Qu River, both examinees and examiners, this number would certainly be smaller than Zhexiu''s.
...
...
From the distant Hall of Shining Words came the clear and lingering toll of the bell, signaling that both the literary test and martial test of the Grand Examination had come to a close.
After a count, the number of examinees that had not been eliminated totaled one hundred and thirteen.
The Grand Examination had three banners.1 The first banner took three people, the second banner took ten people, and the third banner took thirty people, for a total of forty-three people.
So it was every year.
This was because there were forty-three paths to enter the Mausoleum of Books.
Entering the three banners meant obtaining the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books, which was the goal for the vast majority of participants in the Grand Examination.
To view the Heavenly Tomes and comprehend the Dao was the dream of every cultivator. Moreover, countless years of history had proved that entering the mausoleum was a necessary part of becoming a true expert.
The examinees were lined up according to the time that they crossed the Qu River.
The wolf youth was naturally first.
The gazes aimed at him by the crowd were rather complex. Everyone naturally knew that the name of ''Zhang Tingtao'' was fake.
Under the guidance of the Li Palace priests, the hundred-odd examinees departed the southern shore of the Qu River and headed even deeper into the Garden of the Morning Sun.
It did not take long before they arrived before a green tree.
In the early spring, the trees lining the streets of the capital had only grown green buds, but this tree had innumerable green leaves, which swayed about in the chilly wind like some self-satisfied fellow.
There were many aspects that this tree could be proud of. Besides its verdant green, it was also very tall.
The clouds and mists slightly enveloped the higher branches, and the top of the tree was completely engulfed by the clouds.
The trunk was extremely think. Ten or more people would be needed to completely encircle it.
At the bottom of the tree was a hole, pitch-black and rather sinister-looking.
The Li Palace priests led the examinees into this hole.
Beyond this hole was a paradise.
It was a porcelain-blue even more perfect than the sky outside the tree.
A few clouds drifted about this blue sky.
In the distance, several palaces could be seen.
Chen Changsheng felt this sight to be rather familiar.
Luoluo said, "Teacher, you''ve been here before."
Only now did Chen Changsheng understand that the location for the one-on-one matches of the Grand Examination was actually the Minor Li Palace, also known as the Education Palace.
In the cultivation world, this place had an even more famous name.
The Pope''s Green Leaf World.
Those examinees who were entering a miniature world for the first time had their jaws agape, their expressions brimming with shock.
It was just like Chen Changsheng and Xuanyuan Po''s first time in this place.
Right now, Chen Changsheng would naturally not show the expression of a countryside youth that would earn the jeers of Tang Thirty-Six.
He was very calm and so noticed a few details.
Many examinees were exclaiming in amazement at the Pope''s Green Leaf World.
The wolf youth was not looking at this world, but at Luoluo.
Chen Changsheng suddenly felt an acute sense of danger.
141 The Unseen Battle
Nobody had noticed the change in Chen Changsheng''s emotions, not even Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, who were standing right next to him. The attention of the crowd was completely focused on this perfect world. Only Luoluo noticed his strange expression and softly asked him what was wrong.
"I just feel like there''s something off about today. Later on, in the matches, you have to be careful." Chen Changsheng did not speak about what he had just seen, but he did not conceal his unease. He added, "If there''s any danger, leave immediately or listen to my orders."
Gou Hanshi and several others had already begun to understand what Luoluo wished to accomplish in participating in the Grand Examination without receiving a grade, yet as the benefactor of this, Chen Changsheng had actually not thought about it. Upon hearing Chen Changsheng''s cautious warning, Luoluo naturally would not oppose. She said, "I will listen to Teacher''s orders."
The examinees followed the Li Palace priests through a forest and arrived in front of a round building constructed of stone. This extremely grandiose building spanned several hundred zhang and was ten-some zhang high. The doors and windows atop the flight of stone steps were all tightly shut, so the insides of the building could not be seen, only its black roof.
A cloud suddenly drifted through the blue sky. It floated above the round building and released a refreshing rain. Not too much rain dripped down from above, yet in a very short period of time, the dust accumulated on the roof was completely washed away. The black roof became clean and bright, glistening with light like it was black jade.
"The Hall of Washing Away Dust1 is the site for the matches in this year''s Grand Examination."
A Li Palace priest turned and said to the examinees, and then he began to explain the rules.
Just like the rules for passing through the sea of trees and crossing the green river, the rules for the one-on-one matches phase, the final and most important of the Grand Examination''s phases, were also simple, clear, and easy to understand.
One hundred and thirteen people in total had passed the martial test. The first fifteen examinees to cross the Qu River had a bye in the first round. The remaining ninety-eight examinees would split into pairs and fight against the person they were paired with. The victors would enter the next round with the fifteen examinees who were given byes, and then they would be split into pairs and fight, and so on and so on until only one remained.
As for how the victor was determined, that was even simpler. When the two examinees fought, the one who could remain standing at the end was the winner.
The loser was naturally eliminated, so in the one-on-one matches phase, every round was very important, as there was no means of rectifying any error. However, because the vast majority of examinees sought to enter the three banners in order to obtain the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books, the first round was viewed with the most importance. As long as one could pass the first round, one was already more than halfway to getting into the three banners of the Grand Examination.
As for how the examinees would be paired off to fight, this was simple to the extreme. It even gave off the feeling that the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Orthodoxy, as organizers of the Grand Examination, were being rather irresponsible. According to the rules, they had given the examinee the right to choose their opponent! Other than the top fifteen examinees who had been given byes, the following forty-nine examinees could choose any opponent they wished from the bottom forty-nine examinees. The examinee that was chosen could not refuse, as this was tantamount to giving up on the test, and their would-be opponent would advance to the next round.
The examinees that had yet to be eliminated were certainly no fools. The moment the Li Palace priest finished explaining the rules, they completely understood. The crowd began to discuss amongst themselves, but before any examinee could bring up any objection or ask a question, the sonorous tone of a bell came from the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The one-on-one matches of the Grand Examination had formally begun.
As the bell signaled the start, the examinee at the sixteenth place in line instantly became the object of everyone''s attention. This examinee was a student from Star Seizer Academy. This person had a tall stature and a stern expression. His Qi was restrained, making seem rather low-key, but not cowardly. He gave off the aura of a soldier.
Another examinee might have felt uncomfortable in this situation, or at least would feel it a bit too sudden, but what soldiers paid the most attention to was strict obedience, receiving orders through the beat of a gong. Thus, this young examinee strode without hesitation out of the line and turned his gaze to the back half of the line.
His gaze moved calmly and slowly across the examinees.
Before his gaze, the examinees in the back half waiting to be chosen all had different expressions and reactions. Some were calm as if they did not sense it, whereas others were deliberately scornful as if challenging it. There were also examinees that lowered their heads or slightly turned their bodies to avoid meeting the gaze. Some examinees barely managed to struggle out a smile, making them look rather pitiful.
To everyone''s surprise, the person this young student from Star Seizer Academy chose as his opponent was actually the disciple from Purple Qi Cliff that had asked a question to an examiner on the opposite shore of the Qu River. The examinees could not repress their turbulent emotions and began to chatter amongst themselves. It must be known that Purple Qi Cliff was a part of the Longevity Sect, and this person was assuredly not the weakest of the examinees present, yet he was the first chosen. Why?
The Purple Qi Cliff disciple was astonished, and it took a few moments for it to sink in that he had been chosen. With a calm expression, he walked out of the line, in no way feeling that he had been insulted. Logically speaking, the first to be chosen was inevitably the weakest, but he believed that strength of spiritual sense and quantity of true essence were just ice-cold numbers or levels. There were more factors in play in a one-on-one match, and he was confident that he could win.
And this was true. Besides those top fifteen who were given byes and were truly a level above their peers, the remaining almost one hundred examinees were all quite close in strength. In no way could one say that the examinee who had a higher place in line was assured victory against an examinee ranked lower.
Since the examinees taking place in the first match were decided, the Li Palace priests did not give either side any time to prepare. They brought the two examinees to the Hall of Washing Away Dust. The wooden door at the base of the round building slowly opened, but behind the door was a darkness like that of a terrifying abyss. The priest indicated that the two should enter, after which he swiftly closed the door again.
As they stared at the tightly shut wooden door, the examinees were rather surprised. Could it be that spectating was not allowed in this year''s Grand Examination?
The Li Palace priest expressionlessly said to the remaining examinees, "Due to a few special circumstances, this year''s one-on-one matches will take place behind closed doors."
The examinees began to discuss this news, some people looking straight at the Orthodox Academy group, especially at Chen Changsheng. They probably suspected that the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had made such arrangements for his sake. If this was a closed-door exam, then it was not possible to know the details of the battle, let alone if any cheating was going on. At the very least, if Chen Changsheng lost, the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education would be able to save a little face.
Of course, Chen Changsheng knew that this arrangement had nothing to do with him. He looked at the solitary wolf youth standing in the distance and silently wondered whether the closed-door exam had been at this person''s request.
The wooden door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was tightly shut. Remnants of the rain fell from the black eaves of the hall, dripping against the ground.
It was not possible to see what was going on within the hall, and not even a sound could be heard from within, so it was impossible to know how the match within was progressing. The atmosphere outside the hall became somewhat oppressive, and the examinees more and more nervous, perhaps precisely because they could not hear or see, only imagine. Some examinees decided to just cross their legs and seat themselves on the ground, closing their eyes and calming their hearts, putting these matters out of their mind.
After a short while, the door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust opened.
The examinees all turned as one to look. Those examinees who were seated on the ground, and seemed unable to be disturbed by anything, also instantly opened their eyes.
The one walking out was the examinee from Star Seizer Academy. His face was slightly pale and a large hole had been torn out of the front lapel of his uniform, through which a little blood could be seen. However, he still maintained his expression of unperturbed solemnity.
A female examiner from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green stepped forward to treat the examinee. A clear light flashed over the stone steps and a serene and soothing Qi enveloped the area.
Usually, to be able to see the exquisite Sacred Light treatment of this female teacher would have earned the praises of the examinees, but right now, they were all concerned about the result of the battle.
That disciple from Purple Qi Cliff had still not come out.
Qi Jian walked up to the Li Palace priest and asked, "Might I ask Teacher of what has happened to our junior brother?"
The various sects of the Longevity Sect spoke as one and regarded each other as coming from the same sect. For many people, it was very proper and expected for Qi Jian, a disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect, to ask after the circumstances of a disciple from Purple Qi Cliff. Only Chen Changsheng was rather perplexed at this sight. He did not understand why it was Qi Jian, who was rather young and inexperienced with these kinds of things, that was asking the question rather than Gou Hanshi.
If the senior brothers were not speaking, why did the junior brother of Mount Li have to speak out first?
Chen Changsheng noticed that Gou Hanshi had his habitually calm expression and that Guan Feibai and Liang Banhu also did not show any reaction. It was as if Qi Jian''s stepping forward was a very normal matter.
The Li Palace priest replied, "The loser cannot remain on. The person you are inquiring about has already been sent out of the Education Palace. At this moment, he should be receiving treatment at the Hall of Illustrious Persons. There is no need for you to be concerned."
Qi Jian turned to glance at Gou Hanshi. Upon seeing that his senior brother had said nothing, he returned.
The Li Palace looked over the register in his hands and then looked at the examinees. "Where is number seventeen, Huo Guang?"
Right after he asked the question, a young scholar slowly walked out from the crowd.
This scholar was dressed in a brown robe and his face seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. His expression was one of extreme apathy and arrogance.
He had the right to be arrogant.
Upon seeing this person step forward, all the examinees lined up in the back half became unsettled. They were even more nervous than when the examinee from Star Seizer Academy was choosing his opponent.
Because this young scholar was from Scholartree Manor.
And it was precisely this person from Scholartree Manor that Tang Thirty-Six had quarreled over the path with in the Dallying Forest.
The atmosphere became tense and very few examinees dared to look him straight in the eyes. More of the examinees were silently praying that they would not be picked by him.
According to the Li Palace priest''s arrangement, the examinees ranked in the bottom forty-nine all stood to the west of the stone steps in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The gaze of this scholar from Scholartree Manor flashed across the crowd, falling on a certain area.
This area stood at the edge of the forest, where the dense foliage could keep out the sun. However, it was a little far from the Hall of Washing Away Dust, so few examinees were standing there.
Luoluo did not like to be exposed to the sun, even if it was the fake sun of the Pope''s Green Leaf World.
Thus, Chen Changsheng had led his group to this area to stand.
All the members from the Orthodox Academy were standing at the edge of the forest.
The gaze of this scholar also fell on the edge of the forest, fell on the students of the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng was very calm.
Xuanyuan Po had no reaction. His attention had been grabbed by an ant at his feet.
Luoluo was using a handkerchief to fan Chen Changsheng.
Only Tang Thirty-Six reacted.
He slightly arched his brows, raised his head, and then looked back at this scholar from Scholartree Manor. His demeanor exuded an indescribable arrogance as if he was saying, ''pick me, pick me!''
142 No One Troubles the People Standing by the Fores
As he looked at the young Scholartree Manor scholar, Tang Thirty-Six raised his eyebrows very high and raised his chin up even higher. ''Pick me'' had about the same meaning as ''fight me'', and his expression was so smug and arrogant that it stirred in anyone the desire to give it a good thrashing, no matter how handsome this person''s face was. In fact, the more handsome the face, the more intense would be the desire to thrash it.
All the examinees followed the scholar''s gaze and understood the unspoken words in Tang Thirty-Six''s demeanor. If you don''t pick me, then you''re my grandson.
Scholartree Manor cultivated wisdom, so he would naturally not take such an action. His gaze had deliberately fallen upon the Orthodox Academy group because he wanted to make them nervous. However, when he saw how arrogantly provocative Tang Thirty-Six''s reaction was, his complexion instantly turned nasty. He also began to recall how he had argued over the path with Tang Thirty-Six in the sea of trees, as well as Tang Thirty-Six''s rather harsh and scathing words. His blood boiled and he could no longer control his emotions. His right arm rose to point at Tang Thirty-Six.
He was stopped by one of his schoolmates, a scholar with a rather childish appearance. Of the four people from Scholartree Manor taking part in the Grand Examination, this scholar seemed to be the youngest, but he also seemed to have the highest status. Earlier, on the northern shore of the Qu River, he had also been the one to prevent his schoolmate from going to the Orthodox Academy''s group to seek justice.
The scholar called Huo Guang coldly laughed at Tang Thirty-Six and then randomly picked an examinee from the lower forty-nine, upon which both of them walked into the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng was rather astonished by his sight, thinking to himself, the south truly is a different place. In the Mount Li Sword Sect and Scholartree Manor, it''s actually the youngest disciples whose words have the most power.
The second match concluded even more quickly than the first. It was so short that it was like the scholar Huo Guang had just walked into the Hall of Washing Away Dust to look around a bit and then pushed open the door to exit. His opponent did not emerge, as they had naturally lost and then been sent out of the Education Palace by the priests.
When crossing the Qu River during the martial test, the four scholars of Scholartree Manor had crossed the river at around the same time. After Huo Guang, the ones to step forward next were naturally his three schoolmates. Nothing unexpected occurred as each match concluded more quickly than the last. All four obtained victory in the first round and entered the second.
"Scholartree Manorso it really was this strong," Su Moyu sighed as he stood at the edge of the forest.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the four scholars from Scholartree Manor, his expression having slowly turned rather grave. He did not like these scholars from Scholartree Manor. In his view, although these scholars seemed to value rules and knowledge, they actually liked to rat on others and play petty tricks. But he was forced to admit that they were truly very strong.
"That youngest scholar is called Zhong Hui. He''s ranked ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky."
He knew that Su Moyu was well aware of this fact, but this fellow Chen Changsheng was not guaranteed to have much of an impression. He whispered, "The other two scholars are both on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, in the top one hundred. That guy Huo Guang isn''t on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but he''s actually stronger than the other two. In the past few years, he''s been studying in Scholartree Manor the entire time, preparing to amaze the world with his performance today."
Three people on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and one young expert who had been hiding his strengthScholartree Manor''s strength was truly as unfathomable as expected. If one ranked the schools and sects present, excluding the Mount Li Sword Sect that reigned high over the entire lot, Scholartree Manor, the Heavenly Dao Academy, and the Orthodox Academy were the three strongest.
But in a rather interesting result, the four people from the Orthodox Academy were in the bottom forty-nine, so they could only wait to be challenged.
The literary test required contemplation and writing. The martial test required spiritual sense to probe things out, and it could also be prepared for. One-on-one matches only required choosing an opponent and then fighting. Moreover, in battles, victory and defeat could always be decided in the space of a few techniques. Even if the opponents were similar in strength, not much time would be needed for a victor to be decided.
The door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust was opened and then closed, closed and then opened. The oil on the hinges of the door was gradually being whittled away, probably because of the frequency at which the door was being opened and closed. Gradually, the hinges began to creak, and it was with the accompaniment of these creaks that the first round of matches quickly advanced. In a flash, several dozen matches concluded. Some of the examinees ranked in front had gained victory, but no small number of those examinees ranked at the bottom had also won.
The examinees ranked in front had the right to choose their opponent, so they could choose the opponent that they believed to be the weakest. However, for the sake of the Grand Examination, the young cultivators of the continent had prepared for an entire year, so the information and impressions they had left had ceased to be accurate. It was difficult to discern the weak from the strong, so the final outcome was naturally difficult to predict as well.
The impromptu revision of the Proclamation of Azure Sky this autumn had become the most reliable reference material. Primarily, this was because the Proclamation of Azure Sky was sufficiently authoritative, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets'' judgments worthy of trust. Secondly, the Proclamation of Azure Sky had just been updated, so the people on the ranking should not have changed too much in strength. After all, situations like Xu Yourong''s and Luoluo''s were not very commonplace.
Consequently, no examinee chose Su Moyu as their challenger. As thirty-third on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, if one excluded the top fifteen examinees and the four people from Scholartree Manor, Su Moyu would definitely rank in the top five of the remaining examinees. As for the Orthodox Academy''s group, nobody took any interest in them. Only the insane would choose Princess Luoluo, and as for Tang Thirty-Six, not even the scholars of Scholartree Manor chose him, so who would be so idiotic as to have him take the stage?
Not even Xuanyuan Po was picked as an opponent. Although he was last on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, he was still in the rankings. Moreover, demi-humans cultivated in a completely different manner from humans and their talent was difficult to predict. For the sake of reliability, the examinees in the higher ranks were willing to pick an examinee that was ranked higher on the Proclamation of Azure Sky as their opponent over Xuanyuan Po.
Rather interestingly, or perhaps strangely, nobody chose Chen Changsheng, who had not even entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
All the examinees were keenly aware that when the Proclamation of Azure Sky was updated, Chen Changsheng had not even succeeded at Purification. Even if he had encountered a miracle afterwards and succeeded at Purification by some fluke, this short period of cultivation was far from enough to advance his strength by leaps and bounds. He should have been the weakest person present, butno one dared to pick him.
It was very lively outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, but very quiet at the edge of the forest.
Luoluo hugged Chen Changsheng''s arm and leaned against his body, on the verge of falling asleep.
Xuanyuan Po yawned, his mouth large enough to stuff an entire deer leg inside.
Tang Thirty-Six was speaking with Su Moyu about something, and Su Moyu''s face was utterly stupefied.
The youths of the Orthodox Academy were truly quite bored.
Thankfully, according to the rules, their bored waiting would inevitably end.
The wooden door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust once more creaked open. The childish girl from Gentle Stream Monastery walked out, her small face covered in tears from the joy of her victory. She rushed into the bosom of her senior sister, thinking to whine to her. However, upon noticing the rather strange mood, she subconsciously wiped her tears and looked at the crowd.
An examinee walked out with slow and heavy steps. He turned his gaze to the stone plaza on the west side of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, turned his gaze to the edge of the forest, his face somewhat pale.
There were only five people left. Right now, he needed to choose an opponent from amongst these five.
143 The Advancing Fis
The examinee suddenly turned around to the supervising Li Palace priest and pointed at the four examinees behind him, asking, "Can I challenge one of them?"
These four examinees were the last four people from the first sixty-four examinees to cross the Qu River. When they heard that this person wanted to challenge them, not only were they not angry, they actually revealed expressions of joy and immediately voiced their willingness.
The Li Palace priest coldly asked, "Do all of you think that the Grand Examination is a game? I earlier said loud and clear that the first forty-nine examinees could choose any person from the bottom forty-nine examinees as their opponent and that the winner would advance into the next round. Did none of you understand?"
There was a long period of silence, after which the examinee suddenly said, "This isn''t fair!"
He turned his gaze to those examinees who had been ranked behind and won in their matches and angrily roared, "I had better grades in the martial test than them, I crossed the river before them, but now why do I have to challenge even stronger opponents? The Grand Examination is naturally no game, but doesn''t Sir think that these rules are too unreasonable?"
The Li Palace priest''s face was still expressionless as he indifferently said, "This only means that your luck is poor. Who made it that you just so happened to be one of the people who were sixtieth to sixty-fourth to cross the river?"
The crowd was in an uproar at these words, with some people thinking, is something like luck also tested in the Grand Examination? This priest''s words are far too unreasonable.
The priest knew what these young cultivators were thinking. With a somewhat chilly expression, he said to them, "Just what in this world is absolutely fair? On the battlefield, if you are put in the rear and ordered to stop the most powerful demon expert, even if you think it''s unfair, can you refuse the order? If you want to survive, luck will always be the most important factor."
The examinees were all silent. They still did not agree with this argument, but they did not know how to respond.
Helpless, the examinee could only accept this sorrowful fact. He found solace in the fact that he had more choices to pick from than the four examinees behind him.
He turned once more to the forest, his gaze moving back and forth across Chen Changsheng and the others, hesitating as to who to choose.
The area in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was quiet; even the atmosphere seemed to chill. Several dozen examinees nervously waited for his final decision.
In contrast, those who should have been the most nervous, those fellows who could only wait by the forest to be challenged, seemed rather calm and unperturbed.
For some reason, the Li Palace priest did not urge him to choose as he had done in previous cases. Perhaps he and the other examiners were also very interested as to what he would choose.
Ultimately, the examinee decided and pointed at Xuanyuan Po, declaring, "It''s you."
The silence was broken, replaced by the buzz of discussion. Any other examinee would probably also be clueless as to who to choose.
Xuanyuan Po froze for a few moments, then came to his senses and said to Luoluo, "Teacher, I''m departing."
On the side, Tang Thirty-Six arched his brows and said, "The word ''departing'' isn''t lucky; change it."
Xuanyuan Po ignored him. He bowed to Chen Changsheng and said, "I''m departing."
Logically speaking, he should have addressed Chen Changsheng as Grandteacher, but although he deeply admired and respected Chen Changsheng, he still could not bring himself to call him that.
The ignored Tang Thirty-Six was not angry. He raised his hand high and patted the demi-human youth on his broad shoulder, whispering, "Do you still remember what we spoke about last night?"
Xuanyuan Po grunted in affirmation, then recited, "''Don''t give the opponent a single chance to think. Close the distance as quickly as possible and then knock him over.''"
After saying this, he suddenly realized that something was off about Tang Thirty-Six''s expression. He then realized that Luoluo and Chen Changsheng were also looking different, and even Su Moyu had his mouth agape as if in a state of extreme shock.
"What''s wrong?" He rubbed the back of his head in bewilderment. "Did I say something wrong?"
Tang Thirty-Six sighed and patted him on the shoulder again, saying, "You said nothing wrong, but you spoke a little too loudly."
At this time, Xuanyuan Po noticed that the area around the Hall of Washing Away Dust was utterly silent. Everyone was looking at him, and the expressions on their faces were quite splendid to behold.
His voice was loud and clear, and he had responded to Tang Thirty-Six very naturally, not even attempting to control his volume.
Thus, he had told the strategy that the Orthodox Academy had prepared for him to everyone, including his opponent.
Then would this strategy still be useful?
Chen Changsheng shook his head and placed two crystals in Xuanyuan Po''s pocket, then offered up the water pouch to his mouth to let him take a few sips.
Tang Thirty-Six scooted up to Xuanyuan Po and whispered a few words to him.
The Li Palace priest looked to the Orthodox Academy''s group, wanting to smile but successfully suppressing it as he said, "Quickly."
Xuanyuan Po was somewhat nervous at being urged on, and almost choked on the water. Chen Changsheng quickly patted him on the back and Tang Thirty-Six began to talk faster, reminding of what he needed to pay attention to in the match. The scene seemed very rushed and muddled, and Su Moyu couldn''t help but shake his head at what he was seeing. "All of you spent such a long time being bored and loafing around; it''s a bit too late to be in a hurry."
"You don''t understandif we talked about it earlier, he might have forgotten. And besides, we didn''t know who he was going to fight, so what could we teach him?" Tang Thirty-Six defended without turning his head.
Luoluo walked up to Xuanyuan Po and said, "Since your victory is certain, there''s nothing to be nervous about."
Xuanyuan Po stammered, "Theretherethere''s nothing I can do about it."
Chen Changsheng stared into his eyes and said, "Remember Thirty-Six''s words and your victory is certain."
Xuanyuan Po forcefully nodded his head.
Tang Thirty-Six finally finished his impromptu instructions and threw a fist into his chest, saying, "Have a good first match."
...
...
Xuanyuan Po stood on the sand-covered ground, raising his head to the surrounding circle of black eaves and that circle of blue sky. He suddenly recalled the porcelain used to hold food in the Hundred Herb Garden.
With a creak, the door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust closed behind him.
He came to his senses and realized that his mind had been wandering just now. He was not panicked by this fact. On the contrary, he recalled what Tang Thirty-Six had said a few nights ago and thought to himself, this means I''m not nervous, right?
He looked across and clasped his hands to his opponent.
At the moment, the floor of the Hall of Washing Away Dust contained only him and the other examinee. There was no examiner, nor could any sound be heard from outside. It seemed that some sort of sound-blocking array was in use.
It was at this point that an emotionless voice came from the upper floor of the hall.
"If you are ready, just begin."
Xuanyuan Po looked up but saw no one, and he saw no windows either. He couldn''t help but be curious about where the examiners were hiding. He suddenly recalled something that Chen Changsheng had warned him about and hurriedly asked, "Whatwhat happens if someone dies?"
The hall was silent as the hidden examiners pondered this question.
His opponent had a very ugly expression.
The examiner''s voice rang out again. "No one will die."
"Oh." Xuanyuan Po turned to his opponent and asked, "Are you ready?"
His opponent was an examinee from Yellow Mountain Valley.
Yellow Mountain Valley was in the south.
Not every sect of the south could have a disciple participate in the Grand Examination. Just like the pre-examination for the Grand Examination held in the capital, the south would hold a similar test. That this examinee from Yellow Mountain Valley was able to pass this pre-examination was proof of his ability. And he had also completed the martial test faster than the majority of examinees outside the top fifteen, which meant that the strength of his spiritual sense and quantity of true essence were quite excellent.
He had earlier seemed to struggle over which opponent to choose because the Orthodox Academy''s fame as of late had been far too great, but this did not mean that he lacked confidence. Moreover, that he ultimately chose Xuanyuan Po meant that he had a certain confidence, or countermeasures, against Xuanyuan Po.
Upon entering the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Xuanyuan Po had first blankly gazed at the sky and then said those sorts of words to him. This disciple of Yellow Mountain Valley had no idea that Xuanyuan Po was naturally simple and honest, only that he was being deliberately humiliated. His mood had already been quite disastrous, and now his rage instantly exploded. He wanted nothing more than to chop this fellow in half with a single strike of his sword.
"I heard that you were crippled, so are you prepared to lose?"
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple sneered at Xuanyuan Po.
He sneered, but he did not take the initiative to attack.
This was because everyone outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust had clearly heard this sturdy demi-human youth use his thunderous voice to declare that he would attack first, closing the distance with his opponent.
He did not know if Xuanyuan Po had said this intentionally to confuse or if he had really prepared to carry out this plan, but out of caution, he naturally had to consider retreating to defend himself, increasing the distance between them. Then, using his exquisite sword techniques, he could brawl with this demi-human youth.
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple decided without hesitation to retreat, crossing five zhang in a single leap.
At the same time, he unsheathed his sword. A cool breeze wound around him, instantly forming a defense.
Xuanyuan Po was startled at this sight, thinking to himself, how does Tang Thirty-Six guess at everything?
Outside the hall, Tang Thirty-Six had said to him that once the match began, his opponent would absolutely retreat and absolutely put up a defense. Thus, he didn''t need to think. From the very start, he just needed to advance, burning all his true essence to advance. No matter how much his opponent''s sword danced, how much true essence his opponent released, now matter how solid his defense, he just needed to advance!
Xuanyuan Po truly did exactly as he was told.
When he asked if his opponent was ready and his opponent began to retreat, he began to advance.
When he was thinking about how Tang Thirty-Six was able to calculate everything and began to admire him, he had already advanced ten-some zhang.
Tang Thirty-Six had calculated very accurately and had spoken something close to a truth: retreat was always slower than advancing.
No one could expect that someone with as large and sturdy a body as Xuanyuan Po''s could possess such speed.
This was because no one knew that when Xuanyuan Po was small, he had to navigate his way through the precipitous mountains while he hunted down Red Minks that were as fast as lightning.
Retreating in defense? A brawl? After receiving Tang Thirty-Six''s instruction, Xuanyuan Po would not give his opponent a chance for any of this to happen.
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple had retreated five zhang, but Xuanyuan Po had already advanced ten-some zhang, arriving right in front of the disciple.
He could clearly see that his opponent''s face was somewhat pale, could even see his reflection in his opponent''s eyes.
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple howled, his sword rising like the wind as it chopped at him, the edge of the sword gleaming with an elegant light!
Xuanyuan Po remembered Tang Thirty-Six''s words. He thought of nothing but advancing.
He burned up all his true essence in this advance.
His opponent''s sword created a curtain in front of him.
He did not see it or care about it, but continued his advance.
His fist advanced faster than his body.
Buzz.
The wind raised by his fist glimmered with star radiance, tearing through the sword wind and blowing against the Yellow Mountain Valley disciple''s face.
The disciple''s eyes reflected countless motes of starlight, contained absolute shock and disbelief.
Wasn''t Xuanyuan Po a new student of Star Seizer Academy? Hadn''t he only entered the Orthodox Academy just a few months ago? Wasn''t he last on the Proclamation of Azure Sky? Wasn''t his right arm crippled?
Then how he was able to explode with such a fist? Wasn''t this star radiance something that only people at the upper level of Meditation could display?
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple could no longer keep on this line of thought.
Xuanyuan Po''s fist had exploded past his sword and fallen on his body.
Boom!
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple flew like a stone, eventually crashing several dozen zhang away into the wall of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The wind howled and dust flew.
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple seemed to have dug into the wall. His clothes were torn and his body was covered in blood.
Xuanyuan Po stopped and stared at his own fist, his expression somewhat perplexed as he thought, why didn''t he block?
Hurried footsteps echoed through the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Ten-some examiners arrived on the scene, hurriedly beginning treatment on the Yellow Mountain Valley disciple.
"You"
An examiner walked up to Xuanyuan Po, pointing at him and wanting to say something, but he said nothing in the end.
Xuanyuan Po recognized that this examiner was the one who was speaking earlier and then turned to the Yellow Mountain Valley disciple currently being treated. Somewhat uneasy, he muttered out a question. "Did I do something wrong? Sir just said that no one would die. Ifif something happens to him, it has nothing to do with me."
144 The First Battle
At Xuanyuan Po''s words, the examiner''s face instantly changed. He impatiently waved his hand to indicate that Xuanyuan Po should quickly leave. Xuanyuan Po froze as he thought to himself, is there no need to announce me as the winner? Then did this match count or not? He glanced at his opponent still being treated next to the wall, scratched his head, and walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust in a daze.
Upon hearing the door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust close, the examiner wordlessly shook his head as he thought, this youth is just thirteen; how can he be so strong? Even if the demi-humans have special constitutions, it''s still a little too absurd.
The crowd was not too surprised to see Xuanyuan Po walk down the stone steps. After all, his name was on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, so defeating that obscure disciple from Yellow Mountain Valley was the expected result. The only surprising thing was that the battle had ended so quickly, even faster than the matches of the four scholars from Scholartree Manor. And there was also that clap of thunder; what was that about?
Yes, the sound-obstructing array of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was unable to block out all sound. When the volume surpassed a certain level, it would be heard outside. The boom unleashed by Xuanyuan Po''s fist that sent the disciple flying had broken past the sound-obstructing array''s limit and been heard by the examinees waiting outside, inciting all sorts of conjecture and discussion. The vast majority of examinees still present were victors of the first round. In a little while, when the second round began, they might have to face Xuanyuan Po, so the gazes they aimed at him were rather wary.
Tang Thirty-Six watched as Xuanyuan Po walked to the edge of the forest, and asked, "What happened?"
Xuanyuan Po still could not understand just what had occurred in his match within the Hall of Washing Away Dust. After pondering the events for a very long time, he gestured as he said, "He didn''t block."
The simple and honest Xuanyuan Po could not understand how Tang Thirty-Six had been able to calculate all the particulars of the match. He thought that Tang Thirty-Six was acquainted with the Yellow Mountain Valley disciple and had convinced him in advance to give Xuanyuan Po the win. Thus, he was not very excited or proud at the moment, only perplexed and at a loss for what to do.
Tang Thirty-Six certainly could not understand what nonsense he was imagining. Upon hearing Xuanyuan Po''s hesitant explanation, he had a rough understanding of what had happened during the match. He sneered, "It''s not that he didn''t block, it''s that he didn''t have time to block. Battles are all about momentum. His strength was never up to yours, yet he still deluded himself into thinking that he could make a defensive retreat and engage in a brawl. His loss was assured, it was just a matter of how fast."
At this point, the chatter of discussion in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust began to die down. The sixty-first examinee had stepped forth. This examinee was from the Heavenly Dao Academy, so Zhuang Huanyu walked up to his side and whispered a few words to him. The examinee had a cloth bag tied to his back, but it wasn''t clear what was inside. He had an indifferent expression, and as he listened to Zhuang Huanyu''s words, he kept his eyes fixed in the direction of the Orthodox Academy''s group.
After Zhuang Huanyu finished what he had to say, he retreated.
The examinee stared at the several people from the Orthodox Academy for a very long time and finally chose Chen Changsheng.
Yes, he had chosen Chen Changsheng.
All was quiet in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, everyone looking to the forest''s edge.
This choice was rather surprising, but after careful consideration, it was the proper choice.
Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six were ranked thirty-third and thirty-second respectively on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and Luoluo was ranked second. No matter how much this examinee from the Heavenly Dao Academy struggled, he could not possibly beat these three in a match. Although Chen Changsheng was quite well-known, when compared to those around him, he was undoubtedly the weakest. By choosing him, the examinee could at least ensure a chance of victory.
The Heavenly Dao Academy examinee looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "I don''t believe that you can beat me."
He spoke with a deliberately calm tone and a deliberately indifferent expression, but everyone could hear the vicious energy in his words. As for why there was this vicious energy, it was naturally because he wasn''t confident enough. Only by acting viciously could he put his mind off certain matters like the Ivy Festival, the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and a name known throughout the capital.
The forest''s edge was very quiet.
Tang Thirty-Six looked to Chen Changsheng, wanting to say something, but ultimately choosing to remain silent. He did not act as he did with Xuanyuan Po, constantly instructing him on what details needed to be focused on during the match and even drawing up a battle plan. This was because he also did not know what Chen Changsheng''s current circumstances were.
In the end, he asked the simplest of questions. "Can you do it?"
Chen Changsheng looked at this examinee from the Heavenly Dao Academy and mentally matched him up with the information that Priest Xin had sent to the Orthodox Academy a few days ago. He recalled that this examinee was called Liu Zhongshan, seventeen this year, a student personally taught by Principal Mao Qiuyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy. His strength was decent, at least the middle level of Meditation, and there was a high chance that he was carrying a powerful magical artifact with him.
"There should be no problem," he finally replied after some thought.
Upon hearing this reply, Tang Thirty-Six instantly relaxed, no longer concerned. He knew that Chen Changsheng was a reserved and cool-headed person, so since he said that there would be no problem, there would absolutely be no problem.
"Teacher, use the Thousand Li Button," Luoluo whispered on the side.
She was somewhat worried, even though she normally had such confidence, even blind faith, in Chen Changsheng. After all, this match was far too important for Chen Changsheng. With his grade in the literary test, as long as he could defeat this examinee from the Heavenly Dao Academy, there was a high chance that he would be able to enter the three banners of the Grand Examination and gain the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books.
Tang Thirty-Six heard her question and silently asked, just what sort of person are you?
The Thousand Li Button could be considered an almost legendary magical artifact. Even against an upper level Star Condensation expert, it could still be used to save one''s life, so its value was obvious. All cultivators yearned for it, but even obtaining one was enormously difficult, and Luoluo wanted Chen Changsheng to use one in an ordinary match! Wasn''t this too much of a waste?
Chen Changsheng looked at Luoluo and said, "It''s fine, I can do it."
After saying this, he walked towards the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Under the guidance of the Li Palace priest, he entered the door together with the Heavenly Dao Academy examinee.
The examinees in front of the hall all silently watched as the door closed once more. Their expressions were complex, their minds occupied with their own thoughts.
...
...
Within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the circular roof was like the mouth of a well, the blue sky seeming ever so far away.
Chen Changsheng and that student from the Heavenly Dao Academy called Liu Zhongshan also stood far away from each other, standing at the ends of the level ground in the center of the hall and staring across at each other.
"I admit that I''m inferior to you in terms of knowledge, but in battles, one ultimately has to rely on true strength to make their voice heard. I really want to knowhave you succeeded at Purification?"
Liu Zhongshan spoke with an indifferent expression on his face, his seemingly flat voice concealing a faint sense of scorn.
Just like when he spoke with a concealed viciousness, this was also a method of strengthening his confidence.
Chen Changsheng did not lose track of his surroundings and blankly gaze at the blue sky like Xuanyuan Po, nor did he seek the figures of the examiners on the second floor. From the moment he entered the Hall of Washing Away Dust, he was quietly watching his opponent, focused and calm. He slowly released his spiritual sense, and true essence began to flow through his meridians, unable to link together but still able to warm his chest.
He answered, "I''ve succeeded."
In today''s Grand Examination, many people had been able to make out that he had succeeded at Purification. Moreover, succeeding at Purification was just the initial step on the path of cultivation. It could not be treated as some secret weapon, so there was no reason to hide it.
Liu Zhongshan replied, "Is that so? I remember very clearly that during the Ivy Festival, you still could not cultivate. Even if you''ve succeeded at Purification, it can''t have been too many days, right?"
Chen Changsheng pondered this question, then replied, "Yes, it truly hasn''t been very long."
"You only succeeded at Purification a few days ago, so you must have no understanding whatsoever of Meditative Introspection. I really want to know just how you can defeat me in your state. Without sufficient strength, what does it matter how famous you are?"
Liu Zhongshan lightly mocked him, then his right hand reached behind him and untied the cloth bag. He took an umbrella from the bag and opened it in front of him.
This umbrella looked like an ordinary oil paper umbrella, but after it was opened, it instantly began to glow with light, making it seem like precious yellow jade. A powerful Qi seemed to be flowing across its surface, and it was clearly no ordinary magical artifact. Because he was too young, Liu Zhongshan could not display the full might of this umbrella, but in the environment of the Grand Examination, very few examinees would be able to break through the umbrella with their own strength. This umbrella had been Liu Zhongshan''s last resort, but he hadn''t expected to face Chen Changsheng in the first round. To be on the safe side, he decided without hesitation to use it.
Chen Changsheng glanced at the umbrella then paid it no more mind, instead completely focusing on his own body.
A trickle of true essence flowed through his fractured meridians and his powerful spiritual sense urged his energy to greater and greater heights, but also strangely caused him to become calmer and calmer. At the same time, an indescribable strength emerged from the deepest part of his bones and organs, spreading to every part of his body and bringing with it a sensation of power. This was a very mysterious sensation, very difficult to describe in words. This was not a sense of power that came from being strong. Even if only a tiny strand of this strength existed, it would still give the person an incomparably powerful self-confidence. It was better thought of as an instinct.
He was no stranger to this feeling.
After the day he had forced Meditative Introspection in the underground cavern and fallen unconscious, upon waking, he had discovered this extra strength, this extra Qi, and this powerful sense of self-confidence.
Because he had not been able to meet Senior Black Dragon since that day, he still did not know just what had happened on that day. But he did know that a set of outrageous transformations had taken place in his body. His speed and strength had increased by a terrifying amount. Even a perfect Purification would not have such an effect.
Most importantly, not a single person knew that he had undergone this sort of transformation.
"Come," Liu Zhongshan said indifferently to him, the oil paper umbrella emitting a powerful Qi in front of him.
He was asking Chen Changsheng to come.
Chen Changsheng thought about how he should come, which way was the fastest. He then recalled how, on the day that he discovered these changes, he had jumped from upstairs into the snow and then leaped to the lake shore.
He raised his right foot and pushed against the ground.
There was a sound, a sound that was somewhat difficult to describe. It was like an anvil heated by the fire of a furnace suddenly doused by a pot of clear water.
Hiissss.
Chen Changsheng''s foot pressed against the ground.
His firm leather shoes instantly ruptured.
The sand beneath his shoes seemed to disperse as if fleeing for its life, exposing the stone floor beneath.
Several cracks, with his right foot as their center, spread out into the surroundings.
All this happened in less time than it took to blink an eye.
...
...
Many Li Palace priests were responsible for supervising the one-on-one match phase for the Grand Examination. Some were responsible for the process, some were responsible for proctoring, some were responsible for giving examinees emergency treatment, and some were responsible for miscellaneous tasks. Not all of them were required to be within the hall, and indeed, many of them had been outside the entire time, but now, they were all inside the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
They stood on the second floor and quietly watched the match. They were very curious as to just what level of strength this youth of the Orthodox Academy that the archbishop had placed such high hopes on had actually reached. Was it like in the rumors where he couldn''t even cultivate, or was he like one of those people from legends who would suddenly explode with unimaginable strength?
As they watched Chen Changsheng press his foot against the sandy floor and saw what happened next, the expression of all the Li Palace priests standing on the second floor instantly changed. The strength displayed by this youth from the Orthodox Academy had surpassed all their expectations. This didn''t mean that he was overflowing with true essence. In reality, they could clearly sense that Chen Changsheng had a very ordinary amount of true essence, even less than normal. But he was actually able to shatter the ground of the Pope''s Green Leaf World! Just how had he undergone Purification? How could he possess such terrifying strength?
...
...
Power of utterly terrifying proportions was sent back to Chen Changsheng''s body from the ground as sand filled the sky!
His figure broke through the sand, his dark Orthodox Academy uniform leaving behind a clear trail, making him seem just like a black dragon!
The Li Palace priests were no longer capable of restraining their surprise, and the second floor resounded with their cries of alarm!
They were very quickly suppressed by a sharp, even shrill howl!
This was because Chen Changsheng was too fast. His body rubbed against the air so quickly that it seemed like it wanted to tear it apart, releasing a sound very similar to the roar of a dragon.
In an instant, he arrived in front of Liu Zhongshan.
Liu Zhongshan simply had no time to respond or even think. Even though he wanted to drop his mouth in shock, he had only been able to drop it halfway.
Chen Changsheng''s fist smashed against the umbrella.
The umbrella instantly released innumerable ways of light, discharging a powerful Qi.
Yet immediately after, the light on the canvas of the umbrella instantly faded, becoming dull once more.
This was because the powerful Qi had been suppressed by a more powerful and even purer strength!
This powerful strength originated from Chen Changsheng''s fist.
With a whoosh, the umbrella was sent flying by the wind generated by the punch.
The fist continued forward, accurately striking Liu Zhongshan''s chest.
With a boom, Liu Zhongshan was sent flying like a rock over several dozen zhang until he smashed against the firm stone wall of the Hall of Washing Away Dust!
There were still a few fine cracks on this wall.
The Yellow Mountain Valley disciple that Xuanyuan Po had sent flying with his punch had also smashed into the wall in this place.
Now, Liu Zhongshan struck against the same spot.
Similarly, it was caused by a punch.
Liu Zhongshan vomited blood and fell unconscious.
At the start of the battle, he had disdainfully said one word to Chen Changsheng: "Come."
So Chen Changsheng had come.
And Liu Zhongshan had collapsed.
From the start to the end, he had only said this one word.
He hadn''t even had a chance to use a technique.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was deathly still.
Chen Changsheng drew back his arm, straightened his body, and turned his gaze to the second floor.
Those priests were so shocked that they had become somewhat dazed. Upon seeing his gaze, they came to their senses and hurriedly rushed to give aid.
The Li Palace priest in charge of the one-on-one matches phase walked up to Chen Changsheng, wanting to say something but ultimately choosing not to.
Chen Changsheng calmly clasped his hands in respect, then turned and walked out of the hall.
As he watched Chen Changsheng leave, the Li Palace priest found it hard to settle his emotions. He thought to himself, why is it that all the students of the Orthodox Academy are sosimple and crude?
145 Just What Did You Do in Your Past Life?
A punch, and then another punch, but it was still just a punch. It was not any sort of technique, disregarded any sort of magical artifacts, did not seem to use any true essence. It was just strength and speed. Just what sort of method was this?
It must be said that the Orthodox Academy of the past was certainly not like this. Both teachers and students all possessed exquisite and profound Daoist techniques. They conducted themselves with an unworldly air, exuding the aura of Daoist masters.
To many elders within the Orthodoxy, the Orthodox Academy''s beginning to take new students again was a symbol of many things. They had originally thought that ten-some years of time was just a grain of sand in the endless span of history and that many things had not changed. As long as the Orthodox Academy could revive, it would regain the grandeur of its past. They had not imagined that the present Orthodox Academy was no longer the Orthodox Academy they remembered. Although Xuanyuan Po and Chen Changsheng had gained consecutive victories, the style the Orthodox Academy once possessed had ceased to be. This thought inevitably inspired in the Li Palace priest and many other examiners in the Hall of Washing Away Dust a rather mixed set of feelings.
A mirror of light floated over the floor of the Hall of Shining Words. A few green leaves were carved on the bottom-right corner of the mirror, and the mirror displayed the events within the Hall of Shining Words. As the people within the hall watched Chen Changsheng leave, watched the door slowly close, they could not help but feel the same as those examiners.
At this moment, many powerful figures were present in the Hall of Shining Words: Prince Chen Liu and Mo Yu, Archbishop Mei Lisha, the principals and bishops of the capital''s Ivy Academies, the representatives of the military Xue Xingchuan and Xu Shiji, Lord Zhou Tong seated by himself in a corner, and a few representatives from the sects of the south. At this moment, they were all looking at Principal Mao Qiuyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy. His student had just suffered a miserable defeat at the hands of Chen Changsheng, and some people recognized that oil paper umbrella to be the magical artifact that Mao Qiuyu had brought along with him in his youth as he traversed the continent. Thus, everyone thought that his mood was probably quite poor. Yet, unlike what they imagined, Mao Qiuyu did not display any anger on his face. His expression was as calm as usual.
As the crowd did not see any change of expression on Mao Qiuyu''s face, they subconsciously turned to the archbishop, but discovered that this elder still had his eyes shut as if asleep. This was naturally a display of extreme confidence towards Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy. Earlier, some people thought that this confidence might become a joke, but unexpectedly, Chen Changsheng had been able to win a clean and smooth victory in his first match, so they could not help but think that it was them that might become the joke.
Whether it was the examiners in the Hall of Washing Away Dust or the important personages watching the events through the mirror of light in the Hall of Shining Words, they had all been shocked by Chen Changsheng''s performance. They were all very confused. This youth of the Orthodox Academy had clearly succeeded at Purification not too long ago and possessed a mediocre quantity of true essence, so why did he possess such astonishing strength?
"His strength has nothing to do with how much true essence he has. It should be that he performed an almost perfect Purification, or else he had some sort of lucky encounter over the past few days. That is a pure and absolute strength."
As the second-ranked Divine General of the continent, Xue Xingchuan was a seasoned veteran of many battles and had a particularly deep understanding of strength. Upon seeing the crowd''s perplexed expressions, he indifferently gave the above explanation.
As he spoke, he glanced at the archbishop. A perfect Purification was an extraordinarily rare sight, and if lucky encounters were so plentiful, they wouldn''t be called lucky. In his view, regardless of which method Chen Changsheng had used to obtain such pure and absolute strength, it must have been good luck granted by the archbishop.
But for Chen Changsheng to receive this luck and then digest it so well was also no easy task. Xue Xingchuan looked indifferently to his left at the silent Xu Shiji, thinking to himself, even if this son-in-law can''t match up to Qiushan Jun, it''s still not bad. Since we are the Divine Empress''s two most trusted Divine Generals, in a little while, shouldn''t I try and persuade Xu Shiji?
Chen Changsheng''s surprising display of strength had cast all of the Hall of Shining Words into silence. After Xue Xingchuan spoke, it was a very long time before someone else finally spoke. It was Mo Yu''s cold voice that eventually broke the silence.
"He won''t be able to get very far just by relying on strength alone."
Silence fell over the Hall of Shining Words once more, as everyone present knew her words to be correct. Without the support of one''s cultivation, without support of a sufficient amount of true essence, the greatest strength could only display its might in lower-class battles. The moment one encountered someone of higher cultivation level, one would be crushed. If Chen Changsheng had no other tricks up his sleeve, he would never reach the end of the one-on-one matches. There was even a high chance that he would lose in the next round.
...
...
A sharp roar was heard outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The examinees'' expressions all changed, but they could only speculate as to what had happened within the hall. Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue looked grave. It was very obvious that these two young experts who were already at Ethereal Opening could clearly sense more.
Not long after this howl, the door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust was opened once more and Chen Changsheng walked out. His right foot was bare, his shoe having disappeared, making him appear rather bedraggled. Other than this, however, there was no sign of an intense battle on his body. It was more like he had entered the hall to just take a stroll around.
There was absolute silence outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Not a single examinee spoke, all of them feeling a complex mixture of emotions as they watched him walk down the stone steps and all the way to the forest''s edge.
"You''re pretty good!" Tang Thirty-Six praised as he patted Chen Changsheng on the shoulder.
Xuanyuan Po watched him in silence, his gaze brimming with admiration.
Su Moyu thought to himself, even though that student from the Heavenly Dao Academy had a rather ordinary cultivation level and really couldn''t be considered strong, such that even I could very easily beat him, it would be very difficult for me to beat as him quickly as Chen Changsheng. It seems that the conjectures of my schoolmates made before the Grand Examination were righthe really has been hiding his strength this entire time.
Luoluo happily giggled, her laugh like silver bells.
She went to wipe his sweat, but realized that he hadn''t sweat a drop, imbuing her with an even greater sense of pride. She thought to herself, Teacher truly is no ordinary person, just like I thought a few months ago.
She really wanted to know how Chen Changsheng had defeated his opponent, so she asked. Chen Changsheng gave a simple description of the circumstances, but did not explain too much.
Xuanyuan Po offered two high-quality crystals to Chen Changsheng, but Chen Changsheng shook his head to indicate that he did not need them. In the match just now, he hadn''t used one drop of true essence, so he did not need to replenish it.
The examinees were still looking at Chen Changsheng. Not too long ago, he was just a beginner at cultivation who hadn''t even been able to succeed at Purification, but today, he had easily defeated a personal disciple of the Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Logically speaking, they should have been even more flabbergasted, but after the Ivy Festival, and then the update to the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and then the archbishop''s declaration on Chen Changsheng''s behalf, Chen Changsheng had already been pushed up to a very high status. Although there was no proof, people still felt that he must be hiding his strength, so they had mentally prepared themselves, had anticipated this sort of display. Thus, although they were truly very shocked, they did not completely lose control over themselves.
What people were more concerned about was his true level of strength and cultivation and just what method he had used to defeat the Heavenly Dao Academy student in such a short amount of time. After all, the insightful young cultivator that was Gou Hanshi had long ago recognized that that umbrella was a very powerful magical artifact.
Chen Changsheng was very thankful that this first round of the one-on-one matches was a closed-door fight. The loser would be sent straight out of the Education Palace and would be unable to inform his schoolmates on the details of the match, so the methods used by the victor would never be known. This was an enormous benefit to him in preserving his secrets and techniques.
The Grand Examination continued. The sixty-second examinee helplessly chose Su Moyu, and the one after him chose Tang Thirty-Six. These two matches went very smoothly with no surprises. Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six obtained victory.
The examinees outside the hall were able to barely hear the angry roars of the two losers as they complained that this was unfair. They clearly had done well in the martial test, ranking in the upper half of examinees excluding the top fifteen, but they ended up meeting the young geniuses that were Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six. It was truly difficult to call this fair, but it could only be said that these two examinees were lacking in luck.
The first round finally reached its final moment. The final examinee looked to the Li Palace priest supervising the exam and asked, "Her Highness will not be counted in the final ranking, so how will this be counted?"
This examinee had a rather dejected expression. His appearance was quite pitiful.
The Li Palace priest expressionlessly said, "That is not something any of you need to think about."
The examinee felt helpless and then turned to Luoluo, bowing as he said, "May Your Highness please instruct me."
Several claps arose from the crowd. In this sort of situation, when confronting Princess Luoluo as his opponent, that this examinee did not just give up or concede was truly worthy of praise.
Sadly, whether he was worthy of being pitied or praised, neither of them could affect the final outcome.
A massive boom could be heard from the Hall of Washing Away Dust like a mountain collapsing.
Soon after, Luoluo walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and up to Chen Changsheng with a joyful expression on her face. "Teacher, I also only used one punch."
She was not flaunting her pride. As the second-ranked individual on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, her position in this generation of young cultivators was already at the peak, so defeating an ordinary examinee was truly nothing to be proud about. She was so happy because she had used the same method as Chen Changsheng to conclude her match.
Xuanyuan Po, Chen Changsheng, and Luoluo had each used a single punch to conclude their matches. The examinees outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust had heard three noises: a clap of thunder, the roar of a dragon, and a mountain collapsing.
Tang Thirty-Six had not used his fist. He had used the strongest move of the Three Forms of Wenshui. At the time, the sound the examinees heard coming from within the hall was that of a river flooding over its banks.
"Was that necessary?" Guan Feibai asked, his brows raised as he looked at the three young men and one girl standing at the edge of the forest.
If he or any of his other three martial brothers of the Mount Li Sword Sect had needed to step onto the stage, they naturally would have finished their matches as quickly as the Orthodox Academy, perhaps even faster, perhaps making an even greater ruckus. But just like he said, in this sort of ordinary match, was it necessary to make so much noise?
Regardless of what the spectators saw or thought, the four people of the Orthodox Academy had all successfully passed the first round and all sixty-four examinees entering the next round had been decided.
A few examinees were confident in their scores on the literary test and, assessing their performance as a whole, judged that they could probably get into the top forty-three. Their goal of entering the three banners of the Grand Examination completed, they finally relaxed, with happy smiles on their faces. Some examinees thought that they had gotten mediocre scores on the literary test, so they became silent and nervous, even anxious. If they wanted to enter the three banners of the Grand Examination, they needed to get an even better grade in the one-on-one matches, needing to win at least one more round to have any hope. However, these matches were just like cultivation: the further one went, the stronger one''s opponents, the more difficult it was to advance.
After the conclusion of the first round, there was a short rest period. Some examinees sat on the ground outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust and ate the rations that they had brought with them while other examinees took the time to meditate and recover some true essence.
Guardian Li, leading several maids, arrived in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, laid down a picnic blanket, and arranged several fine dishes atop it. They had been living in the Education Palace with Luoluo, and it was perhaps for this reason that no priests attempted to stop them.
Was this the Grand Examination or a picnic? As they saw this sight, the examinees felt the rations in their mouths gradually lose flavor. They felt deeply envious, especially when they saw Princess Luoluo half-kneel by Chen Changsheng''s side and feed him roast meat using ebony chopsticks, upon which their envy very naturally advanced into hatred.
As Guan Feibai watched, he gave a melancholy sigh. "This guy Chen Changsheng must have saved the entire human world in his past life."
Gou Hanshi laughed and replied, "He must have saved White Emperor City first."
146 Drawing Lots
Chen Changsheng did not notice all the gazes focused on him at this time. After Luoluo had left for the Li Palace, he had not been treated this way for a very long time, but after returning to that past period in a single day, he very quickly became used to it. Moreover, he was currently pondering a few matters and his mind had wandered off.
He was confident that his grade in the literary test was at least in the top three. The problem was that Gou Hanshi''s grade was also in the top three, and even Tianhai Shengxue''s grade was probably not much worse. This being the case, if he wanted to take first rank of the first banner, he would at least need to reach the final round, so he still needed to win five more rounds. Of course, if Gou Hanshi, Tianhai Shengxue, and those four scholars from Scholartree Manor, who had also turned in their tests last, were all very quickly eliminated, he would be facing much less pressure. The primary difficulty there was that no matter how he thought about it, such a thing was impossible.
Guan Feibai, Liang Banhu, and Qi Jian were also potential threats, and there was also Zhuang Huanyu, who was particularly reticent today. But the one who made Chen Changsheng feel the most unease and wariness was still that thinly-clothed youth standing apart from the crowd.
The wolf youth had no grade in the literary test, so regardless of how well he did in the one-on-one matches, he could not possibly take first rank of the first banner; Chen Changsheng would not be directly competing with him for that spot. However, what would happen if he were to encounter the youth in one of the upcoming rounds? No one wanted to meet that youth in advance, probably not even Gou Hanshi or Tianhai Shengxue.
The short period of rest very quickly concluded. Guardian Li had the maids put away the lunchboxes, then left the grounds, and the second round of matches for the Grand Examination began. The area outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust slowly fell silent. Compared to the atmosphere from before the first round, it was even more tense and oppressive. This was because the top fifteen examinees would also join the ranks of participants.
The first fifteen examinees to cross the Qu River in the martial test were all very strong. There were the four people from the Mount Li Sword Sect, the two individuals from Star Seizer Academy, and the senior sister from Holy Maiden Peak. There was also Tianhai Shengxue standing coldly in front of the rest, Zhuang Huanyu calmly standing next to one of his schoolmates, and that wolf youth called Zhexiu still standing alone on the outskirts of the crowd. There was only one person that no one recognized.
Compared to the rules for the first round, the rules for the second round were mostly similar, with two significant differences. The first was that opponents were no longer decided by those who had ranked higher up, but it still had nothing to do with the examiners. Instead, it was done by the drawing of lots, and the matches for all the following rounds would also be decided by drawing lots. Which opponent the examinees would face was completely up to fate.
Secondly, with the beginning of the second round, the loser of the match would no longer be sent out of the Education Palace but would remain on the scene. This was because there were only sixty-four people remaining, so in order to ensure the final ranking for the Grand Examination and the candidates for the three banners, and given that the examiners could not be guaranteed to be absolutely impartial, it was highly likely that the losers might have to fight in a deciding match.
Before the matches could begin, lots would have to be drawn. From a certain point of view, the drawing of lots was even more important than the matches themselves. Drawing a weaker opponent basically meant advancing to the next round, but if one were to unluckily draw an opponent like Gou Hanshi, what could be done?
Several dozen gazes tracked the hand of the Li Palace priest in charge of drawing lots as his hand left the box of lots and fell on the paper listing the names of the examinees.
"Orthodox Academy, Xuanyuan Po." The Li Palace priest took out a second slip of paper, glanced at it, then said, "Against Mount Li Sword Sect, Gou Hanshi."
A deathly stillness settled in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. After a very long time, the examinees finally reacted, erupting with cries of surprise.
Everyone felt that since Qiushan Jun had unexpectedly decided not to participate in this year''s Grand Examination, the strongest participant of the Grand Examination was undoubtedly Gou Hanshi. They very naturally felt that his name would not appear until very late; no one expected that the examiner would pull out Gou Hanshi''s name on the very first match.
These cries of surprise were mixed with all sorts of emotions. Besides shock, there was also joy, as well as a hint of schadenfreude.
Just like how no one wanted to fight against the wolf youth, even fewer people wanted to fight against Gou Hanshi.
Now, none of them needed to worry, because the person fighting Gou Hanshi was Xuanyuan Po, the Orthodox Academy''s Xuanyuan Po.
The forest''s edge was very quiet. Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six looked at Xuanyuan Po, their eyes holding no sympathy, only questions.
In these sorts of moments, sympathy was meaningless.
Xuanyuan Po looked at a loss as he asked, "What do I do?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Do you not see that we''re all waiting for you to make a decision?"
Xuanyuan Po turned to Luoluo and said, "Teacher, I heed your words."
Luoluo turned to Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher, what do you think?"
Chen Changsheng turned to Tang Thirty-Six and asked, "Why don''t you make the decision?"
Without even thinking about it, Tang Thirty-Six raised his hand and called out to the Li Palace priest that was drawing lots, "We forfeit!"
The crowd exploded once more. No one had expected that the Orthodox Academy would forfeit right after the lots were drawn. This was a little too straightforward, or perhaps shameless? Laughter could be heard from the crowd, and Xuanyuan Po lowered his head, looking rather dejected.
Chen Changsheng soothed, "Save your strength. Later on, in the decider matches, you might be able to get back a little advantage."
Tang Thirty-Six was in charge of external matters. He looked at those examinees laughing without end and said, "Is forfeiting surrender? If you''ve really got the skill, we can give this lot to you, and will any of you go and fight Gou Hanshi?"
It was naturally impossible to give away one''s spot, but his words reminded many people that if their goal was to enter the three banners of the Grand Examination, then forfeiting might be the best choice against an impossible opponent like Gou Hanshi. When they thought of how they might have to forfeit as well in a little while, those laughing examinees naturally fell silent.
The drawing of lots continued. The silence was broken by the Li Palace priest announcing the names of Tang Thirty-Six and Liang Banhu.
The examinees turned to the forest''s edge, not laughing at the Orthodox Academy, but beginning to sympathize with them.
Tang Thirty-Six had a calm expression, but his mood was absolutely disastrous. Using a voice that only the people near him could hear, he said, "What sort of damn luck is this?"
Xuanyuan Po''s meeting Gou Hanshi was extremely bad luck, and his matching up against Liang Banhu was also terribly poor luck. The drawing had just barely begun, but two of the Orthodox Academy had matched up against two of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, publicly acknowledged as the strongest group of young geniuses. No matter how one saw it, the Orthodox Academy was clearly having a bout of bad luck today.
The Orthodox Academy''s poor luck was not yet over.
The paper slip with Chen Changsheng''s name was pulled out by the Li Palace priest. Immediately after, the priest pulled out the name of his opponent.
Scholartree Manor, Huo Guang.
The crowd was abuzz with chatter. Even those examinees who had the poorest impressions of the Orthodox Academy could no longer take any pleasure from their misfortune.
Finally, the most shocking matter of all occurred.
Luoluo''s opponent wasTianhai Shengxue.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was quiet, making the voice of the priest drawing lots exceptionally clear.
The crowd, speechless, looked at the Orthodox Academy''s group in shock.
The Orthodox Academy''s group was also shocked speechless.
At this moment, people could be sure that the result of this drawing of lots had nothing to do with luck, but was a deliberate strike against the Orthodox Academy, because the odds of this result were far too small.
Xuanyuan Po had been matched up against Gou Hanshi and forfeited straight away. Tang Thirty-Six, although famous and regarded as a young genius, was still quite lacking in strength compared to Liang Banhu, so probably did not have much chance of victory. As for the third matchalthough that scholar from Scholartree Manor called Huo Guang had not entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, based on the level he had shown in the martial test, he was probably the second-strongest of the group of four from Scholartree Manor. He was stronger than two of his schoolmates that were already ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and was only beneath Zhong Hui, who was ranked ninth. No matter how lucky the encounter Chen Changsheng had, he could not possibly win against Huo Guang.
The most blatant evidence was Luoluo''s opponent. As she was ranked second on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the only individuals she feared in this year''s Grand Examination were Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue, both of whom had already entered Ethereal Opening, yet she managed to pull exactly Tianhai Shengxue. More importantly, amongst all the examinees, only Tianhai Shengxue had a comparable background to Luoluo. At the very least, he could display his strength in his match against Luoluo.
...
...
Just like the area in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the Hall of Shining Words was absolutely silent.
The archbishop slowly opened his eyes. When his turbid gaze fell on the result of the draw displayed on the mirror of light, it gradually turned cold.
Mo Yu drooped her eyes, seemingly thinking about something.
Prince Chen Liu arched his brows, displaying anger on his face.
Xue Xingchuan was somewhat surprised, and turned to shoot a glance at Xu Shiji.
Xu Shiji was expressionless, maintaining his silence.
The other powerful figures present in the hall all kept their silence.
None of the figures in the Hall of Shining Words was stupid. How could any of them fail to see that someone had intended this result from the drawing of lots? It was very obvious that the bias the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education showed for the Orthodox Academy had finally incurred the discontent of the Orthodoxy''s new faction. After patiently enduring for so long, in the final phase of the Grand Examination, they finally launched their counterattack, but nobody knew if this matter had been incited by the Divine Empress or the Pope.
"To use the south to beat down the Orthodox Academy, this isn''t a very good look."
Mao Qiuyu, Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, sighed, then walked out of the Hall of Shining Words.
Several people in the hall, including the Principal of the Li Palace and two bishops of the Orthodoxy, appeared rather embarrassed at these words.
Mao Qiuyu''s status was above worldly matters. He could say what he wanted and leaven when he wanted, but he could not change the result from this drawing of lots.
The Grand Examination had to continue, and the drawing of lots also continued. The matches that were given the most attention were naturally the four matches of the Orthodox Academy. Guan Feibai, Zhuang Huanyu, and other such well-known young experts had drawn weaker opponents. Only Su Moyu''s luck was even worse than Chen Changsheng''s group, because his opponentwas that youth called Zhexiu.
Only upon hearing the Li Palace priest announce the name did the examinees present finally learn the full name of the wolf youth.
This youth was called Wofu Zhexiu.
''Wofu'' was an extremely rare surname. Upon hearing it, one knew that this was not a person from the Central Plains but a person from a small tribe on the northern frontier.
Tang Thirty-Six patted Su Moyu on the shoulder, saying, "Just concede. Who told you to stand next to us? Our bad luck has infected you."
Was this really about luck? Of course not. Everyone knew this, but just like earlier, there was no evidence, so there was no means of opposing it.
One could only concede or attempt to obtain an inconceivable victory.
Tang Thirty-Six advised Su Moyu to take the former, while he himself intended to choose the latter.
Luoluo and Chen Changsheng intended to do the same.
147 Discussing Swords
Regardless of what Tang Thirty-Six said, Su Moyu naturally had his own judgment and choice. As the student representative of the Li Palace Academy, he certainly could not directly concede. Moreover, his stubborn and wooden personality had decided that even if his opponent was the mysterious and formidable wolf youth, he would not lose confidence.
He bowed to the examiner supervising the matches and then walked to the stone steps of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The crowd gradually parted as Zhexiu walked over. Without pausing, he walked straight into the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The examinees looked at this youth''s thin back with all manner of expressions. From morning until now, other than when he had spoken to the examiner, no one had heard his voice. They were all very curious to know just how strong this enigmatic wolf youth famed for his cold-blooded demeanor actually was, and what sort of person he was. As for the result of this match, no one was actually too concerned, because many people felt that the result of this match was already decided. Su Moyu, thirty-third on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, was certainly not weak, but his opponent was far too strong.
Chen Changsheng turned his head to glance at the pensive Luoluo as he recalled the mental blow the wolf youth had given him by turning his head for only an instant. He thought to himself, in a little while, if Luoluo were to lose to Tianhai Shengxue, it might actually be a good thing. At least she won''t have to face that youth and won''t encounter much danger.
The wooden door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust slowly closed.
After a short period of time, it opened once more.
The examinees were somewhat amazed. Although there should have been no surprises with this match, such a swift conclusion had still astonished them somewhat.
The first to walk out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was probably the victor, the wolf youth Zhexiu.
He stood on the stone steps, looking at the Orthodox Academy''s group standing at the forest''s edge.
Over the course of the Grand Examination, this youth had always stood apart from the rest or walked at the very front, leaving people to mostly look at only his back. At this moment, quite a few people were seeing the front of him for the very first time.
He was dressed in a thin cloth shirt, with a cloth belt tied around his waist. His feet were bare and his pants ended three inches above his ankles. HIs attire was simple to the extreme.
There were no weapons on his person, yet he exuded an aura of extreme danger. He was like a sharp bladeC no, he was the glimmer on the edge of the blade. Yes, his danger did not have a concrete shape, but a feeling. If one looked at him for too long, one might even feel their eyes beginning to ache.
Many examinees subconsciously drew back their gazes or turned to look elsewhere.
After a few moments, the wooden door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust slowly closed. Su Moyu had not come out.
The examinees were rather surprised at this. One examinee couldn''t help but ask, "Didn''t you say that the losers could remain?"
The Li Palace priest glanced at Zhexiu and slightly frowned, then explained to the examinees, "The injuries that Su Moyu suffered were too severe. He was sent out of the Education Palace for treatment."
Upon hearing this, the crowd outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust was cast into a deathly stillness. The examinees found it difficult to suppress their turbulent emotions and looked once more at the wolf youth.
There was shock in their gazes, and much more fear.
Su Moyu was the most outstanding student of the Li Palace, a young genius ranked thirty-third on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Even if he was no match for the wolf youth, the battle had been so short, and there had presumably been many examiners watching, but the wolf youth had still managed to inflict such serious injuries on Su Moyu. Just how strong did he have to be to accomplish this?
...
...
Within the Hall of Shining Words, the Principal of the Li Palace Academy stared at the scene on the mirror of light with an incredibly gloomy expression.
The match that had taken place in the Hall of Washing Away Dust had concluded long ago, and so the only thing the mirror of light showed was sand, the ground. On the lower edge was the carving of a green leaf, and also a few bloodstains.
Su Moyu had suffered extremely grim injuries. As he was in the Li Palace, there was probably no danger to his life, yet who knew if these injuries might affect his cultivation in the future?
He was the Principal of the Li Palace Academy, and he had many reasons to be angry, but he had no idea how to vent his fury.
Zhexiu and Su Moyu''s match had begun too quickly and ended too swiftly. Let alone the Li Palace priests keeping control over the situation from the second floor, even if he were personally present, he would not have been able to stop that earlier scene of misery from occurring unless he had been on the stage in advance.
The opponents that the four examinees of the Orthodox Academy had drawn were the strongest possible, but he was well aware that this had been a rigged result. But Su Moyu, the student that the Li Palace Academy had placed their highest hopes on, had encountered a monster like Zhexiu in the second round. This could only be attributed to his awful luck.
Su Moyu''s heavy injuries meant that he would have to withdraw from the competition. Even if he had remarkable results in the literary test, he could at best enter the third banner. Advancing any further was an impossibility.
At this stage of the Grand Examination, all the students from the Li Palace Academy had been completely eliminated. Let alone the Mount Li Sword Sect, Scholartree Manor and Star Seizer Academy still had four students in the competition. How could he not feel awkward?
With an ashen face, the Principal of the Li Palace Academy stood up and left the Hall of Shining Words with a brush of his sleeve, no longer interested in spectating the Grand Examination.
Principal Mao Qiuyu of the Heavenly Dao Academy, displeased that several important figures had influenced the drawing of lots to push the Orthodox Academy to the brink, had already left.
In the Hall of Shining Words, only three principals of the Six Ivies remained.
...
...
The second round of matches for the Grand Examination continued. Punches howled and swords rained down, true essence surged about in unease, but these were all things that occurred within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, and rarely was this activity heard outside the hall. In the following matches, Zhuang Huanyu easily defeated his opponent, and the Mount Li Sword Sect''s Qi Jian and Guan Feibai also very quickly entered the third round. The next to fight was a young scholar from Scholartree Manor.
It was the youngest of the four scholars participating in Scholartree Manor, and also the strongest: Zhong Hui.
As he stood on the steps in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and saw the sight before him, he wore a nasty expression. In Scholartree Manor, he was naturally the focus of attention, and even in a gathering of experts such as the Grand Examination, he still should have attracted the attention of many examinees when it was his turn to fight. However, no one was looking at him, which made him extremely uncomfortable.
The other examinees were not looking down on him. The ninth-ranked expert on the Proclamation of Azure Sky was worthy of being highly regarded, but Zhong Hui''s opponent was quite obscure, and the next match just so happened to be one that everyone was focused on. Thus, the crowd was not looking at him, but at two other places.
These were the forest''s edge, where the Orthodox Academy''s group was standing, and the streambank, where the four disciples from Mount Li were standing.
Tang Thirty-Six would participate in the next match, and at this moment, Chen Changsheng was crouched on the ground and speaking to him. There was a branch in his hand which he was using to draw on the ground. Luoluo was crouched at his side, her hand supporting her chin as she earnestly listened. Xuanyuan Po was standing above them, using his tall and sturdy body to block out the gazes of the crowd.
Chen Changsheng was currently explaining the essentials of the Mount Li Sword Style. This was not some last-minute preparation, but a very focused and formidable instruction. This was because he was currently taking the essentials of the Mount Li Sword Style and comparing them to several of Liang Banhu''s famous matches. The lines drawn out on the ground by the tree branch were all sword moves.
Liang Banhu was precisely the opponent that Tang Thirty-Six was about to face.
"The quantity and purity of your true essence is assuredly not up to your opponent''s."
Chen Changsheng put down the tree branch and looked at Tang Thirty-Six''s unconcerned face, earnestly saying, "Even if you stopped being as lazy as you were in Wenshui after coming to the capital, you know how bitterly the disciples of Mount Li train in the sword, so there''s no need to argue about this. You are inferior to him."
Tang Thirty-Six spread apart his hands, indicating that he had no objections to this fact.
Chen Changsheng glanced at the streambank and then continued, "You and he are at about the same level of cultivation. As long as neither opponent has passed that threshold, the differences in the upper level of Meditation won''t have too much effect on the battle. Thus, if you want to win against him, you can only rely on your techniques."
Tang Thirty-Six''s expression turned serious. "How should I begin?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "Be the first to attack."
Tang Thirty-Six arched his brows. "Isn''t that the same strategy that you and Xuanyuan Po used in the first round?"
Chen Changsheng answered, "It''s not the same, because all first strikes are feints. You have to prepare at least twenty sword techniques that you can link together so as to not give Liang Banhu any time to think. Strive to cause an error in his judgment, then when your sword energy is about to reach its peak, he will definitely expect you to use the Three Forms of Wenshui. That is where we will find our opportunity."
Upon saying this, he took up the tree branch once more and wrote a few words on the ground.
...
...
"Junior Brother, your and Tang Tang''s cultivation levels are about the same. As he''s studied with Chen Changsheng in the Orthodox Academy, it can be presumed that he''s also advanced some in his swordplay, so he won''t be much weaker than you in that aspect. However, he definitely will be weaker than you in quantity and purity of true essence, and he will also be inferior to you in terms of will."
Gou Hanshi extended a hand into the stream and brought up some water to wash his face. He glanced at the Orthodox Academy''s group by the forest''s edge and then continued, "Tang Tang''s most remarkable aspect is actually his personality. He likes walking unusual paths, and he truly is rather interesting when he becomes resolute. If I were Chen Changsheng, I would definitely place my only chance of victory on techniques."
On the side, Qi Jian was rather confused and asked, "Senior Brother, since both have about the same level of swordplay, how can they obtain victory through techniques?"
"Through the order, timing, and choice of sword techniques, and using sword techniques to build energy," Gou Hanshi patiently explained.
Upon hearing these words, Guan Feibai recalled that competition of swords he had with Luoluo in the Ivy Festival and silently nodded.
Liang Banhu turned to the forest''s edge, his face, still a little childish, filled with self-confidence and calm as he said, "Chen Changsheng must be making a plan for him right now."
"Correct."
Gou Hanshi looked at Liang Banhu and said, "Chen Changsheng will definitely think of a method to have Tang Tang build up energy through sword techniques and then end with some extraordinary and unexpected method to seek out a victory. Earlier, I said that Tang Tang''s most outstanding aspect was that wild resolve of his, so I think that after he builds up energy, the sword technique he will use won''t be the Three Forms of Wenshui. Although those three techniques are very powerful, they aren''t resolute enough."
Liang Banhu fell into deep thought, beginning to recall the sword manuals he had read in Mount Li''s Sword Hall.
Guan Feibai pondered the situation and realized that if it really was as his senior brother described, there truly was no good way of responding. If he were the one fighting against Tang Tang, he could probably just rely on his true essence and fight him head-on.
"Just fight him head-on," Gou Hanshi advised Liang Banhu.
Liang Banhu was somewhat confused and Guan Feibai was astonished, thinking to himself, isn''t this the stupidest method?
148 Utterly Surprised
Guan Feibai was utterly surprised to learn that his senior brother''s advice was to engage in a head-on fight. Just what was good about this sort of plan that even he could think of?
Gou Hanshi ignored him and said to Liang Banhu, "Don''t worry about whether his techniques are real or feints. You don''t need to see through techniques, just exchange technique with technique."
Guan Feibai was highly accomplished in the sword, so he was keenly aware that ''exchange technique with technique'' was ultimately exchanging injury for injury. He thought to himself, Junior Brother Liang is clearly stronger than that fellow Tang Thirty-Six, so why is there a need to use this method in which both sides lose?
Gou Hanshi saw that Liang Banhu was keeping his head lowered in silence and knew that all his junior brothers were somewhat puzzled. He calmly explained, "Tang Tang is inferior to you, so Chen Changsheng will help him try and create a victory through surprise. You are stronger than Tang Tang, so you cannot walk the path of the strange and surprising. You should use the simplest, even stupidest, method to obtain the most ordinary of victories."
He stood up, took the handkerchief offered by Qi Jian, and wiped his face clean. He looked to the forest''s edge at Tang Thirty-Six and said, "Why should you engage in a head-on fight? Because when that guy resolves himself, he truly is rather hard to deal with. In exchanging technique with technique, you will have to pay the price of a few wounds, but this should be the method of victory with the lowest price."
Liang Banhu thought this over, then said, "Senior Brother, I understand."
The door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust slowly opened. Zhong Hui, the young scholar from Scholartree Manor, had easily defeated his opponent and now walked out. To his displeasure, the examinees outside still did not turn to look at him. They were still looking at two places, perhaps even more fervently than before, because Liang Banhu and Tang Thirty-Six had both stood up.
After a few procedures, Liang Banhu and Tang Thirty-Six bowed to the Li Palace priest and then walked, one behind the other, into the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The examinees all stared with extreme focus at the tightly shut door in silence.
Ten-some matches of the second round had already taken place. Excluding the match between Zhexiu and Su Moyu, this was the match with the strongest opponents. This was because everyone understood that besides Liang Banhu and Tang Thirty-Six, this match had two other participants.
Those two people would not step onto the stage, but their contribution was in no way inferior to if they had personally stepped onto stage, just like on the final night of the Ivy Festival.
There were a few people in the world that could use their knowledge, thought, and teachings to directly change the course of a battle. On the frontlines of the humans'' war against the demons, these people were military advisors. In schools and academies, these people would be professors or elders known for their virtue. Only in the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy would two students play this role.
In today''s Grand Examination, the teachers and elders of the schools and sects were not permitted on the testing grounds, so many people were quite envious of the examinees from the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy. It was precisely because Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng were present to instruct them, and both these people were fully capable of resolving many problems and changing many things.
...
...
Time slowly passed, and still no sound could be heard from the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng''s expression did not change, but his hands began to clench tighter and tighter and he felt that things were going badly. It was too quiet.
Suddenly, a streak of fiery red appeared in the blue sky. This light was cast by a sword glow within the Hall of Washing Away Dust. It looked extremely warm, but behind this warmth was a blazing danger.
There could be nothing more beautiful than the red clouds of sunset filling the sky.
Three Forms of Wenshui, Gathering Evening Clouds!
The crowd was filled with cries of alarm. Tang Thirty-Six''s sword energy had broken through the seal of the Education Palace and appeared in the sky above the Hall of Washing Away Dust, revealing itself before everyone''s eyes!
Gou Hanshi raised his head and considered those evening clouds in silence. He realized that Tang Thirty-Six''s progress over the past few months in the Orthodox Academy had been greater than everyone had imagined.
Chen Changsheng''s expression turned grave, because based on their plan, there should have been no red clouds filling the sky.
Perhaps Tang Thirty-Six had resolved himself, but what did this mean? It meant that the still-quiet Liang Banhu had forced Tang Thirty-Six into going all-out, meant that Liang Banhu still had strength to spare, and it also meant that for some reason, Tang Thirty-Six had been unable to link those ten-some sword techniques to build up sword energy!
Another series of shocked and praising cries broke out from the crowd.
The red clouds in the sky instantly became extremely bright. The small stream was illuminated and countless red maples seemed to grow along the shore.
Hanging Sunset! Immediately after, a Stream of Maples!
Tang Thirty-Six''s sword intent had managed to spread so far that it was affecting the outside environment. For a youth who still had not entered Ethereal Opening, this was already enough to be proud of.
Yet this only made Chen Changsheng''s expression turn even graver.
Because he still had not seen Liang Banhu''s sword, nor had anyone else present.
Suddenly, the evening clouds faded away, the red maples vanished into nothingness, and an extremely faint and gentle sword intent, calm to the extreme, brushed across the sky.
The sword intent was like water, countless clear lakes of water that washed the sky clean1.
Whether it was the evening clouds, the setting sun, or the red maples, they were all completely washed away, reminding people that those earlier colors had not been real, but had been drawn by someone with a sword. Since it was drawn, it had used paint, and since it was paint, it could be washed away by water, so long as the water was abundant and clear.
Half a lake of clear water could be used to wash one''s feet, could be used to wash an infant, and was enough to wash the sky clean and reveal its original blue color.
Outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, all the examinees were looking up at the sky, but they were not crying out in shock, only silently watching.
Both the evening clouds and the lake water washing the sky were reflections of the sword intents belonging to the two youths within the hall.
They were truly very powerful.
Chen Changsheng was quiet for a few moments, finally regaining his calm. He turned to the distant Gou Hanshi by the stream and nodded his head in greeting.
Gou Hanshi nodded back.
The door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust opened. Liang Banhu walked out, and a step behind was Tang Thirty-Six.
It had probably been decided by just this one step.
Both were injured, the sword slashes vividly displayed on their clothes.
The examiner gave the pair a praising glance and announced, "Liang Banhu of the Mount Li Sword Sect wins."
Liang Banhu and Tang Thirty-Six bowed to each other, then descended the stone steps, one to the stream and the other to the forest''s edge.
...
...
Tang Thirty-Six was very tired, and perhaps it was for this reason that he did not wish to talk.
He walked back to the forest''s edge, sat on the ground, leaned against a white poplar, and closed his eyes.
When Chen Changsheng came to feed him medicine, he only opened his mouth, but still did not open his eyes.
Xuanyuan Po walked up to his side and crouched down. His very young yet stubbled face was covered in concern. "Why aren''t you talking?"
Tang Thirty-Six kept his eyes closed and ignored him.
Xuanyuan Po was rather discomfited and looked at Chen Changsheng. "Is he okay?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "It might that the injuries Liang Banhu inflicted were rather serious, so he needs to rest. Let''s not disturb him."
Many things in the world were like this, especially to men in their youth. When many people wanted to be concerned about them, they would resist this concern and ignore others, but when those concerned people prepared to leave, those young men would begin to feel lonely and uneasy.
Tang Thirty-Six opened his eyes and shot an angry glare at Chen Changsheng. "What do you mean my injuries are somewhat heavy? Just where did he wound me?"
Luoluo pointed at the tears on his school uniform and the thin streaks of blood on his face.
"Is this called ''serious''? Didn''t you see Liang Banhu, I almost cut off his leg!"
Angry and ashamed, Tang Thirty-Six shouted, "I''m just a little sleepy! I just want to lean on this tree for a while! Can all of you just leave me alone!"
After saying this, he closed his eyes again.
Chen Changsheng knew that this guy was always proud and so was definitely not happy to lose in the second round of matches.
But he could not watch him settle into this mood, as he had always believed this to be meaningless, a waste of life.
All negative emotions should be defeated or discarded in an instant.
"Are you lacking in money?" he asked Tang Thirty-Six.
His eyes still closed, Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "Have you met anyone that has more money than me?"
Chen Changsheng asked, "Your grade on the literary test should be fine, right? Is it enough to get you into the three banners?"
Tang Thirty-Six opened his eyes to look at him, asking back, "There should be no problem with getting into the three banners, but the real question is, why are you asking these things?"
Chen Changsheng earnestly replied, "If you''re able to enter the three banners, you can view the Heavenly Tomes. You''re not lacking in money either, and the junior sisters from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and Holy Maiden Peak all like you, so what else do you want?"
Tang Thirty-Six felt like these questions all seemed to be indicating something. After a very long period of contemplation, he somewhat uncertainly said, "First rank on the first banner?"
Chen Changsheng rather unhappily said, "That''s mine."
Tang Thirty-Six taunted, "You''re really shameless."
Only now was he finally sure that Chen Changsheng was not intending to teach him some life lesson, only ease his anxieties, and it really had been effective. At the very least, he did not want to continue closing his eyes and feigning sleep.
"Talk about it," Luoluo said on the side.
After a long period of silence, Tang Thirty-Six said, "I was utterly surprised that Liang Banhu would fight in such a stupid manner."
Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po didn''t understand what this meant, but Chen Changsheng did.
Liang Banhu was stronger than Tang Thirty-Six in the first place, so Tang Thirty-Six and Chen Changsheng could only walk the path of obtaining victory through surprise, attempting to use a method that Liang Banhu could never have thought of to give the Grand Examination a pleasant surprise.
Yet they had not expected for Liang Banhu to use the simplest method to respond. Something he did not think about? No, he simply wasn''t even thinking.
"I''ve never seen such an ugly and stupid way of fighting."
After another long pause, Tang Thirty-Six continued, "He didn''t even think about breaking through those sword techniques you thought of for me, just continued to counterattack. It was foolish as can be and completely without elegancebut I have to admit that it was very effective. I managed to use those ten-some sword techniques, but I wasn''t able to link them together. They were so disjointed that I felt extremely uncomfortable. In the end, I simply didn''t have the time to think about those three strange techniques. I could only use the Three Forms of Wenshui to try and seize the day.
"He was able to hold on, so I lost."
Chen Changsheng could imagine, as could every other participant of the Grand Examination, that Liang Banhu''s strategy undoubtedly contained much of Gou Hanshi''s wisdom.
If one were to say that Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi had tied in the Ivy Festival, then in today''s match between Tang Thirty-Six and Liang Banhu, Chen Changsheng had been thoroughly defeated.
He said to Tang Thirty-Six, "I''m sorry."
Tang Thirty-Six was quiet for a while, then said, "This has nothing to do with you, so you don''t need to apologize. If I were stronger than Liang Banhu, then it would be Gou Hanshi''s head that would ache, and you would be able to easily break through his plan. In the end, it''s still because I''m not strong enough. Now that I think about it, for causing your head to ache, it should be me that''s apologizing."
Xuanyuan Po sincerely said, "I can''t understand anything you guys are saying."
"Then just say that you understand."
Tang Thirty-Six laughed and then calmly said to Chen Changsheng, "We''ve lost two matches. We can''t lose another."
As they were speaking, the matches were continuing. Another two matches had concluded.
It was almost time for Chen Changsheng to take the stage.
Chen Changsheng pondered this problem, then said, "I can win this match."
After saying this, he stood up and walked to the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
149 The Cliffs Edge
The second round of matches for the Grand Examination had already reached its latter half. Of the two matches between the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy, the Orthodox Academy had forfeited one and lost the other. It could be said that the Mount Li Sword Sect had recovered all the dignity it had lost in the Ivy Festival and that the Orthodox Academy had been pushed to the edge of a cliff.
Although the matches were not team battles and the Grand Examination would only rank examinees based on their personal grades, none of these young examinees were born by emerging from cracks in rocks. Whether it was in the eyes of the world or in their own perception, their grades represented the glory of their schools or sects.
The third person from the Orthodox Academy to fight was Chen Changsheng. Since Princess Luoluo, who was publicly acknowledged to be the strongest member of the Orthodox Academy, had the misfortune of having Tianhai Shengxue, who was already in Ethereal Opening, as her opponent, the vast majority of people felt that there was no chance of her winning. Thus, whether or not the Orthodox Academy was completely annihilated in the second round relied entirely on Chen Changsheng''s ability to win.
Although he had defeated that Yellow Mountain Valley disciple in the first round, there was still no one optimistic about his chances. Everyone knew that he was the weakest of the four students of the Orthodox Academy. Now that even Tang Thirty-Six had lost, how could he possibly avoid defeat? A miracle? If such things were to happen too often, they would cease to be miracles and become suspicious.
The second reason no one was optimistic about Chen Changsheng''s chances was that there was something suspicious about the drawing of lots for the second round in this year''s Grand Examination.
Everyone knew that someone had rigged the drawing.
Chen Changsheng''s opponent in this round was Huo Guang of Scholartree Manor.
In every aspect, this was the best choice, but not Chen Changsheng''s best choice. Instead, it was the best choice of those people that wanted Chen Changsheng to lose.
From the Divine Empress to the common people, from the White Emperor in the distant land of the demi-humans to the storytellers of the capital, everyone on the Central Continent was watching the capital''s Grand Examination. With the Ivy Festival and the announcement to the world of Xu Yourong''s engagement, and then with the archbishop''s declaration that Chen Changsheng would take first rank of the first banner, countless eyes were focused on Chen Changsheng.
In this sort of situation, those people who wanted to suppress the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng had to act with more care, at least making it so that their actions were not immediately obvious. If they had made Chen Changsheng draw Gou Hanshi as his opponent in the second round, anyone would think that something was fishy. Perhaps the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education might flip the table, but the wooden clappers on the tables of the capital''s storytellers would assuredly clack many times.
Scholartree Manor''s Huo Guang was the best opponent.
This young scholar had spent his entire time in Scholartree Manor, quietly studying, never leaving the school to gain experience. As a result, he was never ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, and those who were not aware of the real situation would think him very weak.
In reality, there were no weaklings in Scholartree Manor, and Huo Guang was even one of the scholars that Scholartree Manor was focused on raising, intending to have him astonish the world on the stage that was the Grand Examination. Just how could Chen Changsheng possibly contend against him?
...
...
The mood at the forest''s edge was rather gloomy.
Tang Thirty-Six leaned on the white poplar and watched Chen Changsheng leave. He suddenly said, "If you can''t win, just withdraw! Keep out of trouble!"
Earlier, he had said that Chen Changsheng could not lose because he knew that Chen Changsheng had some reason that required him to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. This being the case, he naturally couldn''t lose. However, now he thought about how even if Chen Changsheng were to inexplicably win against the scholar from Scholartree Manor, he was still no match for the likes of Tianhai Shengxue and Gou Hanshi, so he took back his words.
In his view, Chen Changsheng was still very young and still had many years ahead. With his talent and knowledge, who knew how much progress he could make? If he couldn''t get the first rank of the first banner even if he put his life on the line, what need was there to bet his life? Why couldn''t he put his eyes on the future and leave things for later? Why did he have to treat himself so callously?
Chen Changsheng waved his hand but didn''t turn around. After all, he couldn''t explain that though he was very young, he didn''t have many more years to waste.
He bowed to the Li Palace priest and ascended the stone steps.
In the first round, his right shoe had been destroyed. He was currently wearing a new pair of shoes.
These shoes had been brought by Guardian Li from her chambers. They were very new and comfortable, just the right size. Luoluo had probably taken his measurements in secret.
Wearing these shoes, he felt a great confidence when he stepped on the ground.
At the forest''s edge, Xuanyuan Po asked Tang Thirty-Six, "Do you want to rest a little?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked to the stone steps at the distant Chen Changsheng. After a few moments, he said, "No need; just give me a few crystals."
Just like the Elder of Heavenly Secrets had said in his evaluation for the Proclamation of Azure Sky, Tang Thirty-Six had been greatly affected by Chen Changsheng. For instance, just now, upon seeing Chen Changsheng''s figure, he very quickly shed his somber demeanor and prepared to meditate to regain true essence. This was because there might be tie-breaking matches, and he needed to at least get onto one of the three banners, or else he would feel himself a bit shorter in front of Chen Changsheng.
This had nothing to do with cultivation level or grades, only with will.
...
...
The Hall of Washing Away Dust opened, and Chen Changsheng and the scholar called Huo Guang walked in.
Separated by ten-some zhang, the two quietly looked at each other across the sandy ground.
Upon careful examination, one might be able to see a few bloodstains beneath the sand at their feet, probably left behind by the examinees from the previous match.
"I''ve heard of you before." Huo Guang broke the silence. "Before I came to the capital."
This scholar of Scholartree Manor was eighteen or nineteen years old. He had a cold expression and seemed carved from the same block as his schoolmates. In truth, their appearances were quite dissimilar, but the reason that they gave off this sort of feeling was that the young scholars of Scholartree Manor all gave off this indescribable aura.
Chen Changsheng did not reply, as he felt that there was no need.
"I knew that I would meet you in the Grand Examination." Huo Guang calmly looked at him. "Before I came to the capital."
Only now did Chen Changsheng realize that today''s suppression of the Orthodox Academy in today''s Grand Examination was not merely the work of people within the Great Zhou Dynasty, not merely the effort of a few people within the Orthodoxy. It even involved people from the distant south.
He still did not speak, only calmly adjusted his breathing and moved his true essence.
"In order to resist the invasion of the demons, the human world must unite. No one can stop this torrential momentum. Anyone who attempts in vain to do so will be washed away into the filthy sewer of history, and youhave affected the progress of the confluence of the north and south. Thus, you will not take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, and you will not marry Xu Yourong."
Huo Guang expressionlessly declared.
Chen Changsheng finally understood what that indescribable aura was.
It was just like the feeling he got from the words of that rustic student from the last night of the Ivy Festival.
In this world, there had always been some people, some intellectuals, that believed in very strange principles.
To create a heart for the world, to establish a fate for the people, to pursue the lost teachings of the sages, to obtain peace for all ages, they would ask you to die1.
''I bear righteousness and justice on my iron shoulders, so after you die, let me take care of your family, let me take care of this world2.''
Chen Changsheng shook his head. If it were just the first part, it would be worthy of respect, but with the second part, it became no good.
He did not like this sort of aura.
It was even more unpleasant than the bloody aura exuded by Xu Shiji.
"Relax, I will not use words to disgrace you. That is both meaningless and uninteresting."
Huo Guang said to him with a cold expression on his face, but for an instant, the tips of his eyebrows had risen.
Perhaps at that moment, he was recalling those bitterly sarcastic words of Tang Thirty-Six when they had been quarreling over the path in the Dallying Forest during the martial test.
"I will very simply defeat you."
He looked at Chen Changsheng with contempt. "Take out your sword and accept your defeat."
Chen Changsheng remained silent, not responding to these words nor taking out his sword.
Thus, he made all these things that Huo Guang had done seem quite ridiculous, like attacking a wall with a sword or reciting a long poem to the starry sky.
The sand quietly rested on the ground.
Huo Guang''s complexion seemed rather chilly as he said, "If you do not unsheathe your sword, you will have no other opportunity to unsheathe it today."
As he spoke, a clear and powerful Qi emerged from his body.
Chen Changsheng calmly watched him, then slowly raised his right hand and brought it close to the hilt of his dagger. He would only need to stretch out his fingers to grab it.
Ultimately, he did not grab the hilt.
He drew back his hand, his five fingers closing into a fist.
"Very good."
Huo Guang saw his movements and felt like he had been greatly humiliated. HIs eyebrows slowly rose and he took a deep breath.
A stream of extremely pure true essence seeped out of his body, passed through his brown robes, and created a gust in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
This gust curled about Huo Guang''s body like a barrier.
He had a greatsword on his back, but he did not wield it. Just like Chen Changsheng, he clenched his hands into a fist and then punched.
Buzz!
In an instant, a hole appeared in the wind barrier as a fist clad in a light green luster formed from true essence surged out. In an instant, this fist crossed ten-some zhang and reached Chen Changsheng. Even more shocking was that another fist intent was formed within the wind barrier and was also sent punching towards Chen Changsheng!
Several dozen fist intents made from true essence, almost like real fists, assailed him from all sides in a storm of punches!
...
...
The mirror of light ten-some zhang in radius within the Hall of Shining Words clearly transmitted the battle in the Hall of Washing Away Dust to the crowd.
From the moment Chen Changsheng and Huo Guang walked into the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the hall had been abnormally quiet.
The archbishop no longer continued to sleep. He calmly watched Chen Changsheng in the mirror, but it was impossible to tell from his expression whether he was as confident as before.
Several dozen green glows suddenly shone in the mirror of light.
Although they were only watching and not actually present, the crowd still felt like they could sense the power within those glows.
Xue Xingchuan slightly leaned his body forward and voiced his amazement. "Army Shattering Fist?"
To these important characters within the Hall of Shining Words, the scholar Huo Guang from Scholartree Manor was just at the Meditation Realm, so the techniques he used would naturally be unable to shock them. But when they thought of how Huo Guang was able to cultivate the difficult-to-learn Army Shattering Fist to this level at his age, they couldn''t help but be a little surprised.
The one about to confront these several dozen Army Shattering Fists was Chen Changsheng.
Many people within the Hall of Shining Words silently announced Chen Changsheng''s elimination in their hearts.
The archbishop slightly narrowed his eyes, his turbid gaze sharpening once more.
Mo Yu appeared indifferent, but the knuckles of her hand resting on the armrest of the chair had somewhat paled.
Prince Chen Liu glanced at her, doubt in his eyes.
150 Clumsily Forward
The fist intents of the Army Shattering Fist would hurtle through the air. They would remain condensed, only dispersing their strength if they encountered an opponent or some obstacle, and the technique could almost completely preserve the original power of the fists. The technique was particularly terrifying at breaking through defenses, such that even a cultivator with a perfect Purification would not be able to endure the assault with just their body. They needed to either avoid it or use an even more powerful true essence to crush it.
This fist technique had one more special point. The punches produced wind, and the wind would condense into punches. They would feed off each other and produce a violent storm that would occupy every angle. One punch could fight against several dozen people, making it the best technique to use on the battlefield. When it was cultivated to the peak, there was even a legend one punch could shatter one thousand armies, so it was called the Army Shattering Fist.
In his first match, Chen Changsheng had displayed a nigh unimaginable speed, but the Army Shattering Fist gave him no space to use this speed. Moreover, anyone could see that he had an extraordinarily mediocre amount of true essence, and when compared to these geniuses fighting in the matches of the Grand Examination, it looked even more pitiful. If he had no methods other than speed, his defeat was assured.
The Hall of Shining Words was very quiet. The crowd watched the scene on the mirror of light with all sorts of expressions, watched as several dozen fists infused with a green light rumbled from all directions toward Chen Changsheng.
Two chairs had appeared next to Mei Lisha, the Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. On these chairs sat two rather young bishops, but from their clothes, one could see that they were archbishops of the same rank as Mei Lisha, though it was not clear which of the Sacred Halls they were in charge of.
For some reason, these two Sacred Hall archbishops had arrived very late to the Hall of Shining Words, which made people feel like they had come especially to see Chen Changsheng''s fight.
The people within the Hall of Shining Words all wore very different expressions, but the two archbishops were very calm and at ease.
This was because they were well aware of Huo Guang''s cultivation level. To put it more accurately, Huo Guang had been the opponent that they had specifically chosen for Chen Changsheng.
The Grand Examination''s drawing of lots for matches had been secretly rigged by them. The abilities Chen Changsheng had shown and all the other details of the first match had earlier been secretly leaked to Scholartree Manor by priests under their command, resulting in Huo Guang''s using the Army Shattering Fist, a technique that consumed a massive amount of true essence, from the very start. Only this way could he not leave Chen Changsheng a single chance.
All this was done to ensure Chen Changsheng''s loss.
Mo Yu watched Chen Changsheng, who was already pushed to the brink. Her slender brows creased and her hands tightened their grip on the armrests of her chair.
On the side, Prince Chen Liu noticed her actions out of the corner of his eyes, deepening the doubt in his heart. He could not understand why Mo Yu, as the representative of one of the factions that wanted to suppress the Orthodox Academy, was instead so nervous and focused, despite Chen Changsheng''s being on the verge of losing. Was she worried about Chen Changsheng? That was completely unreasonable.
Immediately after, he suddenly recalled a certain matter and thought he had guessed at what Mo Yu was thinking.
During the Ivy Festival, in the match between Princess Luoluo and Guan Feibai, Luoluo had used a simplified version of the Yeshi Step. Gou Hanshi had recognized this, astonishing the entire crowd. As for how Chen Changsheng knew the absolute secret of the demons that was the Yeshi Step, this was still an unsolved riddle. The version Princess Luoluo had used in the Ivy Festival was not the complete Yeshi Step, but in the level of matches taking place in the Ivy Festival and the Grand Examination, such a simplified, or deformed, version of the Yeshi Step could play a very important role, like when confronting the storm of the Army Shattering Fist
Mo Yu had probably thought of the scene from the Ivy Festival. She was not concerned that Chen Changsheng might lose or be injured, but was nervous that Chen Changsheng might use the simplified Yeshi Step to escape the encirclement of the Army Shattering Fist and produce an unexpected change in the battle. Such were the speculations of Prince Chen Liu.
Since he could take into account Chen Changsheng''s simplified Yeshi Step, the other people in the Hall of Shining Words naturally could as well. Xu Shiji had a grave and stern expression, while Xue Xingchuan had completely seated himself back on his chair. The crowd had become somewhat quiet. Everyone present was well aware that Chen Changsheng would not immediately lose at this juncture and that the match would probably continue for a little while longer.
The two Sacred Hall archbishops remained impassive. As representatives of the Orthodoxy''s new faction, they knew a bit more than the rest of the crowd. Since they were suppressing the Orthodox Academy, since they wanted to borrow Scholartree Manor to have Chen Changsheng eliminated in the second round, how could they miss out on any detail?
His opponent had been informed in advance of every technique and trick that Chen Changsheng possessed.
Perhaps Huo Guang was waiting for Chen Changsheng to use the simplified Yeshi Step and break through the fierce storm of the Army Shattering Fist.
Huo Guang was definitely hiding an even more powerful technique, just waiting for that moment.
...
...
Soon after, flabbergasted cries could be heard in the Hall of Shining Words.
The two Sacred Hall archbishops slightly frowned, seeming somewhat confused and shocked at what they were seeing on the mirror of light.
Chen Changsheng did not use the simplified Yeshi Step, and he did not attempt to break out of the encirclement of the Army Shattering Fist.
To be more precise, he wasn''t doing anything. His two feet rested on the sand like two nails, not even moving a muscle.
Separated by those several dozen terrifying green fist intents, he silently looked at Huo Guang.
Time rapidly advanced. He, the spectators in the Hall of Shining Words, and the Li Palace priests on the second floor of the testing ground didn''t need to wait long for the Army Shattering Fist''s terrifying might to reach him. Like a real storm, it occupied his entire surroundings.
Upon seeing this sight, many people, including Xu Shiji, Mo Yu, and the priests on the second floor of the Hall of Washing Away Dust who favored the Orthodox Academy, were all very confused, mystified as to what Chen Changsheng intended to do. This was a match of the Grand Examination, so no one''s life was in danger. Logically speaking, such a sight like someone waiting to be defeated wouldn''t occur, and even if Chen Changsheng felt that he was no match, why did he want to just stand there and endure the assaulting storm of the Army Shattering Fist?
Confusion and doubt were the emotions dominating the minds of the vast majority of spectators. A few were somewhat disappointed, like Prince Chen Liu and Mo Yu.
At this point, Chen Changsheng''s defeat was certain.
Huo Guang''s Army Shattering Fist had reached full force, forming a green storm around Chen Changsheng about two zhang in radius. Wind and rain raged within, all of it made of terrifying fist intent.
Even if Chen Changsheng were to use the simplified Yeshi Step now, he would not be able to break through the Army Shattering Fist''s storm.
The only exception was if he used the real and complete Yeshi Step.
But that was an impossible matter.
Spring had come to the capital, and would the first student of the Orthodox Academy in ten-some years, who had brought with him so many storms and wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, have his journey come to an end right now?
Chen Changsheng moved.
When everyone thought he would move, he quietly stood still.
When everyone thought that he was no longer able to move, he suddenly moved.
He did not use the Yeshi Step but charged right at the fierce storm of the Army Shattering Fist.
His movements seemed somewhat stiff and clumsy, but they were firm and resolute.
A set of suppressed cries could be heard from the second floor of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Some of the observing Li Palace priests were incredibly surprised while others were deeply concerned.
At this very moment, several dozen fist intents were flowing like gusts in the air around him. At the front of each of these fist intents was a fist infused with green light.
These fists were not real, and one could even call them fake.
But the terrifying might contained in these fists was as real as it could possibly be.
The storm formed by the Army Shattering Fist was very dense, seemingly devoid of even the smallest of cracks. Besides the complete Yeshi Step, which used the power of nature to move, any other movement technique, no matter how exquisite, would collide against these fists and incur the wrath of the energy contained within them. And Chen Changsheng wasn''t even using a movement technique, just charging towards it.
With a pop, the new shoe on his right foot broke.
The sand instantly scattered, revealing the stone below, and cracks appeared on the ground once more.
The collision of body and air produced a shrill howl. Chen Changsheng''s body transformed into a blur and the black dragon appeared once more.
After a very brief amount of time, this blur slightly slowed.
A powerful fist intent had crashed against his right shoulder.
The dark uniform burst apart like a flower, the cloth shredding into the air. The fist intent crashed against his body, causing the skin on his shoulder to instantly redden and seem on the verge of breaking.
At this point, he had only advanced two steps.
Now, it seemed like he would have to stop.
Then he would be pummeled to the ground by the storm of the Army Shattering Fist.
The second floor instantly fell silent.
In contrast, a soft laughter could be heard in the Hall of Shining Words, dyed with a hint of scorn.
Mo Yu did not laugh. She looked at the scene on the mirror of light, her mood rather complex.
It was like she could see what would happen next. The skin on Chen Changsheng''s right shoulder would burst open, bones would snap and blood would flow, and then more fists would come crashing down. He would vomit blood and collapse, thus losing and being eliminated from the Grand Examination.
She could even gaze a little more into the future at the youth''s lonely back as he left the Orthodox Academy.
Within the room of that house, the bedding would be cold. No matter how much soothing incense was used, it would no longer have the same scent.
She recalled the words the Empress had said to her and suddenly felt rather regretful and anguished.
Many people thought the same as Mo Yu.
Yes, Chen Changsheng had displayed an astonishing defensive ability in his first match.
However, the Army Shattering Fist was the Army Shattering Fist, and even a body that had undergone a perfect Purification could not resist it.
Prince Chen Liu was silent, somewhat angry that Chen Changsheng did not pull out his dagger at the very start.
Xu Shiji remained expressionless. His status at the moment was rather awkward, so it was not appropriate for him to show any sort of emotion at Chen Changsheng''s bitter defeat.
Everyone believe that Chen Changsheng would suffer heavy wounds from the Army Shattering Fist.
But right after, a miraculous sight appeared in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The Army Shattering Fist fell on Chen Changsheng''s right shoulder, shredding his uniform and causing blood to inflame his skin.
Yet the skin only reddened for a moment before quickly returning to normal.
A light thud rose up from his shoulder.
That Army Shattering Fisthad dispersed like smoke, scattering with the wind!
Such a terrifying fist had failed to make him bleed!
Just how was this like a rock falling from a mountain, shaking the earth and startling birds?
This was a spring breeze blowing across the hills!
This Army Shattering Fist was just scratching Chen Changsheng''s itches!
Huo Guang''s expression instantly changed.
Cries of shock rose up without end from the second floor of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The Hall of Shining Words was utterly silent.
Chen Changsheng''s left foot stepped on the ground.
He continued forward, charging across the sand towards Huo Guang.
His movements were still very clumsy.
Yetso very frightening.
151 Bathing in Blood, Drawing a Sword, Leaping on Clouds, Pulling at Beards
If a gust of wind were to strike the rocks of a cliff, it would naturally disperse.
This was the feeling given by the Army Shattering Fist striking Chen Changsheng''s shoulder.
Of course, it was not a real gust of wind, so his uniform had been shredded and his blurred body had slowed for an instant.
But only an instant.
His left foot stepped on the ground, and, unsurprisingly, his brand-new shoes broke into threads and cracks splayed across the ground.
At almost the same time, several Army Shattering Fists struck his body. His uniform suffered heavy damage, drifting about in the air, and several distinct impressions of fists could be seen on his body, but none of them went any further.
In this moment, it did not look like the Army Shattering Fist was crashing against his body, but like he was using his body to crash against these energetic fist intents.
With another howl, Chen Changsheng''s body blurred once more. Accompanied by deafening collisions, he rammed his body against the storm formed by the several dozen Army Shattering Fists and vanished.
The only things left were the broken shoe that was like a flower blooming from the ground, and the shreds of the uniform, gently drifting down from the sky like catkins.
...
...
No longer could the people in the Hall of Shining Words keep their silence. The sounds of chairs scraping against the ground could be heard.
Mo Yu stood up and stared at the scene on the mirror of light, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
The Principal of Star Seizer Academy was shocked speechless, whereas the Bishop of the Temple Seminary had less control over his emotions and let out a cry of surprise.
Xu Shiji remained as indifferent as a stone. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
The two archbishops that had come to the Hall of Shining Words not too long ago seemed slightly affected.
Xue Xingchuan leaned his body forward again, staring at the mirror, his expression abnormally stern.
The most perfect level of Purification could not bring a cultivator''s body to this level of toughness. Not even the demons could pull off such a feat.
Why was Chen Changsheng''s defensive capability so terrifying? No matter how many lucky encounters he had, even if he took all the precious herbs in the Hundred Herb Garden, refined them into pills, and ate them all, he still would not have been able to do what he just did.
Everyone in the Hall of Shining Words was very experienced, and the two archbishops were, like Mei Lisha, also part of the Six Prefects of the Orthodoxy, but none of them had ever seen such a thing.
The toughness of Chen Changsheng''s body was truly unimaginable and utterly impossible to comprehend.
And so they were shocked.
Of course, Chen Changsheng''s defense was not perfect. It probably could not block a magical artifact or a sharp weapon, but this sort of underlying strength was still somewhat outrageous.
Xue Xingchuan was thinking of more, so his expression was even graver.
He had thought of a name that had not been heard about for a very long time.
Zhou Dufu.
Publicly acknowledged as the supreme expert over the past one thousand years.
Whether it was the Demon Lord who had once sworn to reign over the entire continent or Emperor Taizong who had been as dazzling as the sun, none of them were his match in terms of martial might.
Even if one went as far back as when the Heavenly Tomes first descended to the world, Zhou Dufu would still rank in at least the top three.
Many years ago, when Zhou Dufu was still just a youth, he was still far from possessing his invincible strength. But even so, he had been very famous on the continent, because he possessed a formidable defensive capability surpassing that bestowed by a perfect Purification.
Everyone knew that this was because when he was an infant, he had the great luck to have his body bathed in dragon blood.
But the continent had been peaceful for many years and the Dragon race had vanished. No one had even seen a dragon for the past several centuries, so just where had Chen Changsheng found the essence blood of a dragon?
Xue Xingchuan did not continue to think about these things, because this conclusion was even more inconceivable than the toughness of Chen Changsheng''s body, and also because the image on the mirror of light had once again attracted all his attention. Upon seeing Chen Changsheng''s blurred image rush towards Huo Guang, he understood why Chen Changsheng had not moved at the very start.
No matter how powerful the defense, it was impossible to endure the endless assaults of the Army Shattering Fist. Even if one could endure it, they would assuredly be injured, perhaps even seriously. That being the case, even if Chen Changsheng did manage to defeat Huo Guang, he would find it impossible to gain victory in the even more difficult battles to come.
So Chen Changsheng had waited, waited until his opponent''s Army Shattering Fist had reached full force, waited until the storm had gone from encompassing the entire Hall of Washing Away Dust to the small area around his body. The Army Shattering Fist at full force was certainly even stronger, but he only needed to break through one layer to break through everything. He used the number of Army Shattering Fists he endured in that short period of time to gain more time and thus receive fewer of these fists over the entire battle.
Xue Xingchuan''s expression changed once more as he thought, just how self-confident does one have to be to pull off this sort of fighting style?
...
...
Chen Changsheng was the focus of the Grand Examination. Many important figures, including the two Sacred Hall archbishops, had made him the object of their attention. Many people, such as Mo Yu, believed that they had a grasp of all of Chen Changsheng''s techniques, of all the cards in his hand. In truth, however, no one knew just what he had, not even Archbishop Mei Lisha or Luoluo.
Huo Guang''s Army Shattering Fist truly was terrifying, and he had used it at the best time.
Even the strongest and most optimistic version of Chen Changsheng that people imagined would assuredly lose in the face of such a formidable and prepared opponent. But no one could have imagined his current level of strength and the lucky encounters he had experiencedthey were all more absurd than even the most extravagant of imaginations could think up.
Even he himself still did not understand what he had experienced, did not know that he had been bathed in dragon blood. He could only make a few speculations based on the changes in his body. However, he knew that he was very strong.
Currently he had at least four methods of breaking through the furious storm of the Army Shattering Fist.
He had chosen the most direct and stupidest method.
This was because no one would expect this sort of method.
It was just like how when Tang Thirty-Six fought against Liang Banhu, Chen Changsheng had never expected that Gou Hanshi would have Liang Banhu fight using such a stupid method, and Tang Thirty-Six also could not imagine that Liang Banhu really would fight so stupidly.
He could have used the Yeshi Step to avoid his opponent''s Army Shattering Fist. Yes, even with the Army Shattering Fist at full force, he still could have avoided, because although his grasp over the Yeshi Step could not be considered perfect, it was not the Yeshi Step that Luoluo had used in the Ivy Festival and which everyone remembered. His Yeshi Step had reached a far more profound level than people imagined.
But he did not use it.
He could have unsheathed his dagger and used the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong''s first move, Rising Flurry, to engage in a direct battle with these numerous fist intents.
But he also did not use that.
After all, this was only the second round of matches and he had not encountered those truly strong foes. Thus, he could not reveal his strongest techniques and cards.
That scholar from Scholartree Manor, Huo Guang, standing across from him, was not worthy enough for him to show these techniques.
...
...
In the blink of an eye, the Army Shattering Fist was broken and the situation was reversed.
Chen Changsheng''s blurred figure instantly reached Huo Guang.
Huo Guang was shocked, but his cultivation level was far above that Yellow Mountain Valley disciple''s. Due to this and the fact that Scholartree Manor''s disciples placed particular emphasis on maintaining a calm mind, he was not panicked at all by this sudden change, and struck out with a punch.
He did not draw his sword, as Chen Changsheng had come too quickly. This punch was a follow-up to the Army Shattering Fist, so the link between the two was the most natural, thus making it the fastest.
His punch was not aimed at Chen Changsheng, but at the ground, its fist intent extremely clear and open.
With a buzz, the sand in front of his feet flew up into the air, fist intent quietly lurking within.
Using the backlash of the fist intent, Huo Guang swiftly retreated, his brown scholar''s robe dragging behind in a blur. One could see from this how quickly and resolutely he had retreated.
As he retreated, his right hand reached over his shoulder, intending to draw his sword.
This sword had been on his back the entire time.
It was a very large sword with a rather odd shape: the middle of it was curved.
This sword was called Justice and was one of the seven law swords that were used by the disciples of Scholartree Manor. It was extremely sharp and contained the principles of the heavens and earth. Although it was not capable of entering the Tier of Legendary Weapons, it was still an extraordinary object.
He firmly believed that as long as he could draw his sword, Chen Changsheng would be no match, no matter how terrifying his defense was.
He was a little regretful. Earlier, if he had pulled out his sword immediately after entering the Hall of Washing Away Dust and ignored that priest''s advice, he would not have had to retreat in such a pathetic fashion.
With this sword of bright justice, ghosts were easily expelled, and with a single technique, he could defeat Chen Changsheng.
While he was thinking these things, his right hand had already gripped the hilt of the sword. He just needed a bit more time to draw the sword from its sheath.
Unsheathing a sword was a very simple action that he had practiced countless times before, so the time needed to do it was so short that it basically didn''t exist.
But time was ultimately an eternal existence that could never be extinguished.
No matter how short, a moment of time was still needed.
Huo Guang''s pupils instantly constricted.
Chen Changsheng had not given him this time.
Outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Huo Guang had accepted information from a Li Palace priest and learned that in Chen Changsheng''s first match, he had displayed a shocking level of speed. Huo Guang had mentally prepared himself for this and had fully taken it into consideration when preparing his strategy, yet he had not expected that Chen Changsheng''s ''shocking'' level of speed would bethis shocking!
Chen Changsheng was too fast, so fast that the moment Huo Guang''s hand had gripped the hilt of his sword, Chen Changsheng was already there.
The Justice Sword was half a foot out of its sheath, and Chen Changsheng''s fist was only half a foot from his chest.
Huo Guang knew that it was too late and his face instantly paled. His true essence madly surged and transformed into a whistle that burst from his lips.
At the same time, his right foot lightly pressed against the ground.
Yes, not stomping against the ground, but lightly pressing against it.
Even in this tense moment, his foot was still gentle, like he was stepping on a cloud.
The earlier punch with its clear and deep intent had sent the sand flying into the air, making it seem just like a cloud.
HIs right foot was lightly pressing against this cloud of yellow sand.
It was very gentle, graceful, and mystical.
He also seemed to transform into a drifting cloud floating high up into the sky.
...
...
"An excellent Cloud Leaping!"
A sigh of praise could be heard in the Hall of Shining Words.
Perhaps it was the Bishop of the Temple Seminary or someone else, but they were actually praising a student from Scholartree Manor in the south. From this, one could imagine how much pressure had been placed upon these people by Chen Changsheng''s participation in the Grand Examination and that declaration of his. As for the three teachers representing the southern sects on the guest seats, they wore satisfied expressions as they silently stroked their beards.
Huo Guang''s performance was truly worthy of praise. A young cultivator who had still not entered Ethereal Opening was actually able to so perfectly display the Cloud Leaping movement technique of Scholartree Manor, and at such a tense moment, he was still able to express such a light and refreshing Qi. It had to be admitted that Scholartree Manor was outstanding at raising its disciples.
More importantly, this Cloud Leaping movement technique could bring about a massive shift in this fight.
Chen Changsheng was very fast, so he could not stop. His fist was very strong, so he could not bend it.
If an object traveling straight wanted to suddenly change its direction, more strength would be required the faster it was traveling, or else one would have to display a high-level method to control their true essence.
Such methods were very rare. When surveying all the sects and schools of the continent, one would find no more than three.
In the capital, no school possessed this sort of method. The rulers of White Emperor City also did not possess such a technique.
Even if Chen Changsheng wanted to learn it, he wouldn''t know where to learn it.
So his fist could only miss.
And Huo Guang had leapt on a cloud and was rising.
The difference between the two was now a matter of high and low, and Huo Guang was about to grip the Justice Sword in his hands.
The outcome of this match might change at this moment.
Yet immediately after, the hands of those representatives from the south suddenly went stiff.
One elder had even pulled out a few strands of his white beard.
Cries of surprise exploded from within the Hall of Shining Words.
152 The Sky
Chen Changsheng''s speed was truly very fast, his fist truly traveling in a very straight line.
Logically speaking, his fist was sure to miss. It was impossible for it to strike Huo Guang, who had used the graceful Cloud Leaping technique to float into the air.
His fist had truly missed, striking nothing but air and releasing a drone like an ancient bell being tuned.
Even the weightless air seemed to be broken by this punch.
Yet his punch did not stop, but continued forward.
A path seemed to appear in the shattered air, invisible to the naked eyes yet still giving off a real feeling.
The important characters in the Hall of Shining Words, watching through the mirror of light, also sensed the existence of this path.
This path was created by Chen Changsheng''s fist, but it was an arc, not a straight line, its end slightly curving upward.
This invisible line was very smooth and beautiful, imbued with the heavenly beauty of nature.
Just how had the path made by the straight punch been able to curve in the air?
There was only one explanation: that it was his fist intent which had changed its direction at the last possible moment.
Just what sort of fist technique in the world could accomplish this?
Huo Guang floated into the air.
Chen Changsheng''s fist followed this invisible arc into the sky.
...
...
"The Burning Heaven Sword!"
Xue Xingchuan''s cry of shock echoed through the Hall of Shining Words.
There truly was no fist technique that could adjust a fist intent''s trajectory at the final moment.
The great personages in the Hall of Shining Words were all very experienced, so they were incredibly certain that no such technique existed.
But there was a sword technique that could do this, that could change the trajectory of the sword intent at the very last moment of the technique.
Earlier, the powerful figures within the Hall of Shining Words had silently counted that there were probably three styles in the world that could accomplish it, and one of them was this sword technique.
The Mount Li Sword Style''s Burning Heaven Sword!
The chairs scraped along the floor of the Hall of Shining Words.
The great personages all stood up, indescribable shock on their faces as they watched the youth on the mirror of light explode into the air with a clenched fist.
Just how had a student of the Orthodox Academy learned one of the secret sword techniques of the Mount Li Sword Style?
...
...
It was rumored that the Burning Heaven Sword of the Mount Li Sword Style was a secret technique developed by the legendary Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li. He had never shown it to anyone else, and it was only after he had traveled the world for several centuries and returned to Mount Li that the heartfelt pleading of the sect master finally persuaded him to record this technique in the manual for the Mount Li Sword Style.
This sword technique was very famous, but very few people learned it. It was far too difficult, as it required one''s spiritual sense to be incredibly condensed.
In the current generation of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s disciples, it was said that only Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi had been able to learn it.
Now, this sword technique appeared in Chen Changsheng''s hands.
He did not use a sword, but a fist.
The Burning Heaven Sword had naturally become the Exploding Sky Fist.
Between the blue sky and his fist was Huo Guang.
Before his fist could explode upon the blue sky, it had to fall on Huo Guang.
There was a dull boom.
It was the sound of a fist slamming against a body.
Chen Changsheng''s fist exploded against Huo Guang''s chest.
Concisely, precisely, and forcefully.
There was a second boom.
This was the sound of a body colliding against the air.
Huo Guang''s body instantly took flight from the ground, soaring into the sky and becoming a small dot.
...
...
Outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the examinees were gathered in front of the stone steps, waiting for the match to conclude.
At this moment, they heard two consecutive booms.
Due to the sound-obstructing array of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, they had not heard any sound before this, and this was not like the battle between Tang Thirty-Six and Liang Banhu, where their sword intents had been able to cast themselves onto the blue sky. As the participants of this match were Huo Guang and Chen Changsheng, the examinees couldn''t help but look down on this match a little.
This lasted until those two thunderous booms seemed to explode next to their ears.
The examinees were all stupefied. As they heard the whooshing sound that followed the booms, their gazes moved upward to that figure in the air.
The place was deathly still. Many examinees gaped, but nobody spoke.
They stared as the figure flew high up into the air and then fell back down.
After a moment, the ground slightly trembled.
The examinees lowered their gazes to their feet and then raised them back up to look at the Hall of Washing Away Dust. They were too stunned to speak, feeling that their hearts were trembling with the ground.
That trembling was probably that person falling back to the ground, right?
The majority of examinees were not able to tell just who had been sent flying into the air, but for some reason, many people subconsciously felt that it could not be Chen Changsheng.
...
...
Within the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng''s right foot was in front, his left foot behind, his pose like that of a bow.
His right arm was slightly bent and raised to the sky like a torch.
Huo Guang had been sent flying.
He drew back his fist and right foot, straightened his body, and watched the sky.
His gaze traveled up and then down, following the trajectory of that figure back into the hall.
With a dull thud, dust flew and the ground trembled.
As the dust receded, Huo Guang collapsed to the ground, incessantly vomiting blood, with an unknown number of his bones broken.
From the moment he had left the ground, the examiners on the second floor had hurried down and made preparations to apply emergency treatment.
Two female priests of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green constantly shed clear light, staunching his blood and ensuring that his life would not be in danger. Only then was he carried out of the Li Palace.
As he lay on the sand-covered ground and looked up at the blue sky, Huo Guang''s expression was one of pain, his eyes filled with unwillingness and anger, but mostly confusion.
He did not understand why he had lost in this match.
After all, before entering the capital, he had already known who his opponent would be.
If Chen Changsheng had not even been able to pass the martial test, he naturally would not have taken part in the matches. If he had not even been able to pass the first round, he naturally would not have been able to encounter Huo Guang. What Huo Guang knew was that as long as Chen Changsheng was able to enter the second round, then he would be matched up against Huo Guang, and Huo Guang would become an impassable mountain, the course of history would be corrected, and the confluence of the north and south would be put back on the right track
And yet, now he was lying on the ground, heavily injured, powerless to move, unable to do something as simple as turn his head.
He wanted to say something to Chen Changsheng, but he wasn''t even able to see Chen Changsheng or speak. He could only look at the blue sky.
The sky of the Education Palace was much lower than the sky of the real world. Just a moment ago, he even felt like he could touch that sky.
Just like how he thought before entering the Hall of Washing Away Dust that he could easily defeat Chen Changsheng.
But in truth, the sky was impossible to touch.
And he had been unable to defeat Chen Changsheng.
Why?
...
...
Chen Changsheng could imagine how much turmoil Huo Guang and the powerful figures behind him were going through and what their impressions might be, but he did not think about these things. The impressions of others had nothing to do with him. Whether poison for others might be honey for him was no concern of his. He had never wasted time on such meaningless affairs.
He did not look at the supine Huo Guang. He bowed to the supervising Li Palace priest, and then walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The Li Palace priest was from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. As he watched the youth, he nodded his head in praise.
From the moment he entered the Hall of Washing Away Dust to his departure, Chen Changsheng had not said a single word.
Before the start of the match, Huo Guang had said that he would not use words to disgrace Chen Changsheng, as it was meaningless and uninteresting. He would simply defeat Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng had used reality to tell his opponent that speaking itself was meaningless and uninteresting; that he had come to fight, not chat; and that they weren''t even friends, or even acquaintances.
Similarly, before the start of the match, Huo Guang had looked down on him and said that if Chen Changsheng did not pull out his sword, he would never have the chance.
Chen Changsheng had used reality to prove that the person who had truly needed to pull out their sword had been Huo Guang himself.
...
...
Within the Hall of Shining Words, silence reigned once more.
The crowd needed a very long time before finally suppressing the shock in their hearts.
Mo Yu looked at the now-vacant sand, the corners of her lips slightly perked upwards. She apparently wanted to smile, but she managed to keep her cold appearance in the end.
Xue Xingchuan turned to Archbishop Mei Lisha, many questions on his mind about the level of Chen Changsheng''s performance.
It was only now that the crowd realized that at some point, the archbishop had closed his eyes and seemingly fallen back into sleep.
But the wrinkles on his face had been greatly smoothed.
His rather striking liver spots had grown much fainter.
A faint smile hung about his face.
153 The Barefoot Boy, the Determined Girl
The Burning Heaven Sword was a secret technique that even the elders of the various sects of the Longevity Sect did not know. Only the disciples of Mount Li could possibly access it, but Chen Changsheng had never been to Mount Li in his entire life, so how had he learned it? To normal people, this was a most incomprehensible problem, perhaps a riddle that would torment them for the rest of their lives. However, the powerful figures within the Hall of Shining Words knew of more stories than normal people, stories that took place much longer ago. It didn''t take long for them to remember that several centuries ago, a certain incident took place in the war against the demons. Against the backdrop of the momentous battlefield, this incident was quite unremarkable, but its effects were incredibly long-lasting.
After that incident, the secret manual of the Mount Li Sword Style was sent to White Emperor City.
"According to the agreement made that year, the Mount Li Sword Style manual could only be kept within the White Emperor clan. Transmitting it to outsiders was forbidden, so how was Chen Changsheng able to learn it?"
Because Chen Changsheng is Princess Luoluo''s teacher."
"This is also okay? Then if we continue to go in this direction, doesn''t that mean that in the future, all the students of the Orthodox Academy will be able to learn the Mount Li Sword Style?"
"If Her Highness thinks it''s okay, then it''s okay. If the Mount Li Sword Sect does not agree, they can go to His Majesty the White Emperor to argue their case."
"Let''s put aside the sword style for nowjust how did Chen Changsheng perform his Purification? How could his body be so tough? It''s so difficult to break if one doesn''t use magical artifacts or weapons; just what sort of lucky encounter did he have?"
Many people within the Hall of Shining Words looked toward the archbishop, their eyes filled with questions. Did the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education use some sort of secret technique?
The archbishop said nothing. At present, only three people in the world knew of the lucky encounter that Chen Changsheng experienced, and he was one of them.
Mo Yu was also pondering this question, just as she had pondered this question before. She knew that Luoluo had been living in the Hundred Herb Garden for so long that Chen Changsheng was assuredly familiar with the precious herbs within. She knew that Chen Changsheng''s teacher Daoist Ji was the best doctor on the continent and skilled in refining medicines. However, none of this was sufficient to make Chen Changsheng''s body so tough.
Xue Xingchuan once more recalled Zhou Dufu, but then shook his head, rejecting the idea. This sort of conjecture was far too absurd and unrealistic.
The Grand Examination was one of the most important activities on the continent, but to these important figures within the hall, the main goal of the Grand Examination was to pick young talents, the true significance resting in the future. As a result, they were very calm and did not need to spectate up close, safely seated within the Hall of Shining Words, and those two Sacred Hall archbishops had come even later.
Yet this year''s Grand Examination had given them too much shock and surprise. Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue had still not fought, Princess Luoluo had not had a chance to use her strength in the first round, Zhexiu was still hiding in the plains, but they had already found it impossible to sit quietly in their chairs.
Mo Yu rose and said, "I want to go in and see."
Xue Xingchuan, Xu Shiji, and many other important personages within the hall also stood up and left the hall, making their way towards the Hall of Pure Virtue to enter the Green Leaf World and watch the following matches from a closer distance.
The hall emptied, leaving only Mei Lisha.
The Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, the leader of the Orthodoxy''s conservative faction, slowly raised his head. He looked at the sandy ground displayed on the mirror of light as if still seeing that youth from a while ago. He was silent and expressionless, making it impossible to know whether he was happy or sad, much less what he was thinking. He gave off the feeling of someone that had been particularly weathered by the passage of time.
Several months ago, on the last night of the Ivy Festival, Chen Changsheng had been imprisoned by Mo Yu in the abandoned garden, after which he entered the Black Dragon Pond of his own volition. He knew of all these things, and he even knew that the Empress had also been watching that night. He just didn''t know exactly what had happened after Chen Changsheng met the Black Dragon in that underground cavern.
It now seemed that the truly important matter had occurred not too long ago.
Being reborn by bathing in dragon blood? A mysterious smile appeared on the archbishop''s face.
That Black Dragon was actually willing to pay such a great price for you? What does she want to get from you?
In truth, he had never held any hope that Chen Changsheng would be able to take first rank of the first banner. That declaration that had shaken the entire continent had only been to place more pressure on Chen Changsheng.
Only pressure could make Chen Changsheng mature as quickly as possible.
Now, he could actually see hope in Chen Changsheng''s performance. Even if it was the faintest and most elusive sliver of hope, an extremely small probability, it was still hope.
How could he not be gratified?
...
...
The Hall of Washing Away Dust opened and Chen Changsheng walked out.
When he walked out from the first battle, his right shoe had been destroyed. This time, both of his shoes had been destroyed.
With his bare feet, he stood on the stone steps. His tattered uniform made him seem just like a beggar.
But no one actually regarded him as a beggar. This time, they were truly shocked, especially after the Li Palace priest announced that Huo Guang had been severely injured and, just like Su Moyu, had been sent out of the Education Palace for treatment. At this point, their shock reached its apex. Earlier, only Zhexiu had managed to so heavily injure his opponent under the watch of the Li Palace priests. No one had expected that Chen Changsheng was also able to do this.
But just how had he managed to do it?
Guan Feibai was quite puzzled, asking in surprise, "This guy was just a normal person during the Ivy Festival. Just how many days has it been, and he''s already become this strong?"
Gou Hanshi replied, "I said before, he''s not a normal person."
The shocked gazes of the crowd followed Chen Changsheng to the forest''s edge.
Xuanyuan Po gave an honest smile and went up to welcome him.
Chen Changsheng barely managed a smile and then said, "Can you give me a hand?"
Luoluo''s expression slightly shifted at these words. Only now did she realize that though Chen Changsheng looked fine on the surface, he had actually taken such significant injuries that even walking was an effort. She quickly went up to support him.
Upon reaching the white poplar tree, Chen Changsheng sat down next to Tang Thirty-Six, his eyebrows slightly creased in pain.
In the Hall of Washing Away Dust, when he was breaking out of the storm of fists, he had instantly been struck by seven Army Shattering Fists.
No matter how strong his body was, enduring these blows was still rather painful. The punch he had taken on the right side of his chest had been particularly bad. Although none of his bones were broken, they were probably somewhat cracked.
If he had used the Yeshi Step or taken out his dagger, he might have won a little easier, would not have had to endure so much pain. But just like he had thought the instant he had made the decision on the battleground, his goal was not to pass the second round, but to take the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner. Thus, he had to make it to the last match, and he needed to leave some cards for the end.
Scholartree Manor truly did raise its young disciples well, and Huo Guang had the strength to rank in at least the top fifty of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. But he was too proud and inexperienced, so he might treat his foes lightly.
For the ultimate goal, taking these risks was worth it.
"It''s over, I won''t be able to raise my head in front of you anymore."
Tang Thirty-Six had suffered significant injuries in his battle with Liang Banhu, so he had been leaning on the poplar tree the entire time, adjusting his breathing. Upon seeing Chen Changsheng at his side and thinking of how this guy had actually gotten into the third round, further than he had, he couldn''t help but be a little angry. Stuffing a crystal in Chen Changsheng''s hand, he said, "It''s just that your luck is a little better."
There was truth to these words, as Huo Guang could in no way compare to Liang Banhu. Chen Changsheng laughed and paid him no more attention. Looking over at Luoluo, whose face was covered in concern, he said, "I''m okay, relax."
Luoluo looked at his dirt-covered feet and hurriedly took out a new pair of shoes. She placed them at his side and then took out a handkerchief from her sleeve.
It seemed that she was preparing to wipe Chen Changsheng''s feet.
Chen Changsheng didn''t dare let her do this. This was certainly not the Orthodox Academy''s library, but the middle of the Pope''s Green Leaf World. Several dozen examinees and even more Li Palace priests were watching them, and he had no desire to be rendered into ash by the fury of the crowd, so he quickly snatched the handkerchief.
"Your Highness, with his style of fighting, you might need to prepare a few more pairs of shoes."
Tang Thirty-Six took a count, then said, "There are still four rounds, so Your Highness should prepare three more pairs."
His intent with these words was to poke fun at the teacher-student relationship between Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, but he didn''t expect Luoluo to happily smile and say, "Thank you for your blessing."
Tang Thirty-Six froze, then realized that he had just subconsciously believed that Chen Changsheng would make it to the end.
"You don''t need to prepare more shoes. In the following rounds, I will strive not to lose my shoes."
Without waiting for Tang Thirty-Six to say anything, Chen Changsheng turned to Luoluo and said, "You should forfeit this round."
If the teacher gave an order, the student should follow. Luoluo had always obeyed his words, but this time, she did not.
"I don''t want to."
Her answer was very straightforward and determined, carrying with it the somewhat pampered or arrogant attitude of a girl.
"You can''t beat him." Chen Changsheng gazed at the distant Tianhai Shengxue in silence for a few moments, then said, "And he also gives me a very dangerous feeling today."
None of the three other people at the forest''s edge noticed the word ''also''.
Today, Tianhai Shengxue was very quiet and low-key, which made other people feel very strange.
This was because his family background had decided for him that he could not be low-key.
Amongst the examinees of this year''s Grand Examination, he and Luoluo were the two with the deepest and most frightening backing.
And his personality had always been the complete opposite of low-key and quiet. A low-key person would not have gone to destroy the Orthodox Academy''s gate immediately after returning to the capital.
But he truly was acting very low-key today. From the start of the Grand Examination to now, he had remained silent the entire time, acting like an ordinary examinee standing in the crowd, not even showing any change in emotion.
Many people had noticed his silence. Chen Changsheng had noticed, and he felt it to be very dangerous.
If one were to say that the focus the wolf youth Zhexiu had on Luoluo gave him the greatest sense of danger, Tianhai Shengxue was second on the list.
This was because both people had the strength to defeat Luoluo.
This was especially so for Tianhai Shengxue.
As the grandnephew most highly regarded by the Divine Empress, he did not engage in a hedonistic lifestyle in the bustling capital, but traveled to the distant Snowhold Pass to battle with demons. This was because he yearned for strength.
And then he truly had broken through that boundary of life-or-death on the battlefield outside Snowhold Pass, succeeding in breaking through into Ethereal Opening.
In this year''s Grand Examination, he and Gou Hanshi were the two strongest individuals.
Luoluo knew that she was no match for Tianhai Shengxue, but she was still determined to fight.
Chen Changsheng stood up and sent her off to the Hall of Washing Away Dust with his gaze. His expression was grave and fraught with worry.
Tang Thirty-Six dug out a hard piece of tree bark from the white poplar tree and accurately smacked it on Chen Changsheng''s head, saying, "Do you really not understand why Her Highness is participating in the Grand Examination?"
154 Not Fighting
Luoluo could just enter the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths, but she had still pleaded before the Pope''s throne for an entire night so that she could participate in the Grand Examination, even if she was not being ranked. Why? Because she wanted to clear a few obstacles for her teacher Chen Changsheng. In the one-on-one matches phase, every opponent she defeated was one less opponent that Chen Changsheng would face.
From this perspective, the stronger the opponent she encountered, the more it was in accordance with her intentions. This was especially the case for the two strongest examinees, Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue. Even if she could not defeat them, she still wanted to make them exhaust themselves, at least inflict upon them a few significant injuries. Only by doing this could she preserve a little chance for Chen Changsheng when it was his turn to face them.
Thus, when she drew Tianhai Shengxue as her opponent in the second round, shocking everyone, only she was calm, even rather happy.
Chen Changsheng had never thought about why Luoluo wanted to participate in the Grand Examination, but now that he had been reminded by Tang Thirty-Six, he managed to think of the reason after a few moments of thought. He lowered his head and stared in silence at his brand-new shoes for a very long time, then raised his head and said to Tang Thirty-Six, "I will definitely win."
Tang Thirty-Six looked back at him and said, "You shouldn''t say these words to me. Tell her."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I don''t need to say it to her. She already knows."
As they were speaking, the door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust closed once more.
This year, the one-on-matches for the Grand Examination were being held in the Hall of Washing Away Dust, foreordaining this hall''s door to be closed many times. In a little while, it would have to close many times more, and the creaking of its hinges would be even more grating on the ears. However, none of those times would attract as much attention as this particular closing of the door, nor would their creaks be heard as clearly as this one.
This was the most formidable match since the start of this year''s Grand Examination. One side was Princess Luoluo, the Princess of White Emperor City, possessing the most superb of talents and able to cause the Proclamation of Azure Sky to undergo an impromptu revision. The other was Tianhai Shengxue, the Divine Empress''s most highly regarded grandnephew, who had succeeded in breaking into Ethereal Opening while engaged in pitched battle with the demon experts outside Snowhold Pass.
This sort of match would naturally draw everyone''s attention.
Even that lonesome youth who always stood apart from the crowd with his back to the world turned to glance at the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
In the depths of those shards of ice that were Wofu Zhexiu''s eyes, a flame was leaping about.
...
...
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was very quiet.
Tianhai Shengxue and Luoluo stood across from each other. They bowed and then straightened.
Neither person attacked.
The sunlight of the Green Leaf World shone upon Tianhai Shengxue''s face. His skin looked so white that it surpassed snow1.
Luoluo quietly stood, her face still sublime and beautiful in this sublime and beautiful world.
Tianhai Shengxue calmly listened to the sounds of the hall and suddenly smiled.
It had to be admitted that his smile was rather charming.
Luoluo would naturally not be enchanted, but she was rather perplexed. Why was it that Tianhai Shengxue had never smiled outside the hall but was smiling now?
"Many people want me to fight with Your Highness, because of the examinees in the one-on-one matches of the Grand Examination, only I and Gou Hanshi can defeat Your Highness. I am apparently a more appropriate opponent for Your Highness, because even if I truly did injure Your Highness, the White Emperor couple, out of respect for the Empress, will not be too angry at me."
Tianhai Shengxue faintly smiled at her. "Yes, many people want to borrow my hands to make Your Highness, the Orthodox Academy''s greatest fighting strength, drop out from the examination. As for Your Highness''s intentions, I am also well aware of those. Your Highness just wants to escort Chen Changsheng, but I am somewhat confused. Even if Your Highness can defeat all opponents, how can Your Highness ensure that he will continue winning?"
Luoluo replied, "As a disciple, I must do everything in my power, regardless of how far Teacher can go."
"Rather interesting. No, it''s very interesting."
The smile on Tianhai Shengxue''s face gradually receded as he calmly, almost indifferently said, "It''s a pity that this match is in the interest of two archbishops of the Orthodoxy, in the interest of my clan, in the interest of some people in the palace, and the interests of many other people. The only person whose interest was not considered is me."
...
...
Ten-some chairs were set out in a quiet and secluded room within the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The two honorable Sacred Hall archbishops of the Orthodoxy sat on the east and west ends respectively. Mo Yu and Prince Chen Liu sat in the very center. Xue Xingchuan, Xu Shiji, the Bishop of the Temple Seminary, the Principal of Star Seizer Academy, and the three representatives of the southern sects were also seated in the room.
The young experts of this year''s Grand Examination had brought too much shock and surprise, so these important personages wanted to observe from a closer vantage point to ensure that no problems would occur. Thus, they had moved from the Hall of Shining Words to the Hall of Washing Away Dust. The first battle they were about to see was the most formidable one, and also one of their targets.
The match between Princess Luoluo and Tianhai Shengxue could proceed and be decided, but it was absolutely forbidden for anything like what had happened with Zhexiu and Su Moyu, or Chen Changsheng and Huo Guang, to occur. The examiners in charge of keeping control of the stage had been caught unprepared and had not reacted in time to prevent the examinees from suffering heavy injuries. Now, these important figures had promised the Pope and the Tianhai clan that nothing of the sort would occur here.
But, to their surprise, this match that had been the focus of so many had started off with an unexpected tempo, just as unexpected as Tianhai Shengxue''s silent and low-key display in today''s Grand Examination. There was no storm brought down by a whip or northern pass filled with snow, only Tianhai Shengxue''s calm voice echoing through the hall.
Yes, no one had ever considered Tianhai Shengxue''s interests, as everything was done through the collective will of the Tianhai clan.
When the crowd heard Tianhai Shengxue say this, the expressions of the two Sacred Hall archbishops and a few other important figures in the room subtly changed.
...
...
"What is interest? Interest is pursuit. Of course, I have my own pursuits and goals in life."
Tianhai Shengxue glanced at the second floor, then looked back at Luoluo and calmly continued, "In the past few years, whenever I came back to the capital, people would always say that I was envious of Prince Chen Liu, because he was able to grow up in the Imperial Palace and could study together with the Princess of Ping and Mo Yu. In truth, everyone was incorrect. The person that I truly envied was Mo Yu.
"The common people only see how the Empress dotes on and trusts her, only see the power and glory granted to her, but their eyes are blinded by that glory. They can''t see that at such a young age, she''s already managed to reach the Star Condensation Realm. Ah, the Star Condensation Realm In the past few years, everyone has been talking about Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun. A few years before that, everyone was talking about Wang Po and Xiao Zhang, yet very few people thought about just how strong she was."
In that gloomy room on the second floor, many people looked at Mo Yu. Her expression was indifferent, as if Tianhai Shengxue had not even mentioned her.
"Indeed, in the Tianhai clan, I am the person with the most potential on the martial path. Everyone thought that I returned from Snowhold Pass to the capital in order to participate in the Grand Examination and take first rank of the first banner, and yetQiushan Jun didn''t come, so what meaning is there if I take first rank of the first banner? Is that possibly proof that I''m stronger than Mo Yu?"
Tianhai Shengxue suddenly paused. After a very long period of silence, he continued, "Okay, even if I did defeat Qiushan Jun, it still wouldn''t be proof that I was stronger than her. Moreover, if it was me in the past, I probably would be willing to strive to take first rank of the first banner. It is a glory, after all."
Puzzled, Luoluo asked him, "Could it be that you don''t think this way now?"
"What is the goal of cultivation? Power. What is the goal of power? To live, and then to gain even greater power and receive many more things."
Tianhai Shengxue calmly said to her, "In the past, I believed that taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination was very important. At the very least, it could add to my self-confidence when confronting Mo Yu. But now, the most important meaning of the Grand Examination is that I am able to meet Your Highness, and Your Highness requires me to lose."
After saying this, he turned to the second floor and said with a little pride, "I advise all of you not to hear what I have to say next, or it will also cause some trouble."
155 And Winning
Tianhai Shengxue and Luoluo stood in the sand of the Hall of Washing Away Dust''s first floor. The backgrounds of the two, when added together, were enough to awe everyone on the second floor. Of course, the people on the second floor were important personages, but his warning was loud and clear. Moreover, these important personages all belonged to different camps, were part of different factions. They were all in the same room, each person watching everyone else, so even if any of them wanted to listen, they still couldn''t.
The room was very quiet and dark, as the light coming in from the window was not very bright. Mo Yu, seated on the chair in the very center, was quiet for a few moments, and then indifferently closed her eyes as if intending to take a short rest. In reality, this action expressed her stance. She had no intentions of listening to what Tianhai Shengxue had to say next.
Xue Xingchuan slightly creased his brow, the two Sacred Hall archbishops slowly closed their eyes, and with a soft sound, the wooden bars outside the window turned. The light dimmed as a sound-obstructing array activated, making it impossible to hear what was happening on the floor below. As for the Li Palace priests elsewhere, presumably none of them were bold enough to eavesdrop and could think of their own ways to render themselves temporarily deaf.
After a while passed, Tianhai Shengxue did not go to confirm that no one was eavesdropping, nor did he care if someone was. He continued speaking to Luoluo, "Using the first rank of the first banner of the Grand Examination to prove that I am strong is meaningless towards my ability to survive or to get more power, so I can give up on it."
Luoluo said, "The first rank of the first banner is a glory hard to come by. It can emphasize your status in the Empress''s heart."
"And then what?" Tianhai Shengxue impassively asked. "Of the youths in the third generation of the Tianhai clan, I''ve always been the most outstanding. What good is there in my being more outstanding? The people who ultimately decide the clan''s fate are still my father and those brothers of his."
Luoluo asked him, "So you intend to exchange first rank of the first banner for what you require?"
Tianhai Shengxue affirmed, "Correct, this is why I said that to me, the most important meaning of the Grand Examination is that I am able to meet Your Highness, and Your Highness requires me to lose."
Luoluo pondered this, then inquired, "What do you want?"
Tianhai Shengxue calmly looked at her and said, "I hope that I can exchange for Your Highness''s friendship."
Without even thinking, Luoluo said, "No."
Mocking himself, Tianhai Shengxue said, "It seems that the Tianhai name has already stirred the resentment of both man and the gods."
Luoluo denied, "No, I just believe that friendship is not something that can be exchanged, only nurtured."
"That''s reasonable." Tianhai Shengxue''s expression turned serious. "Then can I have a chance of nurturing a friendship with Your Highness?"
Luoluo replied, "I cannot decide this. I must listen to Teacher."
Tianhai Shengxue thought and felt that Chen Changsheng would probably have no good impression of him, so he asked, "Then does Your Highness have any female cousins?"
Luoluo had a superb intellect, so she naturally understood what he meant. Rather confused, she asked, "The female cousins on my mother''s side are all in the Great Western Continent, butif I remember correctly, aren''t you marrying the Princess of Ping next year?"
Tianhai Shengxue replied, "Your Highness should be well aware that the Princess of Ping likes Qiushan, so what meaning is there in marrying her? And besides, marrying her can only make me die a little more quickly."
Luoluo understood his meaning. After thinking a little more, she replied, "I cannot decide this. I must listen to my parents."
"Then what can I exchange with Your Highness?" Tianhai Shengxue asked, his eyebrows slightly rising.
Luoluo was also rather frustrated, saying, "I truly do not know."
Tianhai Shengxue gazed at the tightly shut windows on the second floor and suddenly said, "A promise?"
With a slightly apprehensive expression, she said, "When the time comes, I might not have the ability to fulfill this promise."
Tianhai Shengxue calmly replied, "I trust in Your Highness''s character. As long as Your Highness truly attempts to fulfill that promise when the time comes, I will acknowledge it."
Luoluo replied, "You''re taking too much of a loss this way."
Tianhai Shengxue replied, "To exchange what one doesn''t yet possess for something that is most worthy of pursuit, even if only a future possibility, is still worth it."
Luoluo suddenly felt rather sympathetic for him. "Why does it have to be this way?"
Tianhai Shengxue chuckled, seeming rather lonely. "Perhaps it is the price of maturity."
After saying this, he turned and walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
As she watched him leave, she felt somewhat anguished.
She was born in the clan of an emperor, but not everyone was as fortunate as her.
Of course, she also had her own challenges and misfortune, but they just hadn''t come yet.
Tianhai Shengxue was undoubtedly an intelligent person.
He was exchanging one match of the Grand Examination for a certain safeguard in the future.
It was just like those final words exchanged between him and Luoluo.
Why does it have to be this way?
It must be this way.
...
...
The wooden bars turned and light filled the room once more. A sound also filtered into the dark and quiet room: the sound of Tianhai Shengxue''s departing footsteps.
Silence reigned over the room.
No one knew what Tianhai Shengxue and Luoluo had spoken about, and even if they had heard the conversation, no one could be sure about just what sort of agreement the two had reached. Everyone present in the room was an important personage, and all of them were sufficiently intelligent, but besides Prince Chen Liu, none of them had the same sort of background as Luoluo and Tianhai Shengxue, so it was very difficult for them to comprehend their greatest fear.
They only saw Tianhai Shengxue leave, forfeiting the match.
Mo Yu glanced at those two solemn-faced Sacred Hall archbishops and thought, in the end, Tianhai Shengxue still has the surname Tianhai; how could he be used by you? Not even his father can do that.
...
...
Tianhai Shengxue went straight out of the Education Palace, ceasing his participation in the Grand Examination. In any case, his grade in the literary test was at least in the top five, and no one would dare to push him out of the three banners.
The Li Palace priest stood on the stone steps and announced, "Princess Luoluo of the Orthodox Academy wins without fighting."
Winning without a fight?
This highly anticipated battle of experts actually didn''t take place? Tianhai Shengxue unexpectedly withdrew from the competition? The examinees outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust were all deeply shocked, mystified as to what had occurred in the hall just now.
Luoluo walked back to the forest''s edge.
Chen Changsheng looked at her and asked in confusion, "What''s going on?"
Luoluo''s face looked rather frustrated. It was not frustration at the unknown, but frustration from having one''s emotions stirred.
She looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "Teacher, I promised him that I wouldn''t tell anyone else, including you and my royal parents. My apologies."
Chen Changsheng was a little startled, then said, "It''s fine, there''s no need to talk about it."
...
...
The second round of matches for the Grand Examination formally concluded, and the third round began. The third round''s match placement was still decided by lots, but the drawing was much less tense than the drawing for the second round. Examinees who had entered the third round were basically guaranteed a spot in the three banners. All that was left was to decide their specific ranks. Those examinees who were content to get into the three banners would naturally not care about who they matched up against. Those examinees who had greater desires, who wanted to get into the first banner, would eventually have to face strong opponents, so they also did not care about who they drew as opponents.
Of the examinees that had taken part in the second round, only Su Moyu, Huo Guang, and Tianhai Shengxuethe first two too heavily injured to continue fighting and the third strangely concedingwere not present on the testing ground. The rest of the losers were still present, intending to take part in the tie-breaking matches that would happen in a little while, so there were still sixty-one examinees outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust. The vast majority of these examinees were all looking to the forest''s edge at the Orthodox Academy group.
Everyone was curious to see if those powerful figures in the Orthodoxy would still attempt to rig the drawing and give Luoluo and Chen Changsheng opponents that they would find difficult to defeat. After Tianhai Shengxue''s departure, the only person who could defeat Princess Luoluo was Gou Hanshi.
There was also one other matter that made the examinees nervous: who would draw the wolf youth Zhexiu as their opponent? Although it was true that none of them cared about who they got as opponents after entering the third round, there was still no one that wanted to face Zhexiu. It was actually quite fine if they suffered an embarrassing defeat, but this youth was far too cold-blooded and ruthless, and it was no good if they suffered heavy injuries.
The Li Palace priest quickly extracted the paper slip bearing the alias of Zhang Tingtao. Zhexiu''s opponent was Guan Feibai.
Zhexiu''s face remained impassive, making him appear particularly cold. But one could tell from his calm eyes that he was very satisfied with this opponent.
Guan Feibai said nothing, and it was difficult to tell what he was currently feeling.
The third- and fifth-ranked individuals of the Proclamation of Azure Sky would fight. The bloodthirsty wolf youth of the snowy plains would battle against the Divine Kingdom''s Fourth Law of the Mount Li Sword Sect. Either name was sufficient to make the match seem exciting, so much so that even those examinees who had originally not cared for the drawing of lots gasped in surprise.
Before these gasps could cease, they rose up again.
Liang Banhu was fighting Qi Jian.
What sort of tempo was this?
Gou Hanshi''s expression turned grave.
Soon after, he drew a young expert from Star Seizer Academy as his opponent.
The examinees began to chatter amongst themselves.
The second round of matches had been for suppressing the Orthodox Academy, so was the third round meant for moving against the Mount Li Sword Sect?
In this round, Chen Changsheng''s and Luoluo''s opponents were both rather weak.
But amongst the examinees whose goal was the first rank of the first banner, their luck was not the best.
In three consecutive rounds, the opponents that the Heavenly Dao Academy''s Zhuang Huanyu was matched up against were all rather weak.
Scholartree Manor''s Zhong Hui was in the same situation.
...
...
Gou Hanshi entered the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
This was the first time in the Grand Examination that he had stepped onto the stage.
With Tianhai Shengxue gone, he was now the strongest of the examinees.
This match naturally drew a lot of attention.
The match still proceeded very calmly and normally, perhaps even excessively dully.
It didn''t take too long for the door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust to open once more.
Gou Hanshi and the young expert from Star Seizer Academy walked out. Both his and the Star Seizer expert''s bodies were completely clean of blood and injuries, not even stained by dust. It was like the two had not even fought.
The victor was naturally Gou Hanshi.
"I''m no match for him. The gap is too great."
Luoluo watched Gou Hanshi walk to the stream, somewhat admiring, somewhat uneasy. "Even if I were at Ethereal Opening right now, the chance wouldn''t be big."
"What are you dreaming about? He''s my opponent, not yours," Chen Changsheng chided.
...
...
Gou Hanshi''s first match was surprisingly boring.
Qi Jian versus Liang Banhu, this internal strife between two disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect, was even more surprising.
This match was surprisingly intense, the sound-obstructing array of the Hall of Washing Away Dust utterly incapable of blocking out those shrill and terrifying howls of swords. The blue sky was crisscrossed with clashing sword intents, and even the people standing outside the hall could feel the might and danger of those two swords.
Most surprising of all was that the final victor was not Liang Banhu, but Qi Jian.
156 Normal
The Hall of Washing Away Dust opened, and Liang Banhu and Qi Jian walked out. The Li Palace priest announced that Qi Jian was the winner, causing the crowd to erupt with surprise, yet the two contenders seemed to have no reaction. They kept their heads low as they chatted, seemingly caring not for their torn clothes covered in blood, their sleeves still carrying traces of Sacred Light.
They descended the stone steps and walked to the stream, whispering to each other the entire time.
A few examinees who were somewhat closer could hear that these two martial brothers were actually discussing their match. "You didn''t use this technique correctly. Senior Brother, you were too slow in using this technique"
In the past few years, the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws had served as the idol or goal of many cultivators of the younger generation. The reports on the fights of these seven Mount Li Sword Sect disciples were spread around the world and had become topics of enthusiastic conversation for many people. Qi Jian''s loss against Zhuang Huanyu, a rare defeat for the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, was even more talked about and researched.
But very rarely did people see these martial brothers fight against each other.
It was only today that people finally knew why the younger generation of the Mount Li Sword Sect was so strong, why the light of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws was so dazzling.
When these fellow disciples fought, they went all-out, but they bore no grudges after the battle, because in their view, all this was normal.
An extraordinary matter performed every day would become extremely normal, so how could Mount Li not be strong?
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the four Mount Li Sword Sect disciples by the stream, somewhat dejected. "It turns out that my loss to Liang Banhu was the right and proper outcome. Qi Jian is also far stronger than me."
''Losing'' and ''strength'' did not refer to cultivation level, but other aspects.
Chen Changsheng said, "We can learn from them."
Tang Thirty-Six glanced at him and said, "How can we learn from them? Do you not see how happy Liang Banhu is after losing? And it''s true happiness, not feigned."
"Hm?"
"In the Grand Examination, they can fight as hard as they want without worrying about being crippled or dying. This makes them very happy."
"So?"
"I''m not that sort of monster, so I can''t learn it. I concede."
From the morning entry into the Li Palace to the entry into the Education Palace of the Green Leaf World, from the Hall of Shining Words to the Hall of Washing Away Dust, not many Li Palace priests had appeared before the examinees. However, in reality, the entire Li Palace, or to be more precise, the entire system of the Orthodoxy, was working to serve the Grand Examination. Many Li Palace priests were working behind the scenes at various duties. In the Grand Examination, even if one wanted to die, they would find it very difficult.
Upon entering the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Chen Changsheng took the time to glance at the second floor, but he saw no one. Then he saw his opponent.
In the third round of matches, his opponent was a girl. It was precisely the girl who had jeered at him on the Divine Avenue and then ultimately been scolded into tears by Tang Thirty-Six: the junior sister from Holy Maiden Peak, Ye Xiaolian.
Holy Maiden Peak was like the Longevity Sect in that both were large systems of sects in the south, with many sects subordinate to them. Ye Xiaolian was from Gentle Stream Monastery, and in the information provided to the Orthodox Academy by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, it was clearly indicated that this girl''s potential in cultivation was quite good. Once she reached the proper age, there was a good chance that she would directly enter South Stream Temple. Of course, she could only cultivate in the outer sect.
No matter how excellent her potential, Ye Xiaolian was too young. As she was one of the youngest participants of this year''s Grand Examination, her cultivation was unstable. Logically speaking, it should have been very difficult for her to get into the third round, but her luck in drawing lots was extremely good. She had very smoothly gained victory in the first round, and in the second round, her opponent was a student from the normal population who had only managed to gain entry into the Grand Examination through the pre-examination. Her cultivation level was the same as her opponent''s and her true essence was not any more plentiful, and it was only by using the magical artifact given to her by the sect that she had managed to pull off a win. After exiting the Hall of Washing Away Dust, she had buried herself in her senior sister''s chest and had a good cry, her happiness difficult to suppress.
In the third round of drawing lots, she heard Chen Changsheng''s name and knew that her good luck had finally come to an end.
Ye Xiaolian looked at Chen Changsheng, her young and tender face slightly pale, fraught with tension and anxiety.
On the Divine Avenue that day, she had cursed Chen Changsheng as a toad who wanted to eat Phoenix flesh. She always believed that Chen Changsheng was a useless piece of trash, but to her surprise, Chen Changsheng had won two rounds, and had even defeated Scholartree Manor''s Huo Guang. He relied on his own strength, not on an extremely good draw as she had.
Ye Xiaolian knew that she was not Chen Changsheng''s match. When she thought of how she had offended him before, she felt even more nervous.
The voice of the examiner came from the second floor. "If you''re ready, begin."
Chen Changsheng gazed at Ye Xiaolian and nodded his head in greeting.
This simple gaze actually made Ye Xiaolian feel an irrepressible fear. Her eyes slightly reddened and her dress began to tremble.
Chen Changsheng was slightly startled, mystified as to what was happening.
Ye Xiaolian was truly very afraid, her body constantly trembling. The string of little bells on her wrist trembled along with her, crisply jingling.
The jingling brought her to her senses. She gathered her courage and cast the string of bells at Chen Changsheng.
She and Chen Changsheng were separated by ten-some zhang, but those bells needed only an instant to reach Chen Changsheng.
This string of bells was a magical artifact belonging to Gentle Stream Monastery, the Chanting Bells. It wasn''t even worth mentioning alongside a legendary magical artifact like the Thousand Li Button, but it was still extremely powerful, not much weaker than the umbrella used by that Heavenly Dao Academy student that faced Chen Changsheng in the first round. Otherwise, she would not have been able to rely solely on this magical artifact in the second round to defeat her opponent.
The bells were made of some unknown metal, the string tying them together concealing a fierce sword intent. The jingling sound also held some sort of Qi that could interfere with the movement of a cultivator''s true essence. However, it seemed that Ye Xiaolian''s luck truly had been all used up in the first two rounds. Chen Changsheng''s weakest aspect was in quantity of true essence, and his methods of fighting did not require true essence.
His right hand advanced forward as a fist, and then his fingers spread apart in the air like a blooming flower, accurately snatching up the Chanting Bells.
The Chanting Bells incessantly trembled in his palm as if struggling. They sent out a powerful energy into their surroundings. At the same time, the Qi that disturbed the flow of true essence also grew much fiercer.
The flow of true essence in Chen Changsheng''s body truly was greatly affected. The problem was that even if the Chanting Bells had done nothing at all, his true essence would still find it very difficult to traverse his body, as his meridians would still be broken.
Without using true essence, only relying on the strength of his body, he wanted to tightly hold the Chanting Bells in his hand.
Bong! Bong! Bong!
The Chanting Bells fiercely shook and struggled, wanting to leap out of his hand, but failed.
After a few seconds, the Chanting Bells finally fell silent and came to a stop in his hands.
As she watched this sight, Ye Xiaolian utterly forgot that she was in a match, her hand covering her mouth in complete astonishment.
The Chanting Bells had been given to her by Gentle Stream Monastery''s elder. She was well aware of how much strength they held when they flew through the air and how difficult to control they were. She had imagined that Chen Changsheng had many methods to easily render the Chanting Bells powerless, but she had never imagined that Chen Changsheng would use his hand to grasp the Chanting Bells.
With the cessation of the jingling bells, the Hall of Washing Away Dust fell silent.
Ye Xiaolian was shocked speechless. She simply had no moves left.
Chen Changsheng did not continue to attack. Grasping the Chanting Bells, he looked up to the second floor.
The room on the second floor remained silent. Perhaps because Chen Changsheng''s inhuman strength was too shocking or for some other reason, nobody spoke.
Finally, Mo Yu indifferently said, "Do you really think that he will humiliate a girl? He isn''t Tang Tang."
These words were meant to expose a few secrets and to make a decision.
A Li Palace priest appeared on the railing of the second floor and asked Ye Xiaolian, "Do you concede?"
Ye Xiaolian nodded, her eyes slightly red.
Chen Changsheng placed the Chanting Bells on the sand by his feet, and then walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
He said no insults to this girl who had once humiliated him, nor did he pay her any attention.
Ye Xiaolian watched vacantly as he left and suddenly felt rather helpless.
She had already prepared herself to lose to Chen Changsheng, prepared herself to be humiliated, but was surprised that he chose not to.
After emerging from the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Chen Changsheng walked to the forest''s edge.
Ye Xiaolian walked back to her senior sister, raising her sleeves to wipe at her tears.
"Being kind to women, eh?"
Tang Thirty-Six sneered at Chen Changsheng, "Then what does that make me?"
Chen Changsheng asked, "Then if it were you, what would you do?"
Tang Thirty-Six pondered this question and realized that he also wouldn''t be able to do much. He didn''t like the girl called Ye Xiaolian. It was fine to scold her with harsh words, because quarreling relied on one''s skill in words, the capacity of one''s lungs, and the level of one''s shamelessness. But could he truly say that he could beat her up? Wasn''t that just the strong bullying the weak?
The next to fight was Luoluo.
Of the four scholars of Scholartree Manor taking part in this year''s Grand Examination, only two remained. Her opponent was the one that was not Zhong Hui.
She and the scholar walked into the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The sounds of footsteps could be heard on the second floor.
A few important personages had walked up to the window to see the match. They were truly very curious as to just how powerful Princess Luoluo was right now that she could cause the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets to revise the Proclamation of Azure Sky especially for her. In the first match, Luoluo''s opponent had been too weak, and in the second match, Tianhai Shengxue had conceded, but she had to fight this match, right?
Luoluo took the Falling Rain Whip from her waist and said to the Scholartree Manor student, "You attack first."
In the Orthodox Academy, she was respectful and well-mannered to Chen Changsheng, incredibly obedient, and would throw the occasional tantrum, but her attitude to others was completely different. In the Ivy Festival, neither the Education Overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy nor Elder Xiao Songgong of Mount Li was worthy of her gaze, much less this scholar of Scholartree Manor.
She was not intentionally acting arrogant and overbearing, but her natural composure and indifferent words possessed an innate nobility and might.
The scholar''s expression slightly shifted and he slowly drew a longsword from its sheath.
His movements were very slow, but the sound of the longsword being drawn from its sheath was very clear.
Zeng!
A bright sword glow instantly crossed ten-some zhang and reached Luoluo.
Luoluo did not even blink, not a single eyelash trembling.
Rising Flurry!
The Falling Rain Whip in her hand madly danced.
The Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, carrying a boundless true essence, easily destroyed the sword glow and then assailed the scholar standing across from her.
In the miniature world that was the Education Palace, the world was even more sensitive. When she used the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, the deep blue sky began to exhibit a phenomenon.
A dark cloud drifted over and enveloped the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
And then it began to rain.
Just like at the very start, the black eaves of the Hall of Washing Away Dust were washed once more.
She used the Falling Rain Whip, and the points of rain were the head of the whip.
The rain slapped on the eaves and the sand.
It sounded just like a whip striking someone''s body.
The rain gradually intensified, transforming into a downpour, a dense curtain of rain that made the battleground impossible to see.
The occasional flash of a sword glow would be instantly swallowed by the rain.
After a few moments, there was an extremely crisp pop!
The downpour suddenly came to a stop.
The scholar from Scholartree Manor lay collapsed in a corner, his body covered in wounds, blood and water mixing together.
His face was pale, his somewhat blue lips slightly trembling, his eyes filled with despair.
It was the despair that came from being crushed by absolute power.
157 The Winning Streaks of Two Youths
The torrential downpour suddenly ceased and clear light returned. The rain had dug out many gorges in the sandy ground, making the place look just like the famous plateau in the northwest that overlooked the sea.
The scholar from Scholartree Manor lay collapsed in a corner, his long gown drenched in rain and blood.
Luoluo put away her whip and quietly stood, acting like she had never struck. She exuded an aura of nobility and absolute tyranny.
"Her Highnessis only fourteen this year, right?"
The Principal of the Star Seizer Academy stood by the window and looked down below, sighing, "This is a little ridiculous."
It truly was very ridiculous, but that wasn''t to say that Luoluo had displayed some extremely exquisite techniques in this match. On the contrary, she had struck without the slightest refinement, causing a fierce storm, using absolute power to crush her opponent, the simplest of all possible methods. This was what it meant when one said that a king''s efforts to dominate the world were carried out in a storm.
If Luoluo had encountered a higher level of opponent, like Gou Hanshi or someone else who was already at Ethereal Opening, she could not have so tyrannically suppressed her opponent. However, against cultivators of the same level, whether it was in quantity or purity of true essence or in the ability to fiercely output, she held the absolute advantage and could be regarded as almost unrivaled.
The bloodline of the White Emperor clan was truly absolutely tyrannical. The powerful figures on the second floor were all stunned, thinking to themselves, the assessment of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets was truly correct. Amongst the younger generation, only Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun can be compared to her. There exists no one else with comparable talent to Her Highness''s.
The Grand Examination matches were finally reaching a climax, with several excellent fights occurring in succession.
Luoluo''s victory over the student from Scholartree Manor was immediately followed by the wolf youth Zhexiu''s match with Guan Feibai. This match had attracted everyone''s interest, and Chen Changsheng was no exception. He was paying even more attention to it than other examinees. With Tianhai Shengxue withdrawing from the competition, the only person left who made him wary and that he felt could threaten or harm Luoluo was Zhexiu.
The door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust closed once more, and the match began.
The moment this match between Zhexiu and Guan Feibai began, it entered its most intense phase. The sound-obstructing array over the Hall of Washing Away Dust was instantly shattered, and before the examinees outside had time to mentally prepare themselves, they heard sound after sound, each louder than the last. Those examinees with somewhat weaker spiritual senses instantly paled, their seas of consciousness almost injured by the jolting of these sounds.
The loud sounds were not the sounds of slapping or crashing. There was a shrillness about them, so they were probably the sounds of the edge of a sword cutting against the air.
The southern diplomatic mission had been in the capital for many days, and great focus had been placed on the four disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect. By now, many people knew that Qi Jian was using the rumored relic sword of Mount Li''s Discipline Hall while Guan Feibai''s was actually a very normal sword worth only five taels of silver. Upon hearing the shrill sounds of the sword, the examinees outside were flabbergasted. To be able to use an ordinary sword worth only five taels of silver and create such shrill howls, just how forceful was Guan Feibai''s true essence! Even more stunning was that the wolf youth Zhexiu had no weapons, so just how was he blocking this terrifying sword?
The howls of the sword were growing increasingly shrill, and the world of the Education Palace was beginning to respond. The layer of clouds in the blue sky began to slowly move, going through countless transformations. One moment it was a rugged cliff, the next turbid waves beating against a shore, a most somber sword intent weaving through the clouds the entire time. Yet these clouds were never able to settle into a shape, as if disrupted by some wind roaring across the plains or the howling of a pack of wolves.
The crowd outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust was silent. Many examinees were pale from shock at the sounds from the hall and the phenomena in the sky. They found it impossible to imagine just what they could do if they were the ones in that hall, whether it was confronting those clouds interwoven with sword energy or those terrifyingly shrill howls of wind, other than conceding on the spot.
The expression on Chen Changsheng''s face grew graver and graver.
In the Ivy Festival, Guan Feibai had engaged in a competition of sword techniques with Luoluo. Although no true essence had been used at the time, Chen Changsheng could clearly tell that Guan Feibai was extremely talented and had cultivated very diligently. His accomplishments on the path of the sword were outstanding, and it was rumored that amongst the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, he was only second in the sword to Qiushan Jun, which was very reasonable. And yet it was plain to see that he was completely incapable of controlling his current opponent.
Just how strong was this wolf youth Zhexiu?
After some time, the shrill whistles of the sword gradually vanished, as did the howling of the wind. What came next was a creak.
The door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust had opened.
Zhexiu walked out from the hall. His face was slightly pale, but his expression was as indifferent as ever, and his frigid eyes were devoid of emotion. He didn''t even look like a human.
He walked down the steps at a slow pace, and there seemed to be a few problems every time he raised a knee.
The examinees finally noticed that there was a faint bloodstain on his left knee.
After a moment, a trickle of blood flowed down from his pants onto his ankle.
He was not wearing shoes, remaining barefooted this whole time, so this trickle of blood was very evident.
Guan Feibai followed him out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. His posture was still erect, and his clothes which were losing color from being washed too much were free of any tears, much less bloodstains. It seemed like he was uninjured.
The crowd watched him walk back to the stream, somewhat surprised. Had he simply just won?
Zhexiu walked to the grass on the outer edge of the crowd and sat down. He began to adjust his breathing, closing his eyes and ignoring all the discussion around him.
His sitting posture was rather weird. He didn''t sit cross-legged, but sat on his ankles, looking more like he was squatting.
Guan Feibai had reached the stream bank at this time. He looked at Gou Hanshi, preparing to say something.
Gou Hanshi shook his head, indicating that he didn''t need to say anything. He raised his right hand and his finger moved like the wind, striking like lightning at three points on his chest, sending true Qi into Guan Feibai''s body.
Guan Feibai''s complexion slightly reddened and then paled. This process repeated three times, and then there was a squelch as blood spurted out of his mouth.
The blood sprinkled over a few stalks of grass growing by the stream. With a rip, those stalks of grass wilted and then snapped.
The crowd exploded, the examinees finally understanding that Guan Feibai had actually suffered such heavy injuries. He had just managed to hold them until now, when the injuries finally broke out.
The blood he spit out contained no poison, only traces of energy left by Zhexiu''s fierce true essence. If Gou Hanshi had not acted so promptly, this energy would have hidden itself in Guan Feibai''s body and might have affected his cultivation. Even so, Guan Feibai had a wan and haggard complexion, as if he had come down with some severe illness.
Thinking of how insidiously this wolf youth had acted, Liang Banhu looked over, his gaze chilly, while Qi Jian''s small face was red from anger.
Guan Feibai wiped the blood from his lip and said, "Since my skill was inferior, he can''t be blamed."
Gou Hanshi patted him on the shoulder out of both comfort and praise.
At this moment, the Li Palace priest appeared on the stone steps and announced, "Star Seizer Academy, Zhang Tingtao wins."
With this, the third round of matches came to an end.
All was quiet outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust. There were no cheers or even chatter.
This was because everyone could already see that the matches were growing fiercer and fiercer, and naturally bloodier and crueler as well.
Under this oppressive and tense atmosphere, the sixteen strongest in the matches of the Grand Examination were determined, after which the fourth round began.
To everyone''s surprise, Zhexiu was immediately called upon to take the stage, and his opponent was the other young expert of the Mount Li Sword Sect, Qi Jian.
To face two powerful foes in a row and to have no time to rest in betweenalthough this was just the result of drawing lots, it was still rather unfair. A normal examinee might have requested the examiner for a little more time to recover, but Zhexiu remained silent, walking with an indifferent expression to the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
...
...
It was very quiet within the hall. The battle had already ended. Zhexiu looked at the sand covering the floor, recalling his home in the summertime. Behind Deer Cry Hill was a river, and they grew soybeans and sorghum there. One could fill one''s belly without needing to hunt, but no matter how fragrantly one cooked sorghum, it still could not match up to the aroma of meat.
I am a wolf from the north.
A wolf traveling a thousand li to eat meat is a principle of the heavens and earth.
Although you are a child, since you are my opponent, I naturally can''t go easy, so why are you so angry?
He looked across, and for the first time, an emotion appeared on his indifferent face. This a very strange emotion, very difficult to describe in words.
Qi Jian stood across from him. His black hair had come untied in the battle and was now draped over his shoulders, making him seem even thinner and frailer.
He, Gentle Stream Monastery''s Ye Xiaolian, and the Orthodox Academy''s Xuanyuan Po were the three youngest people participating in this year''s Grand Examination.
His face was very young and tender, and burning with rage.
Zhexiu did not understand Qi Jian''s fury. Although some of the techniques he had used in close combat had been rather sinisterbattles were matters of life-or-death, so what did it matter if one was a little sinister? Did your seniors of the Mount Li Sword Sect not teach you how to fight? Your senior brother from earlier acted much more elegant than you have.
Earlier when he had used those sinister techniques, Qi Jian inexplicably became furious. He no longer acted with caution, his true essence exploding as he madly struck out with several dozen sword techniques, engaging in a melee with Zhexiu like a madman. If Zhexiu had not walked the line between life and death for so many years, he might have been hacked to death by this sword.
If Gou Hanshi were to know that his junior brother had acted so, he would assuredly feel very gratified.
Even a monster like Zhexiu felt a little lingering fear when thinking about Qi Jian''s explosive hurricane of sword techniques.
At times, anger truly was a sort of strength.
Regretfully, the strength of anger was very difficult to sustain. Since Qi Jian''s hurricane of sword techniques had been unable to hack Zhexiu to death, Zhexiu had still managed to gain the final victory.
Qi Jian walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and returned to Gou Hanshi. His lips were a little dry and his eyes a little red, and he looked deeply aggrieved.
"What happened?" Gou Hanshi slightly raised his brow. It was very obvious that for the first time, he was truly angry.
Qi Jian wiped away his tears. "It''s nothing. Senior Brother, you have to help me get revenge."
Gou Hanshi glanced at the distant Zhexiu and said, "Okay."
...
...
The wolf youth Zhexiu won two consecutive victories, astonishing many people by consecutively eliminating two of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
But even more astonishing was that Chen Changsheng had won again.
In the first three rounds, his first and third opponents had been too weak. His second opponent was Huo Guang of Scholartree Manor, who, although strong, was not ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Many people could not accurately determine Chen Changsheng''s level, but in this round, his opponent was a young expert from Shuang City.
This young expert from Shuang City had a rank in the twenties of the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
Just when everyone thought that Chen Changsheng''s story in the Grand Examination was about to come to a close, he once more shocked everyone, defeating his opponent.
The crowd found it difficult to comprehend just how he had managed to win.
158 Just Up to Here
Due to his engagement with Xu Yourong, Chen Changsheng naturally became the focus of the capital after the Ivy Festival. The archbishop''s declaration on his behalf had poured oil over the fire, and countless people were inquiring on everything about him. His age, ancestry, grudge with the Divine General of the East''s estate, and his level of strength were no longer secrets. As a result, people were flabbergasted at his performance, dearly wishing to know just what had happened over the past few days for his strength to increase by leaps and bounds, allowing him to win four rounds of matches in the Grand Examination and end up in the final eight.
Xuanyuan Po stared at Chen Changsheng with his mouth agape, as if he was looking at some sort of monster. Tang Thirty-Six stared into Chen Changsheng''s eyes and asked, "Just what did you eat? We''ve been eating with you in the Orthodox Academy every day; did you secretly set up an oven for yourself? Or is it that you stole some good things from the Hundred Herb Garden and didn''t tell the two of us?"
In that quiet room within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the important personages were also discussing Chen Changsheng''s performance today.
"Could he have used the complete Yeshi Step just now?" a person asked Xu Shiji.
If an elder like Fei Dian or Jin Yulu were present, as participants of that great war with the demons, they would be able to clearly recognize just what that unpredictable movement technique Chen Changsheng used actually was. However, the only people in the room that might recognize this technique were Xue Xingchuan and Xu Shiji.
Xu Shiji indifferently said, "I did not encounter anyone from the Yeshi clan on the frontlines."
Based on intelligence reports, over the past several centuries, the Yeshi clansmen in Xuelao City had mostly been drafted by the enigmatic Black Robe into his intelligence network, so they rarely appeared.
Xue Xingchuan''s troops had once captured two spies from the Yeshi clan, and that Yeshi clansman that had attempted to assassinate Princess Luoluo last spring was still imprisoned in the Imperial Guard''s prison. He thought of the movement technique that Chen Changsheng had used earlier and shook his head. "It''s not the complete Yeshi Step, but it already has some of the idea."
The rest of them understood. Just having some idea of the complete Yeshi Step was enough to play an incredibly important role in battles between youths of the level participating in the Grand Examination. Xue Xingchuan thought some more, then added, "Excellent speed and movement techniques along with decent luck in drawing opponents can get one into the top eight. This is understandable, but I don''t believe he can get any further."
The top eight in the matches of the Grand Examination had been decided. There were well-known experts like Gou Hanshi, Zhuang Huanyu, Zhong Hui, and Zhexiu, and also a few surprising candidates. There was that inconspicuous girl from Holy Maiden Peak, and also that student from Star Seizer Academy that not even the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had paid much attention to.
The most surprising of all was still Chen Changsheng.
That he still had not been eliminated had already surpassed everyone''s imaginations and felt completely unreasonable.
...
...
"This is just too unreasonable! How can this be possible! Just how has he not managed to be eliminated yet!"
The list of the final eight remaining in the matches of the Grand Examination had been sent out of the Education Palace, written down in the Hall of Shining Words, and sent out to the crowd outside the Li Palace.
It was nearly dusk. The barely warm rays of the setting sun shone upon the stone pillars and also upon the spectating populace of the capital and visiting tourists.
There were at least a thousand people outside the Li Palace at this time, their voices making a great din. The hollering voices of the peddlers had become extremely hoarse, but at this time, everyone was discussing the same thing, venting the same emotions. The topic of their discussion was Chen Changsheng''s four consecutive victories, and the emotions were shock, confusion, and anger.
The people of the capital did not like Chen Changsheng, but they still preferred him to those examinees from the south. They were so shocked and angry at Chen Changsheng''s four victories purely because Chen Changsheng''s performance had lost them a lot of money, some people having lost so much that their eyes were red.
Yes, besides first rank of the first banner, there were many other things to bet on in the Grand Examination. There were winners and losers in each round of the Grand Examination. Similarly, after every round, many people would turn into losers or winners, but because of Chen Changsheng, the vast majority of the people today were losers.
For each round of matches, a different set of betting odds was released so that the populace could conveniently make their bets on the spot. In every round, Chen Changsheng''s odds were extremely low, and his odds were still low even now. He had made some people ecstatic today, and had caused many more to lose money, but no one believed that he would continue to win.
Tianhai Shengxue was in a tea house on the south side of the Li Palace, calmly watching the bustle of the crowd in front of the Li Palace. He suddenly said, "If the Four Great Markets are still willing to accept it, place five thousand gold taels on Chen Changsheng''s final victory."
The old steward at his side froze, then somewhat hesitantly said, "Young Master, he couldn''t possibly continue to win, right?"
Tianhai Shengxue replied, "In the first round, everyone believed that he couldn''t win, but he won. In the second round, still no one thought that he could win, but he still won. The third and fourth rounds were the same. Before the Grand Examination, just who could have imagined he could get into the top eight? This being the case, why can''t I bet on him?"
The old steward repeatedly expressed his agreement.
Tianhai Shengxue suddenly commented, "If he really does get first rank of the first banner, put the money that I won into repairing the Orthodox Academy''s gate."
The old steward thought, wasn''t it Young Master that broke the Orthodox Academy''s gate? And the Orthodox Academy hasn''t repaired the gate this entire time. The entire capital understands what this means. If Young Master repairs the Orthodox Academy''s gate, isn''t that basically conceding? He was astonished, but he thought that his master presumably had some deeper meaning and dared not object anymore, only inquired on a certain detail.
"Ifand this is just a possibility, if Chen Changsheng really does win, it will be a huge sum of money. Even repairing the Orthodox Academy''s gate won''t spend it all."
Tianhai Shengxue gazed at the Li Palace, basking in the twilight. He indifferently said, "If he really does win, what''s the harm in sending him a gate made of white jade?"
The old steward was even more puzzled, thinking to himself, even if Chen Changsheng does take first rank of the first banner, that youth is the symbol of the Orthodox Academy, a sign of the Orthodoxy''s conservative faction''s challenge to the Empress. It''s simply impossible for the Tianhai clan to take him as a subordinate. Just what does Young Master intend by doing this?
Tianhai Shengxue gave no explanation. He took a sip from his cup but suddenly felt the tea to be rather dull and flavorless.
Since Qiushan Jun did not come and Mo Yu was still in front of him, the Grand Examination truly had no great significance to him, but even so, giving up like this had inevitably left his mood rather complex.
...
...
In the Divine General of the East''s estate, within a quiet pavilion, Madam Xu looked at the middle-aged woman in front of her, her brows slightly furrowed. "Nanny Hua, is this correct? Did he really get into the top eight?"
Nanny Hua whispered, "It shouldn''t be wrong. The Four Great Markets have already put out the odds for the next round. There really is the name of that young master Chen on there."
Madam Xu was too shocked for words, feeling a terrible ache in her head. If that youngster really did get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, what should they do?
She looked at the chair and empty tea table in the pavilion and recalled her first meeting with Chen Changsheng in the early spring of last year.
That young Daoist was rather reserved and very clean.
He had not drunk any tea.
Madam Xu''s mind suddenly shifted as she thought of a certain possibility.
In the eastern wing of the estate, Shuang''er, who had just received the news, was also utterly shocked.
She recalled her first meeting with Chen Changsheng in the rear garden.
She found it impossible to imagine how that reserved and rustic young Daoist, that piece of trash who couldn''t cultivate, was able to get into the top eight in the matches of the Grand Examination. Based on his rumored performance in the Ivy Festival, his grade in the literary test was assuredly excellent. Was this not saying that he was currently only a step away from getting first rank of the first banner?
Yes, if Chen Changsheng could win one more round and enter the top four, then with his grade in the literary test, there was a very high chance that he could get into the first banner.
But could he continue to advance? Or was it just up to here?
...
...
Deep within in the Imperial Palace was a side palace which was not large. It was extremely deserted, like a cold palace1.
The Black Goat stared at the green fruits hanging off a tree by the stone steps, hesitating for a long time over whether it should eat one. It remembered very clearly that the fruit that the youth had fed it in the Hundred Herb Garden had tasted rather good, but it had no means of ensuring that it was the taste of the fruit and not his scent on the fruit''s skin.
Nanny Ning silently passed by it and whispered, "Young Master Shengxue conceded."
The Divine Empress was holding a piece of incense wood. The edge of this wood was currently burning, and a pill was suspended above the strands of incense smoke.
Her finger slowly moved the incense wood, and the smoke rising from it gently turned, causing the pill to slowly revolve.
At Nanny Ning''s words, her finger stopped, causing the pill to stop, suspended in the air.
She appeared a little surprised. After a few moments, she understood and sighed, "There is still some potential in the descendants of the Tianhai clan."
This was both good and bad.
The more potential there was in the descendants of the Tianhai clan, the more impossible it would be for her to completely relinquish her grip, and the more incapable the Great Zhou Dynasty would be of breaking free from that great problem.
But she was still rather gratified.
After a few moments of hesitation, Nanny Ning continued, "The Orthodox Academy''s Chen Changsheng has entered the top eight."
The Divine Empress slowly raised her brows.
Nanny Ning was rather nervous. She quite liked Chen Changsheng, but she was worried that the Empress would be unhappy.
The Divine Empress said nothing.
In the next moment, she appeared in a pitch-black cavern.
With a light brush of her sleeve, the several thousand Night Pearls embedded in the ceiling lit up.
The cold, white light fell on the frost-covered ground, illuminating all in this cavern.
A pale girl dressed in black lay weakly on the ground.
With a light flick of her finger, the pill fell in front of the girl.
"Chen Changsheng was not eliminated. Your blood can be considered somewhat useful."
With great difficulty, the girl raised her head and stared at the Divine Empress. There was no fear, only loathing. "Just what sort of ghastly medicine is this?"
The Divine Empress calmly answered, "Motherwort paste."
The black-clothed girl knew that a terrifying human like the Divine Empress had countless methods of treating her and would never do anything strange to some medicine. Without hesitation, she swallowed it.
"Chen Changshenghecan he get first rank of the first banner?" she asked the Divine Empress curiously.
"It''s probably just up to here," the Divine Empress apathetically said.
In the next moment, she arrived by the side of the abandoned well of New North Bridge, her hands clasped behind her back. She gazed up at the countless stars in night sky, silently pondering something for a very long time.
159 The Solitary Star Heavens Curse1
The Education Palace was the Pope''s Green Leaf World. This world should also have had its own day and night, yet there was no night in the Grand Examination. The examinees could only rely on their own senses to guess at what time it was in the real world. They had no idea that it was already late night in the outside world, but exhaustion and drowsiness still arrived as scheduled.
Before the fifth round of matches commenced, the tiebreaker matches were held. Besides Tianhai Shengxue and those few examinees that were too severely injured to continue fighting, the remaining examinees from thirty-three to sixty-four had to put forth one final effort to decide their ultimate rankings in the Grand Examination. However, before these tiebreaker matches, there was a rest period.
The Li Palace priests distributed food, water, and pills amongst the examinees. With Luoluo''s arrangements, the Orthodox Academy naturally had a more sumptuous treatment. The four people sat at the forest''s edge, engaging in whispered discussion about the matches to come as they ate. There was nothing much to say about Tang Thirty-Six''s or Xuanyuan Po''s tiebreaker matches, so they were primarily analyzing Chen Changsheng''s potential opponents.
Gou Hanshi''s performance had been calm and smooth, giving him a formidable aura of invincibility. Excluding him, the wolf youth Zhexiu was undoubtedly the most dangerous opponent. Although he had engaged in consecutive fierce battles with Guan Feibai and Qi Jian which taxed his resources and inflicted upon him significant injuries, he was still not someone to be looked down on.
If Chen Changsheng wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, these two people were the two loftiest peaks that he needed to overcome.
After thinking of this, Tang Thirty-Six suddenly lost interest in the matter, as he thought it utterly impossible for Chen Changsheng to defeat both of these people.
He looked towards the stream bank and suddenly said, "Don''t you think that the four people from Mount Li and we four are very similar?"
The four people from the Mount Li Sword Sect were eating and chatting by the stream, their mood seemingly quite decent.
Far away from the rest of the crowd, Zhexiu was also eating.
He ate quietly and slowly, his mood very serious, as if the ordinary food provided by the Li Palace was the tastiest delicacy in the world.
Tang Thirty-Six looked over and teased, "I thought that this wolf cub didn''t know how to eat food."
Puzzled, Xuanyuan Po said, "How could he not know how to eat food?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "I thought that he only ate ice, gnawed on jerky, or drank blood."
Chen Changsheng noted, "That''s a monster you''re describing."
Tang Thirty-Six very seriously answered, "And none of you think that he''s a monster?"
Xuanyuan Po pondered this question, then shook his head. "I think he''s okay."
Tang Thirty-Six couldn''t be bothered with him. He turned his head and asked, "Chen Changsheng, you probably can''t beat him, right?"
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then answered, "Perhaps."
Tang Thirty-Six gazed at the distant Zhexiu and suddenly said, "I suddenly have an urge."
Chen Changsheng curiously asked, "What sort of urge?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "An urge to be friends with this wolf cub."
Chen Changsheng stared at him for a very long time before finally confirming that Tang Thirty-Six was serious. Somewhat shocked, he considered this prospect for a while, then said, "Does he look like someone who needs friends to you?"
Right before the Grand Examination began, a massive crowd had gathered outside the Li Palace, but Zhexiu alone looked at the rising sun. Upon entering the Hall of Shining Words, he immediately left the literary test''s examination grounds and walked alone through the sea of trees, charged across the green river, and stood in the pavilion on the mountain. With his back to all the examinees, his appearance was so lonely that it seemed like he was even bereft of a mother. Would this sort of person need friends?
"Do none of you feel that he''s very lonely?" Tang Thirty-Six asked the rest of them.
He described him as lonely, not solitary or lonesome, just a forlorn ''lonely'', making it seem all the lonelier1.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat startled, then replied, "Anyone can see it, so I don''t believe that he needs friends."
Tang Thirty-Six wagged his finger. "I hold a completely different view. I think that what a lonely person like him needs the most is friends."
Xuanyuan Po curiously asked, "You want to be friends with Zhexiu?"
"Is that not okay?" Tang Thirty-Six asked back.
Chen Changsheng''s gaze fell on the outer edge of the crowd, at the wolf youth who was silently eating with his head lowered. After a few moments of silence, he said, "I thought you didn''t like his sort of person."
Tang Thirty-Six followed his gaze to Zhexiu, then replied, "Yes, feigning loneliness and pretending to be in despair is something I often didand all of you know that I hated it when I acted that way, so I naturally wouldn''t like his sort of person."
Chen Changsheng drew back his gaze and asked him, "But you still insist on being friends with him?"
Tang Thirty-Six answered, "If he became our friend, would he still have the nerve to fight too fiercely against you or Princess Luoluo?"
Xuanyuan Po couldn''t help but sigh, "The elders of the tribe were correct. Humansare truly all bad people."
"It''s not all humans," Chen Changsheng corrected. "Just one human called Tang Tang."
Tang Thirty-Six was too lazy to argue with him. He stood up, patted the grass off his body, and declared, "There''s never anything wrong with trying, and it''s not like he can kill me in front of so many people."
Luoluo had not spoken this entire time, but now she softly said, "Teacher is not wrong. Lonely people don''t necessarily need friends. At leastWofu Zhexiu is not that sort of person."
Chen Changsheng glanced at her, but said nothing.
Tang Thirty-Six took half of a roasted chicken that hadn''t been eaten much and messily wrapped it in two sheets of oil paper, then walked towards the edge of the crowd.
The conversation between the people of the Orthodox Academy had not attracted anyone''s notice, but Tang Thirty-Six''s sudden departure from the forest''s edge and, based on his direction, his most likely destination being Wofu Zhexiu instantly attracted everyone''s gazes. The examinees were all shocked, mystified as to what he intended, and the girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and Holy Maiden Peak revealed expressions of concern.
To these girls, no matter how harshly Tang Thirty-Six spoke, how arrogant his actions were, he was always a noble young master who floated above the mundane world. And Zhexiu, no matter how quiet, how much he had achieved for the humans and demi-humans, was always a cold-blooded monster with hands drenched in blood. Upon seeing Tang Thirty-Six walk towards Zhexiu, they couldn''t help but be concerned.
This world obsessed with external appearances was truly not very fair.
The four people of the Mount Li Sword Sect eating and chatting by the stream were also rather startled. Guan Feibai looked at the expression on Tang Thirty-Six''s face and asked in surprise, "Just what crazy thing is this guy going to do next?"
In the Ivy Festival, Tang Thirty-Six had cursed Mount Li too fiercely, leaving no good impressions on Guan Feibai. Qi Jian gazed at the wolf youth sitting apart from the crowd. His nostrils flared and his breathing became rough, apparently out of anger. Gou Hanshi was somewhat confused, thinking to himself, just what happened between Junior Brother and Zhexiu that''s made him so angry?
The stone plaza in front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was vast, with both a forest and a gurgling stream, but the place where Zhexiu sat had nothing at all, only a smooth stone.
Tang Thirty-Six walked up to this stone, saw Zhexiu''s strange posture as he kneeled, or squatted, on the ground, and suddenly felt a little hesitation.
Zhexiu ignored him and silently continued to eat.
Tang Thirty-Six silently looked at him, and after some time, suddenly said, "If someone else were to notice the particulars of how you ate, they would definitely think you to be very terrifying."
Zhexiu drank some fruit juice provided by the Li Palace, then raised his head to look at Tang Thirty-Six.
Tang Thirty-Six was the first person since the start of the Grand Examination to voluntarily start a conversation with him.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him and continued, "You eat very slowly and without any sort of style, more like a young lady in her chambers. You chew very seriously, chewing on rice twelve times, but chewing on beef thirty timesthis isn''t interesting, only proof you''re too self-disciplined. In other words, you treat yourself very harshly."
Zhexiu quietly looked at him, his eyes bearing no emotion, but he also did not lower his head back down to continue eating and thus bring an end to this one-sided conversation.
"Perhaps it''s because food is too scarce on the snowy plains, or perhaps it''s because there''s a lack of doctors or medicine, and certainly no female priests of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, to casually treat your wounds, making your life very hard. You cherish all the food that you can get, but you never eat or drink too much so as to avoid any problems with your body. In an awful place like that, perhaps even an ordinary stomachache can make living worse than death."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "But I don''t feel a person like you is very frightening, because I''ve met a person a lot like you. That guy pays attention to every detail in his life, so I often think that people like the two of you, people who are afraid of death, should really get to know each other."
He was naturally referring to Chen Changsheng.
Zhexiu followed Tang Thirty-Six''s finger to the forest''s edge. After a few moments of silence, he lowered his head and continued, no longer paying him any attention.
Tang Thirty-Six placed the wrapped food in front of Zhexiu and opened it, asking, "Do you need friends?"
In the oil paper was half a roast chicken, and the one chicken leg had already been given to Luoluo by Chen Changsheng, leaving it somewhat incomplete. Moreover, it had been sitting around for a while and had gone rather cold. The oil had congealed on the surface of the skin, so it didn''t look very good. The crucial problem was that roast chicken was truly not a very healthy food.
Yet for some reason, when Zhexiu saw the roast chicken, he unexpectedly spoke.
Ever since the start of the Grand Examination, he had only spoken two sentences, and the vast majority of the examinees had not heard them, so few knew just what his voice sounded like. It was only now that Tang Thirty-Six discovered that Zhexiu''s voice was not hoarse or grating, and was not similar at all to the legendary wolf howl.
Zhexiu''s voice was very clear and cold, and he spoke very slowly, the space between each word rather long. He was like a child that had just learned to speak or a mute that had suddenly regained the power of speech.
He impassively said to Tang Thirty-Six in the slowest of voices, "My life offended the solitary star Heaven''s Curse, dooming me to be lonely for my entire life, so I have no friends."
...
...
Countless stars twinkled in the sky above, and perhaps there was a star far apart from the sea of stars in a very inconspicuous corner, lonely to the extreme.
Perhaps this star truly was called Heaven''s Curse.
Perhaps the Fated Star that Zhexiu lit truly was the solitary star Heaven''s Curse.
But regardless of whether this was real or not, his cold tone expressed loud and clear that he did not need friends, that he wanted to repel everyone to one thousand li away from him.
A normal person might have retreated in the face of these difficulties.
But Tang Tang was not a normal person. He was a chatterer.
After he got to know Chen Changsheng, especially after he formally entered the Orthodox Academy, this hidden trait of his was fully unleashed.
"To have no friends does not mean that one does not need friends. What do you think of me?"
He said sincerely to Zhexiu.
160 Then Lets Do It This Way
Even Zhexiu, someone whose life had offended the solitary star Heaven''s Curse, was stunned by Tang Thirty-Six''s sincere attitude.
He looked at Tang Thirty-Six, planning to say something, but ultimately remained silent. However, the look in his eyes somewhat hurt Tang Thirty-Six, as this was the same look that Zhuang Huanyu and his other schoolmates in the Heavenly Dao Academy often gave him. He was keenly aware that this sort of look was meant for gazing at idiots.
"If you think I''m no good, what about Chen Changsheng? Earlier, I said to you that this guy is very similar to you. He''s also afraid of death and is very picky about what he eats. You chew on rice twelve times? Hey, he''s a monster that will chew on rice twenty times! To find someone so like you in the vast sea of people is not easy, so shouldn''t you cherish this chance?"
Tang Thirty-Six waved his arms and excitedly said.
Zhexiu still had no response, continuing to eat the food provided to him by the Li Palace.
Tang Thirty-Six felt rather helpless, and pointed at the towering demi-human youth at the forest''s edge. "If you don''t find humans trustworthy, then I heartily recommend Xuanyuan Po, the world''s most honest and sincere person!"
Zhexiu continued to ignore him.
"Are you forcing me to use my most powerful weapon?"
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "Fine! Your reputation can''t be considered small, but having Princess Luoluo as a friend should still be worthwhile? What do you say? I think that you couldn''t pick a better choice of friend. You are both human demi-human, no, demi-human human, so your background and the problems you face are similar. If you become friends with her, not even speaking about all the benefits you could obtain from Her Highness, can''t you at least discuss with each other whenever you face any problems?"
At this point, he no longer had that bearing of the young master of Wenshui who floated above the mundane world. He had completely transformed into an outstanding merchant selling products.
Upon hearing Princess Luoluo''s name, Zhexiu finally raised his head and looked to the forest''s edge, his gaze holding a mixture of emotions, his mind seemingly occupied.
Just when Tang Thirty-Six thought that there might be a chance, Zhexiu said in his slow voice, "I don''t need friends. Only the solitary can be strong."
Tang Thirty-Six was not angry to hear this reply. On the contrary, he calmed down and his expression turned grave.
He stared into Zhexiu''s eyes and said, "Wolves have never been as people imagined, have never been lonely."
Zhexiu stared back, his gaze slightly sharp.
Tang Thirty-Six calmly continued, "You are lonely because your clansmen won''t accept you."
Zhexiu''s gaze suddenly chilled, transforming into a blade stained with frost.
Tang Thirty-Six pretended he did not see. "The Wolf tribe has always battled as a group, no? After learning of your identity, many examinees began to speculate as to why you left the snowy plains and traveled vast distances to participate in the Grand Examination in the capital. Chen Changsheng believes that you aren''t willing to be pushed down from second on the Proclamation of Azure Sky by Princess Luoluo, so you want to correct the rankings by defeating Her Highness in the Grand Examination."
Zhexiu furrowed his brow at this as if surprised at the wariness the Orthodox Academy had towards him.
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "Before Su Moyu was heavily injured by you, he said that you were someone who fought purely for enjoyment, and that the matches of the Grand Examination offered you such an opportunity."
Zhexiu asked, "Youwhat do you think?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Chen Changsheng''s worries are certainly reasonable, but they are not enough, or you would have fought your way to Holy Maiden Peak in these past two years and made trouble for Xu Yourong."
Zhexiu shook his head. "I can''t beat her."
Tang Thirty-Six was startled, but did not correct this problem, continuing, "I also don''t believe Su Moyu''s conjecture to be correct. Even if you enjoy fighting and want to use battles to improve yourself, they would have to be battles of life or death. In your eyes, the matches of the Grand Examination should be no different to games, so how can they attract you?"
Zhexiu''s silence expressed his agreement.
"So just what do you want? Just why have you come to participate in the Grand Examination?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him and said, "Say it, and perhaps I can fulfill it."
"Idon''t want friends."
Zhexiu continued to speak very slowly, and listening to him was rather painful. He looked into Tang Thirty-Six''s eyes and enunciated each word. "I wantmoney."
There was silence. A breeze rustled the edge of the oil paper, somewhat dulling the oily smell of the roast chicken.
For a very long time, Tang Thirty-Six did not speak, as he was simply too shocked.
When he left the forest''s edge to speak with Zhexiu, he had naturally made ample preparations. No matter what Zhexiu wanted, no matter how strange, he would not be surprised, and would even be willing to get it for him. If Chen Changsheng wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, Zhexiu''s help was required, so any price was worth it for the Orthodox Academy.
But he had never imagined that what Zhexiu wanted was money.
In the younger generation of the continent, Zhexiu was undoubtedly the most aloof and solitary youth, but what he wanted was the crudest thing in the world.
Tang Thirty-Six needed a very long time to confirm that Zhexiu was not joking, that his words were sincere, which further added to his astonishment.
"Money?"
"Yes, I want money, lots of money."
"Why?"
Zhexiu did not answer.
The breeze rustled the oil paper and the roast chicken gradually cooled.
Tang Thirty-Six also cooled down, saying to him, "I have lots of money."
Zhexiu answered, "I know."
Tang Thirty-Six asked, "Amount?"
Zhexiu answered, "Depends on the situation."
After a pause, Tang Thirty-Six said, "Deal."
Zhexiu looked at him and said indifferently, " I need a few more things that I hope that you can give me."
Tang Thirty-Six slightly frowned. "We have those things?"
Zhexiu replied, "Yes."
Tang Thirty-Six looked him in the eyes and said, "Soyour goal in taking part in the Grand Examination has always been the Orthodox Academy?"
Zhexiu affirmed, "Yes."
Tang Thirty-Six asked, "Is it Her Highness or someone else?"
Zhexiu replied, "It''s not you."
Tang Thirty-Six understood. Zhexiu had come for Chen Changsheng.
He considered this proposal, then said, "He really wants to get first rank of the first banner, so I think that as long as you don''t want his life, he can give you anything."
Zhexiu replied, "I don''t want his life."
Tang Thirty-Six nodded. "Then let''s do it this way. We''ll discuss what to do after the results from the drawing of lots are out."
Zhexiu did not continue on this line, instead asking, "Can I eat it?"
His gaze was on the roast chicken.
...
...
After returning to the forest''s edge, Tang Thirty-Six ignored the gazes aimed at him by the other three and took up the teapot, pouring and downing three cups of tea. Only then did Chen Changsheng notice that Tang Thirty-Six''s back was completely soaked, his forehead glistening with sweat. He quickly extracted a handkerchief from his sleeve and offered it, asking, "What''s wrong?"
Zhexiu was known to be cold-blooded and ruthless, but given Tang Thirty-Six''s personality, he naturally couldn''t have been scared into this state.
"I was scared." Tang Thirty-Six used the handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his face, his face still holding some lingering fear.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat stunned as he thought, just what did Zhexiu do that even you got scared?
"I never imagined that this wolf cub was actuallyso desperate for money."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at them, placing emphasis on the word ''desperate''.
He didn''t just want money, he was desperate for it.
"Impossible!"
Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po shouted as one. They were both from the land of the demi-humans, where rumors of Zhexiu abounded, so they simply couldn''t believe what Tang Thirty-Six had said.
"He really does just want money!"
Tang Thirty-Six somewhat angrily said, "If you don''t believe, wait a while and see for yourselves."
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then asked, "Besides money, what else does he want?"
"Yeah, he also wants something from you," Tang Thirty-Six replied.
"You''ve agreed?" For some reason, Chen Changsheng felt a little nervous.
Tang Thirty-Six said very matter-of-factly, "It''s not like he wants your life, so why shouldn''t I agree? I certainly don''t think there will be a second chance at this sort of opportunity."
Chen Changsheng rather helplessly said, "You don''t even know what he wants; how could you agree on my behalf?"
Tang Thirty-Six asked back, "Do you want to get first rank of the first banner?"
Without even thinking, Chen Changsheng replied, "I don''t want it, I have to get it."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, "If that wolf cub doesn''t help, how much chance do you think you have?"
Chen Changsheng glanced at the stream bank. Guan Feibai was currently speaking with his junior brothers, perhaps discussing Zhexiu''s fights with Guan Feibai and Qi Jian. From Gou Hanshi''s expression, he was probably instructing Guan Feibai and Qi Jian and not planning to gain anything for himself from reviewing these matches.
He looked back at Tang Thirty-Six and uncertainly answered, "Thirty percent?"
Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "Can you be a little bit more shameless?"
"Be more respectful to my teacher."
Luoluo unhappily reproved, then turned to Chen Changsheng and anxiously said, "Thirty percentisn''t that a little too much?"
Tang Thirty-Six roared with laughter, attracting sidelong glances from many examinees.
Chen Changsheng spread out his hands and said, "Fine, if I were to fight against Gou Hanshi right now, I don''t see any hope of winning."
Luoluo commented, "If I can draw him as my opponent in the next round, perhaps Teacher''s chances will be a little higher."
Tang Thirty-Six shook his head. "We have to have Zhexiu fight with him in order to have a little chance."
Chen Changsheng noted, "But the drawing might not proceed according to how we want."
"It doesn''t matter which opponent Zhexiu draws. Right now, just like Her Highness, he''s responsible for sweeping away your opponents."
Tang Thirty-Six added, "He and Her Highness are the two door gods that will help you get first rank of the first banner."
Upon hearing the words ''door god'', Chen Changsheng recalled that pitch-black cavern, those two legendary Divine Generals on the wall, and the chained Black Dragon. He suddenly felt very worried.
"Is now really the time to be absent-minded?" Tang Thirty-Six rather angrily asked.
Chen Changsheng said, "Continue."
Tang Thirty-Six responded, "What I want to say is that converting Zhexiu from your most dangerous foe to your most powerful aid is worth any price."
Chen Changsheng considered this, then agreed. "That''s reasonable."
Tang Thirty-Six added, "So you have to thank me. Not everyone can convince that wolf cub, and talking with him is exhausting in both mind and body."
Chen Changsheng replied, "Thank you."
"Aren''t you all thinking too much?" Xuanyuan Po looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "First, you have to defeat your own opponent. It might be Zhuang Huanyu, it might be Zhong Hui, and you might even have to fight Gou Hanshi in the next round. If you can''t win, even if Zhexiu really is willing to help, it won''t have anything to do with us anymore."
A deathly stillness settled over the edge of the forest.
Tang Thirty-Six was quite annoyed. "The words of a child that''s too earnest can easily make others angry."
Unconvinced, Xuanyuan Po shot back, "That''s because the words of the earnest child are the truth."
Chen Changsheng looked at that place far away from the crowd where Zhexiu was currently sitting on that rock, silently eating the chicken.
"Let''s do it this way. We''ll discuss what to do after the drawing of lots concludesand also, next time, get him an entire chicken to eat. It looks rather pitiful right now."
161 A Simple Sword Technique
What Chen Changsheng wanted to know the most was what exactly Zhexiu wanted. After some serious pondering, he confirmed his suspicion: Zhexiu really had turned to glance at Luoluo when they had entered the Education Palace. It was precisely this glance that made him feel this wolf youth to be extremely dangerous. No one could have expected that Tang Thirty-Six, roast chicken in hand, would be able to buy Zhexiu''s services for the Orthodox Academy.
This truly sounded too absurd, but it had really happened.
Luoluo was also looking at Zhexiu, her emotions somewhat mixed.
To the vast majority of young cultivators, the Grand Examination could be considered the most important matter of their lives, but to some people, the Grand Examination was only a chance, an opportunity to exchange for something they truly desired. To put it another way, the hallowed and stately Grand Examination was actually just an auction.
Tianhai Shengxue had withdrawn from the competition and Zhexiu had agreed to a deal with the Orthodox Academy for precisely this reason. So what about Chen Changsheng? Luoluo was well aware that he had no interest in reputation or fame, so why did he have to get first rank of the first banner? She had once asked him, as had Tang Thirty-Six, but he had never given an answer.
...
...
The tiebreaker matches proceeded smoothly. Tang Thirty-Six easily defeated his opponent and Xuanyuan Po''s luck in drawing his opponent was not bad. He encountered no experts on the Proclamation of Azure Sky and was also able to easily gain victory. When considering the grades of the literary test, while Xuanyuan Po was still not guaranteed to get into the three banners, Tang Thirty-Six would naturally have no problem.
The following matches of the top eight were still decided by drawing lots, but because there were so few people, they were divided into upper and lower halves, allowing one drawing to decide the order of all the matches to follow.
The result of the drawing was as follows: Luoluo would fight Zhong Hui of Scholartree Manor, Gou Hanshi would fight the girl from Holy Maiden Peak, Zhexiu would fight the examinee from Star Seizer Academy, and Chen Changsheng was matched against Zhuang Huanyu. In these four matches, two of them were internal fights. The Mount Li Sword Sect and Holy Maiden Peak considered themselves part of the same sect, and Zhexiu was nominally competing as a student of Star Seizer Academy.
This was not at all in accordance with Tang Thirty-Six''s plan.
In his view, the best result was Zhexiu against Gou Hanshi and Princess Luoluo against Zhuang Huanyu, while the other group would be Zhong Hui versus the examinee from Star Seizer Academy and Chen Changsheng against the girl from Holy Maiden Peak. In this way, even if Gou Hanshi won against Zhexiu, he would have to then clash with the full might of Princess Luoluo. After these two tough battles, even someone as strong as Gou Hanshi would weaken a little. And Chen Changsheng, with his toughened body, had the highest chance of winning against the girl from Holy Maiden Peak. If he could then win against Zhong Hui, he really might be able to take first rank of the first banner.
Now, however, Gou Hanshi only needed to defeat Zhexiu to reach the final match. It was plain to see that the girl from Holy Maiden Peak was no match for him. Of course, there was still a good side to this drawing: Chen Changsheng only needed to defeat Zhuang Huanyu to reach the final battle. Luoluo would probably be able to defeat Zhong Hui, and when she faced Chen Changsheng in the next round, she would assuredly concede.
The first match was Chen Changsheng versus Zhuang Huanyu.
In today''s Grand Examination, Zhuang Huanyu was as silent and low-key as Tianhai Shengxue. However, Tianhai Shengxue''s silent and low-key attitude was because he had already prepared himself to withdraw, while Zhuang Huanyu''s attitude was so that he could get a little further. Moreover, in the previous rounds, he had not encountered an opponent that necessitated showing off his full strength.
Zhuang Huanyu had a most resounding name amongst the younger generation of experts on the continent. His eleventh rank on the Proclamation of Azure Sky was the highest rank amongst the capital''s Ivy Academies, the pride of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Excluding the top three, the strengths of the people at the top of the Proclamation of Azure Sky were all very close. He was assuredly the strongest opponent Chen Changsheng had faced in the matches.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was very quiet.
Zhuang Huanyu expressionlessly said to Chen Changsheng, "Your luck today is not bad."
From the first round until now, the strongest opponents Chen Changsheng had encountered were Huo Guang and the youth from Shuang City ranked twenty-something on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. They sounded strong enough, but numerous experts were taking part in today''s Grand Examination. He had not encountered anyone from the Mount Li Sword Sect, nor had he encountered anyone like Zhexiu. In terms of probability, his luck truly wasn''t very bad.
"Your luck is also very good," Chen Changsheng replied.
This was also true. From the start of the matches, Zhuang Huanyu had not even encountered an opponent on the same level as him. In terms of luck in drawing lots, not even Chen Changsheng was on his level. This was no longer a question of luck. Someone in the Orthodoxy had assuredly rigged the drawing somehow.
The Heavenly Dao Academy was regarded as the leader of the Orthodoxy''s schools. Regardless of what Mao Qiuyu or Vice Principal Zhuang might think, the Orthodoxy would undoubtedly ensure it was represented by an exemplary student. This was especially the case now that the Orthodox Academy was showing signs of revival, as the Orthodoxy naturally could not permit the grace of the Heavenly Dao Academy to be completely snatched away.
"Since two people with good luck have met, I think that we should cease relying on luck," Zhuang Huanyu stated.
Since they could no longer rely on luck, they obviously had to rely on strength.
At this moment, the supervising Li Palace priest asked from the second floor, "Are both of you ready?"
Zhuang Huanyu nodded.
Chen Changsheng shook his head, and then did something that nobody expected.
He walked back under the roof of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and took off his brand-new shoes. He placed them at the foot of the stone steps, arranging them very neatly as if he was a guest at someone else''s home.
In the gloomy room on the second floor, several light gasps could be heard. Mo Yu''s delicate eyebrows were slightly raised, and while her face remained emotionless, the depths of her eyes concealed the faintest of smiles. Prince Chen Liu had been secretly keeping an eye on her expression this entire time, especially whenever Chen Changsheng took part in a match. Upon seeing her reaction now, he couldn''t help but grow even more suspicious.
Chen Changsheng returned to the battleground with bare feet, the edges of his feet carrying a little sand.
He raised his right hand and gripped the hilt of the dagger at his waist.
With this action, the Hall of Washing Away Dust grew even quieter. None of the important figures in the room on the second floor spoke, but their eyes shone, and their expressions turned slightly grave.
Earlier when fighting against that young expert from Shuang City, Chen Changsheng had still kept his dagger sheathed, relying on the bizarre and unfathomable Yeshi Step, and ultimately on speed and strength, to win the day. Now it looked like he was prepared to unsheathe his dagger for this match. Against a powerful opponent like Zhuang Huanyu, it was apparent that he could no longer keep hiding his cards.
Still no one believed that he could defeat Zhuang Huanyu. Although he had displayed an unimaginable strength and speed in the last few rounds, along with that bizarre Yeshi Step, he had only succeeded in Purification not too long ago. The amount of true essence he had in comparison to true experts was too little, so there was simply no chance of victory in sight.
The fundamental problem was that Zhuang Huanyu was truly very strong.
...
...
"Should those who wear shoes be afraid of the barefooted?"
Zhuang Huanyu''s gaze fell upon Chen Changsheng''s sand-stained feet. After a pause, he said, "Perhaps you are not aware that when I lived in the countryside, I rarely had the chance to wear shoes, let alone new ones."
Chen Changsheng said nothing, but he clearly understood what Zhuang Huanyu wanted to say.
Zhuang Huanyu was Vice Principal Zhuang''s son, but he had remained in the countryside to take care of his ailing mother, and it was only after many years that he was able to arduously raise his head and become the pride of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Even now, he wore only ordinary cloth shoes on his feet.
Chen Changsheng just did not understand why Zhuang Huanyu looked at him with such cold eyes, hostility concealed beneath them. He could not understand when he had offended this person.
Zhuang Huanyu was the valued and nurtured future of the Orthodoxy''s new faction, so it was only right for him to regard the Orthodox Academy as an enemy. As for the old grudge he had with Tang Thirty-Six, it was truthfully the same as the attitude Guan Feibai had towards Tang Thirty-Six, the natural loathing that poor youngsters raised in poverty had towards rich young masters who did not cherish life. But why did he dislike Chen Changsheng?
"Begin?" Zhuang Huanyu asked.
His tone was very ordinary, just as if he was back in the Heavenly Dao Academy and asking his classmates if class could begin.
Chen Changsheng''s response was also very ordinary, simply nodding his head.
Zhuang Huanyu raised his sheath horizontally in front of him. With his left hand gripping the sheath and his right hand gripping the hilt, he calmly said, "Please."
Chen Changsheng''s right hand gripped his dagger and his left extended in front of him as he responded, "After you."
In this ordinary fashion, the battle began.
But the moment it began, it became extraordinary.
With a zeng, Zhuang Huanyu drew his sword from its sheath and casually waved it in front of him.
It only seemed casual, but in actuality, great focus was placed on this technique. The edge of the sword sliced through the air, leaving a straight line that was exactly level with the ground!
Not all swords could cut so straight a line.
Zhuang Huanyu''s sword cleaved a straight line.
Yet ten-some zhang away, an arcing line appeared.
It was a slightly curved arc of light, dazzling to behold.
This bright arc of light did not appear in the air or on the sand, but in Chen Changsheng''s eyes.
Chen Changsheng''s eyes were very clear, his pupils very black. It was not the black of the late night, but a cleaner sort of black.
This arcing sword glow in his black pupils was extremely distinct.
This was because the straight line slashed in the air by Zhuang Huanyu''s sword had instantly crossed the space, disregarding the ten-some zhang of distance, and reached Chen Changsheng.
This sword glow was only three feet from his eyes.
This sword glow had come so quickly that its two ends were somewhat sluggish. By the time the straight line had reached Chen Changsheng, it had actually become an arc!
This was a perfect arc. No matter how Chen Changsheng responded, he would find it very difficult to shatter this arc, because an arc was the toughest shape. At the same time, he would also find it very difficult to defend against, because no matter which part of the sword arc he struck, the rest of the arc would swiftly transform into a circle and wrap him within.
This battle had begun in a very ordinary way, but the opening salvo had been extraordinary.
The first move Zhuang Huanyu had used was the mightiest sword technique of the Heavenly Dao Academy, the Sword of Hithering Light.
Sighs of praise came almost inaudibly from the room on the second floor.
It was such a simple sword technique, but one could see from it how remarkable Zhuang Huanyu''s cultivation was.
Even in the entirety of the Grand Examination, this sword technique would still rank in the top three.
Just how could Chen Changsheng overcome this sword technique?
162 With Eyes Closed and Unseeing, a Hundred Swords Emerge
Sand left the floor, a miniature sandstorm forming as Chen Changsheng instantly vanished.
With a light crack, a clear sword slash appeared on the wall of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng appeared once more, already two zhang away from his original position. It was nigh impossible to tell just how he had come to be there.
Chen Changsheng espied out of the corner of his eyes that the sword slash on the wall was about an inch deep, and the white stone beneath could be glimpsed.
This place was the Pope''s Green Leaf World, in between the real and unreal. The buildings here were abnormally sturdy, and the Hall of Washing Away Dust had its own defensive array. Yet one casual wave of Zhuang Huanyu''s sword had been able to leave such a deep slash in the wall. From this, one could imagine just how much harm this blow would have inflicted if it had struck his body.
Even though the defensive capabilities of his body had reached an unimaginable level, it still could not directly receive this technique.
Fortunately, he had never thought about breaking through this sword technique, nor had he thought about blocking it. From the very beginning, he had always intended to avoid it.
He had begun to move the instant Zhuang Huanyu had unsheathed his sword. When that fierce sword glow was flashing in his eyes, his right foot had already pressed against the sandy ground and then abruptly moved.
If the sand could reflect the true night sky, his original position was that of the ''Shen'' constellation, and his present position was that of the ''Kang'' constellation. (TN: Chinese astronomy divides the sky into four regions, each region holding seven constellations, also known as mansions. Shen and Kang are two of these constellations, Shen located in the Azure Dragon region and Kang located in the White Tiger region.)
He treated the sand as a snowstorm, borrowing the power of the storm to walk the path of the constellations, and his movements were strange and unfathomable. It was precisely the Yeshi Step.
"This is the Yeshi Step?"
Zhuang Huanyu calmly asked, clearly unmoved by the fact that his sword glow had been avoided. It was obvious that he was already completely aware of Chen Changsheng''s performance in the last few rounds.
Chen Changsheng said nothing. His right hand tightly gripped his dagger and his gaze slightly dropped, falling on the sword held in Zhuang Huanyu''s right hand.
Zhuang Huanyu took a step forward, flatly extending his longsword in front of him, his demeanor extremely calm.
Chen Changsheng could clearly see Zhuang Huanyu slightly tighten his right hand, his knuckles whitening. These were signs that Zhuang Huanyu was beginning his attack.
Several sword glows noiselessly crossed the ten-some zhang between them.
Chen Changsheng still managed to move before the sword glows arrived. His spiritual sense condensed into a line and his body abruptly gained speed. He seemed to take two steps to the west, but in these fluctuations, he had somehow taken a few steps back.
This was still the Yeshi Step, and this time, he had stepped upon the path of the seventh constellation of the east.
Zengzengzengzeng! Several distinct cutting sounds resounded from the stone wall to the right and behind him.
Stone fragments rustled down and four clear sword slashes appeared, sharp and fierce.
With a serene expression, Zhuang Huanyu took another step forward, closing the distance between him and Chen Changsheng by one more step.
Chen Changsheng stared at Zhuang Huanyu''s sword, his expression grave.
Zhuang Huanyu''s sword was too fast, too sharp. The match had just begun, and two waves of his sword had been enough to put Chen Changsheng under immense pressure.
An indistinct sigh of praise was heard from the second floor.
It was a sigh of praise aimed at Zhuang Huanyu.
In the previous rounds of the Grand Examination, Zhuang Huanyu had not met any strong opponents and had a very mediocre performance, carrying none of the bearing expected of the leader of the capital''s younger generation. As a result, he had been looked down on by some people.
But he had once defeated Qi Jian, and then had spent all his time quietly cultivating in the Heavenly Dao Academy. As a result, his rank on the Proclamation of Azure Sky had hung about rank ten. This was because his goal was Qiushan Jun, and Qiushan Jun was not on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. In truth, he believed that he had the strength to enter the top three of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Even if he were to fight against Zhexiu, he would be without fear.
The pride of the Heavenly Dao Academy naturally had the right to be prideful.
For such a proud youth to begin using the supreme techniques of the Heavenly Dao Academy the moment he started his fight with Chen Changsheng indicated that he regarded Chen Changsheng rather highly, and also indicated that he did not want to give Chen Changsheng a single chance.
Chen Changsheng''s movement technique was too fast, too strange and unfathomable. If he possessed an offensive ability to match this movement technique, then he really could threaten Zhuang Huanyu.
Consequently, Zhuang Huanyu did not give him a chance to attack, instead relying on his sharp and fierce sword intent to suppress him to the area around the stone wall.
This was the crushing power of an expert who held the absolute advantage in both cultivation and strength, just like how Luoluo had crushed that scholar from Scholartree Manor.
With another wave of the sword, several more sword glows flashed through the air.
Fierce howls continued without end.
The sand in the Hall of Washing Away Dust gradually stirred.
Sword glows flashed across it like bolts of lightning.
Sword slash after sword slash appeared on the wall, clear and deep as if some craftsman was engraving words on the wall.
Many footprints appeared on the sand, some to the west, some east, all of them seemingly without any rhyme or reason.
Squelch.
Chen Changsheng appeared someplace close to the wall, and a shallow wound appeared on his right arm.
Several dozen sword glows had come one after another, and he had narrowly avoided the majority of them, but when he was moving from the Liu constellation to the Jing constellation and then changed his destination to the Lou constellation, his flow of true essence had been slightly hindered, he had slowed for a second, and the sword glows had caught up.
Zhuang Huanyu held his sword slightly angled to the floor, appearing particularly elegant.
Unlike him, Chen Changsheng was covered in grains of sand, and even the shallowest of wounds was still a wound, so he looked rather battered.
However, his expression remained calm and he continued to stare at Zhuang Huanyu''s right hand with great focus.
The Sword of Hithering Light was the supreme technique of the Heavenly Dao Academy and was incredibly taxing on one''s true essence. A movement technique on the level of the Yeshi Step naturally consumed a great deal of true essence as well.
Zhuang Huanyu was confident that he could use sword techniques to suppress Chen Changsheng because he was a diligent cultivator, because he was very talented, because his Fated Star was very far away, because his quantity of true essence was at what could be considered the peak of his age group. Even with such a taxing method, he was still able to exhaust Chen Changsheng, and Chen Changsheng had no way of breaking past his techniques.
"Is this your best?"
He asked Chen Changsheng, his expression very serious. There was no scorn in his voice, only a hint of disappointment on his slightly exhausted face. In order to prepare for the Grand Examination, he had been cultivating incessantly since the start of the Ivy Festival. All his preparations had been for this match, and although Chen Changsheng''s performance was quite good, it still did not satisfy him.
Chen Changsheng''s breath was somewhat ragged. After using the Yeshi Step so many times and pushing his speed to its limit, the meager amount of true essence in his body had been completely exhausted. In calculating the positions of stars and how to move, his spiritual sense had also been greatly exhausted. Most vexing of all was that Zhuang Huanyu''s sword was too fast and forceful. He barely managed to avoid its blows, but he had no means of counterattacking, so all that awaited him at the end was defeat.
He did not want to lose, so he had to attack.
Just as Zhuang Huanyu was asking his question, Chen Changsheng''s right foot stamped on the sand in front of him. This time, however, he did not use the Yeshi Step, instead transferring all his strength into the sole of his foot. The strange and terrifying strength he had obtained after meeting the Black Dragon on that night instantly sent cracks through the ground and his body blurred as it howled through the air!
There was a whoosh. Zhuang Huanyu''s sword made no noise, but the sound his sword glow made was exceptionally clear.
Chen Changsheng''s current speed was nigh unimaginable, but right when it seemed like he was going to clash with the sword glow, he suddenly vanished!
He had hidden the Yeshi Step behind his charge!
The figure in the sand shimmered and Chen Changsheng abruptly appeared in front of Zhuang Huanyu!
This was his first time in this battle that he was so close to Zhuang Huanyu, close enough that he could finally attack.
His left hand gripped the sheath and his right hand gripped his dagger as he prepared to unsheathe the dagger
Zhuang Huanyu''s straight eyebrows slightly rose, a look of pity in his eyes as he threw a punch at Chen Changsheng.
His right hand gripped his sword, but his left hand been hanging at his side the entire time, slowly accumulating true essence.
This seemingly casual punch had actually been accumulating power for a very long time.
There was a dull boom like the sound of a bell.
A vigorous strength struck the air along with his fist, sending waves of Qi rippling in all directions.
Chen Changsheng was sent flying, tumbling in the air like a stone until he finally landed on the distant ground.
With a thump, he landed against the ground, but he did not fall. His bare feet had hit the sand first. His knees half-bent, but he managed to stand steady.
He was holding the dagger in front of his eyes. It had probably been this dagger that had blocked Zhuang Huanyu''s patiently waiting fist.
The hands holding the two ends of the dagger were slightly trembling. No matter how strong he was, he had still suffered some loss against the quantity of true essence stored up in this explosive punch.
"Is this your best?"
Zhuang Huanyu walked over to him, repeating his question, and then adding, "This truly makes me rather disappointed."
Seeing Chen Changsheng''s level was one of his most important reasons for participating in the Grand Examination.
When he saw Luoluo and Chen Changsheng together outside the Li Palace, inside the Hall of Shining Words, by the banks of the Qu River, and at the forest''s edge outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, he became angry, and then calm. The angrier he was, the calmer he became.
Chen Changsheng stood up and replied, "Knock me down and then say that."
After saying this, he disappeared once more.
The sand within the Hall of Washing Away Dust erupted, seeming just like a snowstorm.
He squeezed out all of his remaining true essence and his spiritual sense calculated coordinates with an unimaginable speed.
His body flickered in and out of the snowstorm of sand, a moment east, and then a moment west.
In an instant, the ground was covered in a dense cover of footprints, akin to the multitudinous stars in the night sky.
He walked according to the coordinates of the constellations, with movements that were extremely strange and difficult to grasp. It seemed like he could appear in front of Zhuang Huanyu at any moment and deliver a fatal blow.
No matter how fast and how sharp the Sword of Hithering Light was, it was impossible for it to keep up with Chen Changsheng in these circumstances.
He did not look at Zhuang Huanyu''s sword, nor did he pay attention to the surrounding environment. He only cared about his procession using the Yeshi Step.
The Yeshi Step strode with the stars, its tracks covered by the snowstorm. There would eventually come a moment when he appeared in front of Zhuang Huanyu.
This appeared like a very exquisite response.
Whenever the arcing sword glows were about to cut at Chen Changsheng''s body, they would end up barely brushing past him.
Zhuang Huanyu became slightly stern, but not at all nervous.
He could not clearly make out Chen Changsheng''s position and could not calculate where Chen Changsheng might appear next.
Thus, he closed his eyes.
He was not using spiritual sense to perceive Chen Changsheng''s position, because even if he could, his sword would not reach that place in time.
The Sword of Hithering Light dropped from his hand and plunged into the sand, slightly trembling.
He spread apart his hands, his black hair madly danced, and his true essence exploded.
The trembling of the Sword of Hithering Light instantly became much more intense!
Whooshwhooshwhooshwhoosh!
Several hundred sword silhouettes flew out from the sword, instantly filling up all the space within the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Immediately after, several sword silhouettes in the northwest part of the hall seemed to freeze.
Chen Changsheng was cut down by these sword silhouettes, his body sent crashing into the stone wall. He descended down the wall and thumped to the ground, sending dust flying.
Blood seeped out of three wounds on his body.
"Now, I have knocked you down."
Zhuang Huanyu opened his eyes and calmly said to him.
163 Blazing
The Sword of Hithering Light was a sword technique, and it was also a sword, the Dao sword of the Heavenly Dao Academy. To be more precise, it was the sword that Vice Principal Zhuang kept at his side. This sword was not ranked on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, but its might was not far off from the weapons on the back half of the ranking. If a normal person received three blows from the Sword of Hithering Light, even if they had undergone a perfect Purification, they might be beheaded, or at least suffer severe injuries and be unable to rise. And yet Chen Changsheng managed to rise, using his hand to support himself on the stone wall.
But he had still taken significant injuries. The blood seeping out from the three wounds on his chest was somewhat terrifying to behold.
"Is this your best?"
Zhuang Huanyu impassively said. After a moment''s pause, he said with increased severity, " With just this level, how can you have the right to be Her Highness''s teacher?"
The Highness he spoke of here was naturally not the Princess of Ping, and it certainly wasn''t Prince Chen Liu. It was Princess LuoIuo that he referred to.
"If you truly had a complete grasp over the Yeshi Step, perhaps you could make me feel some fear, but in the end, your Yeshi Step is either a fake or an imitation. If it only looks the part but it actually isn''t, how can it be useful in battle? It''s nothing more than an illusion. As long as I close my eyes, your movement technique cannot deceive this world."
Zhuang Huanyu continued, "Just like the method of true essence circulation you taught Her Highness, it seems exquisite, but it''s really just an incorrect path that can''t reach the highest level, just a clever trick. If you really wish for Her Highness to have an even better future, you should have her remain in the Heavenly Dao Academy and resolve her problem through research in the profound and orthodox methods."
Yes, this was the origin of his grudge against Chen Changsheng, why he was dissatisfied with him. He hoped that Chen Changsheng would be a little stronger so as to prove to the world and himself that he had the right to be the princess''s teacher and not someone like this, someone who was easily defeated by him, nothing more than someone who deceived the world for his reputation.
"That is a matter of our Orthodox Academy. Thank you for your advice, but I won''t necessarily take it."
Chen Changsheng raised his right arm and used his sleeve to wipe the blood off his chin as he replied to Zhuang Huanyu.
Zhuang Huanyu''s straight eyebrows rose up as he unhappily scolded, "Don''t tell me you continue to stubbornly persist? The facts are proof that no matter how perfect your Purification, how strong your defense, you are still no match for a true expert, because you have too little true essence and your cultivation is too poor."
Chen Changsheng fell quiet, his head lowered to the dagger tightly gripped in his hand.
Seeing no response, Zhuang Huanyu inexplicably felt even angrier and coldly said, "Cultivation relies on abstruse knowledge, but battles ultimately rely on true essence to fight. Since ancient times, cultivation has placed Purification as the first step, followed by Meditation, and then Ethereal Opening, each gate with its own reasoning. Purification is a prerequisite for Meditation, but it is not a method for fighting. Given the sparsity of your true essence, you''re at no more than the initial level of Meditation, and yet you want to rely on the abilities given to you by Purification to defeat your opponents? How arrogant and ignorant. Was I wrong when I said that you were taking the incorrect path? It''s fine if you walk it, but do you also have to bring Her Highness on this path of no return?"
All was quiet in the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the only sound being the icy and bold voice of the young expert of the Heavenly Dao Academy echoing through the hall and sinking into the sand.
"His cultivation is too low, so he is powerless no matter what he does. Just as expected, Chen Changsheng stops here."
In the gloomy room on the second floor, the Principal of Star Seizer Academy spoke, his voice somewhat sorrowful, somewhat regretful, and somewhat relieved.
This room was very large, and everyone in the room sat in their own in silence. As they listened to Zhuang Huanyu''s voice coming from the window, they made the same assessment on this battle.
In the last round, Chen Changsheng had been able to defeat that young Shuang City expert ranked twenty-something on the Proclamation of Azure Sky only because he had deployed his movement techniques and speed to their maximum extent, and he had also suddenly used the Yeshi Step, catching the expert off guard, ultimately losing in terms of the close combat strength he could use.
But the opponent this round was Zhuang Huanyu.
Zhuang Huanyu was the most outstanding student of the Heavenly Dao Academy and cultivated the profound and orthodox methods of cultivation. He proceeded on every step of cultivation very firmly and steadily, never advancing prematurely. Coupled with the principal''s instruction, he had abundant experience, so when he attacked, he had the absolute advantage in both true essence and techniques, directly overwhelming Chen Changsheng and giving him no chance to close the distance. Naturally, he also prevented any sort of surprise from occurring.
"As expected, Principal Mao Qiuyu''s best student is extraordinary," the Bishop of the Temple Seminary sighed.
The important personages in the room had been spectating the matches for quite some time. They had seen both Zhexiu''s and Gou Hanshi''s performances, so they knew that Zhuang Huanyu was in no way the person with the strongest cultivation, but he did possess the most stable one. To put it another way, he might find it very difficult to explode and surpass cultivation levels to defeat an expert like Gou Hanshi, but those opponents with weaker cultivation had no means of defeating him.
This assessment was strengthened after this match. They even had this vague idea that Zhuang Huanyu was even stronger than rumored. Even if he were fighting against Princess Luoluo or Zhexiu, he would still have one fight in him, and it would be difficult to determine the outcome in advance. His opponent in this match was Chen Changsheng, so how could he possibly lose?
Yes, all the spectators, including the Li Palace priests in the other rooms, had determined that Chen Changsheng had lost.
After several matches, these people had already confirmed that this student that had not been able to cultivate several months ago had truly succeeded in Purification, but he was only at the initial level of Meditation. In quantity or purity of true essence, or in any other aspect, there was still a vast gap between him and the true experts participating in the Grand Examination.
That Chen Changsheng was able to last until now and enter the top eight had, other than luck, relied on his unimaginable speed and strength. Now, however, his luck had lost its significance, as all the opponents left were true experts, and the most inconceivable levels of strength and speed were meaningless, as those experts could use their cultivation and quantity of true essence to crush him. If that young expert from Shuang City had not made a massive tactical error, Chen Changsheng would have had no chance of victory. The gap in cultivation was not something that could be crossed using effort or courage.
...
...
"Is it truly quantity of true essence that''s still the most important?" Chen Changsheng muttered to himself, his hand tightening its grip on the dagger.
Zhuang Huanyu slightly frowned, not understanding what he meant with these words.
Chen Changsheng''s face was emotionless, appearing somewhat wooden. No one could tell that he was currently engaged in a mental struggle, wavering back and forth as to whether he should take that risk.
The true essence of cultivators arose from their star in the night sky. When they drew in starlight for Purification, star radiance containing astonishing energy would enter the body of the cultivator. There, it would wait for Meditative Introspection, where the spiritual sense of the cultivator would touch and ignite it, converting it into true essence that they could control and use as they pleased.
Chen Changsheng truly had little true essence, and it was very impure. His meridians were all fractured, so how could true essence move freely amongst them? But there was still a vast quantity of star radiance in his body. In other words, he could gain more true essence for himself, but it would pose an enormous risk.
In the underground cavern beneath New North Bridge''s abandoned well, in front of the Black Dragon, he inexplicably broke through the bottleneck of Purification and succeeded at entering Meditation. His body now was much stronger than his body from that time, but he still found it very difficult to work up the resolve and perform Meditative Introspection once more, because a failure was highly likely to result in death.
The medical case mentioned in the annotation of the Meditation Classic and his own bitter experience were proof of this.
Fortunately, on the night of the Ivy Festival and on the night in which he forcefully attempted Meditative Introspection, in the underground cavern, in front of the Black Dragon, he had experienced two nearly fatal encounters, causing him to truly ponder twice the death that he had pondered for many years. As a result, he had comprehended many things. Before death, he still would not surrender, but now, he also no longer feared it as much.
It was just like how he would not surrender to, much less fear, a powerful foe like Zhuang Huanyu.
He raised his head and said to Zhuang Huanyu, "Since this is the case, then I''ll try."
Try what? No one in the Hall of Washing Away Dust other than him knew the answer. They could rack their brains and never guess.
Chen Changsheng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then exhaled all of it.
It was like bubbles emerging from a spring.
As he breathed, his lungs were almost devoid of air, instantly emptied so that almost nothing was in them.
His sea of consciousness awakened, its surface slightly rippling.
An extremely condensed spiritual sense emerged from his sea of consciousness and floated into the air towards some spot in the dark blue sky, as if it was about to depart this world.
In another instant, the spiritual sense traveled from the sky back down to the earth, drawing back towards his body, going from outside to the inside, sinking into his body and entering his small world.
His spiritual sense transformed into a cool breeze and freely traveled across this world.
The cool breeze was him, and he was the cool breeze.
He saw the nine mountain ranges with their ruptures, saw the endless wasteland, saw the lake suspended in the air.
Finally, he saw the snowy plain.
The snowy plain had been fractured by extremely deep cracks into several dozen pieces.
The mantle of snow had thickened compared to his last Meditative Introspection several days ago, and even now, snowflakes were drifting down from the sky.
In these past few days, he had not once stopped drawing starlight into his body.
This snow was extremely pure star radiance. As long as his spiritual sense touched and ignited it, it would become clear water that moistened this world. This clear water was true essence.
To use Zhuang Huanyu''s words, to use the words of many other people, to use countless phrases in the Daoist Canon, the most important thing to cultivators was true essence.
Chen Changsheng hesitated for the briefest of moments.
At the moment, he truly was not very afraid of death, but he did not want to experience that pain again, because that pain was very likely to make him fall unconscious on the spot. Once this happened, he would naturally lose the match.
But this was still something he needed to do.
As he hesitated, the clear breeze did not remain still. It drifted towards a section of the snowy plain in the southeast and descended.
It was like a wildfire landing on a mountain covered in dried leaves.
With a boom, that part of the snowy plain began to fiercely blaze.
...
...
The room on the second floor was very dark and quiet. All the important figures sat in silence as they waited for Chen Changsheng to concede, for this match to conclude, for an ending to finally be written for this year''s Grand Examination, for the ambitions and attempts of the Orthodoxy''s conservative faction to be dealt the heaviest of blows.
But just then, a Qi suddenly emerged in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
This Qi was somewhat wild and burned with a great ferocity, like someone had lit a bonfire on the first floor, and a most vigorous one.
Mo Yu became slightly apprehensive, her palace dress dragging a blur through the gloomy room as she instantly arrived in front of the window.
Her gaze pierced through the paper flowers covering the window and looked down below. Her face remained emotionless, but a strange expression appeared in her eyes.
The powerful personages present were all experts of profound cultivation, so they all understood what this Qi signified. Not a single one of them paid any attention to the strength that Mo Yu had just displayed, each making their way up to the window and looking down. As their gazes fell, their expressions instantly transformed, and for a moment, they were rather speechless.
In front of the stone wall, Chen Changsheng had closed his eyes and was standing in the sand, the sand by his feet soaked by the blood dripping from his body.
This wild and burning Qi was coming from his body.
They could sense that Chen Changsheng''s cultivation level was advancing, the true essence in his body increasing, his Qi growing stronger.
Via spiritual sense, they could sense him growing brighter and brighter.
He was just like a true bonfire.
"How is this possible?"
"How is this possible!"
The spectators stood by the window and stared at this sight, the expressions on their faces extremely bizarre and abnormally shocked.
Chen Changsheng was performing Meditative Introspection, was converting star radiance into true essence!
The problem was that only when a cultivator was first moving from Purification to Meditation, igniting all the star radiance they had stored in the past into true essence, would such a fierce Qi seep outward. In the future, the true essence converted from the star radiance drawn in by the cultivator would just be a trickle. How could it possibly produce so much activity?
Was this Chen Changsheng''s first time performing Meditative Introspection?
That was impossible. In last few rounds, they had all seen very clearly that he had already completed the move from Purification to Meditation, or else true essence would not be flowing through his body.
So just what was going on here right now?
Could it possibly mean that there existed someone in the world that could have two first Meditative Introspections?
A deathly stillness pervaded the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Everyone was stunned, unable to speak.
This was the case for both the deeply experienced and important personages standing by the window and the Li Palace priests.
Zhuang Huanyu was even more flabbergasted.
The temperature in the hall instantly rose.
Chen Changsheng had his eyes closed, but the sand by his feet was floating up. The blood that had mixed with the sand had been broiled by the invisible heat and was now being distilled from the sand.
This blood was completely converted into steam.
Amongst the drifting sand, Chen Changsheng''s face grew redder and redder, and one could sense his body grow hotter and hotter.
At this sight, one of the Sacred Hall archbishops slightly unfurrowed his brows, calming back down.
He did not know how Chen Changsheng was able to perform a first Meditative Introspection for a second time, but he could see that this youth was incapable of controlling the blazing of the star radiance in his body.
"If this continues, even if he doesn''t burn himself to death, his mind will suffer problems from this heat," Prince Chen Liu said worriedly.
As long as they succeeded in Purification, the body of a cultivator could endure the heat and power produced by star radiance converting into true essence in the first Meditative Introspection. However, there was clearly something strange about Chen Changsheng''s Meditative Introspection. The amount of star radiance blazing in his body was apparently a little too much, and the temperature of his body was irrepressibly surging upward.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust became hotter and hotter. Suddenly, cicadas began to chirp outside as if summer had come early.
...
...
Deep within the Li Palace was a palace hall.
In a corner of this hall was a gray pot.
There was a plant in this pot with several green stems, but only one green leaf.
The edge of this green leaf was somewhat withered and curled.
"One''s memory truly does get much worse as one gets older. I''ve actually forgotten to water it."
The Pope walked up to the pot and sighed at the green leaf.
He grabbed a wooden ladle and dipped it into the pool of water next to the pot.
164 A Bout of Fresh Rain Washes Away Old Dus
Clear water slowly flowed out from the ladle and fell into the gray pot. As it was struck by the stream of water, the Green Leaf incessantly swayed.
After watering the plant, the Pope returned the ladle back into the pool. He placed his hands behind and walked out of the hall as if he had just performed a very ordinary action.
The soil in the pot was moistened, and the once-withered Green Leaf regained its former appearance. Its edges were no longer curled as the veins on its leaf grew more distinct, a dew-like bead of water lightly rolling about the surface of the leaf.
Many days ago, the Pope and the archbishop held a conversation here. At the time, the archbishop had said that maturation required the moistening of rain, and that it also sometimes required pressure. This Green Leaf had already received far too much pressure, and perhaps it was precisely the time for the moistening of the rain.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was in the Green Leaf World.
Chen Changsheng''s body was incomparably hot, his face completely red, the blood on his clothes long since cooked dry.
His Qi was continuing to strengthen, the heat in the room continuing to increase.
Mo Yu stood by the window, watching the youth currently enduring this painful suffering. Her expression was indifferent but within her sleeves, her hands were tightly clenched.
"Can we have him stop?" Prince Chen Liu gave Mo Yu a surreptitious glance and then asked.
Mo Yu said nothing. Chen Changsheng was currently in the critical moment of initial Meditative Introspection. Even if one discounted the fact that his eyes were currently closed and he was unaware of external matters, even if he could communicate with the outside world, he was incapable of stopping the blazing of the star radiance in his body. If he could do that, what need would there be for him to risk such a dangerous situation?
Only outside strength could interrupt this process of events and rescue him from the brink of death, and it could only be an extremely powerful strength, a legendary strength.
In the capital, only two people possessed such power: the Pope and the Divine Empress.
But Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy were currently the symbol of challenge for those Orthodoxy elders loyal to the Chen Imperial clan and the conservative factions, so why would the Divine Empress or the Pope act?
The temperature in the Hall of Washing Away Dust continued to increase. The chirping of cicadas also grew more resounding, the response made by the Green Leaf World.
In the end, Chen Changsheng had still underestimated the danger of igniting his star radiance. Ever since the Heavenly Tomes had descended to the earth, a situation like Chen Changsheng''s had never appeared on the continent, not even within the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon. His body was just too different. He truly did have a high chance of dying here, or being rendered insensible by the high heat.
Who could change all this? Who could extinguish that invisible fire within his body and cause the temperature of the Green Leaf World to decrease?
It was at this moment that a drop of water suddenly fell from the azure sky.
And then a thousand drops, ten thousand drops, a torrential downpour.
Whoosh!
A boundless downpour descended from the heavens and onto the black eaves of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, onto the yellow sand, onto Chen Changsheng''s body.
Other than the sound of rain, there was no other sound.
The crowd looked up to the sky at this pillar of rain, shocked and filled with reverence.
A hint of fear, and also confusion, appeared in Mo Yu''s eyes.
There were no clouds, yet there was rain.
This rain naturally came from outside this world.
...
...
A Sacred Hall archbishop looked up at the rain falling from the heavens, his face shifting through countless expressions.
As one of the Six Prefects, he naturally understood where this rain came from.
As a trusted follower of the Pope, he was very confused as to why the rain had appeared now.
Why did the Saint wish to assist this youth of the Orthodox Academy?
...
...
Rain could wash away the dust of the world and also carry away heat.
Rain fell on Chen Changsheng''s body. The moment it touched his scalding skin, it instantly evaporated, simultaneously causing his body temperature to rapidly decrease.
The temperature of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was also rapidly dropping. It was as if one had been in the height of summer and all its unbearable heat and then experienced a bout of rain that brought the chill of late autumn.
Zhuang Huanyu suddenly felt a little cold.
Just a little earlier, he had heard a cough from the second floor.
He did not know who was coughing, but he knew that this person was reminding him that he needed to strike before this bout of rain ended.
Although it was not clear just what was happening to Chen Changsheng''s body, an opportunity for surprises could not be allowed.
Yet he did not strike.
This rain was far too boundless, inspiring such reverence that he did not dare to cross the channels the rain washed through the sand.
But that was irrelevant.
He was the pride of the Heavenly Dao Academy, and he was very proud.
He had always intended to prove to both the continent and Princess Luoluo that Chen Changsheng was inferior to him. Thus, nothing could be better than defeating Chen Changsheng at his strongest.
This bout of autumn rain was a bout of cold.
The hall gradually turned chilly.
The torrential downpour died down, transforming into a light drizzle.
Chen Changsheng opened his eyes.
His eyes were clear and bright, beads of rain through which one could clearly see the secrets of this world.
The sand floating around his body had already fallen back down, and the true essence that had been seeping out of his body had been completely drawn back into his body.
He had undergone initial Meditative Introspection once more and succeeded in breaking through, and was currently at his peak level of strength.
He raised the dagger in his hand.
A stream of sword intent enveloped the Hall of Washing Away Dust like an autumn rain and instantly reached Zhuang Huanyu.
First Stance of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong: Rising Flurry!
...
...
Zhuang Huanyu instantly paled.
He had not expected that after such a short amount of time, as if all that had happened was a sudden downpour and Chen Changsheng closing and opening his eyes, Chen Changsheng would have become so strong!
This sword intent like the autumn rain was extremely condensed, and the true essence contained within it was also incredibly powerful.
In his hesitation, he did not respond, thus fell into a state of absolute disadvantage.
The condensed and still-restrained sword intent was just like an autumn rain about to fall. It was only a foot from the center of his eyebrows.
Raindrops slowly fell from the black eaves and beat against the ground.
The sand had already been washed away by the rain, revealing the flagstones.
The monotonous sound of rain against stone made the atmosphere abnormally tense.
Chen Changsheng did not continue to strike.
This strike of his was his first attack after breaking through. Both his mind and sword energy were at their peak conditions. In Zhuang Huanyu''s momentary daze, there was a high chance that he could be defeated by this single strike.
But he was not.
Chen Changsheng waited for Zhuang Huanyu to come back to his senses.
This was because when he had earlier closed his eyes and entered Meditative Introspection, Zhuang Huanyu had waited for him.
Regardless of whether it was the channels washed through the yellow sand by the autumn rain or Zhuang Huanyu''s pride that stopped him, he had still given Chen Changsheng this opportunity.
As a result, Chen Changsheng was giving this opportunity back.
All was quiet in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
"The fights of youths are truly different."
A person on the second floor ruefully said.
For an important match like the Grand Examination, an adult would never give their opponent a single chance.
Only youths would act this way.
Perhaps it was because they had experienced less and their bodies were not stained by too much dust, or perhaps it was because this autumn rain had washed the dust on their bodies away. In short, compared to adults, they still believed in fairness. Perhaps it was very naive and childish, but it also represented a sort of vigor and self-confidence.
"Now, you can no longer defeat me."
Chen Changsheng looked at Zhuang Huanyu and said, "Just concede."
165 Toppling Mountains
Chen Changsheng''s clothes were torn and his chest was wounded. He was in such a sorry state that if Tang Thirty-Six were to see it, he would assuredly tease Chen Changsheng as having been beaten until he looked like a dog. Yet in this state, Chen Changsheng unexpectedly wanted Zhuang Huanyu to concede, and from the look on his face, he was not joking.
His attitude was very serious, his tone sincere, so Zhuang Huanyu was very angry, feeling this to be an expression of enormous contempt, an incredible insult.
Chen Changsheng was not intending to mock him, only making a sober judgment.
Whether it was because of the autumn rain or because of the toughness of his body, since the blazing of star radiance had not burned him to death, that snowy plain within his body could provide him an endless stream of true essence. In reality, he now had an unprecedented amount of true essence. The greatest gap between him and Zhuang Huanyu no longer existed, so why shouldn''t he be confident?
"Just why is he so confident?" As he stood by the window on the second floor, the Principal of the Star Seizer Academy frowned and asked this question.
Even if Chen Changsheng had bizarrely succeeded in undergoing two initial Meditative Introspections, everyone in the capital knew that less than a year had passed since he had fixed his Fated Star and begun to draw in starlight for Purification. On the other hand, Zhuang Huanyu had already been cultivating for ten-some years, so for what reason did Chen Changsheng believe that he had already caught up in terms of true essence?
Chen Changsheng used facts to prove that his confidence had a basis, although it was not clear just where this basis was.
Zhuang Huanyu stared at him. The Sword of Hithering Light embedded in the ground trembled and several hundred sword silhouettes emerged once more. They attacked Chen Changsheng from all sides, causing another storm to appear in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng''s right hand was holding the dagger, but it had moved up so that it was at the edge of the sheath, making it seem like his hand was attempting to grip the sheath and hilt at the same time, making it impossible to unsheathe the dagger.
He did not unsheathe the dagger, nor did he attempt to avoid or receive the blows with his body. Instead, he wielded the dagger with its sheath and swung.
A howl could be heard in the hall as a gust of wind stirred.
Several tyrannical winds struck the surrounding sword silhouettes from the Sword of Hithering Light. There were several thumps, and then those sword silhouettes began to shatter and disperse.
When true essence was pitted against true essence and both were equally matched, it was naturally easy for a sword to shatter sword silhouettes.
The expressions of the important personages standing by the window subtly changed. They had finally determined that Chen Changsheng''s cultivation was now on a completely different level. In both purity and quantity of true essence, he was no weaker than Zhuang Huanyu.
Mo Yu''s tightly clenched hands in her sleeves finally relaxed. She gripped the window pane, her face still expressionless, but her mood was not as relaxed as it seemed.
She did not wish for others to see that she did not want anything to happen to Chen Changsheng, and now she had no need to worry about Chen Changsheng being no match for Zhuang Huanyu. However, Chen Changsheng''s performance and his sudden and unreasonable explosion of true essence had made her think about that night many days ago, that night on which she viewed the stars with the Divine Empress on the Dew Platform.
On that night, the Divine Empress sensed that a person in the capital had fixed their Fated Star. That star was incredibly far and that person''s spiritual sense had been extremely serene and powerful.
That personwas it Chen Changsheng?
...
...
As the important personages on the second floor were occupied with their thoughts, the battle on the first floor intensified.
Chen Changsheng''s sheathed dagger used true essence to destroy the storm of sword silhouettes. His body blurred, and then he was in front of Zhuang Huanyu.
Ten-some zhang had been crossed in an instant. He had not used the sword energy of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but the Yeshi Step.
By this time, Zhuang Huanyu had already completely calmed down. He had been somewhat surprised that Chen Changsheng was so easily able to destroy his sword silhouettes, but the sight was not able to make him fall into another daze. There was no fear on his face. He extended his right hand and the Sword of Hithering Light began to fiercely tremble. With a buzz, it flew up from the ground and returned to his palm!
Kakakaka, ten-some sounds of swords clashing came one after the other.
The Sword of Hithering Light seemed to come alive in his hand, its sharp edge piercing through the air as it stabbed at Chen Changsheng''s body.
A few moist grains of sand remained on the floor washed by autumn rain. Those grains of sand were carried up by Zhuang Huanyu''s sword, transforming into several dozen extremely fine lines of sand in the air.
Those lines of sand were sword techniques, the visible trajectories of swords.
Chen Changsheng could rely on his true essence to break those sword silhouettes, but to block these lighting-quick sword techniques, he would require an even more exquisite sword technique of his own.
The spectators on the second floor became extremely focused. They had all either witnessed or heard about the story of how Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had competed in techniques in the Ivy Festival and knew that this unremarkable youth of the Orthodoxy was the same as the erudite Gou Hanshi: both knew the sword styles of countless sects. These important figures were all rather curious as to how Chen Changsheng would respond to this attack.
Several dozen lines of sand attacked Chen Changsheng from different angles.
Behind each line of sand was the cold edge of a sword.
Chen Changsheng still did not unsheathe his dagger.
His palm was wrapped around both the sheath and the hilt. Even if he wanted to pull out the dagger, he wouldn''t be able to.
He gripped the dagger and swung it.
He swung it very cleanly and decisively, simply and forcefully.
It didn''t even seem like a sword style, nor was there anything subtle or exquisite about it. It was like a housewife washing clothes by a river, using a wooden hammer to smash the clothes against a rock1.
It seemed like an ordinary and unremarkable sight, but when he raised up the dagger and swung it down, at least three of the important personages by the window let out cries of surprise!
"Toppling Mountain Staff!"
...
...
Yes, Chen Changsheng was not using a sword style, but a staff style.
He had become well-versed in the Daoist Canon as a child and had extensively read many books. After entering the Orthodox Academy, he had also read relentlessly for days, comparing the books on cultivation in the library with the books he had read as a child. The scriptures he had studied in the first fourteen years of his life had been completely converted into the knowledge required for cultivation. In knowledge on the cultivating methods of the sects and schools of the world, no one other than Gou Hanshi was his match.
He also cultivated with incredible diligence. In a short half-year, he had gotten a grasp of many sword styles and cultivation methods. During the Ivy Festival, his instructions that had led to Luoluo''s and Tang Thirty-Six''s victories over Guan Feibai and Qi Jian had relied on this ability. However, many people forgot that his grasp of those sword styles and cultivation methods was mostly on paper.
He knew how the Three Forms of Wenshui should be used and knew the order and angles for the Seven Swords of the Mountain, but this did not mean that he could use the Three Forms of Wenshui or the Seven Swords of the Mountain whenever he pleased, and this wasn''t even considering that he had not even succeeded at Purification at the time and was unable to cultivate. Back then, there was not even a possibility of practicing these techniques.
No matter how diligent or talented he was, it was utterly impossible for him to grasp so many techniques in the short span of a few months.
At least ten years of hard effort were needed to have any sort of accomplishment on the path of the sword.
This was the case for everyone, whether it was Qiushan Jun, or Guan Feibai, who had proved that he had a grasp of at least a hundred sword styles in the Ivy Festival.
Other people might have forgotten about this matter, but not Chen Changsheng. He was well aware that in terms of swordplay, he could not defeat Zhuang Huanyu or any of the four disciples from the Mount Li Sword Sect. Even if he was able to think of techniques that could hold back his opponent''s sword techniques, he would not be able to use them in the course of this intense fight.
Cultivators on different levels required different methods of fighting. He currently required a simpler and more effective means of fighting. He had not thought of a sword style that was both capable of restraining the Dao sword of the Heavenly Dao Academy and something he was familiar with using, so he had moved his right hand down and gripped both the hilt of his dagger and the edge of the sheath.
This sort of grip signified that he had never intended to unsheathe his dagger.
When he gripped it this way, his dagger became a shortstaff.
He used a staff style.
The Toppling Mountain Staff.
...
...
Three cries of shock simultaneously arose from the second floor.
The ones who cried out were the two Sacred Hall archbishops and the Bishop of the Temple Seminary.
This was because they recognized this staff style, because they had not seen this staff style for many years.
The Toppling Mountain Staff was the staff style of the Orthodox Academy, handed down from its establishment. It was the staff style used by the Orthodox Academy''s superintendent to punish rulebreaking students.
The Orthodox Academy had been in decline for ten-some years, so this staff style had naturally not appeared on the continent for ten-some years.
The two Sacred Hall archbishops were important members of the Orthodoxy''s new faction, natural opponents of the Orthodox Academy that served as the symbol of the conservative faction. However, even they, after seeing the Orthodox Academy''s renowned Toppling Mountain Staff suddenly appear after ten-some years, could not hold back their cries of shock, could not prevent their emotions from instantly falling into great turmoil.
Xue Xingchuan and Xu Shiji had met brilliant individuals from the Orthodox Academy before, so they were just a little later than the other three in recognizing what staff style Chen Changsheng was using. Their expressions slightly changed.
...
...
The Toppling Mountain Staff was used in the Orthodox Academy for punishment, so it walked the rough and straightforward, clear and simple path. Its goal was to knock down a student and inflict pain. This staff style seemed to have no principles to speak of, but there were actually many principles contained within it. Just like the rules of the Orthodox Academy, one could not avoid them, only bear them.
Zhuang Huanyu had an incredibly solemn expression on his face, but the sword in his hand did not slow by one iota.
Chen Changsheng''s dagger swung down too straightforwardly, so straightforward that it seemed to contain no technique.
It appeared that the sword in his hand had plenty of leeway to rush forward and stab into Chen Changsheng''s body, but Chen Changsheng''s dagger gave Zhuang Huanyu the feeling that if he did this, then no matter how severely wounded Chen Changsheng was, the dagger would still fall and strike his body.
Attacking first seemed to have no meaning, and as for avoiding? It seemed impossible to avoid, so he could only block.
Zhuang Huanyu''s true essence came out in an unending stream as the edge of his sword sliced through the air to meet Chen Changsheng''s dagger.
The Toppling Mountain Staff met the Sword of Hithering Light as if the Orthodox Academy was meeting the Heavenly Dao Academy.
If the reborn Orthodox Academy wished to regain its status within the Orthodoxy, it seemed that it would always need to cross this pass.
These two swords clashed and then parted, and then clashed once more. No matter how unreasonably Chen Changsheng''s dagger fell, it would always be blocked by Zhuang Huanyu. No matter how subtle or ingenious Zhuang Huanyu''s sword technique was, it could not break past Chen Changsheng''s dagger. In this very brief moment of time, these two swords clashed ten or more times.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust resounded with the deafening sounds of their clashes.
Ten-some white balls of Qi appeared around the two and then burst apart.
Those balls of Qi were the Qi jolted out of the air by the clash of these two swords.
Popopopop!
The two figures suddenly parted.
Zhuang Huanyu groaned, his face slightly pale, the hand holding his sword trembling.
He was not able to completely block Chen Changsheng''s sword.
In the final moment, Chen Changsheng''s sword and sheath had struck his wrist.
If not for the fact that Zhuang Huanyu''s sword intent had been straightforward and he was in the midst of stabbing forward, causing the tip of Chen Changsheng''s sheath to only brush past him, his wrist might have been shattered.
In a head-on battle, sword against sword, he had ultimately fallen behind.
Zhuang Huanyu found it impossible to accept this fact, and his face turned even paler.
Immediately after, he threw his sheath to the ground and stepped forward once more.
166 Carrying Shoes
A sword without its sheath had its edge fully revealed.
Zhuang Huanyu''s sword rose as it howled through the wind. There was no more holding back. The sword carried a vigorous true essence as it stabbed towards Chen Changsheng''s body, and its tip spurted green light as it whooshed through the air.
The remaining sand on the ground rose once more and danced over the battleground.
Chen Changsheng used the Yeshi Step, his body instantly vanishing. Countless blurred images appeared that surrounded Zhuang Huanyu as the dagger in Chen Changsheng''s hand constantly swung down like a staff.
It was still a swift melee.
Zhuang Huanyu was not scared in the slightest. His sword techniques were exquisite, and because of his fury, his attacks were particularly wild and unrestrained. However, his defense was also superb, from which one could tell that his mental state was not at all disordered.
No matter how fast Chen Changsheng''s movements were and how straightforwardly and unyieldingly his dagger descended, he could find no gap in these defenses, much less create a gap in them. On the other hand, Zhuang Huanyu''s sword intent was growing calmer and calmer. His countless sword glows formed an invisible net that condensed Chen Changsheng''s movements further and further. Even if he wanted to escape, it would no longer be so easy.
Chen Changsheng had guessed at Zhuang Huanyu''s intentions: he wanted to remove Chen Changsheng''s advantage in terms of speed and bring the match into a final competition of techniques and true essence. Chen Changsheng unhesitatingly made a decision. His movement techniques instantly shifted, his speed reaching unimaginable levels. He took three consecutive steps to the right but ultimately appeared on Zhuang Huanyu''s other side.
Zhuang Huanyu flipped his wrist and stabbed in an indescribably subtle technique that jolted away the dagger in Chen Changsheng''s hands and then used the rest of the force to stab towards the throat.
Chen Changsheng suddenly found himself in a dangerous predicament, but his expression did not change, because he was already within Zhuang Huanyu''s sword glows.
Right now, no one could harbor any thoughts of dodging.
He leaned his body, allowing the Sword of Hithering Light to stab into his shoulder while his dagger swung straight at Zhuang Huanyu''s face.
Zhuang Huanyu held the Sword of Hithering Light backwards, bringing the hilt to meet the dagger, simultaneously using the opportunity to swing the edge towards Chen Changsheng''s throat.
In the blink of an eye, the fight had undergone a major shift.
The Hall of Washing Away Dust resounded with a dense collection of impacts as the two swords clashed. Compared to their first exchange, the clashes of the swords continued without end as if they would never cease, white balls of Qi constantly emerging, exploding, and then extinguishing. Both Chen Changsheng and Zhuang Huanyu had resolved to decide the match here.
Chachacha, three ripping sounds resounded through the hall!
Bengbeng, two collisions resounded through the hall!
The drizzle stopped, and the wet sand fell back to the ground. Chen Changsheng and Zhuang Huanyu instantly parted, retreating until they were ten-some zhang from each other and then steadying themselves.
Chen Changsheng had been struck three times. Coupled with the sword slashes he had suffered earlier, six sword wounds now crisscrossed his chest. Blood seeped out of them, a difficult sight to look at.
Zhuang Huanyu had been struck twice by the dagger. His right shoulder was slightly concave, blood seeping out, his face abnormally pale.
The edge of the sword was incredibly sharp while the staff was a blunt weapon. From every angle, three sword slashes in exchange for two blows of the staff meant that Zhuang Huanyu should have gained the advantage in this final exchange.
Any other opponent would have been heavily wounded by Zhuang Huanyu''s three slashes and be unable to continue fighting.
Chen Changsheng did not fall down.
Zhuang Huanyu wanted to exchange technique with technique, blow for blow, true essence for true essence. His response had been even tougher, exchanging technique for technique, blow for blow, wound for wound.
This was the method that Liang Banhu had fought Tang Thirty-Six with, the strategy that Gou Hanshi had decided on.
It was now being used by Chen Changsheng in his crucial battle against Zhuang Huanyu.
Chen Changsheng had always been willing to study and very good at studying. Moreover, that he dared to use this method indicated that he had absolute confidence in his true essence and defensive abilities. At the very least, he was sure that he was stronger than Zhuang Huanyu.
Zhuang Huanyu also did not fall down, although his complexion was ghastly white.
Their bodies were covered in blood as they silently gazed at each other across the ten-some zhang.
All was silent in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The important personages on the second floor also kept their silence. This match naturally did not mean much to them, but Chen Changsheng and Zhuang Huanyu had displayed a coolheadedness and courage that far surpassed their ages, moving these great personages somewhat. The present silence perhaps illustrated their respect.
Silence also symbolized tension.
Just who had won?
...
...
It was also silent outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
The examinees outside the hall were even more nervous than those inside the hall, even more anxious to know just who had won in this match.
From the moment Chen Changsheng and Zhuang Huanyu entered the hall, everyone''s gazes had been fixed on the tightly shut door.
Just like in all the battles before, the examinees could not see what was going on inside, only speculate on the events within based on the sounds that they heard.
After the second round, the sound-obstructing array of the Hall of Washing Away Dust often lost effectiveness, because the examinees fighting were getting stronger and stronger, the battles increasingly intense.
This match was the same. Not long after the door closed, the examinees heard a shrill howl. They knew that a sword was making this sound, just not whether it was Zhuang Huanyu''s or Chen Changsheng''s. They then heard a boom, like someone was ringing a bell inside the hall. Someone guessed that this was the sound of a punch imbued with true essence.
What happened next was somewhat bizarre.
While the Hall of Washing Away Dust had suddenly fallen silent, cicadas began to chirp outside, and even the temperature seemed to rise a little as if it was suddenly summer. Then, rain suddenly began to fall from the cloudless blue sky. This rain did not soak one inch of ground outside the hall, only fell inside, looking just like a waterfall.
The sounds of swords clashing exploded again, an unbroken stretch of sound after which all fell silent.
This match had probably concluded, but who had won and who had lost?
The three people from the Orthodox Academy were the most nervous. The mood at the forest''s edge was oppressive.
With eyes wide, Xuanyuan Po stared at the tightly shut door, his forehead covered in sweat as he incessantly rubbed his hands.
Luoluo closed her eyes, her small hands clasped into a fist in front of her as she silently prayed for Chen Changsheng.
Tang Thirty-Six held his hands behind him as he paced back and forth, his lips slightly moving as he muttered to himself. He had not asked about what Chen Changsheng''s trump cards were or where his self-confidence had come from. He knew that Chen Changsheng had assuredly prepared for this battle, but he also know how strong Zhuang Huanyu was. Zhuang Huanyu had been his senior brother in the Heavenly Dao Academy and also the target that he had always wanted to surpass. One would need to get close to clearly hear what he was whispering to himself. "Too optimistictoo optimistic, we were too confident in him, how can he win? How can he win? This guy has to win, but how can he win?"
The door to the Hall of Washing Away Dust was pushed open.
All the examinees simultaneously looked over.
Luoluo opened up her eyes filled with hope and concern.
Tang Thirty-Six stopped pacing and muttering to himself, but he didn''t look over, as he didn''t dare to.
The person to walk out first was Chen Changsheng.
He was covered in blood, his feet bare, his clothes in tatters, his body caked in sand. He looked even more like a beggar than he had in the previous rounds.
The stone plaza was all quiet, because still no one was sure who was the winner in this match.
After Guan Feibai had fought his intense battle with Zhexiu, he had been the first to walk out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, but he had also been the loser.
In this moment fraught with tension, Chen Changsheng suddenly turned and went back into the hall.
The match had already concluded and he had already exited the hall, so why did he turn back? Everyone was stunned, perplexed as to what was happening.
After a short time, he walked out again, but this time, he was carrying a pair of shoes in his hand.
A pair of brand-new shoes.
A strange shout rang through the plaza, Tang Thirty-Six''s strange shout.
He did not seem like he was looking, but he had actually always been looking through the corner of his eye.
As he shouted, he rushed over to Chen Changsheng.
Luoluo let out a long breath and lightly patted her chest, her face covered in both lingering fear and happiness.
Xuanyuan Po was confused and scratched his head. "What''s happened?"
Luoluo replied, "Teacher won."
167 This Is Also Okay
At this sort of moment, that Chen Changsheng had still remembered that he had earlier taken off his shoes naturally meant that he had won.
As expected, the one to come out next was not Zhuang Huanyu, but a Li Palace priest announcing the result of the match.
Under the astonished gazes of the examinees, Chen Changsheng carried his shoes and slowly walked barefoot down the stone steps.
Tang Thirty-Six had already run over, and supported him while also relieving him of the shoes.
Chen Changsheng was somewhat embarrassed. "You''re too polite."
Although he was embarrassed, he did not refuse Tang Thirty-Six''s support. He had suffered rather significant injuries, and though he had received the treatment of Sacred Light within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, he was still very weak.
Tang Thirty-Six sighed, "Starting from today, I probably only have the right to carry your shoes. Isn''t it high time I start kissing up to you?"
This was a famous saying in the Great Zhou.
Tang Thirty-Six sighed in sorrow, but his eyes were bursting with joy.
Xuanyuan Po and Luoluo also came over.
Within the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Zhuang Huanyu lay on a stretcher with his right shoulder somewhat collapsed and half his body covered in blood. His eyes were closed, his ashen lips trembling, his hands clenched into fists.
The room on the second floor was very quiet. All the important figures were silent, none of them clear on how to assess this battle.
Many matches had already taken place in the Grand Examination, and Chen Changsheng and Zhuang Huanyu had not been the strongest, nor was their match the most intense. That silent fight between Zhexiu and Guan Feibai was still the most intense. Similarly, this was not the most exquisite of matches. That title went to the battle between Mount Li disciples Qi Jian and Liang Banhu.
But this match had been full of twists and turns. Chen Changsheng had actually managed to have a second initial Meditative Introspection and broken through in the middle of the battle, at the same time destroying Zhuang Huanyu''s extremely firm performance. It was truly a battle worth reflecting on.
Outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, everyone was looking at the forest''s edge, and all was still.
The crowd did not know how Chen Changsheng had won, and as they speculated, they grew even more flabbergasted.
Zhuang Huanyu was the pride of the Heavenly Dao Academy, the strongest of the capital''s academies, yet even he had failed to halt Chen Changsheng''s progress. Would the archbishop''s declaration on that day in the Li Palace truly become reality? Would Chen Changsheng really take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?
By the gurgling stream, the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect remained quiet for a very long time.
Guan Feibai watched as Luoluo helped Chen Changsheng under the white poplar tree and sighed, "His famous reputation is truly not false."
"Chen Changsheng is not famed for his cultivation or fighting, nor is he known for his luck, which makes his performance all the more extraordinary."
Gou Hanshi looked over at Chen Changsheng, who was leaning against the poplar with his eyes closed in rest, and silently thought, for a youth who doesn''t know how to cultivate or fight to reach this level in just a few months must have required an enormous amount of time or energy. It wouldn''t be overboard to say that he was even burning his own life. But is the first rank of the first banner really worth it?
The silence outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust was broken by coughing from the forest''s edge.
Chen Changsheng leaned against the white poplar as he constantly coughed, seemingly in great pain. With each cough, the wounds on his chest would open and blood would seep out.
Relying on his apathy towards death, he had barely managed to defeat Zhuang Huanyu, but he had still paid a massive price. It was plain to see that his injuries could not possibly recover before the Grand Examination concluded.
Luoluo somewhat hurriedly began to bandage him up while Tang Thirty-Six followed Chen Changsheng''s directions and searched their bags for medicine.
Xuanyuan Po carried over a large bowl of clear water while Tang Thirty-Six succeeded in finding the pills that Chen Changsheng required.
Chen Changsheng took down the pills with the help of this bowl of water and closed his eyes in exhaustion to continue his rest.
Luoluo inspected his pale complexion, feeling the situation to be somewhat unbearable. She wanted to say something, but ultimately kept quiet.
In Chen Changsheng''s current wounded state, any random examinee taking part in the Grand Examination could defeat him, let alone his probable future opponent Gou Hanshi.
But she found herself incapable of voicing advice urging him to stop fighting.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po also could not.
Earlier in the Hall of Washing Away Dust, even the Li Palace priests found the wounds on his body unbearable and advised him to withdraw.
Yes, what was meant by ''unbearable'' here was not that no one could bear to see Chen Changsheng continue fighting with such heavy injuries, but that they could not bear to see him stop after persisting to this point.
Chen Changsheng would not stop fighting, and the matches of the Grand Examination would not temporarily stop for the sake of his injuries.
The matches continued. Gou Hanshi entered the Hall of Washing Away Dust, and just like in the previous rounds, defeated his opponent, the girl from Holy Maiden Peak, as serenely as the spring rain moistened the world1.
What made the people of the Orthodox Academy feel uneasy was that even in this late stage, Gou Hanshi''s opponent was still uninjured.
This sort of perfect control represented an absolute advantage in strength. After Tianhai Shengxue''s withdrawal, the gap between Gou Hanshi and the remaining examinees was rather despair-inducing.
The Orthodox Academy could only entrust their hopes to Zhexiu, who was next to fight.
Based on the drawing of lots, the wolf youth, ranked third on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, would encounter Gou Hanshi if he defeated his opponent this round. In reality, of the examinees present, only he and Luoluo could threaten Gou Hanshi. It was impossible for Luoluo to fight against Gou Hanshi, so Zhexiue ended up being the only choice.
Zhexiu''s opponent this round was a young military officer of Star Seizer Academy.
Zhexiue did not immediately walk into the Hall of Washing Away Dust but instead walked to the forest''s edge.
The examinees who saw this were all rather astonished. When they thought about how Tang Thirty-Six had gone looking for Zhexiu earlier, they became very curious as to what was going on.
Zhexiu walked to the forest''s edge and said impassively to Tang Thirty-Six, "Give money."
Upon hearing these two words, the faces of both Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po twitched. Only now did they realize that what Tang Thirty-Six had said earlier was true.
Even Chen Changsheng opened his eyes.
It turned out that this wolf youth famed for being cold-blooded and lonely was actually desperate for money?
Tang Thirty-Six had a particularly intense reaction to this demand. Suppressing his voice, he angrily retorted, "You even want money for this sort of opponent?"
Zhexiu remained expressionless, even appearing rather dull. "Why can''t I?"
"Can''t you win easily?" Tang Thirty-Six grumbled., "If I don''t give you money, does that mean you can''t win against that fellow?"
Zhexiu thought this over, then said, "But you still need me to fight Gou Hanshi."
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "We''ll discuss the price in the next round."
Zhexiu shook his head. "In order to fight Gou Hanshi, I first need to win this match, so you also have to give me money for this match."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Zhexiu like he was some sort of monster. Realizing that Zhexiu had no intention of changing his own mind, he could only concede, extracting a silver banknote from his sleeve and handing it over.
Zhexiu glanced at the banknote and was incredibly satisfied by the number written atop it. Thus, he gave a rare nod of his head and said, "I will fight well."
After saying this, he took his leave of the forest''s edge and walked towards the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Luoluo widened her eyes and asked Tang Thirty-Six, "This is also okay?"
Xuanyuan Po gazed at Zhexiu''s somewhat lonely back and took in a cold breath of air before saying, "This is also okay?"
168 Two Long Battles
A few people had seen Tang Thirty-Six hand Zhexiu a sheet of paper, but no one associated that sheet of paper with a silver banknote. This was because the impression the wolf youth had left on the common people had never once been associated with something like money. Just like Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po, even if they personally witnessed this occurring, they would still find it difficult to believe.
Zhexiu walked into the Hall of Washing Away Dust, and Zhexiu walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. His opponent did not walk out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Just like Gou Hanshi, he had once more won an indisputable victory, but he was only like Gou Hanshi in the result. His process in obtaining this victory attracted much more controversy than Gou Hanshi, because his opponent was once more so heavily injured that they had been sent straight out of the Education Palace.
The examinees watched as he walked down the stone steps and to the Orthodox Academy''s group at the forest''s edge.
Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat dumbfounded. "You used the status of a student of Star Seizer Academy to apply and you''re still using that pseudonym of Zhang Tingtao. That worthy fellow is basically your schoolmate; was it necessary for you to strike with such a heavy hand?"
Zhexiu did not respond for a few moments, apparently puzzled as to why Tang Thirty-Six cared about this, then answered, "I said that I would fight well."
Tang Thirty-Six''s silver banknote had made him very satisfied, so he had given one of his rare nods and even promised to fight well. To this wolf youth who didn''t comprehend and was too lazy to comprehend the so-called ways of the world, fighting well meant fighting with all his power, so the fate of his opponent could be easily imagined.
"So what have you come here for now?"
The gazes of the examinees were all focused on the forest''s edge, making Tang Thirty-Six feel a little pressured. He did not want the Orthodox Academy''s deal with Zhexiu to be known by others, but it had nothing to do with reputation. It was purely because he wanted to keep secret that Zhexiu could be bought with money.
Zhexiu was essentially the Orthodox Academy''s mercenary and it was naturally best if no one knew of such a powerful mercenary.
"To negotiate a price," Zhexiu replied.
Tang Thirty-Six understood that he was speaking of the next round.
Completely according to expectations, Zhexiu was fighting Gou Hanshi.
Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po lowered their heads to gawk at the grass in silence, in this way concealing their embarrassment.
Chen Changsheng did not, as this was his matter. If they were to be ridiculed in the future, he believed that the target of this ridicule would be him and not Tang Thirty-Six.
"What you want, I can''t guaranteethat I have it, but I will do my best to get it for you," he said to Zhexiu.
Zhexiu stared into his eyes and said with a cold expression, "You must have it."
Chen Changsheng answered, "If I have it, I will give it you."
After a prolonged silence, Zhexiu said, "Okay."
He then turned to Tang Thirty-Six, and after another very long pause, said, "Three times?"
Tang Thirty-Six froze, then came to his senses. Forcefully suppressing his ecstasy, he calmly replied, "No problem."
Zhexiu nodded his head once more and then turned around, walking back to the edge of the crowd.
"It seems that this guy only knows how to kill. He has no idea how to negotiate a price."
Tang Thirty-Six sighed as he watched Zhexiu leave.
The price for Gou Hanshi was only three times the price for fighting that examinee from Star Seizer Academy. Zhexiu''s opening price had truly made him rather surprised.
He then recalled a matter and turned to look at Chen Changsheng, creasing his brow as he asked, "Do you know what he wants?"
It was evident that the wolf youth''s dear lack of money was only a part of the reason for which he was willing to help the Orthodox Academy. The most important reason was that he wanted to obtain something from Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng glanced at Luoluo and said, "I can roughly guess at what he wants. I''m just not sure that I can help him."
...
...
The final match of the round of eight was between Luoluo and Zhong Hui, the young scholar from Scholartree Manor.
Zhong Hui was truly worthy of rank nine on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. In the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Zhong Hui displayed incredibly powerful true essence, cultivation, and swordplay, succeedingin lasting for the time it took to burn half a stick of incense1.
After the Li Palace announced the result, Zhong Hui silently left the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Luoluo felt nothing as she watched the desolate figure of the young Scholartree Manor student departing. She quietly stood by the door, waiting for her next opponent.
She did not leave the Hall of Washing Away Dust, as she had requested to fight the first match in the round of four, and the powerful figures on the second floor had to give her a little face.
The door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust closed. After a while, it opened again.
Upon hearing a creak, Luoluo walked over and very carefully helped her opponent inside.
Her opponent this round was Chen Changsheng.
The ground washed by that rain still had a few moist grains of sand, but the stone steps running all along the edge of the round building were still clean and relatively dry.
Luoluo assisted Chen Changsheng down onto the stone steps and passed over some water. After helping him take a sip, she asked, "How long does the medicine need to take effect?"
Chen Changsheng looked at the golden string wrapped around his ring finger and said, "It''s already a bit better. You don''t need to worry. If it''s still no good after a while, I''ll think of a way."
Luoluo said, "Teacher, then you should rest a little more."
Chen Changsheng looked to the second floor and thought to himself, is this appropriate?
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was the site of the matches for the Grand Examination. Once examinees entered, they placed all their minds on fighting, so they had little opportunity to take measure of this building''s appearance.
He certainly had the time to look over it now.
But he still felt a little uneasy.
"Won''t someone say something?" he asked Luoluo.
Luoluo had originally planned to say that she wasn''t afraid of the complaints from others, but when she thought of his cautious personality, her eyes lightly rolled and she said, "Then it''s fine if we chat a little."
Chat about what? Had the great banyan tree in the Orthodox Academy gotten thicker? Was it still possible to see that grocery store at the mouth of Hundred Flowers Lane by standing on the tree''s branches? Had a lot of snow piled up in the Orthodox Academy last winter?
"Teacher, just how did you beat Zhuang Huanyu?" Luoluo asked a question that everyone deeply cared about.
Chen Changsheng thought the question over and then carefully described the battle, leaving out only a few details.
Luoluo was naturally very shocked. Still somewhat fearful, she said, "Fortunately there was that bout of rain"
Chen Changsheng nodded. Now that he thought about it, if that bout of cold rain had not fallen from the heavens, even if he had not been burned to death by star radiance, he would have taken serious injuries from the high temperatures.
Just where had that bout of rain come from?
"The Education Palace resides in His Holiness''s Green Leaf World. Only His Holiness can make it rain here."
Luoluo seemed to be pondering something, remaining quiet for a long time before saying, "Teacher, this matter seems to be getting more and more complicated."
Chen Changsheng said nothing. If that autumn rain really had been sent down by the Pope, what was the explanation?
He and the Orthodox Academy had been carefully nurtured by the conservative faction of the Orthodoxy.
Everyone knew that the conservative faction of the Orthodoxy, those powerful figures still loyal to the Chen Imperial clan, were targeting the Divine Empress and the Pope.
Why did the Pope want to help him? To be more precise, why had he saved him?
The entire continent knew that many questions were hidden behind the rebirth of the Orthodox Academy and the archbishop''s declaration.
As one of those involved, Chen Changsheng was even more aware. It was just that he had never considered this sort of problem in the past.
One reason was that he was not willing to. His goal had always been the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. The actions of the important characters in the capital had nothing to do with him.
Secondly, he could not understand the thoughts of those important characters. They were not people a youth like him could see through.
"At the very least, it looks right now like a benefit to me," he soothed the solemn-faced Luoluo.
Luoluo said, "I think that we might be able to borrow their power."
Chen Changsheng was rather confused. "How do we borrow their power?"
Luoluo''s gaze fell on the wounds on his chest and said, "Later on in the final match, take as many risks as possible."
Chen Changsheng understood what she meant.
If Luoluo was still going with her original intentions, she would have never advised him to do this, but since Chen Changsheng had to take first rank of the first banner, he had to do it.
She and Chen Changsheng both did not know what those important figures were thinking, but they knew that those important figures had already done a few things.
Many important personages wanted Chen Changsheng to fail, but there were also many of them that did not want Chen Changsheng to die.
If the Pope could cause a bout of rain in the Education Palace, he could bring down even more rain.
So Chen Changsheng should take risks, walking towards death to seek life. Only this way could he borrow the power of those important personages, perhaps borrow a few more bouts of rain from the Pope.
''Borrowing power'' was just taking advantage of them.
Luoluo anxiously added, "But you have to pay attention to your safety."
Chen Changsheng rubbed her head and said, "Relax, nothing will happen to me."
Luoluo had a rather dejected expression. "My apologies. I can''t help Teacher today."
She had begged the Pope for an entire night to finally gain the right to participate in the Grand Examination. Rankings were meaningless to her. What she wanted to do was escort Chen Changsheng. For instance, because she had defeated Zhong Hui in the last round, Chen Changsheng was now able to sit and rest on the stone steps instead of relying on his badly wounded body to fight against the supreme teachings of Scholartree Manor.
But in her view, this didn''t count for anything.
Her targets had been Tianhai Shengxue and Gou Hanshi.
Tianhai Shengxue had withdrawn because of her, but Gou Hanshi still remained.
...
...
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was very quiet.
It was very lively outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, as no one was concerned about the final outcome of the match taking place within. Everyone knew what Princess Luoluo would do. The examinees had split into groups of two or three and discussed the earlier match and talked about possible ranks. They also speculated on just how strong Chen Changsheng was and how many of Gou Hanshi''s techniques he would be able to weather.
But as time passed, the Hall of Washing Away Dust remained silent, that door remained closed, and the examinees began to feel somewhat bored. A few people even began to get drowsy.
Guan Feibai looked at the tightly shut door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and said in irritation, "Just how is this reasonable?"
Liang Banhu looked at the forest''s edge, shook his head, and sighed, "Even someone like Tang Tang thinks this is shameless. Her Highnesshow can she think this proper?"
Gou Hanshi said nothing, instead thinking about how the Orthodox Academy would seemingly stop at nothing to have Chen Changsheng get first rank of the first banner. Perhaps that last battle would not be so simple.
At the forest''s edge, Xuanyuan Po squatted on the ground, lost in thought. His former partner in squatting, Luoluo, had now been exchanged for Tang Thirty-Six. Countless gazes were cast in their direction, making them feel pressured and embarrassed to raise their head. They were even too embarrassed to talk, and could only mutter out a few songs.
...
...
"What does this count as?"
Within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, by the window on the second floor, one of the Sacred Hall archbishops looked at the young man and woman on the steps with an incredibly dour expression on his face.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were chatting, teacher and student huddled together and whispering together. This was actually a very beautiful sight, moving in its expression of youth.
The problem was that this was the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the dignified battleground for the matches of the Grand Examination, not the poolside in the Orthodox Academy or beneath the melon trellises of the Hundred Herb Garden.
Xue Xingchuan slightly frowned. "Thisis not appropriate, right?"
Prince Chen Liu wanted to laugh, but for the sake of the other people present, he suppressed his laughter.
Mo Yu expressionlessly watched Chen Changsheng and Princess Luoluo, but a hint of irritation was visible on her brow.
Everyone knew what Princess Luoluo was up to. She wanted to make this match a resting period for Chen Changsheng, so the longer it was, the better. However, right now, the entire continent was anxiously awaiting the final ranking of the Grand Examination. Could it possibly be that the world would have to wait for as long as Luoluo and Chen Changsheng wanted to rest?
The most troublesome problem of all was that the Grand Examination did not have a rule restricting this sort of thing. Who said that the two opponents would have to engage in pitched battle the moment they stepped up? Who said that the opponents could not engage in a few sympathetic words with each other? Luoluo and Chen Changsheng had countless reasons or excuses to drag out the time and make this battle into a chat.
The Sacred Hall archbishop angrily said, "I implore Your Highness to go a little faster. If nobody moves, it will be judged that both participants are inactive and thus eliminated."
A Li Palace priest precisely conveyed the archbishop''s words to the pair chatting on the stone steps.
Luoluo was quite incensed. "Does he not see that we''re accumulating energy? Who dares to eliminate the two of us?"
The Li Palace priest dearly wanted to curl his lip and say, Your Highness, do you think the whole world is blind? Is there such a thing as gathering energy for one hour, gathering energy side by side? But he didn''t dare say anything.
With a soft creak, the window on the second floor was finally pushed open for the first time.
Xue Xingchuan came down to the ground, walked up to Luoluo, and smiled as he whispered a few words to her.
Luoluo was still unwilling to rise and leave.
Chen Changsheng said, "I''ve rested enough. Let''s go out together; don''t make it too difficult for all these good sirs."
Luoluo had always placed his words above all, and she also knew that she could not keep occupying the Hall of Washing Away Dust forever. She helped him stand up and supported him as they walked out of the hall.
As Xue Xingchuan watched the pair go, he shook his head, seeming very helpless.
Just like that, the first match of the Grand Examination''s round of four was concluded.
Just as everyone had expected, Princess Luoluo conceded, at the same time gaining for Chen Changsheng a precious period of rest and recuperation.
Chen Changsheng had entered the final round of the Grand Examination.
He had taken another step towards that goal which had made him the laughingstock of the entire continent.
Yet the process he had taken to make this step had been somewhat ridiculous.
But he did not care.
Luoluo also did not care.
...
...
In the Grand Examination, each round of matches was faster than the last. Because both sides were getting stronger, even the slightest gap between them meant that victory and defeat could be decided in the space of a few techniques. After the second round, each match required a very short amount of time, or else the final moment could not have been reached so quickly.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo''s match had wasted no less than one hour, a time even longer than the last ten matches added together. Of course, everyone was well aware that these had been special circumstances, and only someone with as unique a status as Princess Luoluo''s could have possibly done such a thing.
But just when everyone believed that this match would be the longest match in this year''s Grand Examination, the second match of the round of four, Gou Hanshi versus Zhexiu, brought everyone boundless shock. This battle persisted for a very long time, and based on the situation, it seemed intent on continuing with a high chance of exceeding an hour.
As he heard those terrifying sounds sporadically rise up from the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Tang Thirty-Six grew increasingly solemn, the respect in his eyes growing deeper and deeper.
He turned to Chen Changsheng and sternly said, "Other than your life, you should give anything that that wolf cub wants from you."
169 Fighting Out Ones Own Price
Time incessantly passed and the examinees outside grew increasingly solemn, the shock in their eyes deepening. None of them knew just when this match would be decided. With Tianhai Shengxue''s departure, Gou Hanshi and Zhexiu were undoubtedly the two strongest examinees. Logically speaking, this battle should not have persisted for so long.
This match had taken so much time for a completely different reason than the match between Chen Changsheng and Luoluo. Sounds continued to emerge from the Hall of Washing Away Dust, at times like thunder and at times like mighty waves. Beautiful strands of cloud occasionally appeared in the deep blue sky, the result of this miniature world being disturbed by collisions of true essence. These sounds and sights were all proof of the ferocity with which the battle inside was progressing.
All was quiet outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Everyone was staring at the tightly shut door, listening to the sounds coming from within. The mood was extremely tense, as no one knew the situation inside. When the time finally exceeded an hour, even the three disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect began to look worried.
After Tang Thirty-Six said those words to Chen Changsheng, he never spoke again. He grew graver and graver, his eyes more and more serious, his posture more and more erect. It was like he was expressing his respect towards some person.
When an hour had passed but the battle still continued, Xuanyuan Po turned to Tang Thirty-Six and asked, "Do you know anything? Nothing will go wrong, right?"
After a pause, Tang Thirty-Six said, "That wolf cub is putting his life on the line."
In the last round, Zhexiu had taken the silver banknote and nodded his head in satisfaction, then said that he would fight well. As a result, he had beaten that nominal schoolmate of his from Star Seizer Academy out of the Education Palace. This round, he had said nothing at all, but facts proved that he was putting his life on the line.
There were many methods of fighting. Fighting well was one method, and fighting while putting one''s life on the line was another.
No matter how strong Zhexiu was, there was still the gap of Ethereal Opening between him and Gou Hanshi that was difficult to cross. If he was not fighting with all his strength, how could he possibly last this long?
Chen Changsheng had remained silent this entire time.
He was well aware of why Tang Thirty-Six had suddenly said those words to him.
The fighting will Zhexiu had displayed and the price that he was paying was naturally not something that that light silver banknote could buy. A mercenary beginning to put his life on the line was proof that they really wanted to obtain the item they were being paid with.
"The wolf is the most patient and persevering animal in the world."
Luoluo listened to the sounds occasionally rising from the Hall of Washing Away Dust, and an anguished expression appeared on her small face. "When Zhexiu hunted down and killed his first demon soldier, he was only eleven. That time, he pursued that demon soldier for three months. Only when that demon''s muscles were exhausted, his strength was completely used up, and the demon was unbearably weak did Zhexiu successfully complete his hunt."
Chen Changsheng thought that the patience and endurance of the Wolf tribe was truly dauntless to the extreme.
What he did not think about was how this glory was only the most superficial aspect of the story.
After a momentary silence, Luoluo continued, "But no one knew that the illness in his body suddenly broke out at the time. Coupled with the fact that he had not eaten for ten-some days, only drunk some water thawed from snow, he was truly only one step from death. If not for the fact that the demon soldier had had a mental breakdown and given up, Zhexiu might have been the one that died."
The forest''s edge was utterly silent.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and said with very mixed emotions, "The dictionary of that wolf cub doesn''t contain the words ''surrender'' or ''mercy''. If this weren''t the Hall of Washing Away Dust, where the space is limited and the match has to go a certain way, if he and Gou Hanshi were to engage in a life-or-death battle in the real world, it truly would be difficult to know who would last until the final moment."
Chen Changsheng silently gazed at the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Above the circular building, the clouds in the blue sky were torn into strands. A shrill howl could occasionally be heard, perhaps the roaring of the wind or the howling of a wolf, but each sound shook the heart to the core.
Chen Changsheng''s gaze stopped at the door, but he felt like he could see into the hall, could see the expressionless Zhexiu engaging in silent battle with Gou Hanshi, blood slowly dripping onto the ground from his fingers.
Although he stood in the testing ground of the Grand Examination, he seemed to look into the past, a thin youth silently sneaking through a blizzard, his body extremely frail from weakness, swaying and on the verge of collapse.
But no fear or desire to retreat could be seen on the youth''s immature face. He stared at the sturdy back of the demon soldier in front, waiting for the soldier to collapse before he did. His eyes were brimming with hatred and persistence, because he was precisely a youth of the Wolf tribe.
Just like Tang Thirty-Six had said, if Zhexiu were to engage in a life-or-death battle with Gou Hanshi in the real world, it was truly difficult to predict just who would persevere until the end. However, the Education Palace was a miniature world, not the real world, so the one to persevere until the end was still Gou Hanshi, this Mount Li disciple who had grown up in poverty and was well-versed in the Daoist Canon.
With a somewhat grating creak, the door of the Hall of Washing Away Dust slowly opened and Gou Hanshi walked out. Upon reaching the stone steps, he gave two painful coughs. His complexion was somewhat wan, his steps a little slow. Guan Feibai and Liang Banhu went up to meet him while Qi Jian anxiously searched their traveling bags for medicine.
Zhexiu had also come out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. However, he had not walked out, but been carried. Blood trickled down the edge of the stretcher and dripped onto the floor, the sight rather hair-raising. His pale was devoid of emotion, seeming very calm, and his two eyes were tightly shut, so it was impossible to tell just what he was thinking.
Like a wolf, he had engaged in a silent and persistent melee with Gou Hanshi for more than a hour, inflicting significant injuries on Gou Hanshi, but he had also paid an enormous price. With his current injuries, it was impossible for him to continue fighting, and his life was even in danger. He should have been sent out of the Education Palace to receive treatment, but earlier when the supervising Li Palace priest in the Hall of Washing Away Dust intended to do just that, he was repulsed by the indifference and persistence in the youth''s eyes and had no choice but to carry him out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Zhexiu won the respect and fear of all the examinees present for his feat of forcing Gou Hanshi into this sort of situation, but of respect and fear, it was ultimately fear that was the dominant emotion. The crowd silently stared at the bloody stretcher and Zhexiu atop it, but no one came forward to express their concern or comfort. He had participated as a student of Star Seizer Academy, but he had dealt serious harm to his schoolmate from Star Seizer Academy in the previous round, so now even Star Seizer Academy did not care for him. The Li Palace priests carrying the stretcher looked at the examinees outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, not knowing where to put it.
At this point, Chen Changsheng propped himself on the white poplar tree and stood up with some difficulty.
Luoluo understood his meaning and patted Xuanyuan Po on the back to indicate that he should bring the stretcher back. Xuanyuan Po did not dare to object and went forward, receiving the stretcher alone.
The stretcher was brought to the forest''s edge, Zhexiu quietly lying upon it. His face was pale, his body covered in blood. He did not move or speak, only opened his eyes, but he seemed very calm.
With a rip, Xuanyuan Po began to bandage his wounds. Chen Changsheng fed him medicine. Luoluo looked at him with a very conflicted expression. Tang Thirty-Six sighed, "Why fight so bitterly?"
Zhexiu expressionlessly said to him, "More money."
170 The Rankings of the Literary Test and a Stick Climbing Mountains
The Education Palace within the Green Leaf World did not know day or night, and people inside also found it difficult to sense the passage of time, so they were unaware that in the real world, it was already the next day.
As the time approached noon, the peddlers outside seized the opportunity to hawk their wares with all their might. The area beyond the perimeter of the stone pillars was incredibly lively, and of the various scents of food filling the area, that of osmanthus cakes was the most distinct.
The common people who had come to see the Grand Examination encircled the Li Palace and discussed the news that would occasionally emerge from within. The crowd was unable to see those exciting spectacles on the testing grounds, but the mood was in no way affected by this. The atmosphere was incredibly enthusiastic, and it must be said that this feat was accomplished through the contributions of the storytellers.
In the streets outside the Li Palace, one would find a tea house every ten or so zhang. An ordinary table could usually be found outside these tea houses, and in front of their respective tables, the storytellers, dressed in their long gowns or cotton jackets, with phlegm spluttering from their mouths and hands and feet flailing, constantly described the events taking place in the Education Palace. Either these storytellers or the bosses behind them had some sort of connection to the people in the Li Palace, as events that had taken place only a few moments ago in the testing grounds of the Grand Examination would soon after became the contents of their story, and without much deviation from reality.
In the southwest corner was a relatively secluded tea house. It was rather elegantly decorated, but not even this tea house was able to keep its refinement today. It had especially invited a storyteller into its main hall and had paid a significant sum for the latest news out of the Li Palace. The middle-aged storyteller, with his lean and focused expression, slapped his wooden clapper and said, "It is said that one can faintly see their reflection in the waters of the Qu River. Each examinee displayed their own ability, perhaps walking on water to cross the river or transforming their body into a drifting cloud. Eventually, that youth from the Orthodox Academy was the last one. For a moment, both sides of the river were absolutely quiet, everyone wondering just how this youth would cross the river. Who would have thought that they would hear the cry of a crane on the horizon? The White Crane had returned!"
At this point, the storyteller clapped his wooden clappers again, giving the attentive patrons of the tea house a fright. He then slowly narrated, "At the time, almost a hundred examinees were standing at the banks of the Qu River, just about as dumbstruck as all of you are right now. You were all shocked by this little old man, but those examinees were shocked by the White Crane. Why? Because immediately afterwards, that youth of the Orthodox Academy, without a single world, picked up his front lapel and sat on the back of the crane, soaring into the sky and reaching the other shore. This was truly riding a crane down onto Jiangnan; that''s how wondrous this sight was!"
The tea house burst into a hubbub of discussion.
The storyteller chuckled. "Ladies and gentlemen, there is no need to discuss this. After all, all the examinees participating in the Grand Examination, whether from a sect or school, have all probably seen immortal birds and strange beasts, but why were they so flabbergasted? Because no one had ever thought that this sort of method could be used to cross the river. Yet what stunned them even more was that this white crane was not any ordinary white crane, but the White Crane of the capital''s Divine General of the East''s estate!"
The noise of conversation in the room grew louder. Many people of the capital knew that a white crane had been raised in the Divine General of the East''s estate, but it had not been seen much in the past few years. A few people thought of that engagement that had been the talk of the town and couldn''t help but be curious over why the White Crane was willing to carry that youth of the Orthodox Academy across.
"It seems that my esteemed patrons have not forgotten and should know that that white crane had followed Young Lady Xu to the distant Holy Maiden Peak in the south. Why did it suddenly appear thousands of li away in the capital? Could it be that Young Lady Xu really has recognized that Orthodox Academy youth as her fianc? Then what sort of reaction would those four brilliant disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect have?"
The storyteller lightly coughed and took a sip of warm tea. The guests knew what this meant. Even though one or two patrons fumed that this was a story from yesterday and retelling it today was cheating them of their money, the vast majority of people still obediently put out money.
The storyteller was very satisfied at the copper coins in his plate, cleared his throat, and continued his story of the Grand Examination. The patrons all attentively listened, so no one noticed a middle-aged man wearing a bamboo hat finishing off his tea and walking out of the tea house. This middle-aged man''s hat was pressed down extremely low, making it difficult to see his face. After exiting the tea house, he mixed into the crowd and quickly vanished.
After a while, this middle-aged man appeared outside an inn four li away from the Li Palace. He took two dark red pills from his bosom and swallowed. After a spell of painful coughing, he was finally able to suppress his injuries. As he lay down on his bed to rest, his bamboo hat was pushed off to the side, and two indistinct bulges could be seen in his black hair.
In the afternoon, the business of all the tea houses got even better than before, but the narratives of the storytellers seemed to lose their allure, as the grades for the Grand Examination''s literary test had been announced. The managers or assistants from the various tea houses went to the front of the Li Palace to copy down the rankings and then returned to relay them to their patrons.
The name at the bottom of the literary test rankings was a student from Star Seizer Academy called Zhang Tingtao. The common people had no impressions of this name, so there was naturally little to discuss about it, only a few jeers and some criticisms on how Star Seizer Academy was being run. Xuanyuan Po''s ranking was very poor, Tang Thirty-Six was ranked seventh, Zhuang Huanyu was ranked sixth, and the four scholars from Scholartree Manor had all done stupendously, every one of them ending up in the top ten. Of course, what everyone cared about the most were the two names at the very top. Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had been ranked first and second respectively, and the two names both had a note beside them: ''outstanding''.
The patrons enthusiastically discussed the final rankings for the literary test, clicking their tongues in amazement and pointing at Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng as they sighed in praise. Tourists from the outlying provinces who had come especially to the capital to see the Grand Examination were very confused at this. Even if they were ranked in front, what need was there for such praise?
One of the people of the capital explained that the literary test of the Grand Examination had always just had a ranking, and only the most outstanding of exam papers would be specially marked as ''outstanding''. What was meant here by ''outstanding'' was that all the answers were correct. That Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng were both marked as ''outstanding'' on the ranking meant that their answers had been perfect. It must be known that this was a very rare sight. It had been quite a few years since such a situation had occurred.
The tourists understood this reasoning, but they were confused by yet another question. Since both examinees had such outstanding grades in the literary test, all their answers should have been correct, so why did they occupy different rankings? Why was Gou Hanshi ranked first and Chen Changsheng second?
No one was forthcoming with an explanation. Those experienced residents of the capital were also very curious about this question. The Li Palace priests responsible for reviewing the exams were similarly confused.
The chief proctor of the literary test looked at the icy priest who had clearly come to make trouble and thought, even if the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education is unhappy that Chen Changsheng didn''t get first place, is there any need to be so obvious about it?
But since the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had been abnormally strong in the past year under Archbishop Mei Lisha''s control, even if the chief proctor outranked this priest, he was still forced to give an explanation out of prudence.
"It''s a problem with standard wording."
He looked at the priests from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education in charge of reviewing the literary test''s grades and solemnly explained, "They were the same in every other aspect, but Gou Hanshi''s wording was very standard and rigorous, especially when it came to the specialized vocabulary in the scriptures. He even avoided using any proscribed words. Although there was nothing wrong with Chen Changsheng''s answers, the words he used were excessively archaic. Using the standard put in place after the great recompiling, he naturally should have lost points."
The literary test grades had already been sent out of the Li Palace and announced to the world, so there was naturally no way of changing them. Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had both been assessed as outstanding and become the praise of all the people. Soon after, when the participants in the final match were confirmed, the people were even more astonished, engaging in endless discussions. This was because the people in that match were still Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng, which meant that this year''s first rank of the first banner would be one of these two.
One was the world-renowned Second Law of the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, the young sage of the Mount Li Sword Sect, the erudite Gou Hanshi. The other was the first new student in the Orthodox Academy after many years, the object of the Orthodoxy conservative faction''s nurturing, Xu Yourong''s fianc, Chen Changsheng. Both were equal in terms of reputation, and that they had been able to reach this point was proof of their knowledge and strength, but still, few viewed Chen Changsheng with any sort of optimism.
The Four Great Markets released the newest payouts. Gou Hanshi''s odds were one to one-third while Chen Changsheng''s were one to seven. The discrepancy was so massive that it was easy to see that everyone felt Gou Hanshi''s victory was a certainty.
As he listened to the ruckus down below, Tianhai Shengxue revealed a pensive look on his face. Although he had earlier placed a large bet on Chen Changsheng, he truly had not expected for that youth from the Orthodox Academy to get this far. Still, even he could not believe that Chen Changsheng could continue winning.
The reason that no one, not even Tianhai Shengxue, could view Chen Changsheng with any sort of optimism was that threshold that spanned between Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng.
This threshold was too high.
This threshold was related to life and death, was higher than life and death.
Within the Hall of Shining Words, Archbishop Mei Lisha slowly opened his eyes. He quietly gazed at the rankings of the literary test on the mirror of light for a very long time, and then smiled. With Priest Xin''s support, he slowly and arduously straightened his body and made his way towards the Hall of Pure Virtue. He had originally intended to borrow the Grand Examination to have Chen Changsheng mature as quickly as possible, but had not expected that Chen Changsheng would truly have a chance of plucking that plump and succulent fruit. He needn''t care if hope did not exist, but since hope did exist, he naturally could not allow anyone to destroy it, not a single person.
Deep within the Li Palace, the Divine Crown rested on a table, bearing the light falling from the sky, suffused with a dazzling radiance. The Divine Staff on the platform was reflected against the pool of water, making it appear to be in the middle of a deep sea. Compared to these two divine artifacts, the Green Leaf in the pot seemed rather shabby. Yet the Pope was not looking at the Divine Crown or the Divine Staff, but quietly gazing at the Green Leaf, silent and seemingly in a daze.
He held his hands behind him, appearing like an elderly gardener.
In the nearby pool of clear water, the wooden ladle lightly bobbed up and down like a boat. At any moment, it could be filled with water, and the water could be sprinkled over the Green Leaf, could bring down a bout of rain.
In a place most distant from the capital was an overgrown mountain ridge. Thick forests grew all along this ridge while white mist curled around it. The path was slippery and difficult to traverse, and it was also abnormally quiet. If not for the occasional tap tap coming from the mountain path, the place might seem even more sinister and terrifying.
This tap tap came from a wooden stick striking the moist rocks of the mountain path.
Leaning on his stick, Yu Ren slowly and arduously made his way up the path. His and Chen Changsheng''s master, the enigmatic Daoist Ji, was walking in front, hands held behind his back, seemingly unconcerned as to whether Yu Ren could keep up or not.
The tapping continued for a very long time, and the mist pervading the quiet forests thickened. Many subtle sounds could be heard within as if many creatures had been attracted by the sounds made by the stick.
171 All The Powers Wait For This Battle
Upon reaching the mist, Daoist Ji stopped. One of Yu Ren''s legs was somewhat lame, but if he was not climbing a mountain path, he rarely used a walking stick. He somewhat awkwardly propped the stick beneath his left armpit and signed a question with his hands, "Isn''t the Grand Examination just about over? I wonder how Junior Brother is doing right now?"
Daoist Ji had an elegant and detached expression. His appearance was the same as it had been all those years ago, free of any sign of old age. Upon seeing the faint concern on Yu Ren''s face, he smiled and rubbed him on the head, but said nothing.
Yu Ren gestured, "Master, when will we go to the capital?"
Daoist Ji replied, "When you need to return to the capital, we will naturally go."
Yu Ren did not notice that Daoist Ji had used the word ''return''.
This place was the most remote and wild mountain range in the Eastern Continent. Monsters ran amok and it was devoid of human civilization. This place was even more desolate than the massive mountain behind Xining Village, and the mist was so thick and heavy that it was impossible to know what lay within, giving off the feeling that one had departed the human world. Just how could the people Mo Yu had sent possibly find this master and disciple?
The frequency at which those fragments of sound rose up from the fog increased, and strange movements could faintly be seen. Soon after, ten-some mighty Qis appeared, most likely belonging to some extremely powerful monsters.
Daoist Ji was not willing to meet these ugly and disgusting creatures. Slightly frowning, he said, "Open a path."
Yu Ren obediently stepped forward and called out to the thick mist at the end of the path.
Half of his tongue was missing, so he could not speak like normal people, but this did not mean that he could not make noises. A shrill howl burst from his lips.
It seemed like a howl, but it was actually a word, a monosyllable containing a boundless amount of information. It was also precisely the sort of word that Chen Changsheng used to communicate with the Black Dragon in the underground cavern: Dragon language.
Yu Ren''s clear howl flew through the air and vanished into the mist, not causing any ripples or turmoil. Yet immediately after, the crushing pressure containing within the howl spread through the mist to every corner of the mountain range. Those monsters hidden deep within the mists let out roars of fear and unease, expressions of their servitude and pleas for forgiveness. With grinding noises, they vanished as swiftly as they could, and the mists returned to serenity.
In a place even farther from a capital was a white desert. At the very center of this desert was a city made of stone. The city walls covered a radius of several dozen li and were a magnificent sight.
Millions of people kneeled in the desert outside the stone city, their knees and foreheads giving off a faint burning scent after touching the white sand that had been scorched by the heat of nine suns for too long. However, no pain could be seen on their faces, only absolute peace. They also gave out no sounds, leaving only absolute silence. It was like a serene and terrifying sea, a sea of people.
In the very front of the sea of people was a high platform made of wood, and there were even countless green leaves growing along the edge of the wooden platform, posing a stark contrast to the blazing and monotonous scenery of the desert.
In the very center of the wooden platform stood the word '''' (righteousness), a symbol thick with the scent of religion. As the millions of worshippers silently prayed, the '''' symbol emanated a faint Sacred Light.
A middle-aged man stood in front of this religious symbol, quietly watching the millions of people kneeling in front of him. From his clothes, one could see that he was probably of monk of this religion. The middle-aged man had faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, yet they did not harm his perfect appearance. Most enchanting of all were his eyes. Those tranquil and clear eyes of his contained boundless compassion and love and seemed able to see incomparably distant places, able to see everything.
He raised the staff in his hand, facing this dangerous world with a smile.
The millions of people stood up from the white desert and shouted as one, "None care not for their homeland!"
...
...
It was early spring in the capital, so it was still very cold. In early spring, Xuelao City was cloaked in an even harsher cold, the shrieking and wailing of blizzards howling through the streets of the city like sandstorms, making it impossible for one to open one''s eyes.
Demons loved the darkness, loved tranquility, loved blood, and loved killing, the latter a part of their innermost being. As a result, in the homes of the demon artists and the secret dwellings of the princely clans, one could always find garishly colored paintings or strange and twisting lines. Yet the shade that dominated all of Xuelao City was gray, a color that made one feel at peace, almost numb. The people who walked within this city also liked to wear black robes, so it was difficult to distinguish one from another at a distance.
A demon dressed in a black robe walked through the snowstorm. The black robe they wore was very normal and somewhat old, its lower edge already fraying, but at least this was a black robe different from the rest.
The black robe flickered in and out of the wild blizzard. Even if one stared at it, it was very difficult to keep track of it. Finally, the figure walked out of Xuelao City and stood on a glacier to the south of the city.
A gust of cold wind lifted a corner of the hood, revealing the profile of the demon. This was a face so pale that it seemed as if it had not seen sunlight for many years, as if the owner had just been struck with a serious illness, as if it was devoid of any warmth, or even life, carrying a heart-pounding aura of death.
The demon looked south, in the direction of the human capital. After a long period of silence, the corner of this demon''s lips drew back and cold voice with a barely contained delight spoke, "At last, you can no longer continue to ignore his existence."
After Luoluo had moved into the Li Palace, the Hundred Herb Garden had become deserted. The youths of the Orthodox Academy had all gone to participate in the Grand Examination, so there was also nobody there to see the new door built between them being pushed upon.
The Black Goat walked out from the door and to the lake. There was still some snow on the lake and the grass was yellow. It was somewhat doubtful, thinking that the grass the youth had fed it half a year ago had not had this sort of flavor.
The Divine Empress had also come to the Orthodox Academy.
This was the first time in ten-some years that she had come to the Orthodox Academy.
Earlier in the Hundred Herb Garden, she had recalled the massacre Emperor Taizong had inflicted on the Imperial clan. Now as she stood in the Orthodox Academy, she recalled the massacre she had inflicted on the Orthodoxy''s conservative faction.
After Emperor Taizong returned to the heavens, she had killed many people, as many people had opposed her. From the moment she began to handle memorials in the place of the emperor, those people began to oppose her, all the way until ten-some years ago when the emperor was suffering in agony on his deathbed. Those people still did not care and only thought about opposing her.
Those who dared to oppose her were ultimately all killed by her. She had killed for several centuries, all the way until she had killed so many people ten-some years ago in the Orthodox Academy that finally no one dared to oppose her.
She knew that her hands were drenched in blood, but she did not care. It was just that after seeing the Orthodox Academy no longer ruined after so many years, she very naturally thought back to those days of constant killing.
This sort of reminiscence would not make her feel unhappy, but it would not bring her much joy either.
This was especially because she had admired many of those people that she had killed. Those people had been brave, honest, competent, remarkable, outstanding, persistent, noble. She had given those people many chances, yet those people had never given her a chance, even forcing her to kill them.
Those people had wanted to prove to the world that she was a cruel ruler.
The Divine Empress gazed in the direction of the Li Palace, thinking about what had happened earlier. She felt somewhat cold, a cold in her heart.
A bout of cold brought by a bout of autumn rain.
The Pope had unexpectedly acted.
She had once believed that Chen Changsheng''s journey would come to a close, but now she understood that this was not the case. Thus, she wanted to ask those people, just where do you all want to go? Do you want to force me into killing again?
...
...
Important personages had the considerations of important personages, and minor characters had no need to consider those considerations. Chen Changsheng did not care about how many people were paying attention to the Grand Examination, paying attention to him. Just like he had once said to Luoluo, he only cared about whether he could get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, whether he could enter the Lingyan Pavilion.
Before this matter, even an invasion of demons would be a trifling concern, let alone anything else. Thus, he went through great pains to prepare for this final battle, silently and attentively listening to the tactics Tang Thirty-Six had prepared for him.
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him with an unprecedented level of seriousness and said, "First try to move him with emotion, then try to convince him with reason, and only as a last resort should you try to suppress him with power, only in the end should you fight. Three phrases, three methods, and the order is very important. I hope that they can be of use. Of course, if that poor scholar remains implacable, I still advise you to consider which method of conceding is more glorious."
On the side, Luoluo whispered, "Teacher, try bribing him."
Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "This is Gou Hanshi we''re talking about, a scholar who considers himself a virtuous noble. How could he be bribed? He''s not some impoverished fellow who''s never seen money in his life like Zhexiu."
Zhexiu was on the stretcher next to the white poplar tree. His bleeding had been gradually staunched and his energy had recovered a little, but when he heard Tang Thirty-Six''s words, he remained expressionless and silent.
Luoluo scooted close to Chen Changsheng''s ear and whispered a few words. Chen Changsheng was somewhat shocked and didn''t want to accept, yet he was unable to stop her from pushing the item onto him.
Tang Thirty-Six saw the item that Luoluo had stuffed into his bosom, and the corners of his lips twitched. He then searched himself and realized that he could not find a similar level of object. After thinking it over, he took down the Wenshui Sword from his belt and handed it over.
"I have my own sword; what do I need yours for?" Chen Changsheng asked, puzzled.
Tang Thirty-Six looked into his eyes and said, "This is the clan sword of my Tang clan, just like the relic sword from the Discipline Hall being used by Qi Jian. Although it''s not fit to enter the Tier of Legendary Weapons, that doesn''t mean that it''s weak. Just carry it on you and it can block an attack for you at a crucial moment. Even if you can''t use it, it''s not very heavy, so will holding it tire you?"
Chen Changsheng understood his meaning and it was hard to refuse this intention, so after some thinking, he accepted it.
"That''s reasonable." Luoluo had been reminded by Tang Thirty-Six and unhesitantly took the Falling Rain Whip from her waist and placed it in Chen Changsheng''s hands.
Xuanyuan Po used his wide and thick hands to search over his entire body, but he couldn''t find anything good, not even a talisman to wish him luck, so he couldn''t help but feel somewhat dejected.
Chen Changsheng patted his upper arm and smiled. "You make dinner tonight."
Xuanyuan Po gave a hearty laugh and said, "If you win, I''ll specially add two spoons of salt."
Chen Changsheng considered this proposition. If he really did get first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, eating a little salt and oil for one meal and drinking two or three saucers of wine seemed quite harmless.
He prepared to leave the forest''s edge when he suddenly remembered something. He turned his head back to the stretcher and said to Zhexiu, "Regardless of whether I win or lose, I will do my utmost to give that item to you."
Zhexiu expressionlessly said, "You must win."
...
...
Chen Changsheng walked into the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Gou Hanshi was already there, quietly standing. The clothes he was wearing were losing color from the number of times they had been washed, and it was difficult to tell whether his sword was rare or not, just like the person himself.
172 The Three Strikes of the Fishermans Song
Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng bowed to each other.
The battle that was about to begin was the final battle, the battle to decide the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. Compared to the previous matches, the atmosphere was naturally somewhat different.
The window on the second floor was open, the important personages viewing the proceedings by it. The Li Palace priests responsible for the tests had also come to the railing. They had not come to spectate, but to display their respect towards those two examinees participating in this match.
Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi bowed to the people on the second floor.
At this point, a light creak was heard in the building, and then the Li Palace priests began to bow and back away. The faces of those important personages subtly shifted as they greeted the figure.
The leader of the Orthodoxy''s conservative faction, Archbishop Mei Lisha of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, had personally come.
Owing to his age and experience, and especially because of his conflict with the Pope for the greater part of the year, the archbishop''s status within the Orthodoxy had soared. Prince Chen Liu and Xue Xingchuan first bowed and wished him well, Xu Shiji bowed, and even those two Sacred Hall archbishops, who belonged to the opposing faction, half-rose from their chairs out of respect.
The archbishop nodded to Mo Yu.
Mo Yu knew why this elder had personally come and her complexion chilled, but she remained silent.
...
...
The second floor was rather active as the important personages gave their greetings, after which the seats were rearranged, and then tea brewed and fruits fetched. For a moment, Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng, the two main characters of this match, felt a little forgotten.
Since they would not fight for a few moments, the two also began to talk.
Gou Hanshi commented, "You''ve surprised many people."
Chen Changsheng replied, "My luck in drawing lots was quite good."
These were sincere words, not modest remarks, and certainly not modest remarks being used to conceal smugness.
Gou Hanshi calmly looked at him and said, "With your ability, you''ve spent this last half of the year in the capital far too quietly. You should not have been so silent. You had the right to live more freely."
Chen Changsheng said, "I didn''t expect for you to give me advice."
Gou Hanshi smiled. "We''re both people that like to read, and I truly don''t like going out as well. But these were the words that Senior Brother gave to me as advice, and I found them reasonable, so I''m passing them on to you."
His senior brother was naturally Qiushan Jun.
Chen Changsheng considered these words, but did not reply to them, instead responding to the advice Gou Hanshi had given. "It''s a necessity that I live cautiously, so I''ve made a habit of living cautiously."
Gou Hanshi disapproved. "''Strict'' and ''cautious'' are two different things."
Chen Changsheng shook his head, very firmly stating, "I''m just being cautious."
After a momentary pause, Gou Hanshi asked in confusion, "Why?"
"This is a matter that no one understands and also something that I am incapable of explaining," Chen Changsheng replied.
Gou Hanshi noted, "Living cautiously undoubtedly does not include taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination."
Chen Changsheng glanced at the second floor and said, "You were also there on that day; you know that I did not say those words."
Gou Hanshi stared into his eyes. "You didn''t say it, so does that mean that it''s not what you intend to do?"
Chen Changsheng''s silence signified that he admitted to this point.
Gou Hanshi continued, "So I feel that you''re quite the contradiction."
Chen Changsheng replied, "I said before that this is a matter that no one understands and also something that I am incapable of explaining, but this isn''t a contradiction, as no one likes to live a cautious life."
At this point, the questioning voice of a Li Palace priest came from the second floor.
It was still those words that had been repeated countless times today.
"Have the two of youfinished your preparations?"
...
...
Before the battle''s start, Chen Changsheng said a word of apology to Gou Hanshi.
"I have to take first rank of the first banner. For this goal, I am willing to do anything. Zhexiuwas given money from the Orthodox Academy. I made a deal with him. He promised me that he would do all he could to defeat you, or at the very least exhaust you. If he were to encounter me, on the other hand, he would directly forfeit."
Gou Hanshi was somewhat shocked. After a period of silence, he said, "No wonder he fought like his life was on the line."
After saying this, he coughed, his brow creasing in pain. He then asked Chen Changsheng, "You''re not a person that cares about vapid titles, so why do you regard the Grand Examination with such importance?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "I said before that there are many things that can''t be explained."
Gou Hanshi had nothing more to ask.
Chen Changsheng, however, had not finished all he had to say. He glanced at the sword on Gou Hanshi''s waist and somewhat hesitantly asked, "What can a sword manual be exchanged for?"
The sword manual of the Mount Li Sword Style could be exchanged for many things, especially for the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect. Let alone something like the first rank of the first banner, they were willing to give up far more important things to exchange for this sword manual.
Gou Hanshi knew that the sword manual of the Mount Li Sword Style had been stored in White Emperor City once and was now in the Orthodox Academy, but he had never expected Chen Changsheng to suddenly make this sort of proposal. He silently contemplated the idea for a long time before finally shaking his head. "I am a disciple of Mount Li, so I cannot accept it. Since it is the sword style of my Mount Li, there will come a day in the future when we disciples will rely on our own strength to bring it back to Mount Li, so this exchange is not needed."
Chen Changsheng was not disappointed to hear Luoluo''s proposal rejected. On the contrary, it somewhat eased his mind.
"Just come then."
Chen Changsheng''s right hand raised the Falling Rain Whip. True essence circulated, causing the head of the whip to stir and winds to gently blow.
This was the last and most important match of this year''s Grand Examination.
It began very calmly and very suddenly.
Gou Hanshi unsheathed his sword and casually shook his arm. The sword began gently trembling in the air, letting out a drone.
He began walking towards Chen Changsheng, his steps slow and steady, yet also seemingly unavoidable.
Gou Hanshi struck, his sword intent serene and harmonious. There was no whistle of a sword within the Hall of Washing Away Dust, yet in the distant blue sky outside the hall, an extremely clear sound akin to someone belting out a song could be heard.
The songs of the fisherman called out to each other, and by the time their voices entered one''s ear, the song had already arrived.
This attack came too quickly and too serenely. The sword was seemingly joyful to meet with the opponent. Against this apparently normal attack, Chen Changsheng had a feeling that he could not avoid it. Whether it was the Yeshi Step or just speed, they did not have the time to show their effectiveness.
He poured true essence into the Falling Rain Whip and used the whip as a sword to block the strike.
With a crisp crash, the Falling Rain Whip fiercely trembled.
A golden luster appeared on the Falling Rain Whip, a majestic strength that blocked Gou Hanshi''s sword intent, yet it was unable to block the sword intent from transferring the energy through the whip and into Chen Changsheng''s wrist.
His wrist trembled, and then his forearm, a vivid pain traveling upwards until it reached his shoulder. He found it impossible to keep his grasp on the whip and with a whoosh, the Falling Rain Whip dropped from his hand.
Gou Hanshi''s second strike followed right behind. As this second attack appeared, another song erupted in the sky above the Hall of Washing Away Dust and evening clouds suddenly filled the sky.
The Falling Rain Whip had flown away, but Chen Changsheng still had the Wenshui Sword. He gripped the hilt and drew. With a zeng, the Wenshui Sword left its sheath, its bright blade reflecting the evening clouds in the sky. At the same time, it produced even more evening clouds, painting all the windows and doors of the Hall of Washing Away Dust with a warm red hue.
It was Gathering Evening Clouds of the Three Forms of Wenshui.
The two streams of clouds met in the Hall of Washing Away Dust and the black roof was transformed into gold.
An extremely pure Qi traveled along the sword intent of the evening clouds and shattered Chen Changsheng''s defense, striking him in the chest. If not for the fact that the Wenshui Sword had let out a whistle at the last second and used the powerful Qi native to the sword itself to block the majority of this blow''s power, Chen Changsheng would assuredly have been deeply wounded.
The Wenshui Sword had saved him, but it had also been sent flying into the sky by Gou Hanshi. It spiraled through the air as it flew out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and fell somewhere beyond.
Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng retreated backwards, wanting to use the Yeshi Step. At the same time, his right hand gripped the hilt of his dagger and his left hand gripped a small item that was falling from his sleeve.
Just as expected, Gou Hanshi''s third strike had come.
Three consecutive strikes without any pause between them did not leave Chen Changsheng even a moment to catch his breath. Singing came from the horizon and evening clouds emerged in the sky, and then a fishing boat sailed out of the clouds.
The Three Songs of the Fisherman meant that there were three strikes.
This was the sword style used by Gou Hanshi, and it was also his strongest sword style.
His first strike had shaken the Falling Rain Whip from Chen Changsheng''s hands, the second had sent the Wenshui Sword flying, and now the third strike was coming with all the brilliance of the setting sun. How could Chen Changsheng deal with it?
The three strikes had been connected so easily and perfectly that he didn''t even have time to use the Yeshi Step.
There was a light pop in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng''s figure had ceased to be in front of Gou Hanshi''s sword.
Chen Changsheng appeared by the wall twenty-some zhang behind where he formerly stood, his entire body pale from the seemingly pleasant and peaceful, but actually extremely hair-raising three strikes of the Fisherman''s song. His body was even slightly trembling.
White smoke was slowly seeping out from the tightly clenched fingers of his left hand.
Gou Hanshi drew back his sword and straightened himself. He looked at him and asked in surprise, "A Thousand Li Button?"
Indeed, the method Chen Changsheng had used to avoid the last strike of the Fisherman''s song was the Thousand Li Button. Only the Thousand Li Button could have helped him avoid Gou Hanshi''s accumulated power, his determined three strikes.
When Chen Changsheng, Luoluo and all the others gathered at the forest''s edge were considering how to fight this match, how could Gou Hanshi not be contemplating his own strategies?
A deathly stillness pervaded the Hall of Washing Away Dust, broken after a while by a few gasps of surprise from the second floor that could no longer be restrained.
In order to avoid this attack, Chen Changsheng had actually been willing use the incomparably precious Thousand Li Button, an item that a cultivator would treasure as much as their life. This shocked everyone, and at the same once more confirmed just how much Princess Luoluo cherished and respected her young teacher. However, what shocked the people within the hall even more were those three strikes of Gou Hanshi''s.
Those three strikes seemed ordinary. They were not accompanied by wind or rain, and the evening clouds were serene, yet they were truly worthy of being Gou Hanshi''s three strongest moves, as they actually made others not want to resist.
If Chen Changsheng had not had the Falling Rain Whip, the Wenshui Sword, and the Thousand Li Button, he would undoubtedly have lost.
Gou Hanshi was truly very strong.
The crowd was rather astonished. Even when fighting Zhexiu last round, Gou Hanshi had not used a secret technique like this the moment he had stepped onto stage, so why was he so unsparing against Chen Changsheng?
Chen Changsheng looked at the Falling Rain Whip on the ground, thought about the Wenshui Sword now fallen somewhere outside the hall, thought of that Thousand Li Button that was already smoke, and he found that he had nothing to say. He knew that he was still very far from Gou Hanshi, much further than Zhexiu had been.
If Gou Hanshi had a fourth strike, how would he block it?
173 The Snowy Plains Ablaze Once More
The Three Songs of the Fisherman did not have a fourth move.
Mo Yu stood silently by the window. Many Li Palace priests only saw the grace and power of Gou Hanshi''s Three Songs of the Fisherman, but they did not see what she did. It was precisely because Gou Hanshi had exhausted himself too greatly in the match against Zhexiu that he had used his strongest three strikes as soon as the final match had begun. What he had sought was a speedy victory.
Of course, although Chen Changsheng had managed to dodge Gou Hanshi''s Three Songs of the Fisherman through some incredible fluke, Mo Yu still did not believe that this youth had any chance of winning. The discrepancy in cultivation was not something that magical artifacts could completely make up for, much less cheap things like courage and their ilk. Since that threshold was there, it was impossible to step across it.
This threshold was called Ethereal Opening.
Gou Hanshi was already at Ethereal Opening while Chen Changsheng was still incredibly far away from it, so the conclusion of this match was foreordained, regardless of how injured or tired Gou Hanshi was.
What was Ethereal Opening? Ethereal Opening was connecting one''s Ethereal Palace to the world. As long as one could cultivate up to this realm, the meridians in one''s body would be completely connected and true essence would flow endlessly. Moreover, at that time, the world and the cultivator would share an empathetic connection. Every movement of the cultivator would generate a response from the world, and their cultivator would be purer and stronger. If one described the true essence of a Meditation cultivator as a stone, then the true essence of an Ethereal Opening cultivator was like an iron bar, many times stronger.
The further along one proceeded on the path of cultivation, the harder it was to break through, and the bottleneck of Ethereal Opening was particularly special, with the greatest frequency of deaths. As a result, young cultivators would often fearfully and yearningly refer to this threshold as the pass of life or death. The reason that people so frequently died at Ethereal Opening was because the Ethereal Palacewas the heart.
The heart was far too frail. The moment it was injured, it became very difficult to save. Consequently, Ethereal Opening had to be attempted very slowly. Upon cultivating to the upper level of Meditation, the cultivator would use an extremely fine method of Introspection to control their spiritual sense and have the starlight they drew into their bodies lightly knock on the gate of their Ethereal Palace until finally, when one''s heart had developed an intrinsic connection with the world, the gate of the Ethereal Palace would slowly open. Thus, there was a saying that Ethereal Opening was cultivating according to one''s heart. It was exceedingly difficult, at the very least requiring one hundred nights of star radiance knocking at the gate. The smallest lack of caution might lead to the cultivator damaging their Ethereal Palace. A light consequence was severe injuries and paralysis, but the most common consequence was immediate death.
Ever since the Heavenly Tomes fell to the earth and humanity began to cultivate, countless cultivators had fallen at this threshold, countless talented and smart young geniuses had tragically fallen. This led to a saying in the continent. Only geniuses that had passed through Ethereal Opening were true geniuses.
Before the age of twenty, Gou Hanshi had succeeded at Ethereal Opening. Of course he was a genius, but he was also a marvel.
How could Chen Changsheng possibly be his opponent?
...
...
The Three Songs of the Fisherman seemed natural and tranquil, but in reality, it was incredibly taxing in terms of true essence. Even with Gou Hanshi''s ability, he had to slow down for a few moments, and he had also developed some doubts over a few things.
Chen Changsheng using the Falling Rain Whip and the Wenshui Sword to receive his first two strikes had primarily relied on the innate power of these two divine weapons, but when Gou Hanshi clashed with them, he had clearly sensed that there was a problem with Chen Changsheng''s true essence. It did not match, or at least it should not have matched, with the power he had showed. It should have been more mediocre.
"Your meridians" He looked at Chen Changsheng and slightly raised his brows, but ultimately said nothing more.
Chen Changsheng leaned against the wall, gripping his dagger and warily staring at him, his expression abnormally solemn and focused. Only upon confirming that there was no fourth move did he relax a little. With the fastest of speeds, he flipped his palm over and snapped his fingers.
The finger he snapped was the ring finger. With a zing, the golden string wound around the finger straightened into a needle, its point incredibly sharp and gleaming with a cold light.
He stabbed this needle like a lightning bolt into his neck, so deeply that only the end could be seen.
With this movement, the needle entered and began to constantly tremble, assisting him in stabilizing his spiritual sense as quickly as possible. At the same time, it also stimulated the three fractured meridians in the upper half of his body to twist and begin to invisibly rub against each other. It naturally could not cause the meridians to connect, but it did give the true essence a wider path to flow through.
The bodies of Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po were different from his, but through the lessons and treatments he had given them, Chen Changsheng had developed an even deeper understanding of meridians. Although he could not cure his own illness, he could remedy the problems somewhat.
Gou Hanshi did not know what he was doing, and believed this to be some method through which Chen Changsheng was stimulating his potential. To an orthodox sect like the Mount Li Sword Sect, this sort of method undoubtedly belonged to the evil path, so he couldn''t help but crease his brow.
Chen Changsheng did not know what Gou Hanshi thought, nor did he have the mind to care. He used his dagger to cut a strip of cloth from his upper clothes and used it to tie his right hand to the sheath, tightening the knot with his teeth.
Gou Hanshi''s brow creased again and he increased his grip on his sword, as he felt that something was not right.
Just as his fingers tightened, Chen Changsheng acted, moving from the Jiao constellation to the Niu constellation, moving from the east to the northeast. In a flash, his figure vanished, and when he next appeared, he was already in front of Gou Hanshi.
The dagger howled as it swung down, but it encountered Gou Hanshi''s sword.
Gou Hanshi did not know the numerous and indescribable positions of the Yeshi Step, but he did know of the Yeshi Step, or else he would not have been able to expose Luoluo''s movement technique during the Ivy Festival. He could not judge his enemy''s plan so as to seize the decisive moment, but he could make preparations to meet Chen Changsheng''s sword. He had covered every position around him.
The swords met, but they did not really meet. They were separated by an extremely tiny distance, the true essence on the swords clashing, whirlpools of Qi emerging and then dying away as the swords were forcefully separated.
With a clang, Chen Changsheng floated backwards.
He had originally planned to use the same method he had used to defeat Zhuang Huanyu, precisely the method that Gou Hanshi had instructed Liang Banhu to use to defeat Tang Thirty-Six, exchanging strike for strike, wound for wound, relying on the tenacity of his body to seek out a chance of victory. He had not expected that before their swords had even truly clashed, he would be forced into retreat by Gou Hanshi''s understated strike.
Most terrifying of all was that though the swords had separated, he could clearly sense an extremely thin strand of true essence traveling along his dagger, crossing into his meridians, and striking right at his Ethereal Palace!
With a muffled groan, Chen Changsheng''s mind was injured by sword intent. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth and when his feet landed on the ground, he found it impossible to stand steady. He retreated and retreated again, finally able to barely stand steady upon reaching the wall.
The edge of a sword flew through the air and he brought up his dagger to block, taking a defensive posture. His face was slightly pale while blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. He seemed in a rather dismal state, but his mental state was even worse off.
Gou Hanshi was truly very strong, far stronger than Zhuang Huanyu. He wanted to exchange wound with wound, but he was not even able to do that.
A shrill noise shrieked through the Hall of Washing Away Dust as Gou Hanshi''s sword arrived once more. This time, he used the Thirteen Swords of the Falling Star. His sword was like a star, its trajectory seemingly constant yet incredibly hard to grasp.
Papapapapa! Ten-some light collisions rang out in succession.
Chen Changsheng found it impossible to defend the ground at his feet and was forced to move left. He continued to retreat with messy footsteps, stirring up wet grains of sand, until he eventually stopped ten-some zhang away. When he was finally able to stand straight, he could no longer suppress the nausea in his chest. With a squelch, a spurt of blood issued from his mouth.
Holding his sword, Gou Hanshi quietly stood, looking at Chen Changsheng. There was no scorn or contempt in his eyes, but actually a faint sense of praise and admiration.
Both the Three Songs of the Fisherman and the Thirteen Swords of the Falling Star were his strongest and most familiar techniques. Through ten-some years of bitter cultivation, he had been able to link these techniques together into an unbroken chain, striking as fast as a lightning bolt, each move smoothly leading to the next. Any other opponent would have definitely been thrown into confusion by this chain of attacks, the signs of defeat apparent.
Chen Changsheng had not been able to block these attacks, had been forced to retreat in a very pathetic fashion, and had his true essence shaken, causing him to continuously vomit blood, but he was still able to stand steadily, his mind still as calm as usual.
This was because he knew how to respond to these attacks.
Chen Changsheng''s cultivation in the path of the sword had been limited by time, making it impossible for him to cultivate to the peak. Though he knew the reasoning, he could not fully use it, but he had extensive knowledge of the path of the sword, especially when it came to the sword style of the Mount Li Sword Sect. Other people might not know how to break Gou Hanshi''s sword techniques, but he could find the most appropriate technique to respond. If not for the fact that the cultivation gap between them was so great, he might have been able to receive these techniques rather easily.
Regretfully, that uncrossable gap between cultivation levels was still there.
Chen Changsheng said nothing as he looked back at Gou Hanshi, his right hand slightly shaking. He had keenly felt that power of the Ethereal Opening Realm, felt that strand of true essence still attacking his meridians. He was extremely sure that if he had not tied his hilt to his hand, his dagger might have already been sent flying.
This sort of discrepancy in cultivation most clearly exhibited itself in the density and power of true essence. He was well aware that there was no way to close this gap in such a short amount of time, so he could only think of another way, could only attempt to close this gap through quantity.
I have nothing but silver while you have gold. Silver is cheap while gold is precious, so if I want to overwhelm you in terms of property, I can only hope that I have many times more silver than you have gold. Yes, it''s just this simple.
Since his mind was set, Chen Changsheng immediately began Meditative Introspection. His spiritual sense entered his body, instantly crossing vast distances to reach that pure white plain of snow. Like a cool breeze, his spiritual sense fell on the southeastern corner of the snowy plain.
At that moment, he felt like he heard a sound. This sound was a pile of dry leaves accumulated over several years being set ablaze, a person pouring a pot of oil over a bonfire, a meeting between the strongest wine and the most beautiful girl.
A whoosh, a crackle, a burst of cheers.
The cool breeze descended like a spark, instantly setting the southeastern corner of the snowy plain ablaze. The star radiance that had remained peaceful for several months transformed into raging flames that burned everything around them.
Chen Changsheng''s body instantly became scalding hot, the air around his body heating up.
A terrifying heat occupied both his body and mind. Water transformed into sweat and was rapidly lost. Perhaps for this reason, his skin became dehydrated, seeming to painfully crack apart.
Even greater pain came from his senses. He instinctively stuck out his tongue and greedily licked at the corner of his lips, resisting that unbearable thirst and dryness on his lips and tongue.
He was truly very thirsty. He wanted to drink, wanted to bathe in cold rain.
The spectators had been silent all this time, but only when they saw Chen Changsheng hold his sword in front of him and the air in the Hall of Washing Away Dust instantly turn blazing hot did they realize what was happening.
"He''s going through another initial Meditative Introspection?"
"How is this possible?"
"Just how much star radiance is inside his body?"
"Where is all that star radiance being stored?"
Countless shocked questions came from the second floor of the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
174 The Tranquility Before the Downpour
The temperature in the Hall of Washing Away Dust had clearly soared and the cicadas outside began to chirp again. Those who had already experienced this quickly recalled that these were phenomena caused by Chen Changsheng setting ablaze his star radiance. They couldn''t help but be very shocked, as this was now his third time undergoing an initial Meditative Introspection, in complete defiance to the theories set down in the books on cultivation. As for Gou Hanshi, who was seeing this for the first time, he was even more astonished. He was completely unable to understand just how Chen Changsheng, who was clearly already in Meditation, was able to go through initial Meditative Introspection again.
Of course, initial Meditative Introspection was a very dangerous affair. Although it did not so easily lead to death as Ethereal Opening, Chen Changsheng''s meridians were different and his Fated Star was different, and the quantity and energy level of the star radiance he absorbed was also quite unique. Once it began to burn, its flames licked toward the heavens. Even though Chen Changsheng''s body had become incredibly tough after being bathed in dragon blood, it still found it difficult to endure and swiftly fell into a dangerous situation.
Because he had already experienced this heat, and because his opponent this time was far too strong, Chen Changsheng had forcefully stirred his spiritual sense and had actually not closed his eyes while undergoing Meditative Introspection. He stared across at Gou Hanshi, unaware that his face was bright red, his body scalding hot, the sweat on his clothes instantly evaporating into steam and leaving behind only a few traces of salt. He presented quite a dismal picture.
If nothing else happened, then just like the last two initial Meditative Introspections, if he was not burned to death by the terrifying heat, it would fry him into an idiot. But since he dared to do this, he was naturally expecting something to happen. Just like he had thought after his battle with Zhuang Huanyu, some things that had already happened once should, logically speaking, continue to happen, like rain.
''Pitter patter'' described a sound, the sound that raindrops made as they traveled through the air. There was a clear sky outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, yet rain began to fall from the sky above the building. The sound of the rain was soft and gentle, instilling people with a sense of drowsiness.
The rain fell on the dagger gripped tightly in Chen Changsheng''s hands. The moment the raindrops touched the blade of the dagger, they instantly evaporated into nothing, appearing to seep into the hard metal of the dagger. More rain fell on Chen Changsheng''s body, seeping into his clothes and then steaming into nothing as they touched his skin, appearing to seep into his body.
With this sudden rain, the oppressive heat in the Hall of Washing Away Dust was instantly washed away, the temperature drastically declining. Chen Changsheng''s body alternated between wet and dry as heat was drained away with the mist. His body temperature began to slowly decline, and he only felt the coolness of the breeze brushing against him like the hand of a beautiful woman, filling him with comfort and delight.
Comfort was a sensation felt by the body while delight was perceived by the mind.
This rain was what he had anticipated, and it was proof that many people did not want him to die. Just like he and Luoluo had discussed, the Pope was currently watching this battle.
The snowy plain blazed, transforming into brooklets, true essence that moistened his body and offered him more power. He gripped his dagger and walked towards Gou Hanshi. As he walked, countless streams of steam erupted from his body, making him appear incredibly bizarre.
After just three steps, he began to use the Yeshi Step. The steam around his body seemed to freeze for an instant, and then gradually dissipated, his figure no longer there.
A frenzied sword wind emerged from the wall behind Gou Hanshi, an extremely majestic and surging Qi contained within. The dagger in Chen Changsheng''s hand also appeared, silently and determinedly stabbing towards Gou Hanshi''s back, transforming into thousands of swords as it pressed forward.
The rain was still continuing, but the countless illusory swords of Chen Changsheng''s were even denser than the rain. The sword technique he used was the strongest move of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong: Overturning the Heavens and Earth.
This sword technique emphasized momentum. Like a downpour, it desired to overturn the heavens and earth.
It was currently raining within the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Chen Changsheng wanted to borrow the energy of this rain, and what he borrowed first was naturally its momentum.
Furious winds blew into the Hall of Washing Away Dust, sending the opened windows on the second floor into a vexing clattering, like the windows of some house that had been abandoned for many years.
The wind and rain were sudden and violent, as was Chen Changsheng''s attack. It seemed to flash from every angle and pierce towards Gou Hanshi.
The most powerful move of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong coupled with the abundant true essence Chen Changsheng had obtained from three initial Meditative Introspections was very difficult for even Gou Hanshi to deal with, and even avoiding it was no easy feat.
Gou Hanshi did not dodge. He silently stood within both the real storm and Chen Changsheng''s storm of swords, calmly holding his sword horizontally in front of his chest, with no fear on his face, only a calm composure stemming from self-confidence.
His sword was just like the last stone step before one could ascend onto the mountain of the Mount Li Sword Sect.
His person was just like that nameless tree standing right before the mountain gate of the Mount Li Sword Sect.
That green tree had existed in Mount Li for several centuries. In the view of many people, this tree was able to survive because it was particularly fortunate. Very few people noticed that this tree was silent and unmoving, yet it had shielded countless disciples of Mount Li from the wind and rain.
Gou Hanshi was this tree.
He raised his sword to meet Chen Changsheng''s sword of wind and rain, his expression gentle and serene.
He used the Sword of Great Achievement.
A Sacred Hall archbishop could be heard sighing from the second floor, "To be able to use this sword style at such a level in Ethereal Opening, Mount Li is extraordinary, and Gou Hanshi is even more extraordinary."
A sword style that could receive the praise of a Sacred Hall archbishop was naturally an exceedingly extraordinary sword style.
The storm of sword silhouettes produced by Chen Changsheng all missed. Not a single attack was able to strike Gou Hanshi''s body.
Perhaps because he had an innate fear towards the dagger in Chen Changsheng''s hands or because he was wary of Chen Changsheng''s swordplay, Gou Hanshi did not use his sword to directly block, but instead to attack. The sound his sword made was like wind rustling pine trees, spreading out from his body and completely blocking out Chen Changsheng''s sword intent.
Rustling Pines was not part of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s sword styles, but the palm style of a certain cliff of the Longevity Sect. Gou Hanshi used the palm intent of this style as a sword style. Its sword energy was vigorous and powerful despite the lack of an edge. Chen Changsheng''s attacks were unable to threaten him.
There was a thump. Chen Changsheng''s chest was struck by Gou Hanshi''s attack. Spitting out blood, he flew backwards and crashed against the stone wall, then dropped down like a pile of mud. For a moment, he was unable to stand.
In the next moment, he leaned against the wall and dragged himself up. He looked silently at Gou Hanshi, his face somewhat pale. He had just regained his confidence a few moments ago, and now he had lost it all again.
He had not expected Gou Hanshi''s sword to be like the person, serene and thus able to achieve great things, stoic and thus pure and open, seemingly strengthless yet seemingly unblockable.
Setting ablaze one portion of the snowy plain had still not improved his chances at victory, so what should he do?
He extended his left hand and wiped the rain off his face, then raised his sword and stepped forward again.
The moment his right foot stepped in a puddle, his spiritual sense set ten parts of the snowy plain ablaze. The rain on his body instantly evaporated into mist.
The rain falling from the sky seemed to sense something and suddenly intensified.
175 Seeing a Lake and Mountain Upon Closing Ones Eyes
The snowy plain was very thick, its depth unknowable. Each snowflake or fragment of snow was a piece of star radiance containing a large amount of energy. A single part of the snowy plain had a radius of several hundred zhang and contained an innumerable number of snowflakes, an incalculable amount of energy. The moment it was ignited by spiritual sense, it would begin to release an enormous amount of light and heat. Back in the underground cavern, in front of the Black Dragon, Chen Changsheng had jumped past Purification and gone straight to Meditation. As a result, he had almost died to this light and heat. If not for that bath of dragon blood, he would already be dead. Earlier, in his battle against Zhuang Huanyu, he had ignited one part of the snowy plain. Although his body was now many times tougher after being bathed in dragon blood, the light and heat was still difficult to bear. If not for that sudden bout of rain, perhaps he would still be dead.
The burst of light and heat released by one part of the snowy plain was this terrifying and impossible for him to endure, but now he was simultaneously igniting ten parts of the snowy plain. It was simply impossible for him to endure this explosion, and doing so was just gambling his life.
He had to defeat Gou Hanshi to take first rank of the first banner. Only this way could he enter the Lingyan Pavilion and discover the secret to defying the heavens and changing fate. Just as he had said before, he had to gamble his life in order to protect his life.
In a few seconds, his body became boiling hot, his internal temperature soaring to absurd levels. The rain falling on his body rapidly evaporated, the torrential rain unable to leave the slightest moisture on his body. On the contrary, he began to sweat in the form of a paste that almost instantly evaporated upon leaving his body.
His entire person was wrapped in a white cloud of steam. With both rain and sweat, it had a very strange scent. In addition, through the steam, his face appeared somewhat deformed and thus bizarre.
In just a few moments, his clothes had been soaked and dried ten-some times. No matter how durable the fabric of the clothes, it was impossible for it to weather this sort of repetition. When the raindrops falling over the Hall of Washing Away Dust suddenly grew larger and the downpour intensified, his clothes instantly burst apart into ten-some strips of cloth hanging from the upper half of his body. He looked rather comical, but to the spectators on the second floor, this was an incredibly ghastly sight.
Indeed, the rain over the Hall of Washing Away Dust was extremely intense as if it knew that he was teetering on the edge of life and death. The rain fell like its life depended on it. The rain gushed down like someone had jabbed a hole in the bottom of a lake in the heavens. Moreover, this rain was incredibly cold, like the last bout of rain in autumn before snow began to fall.
Even so, the cold torrent of rain falling on his body was incapable of preventing his body temperature from rising. Gout after gout of steam poured from his body and an expression of pain appeared on his face.
The cicadas outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust chirped ever more resoundingly, ever more shrilly.
Within and without the hall were two different worlds, two different seasons.
Chen Changsheng''s skin ached so terribly that it seemed to be tearing apart. His skin became extremely sensitive, and every drop of rain inflicted on him the pain of being flayed alive1. His body seemed to truly be burning as, although there were no flames, the air around his body was slightly distorting, making him look very strange.
This terrifying amount of blazing star radiance and this unbearable pain did not make Chen Changsheng close his eyes. He stared at Gou Hanshi''s eyes. His right hand tied to his dagger was incredibly pale. His feet began to slowly but firmly move, attempting once more to find a chance of victory.
He did not know when he might fall unconscious from the pain or when he might just burn to death. He had to endure this pain and take advantage of the unprecedented power provided to him by this true essence to defeat his opponent.
Gou Hanshi watched him come in a cloud of white steam, his expression incomparably stern. With a light shake of his right arm, his longsword flew through the air, gently and yet determinedly slashing down at Chen Changsheng.
The figure in the torrential rain suddenly quickened. Chen Changsheng used his terrifying speed and the Yeshi Step to avoid this just, gentle, yet powerful sword intent, while the dagger in his hand borrowed the power of the rain as it swung down at Gou Hanshi.
In an extremely brief span of time, the two exchanged sixteen sword techniques.
Gou Hanshi''s Mount Li Sword Style was naturally exquisite and powerful, but Chen Changsheng''s responses were also exceedingly brilliant. Occasionally he would use the Mountain Toppling Staff as a sword style, but he also mixed in the sword styles of countless other sects and schools. Coupled with his incredible familiarity with the Mount Li Sword Style, he managed time after time to barely block Gou Hanshi''s attacks.
The battle was tense, the spectators on the second floor silently watching on as countless waves raged within their hearts. They especially praised Chen Changsheng. As they watched this exchange, they each began to think that Zhuang Huanyu''s loss was truly no fluke.
In this match, Chen Changsheng displayed his terrifying fighting will, but he also displayed his outstanding ability to learn. It must be known that at the very beginning he had had no confidence in his swordplay when fighting against Zhuang Huanyu, but now as he was fighting against Gou Hanshi, widely acclaimed as being extremely skilled in the sword, for a period of time, his swordplay actually became sharper and sharper as he converted the knowledge in the books of cultivation into fighting power.
Unfortunately, the Orthodox Academy had a threshold, the Li Palace had a threshold, and the Hall of Washing Away Dust also had a threshold. One could find thresholds all over the world that kept out countless people, and right in front of Gou Hanshi was also a threshold. No matter how outstanding Chen Changsheng was, how resolved his will, he could not cross over this threshold. In the end, he had been officially cultivating for not even a year, and if one calculated from the time he had succeeded at Purification, it was just a few months.
With a clang, the torrential downpour in the Hall of Washing Away Dust suddenly stopped.
The rain had stopped because Chen Changsheng''s temperature had returned to normal.
Fortunately, he was not dead, but the reason for this fortune was a misfortune: the true essence in his body had been completely used up in this battle.
A deathly stillness pervaded the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Gou Hanshi calmly stood in his original position, his right sleeve slightly drooping, his face a little pale.
Chen Changsheng stood across from him, his clothes in complete tatters, blood constantly flowing down his bare upper body.
This battle had finally reached its final moment. He had lost all chance of victory, but surprisingly, even to himself, he did not feel too dispirited, much less furious, or unwilling, or anguished. He was actually very calm.
He had already done all he could.
For the sake of living, he had gambled his life.
If even this could not bring him success, one could say that this was the plan of the Heavenly Dao, of fate. He had rejected and attempted to challenge it, but he failed, nothing more.
After those ten parts of snowy plain, he had burned the snowy plain two times more, the last time setting the entire snowy plain aflame. He had truly cast away his own life in this effort, but he had not succeeded.
He had the right to be calm, even proud.
He lowered his head to glance at his right hand, at the dagger tied to it by cloth.
From the start to the end of this match, he had not truly touched Gou Hanshi''s sword even once. One reason was that Gou Hanshi was somewhat fearful of allowing him to, and the other was that the gap in strength was truly too large.
He should have been calm, so why was he still somewhat reluctant?
Chen Changsheng silently thought as he looked at the sword in his hand.
Then he raised his head, raised his sword, and walked towards Gou Hanshi.
He knew that this was the last time he would raise his sword.
It truly was.
Gou Hanshi shook his arm and Chen Changsheng flew backwards towards the stone wall.
As he floated through the air, he felt somewhat tired, but also relieved. He did not need to think anymore, didn''t need to be unwilling. He felt the deep blue sky to be somewhat dazzling.
He closed his eyes.
The sky did not go dark.
He saw the scorched earth that was once the snowy plain, the snow all burned away.
He saw the thin brooklets of water still left on the plains.
He saw an even farther place.
There, a lake hung in the sky.
Today, for the first time, he could see that within this lake was a mountain.
176 Ethereal Opening in a Glance
An entire lake floated in Chen Changsheng''s body.
Yes, this was an entire lake, not just one side of a lake. This lake floated in the air, not so stingy as to give the observer only one side to appreciate1.
When Chen Changsheng had performed Meditative Introspection for the first time, he had seen this lake, but the vast majority of his mind had been focused on the snowy plain. The moment he had seen the lake, he was stunned and could not understand it. Right afterwards, he had fallen unconscious due to the blazing of his snowy plain, so he had no chance to carefully observe this lake.
Now, his spiritual sense was like a cool breeze, instantly traversing thousands of li to reach the snowy plain. Upon arriving at the lake, he was finally able to clearly make out its appearance, but he found it very difficult to describe. This lake was like an enormous pearl of glass, pure and transparent. However, there were also ripples of water on its surface, making it look like a waterdrop magnified countless times. That it was able to float between the heavens and earth imparted to it an extremely mystical feeling.
Countless rays of light shot into this floating lake from all directions and then intersected in the transparent waters of the lake. These rays of light then merged with each other or reflected each other, releasing even more richly shaded and numerous rays of light. It was a particularly magnificent and grandiose sight. On first observation, it seemed like the Divine Kingdom as described in the myths, but upon careful observation, these rays of light, straight or bent, created a mountain within the lake.
This mountain had no summit, no peak, because every direction had a summit. Regardless of which direction one began climbing from, the place one was at could be considered the top of the mountain.
There was no peak, but this mountain still had cliffs and streams, strange and craggy rocks. Countless trees seemingly made of coral grew on the mountain, incredibly tall and lofty. A path could barely be made out amongst the trees and rocks. These paths were incredibly complicated and indescribable, extremely narrow and steep.
When the cool breeze that was Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense entered the lake, its speed somewhat slowed. It circled around this strange mountain, somewhat at a loss as it observed it.
He could make out a door in the very depths of the mountain path.
He didn''t know whether there was a cave behind this door, or a miniature world like the Education Palace.
At this point, he was still unable to accurately determine just what he was facing, but he was already sure about a few things. The waters of the lake and that snowy plain that had been almost completely burned up came from the same place, possessed identical properties. Yes, the lake waters which encompassed countless qing came from the night sky in the real world. It was called star radiance.
The mountain wrapped in lake water was his heart.
The cool breeze naturally flowed along with the lake water, his spiritual sense entering the mountain and winding its way amongst the cliffs and dazzling trees. He subconsciously understood that the crux of it all was the door at the end of the mountain path. He wanted to find this door, but it was concealed by the cliffs, and there was no sense of direction in this place. The door flickered in and out of his vision, and he found it impossible to confirm its position, much less get closer.
The water rippled as the breeze broke through, carrying a string of pearl-like bubbles with it as it landed in a rock on the mountain. There was a pop, and he looked down and saw that his foot had stepped on a weed.
Without any hesitation, Chen Changsheng began to make his way along this narrow and steep mountain path. He was currently in a very mysterious state of mind, sensing and thinking nothing, forgetting where he had come from and where he was going. He only knew to walk forward and find that door.
The path twisted and turned; eighteen bends were visible with a single glance. The path was long. No matter how long he walked, he was still in the mountain, with no clouds or end in sight. He began to feel tired, but he never stopped to rest. His feet began to tear, but he did not care. He ran, walked, observed, turned, ran, and turned again, going back, forth, up and down in search of clues.
Time continued to pass. He was unaware of how long he had walked in search within this mountain, and he also forgot just how much time he needed until he finally found the path.
The mountain was enclosed in water. There was no summit, no up or down, no coordinates. The mountain paths were like a spider web and impossible to decipher. However, there was water in this mountain, a great deal of water.
The water in the mountain was not as still as the lake water surrounding it. Rather, it was continuously flowing, and when it encountered some steep cliff, it would fall. When the water pounded against the waters of the lake, it would produce many waves and bits of foam.
The flow of the water had been the true path.
Chen Changsheng followed an extremely thin waterfall, ignoring the strange sights of water pounding against water that he encountered on his journey. With incredible focus, he climbed the mountain, going against the flow of the river for a vast distance until finally reaching the end of the waterfall within the mountain.
To be more precise, this end was the source.
At the end of the mountain and river, the waters fell and stones emerged.
Set in the pure white rocks that made up the mountain and valleys was a door.
It was precisely the door that he had been painstakingly searching for.
He walked up to the door and, for the first time, truly stopped. His face was drenched in water, his clothes were rags, his shoes broken and his ankles wounded. After walking for such an incredible amount of time, he cut an extremely sorry figure.
This was not a door, but a gate. It was just like how the lake was not one side of a lake, but the entire lake. The latter was because the lake was three-dimensional while the former was because the door was simply too large.
This gate was several dozen zhang high and made of some material akin to gold or jade. Upon careful observation, however, it turned out to be made of common stone that had just gone white. One could find such stones casually piled up in the surroundings.
The stone gate exuded a faint but gentle luster. It gave off an aura of kindness and safety, tempting anyone who saw it to immediately place their hand on the gate and push it open.
But Chen Changsheng was somewhat hesitant, as he sensed danger.
He already knew what this mountain was, so he could naturally guess at what this gate was.
What was even stranger was that though he had clearly never been here beforea fact that he was extremely sure ofthis gate gave him a feeling of incredible familiarity, as if he had seen this gate for a very long time. From another perspective, this gate seemed to have been waiting for him for a very long time.
In truth, he only hesitated for the briefest of moments.
Danger was incapable of halting his steps. In order to live, he had already gambled his life quite a few times, so what could stop him from gambling it again?
His hand fell on the gate and gave it a light push. This stone gate was several dozen zhang high, so it should have been absurdly thick. Logically speaking, it was assuredly as heavy as a city, but when he gave it a light push, it bizarrely opened.
Chen Changsheng drew back his hand and warily prepared himself.
The stone gate slowly opened and innumerable rays of light shone from within. They fell upon his face, so bright that his face seemed to blur and his tattered clothes appeared to be burning.
Surprisingly, this light was of no danger to him. On the contrary, it was full of positive energy that instantly made his wounds feel much better and dispelled his exhaustion. It gave him an indescribable comfort, making him feel incredibly powerful, granting him unrestrained control over many things, even giving him a sense of something called freedom.
This was a very good feeling, an incredibly strong temptation. The most unknown of futures or dangers could not suppress this desire. Chen Changsheng walked through the stone gate.
Behind the gate was a world of light. Countless rays of light occupied this entire world, filling his eyes and making it impossible for him to see, much less differentiate directions. He could only blankly and nervously walk forward.
This time, he did not walk for very long.
The rays of light gradually dispersed, becoming gentler. The dense light divided into black and white, and then more colors came into being, like red, which represented life and passion, and blue, which represented vastness and mystery.
This blue probably symbolizes vastness.
Chen Changsheng looked at this blue and silently thought.
And then he saw a few white clouds as well as a black cloud that was slowly dissipating.
Only now did he understand what sort of blue he was looking at. It was the blue of the sky.
Soon after, he saw the black eaves, the windows of the second floor, and the woman dressed in palace attire standing by the window and watching him. He recognized her, but did not understand why her face was covered in concern. However, he could be sure of one fact: his spiritual sense had returned to the Education Palace.
He had returned to the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
His body was still flying through the air.
His spiritual sense had been bitterly searching in his body for an incredibly long period of time, but to his body in the real world, it was only an instant.
From others'' perspectives, he had only closed and then opened his eyes. Who could have known that in this brief span of time, he had experienced so many things and then returned? Who could have imagined that he was no longer his past self, that he had already reached a brand new world?
His spiritual sense had pushed upon that stone gate, but had returned to the Hall of Washing Away Dust. This was proof that his small world was already connected to the real world, that the gate of his Ethereal Palace was already open. Although his meridians were still broken and hard to traverse, his true essence would no longer fall into the bottomless abyss. The brooklets of water remaining on the snowy plain and the lake waters continued to pour into his Ethereal Palace, helping him continuously interact with the world.
The torrential downpour had already ceased, transforming into a thin drizzle. Chen Changsheng''s body passed through the rain. He had closed his eyes, and then opened them. His eyes were as bright as varnish, his expression incomparably serene.
He once more gripped his dagger, using his once more abundant true essence to regain control of his body. He slightly bent his knees, tightened his waist, and adjusted his posture to land on the ground. His soles relaxed and then tightened as he fell like a stone dropping into the water. With a soft plop, he stood steady on the ground.
Soon after, he immediately took out a large batch of pills refined from the herbs he had found in the Hundred Herb Garden and stuffed them in his mouth. He quickly swallowed them and then looked across at Gou Hanshi.
...
...
Gou Hanshi would never underestimate any opponent, especially after experiencing Chen Changsheng''s performance in the Ivy Festival. And the fact that Chen Changsheng was able to fight his way to the final match of the Grand Examination was also an indicator of far too many things. But it was only after the battle had started that he discovered that he still had not judged Chen Changsheng correctly.
Chen Changsheng had burned up one part of the snowy plain, then ten parts, then all of it. If not for the problems with his meridians, he would have given an even more powerful performance, but even his current level was enough to shake Gou Hanshi. At the age of fifteen, cultivating only for a year and drawing in starlight for even less, he was actually able to possess such an abundant true essence. In his entire life, Gou Hanshi had only seen his senior brother Qiushan Jun accomplish such an inconceivable feat, and he had not expected for Chen Changsheng to accomplish it as well.
But just like he had said to Qi Jian and his other junior brothers in the guest courtyard, he firmly believed that Chen Changsheng could not defeat him or Tianhai Shengxue, because it was impossible for Chen Changsheng to accomplish Ethereal Opening.
Ethereal Opening required at least one hundred nights, each night spent drawing in starlight to cordially knock on the gate of the palace.
Even Zhou Dufu had been no exception.
Chen Changsheng had succeeded at Purification not even one hundred nights ago, so why even discuss Ethereal Opening?
And yet it seemed like something of the sort was taking place right now.
Gou Hanshi looked at Chen Changsheng and felt that being praised as being well-versed in the Daoist Canonsuddenly had no meaning, because even if one read through all three thousand scriptures, one would not be able to find such a thing.
177 He Was Always at Ethereal Opening
When Gou Hanshi''s strike broke through the rain and sent Chen Changsheng flying back, everyone believed that Chen Changsheng would crash into the ground and find it impossible to stand up again. Against all expectationshe truly did not stand up again, because he simply never fell. His clothes were tattered, his face was pale, and his appearance dismal, but he did not fall in a dismal fashion. His feet were incredibly steady, seemingly imbued with infinite strength.
This fierce and tense battle could not leave too much time for shock and sighs. Chen Changsheng leaned his body forward, his shoes stepping into a puddle, and then suddenly dashed like a wolf to the west. He initiated the Yeshi Step and instantly appeared behind and to the side of Gou Hanshi, his sword carrying the berserk energy of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong.
Gou Hanshi''s sword guarded his surroundings like a vast forest of rustling pines, leaving not the smallest gap. Like pine trees rustling in the rain, his sword accurately slapped Chen Changsheng''s dagger on its flat side. A drone rang out from this point of collision, sounding like the ringing of a distant bell.
This terrifying clash of true essence caused the rain between the two to suddenly rise into a circle of rain in the air that shot hundreds of raindrops like arrows in every direction.
Chen Changsheng was sent flying back like an arrow, his body smashing through layer after layer of rain, his feet leaving two extremely straight trails of splashes through the puddles of water. Only when he reached the stone wall did he finally come to a stop.
However, this time, he did not fall, did not smash against the stone wall, but came to a steady stop according to his own will. His grip on his dagger was also very firm. Even if it were not tied to his hand, it would probably not be knocked away. It was already a completely different situation from that dismal scene when he received Gou Hanshi''s Three Songs of the Fisherman at the very beginning of the match.
Now, he was very calm, even somewhat unhurried.
Gou Hanshi continued to tighten his grip on his sword as he looked at Chen Changsheng with an increasingly solemn expression, the shock and confusion in his eyes growing increasingly thick. Through this exchange, he had finally confirmed that his earlier conjecture was true, that the impossible had truly taken place.
His grip was so tight that his knuckles were somewhat white, yet the edge of his sword hanging by his thigh was trembling. This was because the level of strength Chen Changsheng had displayed in this exchange was completely different, but also because he was deeply shocked. This was a matter that had not once been recorded in the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon, an unprecedented miracle that had never once occurred in all of the long history of human cultivation. Just how had he managed to do it?
This exchange seemed ordinary and mediocre, but it was actually a declaration.
Chen Changsheng was telling everyone that he had not yet lost, that he was continuing to advance.
The chirping of cicadas outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust had long since ceased, but with this strike, they appeared once more. Their sound was like if people in the marketplace or outside the Li Palace had all begun to sing loudly, a great and distracting clamor.
The deep blue sky above the Education Palace was streaked with a few white clouds and also one raincloud that had not completely faded away. It had been showing signs of clearing up just a few moments ago, but with Chen Changsheng''s attack, a clap of thunder could be heard from the depths of the raincloud and a set of beautiful evening clouds suddenly appeared on the distant horizon.
A deathly stillness pervaded the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Of the people within the hall, Gou Hanshi included, some people were looking in shock at Chen Changsheng, some people were gazing up in frustration at the sky, and some were even rather dejectedly thinking, just how is this possible?
Just how had Chen Changsheng managed to undergo Ethereal Opening?
...
...
Yes, Chen Changsheng had already succeeded at Ethereal Opening.
Everyone knew that he had still not succeeded at Purification at the time of the Ivy Festival, so he could have only spent an extremely short period of time in Purification and Meditation. At best, he should only have been at the initial level of Meditation. He shouldn''t have even been able to see the threshold of Ethereal Opening, much less succeed in entering it. Amongst the examinees participating in this year''s Grand Examination, he was quite mediocre.
But no one knew that Chen Changsheng had needed only one night to fix his Fated Star, upon which he began to draw in starlight for Purification, a process which he had continued for almost three hundred days. In all these days of drawing in starlight, he had never once succeeded at Purification, but that star radiance had not dissipated. Instead, it had penetrated through his skin and flesh, accumulating in the deepest part of his body. When he had performed Meditative Introspection for the first time in the underground cavern, he had believed that the thick snowy plain was the star radiance that he had drawn into his body for those hundreds of nights, but he had not noticed the lake.
The vast quantity of clear water making up this lake was the true fruit of his many nights of drawing in starlight.
In the underground cavern, when he had still not succeeded at Purification, he had taken a risk by forcing Meditative Introspection. His body had ruptured and his blood had been set ablaze. Even the Black Dragon had thought his death was a certainty, but no matter how terrifying the flames of star radiance, the heart in the pool of blood remained a glittering and translucent fruit, never once shattering. Why?
This was because the starlight he had drawn in night after night had not been used for Purification, but had lightly touched his Ethereal Palace every night, saturating its surroundings and transforming into a blue lake. Purification? What he had been doing all this time was Ethereal Opening!
While he was completely unaware, the star radiance originating from that distant red star had been incessantly pouring into his body, moving along the paths in that mountain every night and reaching that gate. It was not that hundred nights of knocking that Gou Hanshi had emphasized, but a firm and focused beating for several hundred nights!
As a result, in front of the gate to the Ethereal Palace, he had not needed to use any strength, only give a light push to open the gate. Was it because he was a genius? Yes, he really was very talented in cultivation, but the more important reason was that he had already pushed at this gate for far too many nights. All he had been missing was a light push from his conscious mind!
He had spent an incalculable amount of time and energy to dig up earth and pile it into a hill as high as the Dew Platform. He only needed to dump one final basket of earth at the top of the hill, and he would be able to stand at the highest point of the capital.
The final basket of earth was not heavy and it turned over very easily. It might have looked very easy, almost certainly a very understated action when considering that this was creating the highest point in the capital, but who could remember just how much he had paid beforehand?
Yes, this was Chen Changsheng''s path of cultivation.
Because his meridians were severed, because the special constitution of his body made it impossible for him to cultivate, he had relied on his fantastical imagination and luck to accidentally smash open and walk a path completely different from others.
Purification, Meditation, and then Ethereal Opening?
No, before he had begun Purification, he had started Meditative Introspection.
Most absurdly of all, before he had begun Meditative Introspection, he had already begun Ethereal Opening.
If one said that water flowing to lower elevations was a principle of this world
Then in Chen Changsheng''s world, water truly had always flowed upward.
No one knew his specific circumstances, knew what he had encountered or what he had paid, so no one could imagine his current situation. Naturally, they also could not understand just how he was able to undergo Ethereal Opening. Moreover, it must be known that Ethereal Opening had always been regarded as the first true high threshold on the nigh endless path of cultivation, a pass of life or death. Countless young geniuses nurtured by their sects or schools had all fallen before this threshold, and it was where countless ordinary cultivators who were not willing to comply with fate had died. So great was the risk that at least half of the current human cultivators in the continent did not dare to attempt Ethereal Opening. Even those who had succeeded, such as Gou Hanshi or Lady Mo Yu, had acted with great caution when attempting Ethereal Opening. When they formally attempted to break through, it was only after undergoing a very long period of preparation, with their schools or sects providing vast amounts of medicines and experience to calm and nurture their minds. When they broke through, they would have at least three powerful and remarkable elders or teachers standing guard, ready at the slightest sign of danger to come to the rescue. But Chen Changshenghad succeeded at Ethereal Opening in the final match of the Grand Examination.
He had closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he was at Ethereal Opening.
What moved many of the spectators the most was that this youth of the Orthodox Academy had treated Ethereal Opening like the simple matter of eating breakfast. He said that he wanted to take some porridge, so he had cooked himself a bowl of porridge and eaten it. Earlier, he had confirmed that he was no match for Gou Hanshi and decided to undergo Ethereal Opening, and now, he was at Ethereal Opening.
In what world was this possible? Just how could such a person exist? If this was all true, then what meaning did those bitter years of suffering they had experienced have? Gou Hanshi was not thinking about these things, but those speechless personages on the second floor could not help but think this way.
...
...
The downpour had become a drizzle, dripping down and seemingly about to stop at any moment.
Chen Changsheng stood in front of the stone wall, his still-childish face carrying a calm expression. Upon careful examination, one could see that there were subtle differences. He was a little less reserved, his eyes a little brighter.
His past self was excessively calm and composed, giving others the sense that he had matured early, that he was four or five years older than his actual age. His current self, on the other hand, was like the newborn sun rising over a sky that had been washed by rain.
It was fresh and clean, bright and beautiful, bursting with a vitality rarely seen on his person.
Gou Hanshi did not notice these details. He only felt that Chen Changsheng had become somewhat more frightening, even surpassing the sense of danger that Zhexiu had given him in the last round.
Mo Yu looked at Chen Changsheng through the rain, a few complex strands of emotion appearing on her indifferent face. The knuckles of her hand whitened as she gripped the windowsill, her mind seemingly occupied.
For certain reasons, she did not want to see Chen Changsheng lose in the Grand Examination, but she was well aware that the Empress did not wish to see Chen Changsheng win the Grand Examination. Although the Empress had never once explicitly stated this point, many people had still silently moved to ensure that Chen Changsheng could not reach the end.
But there were still many people standing opposite the Empress.
The Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education need not be mentioned, Tianhai Shengxue clearly had a different view from the rest of his clan, and Zhexiu had bet his life for the Orthodox Academy. Most crucial of all was the autumn rain that would occasionally fall over the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
This autumn rain symbolized the attitude of the Pope.
She believed that Chen Changsheng would still not be able to reach the end, as his strength was insufficient. But just when she thought this, just when she had thought that Chen Changsheng had given everyone so many surprises that she was already numb to anything else he did, he once more delivered a shock to all.
Mo Yu once more thought of that night and inadvertently shifted her gaze to those evening clouds on the distant horizon of the blue sky. She thought to herself, is there really such a thing as fate in this world? Is there really such a thing as a blessed fate bestowed by the heavens?
In truth, not even Chen Changsheng currently had a complete understanding of what had happened or why he had suddenly entered the Ethereal Opening Realm.
But he gripped his dagger, faced the rain, and walked once more towards Gou Hanshi. He never considered that this might be a blessing granted by the heavens, because the heavens had only ever given him difficulties and he had always been cursed. He also did not think about fate, because fate had always been unfair to him and he had never respected it. On the contrary, he had always been challenging fate, and then winning.
He only recalled that this was the forty-seventh time he had gripped his dagger and walked towards Gou Hanshi.
The first forty-five times, he had lost miserably and fallen heavily, his body covered in water and blood. But though he had fallen, he had never collapsed.
He would get up every time and continue fighting, seriously and solemnly yearning for victory.
Finally, though he still had not found victory, in the last two exchanges, he had not fallen.
Then if one had to speak of fate, this was not a favor, but a reward from the mysterious and inexorable heavens for his last forty-five attempts.
178 A Secret Sword
If this was not a favor from the heavens and also not a sudden shift in fate, but a reward for one''s own efforts, then one naturally would have confidence, but this confidence belonged to only Chen Changsheng himself.
Mo Yu would not think this way. She still had no confidence in him.
Chen Changsheng had already given her too many surprises, had created too many miracles in this year''s Grand Examination, even entering Ethereal Opening in the blink of an eye in the middle of this intense battle. And yet she still did not believe that Chen Changsheng could defeat Gou Hanshi, because she had seen far too many miracles in the last twenty-some years, like Zhou Tong''s miraculous rise in power or Prince Chen Liu''s insistence on attempting Ethereal Opening despite the fierce opposition from the Imperial clan and the ministers of court. She was keenly aware that though miracles could resolve a few problems, they could not address all of them.
There was a difference in one who had cultivated for a long time and one who had cultivated for a short time, a difference in ability. Even if Chen Changsheng had already caught up to Gou Hanshi in terms of cultivation level, he still could not catch up to Gou Hanshi in this aspect.
Since the start of the Grand Examination, the three representatives of the southern sect had maintained their silence. This sort of silence might have been a sort of courtesy, but it also could have symbolized confidence in the southern examinees, especially towards Gou Hanshi. Chen Changsheng''s unexpected breakthrough into Ethereal Opening had brought a hint of anxiety to their faces, but they soon returned to serenity. They thought the same as Mo Yu, still believing that Chen Changsheng did not have much of a chance. They had not lost the slightest confidence in Gou Hanshi.
Chen Changsheng, who had suddenly reached Ethereal Opening, could be said to be the strongest amongst his peers, and could even be considered as surpassing Xu Yourong, number one on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. However, it was not possible for him to be put on the level of Gou Hanshi and Qiushan Jun. They were all at Ethereal Opening, and even if they looked equal in terms of attainments in the path of the sword and cultivation knowledge on paper, the disciples of Mount Li had arduously trained their swords. How could Chen Changsheng surpass them in this aspect?
The two Sacred Hall archbishops were also very quiet. They were shocked, but their silence was mainly due to that autumn rain from earlier. After that bout of autumn rain, these two Prefects of the Orthodoxy had become very taciturn. Even the arrival of Archbishop Mei Lisha of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had not caused much of a change in their expressions.
The autumn rain had come from outside the Green Leaf World and symbolized the Pope''s will.
They were trusted aides to the Pope and in the eyes of the believers and the ministers of the Imperial Court, they were also the representatives of the Orthodoxy''s new faction. As a result, they had spared no effort to suppress Chen Changsheng, yet who could have imagined that the Pope would use these several bouts of autumn rain to express his stance on Chen Changsheng? How could they not be shocked? As for the match between Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi taking place below, they did not know which side to stand on. They only felt that since Chen Changsheng had already created so many miracles, perhaps he really did have some hope of pulling it off.
The important personages on the second floor all felt differently. All were silent. Only Archbishop Mei Lisha, who had arrived not too long ago, remained calm. The elder had also been rather shocked, his mind slightly stimulated, at Chen Changsheng''s sudden breakthrough into Ethereal Opening, but he was not visibly moved, as nothing had yet come to an end.
Xue Xingchuan''s eyebrows rose higher and higher, as if he had discovered something rather interesting. Xu Shiji''s brow creased tighter and tighter, as if he had seen something particularly abrupt and uninteresting.
Regardless of what the people on the second floor thought, the battle still had to continue.
Chen Changsheng charged for a third time towards Gou Hanshi, his movements erratic and difficult to fathom. The Yeshi Step broke through the curtain of rain, guided by the stars. Without a single noise, Chen Changsheng appeared in front of Gou Hanshi.
He slashed down, his dagger carrying an enormous amount of true essence. The cicadas outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust suddenly began to chirp even louder while the thunder in the raincloud high up in the blue sky descended with boundless might.
Since he had entered Ethereal Opening, Chen Changsheng''s strength had truly undergone a massive improvement.
In front of this attack, Gou Hanshi remained calm. None of the earlier shock from Chen Changsheng''s Ethereal Opening could be found on Gou Hanshi''s plain and ordinary face.
He gripped his sword of unknown worth, flipped his wrist, and lightly raised the sword to meet the dagger. Suddenly, a sun burst from the tip of the sword, illuminating the entire building!
It was like a sun truly had risen from the edge of the sword.
This was not the bloody setting sun, nor the fresh and clean morning sun. Instead, it was the most intense sun, the hottest sun, the brightest sun, the sun of high noon that was impossible to look at directly!
Gou Hanshi''s strongest move was the Three Songs of the Fisherman? No, as a disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect, how could he travel the vast sea that was the art of the sword with only one boat? This attack was his truly most powerful move!
Upon seeing the sun rise from the tip of the sword, Chen Changsheng''s expression turned grave, but his steps did not slow. On the contrary, it was from the second floor that gasps could be heard. These gasps were brimming with shock and doubt.
"Golden Crow! How is this possible!"
"The Golden Crow has returned to Mount Li! Could it be that that person has returned?"
This attack of Gou Hanshi''s was the Secret Sword of the Golden Crow, a sword style that had not been passed down in the Mount Li Sword Sect for several centuries now. It was rumored that only the legendary Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li knew this sword style. No one had expected that this mighty sword style which could burn everything around it into nothing would make its return to the world in this year''s Grand Examination!
As the sun burst from the tip of Gou Hanshi''s sword, the world instantly changed colors. The interior of the Hall of Washing Away Dust was lit as brightly as day while the rain falling from the sky transformed into threads of jade. The evening clouds on the distant horizon of the blue sky dissipated in a flash and that sun that had hung angled in the sky seemed to return to its zenith, unleashing blazing rays of light. All of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, including the trees outside and the rain inside, seemed to simultaneously be set ablaze or plated with a layer of gold.
Without question, this attack was a supreme teaching of the Mount Li Sword Sect, one of its strongest moves.
On the same cultivation level, just how could one find a method to break it?
Even in the Orthodox Academy''s golden age, its erudite and powerful principal and teachers would have not been able to find a single way to break this secret sword style of Mount Li''s Junior Martial Uncle, so how could Chen Changsheng?
No one believed that Chen Changsheng could defeat Gou Hanshi''s strike.
But he still gripped his dagger and continued, silent and focused. It was like he had not even seen that sun in the sky or the sun on Gou Hanshi''s sword, nor had he seen the entirety of the Hall of Washing Away Dust plated in gold.
His childish face contained an unquestionable determination and certainty. Those important personages who saw this expression had the inexplicable feeling that he really did have a way of breaking this attack.
And he apparently felt like he could very easily break this technique.
Gou Hanshi had also seen his expression, had seen the resolve on his face, seen the youth floating towards him through the air, dagger in hand. He even felt like he had seen the daring spirit of a sovereign descending upon the world.
In normal circumstances, he should have deeply admired Chen Changsheng''s powerful will and mental fortitude.
But at this moment, he was furious.
Because it was impossible for Chen Changsheng to break this attack.
Chen Changsheng''s attitude was more like a humiliation towards the Mount Li Sword Sect and that legendary Junior Martial Uncle.
179 Leaning on a Wall, Breaking the Pas
How would Chen Changsheng break the Secret Sword of the Golden Crow? Why did he appear so confident? Was it just because the sword manual of the Mount Li Sword Style currently resided in the Orthodox Academy, allowing him to understand the Mount Li Sword Style like the back of his hand? No, the Secret Sword of the Golden Crow was a legacy from that legendary Junior Martial Uncle. Given that person''s complicated relationship with the Mount Li Sword Sect and the entire Longevity Sect, this sword style had never been recorded in the Mount Li Sword Style sword manual, so Chen Changsheng could never have seen it before. In his fury, Gou Hanshi had also thought of this point, so he was very confused. The spectating personages on the second floor were equally confused, their expressions indescribable.
Chen Changsheng truly could not break the mighty Secret Sword of the Golden Crow, a fact that he was well aware of. But this did not mean that he needed to concede, as he had many other ways of responding besides breaking the attack.
His wrist flipped over like a falling leaf and his dagger cut through the rain, drawing a thin, watery line in the air as it hacked at Gou Hanshi from the right.
He had never thought about breaking Gou Hanshi''s attack, nor about how to block it, hinder, or dodge it. He ignored this attack, minding his own business and silently swinging his sword.
The blazing sun sat high in the sky, transforming the rain falling into the Hall of Washing Away Dust into a dense network of golden threads. Several of these golden threads fell on Chen Changsheng''s face, but they were unable to make him squint. He stared at Gou Hanshi''s face and continued forward, suddenly getting even faster, flashing like a bolt of lightning to reach Gou Hanshi.
He used the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, but not the mightiest move, Overturning the Heavens and Earth. Instead, he used the most absolute move, the move that allowed no retreat, the seventh move: the Liberal Sword.
''Liberal'' was the opposite of ''stingy'', but it could also be used in more grandiose situations, like liberally going towards death. At certain times, this word symbolized a sort of attitude that regarded life and death as nothing.
Chen Changsheng and his sword carrying this sort of attitude completely ignored the sun at the tip of Gou Hanshi''s sword, ignored the most mysterious and powerful sword style of the Mount Li Sword Sect, and struck.
If Gou Hanshi did not change his technique, he would unquestionably cleave Chen Changsheng in two with his Secret Sword of the Golden Crow. At the same time, Chen Changsheng''s sword would cut upon Gou Hanshi''s stomach. The seventh move of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong had a liberal attitude, but its strength was inferior to the Secret Sword of the Golden Crow. If Gou Hanshi took this attack, he might die, or he might be heavily injured. The problem was that nobody knew which result would occur.
The important personages on the second floor recognized Chen Changsheng''s intent and cried out in alarm. Gou Hanshi sensed it even more clearly, and countless thoughts instantly erupted in his mind. Chen Changsheng wanted to die together with him, relying on the luck that came from gambling one''s life. He naturally would not accept this situation, because he was the stronger one, the one who was more inclined to win.
The sword of Mount Li turned horizontally, the energy of the Golden Crow Sword instantly shifting to defense.
The two swords were still unable to meet. The rustling pines rose up, densely packing the surroundings.
Chen Changsheng''s Liberal Sword was simply incapable of approaching Gou Hanshi to harm him.
With a buzz, energy was sent splashing in all directions as Chen Changsheng went flying backwards in retreat. After hurtling through the air, he landed on the ground, his shoes producing countless splashes.
The hall was utterly silent. The people on the second floor looked at Chen Changsheng with incredibly mixed emotions. The powerful and terrifying Secret Sword of the Golden Crow had actually been broken by Chen Changsheng through such a simple method!
Of course, this was actually a very complex method. If Chen Changsheng had not confidently used the harshest move of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong, the technique that accepted no retreat, placing an enormous pressure on Gou Hanshi and revealing no weakness, how could he possibly have forced Gou Hanshi to give up on such an advantageous situation?
Chen Changsheng once more lunged forward, his dagger whistling through the air as it stabbed at Gou Hanshi.
His face was devoid of emotion, almost like the sense of vitality from earlier was an illusion. He had become silent and wooden once more, yet still just as determined.
What sort of attack was this? The spectators incessantly guessed.
Gou Hanshi raised his sword into the air, and the terrifying true essence it carried scattered the slowly falling rain. Sword intent rose up and attacked Chen Changsheng from every direction.
Chen Changsheng remained unmoved. Just like before, he did not even look, did not pay it the slightest regard. All his mind was on his sword as he stabbed forward with terrifying focus.
The shrill howl of a sword rose up in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
His swordplay was not as exquisite as Gou Hanshi''s swordplayhis sword was simpler, and his way of thinking was simpler. He seemed to strike first, but he had actually moved second. Yet in the end, the two swords arrived at the same time, howling as they intersected.
The two swords still did not have a chance to meet.
It was still a case of mutual death, mutual destruction.
Gou Hanshi let out a clear whistle that brimmed with anger and an extremely faint helplessness.
A mass of flowers seemed to bloom from the sword in his hands!
"Blossoming Flower Brocade!" said an astonished voice from the second floor.
At the final moment, Gou Hanshi had changed his technique, but he had followed the flow, transforming the splashes of rainwater into blossoming flowers. As they bloomed, they instantly scored several wounds on Chen Changsheng''s shoulder.
This shift in techniques was incredibly ingenious, perfectly exhibiting the resources and standards of the Mount Li Sword Sect. In the end, however, it was still an impromptu shift in techniques, so it had been somewhat lacking in boldness.
Although the Blossoming Flower Brocade had wounded Chen Changsheng, it had failed to defeat him. At the same time, Chen Changsheng''s sword had slashed out a wound on Gou Hanshi''s left arm.
After Chen Changsheng entered Ethereal Opening, his last two clashes with Gou Hanshi had ultimately ended in about the same way. He used fierce sword techniques that would lead to mutual destruction. It was like he wasn''t even thinking about winning.
The two stood on opposite ends of the Hall of Washing Away Dust, calm, defiant, and quiet. The countless curtains of rain falling between them obscured many things and also blurred their faces.
Gou Hanshi had a frigid expression, because he was already sure of what Chen Changsheng intended to do.
Chen Changsheng gripped his dagger and nodded at him, expressing his apology.
Yes, he was inferior to Gou Hanshi. No matter how bitterly he cultivated, how great was his talent, how many Daoist scriptures he read, he was still inferior to Gou Hanshi. This was because Gou Hanshi also bitterly cultivated, was also very talented, was also well-versed in the Daoist Canon. Gou Hanshi was also older than him and had cultivated for longer.
Even if he strenuously persisted, relying on the constant battles of the Grand Examination to constantly improve until he successfully entered Ethereal Opening in shocking circumstances, he still was no match for Gou Hanshi.
He had attempted Purification, but failed. He continued to try, risking his life by performing Meditative Introspection, and then continued Meditative Introspection until he finally and inexplicably entered Ethereal Opening, yet he was still unable to surpass his powerful opponent in terms of cultivation. This sort of feeling might make others feel bitter, but not Chen Changsheng.
He was not disappointed, did not despair. On the contrary, he was now absolutely confident that he could win this match, because he now had the right to bring Gou Hanshi down with him together into death.
Before his improvements, before Ethereal Opening, the gap between him and Gou Hanshi was even greater, and he couldn''t even think about bringing his opponent down with him. He now had at least obtained this right.
This was enough.
Because no one had as much experience as him in facing death.
To put it another way, no one was more frightened of death than him, and also less frightened of death.
...
...
Gou Hanshi could not comprehend why Chen Changsheng was so formidable in this aspect, but he could sense this aspect of Chen Changsheng. If he wanted to defeat Chen Changsheng, he also needed to reveal his most powerful aspect.
"Try this attack of mine."
He said to Chen Changsheng, then calmly walked forward, his steps steady and slow, his eyes getting brighter and brighter as if he was returning to his childhood years in his village''s school.
Gou Hanshi''s attack was very simple, slashing from above to below.
It even felt a little impoverished.
But this attack was extremely complicated, the above stretching up into the blue sky, the below reaching down to the Yellow Springs1, and between the heavens and the earth was this sword. This sword was the real and fragmentary mortal world.
Yet this attack truly was very impoverished.
Anyone who saw this attack, anyone who sensed the sword intent of this attack, would feel an ache in their heart.
Every person would see their own arduous past.
Gou Hanshi saw even more, because this was a sword technique he had created himself.
He saw the penniless home of his childhood, his mother making a living from washing the clothes of relatives, himself without any money to pay for the village school and kneeling in front of the doorstep of that teacher with the triangular beard for an entire night.
After entering the school, he could study, but he had no money for a heater. The cold wind outside the window chilled him to the bone. These were the cold and bitter conditions in which he studied. He also had nothing much to eat. Every day, he made a pot of cold porridge. After freezing it, he would use a knife to cut the block in two and eat one block for a meal. This was cold food. He had studied by a cold window for ten years; how many years would he eat cold food2?
As he swung down his sword, Gou Hanshi truly thought of a great deal.
Poverty was truly the most terrifying thing in the world. How had he been able to persist until he entered the Mount Li Sword Sect? Why had he persisted until now? Was it not for precisely this match?
Yes, this sword technique was the same move he had used to cut cold porridge all those years ago.
...
...
When Gou Hanshi raised his sword, Chen Changsheng''s expression changed.
Before he even saw the attack, he could sense the natural principles, no, the unavoidable affairs of the human world carried in this sword.
Gou Hanshi had already used two extremely exquisite and powerful sword techniques, and he had resolved them by attacking with the intent to kill them both, but against this technique, he suddenly felt that it would be very difficult to break through.
This sword could not be overcome. In order to cause mutual destruction, their swords first had to meet.
Chen Changsheng did not want the dagger in his hand to meet with Gou Hanshi''s Mount Li sword, because once they met, things would change. In this sort of test on the art of the sword, he was unable to surpass Gou Hanshi in accuracy.
At the very beginning, it was Gou Hanshi that had not wanted their swords to meet, but now the situation had reversed.
What could he do?
The spectators on the second floor were still in shock at the exquisiteness of Gou Hanshi''s solitary and bitter technique, but they were soon after awed by the technique Chen Changsheng chose to use, and gasps of surprise rose one after other!
Chen Changsheng took a step to the side, his foot breaking through a puddle and his elbow carrying a stream of water as he stabbed forward. The tip of his dagger was suffused with a faint golden glow as it pierced towards Gou Hanshi.
A faint scent of blood emerged in the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
This scent originated from his and Gou Hanshi''s wounds, and also from the blood bled by the other examinees who had fought here, but most of it came from his sword technique.
"This is the True Sword of the Orthodoxy" One of the Sacred Hall archbishops became stern as he muttered to himself.
Xu Shiji could no longer keep his silence, and harshly questioned, "Wasn''t this technique banned?"
The Principal of the Star Seizer Academy answered, "It should still be available in the Orthodox Academy''s library."
Chen Changsheng was currently using the True Sword of the Orthodoxy, but it also had another name: the Sword of Slaughter. It was the secret sword technique used by some previous Principal of the Orthodox Academy. It was said that many years ago, when that principal fell into the path of slaughter and was forcefully suppressed by the Pope, this sword technique had heavily wounded the Pope.
If one said that Gou Hanshi''s sword technique emphasized poverty and determination
Then the technique Chen Changsheng used emphasized slaughter and madness.
If these two swords were to clash, which would gain the upper hand?
The drizzle in the Hall of Washing Away Dust suddenly dispersed, yet the remaining grains of sand on the drenched ground stirred into the air.
The winds stirred by the two swords energetically blew about the hall, the black eaves of the hall constantly clattering as the winds howled against them.
Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had already parted, more more bloody and injured than before.
No one could clearly tell what had occurred, but those two swords had probably still not met.
Mo Yu moved her gaze down to the footprints in front of Gou Hanshi. Upon confirming that he had been the first to retreat, she couldn''t help but be somewhat shocked. Her thin brows perked upward and complex emotions appeared in her eyes, yet her lips perked into an extremely faint smile.
The hall was incredibly still, the crowd stunned.
Given that neither Qiushan Jun nor Xu Yourong was participating in this year''s Grand Examination, many people had believed that the Grand Examination would lose some of its luster. Yet who could have imagined that the final match of the Grand Examination would be such a fierce battle?
Up until now, Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi had clashed almost fifty times, yet their swords had not once truly met. Moreover, they had each suffered countless wounds, and there were quite a few moments where they were only an instant away from death. Such resolute moves and such attainments in the path of the sword were truly worthy of praise.
Just how had these two cultivated? How had they been able to grasp these secret sword techniques that had almost been lost? And Gou Hanshi had even created such a perfect sword technique!
Of course, they could rely on their advantage in strength and cultivation to disregard the sword techniques of Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng and directly crush them with strength, but what if they were brought down to the same level? After all, Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng were both under twenty, yet they knew so many sword styles, knew which technique should be used at what time, allowing them to make almost perfect choices. This sort of ability and strength made some people drop their jaws in wonder.
And Chen Changsheng had even grasped those incredibly desperate sword techniques that brought destruction on both sides and was able to bring them out one after the other. Even more frightening was that everyone could clearly see through his choices and sword intent that this youth wanted nothing more than to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, and not even death would make him shrink from this goal!
"Someone will die if this continues," Prince Chen Liu said to the others.
Everyone knew that he spoke the truth, and became rather concerned. It was naturally in their power to put a stop to this insane battle, but the first rank of the first banner had still not been decided, so how could Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng agree? If they had to judge victory and defeat, Chen Changsheng had been seeking victory on the edge of death all this time, so how could they judge him the loser?...
...
A truly powerful technique.
Chen Changsheng thought of Gou Hanshi''s impoverished sword that traveled from the heavens down to the earth and silently wondered, if Gou Hanshi had not drawn back his technique at the final moment, perhaps I really would have lost.
"Why did you retreat in the end?" he sincerely asked Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi thought this question over, then replied, "I used this sword technique to cut cold porridge."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, then asked, "And?"
"The cold porridge had been cooked by my mother."
"And then?"
Gou Hanshi answered, "She is still alive, so I must survive."
Chen Changsheng fell quiet for a very long time, then said, "I''m sorry."
"And you? Just why are you doing this?" Gou Hanshi looked at him seriously. "Is the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination truly this important to you? Is it even more important than your life?"
Chen Changsheng asked back, "What about you? Is it important to you?"
Gou Hanshi answered, "This sort of glory is important to every cultivator, and my Mount Li Sword Sect has already taken first rank of the first banner two years in a row. As Second Brother, I can''t let it break with me."
"So it was like that."
Chen Changsheng contemplated this for some time, then responded, "I''m sorry, the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination is more important to me, so I cannot withdraw. I have no path of retreat, but you do, so this is essentially unfair to you."
Gou Hanshi replied, "I don''t quite understand your meaning, but for some reason, I can faintly sense it."
Chen Changsheng raised the dagger in his hand at pointed it at the ground. "In the last match, Zhuang Huanyu said to me that the barefoot do not fear those who wear shoes. It appears to me now that what he said was right."
The sand gently drifted, the chirping of cicadas outside grew even more irritating, and the clouds in the sky floated about in unease. Upon seeing his posture and sensing his sword intent, Gou Hanshi faintly guessed at what he was up to, and his expression subtly shifted.
Chen Changsheng very seriously said to him, "I truly have no path of retreat, nor do I have anything to lose, so even if I''m wearing shoes, I''m still just a barefoot boy."
Gou Hanshi replied, "To people like us, shoes have always been very luxurious things."
"So I have to apologize to you," Chen Changsheng answered.
Outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, Tang Thirty-Six had given him a very clear strategy. First stir his emotions, then reason with logic, and only after should he attempt to surpass in strength. Only after first attacking the heart should he compete in swords. Chen Changsheng had not done this, and only now did he begin to truly engage in serious communication with Gou Hanshi. This was a way of expressing his respect, and the reason he had begun to speak now was because he could sense that the outcome of this match would be decided by this technique.
Gou Hanshi asked, "For the next move, I''m prepared to use the Esteemed Teacher''s Sword, and you?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "The final move of the Mount Li Sword Style."
Gou Hanshi knew that his guess had not been wrong.
After a very long silence, he looked up at the blue sky outside the hall. He felt a little hungry, craving a little porridge.
After another period of silence, he shook his head, sheathed his sword, turned, and left the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Only Chen Changsheng remained within. He gazed at the deserted grounds, at the greyish white wall across from him, and slightly tilted his head as if somewhat at a loss.
It was extremely quiet. Not a sound could be heard.
He looked for a very long time, then came to his senses. He felt rather tired and wanted to rest for a while.
He took a few steps back and leaned against the wall, slowly putting his dagger back in its sheath. He sat down and wiped his forehead, but he couldn''t tell whether it was blood or sweat on his sleeve.
180 The Glow of Sunset, But Also Dawn
The Hall of Washing Away Dust was quiet, on both the first and the second floor.
No one knew how to evaluate this battle. Only after a very long time did Archbishop Mei Lisha finally sigh, "Outstanding."
The word ''outstanding'' referred to both Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi. Chen Changsheng was outstanding because he was able to be so calm, even wooden, before the great terror that was death, making him all the more frightening. Gou Hanshi was outstanding because he was able to, at the most important moment in all of his life of cultivation, calmly use his intelligence to convert the hotblooded passion of youth into another type of strength, the strength to concede.
The final match of the Grand Examination had come to an end. With Gou Hanshi''s withdrawal, the first rank of the first banner had been decided, yet the important personages were still beset by an indescribably complex mixture of emotions.
The drizzle gradually halted as several clouds drifted in the sky of the Education Palace. The light gradually brightened, penetrating through the windows and falling on the faces of these personages. Mei Lisha was expressionless as if thinking of nothing. Mo Yu was expressionless, her thoughts inscrutable. Xu Shiji was expressionless, but many people knew what he was thinking about. The two Sacred Hall archbishops were expressionless because they themselves did not know what they should be thinking about.
Gou Hanshi walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and stood on the stone steps. He paid no attention to the gazes cast towards him, nor did he rush towards his junior brothers and speak to them. Instead, he looked up towards the sky.
In the depths of the Li Palace in the real world, the Pope gazed at the beads of water on the Green Leaf and shook his head. He took a handkerchief from his sleeve and very carefully wiped those beads of water off.
With the slow movements of the Pope, the sky of the Education Palace began to change.
As Gou Hanshi watched those rainclouds being wiped away and the sky regaining its azure hue, his mind also broadened once more, the negative emotions brought about by those final sword techniques in the Hall of Washing Away Dust gradually dissipating.
Outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, all the examinees stared at that door atop the stone steps.
They saw Gou Hanshi walk out. After a while, they saw Chen Changsheng also walk outor to be more accurate, they saw the Li Palace priests carry him out on a stretcher, and then they heard a priest announce the final result.
...
...
Chen Changsheng had won?
This youth of the Orthodox Academy had truly taken the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?
An eerie stillness pervaded the Hall of Washing Away Dust''s surroundings and then burst into an uproar.
Of the examinees still present, many of them had incredibly nasty expressions, especially those students of the Temple Seminary and Li Palace Academy that had incessantly jeered Chen Changsheng a few days ago on the Divine Avenue.
That young junior sister of Holy Maiden Peak, Ye Xiaolian, was so shocked that she couldn''t speak.
Shouting could suddenly be heard from the forest''s edge.
Tang Thirty-Six, Luoluo, and Xuanyuan Po ran over to the Hall of Washing Away Dust.
Upon reaching the hall and confirming the result of the match, Tang Thirty-Six fell quiet for a moment, then unleashed a roar of laughter. When he laughed, he intentionally held his waist and looked towards those examinees that had once treated Chen Changsheng with scorn. He laughed with particular arrogance, because he truly was very pleased, very proud.
Xuanyuan Po was very agitated, so excited that he couldn''t speak, his face swollen and red, the light stubble on the face seemingly about to puncture through his skin. He raised his bowl-sized fist and sent it down at Chen Changsheng''s chest.
Chen Changsheng was currently heavily injured. If he were to be struck by this fist, what would be the result?
Thankfully, Xuanyuan Po''s fist was blocked by a small hand. Luoluo crouched next to the stretcher and put down her left hand. As she looked at the pale and blood-drenched Chen Changsheng, her small face was covered all over with concern.
"I promised myself and I promised all of you that I would definitely win."
Chen Changsheng gripped her right hand and said to her, "I won."
As he spoke, his lips drew back into a very foolish grin.
Tang Thirty-Six turned around, saw this smile, and said with concern, "He wasn''t beaten silly, was he?"
At this moment, Guan Feibai''s voice suddenly rose from the front of the Hall of Washing Away Dust. "What''s going on here?"
His voice was very cold, very angry.
He found it impossible to accept that his second brother could lose to Chen Changsheng.
They had seen all sort of phenomena outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust, but regardless, he could not think of a single reason for his senior brother to lose to Chen Changshengand that wasn''t even considering that Gou Hanshi was currently only moderately injured and was still able to stand on the stone steps, while Chen Changsheng was covered in blood and lying on a stretcher!
In this sort of situation, how could Chen Changsheng have won?
The stone plaza outside the hall instantly fell silent.
Countless eyes were fixed on Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng.
Many people thought the same as Guan Feibai. Only if Gou Hanshi himself admitted that he had lost would some people be convinced. Otherwise, anyone would think that something was going on behind the scenes.
Gou Hanshi raised his hand to indicate that his junior brother should say no more.
With Luoluo''s support, Chen Changsheng sat up and said earnestly to Gou Hanshi, "Many thanks."
There was a very long pause as Gou Hanshi replayed the battle in his mind. Only after confirming that he had not missed anything did he finally say, "It was only natural that you win, so why thank me?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "I''m inferior to you and was only able to win by taking advantage of you."
Gou Hanshi understood what he meant and shook his head, refuting, "Something like battle tests all aspects. Even if you were inferior to me in ninety-nine out of one hundred aspects, as long as you surpassed me in one, it is still your victory."
All was quiet outside the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Guan Feibai, Qi Jian and Liang Banhu were all confused, puzzled as to his argument. How could being superior in one aspect and losing in ninety-nine be enough?
"Because it is the most important aspect."
Gou Hanshi said to Chen Changsheng, at the same time explaining to his three junior brothers, "Just like the most important part of a cask is always the shortest stave, since I am inferior to you in that aspect, I will be inferior to you in all things."
What was the most important aspect? Only Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng knew that it was one''s outlook on life and death. After Chen Changsheng heard this, he fell silent for a few moments before saying, "I still need to apologize to you."
Gou Hanshi laughed, but didn''t respond. He said to Guan Feibai, "Iam a little hungry."
Guan Feibai still did not understand what had happened in this final match, but since his senior brother had conceded, his arrogant personality naturally would not allow him to continue pressing the issue. He was only concerned about his senior brother''s mood and made his voice as calm and soothing as possible. "Senior Brother, what do you want to eat?"
Gou Hanshi considered this question, then replied, "Porridge."
Liang Banhu answered, "It should almost be dark outside. I don''t know if that will be easy to find."
Qi Jian softly added, "If it''s left over from the daytime, it''s probably gone cold."
Gou Hanshi replied, "Cold porridge is ideal."
With this incredibly ordinary conversation, the four disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect accepted the results of the Grand Examination and walked out of the Education Palace. They were youths that took pride in their power, so they were very proud.
The Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws were the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws.
"Let''s also go," Luoluo suggested.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po took the stretcher from the Li Palace priests.
Mo Yu walked out from the Hall of Washing Away Dust and up to the youths of the Orthodox Academy. She first bowed to Luoluo, and then said to Chen Changsheng, "Congratulations."
Chen Changsheng replied, "Thank you."
Mo Yu''s slender brows perked upward as if conveying some deeper meaning. "I only hope that it truly is a matter worth celebrating."
The other examinees already knew the identity of this beauty in palace attire and bowed, but before they had a chance to step forward and give their greetings, Mo Yu drifted away.
Chen Changsheng and the others thought of the words she had left, their originally joyous mood now suddenly coated in a haze. However, they had no chance to ponder any more deeply, as another person quickly arrived.
Xue Xingchuan and Prince Chen Liu walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and gave their congratulations to the four students of the Orthodox Academy. It was easy to understand Prince Chen Liu''s well wishes, but Xue Xingchuan was the Divine Empress''s most valued Divine General, so there was no reason for him to do this. His congratulations could not help but astound the youths of the Orthodox Academy even more.
When Archbishop Mei Lisha walked out of the Hall of Washing Away Dust and up to them, everyone knew that no other important personages would be emerging from the hall, as the esteemed elder immediately said, "Let us leave the palace together."
It was not a question, but more of an invitation that could not be refused, and which they had no reason to refuse.
The entire continent knew that Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy had been pushed forward as representatives of the Orthodoxy''s conservative faction, and it had to be conceded that if this elder and the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education that he led were not safeguarding Chen Changsheng from the shadows, he would have had no chance of taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination.
Thus, regardless of whether they wanted to admit it or not, Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy were already inseparably tied to this elderly figure, so all they could do right now was accept.
Luoluo''s circumstances were special, so in this sort of sensitive moment, she could not possibly appear with Archbishop Mei Lisha in front of the crowd gathered outside the Li Palace. She represented the stance of the demi-humans, so she had to act with utmost caution towards the internal conflicts of the human world, not even able to express a position on the matter.
Chen Changsheng soothed her, "It''s fine. You go back first, and we''ll meet at the academy."
Luoluo''s sadness was somewhat alleviated. She took his hand and said, "Teacher, rest well."
Having taken medicine and received treatment, Chen Changsheng no longer needed to lie on the stretcher. Supported by Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, he followed the archbishop out of the Education Palace.
Luoluo lived in the Education Palace, so she did not need to leave, only bid farewell.
In a short while, one elder and three youths emerged from the Hall of Pure Virtue.
Stretching before them was a sky dyed red by sunset, with darkness on the horizon. It was dusk of the next day. They realized that the Grand Examination had lasted for two days and one night.
The moment this thought passed through their minds, they felt thoroughly exhausted, drowsiness sweeping over them.
...
...
A vast crowd was gathered outside the Li Palace.
The spectating populace were unwilling to leave, many of them grasping betting slips in their hands as they nervously awaited the final result. Around the stone pillars, the teachers and elders from the schools and academies waited for the examinees to come out.
The Grand Examination had finally concluded, and the final results were announced. Despite their shock, those teachers and elders were still concerned the most about their own examinees.
The examinees began to emerge from the Hall of Pure Virtue and followed the Divine Avenue out of the Li Palace, each encountering a different situation upon meeting their respective teachers and family members. Some examinees let out whoops of elation while their family members wept in joy, others had gloomy expressions while being incessantly soothed by relatives, and some appeared frustrated as their teachers harshly rebuked them.
As more and more examinees exited the palace, the Li Palace''s surroundings gradually fell silent. The four disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect had gone straight back to their guest courtyard after leaving the Hall of Pure Virtue and had not appeared again, but the crowd still seemed to be waiting for something.
The sun sank in the west, the dream-like sunset proceeding up the Divine Avenue and onto the endless stone steps.
Helped by Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, Chen Changsheng slowly walked down the stone steps.
The archbishop followed behind them.
The Li Palace, inside and outside, was absolutely quiet.
The sunset cast its glow over the steps, a warm red light indistinguishable from the dawn.
181 Take Care, First Rank
Shining upon the world and bringing the light and heat required by all living beings, yet not dazzling or fiery, the glow of sunset and that of dawn truly were not very different. One might appear later than the other, but they were equally resplendent. Chen Changsheng had only begun to cultivate after coming to the capital, not even having begun his journey though the sun was on the verge of sinking below the mountains to the west. In the end, however, he had surpassed many who had come before him, even people like Gou Hanshi, and became the first to step on the peak.
"He''s the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner for this year?"
"It''s really that guy called Chen Changsheng?"
"Could there be some mistake?"
The people outside the Li Palace watched in the twilight as the youths of the Orthodox Academy slowly made their way down the Divine Avenue. Some of them conversed with each other, wearing incredulous expressions on their faces, but more were so shocked that they couldn''t even speak.
After the Ivy Festival, Chen Changsheng became a famous person in the capital because of his engagement with Xu Yourong. At that time, he was the object of the capital''s ridicule and hostility, and a saying even appeared just for him: a toad wanting to eat Phoenix flesh, indulging in the wildest of fantasies.
On the day in which the Proclamation of Azure Sky was updated, the archbishop had announced in Chen Changsheng''s place that he intended to take first rank of the first banner. No one had taken it seriously. On the contrary, the announcement drew even more scorn and derision, with no one believing that Chen Changsheng could do it. Everyone looked forward to seeing Chen Changsheng''s expression after coming up empty-handed at the end of the Grand Examination.
This year''s Grand Examination was very lively and what the populace was most concerned about after its conclusion was jeering to their heart''s content at that delusional Chen Changsheng who had gotten carried away with his fantasies. Yet who could have expected that the delusion had become reality, the fantasy had come to life, and the youth of the Orthodox Academy who didn''t even know how to cultivate a few months ago had really taken the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination!
Indeed, the first rank of the first banner was not Gou Hanshi, not anyone from the Divine Kingdom''s Seven Laws, not Tianhai Shengxue, not Zhexiu, not Zhuang Huanyu, and not a young scholar from Scholartree Manor.
It was Chen Changsheng.
No one was willing to believe this result, but it was a fact. Many people, especially those who had constantly jeered at Chen Changsheng before the Grand Examination, all felt like their faces were burning in pain.
Even if it was a fact, the crowd still found it impossible to accept, impossible to understand. The stillness within and without the Li Palace was broken by discussion as the specific details of the Grand Examination''s matches quickly spread through the crowd.
Soon after, the Divine Avenue, the Li Palace, and the surrounding area grew even more still, and then exploded with noise.
Chen Changsheng had actually entered Ethereal Opening in the one-on-one match phase of the Grand Examination? And it was in the final battle against Gou Hanshi? How could this be possible! With the level Chen Changsheng had displayed beforehand, his taking of the first rank of the first banner today already felt too much like the stuff of legends, but for him to actually break into Ethereal Opening in the middle of the Grand Examination pushed it to the limit!
Ethereal Opening at the age of fifteen? Who didn''t know what this signified?
The importance of this matter was on the verge of eclipsing the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner!
The setting sun shone over the Divine Avenue, making Chen Changsheng''s shadow extremely long.
On the two sides of the Divine Avenue were the schools directly under the Li Palace while even further away, beyond the stone pillars, the masses awaited, and there were also many great personages hidden under the shade of the trees.
Regardless of who they were, none of them could hide the shock on their faces as they watched the youth proceed down the Divine Avenue.
Su Moyu sat in a wheelchair, pushed by his schoolmates of the Li Palace Academy to the forest lining the Divine Avenue.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and thought of the words he had said to him a few days ago, his mood somewhat complex.
Chen Changsheng turned to him and nodded in greeting. With everyone watching, it was not convenient to talk, so he used the look in his eyes to ask how his injuries were doing. Su Moyu indicated that they were not too bad, and then he earnestly bowed.
Chen Changsheng stopped and calmly returned the bow.
Many examinees who had finished with the Grand Examination had not left and also went to see Chen Changsheng. But not everyone had the same demeanor as Su Moyu. They had more unsightly expressions.
Zhuang Huanyu sat in the carriage of the Heavenly Dao Academy, raising a corner of the curtain to look at the figure of the youth that slowly proceeded out of the Li Palace under the gaze of thousands, and a hint of unwillingness appeared on his face.
The four scholars of Scholartree Manor, led by Zhong Hui, stood in the Monolith Hall in the northwest corner of the Li Palace. As they looked at the distant Chen Changsheng, their faces showed emotions of anger and frustration.
Yes, regardless of how angry or unwilling they were as they watched Chen Changsheng, they all ultimately felt frustrated. From this day forward, their dazzling and glittering names on the Proclamation of Azure Sky would become dark and gloomy before Chen Changsheng, and now they had also lost any right to compare themselves to Chen Changsheng.
Their names had all been carved on the highest ranks of the Proclamation of Azure Sky. After today, they would presumably continue to remain there, but Chen Changsheng''s name had never once appeared in the Proclamation of Azure Sky and never would appear there.
Luoluo had gone from the ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky to second. From the moment Xu Yourong entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, she had seized the first rank, just as Qiushan Jun had. These three people who had caused the Proclamation of Azure Sky to undergo impromptu revisions had shocked the entire continent.
What Chen Changsheng had accomplished was even more inconceivable.
He had never entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, nor did he need to enter it this year. He had already reached Ethereal Opening, so if he had to enter a ranking, he could only enter the Proclamation of Golden Distinction, the same list on which Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi were currently ranked.
To put it another way, his cultivation had directly leaped over the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
A normal person that did not know how to cultivate began to cultivate. Never once having entered the Proclamation of Azure Sky, the moment he appeared before the eyes of the people, he entered the Proclamation of Golden Distinction. Had the world ever seen such a person before?
People both inside and outside the Li Palace thought in shock, engaging in endless discussion.
One person vaguely remembered that many years ago, Wang Zhice had apparently done something similar.
...
...
As Chen Changsheng and the others walked out of the Li Palace, the crowd surged forward like a tide.
A powerful Qi emerged from nowhere and barred those people outside.
Jin Yulu held the reins of a carriage and expressionlessly watched the crowd yell out Chen Changsheng''s name. His stance was crystal-clear: anyone who got any closer would die.
The Li Palace in the glow of sunset had become abnormally rowdy because of Chen Changsheng''s presence. Jin Yulu''s mighty name could intimidate the populace into not getting any closer, but it could not block their gazes and voices.
Several thousand shocked, curious, and probing gazes combined together were even more scorching than the sun. Chen Changsheng felt like even his clothes were on fire, his cheeks prickling with pain.
"First Rank Chen! First Rank Chen!"
"I invite First Rank Chen to stop and rest at my tea house for a few moments."
"First Rank Chen, at this fine occasion, you must drink some wine. My master offers you wine from Huang Province!"
"Young Master Tang, you haven''t visited my daughter for a long time. It''s such a fine night; how can you fritter it away"
Countless voices rose from the crowd and entered the ears of the three youths from the Orthodox Academy. As the crowd grew more and more lively, some people even disregarded Jin Yulu''s frosty gaze and scooted closer, while some bold girls extended hands towards Chen Changsheng. All was chaos.
Chen Changsheng''s taking first rank of the first banner was naturally not something that would be well-received, and many of these people had even lost money because of him. However, these emotions had long since been replaced by the shock at witnessing a miracle. Moreover, after warring with the demons for a thousand years, the human world had always acknowledged the strong, pursued the talented, so the common people that had come to see the Grand Examination could not possibly miss out on this opportunity.
Fortunately, the Li Palace priests and especially the officers from the Department for Purging Officials in charge of public order hurried over. Lord Zhou Tong''s fearsome reputation was finally able to pacify the crowd.
Chen Changsheng walked up to the carriage. Together with Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, he bowed to Jin Yulu.
Jin Yulu lightly stroked his beard, giving a silent and deeply satisfied smile.
With a light flick of the reins, the carriage started. The surrounding crowd voluntarily gave way. Just as it had come in like a tide, it now went out, forming a path and symbolizing a sort of attitude.
Of course, the enthusiastic cries from the crowd had never stopped.
Chen Changsheng sat in the back of the carriage. He raised up the curtain of the back window and looked at where they had come from. He saw the Hall of Pure Virtue at the end of the Divine Avenue, basking in the last glimmer of twilight atop the stone steps, seemingly ablaze. A figure could vaguely be made out on the balcony of the upper floor. He guessed that this was probably Luoluo and smiled. And then he saw the archbishop standing under an old tree at the side of the avenue, his body stooped and his old age evident. No one approached him, making him seem very lonely. As a result, Chen Changsheng''s lips which had just perked up loosened, his smile gradually fading.
The wheels rolled across the flagstones, but the surrounding noise never once decreased in volume. The people of the capital seemed intent on sending off the carriage until it returned to the Orthodox Academy, and so the people in the carriage naturally did not dare to lift up the curtains and look out again.
"Heywhat was up with that person''s daughter?" Chen Changsheng asked Tang Thirty-Six.
Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat incensed and roared back, "Who knows what''s up with that!"
Seeing his attitude, Chen Changsheng naturally would not continue asking. Thinking of the crowd outside the Li Palace, he sighed, "Only today do I understand how Zhou Dufu''s little brother could be looked to deaththe power of all these people staring gathered together is even more frightening than Gou Hanshi''s Secret Sword of the Golden Crow."
Tang Thirty-Six teased, "You should consider yourself lucky. If this were a few years ago, the moment you exited the Li Palace, you probably would have been abducted by some noble of the capital, and we could follow behind and gain a few advantages for ourselves."
Chen Changsheng was puzzled. "Why is that?"
Tang Thirty-Six explained, "The Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner naturally makes for the ideal son-in-law. How could those nobles miss out on such an opportunity? How could those impassioned girls possibly let you go?"
Chen Changsheng comprehended what he meant. He thought of those slender jade hands filled with adoration and longing stealthily reaching out towards Tang Thirty-Six from the crowd and smiled. "If they were to snatch away someone, it''s probably you."
Tang Thirty-Six angrily replied, "I really don''t like chatting with you."
Chen Changsheng asked, "You said that it would be the case several years ago, so why is this year different?"
Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and sullenly said, "Do you really not understand or are you just pretending? You have an engagement with Xu Yourong, and who would dare steal from her?"
...
...
Xu Shiji emerged from the Li Palace and returned to the Divine General of the East''s estate. The expression on his face remained unchanging as if frozen by the icy winds of early spring, making it impossible for others to tell his true mood.
He basked in the warm winds of the garden pavilion for a few moments, and his mood, just like his body, somewhat relaxed. But when he thought of the words in the side hall of the Li Palace from those ministers and bishops, his complexion turned even icier.
The rankings had already been decided for the Grand Examination, but the formal release would not be until the day after tomorrow, so the ministers of the Imperial Court and great personages of the Orthodoxy did not need to present themselves. Instead, they had sipped tea and chatted in the side hall. After the matches concluded, he had also sat there for a while, but had been unexpectedly met with no less than ten calls of congratulations.
Congratulations, congratulationscongratulations for what? It was naturally for Chen Changsheng taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination. How could the Divine General of the East''s estate not be happy to obtain such a fine son-in-law?
Of course, Xu Shiji was not happy, and those congratulations were clearly jeers, so how could he possibly have a good complexion?
He sat in the chair, closed his eyes, and did not say anything for a very long time.
It was already night and the candles in the pavilion lightly flickered. Suddenly, a drizzle fell over the courtyard. The rain of early spring was often colder and more desolate than the snow of winter, yet his expression actually grew warmer.
This rain had reminded him of the rain in the Hall of Washing Away Dust. He looked to his wife and said, "On the day the rankings are released, prepare a banquet. It doesn''t haven''t to be too rich; something homely is fine."
Madam Xu vaguely understood his intentions and was so startled that she couldn''t reply.
A homely dinner was naturally a family dinner.
182 The Academy Gate Repaired
By taking first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng had caused the Divine General of the East''s estate to prepare a family feast, yet it had caused the feasts in many homes to disappear, or at the very least become much less impressive, as many people had lost a great deal of money.
According to the statistics collected in the aftermath, the Four Great Markets had opened three-hundred-some betting pools concerning the Grand Examination. The hundred-some betting pools with the greatest value were essentially betting on the rankings for the Grand Examination. Chen Changsheng''s appearance, Tianhai Shengxue''s withdrawal, and other unexpected incidents, one surprise occurring after the other, made it so that very few people won anything from this year''s betting pools.
Logically speaking, if the gamblers lost, the house should have won, yet the Four Great Markets also did not make much money from the Grand Examination this year. This was because in the nights leading up to the Grand Examination, several parties had placed enormous bets on the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng.
The first party was naturally the fellows of the Orthodox Academy. Given that he was treating the Grand Examination as the last fight of his life, Chen Changsheng had bet all he had on himself. Xuanyuan Po didn''t have much money, but he had also thrown the seventeen taels of silver that he had saved bit by bit into the pot. The people that had truly caused this sum of money to soar were Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo. Although they had only used the money they had at hand, their families were rich, so the money that they added was not small, and this bet was made when the payout odds were still extremely long.
The second party to bet on Chen Changsheng was from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. The one to make the wager was Priest Xin, but he represented that elderly and fear-inspiring archbishop. He had bet a massive amount of money, and apparently many priests of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had also added quite the significant sum to the pot to express their loyalty.
The third party had bet an even greater amount, a somewhat stunning amount of money. This wager came from Wenshui.
These three wagers on the complete dark horse had made the Four Great Markets suffer most miserable losses. The third wager even put the Heavenly Fragrance Market, the weakest of the Four Great Markets, under massive pressure.
Given that they were able to supervise wagers of such a major event, the Four Great Markets naturally had extremely deep backings. Although it was said that the betting business lived on reputation, if it was truly a matter of life or death, there was still a chance that they could renege on the bets or at least delay the payout for some time.
This time, however, they did not dare to try any tricks, or even have the courage to invite someone to plead on their behalf. No matter who their backers were, they did not dare to offend Princess Luoluo''s Orthodox Academy, or the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education that stood across from the Pope, and they certainly did not dare to offend the owner of the third wager.
This wager had come from Wenshui, so it was naturally from the Tang clan.
There was only one Tang clan in Wenshui, one Tang clan in the continent, and in this entire world, only that Tang clan had so much money that it could place such a large bet on Chen Changsheng''s victory to make its young master happy
Anything honed to the peak would become extremely frightening, and a clan like the Wenshui Tangs which had far too much money was not just ordinarily frightening, but extremely frightening.
But probably not even the Tang Old Master had expected that the bet he had made purely to increase the reputation of his darling grandson in the capital and roll his eyes at the people of the capital had actually resulted in quite the excellent harvest. It could even be said that the greatest winner in this year''s Grand Examination, excluding Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy, was the Tang clan.
It would be the Spring Festival in a few days. The Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education would presumably be giving out quite extravagant holiday gifts, and the banquet tables in the homes of those priests would certainly have more dishes than last year. Those who had money before in the Orthodox Academy would have even more money now, and Xuanyuan Po, the sole impoverished member, would probably not have to worry about money anymore. Meanwhile, the famed Heavenly Fragrance Market would be liquidated in the following period, sold off to a merchant from the south specializing in precious stones.
All of these were effects of the Grand Examination.
Of course, these were only the effects on the surface. The true effects were still hidden underwater, waiting for the moment where they would show their might. Perhaps a few of them would appear on the day that the rankings for the Grand Examination were formally released.
Chen Changsheng did not know of these things, did not know that his money had multiplied and was now enough for him to live comfortably in the capital for ten years. Of course, he first needed to be able to live for ten more years.
Tang Thirty-Six also did not know of these matters, or perhaps he did not care. To others, the amount of money he had bet was enormous, but for him, it was just a few months of pocket money. It was truly difficult for him to constantly keep in mind a wager of this level, and as for what his clan at Wenshui had done, he was completely unaware.
The carriage returned to the Orthodox Academy.
Countless people followed it into Hundred Flowers Lane. It was noisy all the way, with some people occasionally yelling out such phrases as ''Congratulations First Rank Chen'', while many people were also chattering to each other in wonder.
This chatter was not directed towards Chen Changsheng, but towards the academy gate of the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng and the others stepped out of the carriage and looked at the gate, somewhat stupefied. They thought to themselves, what happened?
Last year, in the early morning under the autumn rain, a warhorse of excellent bloodline belonging to the Tianhai clan had collapsed into a puddle, gasping its last breaths and constantly spewing bloody foam. This was a result of ramming the Orthodox Academy''s gate and thus transforming it into an unbearable ruin.
Starting from that day, the Orthodox Academy''s gate had maintained this appearance. It was not repaired or even tidied, and grew increasingly desolate. If it weren''t for the fact that Jin Yulu would lie on his bamboo chair with his teapot every day, no one would be able to tell that an academy gate had been there.
This was the battle between the Orthodox Academy valued by the archbishop and the new faction of the Orthodoxy led by the Pope, the battle between those elders still loyal to the Chen Imperial clan and the Tianhai clan. This was a very high-level battle, but when it finally descended to the earth, it appeared much like a childish squabble.
It was probably because the three youths of the Orthodox Academy were all still quite young, and they did not make this matter too complicated. They only knew that it was the Tianhai clan that had ruined this gate, so it should be the Tianhai clan that fixed it.
The Tianhai clan naturally would not repair it, as this would symbolize their concession. The Orthodox Academy also did not repair it, just allowed this ruined gate to sit there for the entire capital to see until this ruined academy gate became a scenic sight of the capital. This was how they argued, and naturally neither side was willing to back away first.
Now, however, ten-some craftsmen wearing the garb of the Imperial Court were standing around the once-ruined gate, and many precious beams made of clearly unusual jade were piled by the sides of the gate. From the circumstances, it seemed that someone was intent on repairing the academy gate. It was no wonder that the people were so shocked and discussing amongst themselves.
The old steward supervising the repair of the gate did not meet with Chen Changsheng''s group. Instead, he complied with his orders and announced in a loud voice to the surrounding populace what he and this group of craftsmen had come to do.
The Tianhai clan was repairing the Orthodox Academy''s gate?
And it was even a gate of white jade!
Had the Tianhai clan truly conceded? How could this be possible?
...
...
Sent off by the gazes of countless people, Chen Changsheng and the others entered the Orthodox Academy. Jin Yulu acted as usual, entering the gatehouse and lighting a fire to brew some tea. He then carried his bamboo chair in front of the gate and said to those workers hurriedly carrying out measurements that he should not be disturbed, after which he began to enjoy the night.
The grass beneath the banyan tree by the lake was speckled with green by the early spring. Chen Changsheng, Xuanyuan Po, and Tang Thirty-Six walked towards the library. Xuanyuan Po asked what they wanted to eat for dinner and although cured meat was said to be very tasty, was it perhaps too salty? Tang Thirty-Six replied by asking what sort of day was this that he still cared so much about such things. He also said that the food he had eaten over the past few days had been so tasteless that a bird was on the verge of coming out of his mouth. As he spoke, several birds flew out of the forest and towards the Hundred Herb Garden. (TN: The joke about the bird flying out of Tang Thirty-Six''s mouth is a Chinese pun, as the word '''', which means ''tasteless'', shares the same pronunciation as '''', which means ''egg''.)
The lights of the library were lit. Although somewhat dusky, they were very warm. The Orthodox Academy was just as before, somewhat monotonous and extremely tranquil. Even though the Grand Examination had just concluded and they had encountered so many things, succeeded at so many tasks, both the Orthodox Academy and the three youths remained unchanged.
Chen Changsheng looked to Tang Thirty-Six and said his first words upon returning to the Orthodox Academy, "Where did Zhexiu go? Did you get the Wenshui Sword back?"
"I would have almost forgotten if you didn''t ask. Just how were you and Gou Hanshi fighting? How did you send my sword flying so far? Can you stop staring at my waist? It''s obvious that it''s not there Priest Xin said that it fell in a sealed area and that he would send it back in a couple of days."
After saying this, Tang Thirty-Six creased his brow and continued, "After his injuries improved, Zhexiu got up and, ignoring my and Princess Luoluo''s advice, left the Education Palace straight away. I don''t know where he went, butgiven his personality, he''ll definitely come and find us, I just don''t know when."
He then looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Just how were you and Gou Hanshi fighting? Did you really enter Ethereal Opening? Even if you did enter Ethereal Opening, there was still basis for you to win? By the way, did you really enter Ethereal Opening?"
He had twice asked if Chen Changsheng had really broken through into Ethereal Opening.
Tang Thirty-Six stared at Chen Changsheng, his eyes shining like stars. To him, Ethereal Opening was something even more important than Chen Changsheng''s taking first rank of the first banner, even more deserving of his shock and envy.
It was not just him. What every one of the young geniuses on the upper ranks of the Proclamation of Azure Sky wanted to do the most was safely cross that threshold as quickly as possible.
Chen Changsheng was going to say that not even he understood what exactly had happened when he suddenly heard a noise from the academy gate that startled him.
Xuanyuan Po exited the library to see what was going on. After a while, he returned to the library, rubbing his head and appearing somewhat puzzled. "They''ve started repairing the gate."
"In such a hurry?" Tang Thirty-Six raised his brows. "Just what is that guy from the Tianhai clan up to?"
After being interrupted, Chen Changsheng forgot what he was going to say. He recalled how Tianhai Shengxue had conceded of his own volition to Luoluo and felt that this matter had some reasoning behind it that he was not aware of.
It suddenly began to rain outside.
The cold rain of early spring fell on the window. There was no sound, only moisture.
Chen Changsheng thought of those bouts of rain that had fallen over the Hall of Washing Away Dust, and became even more taciturn.
Those bouts of autumn rain had been the work of the Pope.
But why would the Pope save him? He was just a minor character, and even if he wasn''t, the Pope had personally destroyed the Orthodox Academy all those years ago, so why was he now acting for the Orthodox Academy''s sake?
His mood became rather complicated, as he realized that the situation was becoming increasingly complicated.
The Grand Examination had ended late, and they had come back to the Orthodox Academy late, so the dinner Xuanyuan Po made was unavoidably rather simple. It was just three slices of cured meat soaked in sugar. After eating three bowls of rice soaked in tea, Chen Changsheng felt full. He felt exhaustion and drowsiness unrestrainedly sweeping through his body and he found it difficult to stay up.
"Rest a little earlier," he said as he rose.
Tang Thirty-Six was extremely dissatisfied at tonight''s meal, constantly grumbling as he ate. Upon seeing Chen Changsheng ready to leave, he became even more unhappy, asking, "That''s it?"
Chen Changsheng was rather confused. "What else is there?"
"Please! You got the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner today! You''ve given the faces of all those people that looked down on you a good slap. Can you not act so calm?"
Tang Thirty-Six added, "Didn''t we already say that we should eat some less nutritious food tonight and then get drunk? If you want dancing girls, I can immediately call over ten companions for you!"
Chen Changsheng was put in a difficult spot. He understood that for this sort of occasion, he should do a few celebratory things, as only this way could he be considered normal. It was just that he had eaten three pieces of salted meat, which for him was already an enormous concession. He truly could not accept something like getting drunk.
He looked out the window and saw the snow gradually melting, the stars beginning to twinkle. It was already late. He turned to Tang Thirty-Six and said, "The day after tomorrow, no, it should be tomorrow, I''ll accompany youand drink two cups?"
That day was the day on which the rankings for the Grand Examination would be formally announced.
183 Before Thousands in the Space of a Single Nigh
"The day after tomorrow? Because that''s the day when the rankings are announced? I don''t think it''s that important. Who''s going to take away your first rank of the first banner?" Tang Thirty-Six teased.
Suddenly, he fell silent as he considered what he had just said. He looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "That''s right, you''re already first rank on the first banner I confess that at the very beginning, I really couldn''t view you with any optimism. Even when you walked together with Gou Hanshi into the Hall of Washing Away Dust, I still did not believe that you could become the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner. I didn''t expect that you would really pull it off in the end."
He placed his right hand on Chen Changsheng''s shoulder and said, "Outstanding." All was quiet in the library. Xuanyuan Po said nothing, but the expression in his eyes as he looked at Chen Changsheng communicated the same message.
"I''ve troubled you."
Chen Changsheng earnestly said to Tang Thirty-Six, then he turned to Xuanyuan Po and said, "I''ve troubled everyone."
''Everyone'' here included Xuanyuan Po, Jin Yulu, and naturally Luoluo as well. Without these people, even if he put in all his effort, how would he have been able to create such a miracle?
...
...
After leaving the library, he returned to his house; Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po were probably drinking rice wine. Chen Changsheng lay in the wooden cask, enjoying the heat of the water while thinking of the cheerful time those two were having.
After Luoluo and her people moved out of the Hundred Herb Garden, the door installed between the two places had not been opened for a very long time, so he had moved the cask he used for bathing back to its original position.
Whether it was in early spring or the cold winter, taking a bath outdoors was a very beautiful experience, and also a habit he had developed after bathing in the hot springs near Xining Village''s old temple.
He rested his hands on the rim of the cask, his gaze looking above the roof of the house and upon the night sky. As he looked at the vast sea of stars and sensed that distant red star, he felt extremely happy and at peace.
The heavens above contained countless stars, and he knew one of them was completely, calmly, silently, and definitively his, had a connection with him alone. To him, this was a very fine feeling.
He had silently forged forward through the abyss of despair with no companions or crutch or sunlight to be seen, but he had never once stopped. Finally, he emerged from the dense fog and saw hope. This was an even finer feeling.
Under the starlight, a genuine smile appeared on Chen Changsheng''s still-childish face.
Also under the starlight, on the other side of the Orthodox Academy''s wall, between the branches of trees, in the depths of the Imperial City, was a lonely and distant pavilion, seemingly existing apart from the world. It was the Lingyan Pavilion.
As he looked at the distant Lingyan Pavilion, the smile on Chen Changsheng''s face gradually faded. He became calm once more, silently thinking, I''m about to meet you, and I hope our meeting can be happy.
At this point, the meaning of those bouts of autumn rain in the Hall of Washing Away Dust, the conflict between the new and conservative factions of the Orthodoxy and its relation to the Orthodox Academy, and what exactly the elderly archbishop desired had all become extremely unimportant matters. He no longer seriously pondered these matters, or even thought about them.
Everything besides life and death was an ordinary or trivial concern.
On the morning of the second day, Chen Changsheng still promptly woke up at five, taking five breaths according to the routine he had set out. After rising, he ignored Tang Thirty-Six''s hung-over moans and Xuanyuan Po''s thunderous snores, and dragged the two from their beds to the table. He ladled out two bowls of porridge and pickled vegetables, and placed them on the table.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po had spent the night in drunken merriment and were currently unbearably fatigued, but when they smelled the fragrance of the pickled vegetables and saw the yellow rice porridge, their hunger suddenly returned. They buried their heads and ate.
After a while, Jin Yulu walked in.
The three youths were all rather shocked. After all, in the past few months, Guardian Jin had always dined sumptuously in the gatehouse, very rarely dining with them.
"Don''t misunderstand. I still have no interest in meals without meat."
Jin Yulu gave a hearty laugh. Xuanyuan Po nodded repeatedly at these words. As a fellow demi-human, he had a great deal of sympathy towards the Guardian''s words, but though he dared to be angry at Chen Changsheng, he did not dare voice it.
Chen Changsheng rose and ladled out a bowl of porridge. Bringing it up to Jin Yulu, he asked, "Has something happened?"
Jin Yulu passed him a stack of papers, gulped down the bowl of porridge in one go, and then said, "It began at daybreak and hasn''t stopped. See for yourself how to handle it."
After saying this, he turned and made his way back to the gate.
Chen Changsheng flipped through the papers. As he saw the handwriting and names on the papers, his expression grew increasingly grave, then confused.
This thick stack of papers consisted completely of name cards and lists of presents. There was a list of presents from Prince Chen Liu, presents from the cardinals of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, and even Priest Xin had privately sent a very extravagant gift. Several ministers of the court had sent their name cards, Xue Xingchuan among them, and when Chen Changsheng reached the bottom of the stack, he even saw that other Sacred Halls besides the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had sent gifts!
Just what was going on here? Chen Changsheng was deeply puzzled and even Tang Thirty-Six was in disbelief after looking through those calling cards and lists of presents. The three walked to the academy gate, intending to consult Jin Yulu, but they were met with artisans bustling about in a hive of activity. In a short night, an academy gate made of jade was already taking shape, rendering the youths rather speechless.
Chen Changsheng''s taking first rank of the first banner was far from enough to cause these changes. In a single night, the capital had taken on a completely different attitude towards the Orthodox Academy. There was assuredly something fishy going on.
Since they couldn''t understand it, they decided to stop thinking about it. The three youths decided not to leave the Orthodox Academy, and spent the day reading and cultivating in the library as usual, discussing and reviewing the particulars of the Grand Examination.
They especially discussed the final battle with Gou Hanshi.
How did one undergo Ethereal Opening? Chen Changsheng did not know, but he still relayed his experience to Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, hoping that it could assist them when they broke through Ethereal Opening in the future.
Besides this, nothing special happened on this day. Chen Changsheng would occasionally look to the academy gate or the quiet wall near the lake, believing that Zhexiu might appear, but he never did.
A day passed, and then a night, and then it was time for the rankings of the Grand Examination to be formally announced.
The formal announcement was not at the Li Palace, but in the plaza in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance. There was a clear sky today, devoid of any clouds. Sunlight spilled over the world, driving away all the chill of early spring, and the weather became as warm as the mood in the air.
The peddlers selling stools, melon seeds, and tea on the outskirts were naturally still the busiest; the soldiers and bailiffs in charge of keeping order were still the most troubled; and the people of the capital that cracked melon seeds and chatted with a few soldiers they were acquainted with were the most blessed. To view a spectacle with nothing to worry about was naturally a happy affair.
A vast sea of people was gathered in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance. Thousands upon thousands of people from the capital and tourists from the provinces formed a dense crowd, their faces covered in excitement.
An official from the Ministry of Rites dressed in cinnabar-red robes stood on the steps to the north of the plaza. Silk book in hand, he loudly announced the rankings of the Grand Examination''s three banners.
Around him were sixteen strong men dressed in black, whips in hand. Every time the Rites official announced a name, the sixteen men would crack their whips in unison, this resounding sound echoing through the plaza and suppressing the chatter of the crowd. Availing themselves of this moment of silence, the court musicians in the veranda atop the stone steps would play a tune to celebrate.
It was a very simple, even monotonous sequence, but because of the Grand Examination''s special status, the atmosphere was still particularly lively. After the announcement of a name was the crack of a whip, and then the sound of music, but what ultimately resounded through the plaza in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance was still the thunderous cheering of the crowd.
After the announcement of each name from the Rites official, cheers would soar to the sky. Then the examinee waiting in the palace would tidy their clothes and walk with all due etiquette to the front of the palace to receive the congratulations of the people and the awards from the Great Zhou Imperial Court.
The Grand Examination selected forty-three people in total. Those examinees would proceed towards the front of the hall according to their rank, each with a different expression. Most examinees were unable to contain their joy while some examinees were proud, their faces expressing that this was only proper. Some examinees were calm while other examinees were nervous. There were even some examinees wearing rather dejected expressions, dissatisfied at their own ranking.
Although Su Moyu had been eliminated early on in the matches by Zhexiu, he had scored very well in the literary test. Ultimately, he barely managed to make the three banners, fortuitously ranked in the last rank of the third banner. He felt rather sorrowful at this, but he did not show it, very calmly accepting it all.
Examinees like him who were already famous had for the most part entered the three banners with few surprises. Zhexiu, however, did not make the three banners, as he had no grade on the literary test. As the red-robed Rites official continued to announce names, the crowd heard the names of three scholars of Scholartree Manor, three people from Star Seizer Academy, two people from Holy Maiden Peak, one person from the Heavenly Dao Academy, two people from the Temple Seminary, and naturally the three young experts from the Mount Li Sword Sect.
The people counted as they listened and realized that this year was the same as the last few, with the southerners still taking the advantage. The cheers gradually became rather lifeless. However, perhaps because the crowd was anticipating the announcement of the first banner or perhaps because Tang Thirty-Six was much too loved by the girls of the capital, when the Rites official announced his name, the cheers in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance reached their loudest level.
It was finally time for the first banner of the Grand Examination to be proclaimed. Although the ranks had long been decided, the crowd still raised their heads in expectation. They seemed particularly excited, the chatter gradually increasing in volume.
The third rank on this year''s first banner was Scholar Zhong Hui of Scholartree Manor. Zhong Hui was a renowned young genius, ranked ninth on the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but it logically should have been very difficult for him to make the first banner. However, in this Grand Examination, Luoluo''s grade had not counted, Tianhai Shengxue had withdrawn early, Liang Banhu had lost to his own junior brother Qi Jian, Qi Jian and Guan Feibai had lost one after the other to Zhexiu, and Zhuang Huanyu had unexpectedly lost. After adding his score on the literary test, he ended up in the first banner by sheer fluke.
Zhong Hui himself was well aware that he had been able to get into the first banner primarily through luck, so his face was devoid of joy. However, when he received the ruyi1 inlaid with gold, he did not dare act uncaring. This was because the one announcing the names on the first banner was not an official from the Ministry of Rites, but a truly important figure: the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou, Yu Wenjing.
Soon after, Gou Hanshi walked from the side of the palace to the front. His still teenage self was dressed in simple attire, his expression calm and easygoing. He allowed the Prime Minister to tie a jade belt around his waist, courteously thanked him, then retreated to the side, only smiling when the people of the capital burst into a generous round of cheers and applause.
Soon after, the plaza in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance grew abnormally silent. Even the breathing of the whip-wielding men and the chafing of clothes in the crowd sounded grating to the ear.
A youth walked the stone steps to the front of the palace.
Countless gazes followed him.
184 Only by Lowering Your Head Can You Bear this Crown
Under the gaze of thousands, the youth silently proceeded forward. His posture seemed rather reserved, but he was controlling his emotions well, as he did not seem too nervous. He walked very steadily. The wind lightly blew about his Orthodox Academy uniform. It was not very brilliant or striking, but it was very clean, just like the feeling he gave to others.
"This is Chen Changsheng?"
The crowd in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance buzzed with chatter and questions.
Chen Changsheng had become a famous person in the capital long ago. Many people had heard of his name and knew of his background and that engagement, yet for many people, it was the first time they had laid eyes on him.
It was only now that many people of the capital had a true impression of him. They realized that he was not some graceful and fine young master like Tang Thirty-Six, not some beautiful youth. Instead, he gave off a rather amiable feeling.
Chen Changsheng ascended the stone steps, arriving in front of the palace, and turned to view the sea of people in the plaza.
To his side was a square table of ebony, and placed on the table was a garland of thorns. The sunlight spilled over the garland, causing it to exude a faint light.
There was no gold or jade in this garland of thorns. It looked very unremarkable, but it symbolized the hardships and glories on the path of cultivation. It had deep significance in the traditions of the Orthodoxy, and it also served as the emblem for the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner.
The Palace of Great Brilliance gradually fell quiet as the crowd awaited that moment.
The examinees, ministers and bishops standing in front of the palace gazed at the back of Chen Changsheng, who was standing at the very front. They each had different expressionssome gratified, some calm, some jealous, some cold. But regardless of what they felt, they all could only wait for Chen Changsheng to obtain this weighty glory.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Prime Minister, who was in charge of rewarding the three people on the Grand Examination''s first banner, had at some point retreated back into the crowd and was no longer in front of the palace. Just who, then, would come to bestow the reward?
At this moment, the sunlight falling on the garland of thorns suddenly dispersed into countless strands. They formed a sphere of light in front of the palace, a sphere of sacred, white light.
Gasps of shock rose from the plaza of the Palace of Great Brilliance.
The Sacred Light gradually faded and a tall figure slowly appeared.
This was an elderly figure dressed in the Divine Robe, his head bearing the Divine Crown, staff in hand.
Divine music played as a hallowed and august Qi enveloped the plaza.
Countless cries of surprise rose up and then rapidly fell back into silence.
Countless people prostrated on the ground towards the elder, everyone in the plaza lowering their heads like a tide.
They were all paying respects to the Pope.
...
...
The Pope who had rarely appeared before the common people in the past few years had unexpectedly come personally. No had imagined this, and their shock was difficult to describe as they silently asked, why?
Was Chen Changsheng not a student of the Orthodox Academy? Didn''t the Pope personally destroy the Orthodox Academy back then? Was the Orthodox Academy not the latest point of tension in the conflict between the new and conservative factions of the Orthodoxy?
Another elder besides the Pope appeared in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance: Archbishop Mei Lisha of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education calmly accepted the staff from the Pope and retreated to the side.
The Pope used both hands to raise the garland of thorns from the ebony table and walked up to Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng was very much at a loss, mystified as to what he should do. He subconsciously looked towards the archbishop on the side, and the archbishop smiled and nodded his head.
The Pope gazed at Chen Changsheng and smiled. "If you are not willing to lower your head, how can you be crowned?"
These words were apparently speaking of the present situation, but they also seemed to have a deeper meaning. But Chen Changsheng did not have time to think about these things. He hurriedly bent his knee and lowered his head.
The Pope placed the garland of thorns on his head, carefully adjusting it before finally feeling content. "I don''t know what the previous wearers might have thought, but I have always felt that these thorns are not that pleasant to the eye. But on your head, they actually look rather spirited. Not bad."
Chen Changsheng was still in a state of shock. He could not comprehend the deeper meaning behind the Pope''s words, but he could at least hear the Pope''s praise.
Not bad? Just how many youths could be called ''not bad'' by the Pope? He had only ever heard of Mo Yu and Prince Chen Liu receiving this sort of evaluation; was it his turn now?
"Rise," the Pope said.
Chen Changsheng obediently rose. He inadvertently raised his hand and felt the garland of thorns. Only when the prickly touch of the thorns confirmed to him that all this was real did he finally calm down somewhat.
Seeing his actions, the Pope smiled.
For the first time, Chen Changsheng could clearly see the Pope''s face.
The Pope was an old man with an elderly face.
It was a very ordinary face, its most distinctive feature being that his eyes were sunken very deep. It was like an abyss, but it was nothing to be afraid of, as within was a blue ocean, azure skies, and sunlight.
The sea in the Pope''s eyes was as calm as a mirror under the sunlight, the blue and azure stretching on into infinity. It was impossible to know how deep or vast it was. If the sunlight vanished, hurricanes would suddenly rise, stirring massive waves and endless thunder. But now there was sunlight, no wind or rain, so there was only benevolence, tolerance, and gentleness.
This was the first time Chen Changsheng had seen such eyes. In just an instant, he felt his body warm. Without thinking, he leapt into the warm ocean waters, freely swimming or resting on its surface.
After some time, he woke up.
Upon waking up, he realized through the feeling of the garland of thorns at his fingertips that the briefest of moments had passed. He had not even had time to drop his hand.
Such a divine and vast spiritual world truly made one sigh in praise and reverence.
It was only at this moment that Chen Changsheng truly awakened and became conscious of the fact that the elder standing before him was a peak existence of the human world, someone who had already entered the Divine Domain, a true Saint.
He did not know how he should respond and suddenly recalled those bouts of autumn rain in the Hall of Washing Away Dust. Although he did not know why the Pope had helped him, he had still helped him.
"Thank you, Your Holiness," Chen Changsheng said to the Pope as he sincerely bowed.
The Pope gazed upon him with tender affection and lightly stroked the top of his head. "Pitiful childgood childcome see me in a few days."
After saying this, he indicated that Chen Changsheng should turn around.
Chen Changsheng somewhat vacantly complied, turning around to face the thousands thronging the plaza in front of the Palace of Great Brilliance.
The Pope gripped his right hand and slowly raised it to the sky.
The plaza suddenly fell silent and then burst into thunderous cheers that seemed to want to tear the sky open.
...
...
The Pope left, as did the archbishop.
The ministers and cardinals in front of the palace came forward one by one and gave him affectionate looks as they congratulated him. There were even a few people that said that if there was a problem with the Orthodox Academy, he should come and find them, as if they were really his elders. Even Prime Minister Yu Wenjing said a few words to him.
The Orthodox Academy had received so many name cards and gifts yesterday because these powerful figures knew of several details from the Grand Examination, like those bouts of autumn rain. They had not been able to see the entire situation, but they still needed to lay down some groundwork. Today, the Pope had suddenly appeared and had treated Chen Changsheng with such intimacy, so how could they not understand now? They at least had to treat Chen Changsheng well on the surface.
The remaining examinees naturally did not receive the treatment Chen Changsheng did. They stood on the outskirts and watched as Chen Changsheng was surrounded by important personages. Some appeared envious while others looked sympathetic. Tang Thirty-Six said to Guan Feibai, "If the first rank of the first banner had to receive this sort of treatment, I would rather not have it."
"I also wouldn''t want it" Guan Feibai suddenly came to his senses and said, "But were we this well-acquainted? And anyway, could you even take the first rank of the first banner?"
"We''ve already finished fighting; do we still need to stand on opposite sides? Don''t you think we should all be sympathizing with the pitiful person that is Chen Changsheng right now?"
Tang Thirty-Six spoke sympathetically, but he had no intention of extracting Chen Changsheng from this predicament. Those people were all truly important figures. Perhaps his father could have been able to do it, but his own status was far from sufficient.
Chen Changsheng was quite unused to such a scene, especially to the scent of incense on the bodies of these great personages. However, he managed to preserve his mood very well and there was nothing to criticize about his manners.
The crowd suddenly fell silent and those people around him gradually parted, forming a path through which Xu Shiji entered.
Xu Shiji was the Divine General of the East, deeply trusted by the Divine Empress. Paired with his excellent daughter, he had always had special status in the court. However, his colleagues in court and the bishops were giving way not for these reasons, but because he had a very complicated relationship with Chen Changsheng.
These important personages had spoken to Chen Changsheng like they were his elders, but if one truly was talking about elders, then in the capital, only Xu Shiji and his wife could truly be considered as Chen Changsheng''s elders. Crucially, the matter of the engagement was the talk of the capital, and everyone yearned to know just what Xu Shiji would say to Chen Changsheng at this moment. Many people had even prepared themselves to see Xu Shiji make a joke of himself.
It was rather quiet in front of the palace.
Xu Shiji slowly walked from the outskirts of the crowd. He stood in front of Chen Changsheng, his expression indifferent as he looked down on him.
Chen Changsheng bowed, but said nothing.
"Your performance in the Grand Examination wasnot bad." Xu Shiji looked into his eyes, clearly speaking with the tone of an elder, yet it sounded rather awkward in the ears of the crowd.
Chen Changsheng considered these words and decided not to respond.
Xu Shiji''s brows slightly rose, and then he suddenly said, "Tonight, come to my home for dinner."
A clamor of noise rose from the crowd at these words.
No one said anything, but many people could not help but silently curse, especially the ministers of the conservative faction. They silently grumbled that this person''s skin was even thicker than the palace walls, and how could he have been born so shameless?
Surprisingly, after a few moments, Chen Changsheng replied, "Very well."
Xu Shiji stared into his eyes and confirmed that Chen Changsheng really had understood and agreed to his invitation. His expression slightly softened and he said no more. Giving him a nod, he turned and left.
After the announcement of the rankings was the customary parade.
Led by Chen Changsheng, the examinees boarded a specially constructed carriage. Surrounded by the populace, the carriage made its way along the roads of the capital lining the Luo River. Making a complete circle required at least four hours.
The entire capital fell into an atmosphere of revelry.
The populace would occasionally throw flowers and fruits onto the carriage. Chen Changsheng, Gou Hanshi, Guan Feibai, and Tang Thirty-Six received the most flowers and fruit. If not for the fact that the Imperial Court was already experienced in this matter and had dispatched many soldiers to constantly remove these objects, perhaps the four youths would really have been buried alive under flowers and fruits.
As they rounded the southwest corner of the Imperial City, Chen Changsheng felt rather thirsty. Without thinking too much, he took a cantaloupe and took a bite. He found it very sweet and crisp to the mouth, but he did not imagine that this action of his would provoke a rain of cantaloupe that forced him to shield his head with his hands.
He gazed past the rain of cantaloupe to the Imperial Palace. He saw the Lingyan Pavilion and also the Dew Platform. He felt like he could see a small black dot on the Dew Platform, which he believed was the Black Goat.
He waved his hand toward that side. However, when he saw Lady Shuang''er with a mixed expression in the crowd and thought about tonight''s dinner, the hand he was waving became rather heavy.
185 Matters of the Pas
Countless flowers dropped from the sky onto the carriage. Chen Changsheng drew back his gaze, removed the petals from his clothes and then nodded to the surrounding crowd, thanking them for their generosity and enthusiasm.
Deep within the Imperial Palace was an abandoned garden where flowers were also falling. The cold-resistant plum trees were blown about by the wind, sending tiny pink flowers cascading to the ground, forming a shallow layer on the edge of the pond and producing a beautiful scene.
The Pope and the Divine Empress stood amongst the falling plum blossoms, gazing at the Black Dragon Pond before them.
"The day before yesterday, when he was in the Education Palace participating in the Grand Examination, I think he had entered the top sixteen? At the time, I had said that he would go just up to therebut I didn''t expect that this child would actually not stop."
The Divine Empress gazed at the flowering trees growing along the edge of the pond, calmly sensing the scent of history coming from the Tong Palace as she slowly spoke. If she did not want Chen Changsheng to take the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner, she had countless methods of stopping him. For instance, logically speaking, Mo Yu, who was present on the match grounds, could have done something, but she ultimately had done nothing.
She arched her brows at the Pope and said, "Now that I think about it, on the night of the Ivy Festival when Mo Yu brought that child here and attempted to use the Tong Palace to imprison him, that was also your doing, no?"
The Pope calmly replied, "In the eyes of that child Mo Yu, I and you, Empress, are one and the same. She respects me the same as she respects the Empress. Even if she realizes later on that this was somewhat inappropriate, she could not speak of it."
"Mei Lisha has been silent for more than two hundred years, but when Chen Changsheng entered the capital last year, he suddenly came to life. At the time, I felt that something was not quite right."
The Divine Empress held her hands behind her and walked to the edge of the pond, gazing at the roof of the palace, the blue sky, and drifting clouds reflecting in the waters. She indifferently said, "I naturally knew that Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy were the manifestation of the unwillingness of several elders, and I had made my arrangements, but I had never much cared. As I said to Mo Yu one night, my heart can hold this entire world, so how can it not hold a trifling Orthodox Academy and one youth?"
Upon saying this, she turned around and calmly stared into the Pope''s eyes. "But you suddenly made your stance known, and you did it twice in a row. This has forced me to be vigilant."
The Pope said nothing.
The peace and power that the Great Zhou, indeed, the entire world had experienced for more than two centuries primarily rested on the trust and friendship between the Five Saints. The most crucial of these relationships was naturally the friendship between the Divine Empress and the Pope. Many years ago, when Emperor Xian began to ignore matters of government and the Divine Empress began to read memorials in his place, acting as his surrogate in matters of state until she eventually came to govern behind the curtain, she had incurred countless furious protests and assaults. The reason those who opposed the Divine Empress had never been able to succeed primarily rested on the fact that whenever the conflict would intensify, the Pope would bring his Orthodoxy and firmly stand at the Divine Empress''s side.
Ten-some years ago, Emperor Xian''s illness worsened. In order to prevent the Great Zhou from truly being ruled by a woman, many important figures in the Orthodoxy and the Chen Imperial clan resolved to somewhat hurriedly start a rebellion. On that day, the Orthodox Academy was bathed in blood, its principal slain at the hands of the Pope.
Everyone believed that the destruction of the Orthodox Academy was proof of the friendship between the Pope and the Divine Empress, and a display of their power. Those people in the Orthodoxy who dared to oppose the Pope, those members of the old Imperial clan who dared to rebel, had all been slaughtered to a man within the Orthodox Academy.
So why had the Pope now changed his stance?
"Chen Changshengis my martial nephew," the Pope calmly said to the Divine Empress.
The abandoned garden fell even more quiet. The chill off the Black Dragon Pond assailed them, the pink plum blossoms like bits of snow.
After a long silence, the Divine Empress asked, "Daoist Ji?"
The Pope replied, "Since he is Daoist Ji, he naturally did not die on that night."
"So this was the case, it truly was this waybut so what? Could it be that you are still viewing your senior brother with the affection between fellow disciples? Do not forget the reason we decided to kill him back then."
The Divine Empress pointed at a tree on the shore of the pond, where a black raven sat perched on a branch.
"In these ten-some years, signs of Black Robe''s activity have always been around Xuelao City, not Xining Village. What that child of the Qiushan clan did a few days ago has already proved this point."
The Pope sighed, "Perhaps we really did kill the wrong one that year."
The Divine Empress was expressionless. "Even if your senior brother was not Black Robe, does that mean that he should not die?"
The Pope did not answer this question, saying, "Regardless, matters of the last generation should not affect the next. Chen Changsheng is still my martial nephew, and that child has no knowledge of those matters of the past. Besides, there is currently no one that dares to offend you, so why do you still need to remember those matters of the past?"
After hearing this, the Divine Empress fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, she gave a bright laugh and said, "This way is also fine."
The Pope was not moved in the slightest at her laugh, and his true feelings could not be seen on his face. He asked, "What is your view on the Garden of Zhou?"
The Divine Empress walked along the shore of the Black Dragon Pond to the opposite shore as she said, "Star Condensation as the upper limit, Ethereal Opening as the lower limit, appearing in midsummer once every ten yearsnothing has changed."
The Pope followed her, saying, "We still have to see the results from comprehending the Mausoleum of Books. Today is a great year; who knows how many examinees will be able to break into Ethereal Opening?"
The Divine Empress stopped and said, "I will have to trouble Your Holiness with this matter."
...
...
On the same night, the elderly chief eunuch in the Imperial Palace began to investigate an old case by the secret order of the Divine Empress, beginning to silently and furtively transfer old files. The Divine Empress had not assigned this matter to Mo Yu. It had nothing to do with trust, but was primarily because this matter was too old and Mo Yu had been too young at the time. Moreover, this matter was very tragic, and since Mo Yu did not know, it would be fine if she never knew.
This old case was the cause of the bloodbath in the Orthodox Academy ten-some years ago.
Emperor Xian had been lingering on his sickbed, leaving the Divine Empress burning with anxiety. She was also busy with government affairs, and so in a moment when she was both physically and mentally exhausted, haggard to the extreme, the old Imperial clan attempted to kidnap her only prince.
This was an incredibly terrifying matter, and what was even more terrifying was that those members of the old Imperial clan had succeeded. The prince vanished, after which no one knew whether he was dead or alive.
This matter caused the Divine Empress to lose control of herself. In her fury, she killed everyone involved in the incident, even executing two county princes, while the Orthodox Academy was filled with the bodies of the beheaded. Now, the Pope had confirmed that the Principal of the Orthodox Academy was still alive, that he was Daoist Ji. Then could that prince also be alive?
If not for the fact that Chen Changsheng''s age was not right, the Divine Empress might have thought of even more.
...
...
At dusk, Chen Changsheng finished all the activities related to the announcement of rankings for the Grand Examination. He returned to the Orthodox Academy, changed into a clean set of clothes, and then left Hundred Flowers Lane. Crossing the various bridges concealed in the alleys of the capital, crossing the Luo River three times and going over even more nameless canals, he reached the Divine General of the East''s estate.
In the spring of last year, he had also visited the Divine General of the East''s estate once, and that had been the only time he had visited. Almost a year had passed since that time, and many things had already changed, but there was also many things that had not changed. For instance, the Divine General''s estate was still somber and quiet, and the river was still gurgling beneath the stone bridge.
Drawing his gaze back from the end of the canal, Chen Changsheng walked down the stone bridge and came to the gate of the Divine General of the East''s estate. Upon stating his identity to the guards outside the estate, he was quickly ushered inside.
186 Family Dinner
The Divine General of the East''s estate was very quiet. The only sound was that of light footsteps and the shuffling of clothes, both inside and outside the hall. There was not even the sound of coughing. This was presumably what was meant by ''family style''.
The stones paving the path and the trees in the courtyard were also the same: rough, long, and straight. While the trees were generously spaced, they had very few green leaves on their branches. They stood silent, solemn, bleak, and apathetic.
Chen Changsheng sat by the table, examining the finely aged porcelain tableware arrayed before him, not knowing to say. From the moment he had entered the estate, he had not said a single meaningful word.
Xu Shiji and his wife were seated at the host''s seats while he sat in the seat reserved for guests. Nanny Hua waited upon them at the side, carrying a reserved air, while the one serving the food was actually that extremely proud maid, Shuang''er.
The dining hall contained only these five people, but there were quite a large number of attendants outside the hall. Several butlers and maids stared at their surroundings with cold expressions while serving girls carrying trays shuttled in and out of the building, the hems of their pomegranate-red dresses easily brushing past the high threshold of the dining hall.
The trays the serving girls carried held cups of green tangerine water, both cold and hot moist towels, ivory chopsticks, and the mahogany holders carved into small crouching tigers that held them. Compared to these things, the trays holding food made up a much smaller number.
Tonight''s dinner at the Divine General of the East''s estate was rather simple. There was braised pork, fish caught fresh from the river and steamed with onions, and bean sprouts boiled in soup. The food was delicious, but also extremely plain. There was none of the rare sea fish often found in the estates of the powerful whenever they served guests, much less broth made from stewing the bone marrow of monsters. Even the number of courses was rather small.
This family dinner was truly an ordinary family dinner.
Chen Changsheng had a rough understanding of why the Xu Estate had adopted such a posture, but he could only silently keep his head down and eat. He also noticed that the Xu Estate''s dinner table not only lacked rare birds, it didn''t even have ordinary chicken, and amongst the ten-some seasonings and sauces, he did not see the common duck gizzard sauce.
He curiosity was somewhat piqued, but he did not ask.
After all the courses were served, Madam Xu began chatting with him. Just like this family dinner, their conversation discussed the most ordinary of topics, not once touching upon that past obstinacy.
The meal tastelessly reached its conclusion, the Divine General of the East''s estate remaining quiet throughout.
Madam Xu glanced at Xu Shiji, took up the wine pot, and filled Chen Changsheng''s cup.
This was Chen Changsheng''s second cup of wine tonight.
He expressed his thanks.
Xu Shiji raised his cup, glanced at him, then emptied his cup.
Chen Changsheng also drank down his cup.
Madam Xu poured wine.
Xu Shiji drank again.
Chen Changsheng accompanied him.
Madam Xu poured again.
Xu Shiji held the wine cup and expressionlessly said to him, "I confess that from start to finish, I never felt any kindness towards you."
Chen Changsheng said nothing.
Xu Shiji apathetically continued, "But anyone must also admit that I also held no malice towards you, or else you simply wouldn''t be able to live in the capital until now, to sit across from me."
Chen Changsheng still said nothing. He stood up, took an envelope from his bosom, and placed it on the table.
This envelope was rather thick, and it was clearly new. Although its contents were not clear, everyone knew that the item inside was assuredly old.
Madam Xu''s expression suddenly changed, Nanny Hua appeared slightly apprehensive, and even Shuang''er''s eyes seemed to light up.
"Youwhat is your intention?"
Xu Shiji narrowed his eyes at him, his complexion gradually chilling. The hand holding the wine cup slowly dropped down. Although it fell slowly, when the cup touched the table, it gave off a heavy thud.
"I have no other intention except completing this task. I should have finished this task one year ago, but because of a few misunderstandings, I haven''t been able to succeed"
Chen Changsheng gazed at Madam Xu, Nanny Hua, and Shuang''er, and earnestly said, "I wasn''t lying back then. I entered the capital to end the engagement, but none of you ever believed me."
When they heard these words and looked again at the heavy envelope on the table, Madam Xu''s complexion suddenly turned even nastier, Nanny Hua''s face appeared even more distressed, while Shuang''er appeared to be terribly shocked.
"A misunderstanding?" Xu Shiji stared into Chen Changsheng''s eyes, his face like a sheet of ice. "For an entire year, the capital was filled with storms and the entire continent was in confusion, and you are saying that it was all because of a misunderstanding?"
Chen Changsheng did not answer this question, instead turning to Madam Xu. He first bowed before saying, "Madam, you once said a few words to me. It was not my purpose to devote this entire year to specifically refute Madam''s words. I only feel that since Madam will probably no longer believe that I am just a young Daoist that wants to cling to the Divine General''s estate to change his life, perhaps we can bring this matter to a close."
The dining hall was silent. Reflecting the light of the lanterns, the green tangerine water appeared just like strong alcohol, just like how the gentle rustle of the wind outside the hall seemed particularly tense in this silent atmosphere.
After some time, Xu Shiji looked upon Chen Changsheng with slight scorn as he said, "All these things that you have done, to the extent of not even fearing to plunge your head into waves that you did not even have the right to touch, were due to some words of my wife, were for the sake of that pathetic and laughable self-esteem?"
Chen Changsheng took a while to carefully ponder these words. After confirming that there had not been anything wrong about what he had done, he replied, "Self-esteem truly was the reason, but I don''t believe it''s laughable, much less pathetic."
Xu Shiji slowly stood up, placing his hands behind him and leaning his sturdy body slightly forward. Seemingly imbued with a massive pressure, he stared into Chen Changsheng''s eyes, enunciating each word. "Taking the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner and entering His Holiness''s eyes, you feelthat in this way you can prove that you are more outstanding than Qiushan Jun? To elegantly withdraw with the attitude of a victor?"
Chen Changsheng was somewhat startled, thinking to himself that he had never once thought this way. He wanted to explain, but realized that he didn''t know how to explain such a private matter. Just as he was thinking, Xu Shiji rose and left the table. After a few moments, he returned with a scroll which he threw in front of Chen Changsheng.
"See for yourself."
Xu Shiji impassively said, "This is no longer a secret. By tomorrow, the entire continent will know why Qiushan Jun did not participate in the Grand Examination."
Nanny Hua and Shuang''er had already noiselessly withdrawn.
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then picked up the scroll from the table and opened it. As he read, his expression slowly became more complex. He understood why Xu Shiji had spoken this way.
This year''s Grand Examination was the most exciting one in the past ten years and was undoubtedly a great year. If one had to speak of regrets, it was only that Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong did not appear.
The gifts and potential of Qiushan Jun and Xu Yourong naturally meant that they could be directly granted the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books without going through the Grand Examination, but the people had still wanted to see them in the Grand Examination.
Many people believed that Qiushan Jun would participate in this year''s Grand Examination and the reason that he did not appear was perhaps that Xu Yourong was not participating, but it was far more likely to be her engagement to Chen Changsheng.
Now, after reading this just-prepared scroll, Chen Changsheng finally knew the true reason Qiushan Jun did not participate in the Grand Examination. As he silently pondered this knowledge, he realized that he could not help but express his admiration.
187 The One Who Opened the Garden
Qiushan Jun did not attend this year''s Grand Examination not because of the marriage contract Chen Changsheng had placed on the table, nor was it because of the letter Xu Yourong had sent during the Ivy Festival, nor was it because of the chatter of the common people. There were no childish feelings behind his reason. He had just been needed to accomplish a great task.
It had been several months since Qiushan Jun had appeared in public, and not even Gou Hanshi or the other disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect knew where their senior brother was. This was because the great matter required absolute secrecy. The common people did not know where he was, and he was similarly unaware as to what was happening in the world. The marriage alliance between the north and south, the Qiushan clan and the Mount Li Sword Sect coming with the southern diplomatic mission to the capital to deliver a marriage proposal to the Divine General of the East''s estate, had been concealed, intentionally or unintentionally, from Xu Yourong by Holy Maiden Peak, but Qiushan Jun had truly not known.
As he read through the scroll, Chen Changsheng became quieter and quieter.
Qiushan Jun had gone to a place called the Garden of Zhou.
Chen Changsheng did not know what sort of place the Garden of Zhou was, but he could speculate from the account on the scroll that the Garden of Zhou was probably a miniature world, and also an abandoned land. Just like that palace within the Pope''s Green Leaf World, the Garden of Zhou had strict limits on who could enter: they had to be below the Star Condensation Realm.
For certain reasons, the Garden of Zhou was extremely important, a strategic objective that the human world needed to vie with the Demon race over. However, other than its former owner, the Garden of Zhou had never been under the true control of a second person.
Fortunately, although the last owner of the Garden of Zhou had not appeared for many years, the Garden of Zhou had not been sealed. Instead, it followed a set cadence, opening every ten years.
Before the Garden of Zhou formally opened, phenomena would emerge in the world and its outermost wall would come into being. In this period of time, as long as someone, whether human or demon, could find the main gate left behind by the former owner and bring out the key to the main gate, they would have control over the Garden of Zhou for ten years.
Of course, if neither human nor demon could do this, the Garden of Zhou would close again, vanishing into the forever unplumbable chaos of space to quietly await the end of the next ten year interval.
It had been many years since the Garden of Zhou had fallen under the control of a human or demon.
It had been several decades since the Garden of Zhou had last been opened.
This year was the year in which the Garden of Zhou opened. The Five Saints had been paying attention to this matter the entire time. The moment they and those terrifying demon princes in Xuelao City sensed the phenomena in the world, they immediately dispatched people to open the garden.
For the past several centuries, the fixed openings of the Garden of Zhou had not once influenced the structure of the world, but those powerful figures who truly understood the Garden of Zhou and the items within had never once dared to take it lightly. None of them could guarantee what would happen if someone really did find those objects in the Garden of Zhou.
For these reasons, the opening of the Garden of Zhou and its approximate location were absolute secrets. Other than the Five Saints and figures on the level of the Sect Master of the Longevity Sect, only the participants would know of these secrets.
Those millions of people that lived on the continent were simply unaware of this matter. At the time, the capital was still waiting for the Ivy Festival to begin and Chen Changsheng was still being stressed by the sudden appearance of a new door in the academy wall.
Since the Garden of Zhou was so important, the two opposing sides of the continent would naturally send extraordinary individuals to open the garden. The demons had sent many young experts while the Five Saints, after a discussion, had only sent one person.
This person was acclaimed as the number one individual beneath the Star Condensation Realm in both the human world and the land of the demi-humans, Qiushan Jun.
The Five Saints had taken every possibility into account, and Qiushan Jun truly did not disappoint. He successfully found the main gate of the Garden of Zhou before the demons and brought out the key, ensuring that the Garden of Zhou would belong to humans for the next ten years.
This was the reason Qiushan Jun was unable to participate in the Grand Examination.
...
...
The scroll Xu Shiji had given Chen Changsheng to read naturally did not describe the Garden of Zhou in too much detail, but Chen Changsheng was still able to clearly recognize the Garden of Zhou''s importance. However, what he did not know was that there was another important reason the human world had been able to find and seize the key to the Garden of Zhou before the demons, besides the outstanding excellence of Qiushan Jun, and this reason was connected to him.
Several months ago, a demon expert had attempted to assassinate Luoluo in the Orthodox Academy but was stopped by Chen Changsheng. The demon was captured alive by Xue Xingchuan and was unable to endure Lord Zhou Tong''s tortures. The information he divulged allowed the Great Zhou to uncover a spy organization commanded by Black Robe, at the same time leading them to discover a clue to the Garden of Zhou. Qiushan Jun had followed this clue and was ultimately able to reach the goal before those people from Xuelao City.
Chen Changsheng did not know of this, or of how much Qiushan Jun had been tested and challenged. He could only take the simple information written on the scroll to blindly imagine what Qiushan Jun had done. The more he thought, the quieter he became, his admiration deepening for that fellow that he had never once met but who he had always been watching from the distance.
"He gave up on the Grand Examination for the sake of all of humanity''s welfare. When this news is spread across the continent tomorrow, just how much luster do you think your first rank of the first banner will still have?"
Xu Shiji''s cold voice broke the silence.
Chen Changsheng placed the scroll back on the table and silently thought, since this is the case, why have this family dinner?
"I''ve never believed that I''m more outstanding than Qiushan Jun, and whether I was or not, I would never come to end the engagement just because I thought I was more outstanding than him."
He looked at Xu Shiji and Madam Xu and said, "I''m ending the engagement truly because I just want to end the engagement. It''s just that no one believed me at the beginning, and still no one believes me now."
Regardless of whether anyone believed, this task still had to be carried out.
Chen Changsheng bowed to Xu Shiji and his wife, then turned and left.
The old marriage contract held in its new envelope quietly lay on the table.
By the stone gate in the front garden, Shuang''er stood beneath the bamboo and watched him leave. She stretched out a hand as if intending to call out to him and ask him something, but ultimately chose to say nothing, and her hand slowly dropped down.
...
...
To Chen Changsheng''s consternation, when he returned to the Orthodox Academy, he realized to his dismay that the marriage contract was lying on the table in the library, having returned even faster than he had.
"Thiswhat''s going on here?" He took the marriage contract offered by Tang Thirty-Six, at quite the loss.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Shouldn''t you be explaining to me what''s going on here? Why did the Divine General of the East''s estate send back the marriage contract? Are you really intending to end the engagement?"
After a pause, Chen Changsheng replied, "I went tonight precisely to end the engagement."
Tang Thirty-Six asked in surprise, "Why do you want to end the engagement? Do you think that Xu Yourong isn''t a good match for you?"
Chen Changsheng did not answer his question. Taking the marriage contract, he left the library.
He intended to go to the Li Palace.
Since the Divine General of the East''s estate was not willing to end the engagement, he could only trouble the Pope.
To end an engagement, one required the person who made the engagement.
188 The Beautiful Lady of the Xu Clan, General Zhous1 Old Garden
Tang Thirty-Six stretched out his hand and pulled Chen Changsheng back, shaking his head. "There''s no need to go."
Chen Changsheng glanced at him and asked, "Why?"
Tang Thirty-Six patted him on the shoulder and said, "When that girl called Shuang''er returned the marriage contract, she also brought a message from Xu Shiji for you. I''m confident that once you''ve heard that message, you won''t think any more about ending the engagement, and even if you do, you won''t go and find His Holiness the Pope."
"What message?" Chen Changsheng asked.
Tang Thirty-Six replied, "Xu Shiji said that he heard when you once said to the people of the Divine General''s estate that only if Xu Yourong personally visited you and said that she wanted to end the engagement would you agree. Thus, starting from tonight, he would not involve himself as a father in your engagement with Xu Yourong, but if you want to end the engagement, you have to meet Xu Yourong and personally say to her that you don''t want this marriage."
Chen Changsheng froze upon hearing these words. He was just a youth and was simply no match for the shrewd, slippery, perhaps shameless tactics of an important personage like Xu Shiji, so he had never once thought that matters might develop in this direction. He did not like Xu Yourong, did not have the slightest favorable impression of her, and after all that he had experienced, even that initial curiosity and anticipation had vanished. However, she had sent a letter during the Ivy Festival, and it was precisely because of this letter, regardless of what her true intentions were, that he was very thankful to her. He was not willing to do anything that might harm her.
"Could this be what Xu Shiji was thinking?" He divulged all of his thoughts on the matter to Tang Thirty-Six and then creased his brow, his question laden with anxiety.
Tang Thirty-Six sneered, "Don''t try and compete with someone like Xu Shiji in shrewdness. You''re just fifteen this year; no matter deeply you furrow your brow, you won''t appear any more profound, only ridiculous."
Chen Changsheng asked, "Then just what are his intentions?"
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him like an idiot and explained, "Xu Shiji''s intentions are so clear, how can you not see it? Since he doesn''t want to end the engagement right now and found an excuse to push the matter back to you, only considering the matter closed once you end the engagement in front of Xu Yourong, it''s obvious that he''s concluded that once you meet with Xu Yourong, once you lay eyes on that precious daughter of his, you''ll find it impossible to talk about ending the engagement!"
Puzzled, Chen Changsheng asked, "Why?"
Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and confirmed that he truly still did not understand. He couldn''t help but sigh, then said, "Because no one who''s seen Xu Yourong in person can even think about not wanting to be together with her."
Still confused, Chen Changsheng asked again, "Why?"
Tang Thirty-Six''s anger had reached its peak, but he had no idea how to explain this principle that everyone else could understand. After a while, he blurted out, "Because she''s beautiful!"
It was naturally not because of such a simple reason, but in the time he was given, Tang Thirty-Six had only been able to think of this simplest and most direct of reasons, and perhaps the only reason that could convince a simpleton like Chen Changsheng. Of course, this answer was somewhat lacking in beauty, making him feel rather defeated, and thus furious. As a result, his voice was naturally quite loud, and the ''b'' of ''beautiful'' happened to be a plosive consonant, so the word exploded in the darkness in front of the library like a waterfall.
Silence reigned for a few moments. Chen Changsheng took out a handkerchief, carefully wiped his face, then went to the house, his back seeming very desolate. After some time, he appeared once more.
Tang Thirty-Six recalled his obsession with cleanliness and very earnestly apologized.
After taking a bath, Chen Changsheng felt refreshed, his heart free of filth. He waved his hand to indicate that nothing was wrong. Then, with a somewhat hesitant expression, he whispered, "Sheis really that beautiful?"
...
...
On the same night, the youths of the Orthodox Academy very seriously discussed why the Divine General of the East''s estate had suddenly changed its mind and agreed to Chen Changsheng''s engagement. Chen Changsheng believed that it was because his performance in the Grand Examination had been too stunning, but this was rejected by Tang Thirty-Six with a cold laugh. Tang Thirty-Six believed that Xu Shiji''s shift in stance was due to the current political situation and Xu Shiji''s judgments on that situation.
The present situation of the Great Zhou Dynasty was already very different from how it had been several years ago. Regardless of whether she was willing or not, the Divine Empress would eventually have to consider the question of who she should pass the throne to. The princes scattered about the various provinces were possible candidates, as was Prince Chen Liu, but there seemed no hope for the Tianhai clan.
As was often said, the subjects of the Great Zhou were willing to accept the Empress''s rule, but they would never accept the reign of her relatives. Many people were waiting for the return of the Chen clan, especially after Chen Changsheng took the first rank of the first banner and the Pope expressed his position.
Xu Shiji was a trusted aide of the Divine Empress, but he also needed to consider the future of the Divine General''s estate. Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy had clearly received the approval of the Pope, so Xu Shiji could use this marriage to obtain long-term support. Even if he failed, he did not wish for Chen Changsheng to hold too much enmity towards him.
After listening to Tang Thirty-Six''s analysis, Chen Changsheng found it very reasonable, thinking that the descendant of a noble clan truly was different from himself. He then turned around to ask for Xuanyuan Po''s opinion, but realized that the demi-human youth had already transforming into a slumbering mountain.
At five in the morning of the next day, Chen Changsheng promptly woke up, roused Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, then went to the gatehouse and began to roast meat. As they had discussed the day before yesterday, they were holding a celebration together with Jin Yulu.
The present lists and name cards were all in the Orthodox Academy''s storeroom, and for a time, no one came to disturb the peace of the Orthodox Academy. Only after the spring sun had gradually reached its zenith did the news that had been circulating about the city of Chang''an for half a day finally reach the Orthodox Academy. (TN: Chang''an was the capital of the Tang Dynasty, which the Zhou Dynasty of this book is partially based on.)
An entire mist hog had been consumed, leaving only its skeleton and two long tusks hanging over the fire, a rather gruesome sight. Oil trickled along the flecks of meat and dripped into the almost-extinguished fire, its sizzle rousing the stunned Tang Thirty-Six from his daze.
"Qiushan Junjust what did he manage to do? To actually have both the north and south of the Orthodoxy, the Great Zhou Imperial Court, and White Emperor City all issue commendations? Before you''ve even had a chance to feel the warmth of your first rank of the first banner, it''s already been pushed down."
He looked towards Chen Changsheng in sympathy, but realized that Chen Changsheng was silent, his expression indicating that he knew of this matter beforehand. In astonishment, he asked, "You knew of this?"
Chen Changsheng explained, "I learned of it last night in the Divine General of the East''s estate."
"Then why didn''t you tell us last night?"
"I forgot."
All was quiet in the gatehouse of the Orthodox Academy, the only sound the drip of oil on the ashes of the fire.
"Not appearing in public for almost half a year was actually because he was undercover, following the organization Black Robe had left in the human world to track down the whereabouts of the Garden of Zhou. This sort of ability and achievement is truly extraordinary."
Jin Yulu returned to the room and gave an account of the information that he had just received from the Li Palace. The inside story he had naturally contained many more details than the rumors circulating the capital, and he appeared greatly moved as he recounted the tale.
Tang Thirty-Six stood at Chen Changsheng''s side, so he naturally felt a little uncomfortable as he listened, but he was incapable of retorting. Qiushan Jun, without any outside help, had contended against those extremely cruel and powerful young demon experts for many days, ultimately succeeding in opening the Garden of Zhou first. One could only imagine the dangerous battles he had experienced, the trials of life and death. The Grand Examination''s seemingly fierce but actually strictly monitored matches were simply no comparison.
"That organization?" Chen Changsheng asked as he glanced at Jin Yulu.
Jin Yulu nodded, at which point Chen Changsheng finally understood that this matter was actually related to the assassination attempt on Luoluo. The demon assassin that had been captured alive by Xue Xingchuan had probably been a member of that organization.
"Just what is the Garden of Zhou?"
This was the greatest question occupying the minds of all three youths of the Orthodox Academy.
Chen Changsheng and Xuanyuan Po had grown up in the countryside, and the Daoist Canon did not contain any records regarding it, and while Tang Thirty-Six was the descendant of a noble clan, not even he had ever heard of the Garden of Zhou. In his memories, his grandfather had never once mentioned this place when drinking wine and recalling the past with the little Tang Thirty-Six seated on his lap.
"The Education Palace, the Green Leaf World, is His Holiness the Pope''s miniature world."
When Jin Yulu thought of that name, his face inadvertently became dignified, even somewhat reverential. "The Garden of Zhou is Zhou Dufu''s miniature world."
Zhou Dufu was the supreme expert of the continent over the past one thousand years.
Whether it was in the Human race, the Demon race, the Demi-human race, or in those enigmatic tribes residing in forbidden areas or treacherous forests, he reigned supreme.
Many years ago, he had drifted into the distance, after which no more news was heard of him. Many people believed he had died and many believed that he had gone to another world. In short, he had left and never returned, leaving behind only a miniature world.
That miniature world was the Garden of Zhou.
189 Ascending the Steps
"What''s in the Garden of Zhou? Treasure?"
"Most likely the weapons and secret technique manuals of the powerful experts that Zhou Dufu defeated. Of course, the most important thing is that his own legacy might be in the Garden of Zhou."
"You can keep whatever you find after entering the Garden of Zhou? You don''t have to hand it over to the Imperial Court?"
"Receiving a reward according to one''s achievement is the guiding principle. Of course, although the Garden of Zhou is a good place, it is very dangerous to venture into its depths, and there are also many opponents of the same cultivation level within. As a result, the most important significance of the Garden of Zhou is that it is the best place for young cultivators to undergo a trial by fire."
"Won''t the senior experts enter the Garden of Zhou to steal away treasures?"
"Those unaffiliated experts or the personal disciples of those old monsters might hazard a journey into the garden, but even they have to fear the position of the Five Saints, so they presumably won''t act too excessively."
Many years ago, in a historic battle in Luoyang, Zhou Dufu defeated Emperor Taizong of the Great Zhou, so Emperor Taizong had assuredly lost something to him. Many years before that, outside Xuelao City, Zhou Dufu had defeated that Demon Lord once hailed as the strongest. The incredibly powerful Heavenly Net used by the Demon Lord had been severely damaged, causing it to incessantly shed ranks on the Tier of Legendary Weapons. Ultimately, it could only be used to conceal an assassination attempt in the Orthodox Academy.
From these two facts, one could see just how great Zhou Dufu''s effect on the continent had been, how far-reaching and concrete. In his life, he had defeated countless powerful experts. If the weapons and techniques of those experts were all in the Garden of Zhou, they would constitute the greatest treasure.
And this was not even taking into account the fact that Zhou Dufu had not appeared for several centuries. Perhaps he was dead, or perhaps he had broken through the void, but regardless of the circumstance, it was just as Jin Yulu said: his legacy might have been left in the Garden of Zhou.
The legacy of the continent''s supreme expertjust thinking about it made one''s heart waver in unease.
After listening to Jin Yulu''s description, the three youths finally had a clear understanding of this matter. The gatehouse became even more quiet, the dripping of the oil off the hog''s tusk sounding louder and louder.
With such treasures, just who would not want to enter the Garden of Zhou?
Over the many years, the scheduled opening of the Garden of Zhou had shaken the continent, but its exact location could not be confirmed every time. This year, the Garden of Zhou''s position had finally been confirmed, which meant that the Great Zhou Dynasty was certain to send many people into the Garden of Zhou to seek out those true treasures.
All Qiushan Jun had done was find the main gate of the Garden of Zhou and obtain its key. The great fog around the Garden of Zhou was gradually dispersing, but the world within remained an enigma.
However, this miniature world which opened every ten years had extremely strict requirements, operating in unfathomable ways, on the level of cultivators that could enter it. Only those at Ethereal Opening could enter it alive.
Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po subconsciously turned to Chen Changsheng. In the final match of the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng had incomprehensibly succeeded in breaking through into Ethereal Opening, so he naturally had the right to enter the Garden of Zhou.
Chen Changsheng shook his head. He was very sure that the number of young cultivators that would be able to enter the Garden of Zhou would certainly increase, as tomorrow was the day they would enter the Mausoleum of Books to begin comprehending the Dao.
"Prepare the medicine and crystals for tomorrow, and strive to comprehend and break through in the Mausoleum of Books." He looked at Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, saying, "When the time comes, we''ll go into the Garden of Zhou together."
Jin Yulu added, "Her Highness will also enter the Mausoleum of Books tomorrow."
Chen Changsheng replied, "Then all four of us will go together."
...
...
In truth, Chen Changsheng was not too concerned about the Garden of Zhou, as it was too far awaybut in reality, it was not too far off, time-wise. But Chen Changsheng''s mind was always focused on what was before him, on tonight.
Tonight, he needed to enter the palace and do what he needed to do, and needed to do well. Only in this way could all the other things of this world, like treasures or legends, have any meaning to him.
At dusk, in the deep twilight, a carriage slowly came to a stop outside the Imperial Palace. Tang Thirty-Six leapt off, then Xuanyuan Po caused the ground to shake, and finally Chen Changsheng walked out from the carriage.
A large crowd was gathered in front of the Imperial Palace. Nearby were the young disciples of various schools and sects, while in the distance was the spectating populace. The desire of the denizens of the capital for excitement had never been affected by the weather or time of day.
When the three youths of the Orthodox Academy appeared, especially Chen Changsheng, the crowd''s chatter instantly grew louder while the faces of the young examinees changed somewhat.
Tonight, the forty-two examinees ranked on the three banners of the Grand Examination would participate in a grand banquet held by the Divine Empress in the Bright Hall, with singing, dancing and drinking to celebrate their achievement. Afterwards, they would stay the night in the palace, and on the next day, they would head straight to the Mausoleum of Books.
Only Chen Changsheng, the first rank of the first banner, would not attend the banquet. He would have to meditate for the night in the Lingyan Pavilion, as this was the rule.
The chatter of the crowd and the change in expression of the examinees arose from this fact. The Lingyan Pavilion was a sacred pavilion, a forbidden ground. The emperor would only enter it for a great ceremony or major dynastic event. Besides this, only the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner would be allowed to spend one night within the Lingyan Pavilion to meditate. On the surface, this was naturally a rare honor, but in reality, no one believed this to be a good thing.
The Lingyan Pavilion undoubtedly did not contain bedding, and a night in meditation would have to be spent seated with legs crossed. Let alone sleeping, even taking a small break was incredibly difficult. After enduring this night of torment, one would assuredly be thoroughly tired and exhausted in the early morning, so when one entered the Mausoleum of Books, one would undoubtedly be greatly affected when viewing the monoliths and comprehending the Dao.
No one understood why Emperor Taizong had established this rule. They could only conclude that this mighty monarch wished to use this method to strengthen the loyalty every Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner held towards the dynasty.
But as the years passed, this rule became just a rule, forgotten and even blatantly ignored by many. Only to Chen Changsheng was this rule not some simple rule, but a matter of utmost importance. He had left Xining, come to the capital, entered the Orthodox Academy, participated in the Grand Examination, experienced so many trials, and risked so many dangersjust for this reason.
Sent off by countless gazes, he walked through the gloomy and cold palace gate.
Under the guidance of a chief eunuch, he walked into the deepest part of the palace. He walked past the Hall of Cold Light and past the abandoned garden, both places he had been to. He then saw that high palace wall on the west face and the ivy that covered it, and knew that the Orthodox Academy and Hundred Herb Garden were on the other side.
The deeper he went into the Imperial Palace, the quieter it was, even becoming rather deserted. Earlier, he had still been able to see a palace maid or eunuch, but now he saw no one. The distant music from the Bright Hall was also becoming softer and more remote, transforming into a sound from another world. Ultimately, it completely vanished, leaving only silence.
That chief eunuch had at some point silently departed.
All that was left was Chen Changsheng and a tower.
That tower stood forlornly before him, unmistakable. It was the Lingyan Pavilion.
No directions were needed, and he would not get lost, as there was only one path to the Lingyan Pavilion.
The Lingyan Pavilion was very tall and that path was very straight, formed from countless stone steps.
Night had already enveloped the capital, the multifarious stars descending once more on the mortal world.
Starlight shone over the stone steps, plating them with a faint radiance. When looking from the bottom, the stone steps appeared to have no end, leading straight into the highest point of the night sky.
Without any hesitation, Chen Changsheng ascended the stone steps towards the Lingyan Pavilion in the night sky. His steps were firm, but not slow. His hands at his sides were already clenched into fists, symbolizing his nervousness and anticipation.
A gust of wind blew past, causing his clothes to flap and rustle in the air.
190 The Eighth Portrait in the Lingyan Pavilion
The stone steps were broad and level, their surfaces carved with a dense network of lines, not to form some sort of design, but to make the steps less slippery. Although the stone steps were seemingly endless, there was no guard rail to speak of, making it feel like one was walking along the edge of an abyss. Yet when ascending the steps, one felt very at ease, as if a misstep was an utter impossibility. Perhaps this was the protection the architect of these steps had left for those to come.
Though these steps seemed endless, there would eventually be a point when one reached the top. Chen Changsheng silently and calmly walked, and after some time, he finally reached the top of the night sky.
At the top of the stone steps was a flat plaza, and in the middle of it was a pavilion constructed of wooden beams and stone bricks. This building occupied a vast area and was also incredibly tall, but because it was so far apart from the ground and human world, it appeared particularly lonely.
When he gazed off into the darkness, the only building on the same level was the Dew Platform. The legendary Night Pearls exuded a faint light, looking like a lantern in the darkness.
In the entire Imperial Palace, and even the entire capital, the highest place besides the Dew Platform was where he was standing right now. He could see all the streets of the capital, and if the weather had been better, he would have even been able to see the willows of the Ba River in the distance. However, Chen Changsheng did not look afar and appreciate the scenery, as it was already very dark and difficult to see the sights on the ground, but he was also in no mood to appreciate such things.
His gaze drew back from the Dew Platform and fell upon the solitary pavilion, not moving again. His expression did not change, but waves were beginning to stir in his mind.
From Xining to the capital, he had experienced endless storms and trials.
He had finally reached the Lingyan Pavilion.
The Lingyan Pavilion did not have a name plate over its door or any lanterns hanging about it. It was utterly without ornamentation, consisting only of those wooden beams and gray stones exuding an innately dignified aura. No light shone from it, making it appear particularly silent.
There was no lock on its door, which seemed like it could be opened with a push.
Chen Changsheng stood in front of the door, pausing for a few moments to steady his mind. Only when his breathing was completely even did he place both his hands on the door and push slightly.
There was no creakthe hinges were as supple as leaves falling into water. The door of the Lingyan Pavilion slowly opened. A ray of light seeped out from the crack, and as the crack widened, more and more light poured out, falling on his body and clearly illuminating the surprise on his face.
The light seeping out of the Lingyan Pavilion was white, making his still slightly childish face look like white jade and making his eyebrows appear a stark black, like two extremely straight strokes of ink.
Chen Changsheng did not understand why it was so bright within and why such profuse light could not be seen from outside. Could the windows be fake?
While he pondered these questions, he did not slow his movements. After pushing open the door into a gap about a foot long, he crossed the threshold and walked into the Lingyan Pavilion.
Just as his left foot hit the ground, the door closed behind him. He subconsciously turned around and looked silently at the tightly shut door for a few moments. He could faintly guess that he was now like this blazing white light within the pavilion, no longer visible to the people on the outside. To put it another way, from the moment he pushed open the door and entered the Lingyan Pavilion, he was cut off from the real world.
Contemplation lasted only for a moment. He turned around and walked forward, with only light visible before him.
There were no lanterns in the Lingyan Pavilion, no tallow candles, no Night Pearls. If a certain type of array was fitted to the door and windows, it could completely shut out the sun, the wind, and sound. Thus, it should have been pitch-black, so where was this light coming from?
He squinted his eyes and walked towards the blazing white light. The dazzling rays made it impossible for him to clearly make out his surroundings, let alone the portraits of the meritorious ministers of legend. He was like a moth seeking the shelter of the light, following his most instinctual and simplest awareness as he walked forward.
Yet he only walked a single step before being forced to stop.
He had sensed a terrifying Qi, a Qi that came from every part of this building, every ray of light. This Qi was somber, divine, bloody, and ruthless, as well as countless other things, yet they all shared the same essence: power, unimaginable power.
This powerful Qi fell on his clothes and face, drilled into his skin, flowed through his blood vessels, bored into the depths of his organs. In but an instant, it had circulated throughout his entire body.
Chen Changsheng simply could not resist this Qi. Before this Qi, he was the smallest of ants. He could not react, or even gather the courage to resist.
This Qi circulated inside and around his body several times, but it did not harm him. However, just this interaction caused his spiritual sense to become fiercely destabilized. If this continued for a little longer, his sea of consciousness would collapse, crushed into powder by this Qi.
Thankfully, this Qi did not stay for too long. Just when his body was about to topple to the ground, the Qi suddenly transformed into a clear breeze that gently left his body and vanished.
It was just an instant, but Chen Changsheng''s clothes were already drenched in sweat.
He steadied his mind and continued forward. Fortunately, nothing strange occurred on his second stephe was not suddenly thrown into a desperate battle as on his first.
The light was still blazing, and he squinted his eyes as he walked to the brightest, hottest point. He faintly saw something like a blooming flower of light in his vision and understood that this was probably the source.
He extended his hand towards the blooming flower of light. As his fingernails touched it, they did not feel heat, but a comforting coolness. His fingers followed, ultimately tightly gripping the object.
The moment his hand closed, the light vanished, the blazing white interior of the pavilion gradually dimming. His squinted eyes could barely make out a few things until, finally, everything returned to normal.
Only then did he realize that he held a torch in his hands.
The torch was not made of gold or jade, but of something akin to colored glass. It was not transparent, however; its milky-white surface glistened with countless specks of light, each speck seemingly brimming with energy.
This torch had been the blooming flower of light. After he gripped it, the rays of light gradually drew back, resulting in its current appearance. The only light left was the white flame at the top of the torch.
This flame was not vigorous, yet it was very beautiful. It was like a firework in the daytimenot very clear, yet able to cut a clear and awe-inspiring break in the drab sky.
Chen Changsheng examined the torch, recalling a few records he had once seen in the Daoist Canon. Many years ago, the demons once had a divine artifact ranked on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, called the White Sun Flame. Could this be that legendary divine artifact? Could it have been brought back to the capital by Emperor Taizong''s generals in that long-ago war?
The moment he thought this, he felt like the torch in his hand had grown much heavier. Only now did he remember that he was now standing in the Lingyan Pavilion, standing in the midst of humanity''s most glorious period of history.
He subconsciously looked around and saw that there was no furniture in the pavilion, no tables or chairs. The only object was a prayer mat in the very center, making the place seem very empty, even somewhat desolate.
This building did not seem meant for people to live in. In fact, the Lingyan Pavilion was not meant to accommodate living people, but to enshrine portraits, the several dozen portraits on the gray walls.
Chen Changsheng raised the torch, walked to the wall, and stood in front of the first portrait.
The painting portrayed a middle-aged nobleman with three strands of thick beard. His face was all smiles, yet his eyes were a little widely spaced, giving him an apathetic air. This was the first amongst heroes, the wise and able Duke of Zhao1.
Upon seeing the illustrious brother-in-law of Emperor Taizong, Chen Changsheng paused and bowed, but did not pause too long, continuing to make his way down the portraits.
The second portrait was Chen Gong, the Prince of Hejian. The third portrait was Du Ruyu, the Duke of Lai. The fourth portrait was the renowned Duke of Wei, and the fifth was the Duke of Zheng2, who had an even more famous wife
Chen Changsheng would respectfully bow in front of each portrait, but he did not pause. Only when he reached the eighth portrait3 did the expression on his face finally change.
191 The Gleam of Light within History
The eighth portrait in the Lingyan Pavilion was of Wang Zhice.
Everyone with a slight understanding of history was well aware that Wang Zhice was a true legend. He was born in poverty and had no talent for cultivation, yet he was able to successfully enter the Heavenly Dao Academy for study. During Taizu''s reign, he spent all his time as a scribe in the court until suddenly, when he was forty-some years old, he comprehended the Dao in a single night and cast starlight over the entire city of Chang''an, going straight from Purification to Ethereal Opening and then going on to become one of the strongest of the generation.
What people found even more praiseworthy was that Wang Zhice''s knowledge encompassed both the north and the south, and he had also studied military matters, strategy, and array formation. He had accompanied Emperor Taizong on several expeditions to the north and ultimately become the vice commander-in-chief of the allied armies, leading the army to successively shatter the power of the demons. He had even brought an army of elite cavalry to break through the snowy plains, fighting all the way to the Helan Mountains, less than eight hundred li from Xuelao City!
If one only took into account military achievement or importance in that war, Wang Zhice was the most dazzling of that bright group of stars, the only person that could stand on par with Emperor Taizong. Given his impressive achievements, he naturally had the right to rank eight in the portraits of meritorious ministers in the Lingyan Pavilion. Many people even felt that he should have been ranked even higher, at the very least in the top three.
The reason he was ranked eighth in the Lingyan Pavilion was very simple: his achievements in the war and his status in the minds of the people were too high, so high that they were even beginning to unsettle the emperor''s position. Crucially, in Emperor Taizu''s later years, during the coup of the Hundred Herb Garden, unlike the Duke of Zhao, Chen Gong, Qin Zhong, Yu Gong and those others, he did not make his stance known, did not firmly stand at Taizong''s side. It was precisely for this reason that no matter how much achieved, he was never able to obtain Emperor Taizong''s absolute trust. His loyalty remained forever in question, and so after the conclusion of the great war, he claimed his age as reason for retirement and ceased to involve himself in government affairs.
Chen Changsheng stood quietly in front of this portrait for a very long time, looking up at this serene middle-aged man grasping a jade ruler. He then continued viewing the portraits.
Soon after, he saw the portraits of Qin Zhong and Yu Gong, the two Divine Generals that had stood at Emperor Taizong''s side. They had possessed an unworldly might, and now they also possessed an unworldly reputation, as portraits of them would now be pasted to the main doors of every building, whether a palace or common house1. Those portraits were exactly the same as the ones displayed in the Lingyan Pavilion.
These two Divine Generals were like all the other virtuous predecessors in the Lingyan Pavilion: still human, but already gods.
...
...
Chen Changsheng''s feet slowly moved, as did his gaze. He tightly gripped the torch of white jade in his hand, and the light on the gray walls shifted, seeming to increase the emotions expressed on the faces in these portraits.
The people in these portraits were just like Wang Zhice, legends of the past, each with their own tale. Lingyan Pavilion had a very solemn and dignified air, but the people in these paintings each possessed their own mood. Some people seemed very frivolous, like Divine General Cheng Mingjie, while others were abnormally stern, like the Duke of Zheng.
In a short while, Chen Changsheng had finished viewing the twenty-four portraits on the eastern wall. These twenty-four had been the first meritorious ministers to be bestowed this honor when Emperor Taizong first established the Lingyan Pavilion. There were still several dozen portraits of the meritorious ministers that were entered into the Lingyan Pavilion during the reigns of Emperor Xian and the Divine Empress.
Chen Changsheng became more and more pensive. From Taizu''s rebellion against the previous dynasty to Taizong''s stabilizing of the world and then to the Divine Empress''s ascension, many major events had occurred over the long span of one thousand years. The people in the Lingyan Pavilion had all been participants, truly important figures that had existed within history. To put it another way, they were history.
Walking in the Lingyan Pavilion was walking through the long river of history. Those portraits contained the ebb and flow of history, and also its weight. Countless secrets had vanished with the deceased, forever silenced. Yet those secrets were here, bearing the countless world-shaking events of the past. If the portraits of these virtuous predecessors were to come to life, or if they had left some information to be understood by those who came after, those scholars who studied history would presumably be able to die without regrets.
It took approximately an hour to view all the portraits of the Lingyan Pavilion. Chen Changsheng walked to the prayer mat in the center of the pavilion and, while still standing, began to think.
After a few moments, he heard the toll of a bell. This bell came from the ground and was rather far away, so it was rather soft and beautiful, yet it roused him from his pensive mood and made it impossible for him to calm back down.
With the toll of this bell, the torch in his hands instantly went out. In the blink of an eye, the Lingyan Pavilion turned pitch-black, the seams of the door and windows not letting in even the smallest ray of light.
Chen Changsheng looked around at the darkness, coming to understand something. When the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner came to calmly contemplate for one night in the Lingyan Pavilion, they first had to be calm. Within the Lingyan Pavilion, there were no external objects to disturb them, and with the soft and beautiful toll of the bell, it became impossible to see. There was nothing to do other than sit on the prayer mat and calmly contemplate and comprehend.
The Great Zhou Dynasty hoped that the portraits in the Lingyan Pavilion and that Qi from the beginning would be able to interact with the Qi of the person meditating in the Lingyan Pavilion and harmonize with it, strengthening this person''s allegiance to the Imperial Court, the Imperial clan, and the Divine Empress.
In the last few years, the Grand Examination''s first rank of the first banner had either been a disciple from the Mount Li Sword Sect or some other southerner. They originally did not feel like they belonged to the Great Zhou Dynasty, and so when they entered the pavilion, they would have a natural conflict with that powerful Qi. It was naturally very difficult for this Qi to do as was originally intended by the person who made the rule and become one with the person''s mind.
Chen Changsheng was a person of Zhou, so there really was a chance that the original aspiration of the Grand Examination''s architect could be completed. However, upon entering the Lingyan Pavilion, he found it simply impossible to calm his mind. His thoughts found it impossible to rest on the future of the country and unity of the human world, only on a subtler, or perhaps more selfish, place.
Time slowly passed, silently and still without a sliver of light.
Unlike the other first ranks of the first banner, Chen Changsheng did not seat himself on the mat to quietly spend the night. He took his dagger from his waist, his left hand gripping the sheath and extending it towards the darkness in front of him. In the pitch-black darkness of the Lingyan Pavilion, one would lose sight of their hand if they extended it, so he also could not see the dagger. However, after leaving Xining Village, this dagger rarely left his side, so he was very familiar with it. Raising his right hand, he accurately gripped the hilt.
The two hands slowly parted, yet the dagger did not leave its sheath. What he took was not his dagger, but a ball of light. Shining like the morning sun rising over the horizon, it instantly illuminated the Lingyan Pavilion.
A perfectly round Night Pearl appeared in the palm of his right hand.
The soft light illuminated the gray walls and also seeped through the cracks between his fingers to shine upon the floorboards. It stretched out a long shadow behind him which gradually faded as the Night Pearl brightened.
He had confirmed that the seams in the door and windows did not let light through, so he was not concerned.
He raised the Night Pearl and walked towards the portraits.
As he walked through the still and quiet Lingyan Pavilion, the darkness fled from the gleam of light in his palm, gradually revealing his true surroundings. He gazed at the people on those portraits and felt that the people in the portraits were looking back at him.
He suppressed this strange feeling and once more came to Wang Zhice''s portrait.
He placed both hands on his dagger and stabbed its sharp point into the seams of the gray bricks by the portrait. He slowly and carefully pushed it in, his hands trembling and his fingers white.
192 The Box of Fate
The Night Pearl sat at Chen Changsheng''s feet, against the wall. Its light rose from below, causing the dagger inserted into the wall to cast an extremely long shadow that appeared like a black beam on the roof.
Inch by inch, the dagger was slowly stabbed into the wall, gradually being engulfed. Chen Changsheng tightly grasped the hilt, his eyes focused on the intersection of wall and dagger, his breath growing more hurried and his expression more tense.
His mind was focused on the dagger as if he was venturing forward on some dark path without a lantern and was unaware of what he might encounter. This sort of complete unawareness had a hint of expectation, but consisted mostly of unease.
Finally, the dagger sent back a clear feeling that its tip had struck something hard about half a foot into the wall. Chen Changsheng stared at the wall for a few moments, then pushed. Upon confirming that his dagger was finding it impossible to go any further, he felt quite astonished. Just what sort of material was this item made from that even his dagger could not pierce through it? At the same time, he confirmed that this was the item he had sought.
He released his left hand and raised the sleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow, then placed it back on the dagger. This time, he did not attempt to probe deeper, but to move the dagger about the wall. Relying purely on the feelings transmitted to his hands, he used the dagger to slowly cut the hard stone wall. Although tiny bits of stone flew into the air, no sound was produced.
The dagger silently cut, ceaselessly moving about the stone wall. Finally, it reached its starting position, having cut out a design on the wall. Chen Changsheng felt this design to be rather familiar, and then he recalled that it was exactly the same as the outer contours of the Dallying Forest.
He removed the dagger and approached the stone wall. He placed the dagger in one of the wider horizontal seams and began to carefully pull out the stone, constantly prying at it.
As he worked, a gray stone to the right of Wang Zhice''s portrait began to slowly move, bit by bit, until it appeared as a visible bump on the wall.
After some time, the gray stone was half a palm-width out of the stone wall. Chen Changsheng sheathed his dagger and used his hands to take the flat and even ends of the stone. He took in a deep breath, and true essence slowly flowed to various parts of his body and transferred strength into his arms.
There was an extremely soft grinding noise as, in the soft light of the Night Pearl, stone shards flew into the air. An irregularly shaped stone slowly came free from the wall.
A hole had been cut out of the wall, and he could faintly make out a box in its depths. This box was embedded in the wall and was clearly not easily extracted, but the box could still be opened.
Such a mechanism had actually been concealed in the walls of a place like the Lingyan Pavilion, and it even contained a mysterious box. Just who had done this when it was being built? Just who could have been capable of doing this?
If this sight were seen by anyone else, it would definitely cause the entire Zhou Dynasty to quake, perhaps resulting in an investigation that would stretch back centuries and a calamity for the descendants of a few prestigious clans.
Chen Changsheng did not know who had placed this box in the Lingyan Pavilion. When it had been under construction, countless craftsmen and officials were keeping watch day and night, so how had that person been able to hide from so many people and even from Emperor Taizong''s divine gaze? All he knew right now was that the wall of the Lingyan Pavilion contained a box that he needed.
The box buried in the wall was very darkly colored. Its outermost layer was easily removed, revealing the true box within. The lid of this box was covered in many copper strings, with several exquisite copper buttons scattered amongst them, all of it appearing extremely complex. At the very center was the switch to open the box.
If a child in the capital were to see these copper buttons and strings, they would be able to guess that this was the Nine Interconnected Rings Puzzle1 very popular in the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, this version was much more complicated, consisting of seventeen linked rings.
The Nine Interconnected Rings was the same as the Dallying Forest, a game made up by Wang Zhice to waste time and work his mind when he was not studying. Although it was just a game, it also was excellent for toughening one''s spiritual sense or increasing one''s calculation ability. Nine rings was common while seventeen was incredibly rare, the solution much more difficult.
Without any hesitation, Chen Changsheng stared at those extremely complex copper strings and began to calculate, his gaze occasionally drifting towards one of the copper buttons. He then began to move the strings, his fingers constantly plucking at them as if he was playing the zither, bringing the copper strings together with the buttons.
He spent a long time at this, and finally, upon seeing an empty space on the southwest corner of the box lid, took a deep breath and removed his left ring finger from the copper strings. With a click, the strings he had knit began to move on their own, incessantly tying and untying as they moved towards the center.
This was the process of untying the rings. It required a long time for one to find out if one was ultimately able to untie them or not, or if one had made a mistake. If that was the case, one could only begin anew.
There was nothing else to do besides wait. Chen Changsheng finally noticed that his forehead was covered in sweat. Just as he was prepared to raise his arm to wipe the sweat away, he saw the sweat on his sleeve from earlier and froze. With a bitter smile, he shook his head, took a handkerchief from his sleeve, and assiduously wiped the sweat off his face.
He watched silently as the design constantly morphed, as the copper strings and buttons incessantly moved.
He did not know who had made this mechanism, perhaps Wang Zhice or somebody else. Just like how he knew that there was a box in the wall, he only knew of the existence of these things, but not why they existed.
All these things had been told to him by Daoist Ji.
Before coming to the capital, Chen Changsheng had always believed that Daoist Ji was just an ordinary Daoist, at the most someone incredibly skilled in medicine. After experiencing so many things, he naturally knew that his master was no ordinary person. He even might have another identity.
The books and scrolls in Xining''s old temple were all ancient books from before the great recompiling. The abundance of these books was on par with the Li Palace, so how could a normal person accumulate so many Daoist scriptures?
He gripped the dagger and gazed at the portraits of the meritorious ministers on the wall, shaking his head. How could a normal person know that the Lingyan Pavilion contained so many secrets? Even his dagger was extraordinary.
It was also Daoist Ji that had said to him that if he wished to defy the heavens and change fate, he needed to enter the Lingyan Pavilion and discover the secrets within. Thus, his goal in coming to the capital had been precisely to enter the Lingyan Pavilion.
His fate was not good, and so if he wanted to live past the age of twenty, he had only two methods: cultivating to the Concealed Divinity Realm or defying the heavens and changing his fate. Both methods did not sound reasonable, as they were essentially impossible, but comparatively speaking, the latter was slightly more possible. This was because rumors of changing fate had always been circulating amongst the people.
How could one defy the heavens and change fate? First of all, one had to know what fate was. He gazed at the still-unraveling rings and silently thought, could my fate be hidden within this box?
193 Once upon a Time… There were Three People Part One
What is fate? This word has countless meanings: being born rich or poor,special encounters, the course of life with its ever-changing trajectories andelusive fluctuations, or is it the mysterious, unknown will of the heavens? If fate really was such an unknown, unchangeable existence, then this type ofexistence would be pointless. Naturally, cultivators would not accept such aconclusion. When the Heavenly Tomes descended, the people on the continentbegan to cultivate and borrow strength from the stars in order to change thecourse of nature. They would reflect on their own fate, face it with an utterlyfearless spirit, and dare to change it. Every cultivators first connection with the world occurred on the night theydetermined their Fated Star. As a result, peoples understanding of fatemirrored the vast sea of stars at night. Since ancient times, the stars in the night sky would never change, regardlessof position or brightness. They would forever shine serenely on the mortalworld. Naturally, there was an infinite number of complicated connectionsbetween the countless stars, and they simply could not be drawn out on paper intheir entirety. The images those connections formed were absolutely impossibleto illustrate. People would look up at the stars and see those beautiful and complicatedimages. They were so beautiful and complicated that their hearts would begin topalpitate. Quite naturally, they would believe that these images concealed anextremely deep, everlasting meaning. Countless years ago, the powerful members of the Orthodoxys older generationsvaguely perceived a sensation from the realm of celestial beings. Theyspeculated that some sort of hidden power within the stars affected the fate ofthe whole continent. As for the life of every individual, their Fated Star, the area surroundingit, and all of its connections were perhaps their individual fates. This kind of reasoning coincidentally agreed with the philosophy of fatewithin the Daoist Canon. It was also one of the most difficult explanations tounderstand: fate was the overview of trajectories concerning interactionsbetween people. The infinite stars could hold countless lives, hopes, and wishes. Even thecorresponding explanation of fate, which people found so mysterious, couldcertainly also be found within the constellations. It could be said that after a person was born, a corresponding explanation oftheir fates trajectory would appear within the stars. It could also be saidthat even before a person was born his or her fate already existed within thestars, perhaps as a short line or as a grand constellation. If cultivators wanted to change their own fate, they had to change those linesand images which outlined their fates. They had to first change the brightnessand position of their Fated Stars. If they truly could change the position andbrightness of their Fated Stars to what they wanted, then the connectionsbetween the surrounding stars would change accordingly, affecting fates ofother people at the same time. Fate was never an independent existence. The peoples fates were interlinkedone with another, just as the the Daoist Canon explained: fate was the overviewof trajectories concerning interaction between people. However, in the past, the continents countless astronomers had left behindrecords explaining that the stars, regardless of their position or brightness,had never changed at all. With all this, it was completely impossible to changeones fate by desiring to move ones Fated Star. Who had enough power to standon earth and affect the heavens? Who could grab the stars from the mortal realm? In the final book of the Pandect of Daoist Canon, the section regarding fateonly had a total of approximately six hundred words. It only mentioned a fewsimple possibilities in the second paragraph, which included the cultivatorbeing able to truly enter the Grand Liberation Realm or being capable of suchan achievement. However, this Grand Liberation Realm was even more mysteriousthan the Concealed Spirit Realm. According to the legend, it only existed inpeoples imaginations. It was like a myth, so how could it be treated as truth? Then, was there really anyone who had succeeded in changing their fate?According to the records within the Daoist Canon and the statements ofofficials, such a thing had never occurred ever since the Heavenly Tomes haddescended. Even if it had truly occurred before, no one was brave enough topublicly discuss it due to the lack of evidence and its excessivelyfar-reaching effects. As a matter of fact, there had always been a kind of reasoning or conjectureamong the people saying that in the past thousand years, changing ones fateought to have occurred three times. Only those involved in changing ones fate had the power to expunge allrecords in the imperial observatory and various observatories. They had thepower to cause the entire human world to steer clear of discussing this matter,in fear. This was because those involved in rising against and defying theheavens each of the three times were now all monarchs. The three were Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, and theDivine Empress of theZhou Dynasty. A thousand years ago, the previous empire had begun to show signs ofcorruption, and people lived on the edge of starvation. In the north, the DemonRace stared greedily at the empire, and in the south, several aristocraticfamilies were rebelling. Countless armies arose, and wars were being foughtcontinuously, destroying almost the entire landscape. In the midst of the constant warring, countless experts surfaced throughoutthe continent, and even several great experts of the Saint Realm continuouslyappeared. This was also the first period of explosive growth the world ofcultivation had experienced. For a time, the flags on the gate of Luoyang changed countless times. One daya great general would dethrone the current emperor and kill his way into theeastern hills, and on the next day, a second young master of the Xiao Family inthe south would suddenly change sides and call himself Sima. He would takethe written admonition from Holy Maiden Peak and stage a coup detat withexperts from various sects. Nobody knew who exactly it was that cleaned up thatmess of a broken landscape in the end. In that time, Taizu was a senior official of the Tianliang County. As he wasrelated to the deposed emperors most beloved concubine, he was trusted andheld in high regard, due to which he was ordered to guard the city. It could besaid that he was very low-key or that he was very ordinary. However, incountless years he had never actually left the area of Tianliang County to goto Fork Mountain even by half a step. In the eyes of the commoners, he was extremely mediocre and unambitious. Whencompared to those great lords who were in the spotlight at that time, he wasstanding in the dark, and truly nobody believed that he would be able toconquer the world. When discussing about who had power, nobody would evenmention his name. People only believed that the Tianliang County had a decentgeographical position, and that the clever sons of Taizu could protectthemselves in this time of prominent emerging by bearing patiently andsurrendering to the strongest force at that time. However, who would have thought that after many years, the situation on thecontinent would change so suddenly? Great lords battled without rest, causinggreat losses and damage to every force. As Taizu built up strength in TianliangCounty, he slowly grew in power. One day, he led a great army of thirtythousand eastwards from Fork Mountain, and actually conquered seventeen citiesin one breath. He formed alliances with many aristocratic families in the southand also received the full support of the Way. He actually achieved a greatvictory against the Rebels of Tiger Hill, which was renowned for its valianceoutside of the city of Luoyang. He had successfully killed his way into thecity. In the second year, he conquered the capital city and had officiallytaken the throne in front of the Mausoleum of Books. He had truly united theworld. Looking at this period of history when the Zhou Dynasty empire had beenfounded, there were many parts that could not be explained, and many thingswhich could not happen according to reason. For example, the great lords couldhave taken a small glance at the Tianliang County in the beginning, and squashTaizu who was still weak at the time. In the first three bloody battles, whenTaizu had arrived at Fork Mountain, just when the situation was about to take aturn for the worst, he would always be able to pull through and changemisfortune into blessing. In the dozen or so uninterrupted, intense battlesoutside of the city of Luoyang, Taizu should have met his end, but he did not,as if there was some type of hidden power always protecting him. If it was luck, then such great luck that would last for such a long timecould only be called fate. After Taizu had ascended to the throne in the capital, various sages ledcountless famous generals on expeditions everywhere. The various sects andaristocratic families in the south had all became his subjects, and those greatlords who were unwilling to accept it had all been eliminated. For a while, allof the heroic characters in the world were either being killed, captured, orsent to the capital. How could those experts resign themselves? They all cursedloudly without end on the execution grounds. It was at that time that a legend began to spread. The reason why EmperorTaizu could tower over the experts of the world and kill his way to victorywhilst seemingly being an ordinary person was that in the previous dozen or soyears, he had focused on cultivation. In essence, he had formed an alliancewith the leader of the Way at that time and had used some sort of secrettechnique to change his fate, thus changing his Fated Star into an EmperorsStar. Variations in translations: / C Scriptures of the Way, Classics of the Way, Daoist Canon, DaoistScrolls and so on all refer to the same thing
194 Once upon a Time… There were Three People Part Two
TL: I dislike how is translated as Yao race. It is inconsistent with ħ,which is translated to Demon race and not Mo race. Therefore, Yao race is nowDemi-human race. The second person suspected of successfully changing their fate was EmperorTaizong. Emperor Taizong had many nicknames, such as the Millennial Wise Lord, theGreat Lord of the Generation, etc. Throughout history, very few sovereign kingswere as impressive as he was. His most famous accomplishment as Emperor andwhat garnered the highest praise from many citizens was naturally leading thehuman and demi-human allied army to victory against the formidable demons. As time passed, people only remembered that the two races allied army went onmultiple northern expeditions under the command of Emperor Taizong along withthe meticulous control of the Zhou Dynastys government. They defeated theDemon race army and made them flee in all directions. Other than those whofocused on studying history, very few people remained who still remembered whenthe Zhou Dynasty was founded. When it was first founded, the emperor had begged like a dog for peace infront of the Demon races vanguard and persevered whilst at deaths door. Asfor the famous Treaty of Fallen Willow in peoples memories, its meaning wasalready completely different from the original reason it was formed. In the third year of Emperor Taizus ascension to the throne in front of theMausoleum of Books, the great Demon army flagrantly began to invade the south.At that time, the war in the central plains had just ended, and most peoplelived in poverty. This resulted in a weakened country, which had no method ofresisting. Emperor Taizu could only swear allegiance, become a subject, and paytribute to the Demon race. Afterwards, as the strength of the Zhou Dynastyslowly rejuvenated, they attempted to spread their borders into the south. As aresult, Taizu and his three sons led an army to war, only leaving behindEmperor Taizong who was still the Prince of Qi to guard the capital. The demons took advantage of this and invaded the south again, conquering theTianliang County in one fell swoop. The vanguard was about to attack Luoyang,threatening the whole human world. Emperor Taizong deceptively deployed histroops while he personally led the many generals and advisors from the Princeof Qis Palace to meet the Demon Lord at the Fallen Willow Plains. It wasrumored that the Demon Lord was surprised by how ordered and mighty theformations of troops were in or that Zhou Dufu silently appeared under fivewillows. Anyways, before the great war had even started, Emperor Taizongoffered a large amount of wealth and resources, showing submission once again.By exchanging the pure white horn of a rhinoceros, the two signed a treaty, andthe great Demon army returned to the north. The Treaty of Fallen Willow was an underground alliance formed fromhumiliation. In the history books, Emperor Taizong was known as a perfect man and wasappointed according to his merit. However, he who was destined to become thegreat lord of the generation obviously had his own pride, so how could heforget this period of humiliating history? Three years after the event in theHundred Herb Garden, Emperor Taizong, those legendary subjects, and the divinegenerals finally began preparing to take back the Human races honor anddignity from the Demon race. This was the catalyst for a grand scale war. Under the governance of two wise lords, the Zhou Dynasty used all of itsresources to strengthen itself. It just so happened that this coincided withthe World of Cultivations second renaissance. This renaissance was thousandsof years old, and countless legendary figures like Wang Zhice appeared over andover. Adding to the alliance between Emperor Taizong and the demi-humans, theyreceived strong support, which allowed the allied army to produce fantasticresults for the first time in war. In the following decades, the flames of war in the northern plains were neverreally put out. Emperor Taizong and the legendary experts constantly attackedthe Demon race, and after three expeditions to the north, victory was finallydecided between the two. The Demon race suffered a crushing defeat and returnedto Xuelao City. They became afraid to take another step into the south. There could be countless reasons for the Human race to defeat the Demon race:the lord was wise, the empire was strong, or experts appeared one after anotheras mentioned before. However, no matter how many reasons there were, it wasvery difficult to explain while looking closely at this period in history. Theoverwhelming Demon race had once ruled the entire northern region of thecontinent. So, how could they be defeated in just a few decades, and how couldthe positions of power between the two change so drastically? It seemed likethere was a hidden power that protected both Emperor Taizu and the fate of theZhou Dynasty, which constantly ate away at the morale of the Demon race. What exactly was this hidden power? Was it the power of fate? When EmperorTaizong changed his fate, did he also change the fate of the human world? The third person who seemed to have successfully changed fate was still alive. She was the ruler of the present day human world, the Divine Empress. Maybe because she was still alive, very few rumors spread about the DivineEmpress success in changing fate. Very few people were brave enough to speakup about this matter, even if they were at home in their beds. However, many people speculated in this manner. How could a female conquer the world and sit on the throne of the emperor asthe sovereign king? If the Divine Empress had not changed her fate, how couldan event that had never happened before in all of history occur? The legends described three people who seemed to have succeeded in revoltingagainst the heavens and changing their fate. These three people were Taizu,Taizong, and the Divine Empress. They were also the three most successfulpeople in the past thousand years of this continent. In Chen Changshengsopinion, there was no seem because before he had left the Old Temple ofXining Village, his master Daoist Ji had once explained very clearly, that onlythree people had succeeded in changing fate. Although he had used the word only, nevertheless, he was certain of thishistory. In order to change ones fate, one had to change the position of ones FatedStar in the night sky. Chen Changshengs reason for traveling to the capitaland participating in the Grand Examination was to find a method of changing hisFated Stars position by entering the Pavilion of Ascending Mist. This methodshould have been the technique the first Pope of the Orthodoxy and EmperorTaizu used in secret, which was the method Emperor Taizong and the DivineEmpress should have also used. What Chen Changsheng did not fully understand was that since it was theOrthodoxys secret technique, why did his master not tell him to find a wayinto the Li Palace to investigate? Rather, he told Chen Changsheng to doeverything he could to enter the Pavilion of Ascending Mist and arrive in frontof the portrait of Wang Zhice. Still, no matter how legendary Wang Zhice was,he did not do anything related to revolting against the heavens and changinghis fate. Just at this moment, the blue stone walls produced a soft click. Waking from his musings, he looked at the wall and saw that those complicatedand unreadable bronze lines covering the box had already changed into acompletely different image from before. The small, delicate bronze buttons hadalready shifted in position, and after the two centermost springs retracted,the box unexpectedly opened. The method to undo the seventeen pairs of chains was extremely complicated,and he did not even know whether it was correct or not until the end. However,he opened the box in a single attempt, which had to be considered very lucky. He pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped away the sweat on hisforehead. He licked his somewhat dry lips. While extending his hand towards thebox, he suddenly realized that these bronze buttons and lines.. were actuallythe same as the stars and the invisible lines in-between in the night sky.However, they were just simplified. It was just a casual thought, so he did not continue to ponder about it andextended his hand to take out the book within the box. The Pavilion ofAscending Mist blocked out all light and sound, and the book was kept withinthe blue stone wall. As a result, even after hundreds of years, it had onlybecome slightly brittle around the edges, and the pages themselves were stillpure white like new. The words looked as if they were just written. The book did not have any words on its cover, so the first time ChenChangsheng saw words was on the first page. These words were not sharp, butrather rounded, like an old rock in the mountains. It was very distinctive. The positions are relative. Seeing these four words, Chen Changsheng stared blankly at them. He did notunderstand their meaning at all. After thinking earnestly, he realized thatthere werent any important clues, so he continued reading. The second page wasdensely covered with words. The handwriting was elegant but not frivolous, andit did not attempt to look clever at all. Only after seeing this page did hefinally verify that this book was indeed the diary of Wang Zhice. Changes in translations: C used to be the Yao race, now Demi-human race
195 The Scholar Entering the Capital for His Imperial Examinations
Since I was young, my family was poor. I had a quiet and sincere but slowpersonality. I did not have any friends or family. I ate congee and vegetables,but I never ate meat. I only liked to read, and other than reading, there wasstill more reading. I lived without any serious ambitions, and after going tothe capital, I really only wanted to enter the Heavenly Dao Academy to study.Afterwards, I met Chener, and I only wanted to read with her although shedidnt have any interest in reading at all. This was the first part of the opening paragraph in Wang Zhices diary. Whilereading this section, all of a sudden a familiar feeling took hold of ChenChangsheng, just like when he had learnt about Gou Hanshis experiences beforethe Ivy Festival. Although he knew they were opponents, Chen Changsheng stillcarried a sense of familiarity towards him, as he also only liked reading books. On the way to the capital, I met the Grand Guard at that time, the futureTaizu, in the Tianliang County Palace. Afterwards, I met the Prince of Qi forthe first time and later met him again in Luoyang. There was also ElderBrother, yes, and I also met Chener in that alleyway dripping with filth, So,I stayed behind. The paper in Luoyang was expensive. Everything was expensive, and even thesesame seed cakes were more expensive than those from other areas. What made iteven worse was the constant fighting day in and day out. After Chener used upall of our money, she wanted to return to her previous occupation. However, Ialways felt that killing people wasnt good, so she asked me how she couldsupport our home. I thought over and over again that I still needed to enterthe capital. Even if I could not enter the Heavenly Dao Academy, I could stillcamp outside the Mausoleum of Books to sell some fake rubbings of inscriptions.I had always believed I was a useless scholar and could only write some nicewords. TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_rubbing She came with me to the capital and was always by my side. Even if she wantedto leave, she couldnt, as Emperor Taizus army had already surrounded thecapital. It was also at that time when I learnt that Elder Brother had neverprepared to come back after originally leaving Luoyang. On the day when thecapital finally fell, Chener and I sat on a boat, separated from the Bridge ofLamentation. We saw the smiling Prince of Qi riding in on a white rhinoceros,and we knew that our lives would take a turn for the better. As the Emperor ascended the throne in front of the Mausoleum of Books, thegreat Demon army had already arrived. After two years, the Demon race invadedagain. The Prince of Qi would occasionally travel to the inn to search us outfor idle gossip, and I could tell his mood worsened over time. I did not knowwhether it was because his favourite rhinoceros had died at the Fallen WillowPlains or that the Emperor had not decided who was the crown prince. One day,when he drank a little too much wine, he stared into my eyes and said that eversince he came to Luoyang, he had always wanted me to help him. I did not reallyunderstand this, as how could I, a physically weak scholar, help him withanything? Also, when I came to the capital.. all I wanted to do was enter theHeavenly Dao Academy to read. After I entered the Heavenly Dao Academy and began studying, I lived the lifeI looked forward to living. Still, Chener did not like such a plain life. Itook her to see the green vines of Li Palace and the Banyan Trees inside theOrthodox Academy. She did not like any of that and said that the forest in theGarden of Dawn was too dense and the great banyan trees were too tall. The mostimportant thing was, the River Qu and the lake within the Orthodox Academy weretoo flat. During some nights, I would watch the acrobatics in Luoyang andlaugh, but she would only smile coldly. She said that reading and enjoying thescenery were boring, and only someone like me could withstand such a boringlife. I understood what she wanted to say, but I did not want to follow up. So,I could only stay silent. Afterwards, she still ended up leaving the capital. I did not know whethershe went to Xuelao City or to find Elder Brother. However, in short, when sheleft me, I thought seriously for three days and three nights, confirming that Icould not change anything. I continued to read, and while resting in-between, Ibegan thinking of matters related to cultivation. My friends and I alwaysthought that I did not have the potential to cultivate, much less any talent. However, for some unknown reason, I, who had only begun cultivating after theage of forty, did not meet any problems in cultivation as rumored. I used theperiod of a single night to roughly master cultivation. Perhaps, the commotionI caused that night was a tad too marvelous since I scared a lot of people. Asa result, I became a famous person in the capital for some odd reason, and thePrince of Qi took the imperial edict of Emperor Taizu to force me into agovernment position. Many people believed I was proud because of the commotion I caused that night.Yet, the real reason I was pleased with myself was because those small gameswhich I made began to spread throughout the capital and even the wholecontinent. In short, I became famous and began establishing connections withvarious well known people, officials, and several princes including the Princeof Qi. They were on friendly terms with me, and my life seemed to become muchmore cheerful, other than the fact that she never returned. Peaceful, happy days do not last forever. I understood this logic, but I justnever thought that this lovely period would actually end so suddenly. On acertain day, late at night, two people came to my house. They were all thePalace of the Prince of Qis guests, and they wanted me to do some things.After thinking for a moment, I did not agree, but I did not want to get in thePrince of Qis way. I understood his temperament; nobody could prevent him fromtaking a step forwards. On the morning of the second day, horse carts began carrying corpses outsideof the city, and I stood atop the building, looking in the direction towardsthe Hundred Herb Garden. I watched the white smoke slowly rise up and silentlyprayed that not too many people would die, at least those princes whom I knew.Pity, it did not end up as I had wished. Those princes still died in the end,including their wives, sons, and daughters. I sat at home in boredom for three days. I did not leave the house, nor did Ilook for any related news. I looked silently at the two guests from the Palaceof the Prince of Qi. Finally, after handling the matters outside, the Prince ofQi came to me personally. In such a nervous hour, he actually took the time,especially, to come and see me. I did not know whether I should have felthonored or suspicious. The Prince of Qi said that he did not mind my silence the past few days, buthe needed me to show my own opinion towards this matter for the capitalspopulace to see. I could only stay silent. He stared into my eyes and askedwhat my feelings about this matter actually were. I thought a little and saidthat I had no opinion. As a result, it was he who had become silent, beforeturning around and leaving. That was the last time he and I spoke to each otheras friends. Since only afterwards, did I learn that he had already formallyascended the throne that morning, becoming the Zhou Dynastys emperor. My position in the government was not taken away, nor was I put under housearrest, much less being sent to jail. I was just purposefully forgotten by thegovernment and those people I was once familiar with. I was forgotten in thishouse on Grievance Alley. There was also another person who was purposelyforgotten like me, Emperor Taizu. Perhaps, the Prince of Qi no, I should saythe emperorwanted to be a good son to his father as he was worried thatEmperor Taizu might cause some trouble behind closed doors from being toobored, or perhaps he still remembered the friendship between us that I toomight cause trouble at home from boredom. Anyway, he decreed that I would holdthe secretary position and accompany Taizu in the royal palace. I must say, this period of time living deep within the palace was actuallyvery interesting. In the short period of a few months, Taizu seemed to growolder by several hundred years and transformed into a real old man. Unlike howhe had been easily angered in the past, he became much kinder and no longercared about the matters of the empire. Of course, he had no way of caring sincenobody allowed him to have any influence. As a result, he began paying attention to the victories while playing gamesand those beautiful female servants. As for the latter, I admonished him manytimes, but he did not really like to listen. Regarding the former, it was veryhard for him to win against me while playing games, and instead it became moreand more interesting. In that tall palace covered in vines and on that tableunderneath the vine canopy, we played many rounds of cards. While we wereleisurely playing, we would always talk. As a result, I heard many stories,which I never forgot. While looking at the handwriting in the diary, Chen Changsheng found itdifficult to remain calm. All these were stories of Wang Zhice himself, which included memories of alegend. What he said was very messy, but very concise, and it clearly narratedthe course of his own life. This narration just happened to coincide with thecontinents most turbulent times. As a result, this story naturally andstrongly influenced Cheng Changsheng. While reading the words in the diary, it was as if he had seen Wang Zhice inthose days. He was a young scholar who went to the capital for exams and notfor a position in the government. He traveled thousands of miles just to readtens of thousands of books. Who would have ever guessed that on such a journey,the scholar would see an upside down female shadow in the city of Luoyang,causing him to stop in his steps and see a lot more things. The young scholar began walking once again in the end, reaching hisdestination of the capital. He had never forgotten his original purpose allthose years ago, but he could not live by his way of thinking from all thoseyears ago. Many things had changed from his perspective. The upside down femaleshadow had broken apart into nothingness. He became part of the government andfamous in the capital. Afterwards, he was forced into those worlds, which hehad never liked nor ever wanted to enter. After reading up to this point, Chen Changsheng slowly became more nervous. Upuntil now, Wang Zhices diary or oral history, was about to enter the mostimportant part and the section Chen Changsheng wanted to know most. In theperiod of time that Taizu was put under house arrest deep within the palace,what exactly did he say to Wang Zhice? Maybe he could discover an explanationfrom a person who had changed fate himself. He continued to read the diary. There were many rumors regarding Emperor Taizu, and the one most well knownwas naturally of him changing fate. Specifically, a rumor always spread aroundthe continent saying, that many years ago, Taizu became friends with the leaderof the Way at that time, who was also the previous Pope of the Li Palace lateron. He used some type of secret technique to successfully change fate by givingofferings to the starry sky. This caused that Emperors Star to forever shineon the world from the night sky. As for after the transformation of Hundred Herb Garden, a lot more specificdetails about an offering to the starry skies appeared in the rumors. Everyonewas saying that in order to change fate, Taizu had to be willing to leavebehind only a single son to carry on the bloodline. As for the other sons, theywould all be offered to the starry sky however, after Taizu successfullyascended the throne, he did not want to stick to the promise he had made allthose years ago. In actuality, all of his sons were so outstanding, so whocould he allow to die? Who was willing to die? I did not know whether the Prince of Qi and the other princes had heard ofthis rumor or not. Even if they had heard it before, nobody would have believedit. However, it didnt matter if this rumor was true or false. As long as itappeared and as long as they had heard it, the dry branches within their heartswould transform into scary, poisonous snakes, constantly biting at theirhearts. From taking down Luoyang to the capital, Taizus outstanding sons couldnever maintain a good relationship, mainly due to who the throne belonged to. Thinking back now, this rumor affected these relationships greatly. I mustadmit, Taizus sons were all very outstanding, but His Majesty was thestrongest one. When those princes were still scheming to affect Taizus choiceand waiting for fates arrangements, His Majesty was the first one to takeaction. Without the slightest hesitation, he slaughtered all of his brothers..
196 There is No Such Thing as Fate
Now that I think about it, His Majesty was a really extraordinary person. Hearrived in front of Fate with a cold-blooded and formidable attitude. He didnot accept Fates arrangement; rather, he began to decide the Fate of others.He did not wait for Taizu to choose him; rather, he chose instead and killedeveryone, leaving Taizu with only one son. Therefore, the emperors throne orthe bloody fate changing rumor didnt matter anymore, and there was no need forany more discussion. Regardless, both the Zhou Dynasty and entire human worldneeded this kind of extremely effective decision. In the past, his cavalrymensuffered greatly under the hands of the Demon race during the battles withinTianliang County. After that, he suffered a disastrous defeat by the hands ofElder Brother in Luoyang City. However, regarding everything that had happened,both the Demon Lord and Elder Brother were weaker than him. He was indeed themost powerful man of this era, so the world fell into his hands. This did notexceed my expectations. Of course, too many things had happened during thisprocess, so as a result, I really could not feel happy for him. What happened next did not exceed my expectations either. His Majesty beganto work diligently in politics, and he devoted his heart to ruling the country.As a result, the continent slowly became peaceful, and the power of the ZhouDynasty flourished greatly with each passing day. His Majesty Taizu finallygrew impatient with playing games and the beautiful female servants. Afterclosing both of his eyes, he returned to the stars, and perhaps, too much timehad already passed. His Majesty did not permit me to continue staying in thepalace, so he let me teach at the Star Seizer Academy. I could also read as Itaught, so I did not object and was very grateful. Furthermore, I understoodthe real reason why His Majesty had sent me to Star Seizer Academy because thedays of the northern expeditions against the Demon race were not far away. After that night in the Hundred Herb Garden, His Majesty and I were no longerfriends. Although there were many things I was unwilling to do, I was willingto participate in fighting against the Demon race. His Majesty wanted to washoff all shame from the Treaty of Fallen Willow, so every lord, subject,soldier, and citizen worked diligently. In just a few years, the preparationsfor the northern expeditions were complete, and His Majesty directly made me avice-commander. This stirred up a large amount of gossip in the government.Fatty Cheng was the angriest. Everybody knew each other, and they felt I couldonly strategize on paper. I had never actually led any soldiers, so how could Ihold such an important position? I did not try to explain myself at all. I understood very clearly why HisMajesty wanted me to become the vice-commander. This wasnt only to takeadvantage of what I had prepared in those few years at the Star Seizer Academy,but to also force me to decide my future. Perhaps, I would die on thebattlefield against the Demon race, or I would drift far away from thebattlefield to find her or Elder Brother. However, I remained because thematter of conflict with the Demon race lasted more than one or two years. SinceI had decided this, whether I died or left, I had to help the human worldresolve the threat of the Demon race before doing so. Very fortunately, we were victorious. After reading this part of the diary, Chen Changsheng breathed in deeply.Although he was only interested in the secrets of changing fate, he still couldnot help but be filled with emotion when he read the renowned generals storyin that great war against the Demon race. Wang Zhice had downplayed that onesimple sentence, yet he did not know how much blood had been spilt nor howdifficult it was. Very fortunately, humanity was victorious in the end. To the victor go the spoils. His Majesty decided to build the Pavilion ofAscending Mist and hang all of the peoples portraits who had performedmeritorious services inside. I knew that my own portrait would certainly behung inside. However, it felt extremely weird because I always felt thathanging portraits was like honoring the dead. This was something that shouldonly be done after one had died. While reading this part that Wang Zhice had written, he unconsciously lookedaround. Borrowing the light from the Luminous Pearl, he looked at the severaldozens of portraits belonging to those worthy subjects and renowned generals. Afamiliar feeling blossomed in his heart, and the people within the portraitsseemed to stare at him silently in the soft light. Chills ran down his spine. After the Pavilion of Ascending Mist was built, Daoist Wu began to help drawportraits of us. Not long after, Zhang Sun died, the Duke of Zheng died, andthe Duke of Wei also died.. All of those people who had their portraitshanging in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist slowly passed away. It was also atthat time when a rumor began to spread between us old men. It said that in thebeginning, His Majesty was the same as his father. In order to have victoryover the Demon race, he worked together with the Orthodoxy to make an offeringto the stars, and he succeeded in changing fate in the end. As for the offeringthat His Majesty had given to the starry sky, it was the souls of the twentyfour great subjects and generals within the Pavilion of Ascending Mist. It was a wet day filled with autumn rain on the sixth day after Du Ruyu wasburied. Daoist Wu came out of the imperial palace and met us in secret. Thesaint of painting in Luoyang City who was originally full of high spiritalready had a head full of white air, and his eyes were filled with fear. Hetold us that once the portraits of the twenty four people were completed, hewould also die. I knew that he had heard of the rumor of His Highness defyingfate and had guessed something. I did not say anything and came up with a planto secretly send him out of the capital. It was said that he arrived in JialanTemple. The reason why I did not say anything was because I did not believe inanything like changing fate, including the nods from Emperor Taizu when he wasdrunk in the palace or what he had said before he had died. I thought this wasall a lie of the old man who was unwilling to step out of the limelight,scheming to regain his own authority and powers, and wanting to give thejourney of his life an even more mysterious feel. I really began to think about the word Fate. I began to think whether EmperorTaizu and His Majesty had really used some secret technique to change Fatethrough an offering to the starry sky. That had occurred several months laterwhen Qin Zhong was already bedridden from his old injuries. I went outside fora rare opportunity to meet him, and I just happened to see Daoist Ji who wasordered to treat him by an imperial edict. Seeing Daoist Jis expression, Ifinally confirmed that this matter was questionable. While reading this paragraph and holding the diary, Chen Changshengs handsslightly trembled. Up until now, Wang Zhices storytelling finally began to tackle the heart ofthe matter. However, Chen Changsheng did not react so severely because of this,but rather the diary had mentioned too many names of legendary figures, forexample, that Elder Brother. He should have been Zhou Dufu who had defeatedEmperor Taizong in a single battle at Luoyang. And now, his masters name wasactually mentioned. When I was writing this down, seventeen of the twenty four honored subjectsfrom the Pavilion of Ascending Mist had already died, and it was almost myturn. During this period, I followed His Majestys wishes. I never took up aposition in the government, but I only taught at the Star Seizer Academy. If Iwanted to investigate these matters, it was a tad difficult, so I could onlyask Qin Zhong directly before he had died. I believed that even if the emperorhad used his loyal subordinates lives as an offering to the stars, he couldnot hide it from Qin Zhong. As I had expected, not only did Qin Zhong know, butYu Gong and a few other people also knew of this matter. That night, I looked at Qin Zhong who seemed countless times older than heactually was, and he stayed silent for a very long time. I did not understandwhy he still calmly accepted it even though he knew and even though His Majestyhad told him the truth beforehand. Qin Zhong told me His Majesty, the emperor,had served him many times and saved him several times. So to give his life forHis Majesty was the right and natural thing to do. There were many people like Qin Zhong and Yu Gong, who willingly sacrificedthemselves to His Majestys plans for world domination, but I was not included.I was unwilling. The Lord wanted his subject to die, but the subject did not want to die. His Majesty was suspicious of me for many years, but I only had the utmostloyalty towards his Majesty. What Qin Zhong had said that night before he died was correct. I had nevercorrected my own position, and I had never treated His Majesty as my own lord.I was still that young, perverted scholar who had forgotten why I set out on myjourney. I still believed that His Majesty was that young, unrestrained princefrom before, and I still believed he was my friend. The most important thing was that I could die for many things. Even when HisMajestys life was in jeopardy, I was willing to sacrifice myself. To bevictorious over the Demon race and to have the country maintain peace for tensof thousands of years, I was willing to die. In fact, when I was originally inthe fields of snow, I almost died countless times, but I was unwilling to dieas a sacrifice to the stars. It was because I did not believe in such a thing. I did not believe in changing Fate. For Taizu to found the Zhou Dynasty, to take down Luoyang and the capital insuccession, and to ascend the throne in front of the Mausoleum of Books, it wasnot because he had really offered the lives of his sons to the stars norestablished his own Emperor Star. Rather he was extremely lucky to have suchoutstanding sons. Under some indescribable pressure, these outstanding sonscontended with one another, and they all burst forth with dazzling radiance onthe stage of Tianliang County and then the stage of the whole continent. ThePrince of Qi was an even more outstanding son among them, and he enduredpatiently with ferocity. The overall situation made him seem strong or evenperfect. Without these sons, how could the Chen family of the Tianliang Countyobtain the glory of today? TL Note: Where did the Chen family come out of you wonder? Taizu and Taizongare a part of the Chen family, the same family that revolted and the one ChenLiuwang is a part of. Basically, the previous emperor (and husband of theDivine Empress) was the son of Taizong, who passed away leading to a powerstruggle with the Divine Empress and the Chen family over the throne. As for this thing called Fate, it could not be further from the guesses ofthe common people who did not know any inside information. Taizu led a greatarmy of thirty thousand eastwards through Fork Mountain and conquered seventeencities in a row. The last three battles were the bloodiest, as well as the mostdangerous, but he had never relied on Fate to escape the jaws of death.Instead, the Prince of Chu and the Prince of Qi borrowed three thousandwolfriders from the Demon race. As for breaking through the encirclement atLuoyong, he used a secret method to trick his enemies and commoners, but hecould not trick his closest subjects. The night when Elder Brother killed amassive number of people in the city of Luoyang, maybe other people did notknow, but how could I not know? The reason why humans could defeat the Demon race was because of thecountrys strength, the wise lord, the preparations, everybody pooling togethertheir efforts and wisdom, the alliance with the Fae, the tens of thousands ofcitizens devoting their lives to battle in the northern blizzards for six yearsstraight, and finally because the Demon race suffered from internal disorder.In order to suppress the groups of rebels, the wolfriders suffered heavycasualties. How did this have anything to do with changing fate? As for thetwenty four lauded subjects being offered to the stars? Their deaths wereindeed questionable, but to me, it was just an approach of His Majesty to unitethem through joys and sorrows as their lord. They just died together. On the very last page of the diary, Wang Zhice wrote in this way. In the beginning, the human world lacked paths. The paths only formedunderneath our feet while we walked. They depended on how we walked and how wechose our position. Our position was relative. If I viewed the lord as lord, then I was hissubject. If I did not view anybody as lord, then I was not a subject. Therefore, there is no such thing as Fate, but only choices.
197 The Eight Storms of the Cardinal Directions Rising from the Black Rock
No, naturally there was no way of changing it. If there was no such thing as fate, then naturally there would not be anythinglike revolting against the heavens or changing fate. Chen Changsheng stared at the final part of the diary, and he stayed silentfor a long time. It was hard for him to put his feelings into words, as he feltrelieved, but even more disappointed. Wang Zhices words were like thunder,rumbling loudly in his sea of consciousness. However, it was a pity that it wasnot thunder from spring, and it had no way of causing springtime rain thatmoistened the ground. It was more like an alarm ringing, causing him to wake upfrom his fabricated hope. This part was really powerful, but for him, it did not have any meaning atallno, there should be more than just this diary. Chen Changshengs willpowerhad developed from the past several years of resisting life and deathcircumstances; therefore, he did not spend much time to calm down. He wasdetermined that this was not everything the night had to offer in the Pavilionof Ascending Mist. When the Pavilion of Ascending Mist had first been built, his master Daoist Jihad already become an important figure within the capital. When those honoredsubjects were heavily ill and about to die, his master had helped treat them,so he naturally knew even more secrets. Having him enter the Pavilion ofAscending Mist through countless hardships definitely was not just to read whatWang Zhice had written. He shoved the diary he had finished reading into the hilt of the short sword.He looked at that box on the green stone wall, and he looked at theindescribable bronze wires and densely packed buttons. The more he looked, themore he felt that the image of the box seemed to be extremely similar to thevast sea of stars in the night sky. He was not mesmerized by this sight, so hestretched out his hand to pick up the box. He also put it into the sword hilt. The diary and box were not small, and no matter how you looked at it, itseemed impossible to shove them into the sword hilt. However, it was exactly insuch a manner that he forcibly shoved them in.It was like a huge tree with acircumference of one chi being swallowed by quicksand or a mountain beingsucked into another world through a black hole. Under the soft glow of theLuminous Pearl, this scene looked somewhat strange. After finishing these two tasks, he reached into the green stone wall with hishand and carefully felt around the box. As expected, he found a black rockafter a short while. This black rock was about the length of half a finger, and it was slightlytenuous. Just by looking at it, he could discern its hardness, and hisfingertips verified this feeling while touching it. Chen Changsheng sat in the corner and raised the black rock in front of theLuminous Pearl. He examined it closelyif this black rock could be hidden awaytogether with the diary by Wang Zhice in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, it wasdefinitely not an ordinary object. The surface of the black rock was smooth and bore the likeness of fog. Thesurface lacked any cracks, and it was entirely pitch-black like ink. However,it was even more like the sea on a starless night.There was clearly nothing onthe surface of the black rock to look at, but he stared at it for a long time.It was as if there were undulations of ink-like waves, producing countlessdifferent shades of black. Chen Changshengs gaze landed on the black rock which was like a black sea. The black sea was the night sky. His consciousness arrived within the night sky. The night sky, which was originally pitch-black, suddenly began to glow withcountless stars. At this moment, he looked just like that night when he determined his FatedStar. He had entered a unique selfless state of nothingness, willfully floatingin the night sky and freely flying through the stars. After an indeterminateamount of time, he saw that a small, red star had appeared in an area extremelyfar away in the night sky. Chen Changsheng serenely gazed at that star, feeling extremely comfortable, asif that star was his Fated Star. The star was peaceful and healthy, overflowing with life, constantly spreadingpure and bright rays of light, and not like it was about to be extinguished atall. He suddenly realized something. Even if he really was going to die in five years, that star would yet continueto shine. This fact gave him some comfort, but afterwards, it caused him even moredisappointment and grief. In the surrounding space of this red star, there were countless other stars. He stared at those stars and realized that those stars which hung in the nightsky also stared coldly and peacefully back at him. In other words, they werestaring at that small red star that belonged to him. He suddenly began to feel disturbed, and an extremely strong feeling of feargrew within him. It was just like when he had seen those portraits within thePavilion of Ascending Mist. He always felt that the people within the portraitsstared back at him. Those people were already dead, but it seemed as if they were still alive. These stars could not speak, but they seemed to want to tell him something. His consciousness did not know that his body was still currently within thePavilion of Ascending Mist, sitting with his back up against the green stonewall. He was extremely stiff, just like a sculpture. The black rock he held between his two fingers suddenly became extremelybright, emitting countless rays of light and heat. Those rays could notpenetrate the doors and windows, and only his body could feel the heat. Chen Changsheng who was inside the Pavilion of Ascending Mist began sweatingnonstop. The sweat was instantly vaporized, and it became a cloud of white mistwrapped around his body in the end. The cloud of white mist also carried a type of indescribable, bizarre smell,which was luckily trapped by the edges of the mist, not letting a single bitout. An indescribable, fantastic aura arose from deep within the black rock, and itentered his body along his fingertips. It passed through his ethereal palace(heart), finally landing in his sea of consciousness. A loud sound rumbled in Chen Changshengs sea of consciousness. It gave him adifferent feeling than the one he had experienced previously after he hadfinished reading Wang Zhices diary. This rumble of thunder was even more likereal thunder. Countless stormy waves arose in his sea of consciousness, as if it was aboutto rip open the ethereal opening. While leaning against the green stone wall, his eyes flickered nonstop, movingfaster and faster, and he also began to sweat more and more. The white mistsurrounding him also grew denser and denser to the point of even covering uphis face. Deep within this white mist, his eyes were tightly shut, but they stilltrembled at a high speed. After the springtime thunder had rumbled through hissea of consciousness, countless images appeared. He was inside a grand church that had light everywhere. Countless churchmenall knelt on the ground, and there were hundreds of sculptures on both sides ofthe church, which seemed very modest under the light. Deep within the wave-like light, an elderly person with divine robes and adivine crown tightly grasped his divine staff. He prayed loudly towards themultitude of stars in the sky above the church, and a slightly plump,middle-aged male knelt in front of the divine throne. After the ceremony ofofferings continued, a projection of starlight fell onto him. At the same time,an abnormally majestic aura returned to the starry sky from his body. There were changes in the deepest parts of the starry sky. These changes wereso small, that some stars had become slightly darker, as if the wings of a mothhad just blocked part of the sun. Other stars moved slightly from theirpositions, even if they only moved by a sliver of hair. Even the oldeststargazing platform would have encountered extreme difficulty to detect thesechanges. Even the Council of Divine Ordinance could not. In the night sky, stars moved, darkened, or paled. The countless, tiny changescombined at one spot, and the formless structure of power also experienced somechange. The centermost star was faint purple, and it slowly began to glowbrighter. Its glow became denser and more beautiful until its purple hadreached the extreme. Afterwards, an extremely bright light suddenly burst forth. It was in such a manner that the Purple Abstruse Emperor Star had appeared. Inthe mortal realm, the armies of Tianliang State had left the Fork Mountain fromthe east, taking down seventeen cities in one breath. They seiged Luoyang andseized the mausoleum of the capital, where Emperor Taizu was formally enthroned. Years later, horrifying sounds of killing arose in the Hundred Herb Garden,and the quiet night was broken. Those stars which once had changed in positionand brightness slowly began to darken. Blood flowed like a river, and brotherskilled each other. In the end, out of all of those outstanding sons of EmperorTaizu, only one person survived. Many years later, after a game of cards and after fooling around with manybeautiful female servants, Emperor Taizu arrived under the vine canopy, andstared at those stars in the night sky. His face revealed a painful smile. That Purple Abstruse Star in the night sky continued to dazzle peoples eyes.However, it already no longer belonged to him, but to his son, the famousPrince of Qi known for his filial piety. He was also the current EmperorTaizong. The galaxies continued to experience change, occupying the twenty-fourconstellations of region of Central Wilderness It seemed like it was about toexpend all of the energy it had gathered since the ancient times in a few shortdecades. The brightness of the twenty-four constellations were so dazzling that peopledid not even realize the Purple Abstruse Emperor Star, which had beensurrounded by these constellations, had already begun to change its position.Although it had only moved by a sliver from the grounds perspective, itactually had already shifted north. It directly approached the darkness of thenight sky. As the great Demon army suffered a crushing defeat and returned north, thehuman world became peaceful. The Pavilion of Ascending Mist was built in thecapital, and a skinny painter lay on the ground, painting nonstop. Theexpression on his face seemed a little deranged. Emperor Taizongs most beloved and revered queen had passed away fromsickness, and the queens brother, the honored subject who had the firstportrait in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, Duke of Zhao, committed suicide onthe sovereigns orders. However, in the history books, he died for the samereason as his sister, the most commonly seen disease of River Luo. Closelyafterwards, the only person in the world who was brave enough to argue withEmperor Taizong, the Duke of Zheng, also passed away from an illness. Qin Zhongand Yu Guan who were the most loyal to Emperor Taizong also passed away from anunknown reason. However, they died very peacefully, and it could even be saidhappily, without a single complaint. The Zhou Dynasty flourished, but these famous subjects and divine generalsinstead began to wither away slowly. During a particular late autumn, after participating in the funeral of afellow subject, he walked silently into the imperial palace and arrived at thePavilion of Ascending Mist. He looked at the portraits on the wall, and finallyarrived in front of his own portrait. He stared silently at himself within thepainting. It was as if he was participating in his own funeral in advance, andhe had even laughed and said the words As if you were still alive. He hid a box into the green stone wall beside the portrait before turningaround and leaving. The Wang Zhice in the painting watched as Wang Zhice walked out of thePavilion of Ascending Mist, smiling without saying a word. Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and woke up again. In that moment, the cloudof mist that had always surrounded him suddenly dispersed. It was as if it hadjust collapsed. It landed on his body at a speed, which could not be seenclearly with the naked eye. It passed through his academy uniform and enteredhis body through the pores of his skin. The mist originally was his sweat, so after it returned to his body at thismoment, it had transformed into a watery substance. It formed countless smallstreams within his body, moistening the dried up river valley from the GrandExamination. Afterwards, it dropped into the deep, final chasm of the brokenmountain range without a sound to be heard. The skies of the snowy plains where he had overheated in the fight against GouHanshi began to snow. The snow was like goose feathers, fluttering aboutlightly and gracefully. It seemed to be slow, but extremely fast at the sametime, causing the entire wasteland to once again become a vast expanse ofwhiteness. Afterwards, the Eight Storms of Cardinal Directions rushed in from all sides,perhaps horizontally, perhaps vertically, or perhaps from the groundunderneath. They produced a very slight pitter-patter, striking the lake waterthat floated in midair. It was an incomparably magnificent sight.
198 Unexpected Apathy
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Changsheng woke up. However, he feltvery refreshed, and while looking internally with meditative introspection, herealized that all of the injuries he had received from the Grand Examinationwere already healed. Still, he looked at the black rock within his palm andstayed silent for a very long time. He did not feel overjoyed at all. He vaguely understood that this black rock was what he was looking for. Otherthan the diary of Wang Zhice, the black rock was the main reason why Daoist Jihad him enter the Pavilion of Ascending Mist. According to what Wang Zhice hadsaid, Emperor Taizu may have given him this black rock before the emperorsdeath. Perhaps, it was extremely vital to the secret of changing fate. The black rock was very important; however, he could not stop thinking aboutWang Zhices diary. After experiencing that springtime thunder, countless storms of wind and rainarose within his sea of consciousness. He saw many images, and he was able tounderstand many things by cross-referencing Wang Zhices records. However, hestill could not come to a decision. Changing fate required one to change the position or brightness of ones FatedStar. Thus, changing the persons position and role within the mortal world,and so. the positions were related. If it was impossible to change the brightness or position of ones Fated Star,then to change the brightness or positions of the surrounding stars could alsocreate a similar effect. The logic was the same. If you wanted to change yourfate, you had to first change the fate of other people in your life. The closerthe relationship between you and these people, the greater the change in fateyou would experience. Such as father and son. Such as brothers. Such as a lord and his subjects. This truth was very cold and harsh. Chen Changsheng could not confirm whether the images he had seen wereillusions or truly history. For the whole night, his body had been drenched insweat before being dried off. As a result, he felt very cold when he woke up. If those bloody, yet cold images were indeed the true face of history, thenwere the two great lords of Zhou really such cold-blooded people? Was it reallyworth it to pay such a large price like performing terrifying acts to changefate? Immediately afterwards, he thought of the Divine Empress. If she was thethird person who succeeded in changing fate, then how great of a price did shepay? Were those bloody and cruel rumors that had long been circulated among thepeople true? Was her firstborn son from all those years ago really poisoned todeath by the previous queens assassins or was he truly killed by the DivineEmpress herself according to the rumors? Most of her children had never livedpast the age of six. Was it really because the imperial palaces environmentwas too dangerous at that time, or were the children some type of offering?Were they an offering to the stars? Chen Changshengs body grew colder and colder. He did not want to continuethinking out of fear of where it would lead him. He could stay calm even in theface of death, but he, a fifteen-year-old, was still too afraid to approachthese truths that had been hidden from the light too closely. He wanted toleave this place. The Pavilion of Ascending Mist was still pitch-black like before. He wasunable to see any light from the doors or windows, so as a result, he could notconfirm the time. However, he knew from experience that it was already fiveoclock, the time he woke up everyday. He stood up and repaired the green stone wall. The Pavilion of Ascending Mistwas a forbidden location deep within the palace, and it only opened up at mosttwo or three times a year. With such sporadic openings, the slit in the wallthat his short sword had created should not become discovered. Also, he reallydid not have any energy to care about this matter. Logically, the Pavilion of Ascending Mist could block out all light and sound.However, in the next moment, a clear, distant ringing chimed from below, as ifa person was hurrying over from far away to wake up the people in tranquilcontemplation within the pavilion. A soft wind blew as the chiming stopped, and the Pavilion of Ascending Mistslarge door slowly opened. The soft morning sunlight landed on the green stonefloor and on the dozen or so paintings on the walls. Those people within thepaintings once did countless good deeds for the Zhou Dynasty, but now, theycould only see sunlight a few times a year. Chen Changsheng walked out of the Pavilion of Ascending Mist with the softwind and morning sun. He walked with the sounds of chimes; however, he couldnot calm his heart. Even as the soft wind entered his bosom, he could notbecome clear-headed and instead felt even colder. Standing on the high platform in front of the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, heglanced at the morning sun, which had just risen above the horizon. Then, helooked over at the capital, which was being slowly awakened by the morning sun.The countless streets and alleyways seemed to be like the lines of achessboard, and the countless rivers and water canals seemed like wires, whichhad been dropped on the board. The countless markets were like an infiniteamount of squares, and countless people lived inside the countless residenceslocated within these squares. To change his own fate by changing the fate of others; could such a thingreally be done? Even if those streets and alleyways became decadenteven ifthose residences fell into ruinseven if millions of people becamehomelesseven if there were endless wars and major floods.Did he still have todo it? He remembered the last sentence in Wang Zhices diary againThere is no suchthing as Fate, but only choices. Yes, the experts of the world were split into two types: one who changed thefate of others to perfect their own fate, and others who completely disregardedfate, firmly believing that one could control everything connected to oneself.Even if fate proved itself stronger in the end, the latter would still holdtheir head high. The father and son, Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong were the former, andWang Zhice was the latter. What about him? Currently, he was still very weak,but if he became strong in the future and had to face this choice, what wouldhe choose? Looking at the streets and countless residences of the capital under themorning sun, Chen Changsheng questioned himself: What type of person should Ibe? What was more important: a complete life or a complete life? TL: Thats what the author wrote. Just keep reading and it might resolveitself. The two completes and the two lifes within the question had two totallydifferent meanings. Thinking of this question, he left the Pavilion of Ascending Mist. He walkeddown along the extremely long stone steps, and even when he had set foot on theground of the imperial palace, he still did not have an answer. Most of the people within the capital were still asleep, but most of thepeople within the imperial palace had already awoken. Some examinees were verysleepy with dark circles forming around their eyes. They had obviously notslept very well. Other examinees had not even slept a wink that night due tobeing so nervous, but most of the examinees were well-rested. As for those young examinees who had come from various academies and sects,the most important goal of the Grand Examination was to enter the top threegrades. Thus, they could obtain the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books andview the monoliths. They naturally made proper preparations and needed toguarantee nothing would affect them like becoming unfocused as they viewed themonoliths. The several dozen stagecoaches formed a group outside the palace waiting to becalled. The unusually spirited horses were treading softly but impatiently. Theexaminees stood next to the stagecoaches and were waiting to set off. Afterwatching Chen Changsheng who was slowly walking from the palace, some peoplealso began to grow impatient, such as the young scholars from Scholartree Manor. The examinees noticed that Chen Changshengs hair was somewhat messy, and hisexpression was exhausted like he was very sleepy. It even looked somewhathaggard. Knowing that he definitely did not rest well spending the night in thePavilion of Ascending Mist, perhaps maybe not even sleeping at all, they couldnot help but feel somewhat puzzled. They thought to themselves, even if youcould only meditate in there for one night, you did not have to make this thathard on yourself. Tang Thirty-Six was able to discern something more. Somewhat worried, he askedsoftly: What happened? Its fine. Chen Changsheng shook his head and replied. He would not tell anyone about the experience he went through last nightevenif it was Tang Thirty-Six or even LuoluoHe had walked into learning historyscruel truth. Although discovering the secret was still in the far off distance,he had already seen the door or perhaps even obtained the key. Regardless if it was the examinees or officials attention, both were on ChenChangshengs body. The news of finding the Garden of Zhou had already been publicly announced, orit was more accurate to say that it had been announced in the courts upperechelon and various academies and sects. Last night, the royal court wascelebrating with a feast, and Lady Mo Yu who represented the Empress formallyannounced that the Garden of Zhou would be opened following a months time. Who did not want to enter the Garden of Zhou? Who would not want anopportunity to obtain the inheritance of the continents strongest expert?However, only cultivators who had reached the ethereal opening could enter theGarden of Zhou. In regards to cultivation, viewing the monoliths inside the Mausoleum ofBooks, so that one could comprehend the Way was the most important. Now, it hadbecome their last opportunity for the examinees to enter the Garden of Zhou.They had to make a breakthrough within one month and achieve their etherealopening. Under this dual pressure, the examinees were naturally very nervous. They knewthey had to work extremely hard, even to the point where they would risk theirlives inside the Mausoleum of Books. While thinking of this, Chen Changshengsgaze naturally became a bit perplexed. Chen Changsheng had only just turned fifteen years old, and apart from a verysmall number of people like Qi Jian and Ye Xiaolian, he was younger than amajority of the Grand Examinations examinees at the three ranks. However, hewas currently the same as Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Shengxue and had alreadyachieved ethereal opening. In other words, even if he did not travel an inchforwards in the Mausoleum of Books, he could still easily enter the Garden ofZhou a month later. Thinking carefully, to achieve his ethereal opening at such an age, and evendirectly surpassing the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, he was already on somelevel that exceeded Xu Yourong. How could people not envy him? If it were notfor Qiushan Juns performance on the matters relating to the Garden of Zhou tobe overly dazzling, perhaps people would have felt Chen Changshengsperformance was even more shocking. The current Chen Changsheng was, without a doubt, the focus of the entirecapital. However, he did not have this kind of self-awareness. Instead, he justsat silently next to the vehicles window and stared at the streets illuminatedby the morning light. He was silent and appeared somewhat absent-minded. Seeing Chen Changshangs absent-minded state, Tang Thirty-Six said with hisbrows raised, Indeed, I dont know what kind of situations youve encountered.You dont seem to need good luck from the Mausoleum of Books anymore as you canalready directly enter the Garden of Zhou, but you need to get somethingstraight. To us cultivators, the Mausoleum of Books is a matter of the utmostimportance, even more important than the Grand Examination, the Garden of Zhou,or anything else. Chen Changsheng did not reply and continued to stare out the window. Tang Thirty-Six continued to say, You cannot necessarily see the immediatebenefits of what you obtain from the Mausoleum of Books. Also, how far and towhat extent we reach will still depend on how much of the Mausoleum of Books wecomprehend. Countless people in the past have already long since proved this,and there have been no exceptions. Chen Changsheng understood what Tang Thirty-Six meant. Of course he knew howimportant the Mausoleum of Books was to cultivators. The issue was that hecurrently had insurmountable problems with his mindset. Cultivating was obviously extremely important. If one reached the ConcealedSpirit Realm, one could repeatedly replenish ones meridians without everneeding to worry about the haunting shadow of death. If one managed tocultivate to the Grand Liberation Realm, a stretch of ones hand was enough topluck the stars. One could dictate ones own fate and even become immortal,much less worry about other things. The problem was that in the past, even Zhou Dufu could not even come incontact with the Concealed Spirit Realm spoken of in the legends, so how couldhe? As for his current ability, he had already placed first in the GrandExaminations first rank and had begun to touch the secret of altering fate.Since he could not reach the Concealed Spirit Realm, was there still any pointin him cultivating any more? He who had always been disciplined and hardworkingsuddenly began to grow lazy for some reason, even to the point where he thoughtliving seemed pointless. The morning sunlight was gradually flourishing, and the fifteen-year-old ChenChangsheng had suddenly lost all interest in cultivation. At that exact moment,he arrived at the only holy ground in any cultivators mind: the Mausoleum ofBooks.
199 Mausoleum of Books
There was a river south of the capital and on the north side of the river,there was a straight path. Looking southwards from the the riverbank, a large,verdant and lush park could be seen. Deep within the garden, a green mountainwas hidden. This green mountain was the legendary Mausoleum of Booksthestagecoaches stopped on the road, and the examinees peered through thecurtains. They looked at that green mountain and revealed an expression ofyearning. During the first few days when Chen Changsheng had arrived at the capital, hehad always stayed at the Plum Garden Inn, just outside of the Mausoleum ofBooks. Many times, he had observed the Mausoleum of Books from far away, so hewas not as excited as the examinees, especially those peers from the south. Theinn only had one room remaining. The Green Vines of Li Palace, the Bridge of Lamentation, and the Mausoleum ofBooks were all well-renowned places in the capital, and the Mausoleum of Bookswas where all the tourists wanted to visit. It was also very lively like the LiPalace, and there were stalls lining both sides of the path on the riverbank.The stall keepers yelled constantly, and it was already crowded although it wasstill early in the morning. On the main streets slightly north, many offices ofgovernment officials could be seen, as well as the offices of many variousacademies and sects. The stagecoaches did not stop on the street for too long. Under the directionof the officials and priests, they crossed a wide wooden bridge above theriver, and they arrived at the green park outside of the Mausoleum of Books.They also did not stop here for too long, but instead they directly traveleddown the path leading towards the tombs between the ancient and lush cypresstrees. Under the one hundred and eight statues of virtuous peoples gazes fromthe older generations, they continued traveling towards the green mountain. There were already many tourists in the Mausoleum of Books outer park, andmany citizens of the capital were taking a stroll. They currently watched asthe coaches traveled directly towards the Mausoleum of Books. They couldquickly guess the identities of the people within the coaches, and they knewthat they must have been the examinees of the top three grades. They could nothelp but reveal an envious expression. The ancient trees obstructed the morning sun and formed shadows, making itseem extremely quiet and beautiful. The deeper they went, the quieter itbecame. And in the end, they could only hear the sound of the faintly greenrocks grinding against each other under the wheels on the path leading to thetombs. A stone gate was at the end of the dim path leading towards the tombs. Thestagecoaches stopped in front of the stone gate, and the officials and priestswalked out in front of the gate, carrying official required documents. Theywere responsible for the affairs regarding viewing the tombs in the Mausoleumof Books. They began speaking with the soldiers guarding the Mausoleum ofBooks, and the students all exited the coaches one by one, lining up andwaiting for entry. Not long after, the stone gate slowly opened, and the examinees could feelslight tremors from the ground. They could not help but be very startled. Theywondered to themselves how this heavy, unimpressive gate was able to cause theground to tremble. They also thought about what type of magic formation couldopen such a heavy gate. With a low rumble, the heavy stone gate stopped moving, and the entire greenmountain appeared in front of everybodys gaze. Thus, the Mausoleum of Books appeared in front of everybody. A mausoleum normally referred to a tomb, but only the tombs of emperors orsaints had the right to be called mausoleums. The Mausoleum of Books indeed was like a tomb. The mausoleum was very clearcut and square, and it was overgrown with countless green trees. So it seemedlike a green mountain. Due to those dense green trees, the examinees could notsee those legendary stone monoliths and did not know where the Heavenly Tomeswere hidden. However, they knew that the Heavenly Tomes were inside. So forjust a moment, the path became abnormally silent, and everybodys facesrevealed a devoted expression. As for Chen Changsheng, his current state of mind was wrought with a fewproblems. His thoughts were in a mess, and he had a difficult time calmingdown. He truly was not excited like the first time he had entered the city andseen the green mountain from far away in the inn. However, he still felt anindescribable reverent feeling as he actually arrived in front of the Mausoleumfor the first time. He looked at those green trees around the Mausoleum ofBooks and stayed very silent. The capital was always the center of the continent. It didnt matter which dynasty fell. When the flames of war raged on withoutstopping or when the time was filled with national peace and order, the capitalwas always the center. Those various sects and aristocratic families of thesouth also believed this. Even the Fae race in the White Emperor City and thepeople on the Great Western Continent agreed. The reason why the main altar ofthe Orthodoxy was here, as well as the Li Palace, was because the Mausoleum ofBooks was here. TL: The book only mentions that there are five continents in the world. TheGreat Western Continent is not one of the five. It is mentioned later on in thebook that the Great Western Continent was originally part of the EasternContinent and split off later. Thats why you still have humans cultivating,which the Heavenly Tomes brought to the world. Countless tens of thousands of years ago, the Heavenly Tomes descended inrolling flames from beyond, which the heavens had bestowed upon the lands. Fromthat day onwards, the Heavenly Tomes awakened the intelligence of humans, whichallowed them to learn how to use fire, how to create and use tools, and how totie knots to record history. They invented the written language, and becausethey had invented the written language, it allowed them even to begin studyingthe mysteries of nature. This caused them to begin questioning their place inthe world. They began to look up at the starry skies, began to guide Starlightfor purification, and officially stepped onto the road of cultivation. Thisgreen mountain was the original source for all of this and everything else. What was the Mausoleum of Books? Mausoleum did not mean tomb here, butrather it meant flat. TL: The Mausoleum of Books (???) can also be known as a mound (?). In thiscase, it says flat (?) is referring to a rather planar, flat and level mound. When the Heavenly Tomes emerged, all of the directions flattened. TheMausoleum of Books was where the Heavenly Tomes were, and the center of theworld was where the Mausoleum of Books were. The Orthodoxy could only originatefrom the capital where the human empire was founded. As a result, the southernreligious sects fought with the northerners for many years. They were actuallyself-governing, but they still had to acknowledge the Zhou Dynasty as the maincountry due to this principle. During the waiting period, the silent park slowly became noisy. Many touristsand citizens of the capital followed the stagecoaches here. If it was anordinary day, they could not even approach the Mausoleum of Books at all beforebeing stopped by the guards. However, as today was a special circumstance, theyhad the opportunity to approach the Mausoleum of Books front gate. Their faceswere full of envy while looking at those youngsters who were preparing to enterthe mausoleum. The tourists and citizens could freely enter or leave the Mausoleum of Booksouter park, but they could not enter the mausoleum itself at all. Many years before, it was said that the mausoleum was open to the public, soanybody could enter, explore, and sit down in front of those stone monoliths.It would be overcrowded and overburdened everyday as the green mountain wasflooded with people. Several thousand years ago, there was once an emperor whowanted to control the world by controlling the rights to enter the Mausoleum ofBooks. He had issued an imperial edict that only people who obeyed him couldenter the mausoleum. Such an action offended all of the various sects, schools,and academies of the continent, and this emperor was very quickly overthrown bythe anger of everyone in the world. Afterwards, the entire continent hadreached a conclusion that the Heavenly Tomes from the celestial beings wereobjects to be shared, and nobody would be able to monopolize it. Although it had never been said that the mausoleums stone monolithts weredamaged, there was a different perspective, so the experts of the continentdecided to set some rules for entering and leaving the Mausoleum of Books. Inthe previous dynastys era, only cultivators who had received specialpermission could obtain the opportunity to enter the mausoleum. However, thiscondition was extremely vague. After the Zhou Dynasty was founded, the rulesfor entering the Mausoleum of Books were simplified and was rumored to bestrengthened. Only the examinees who had passed the Grand Examination or peoplewho had great merit could be allowed to enter. As an alliance was formed withthe Fae race to fight the demon race, the Fae race and the people of Great Xialso gained similar rightsthe so called rules were actually just acompromise. Of course, since the Mausoleum of Books resided within the ZhouDynastys capital, people who lived there naturally held advantages. Thosevarious sects and aristocratic families from the south all raised this issue,so there were always many complaints. The priests and officials led the young examinees to the area outside of thestone gate, and they remained there as they did not have the right to enter theMausoleum of Books. After checking the examinees identities, they let thementer in a proper order. The ground once again began to rumble with a clear,loud sound, and as some people turned around to look, they only saw the stonegate slowly closing again. After a deep rumble, the Mausoleum of Books and the outside world wereseparated once again. Forty odd, young students looked at the Mausoleum of Books before them, andthey all carried different expressions. Some were very nervous, and some werevery excited. Some were very silent, and others were burning with eagerness.However, everybody had their eyes wide openat this moment, they had arrivedin front of the Mausoleum of Books. However, they still could not see the trueappearance of the mausoleum properly as there were just too many green trees.This view of the trees had blocked too many other sights. Just at this moment, several white robed males appeared in front of them. Manyof them carried an indifferent expression, and their eyes did not reveal anyspecific attitudes either. They spoke with a very calm voice, and they spokevery slow, just as if they lacked the opportunity to speak on a normal basis.Looking at them, Chen Changsheng very naturally thought of that Wolf Tribesteenager, Zhexiu. Tang Thirty-Six said: These people are the legendary Monolith Guardians. Chen Changsheng asked: Monolith Guardians? Tang Thirty-Six said: Just like those Monolith Comprehenders from thesouthern Holy Maiden Peak, they aim to understand the secret of the HeavenlyTomes their whole lives. They have even sworn a blood oath to never leave theMausoleum of Books even beyond a single step. Chen Changsheng was a little surprised. He thought that spending ones entirelife in the Mausoleum of Books was just a little too lonely and plain. He thenlooked into the eyes of those white robed males and naturally began to feel alittle sympathetic. Tang Thirty-Six saw the expression of his face and sneered slightly: They areperfectly happy to offer their lives to the Mausoleum of Books, so why wouldthey still need your sympathy? Also, who knows how many cultivators in theworld would rather be like them and have the opportunity to view the HeavenlyTomes whenever they wanted. They are beyond enviable. Chen Changsheng still could not understand. He liked to read books and explorethe true meaning of the Daoist Canons, but was life not supposed to havefreedom and joy? How could they devote almost all of it to this green mountain? Perhaps, because they spent most of their time studying within the Mausoleumof Books and were not good at communicating with people, the several MonolithGuardians only muttered a few words. They explained the facilities around theMausoleum of Books to the young students before preparing to turn around andleave. However, one Monolith Guardian thought of something and said: Dontforget, the Garden of Zhou opens in one month. After these explanations, the several Monolith Guardians left in a swiftmanner. There was a period of silence. The young examinees were speechless at what hadjust happened. They were all at a loss for what to do. That was it? What should they do next? Just dont forget that the Garden of Zhou opens in one month. Guan Feibai said to those disciples of the southern sects indifferently,before stepping away quickly, and he followed Gou Hanshi towards the greenmountain. The four disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect were the first ones to leave,and the examinees separated slowly, treating them as examples. In thebeginning, those examinees still walked at a steady pace. Occasionally, a fewof them hurried along, which was normal, but once people entered the woodedmountain, immediately there were countless loud sounds. They had actually usedmotion techniques. After hearing the sounds echo from the green mountain, Chen Changsheng wasconfused and asked, Why is everyone in such a hurry? Didnt you hear what Guan Feibai said just now? The Garden of Zhou will openin a month. If they wanted to enter the Garden of Zhou, they had to breakthrough to the Ethereal Opening Realm. Every slow step was a delayed step. Ifthey viewed the stone monoliths a little later than others, it could delay themby several dozens of years on the path of cultivation in the future. Obviously,everyone is using all their energy to be first. Tang Thirty-Six looked at him, and said: Rather, you are the one who isweird. Why arent you hurrying?
200 Mausoleum Guardian
Chen Changsheng did not know how to respond. Did he have to tell him that hehad just suddenly lost all interest in cultivation? After thinking for amoment, he said, I have already undergone my Ethereal Opening, so I obviouslydont need to hurry too much. Tang Thirty-Six stared at him and asked, Are you being cocky? Chen Changsheng was slightly startled and said, I really did not mean it thatway. Tang Thirty-Six pointed towards the woods and said, I mentioned this on theway over here. To us cultivators, the Mausoleum of Books itself is already avery important matter, and it is infinitely more important than the Garden ofZhou. Only those who are short-sighted and can only see a few inches ahead willtreat the viewing and comprehension of the Mausoleum of Books as a condition toundergo Ethereal Opening. Look at Gou Hanshi; he may have already undergone hisEthereal Opening, but he has not wasted any time at all. Chen Changsheng looked at where he had pointed and only saw afterimages ofshadows on the mountain path in the green woods. The loud sounds continued, andthe shadows of the four people from the Mount Li Sword Sect quickly disappeared. He turned around, looked at Tang Thirty-Six, and asked: Arent you alsostanding here? I felt that you were acting a little strange today, so I decided to followyou. Tang Thirty-Six said as he stared into Chen Changshengs eyes. Chen Changsheng looked at him and spoke earnestly, This is a rareopportunity, so dont waste time. Tang Thirty-Six said, There is still at least another month, so there is noneed to hurry. Just at this moment, a voice appeared behind the two and interjected, Indeed,there is no need to hurry. The person who had arrived was Su Moyu. This young priest from the Li PalaceCollege had really encountered some bad luck in this years Grand Examination.He had met Zhexiu who was an extremely strong opponent in the first round.Luckily, his performance on the written examination had been extremelyoutstanding, so he just managed to squeeze into a third rank placement from thefinal decision. While staring at him, Tang Thirty-Six was confused and asked, Chen Changshengdid not hurry today because he had some problems with his head, and I amlooking out for him. What are you doing here? Su Moyu said, There is a saying among the people that you cannot eat hot tofuif you are impatient. The monoliths of the mausoleum are not this easilyunderstood. The most important thing is your mentality, so the more hurried youare, the easier it is for you to encounter problems. Tang Thirty-Six reminded him by saying, The Garden of Zhou will open in amonth. Time will not wait for people. Su Moyu replied calmly, I do not plan to enter the Garden of Zhou. Tang Thirty-Sixs expression changed slightly, and Chen Changsheng also felt abit puzzled. Who was not interested in Zhou Dufus legacy? Su Moyu reassured them, Only after The Grand Examination did I learn that myfoundation was a little fragile. Its ridiculous thinking about how arrogant Iwas before, and I plan on staying in the Mausoleum of Books for a bit longer. Chen Changsheng asked: We can stay for as long as we want in the Mausoleum ofBooks? Su Moyus expression changed slightly: Didnt you hear what the monolithguardians had said before? Chen Changsheng felt a little embarrassed and replied: Oh, I was thinkingabout other things before. Tang Thirty-Six felt that this kind of response was a little humiliating andrushed in to speak, The rules for viewing the monoliths in the Mausoleum ofBooks has not changed these past few years. As long as you are able to enterthe mausoleum, you can stay for as long as you want. However, if you want toenter the mausoleum again thereafter, it is not an easy matter. Chen Changsheng looked at Su Moyu and asked, You have decided to give up theGarden of Zhou for the Mausoleum of Books? Su Moyu said, The Garden of Zhou may be good, but it is not where I want tobe. From time to time, the green wooded mountain would echo with sounds ofstartled birds flapping. Tang Thirty-Six said, It is very obvious that those other people do not thinkthe same way. How can the Garden of Zhou be compared with the Mausoleum of Books? Even ifit really contained Zhou Dufus legacy, it cant be more important than thosestone monoliths on the mountain. The former is a short cut, whereas the latteris the proper way. Su Moyu looked at the green mountain silently and explained with a sorrowfulsigh. Chen Changsheng stayed silent and did not say anything. Tang Thirty-Six laughed at him and said, How are there so many explanationsthat seem right but are actually wrong? A straight line between two points isthe shortest; therefore, the most correct path is itself the fastest route. The correct path was the fastest? Chen Changsheng and Su Moyu both staredblankly after what was just said, and they realized that they actually couldnot refute these words at all. Not bad. Chen Changsheng looked at him and praised him. I just cant win against you, so I will leave first. Su Moyu shook his headand walked towards the Mausoleum of Books with his hands behind his back. I worry for Su Moyus future. Tang Thirty-Six slightly raised a brow andstared at his back as the young priest slowly disappeared into the green woods.He said, There are many examples in the past and in the present where manypeople are still stuck in the Mausoleum of Books unable to leave. Hopefully, hewill not end up like them. Chen Changsheng was a little surprised and asked, Being stuck in theMausoleum of Books? They are unwilling to leave until the end when they become too scared toleave. They can spend several dozens of years viewing the mausoleums monolithsin one sitting. How is this any different from being a prisoner? Tang Thirty-Six said, Those people cant bear to part with the outsidedeveloped world and are unwilling to swear a blood oath to become a MonolithGuardian. They are also are unwilling to part with the good fortune offered bythe stone monoliths of the Heavenly Tomes. To leave or to stay are both greattemptations. and facing up against these temptations, how they choose, and whenthey make their choices are all tests the Mausoleum of Books gives toeverybody. Chen Changsheng said, I do not consider this choice that difficult to make. That is because we still have not yet seen the Heavenly Tomes. Tang Thirty-Six looked at him and said, Of course, even if you see them, Ibelieve you have the power to clearly recognize what you want most, just likeGou Hanshi. He must have already made up his mind beforehand. If you are unableto pass even this obstacle, then how can you still have to right to continuealong the path of cultivation. Chen Changsheng suddenly thought of something and asked, If I can stay in theMausoleum of Books and view the monoliths, then are there meals provided? After hearing these words, Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat speechless. He thoughtyou arent a foodie like Xuanyuan and answered in an upset manner, Of coursethere is food. If you can view the monoliths until your death, then you canalso eat until your death. Chen Changsheng was a little embarrassed and said, Dont get mad. I justthought this matter was relatively important. Tang Thirty-Six was too lazy to acknowledge his words and said while pointingto the mountain full of green trees, The Mausoleum of Books only has one path,and those stone monoliths are all beside it. Only once you have finishedviewing one level can you move onto the next. Chen Changsheng asked: How many levels does the Mausoleum of Books have? He had always been perplexed by this question. According to common practice,the Three Thousand Daoist Canons had several descriptions of the Mausoleum ofBooks, but he had never read how many levels the mausoleum had after all. I dont know oh, to be exact, nobody knows how many levels there are in theMausoleum of Books. Tang Thirty-Six answered. After hearing what was said, Chen Changsheng was very puzzled and replied:According to what I know, although reaching the top of the Mausoleum of Booksis extremely hard, there are still people who have accomplished it. How can theamount of levels be unknown? Tang Thirty-Six said: My grandfather once told me that on the day you reallyenter the Mausoleum of Books, you will understand why there are no set numberof levels. Why is that? Chen Changsheng was still puzzled. Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes, and said deeply: Firstly, I am not aMonolith Guardian. And secondly, I am not a tour guide, so can you not ask meso many questions? All you need to know anyway is that those stone monolithscan only be viewed one by one. In the end, how many monoliths you comprehendwill depend on your own power of understanding. Chen Changsheng could feel that Tang Thirty-Sixs mood had worsened. Heoriginally wanted to control himself and stop asking questions, but he reallycould not hold back his curiosity. He tentatively asked Tang Thirty-Six: Onelast question? Tang Thirty-Six took a deep breath and said: Speak. Chen Changsheng began speaking, According to the Daoist Canons, the DivineEmpress and the Pope will both reach the top of the Mausoleum of Books by theDivine Path. Is this the path you mentioned? No. Tang Thirty-Six said: The Divine Path is a different path. But you said earlier that the Mausoleum of Books only has one path. That is only for the people who come into the Mausoleum of Books to view andcomprehend the monoliths. If you want to go to the top, which path is closer? I feel that the DivinePath is closer. The Divine Path is the true path south of the mountain, and it is not ashortcut to climbing the mausoleum. You are not that type of person who fearsdifficulties, so you should know very clearly that there are no shortcuts tothe mountain. It can only be scaled with hard work. But you just said to Su Moyu that the shortcut is the correct path. Tang Thirty-Six stayed silent for a very long time before saying, Firstly, Iwas arguing with him. And secondly, whether it is the correct path or theshortcut, you cannot take that path directly to reach the top of the Mausoleumof Books anyway. You dont need to ask me anymore, so let me tell you directly.It is because that Divine Path has a person guarding it, and there has neverbeen anybody who has successfully ascended the mausoleum by force. Dont get mad. Chen Changsheng was a little embarrassed and extended his armto pat Tang Thirty-Sixs shoulder. Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and said, This is the second time. Dontmake it a third. Chen Changsheng knew that Tang Thirty-Sixs current mood had already reachedthe limit before exploding into rage. He did not want to continue annoying him,so he said, Ill just stroll around casually. At this time, all of the examinees in the top three grades of the ImperialExamination had already entered the Mausoleum of Books and disappeared into thegreen woods. Only the two of them remained outside. Tang Thirty-Sixs voice became slightly higher and asked, Are you reallygoing to stroll around casually? Chen Changsheng nodded and replied matter of factly, The scenery within themausoleum gardens is not bad. I want to walk around and take a look. Tang Thirty-Six stared at him like he was staring at an idiot. Only aftertrials and tribulations did everyone finally enter the top three grades of theImperial Exam. They had obtained the opportunity to enter the mausoleum forviewing and comprehending the monoliths. Yet, Chen Changsheng did not want toseek knowledge silently in front of those stone monoliths, but he actuallywanted to casually view the scenery? Did he really think he was a tourist?Tourists could not enter the Mausoleum of Books. Cheng Changsheng ignored how surprised and mad Tang Thirty-Six was andabandoned him where he was. He began to leisurely stroll around the Mausoleumof Books. The greenness of the Mausoleum of Books in early spring wasgratifying, and the vegetation in the gardens under the mausoleum were many andvaried. The scenery was indeed good. He walked, stopped within it, and placedhis two hands behind him as he viewed the scenery. He looked extraordinarilylike a tourist from the countryside. Due to the dense green tree cover, it was very difficult for the peopleoutside the Mausoleum of Books to see what the inside of the mausoleum lookedlike. However, people within the mausoleum could see the people outside veryclearly. Many of those examinees who had traveled along the mountain pathnoticed his presence and discovered that he actually did not ascend themausoleum. Instead, he went sightseeing outside. They could not help but feelvery shocked. Chen Changsheng had unexpectedly not climbed the mausoleum. Obviously,everyone was shocked. Afterwards, various different feelings blossomed withindifferent people. Some students thought that he was being purposefullyindifferent. This caused people to truly despise him to the utmost, such as theScholartree Manors students and the junior called Ye Xiaolian from Holy MaidenPeak. Some people thought that with his current strength and the strength hehad shown during the Grand Examination, he did not enter due to being toostrict on himself. This was despite the Mausoleum of Books being right in frontof him. For example, Guan Feibai and Liang Banhu thought as such. Gou Hanshireceived the water Qi Jian passed to him and drank a sip. He saw ChenChangsheng sitting on the edge of a pond, staring blankly. Instead, he had adifferent line of thinking compared to most other people. He felt that Chen Changsheng had a few problems, which were probably problemson a psychological level. However, he did not understand why he was like that.It had only been a few days since the battle at the Grand Examination. He hadseen Chen Changshengs willpower and determination, which could even beconsidered as terrifying. However, such a great change would not occur in justa few days. The Mausoleum of Books was a green mountain with a very large surface area. Ifyou had wanted to complete a lap around it by following the path below themausoleum, you would face a difficult endeavor, especially for Chen Changshengwho was walking and stopping every so often. He would stop for a moment to lookat the vegetation and then stare blankly at the pool. He walked and thoughtabout matters that may or may not exist, and only after walking for four hours,did he arrive south of the mausoleum. Chen Changsheng currently looked at the pattern on the road formed by thecolorful rocks, and he suddenly heard the sound of rushing water from above. Hesubconsciously raised his head to look, and he just saw a silver waterfall,flowing out from a certain place in the rock face. This rock face was severaldozens of zhang above, and the waterfall formed a white chain as it hit therock face. From there, the water split off in all directions, forming severaldozens of even smaller streams of water. They flowed through the rugged rocksand finally landed on the ground. After seeing such a beautiful image, Chen Changshengs first reaction was thatthe Mausoleum of Books southern face was really very steep. There were notmany trees, but how could he not see even a single stone monolith? Afterwards,his gaze followed those several dozen streams of water downwards. He only sawan extremely wide and large, black rock forming a plateau in front of him. Onthat plateau, there were man-made, shallow canals, which caused the water fromthe Mausoleum of Books to flow towards those canals. While following the canals with his eyes, he only saw that the water wasunbelievably clear inside with the white rocks at the bottom of the canalsshining brightly like pearls. Not long after, he arrived in the due south areaof the Mausoleum of Books. The sound of the waterfall slowly disappeared, andthe canals on the plateau grew even closer together. He could not help butthink that if he looked down from the top of the mausoleum, then what type ofimage would these shallow canals form? Afterwards, he saw the legendary Divine Path. It was an extremely straight path, which led directly from the plateau to thetop of the Mausoleum of Books. Just like Tang Thirty-Six had said, if youwanted to climb the Mausoleum of Books, then this Divine Path was the shortestpath. However, this path was forbidden for everybody, except for the DivineEmpress and the Pope when they performed a grand ceremony of offerings to theheavens. There was nothing at all on the Divine Path, not even any trees on eitherside. Only cliffs surrounded the path. Any person who considered the Mausoleum of Books zenith at the end of thisDivine Path would probably have a strong desire blossom within them to walk upthe path. However, nobody had ever succeeded before. It was because at the beginning of this Divine Path, in between the countlesscanals of water, there was a pavilion. A person sat within the pavilion. That person was clad with worn-out armor, and there were marks of rust on thefront part of the chestplate. The armor completely covered up his body fromhead to toe and did not reveal anything at all. That person carried a worn-out sword in his hand. The edge of the sword wascovered with many dents, and its tip rested on the ground. The man fully clad in armor seemed like a sculpture from afar. Sometimes, people would even suspect whether there was a person inside thearmor at all. However, Chen Changsheng knew that the figure was a person. The whole continent knew this person. This person had already sat in the pavilion for several hundreds of years. Many people were saying that if this person had not sat in boredom at theMausoleum of Books for hundreds of years, perhaps, he would have already becomea member of the Eight Storms of the Cardinal Directions. This was because hundreds of years ago, he was already the continents numberone divine general. He was this generations mausoleum guardian, Han Qing.
201 Touris
His whole body was clad with old armor, which was covered in dust. He had satthere guarding the mausoleum for hundreds of years. Chen Changsheng looked at the pavilion from far away and looked at thatlegendary divine general. He stayed silent. From time to time, the mountain wind would cause the water from the waterfallto drift into the pavilion, landing on the worn-out armor. The water could notwash off the dust on the armor, but instead it made the armor dirty faster. Theperson within the armor did not move, and he sat on the rock with his headdown. He leaned on his sword as if he was sleeping. In the past hundreds of years, the number one divine general of the continent,Han Qing had always held the mausoleum guard position. Without a question, itwas an extremely great honor. However, no matter if it was storming or snowing,he would guard the mausoleum day and night. He would guard all the way until hebecame a part of the Mausoleum of Books itself. How lonely was such a lifestyle? Seeing such a scene, Chen Changsheng very naturally thought up of Jin Yulu.After the gate of the Orthodox Academy was destroyed, Jin Yulu always sat onthat bamboo chair, even though it was just an academy gate. However, whencompared with this legendary divine general in the pavilion, only their sittingposition was different. Afterwards, he thought of that huge war hundreds ofyears ago, and thought that perhaps Jin Yulu and this person really did knoweach other. He did not leave, nor did he walk up. In between a dozen or so of the shallowcanals, he stared quietly at the pavilion, and stayed silent for a long time.Afterall, he was still a fifteen year-old teenager, and only felt deeply movedoccasionally. The complicated feelings in his heart did not last for too long,and instead felt more respect and surprise. After an unknown amount of time, he bowed towards the pavilion before turningaround and leaving. He continued to walk around the Mausoleum of Books. The scenery within the Education Palace was actually even more beautiful thanthe scenery within the Mausoleum of Books, but that kind of beauty always had afake feeling from being cut off from the rest of the world. Or perhaps it wasbecause those azure skies and pure white clouds were too perfect. So afterlooking at them for a long time, it was very easy to tire of it, which urgedpeople to keep far away from it. Luoluo stood on the edge of the halls highest railing and looked at thosesilky, wispy clouds far away. Her pretty face revealed an expression of slightannoyance and said, Why cant I go to the Mausoleum of Books? Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six had both entered the Mausoleum of Books.After leaving the royal palace, Jin Yulu had arrived at the Education Palace tosee her. After hearing what she had said, he replied in a distressed manner,Princess, you obviously can enter the Mausoleum of Books. You can go wheneveryou want, but not now, because you dont have a result for the GrandExamination? Then, why can Zhexiu go in? Luoluo turned around, and asked. Wofu Zhexiu is only a loner. Jin Yulu looked at her and said with a seriousexpression, The Zhou Dynasty focuses mainly on war merit, so ever since theEmpress visited the Star Seizer Academy, everybody has been nice to him.However, he is still a loner. People will not be overly cautious with him, butthey will also not overly focus their attention on him. I hope Master can help that pitiful child. Luoluo spoke slightly pitifully.She was even slightly younger than Zhexiu, but as the princess of the Fae race,all the Fae teenagers were children in her eyes. Also, she sympathized with himvery deeply because of Zhexius bloodline. She really hoped Chen Changshengcould help him. Jin Yulu sighed and began saying, Wofu Zhexius problem is much harder todeal with than yours. If it werent for its difficulty, perhaps your motherwould have already sent people to take him back to White Emperor City. Howcould she let him wander the snowy plains for all these years and rely onkilling separate members of the Demon race to survive? Luoluo knew what Jin Yulu had spoken was the truth. She sighed gently andturned around to ask, I cant enter the Mausoleum of Books, but what about theGarden of Zhou? Only those who had reached the Ethereal Opening Realm could enter the Gardenof Zhou. However, she believed that she could break through within a month,even though she did not enter the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths. Even if princess is able to break through, His Majesty would definitely notallow you to enter the Garden of Zhou. Jin Yulu said, Even if His Majesty gave you permission, the two Saints withinthe capital would not risk it. On the stone steps in front of the Education Board, officials and clergymenwere bustling around without stopping. Some were going up, and some were comingdown. They seemed like ants that were foraging in all directions. Currently,the sky had already darkened slightly, and the light of the setting sun reachedthe stone steps. This caused their shadows to elongate drastically. It was asif there was a fire on the stone steps, and the people were walking aroundwithin it. The buildings innermost room was covered with plum blossoms. Inside, theArchbishop Mei Lisha suddenly opened his eyes and asked in a slightly exhaustedmanner, What is that child doing? Priest Xin who was beside him began to speak, but stopped. He hesitated for ashort time before saying, He is moseying around. He seems to be enjoying thescenery. Enjoying the scenery? Mei Lisha gazed at the glow of the burning sunset, and his misty eyes becameclearer from the splendid light. He asked with a slightly weird expression,Perhaps that is the only thing he has done from morning until now? Yes. Priest Xin was a little nervous and replied with a low voice, He hasalready moseyed an entire circle around the Mausoleum of Books. Mei Lisha frowned slightly. The room was incomparably quiet, and theatmosphere immediately became especially constraining. Just when Priest Xin thought that he would explode into a raging fury, insteadhe heard the sound of laughter. The elderly mans laugh was somewhat hoarse, but after listening to it, it wastruly a cheerful and happy laugh without any other feelings. In the Mausoleum of Books, he does not view the Heavenly Tomes, but thescenery instead? Mei Lisha held onto the seat and slowly stood up. Afterwards, he walked to thewindow with the support of Priest Xin, and he gazed southwards at that greenmountain, which seemed to burn in the setting sun. He smiled while shaking hishead, but he remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, I am verycurious. What does he really want to do? In the Hall of Grand Claritys side hall, Mo Yu had just finished withhandling state documents. She rubbed the space between her eyebrows tiresomely.While looking at the setting sun in front of the hall, she remembered thattoday was the first day when the Grand Examination examinees entered theMausoleum of Books to view the monoliths. She looked at the female official byher side and asked, How is it? The female official relayed the process of having those young examinees leavethe Imperial Palace to enter the Mausoleum of Books. She described everythingin detail and did not forget to include any of the important information. However, Mo Yu felt that something was missing and asked while frowningslightly, What did Chen Changsheng do? Did he go and view the first fewmonoliths? The female official had never thought that Lady Mo Yu would actually care somuch about a single examinee. After being startled slightly, she quickly wentto find the record and passed it over. Mo Yu flipped open the record and glanced through it. Her expression changedsuddenly, and her thin brows were slightly raised. With a cold expression, shesaid, This guy, what exactly does he want to do? During such an importantmoment, he actually still wastes time. A similar report was sent to the Tianhai Clan at noon. Of the Orthodoxys six figureheads, the three archbishops who stayed in thecapital currently sat in the main hall of the Li Palace. After seeing the newsfrom the Mausoleum of Books, they all did not know what to say. Today, the entire capital had paid attention to Chen Changshengs actionswithin the Mausoleum of Books. He was first place in the first banner, and hehad undergone his Ethereal Opening at such a young age. Furthermore, the Popehad already used certain methods twice to show benevolence and love to thisteenager. Many people wanted to know that if he viewed the monoliths in theMausoleum of Books and attempted to comprehend the Dao, would he bring shock tothe world again? Chen Changsheng had done it. He had once again shocked the entire capital. Throughout the whole day, he did not do anything at all. View the monolithsand comprehend the Dao? He did not see a single stone monolith, and have noteven properly entered the Mausoleum of Books. He only strolled a lap around themausoleum. He saw a lot of scenery, and stared blanked many times, just like atrue tourist, like the type of tourist that had the most time.
202 The Two Teenagers on Either Side of the Wattled Fencing
Cheng Changsheng entered the Mausoleum of Books and did not view the HeavenlyTomes. Instead, he viewed the scenery. Nobody knew what Chen Changsheng wasthinking or why he did such a thing. Actually, even he himself did notunderstand why he had refused to take even a single step into the Mausoleum ofBooks or to view any of those stone monoliths. He was only willing to walk inand look around the park below the mausoleum. While watching the setting sun far off in the distance, his hand landed on thehilt of the short sword, and his spiritual sense gently swept over the blackrock inside. Only after feeling that gentle aura did he become more aware, andhe understood that viewing the scenery originally represented his hesitation.This hesitation meant he subconsciously did not want to continue cultivating. Cultivation caused people to mature and become stronger. Only true expertscould follow those instructions that the Pavilion of Ascending Mist had givenhim to change his fate. The only thing was.. he still had not properly begunthis journey. He had already seen the bloody scenes at the end of the longjourney, and these scenes had even caused his legs to become unbelievably heavyand immobile. Previously, he would not think of such questions because everything becameextremely simple while facing life and death. Only by continuing living couldhe have the right to think about this. However, he was currently still far awayfrom solving this problem. Still, he had already begun thinking about anothermatter. It indeed could be considered somewhat unconventional, but of course,this was a type of happiness from a different angle. Twilight slowly grew darker, and the green mountain seemed to burn in theevening glow. He had already walked around the Mausoleum of Books once andarrived in a wooded area in the southwest corner. He saw a grass hut. The grass hut was built very simply, and even the bark on the wooden beamscould still be seen. It seemed extremely crude. He did not know when the grasson the roof was last changed. It was dark, dusty, and very unsightly. If the examinees wanted to stay in the Mausoleum of Books for a long time,they needed to find a place to live and sleep. Chen Changsheng decided not toaccept the arrangement with the other examinees because he subconsciously didnot want to get too close to the green mountain and stone monoliths that hemissed seeing today. He decided to look around and see if he could stay here ornot. He called out to the grass hut out of politeness, but nobody responded. Afterthinking for a moment, he walked up the stone steps and pushed open the door toenter. He realized that the grass hut only had a few simple furnishings. Thesurface of the table was covered in a shallow layer of dust, and the water tankplaced behind the back door was almost empty. However, there was a lot of ricein the rice barrel. There was probably someone who lived here, but that person lived extremelycarelessly. As Chen Changsheng was slightly mysophobic, he could not help butshake his head after seeing the houses condition. However, he did not leave.After pondering for a bit, he actually found a cloth and bucket in the cornerof the room and began cleaning. From Xining Village to the capital and from the old temple to the OrthodoxAcademy, he was best at cleaning the courtyard and washing clothes rather thanreading. Not long afterwards, the interior of the grass hut was unbelievablyclean from Chen Changshengs scrubbing. Clear water rippled inside the watertank. There were no signs of spider webs in the house at all. Although the roomwas not completely different from before, it had at least reached his standardand people could live in it now. He allowed the rice to simmer in the pot, and after cutting the salty fishthat hung from the houses room, he steamed a third of it. He went into theyard, and pulled out some bok choy. He washed it and then stir-fried it. Afterdoing these things, he carefully washed his hands, He used his handkerchief todry his hands completely before sitting down on the stone steps. Once again, hebegan to stare blankly at the scenery. Twilight slowly disappeared, and the Mausoleum of Books slowly grew dark. Thescenery was not as pleasant as before, but people felt a more mysteriousfeeling. Those green mountain woods turned into inky blobs, which resembled afew characters. Several thousand years ago, a Demon Lord had studied the Dao inside theMausoleum of Books for ten years. In those days, Zhou Dufu used three days andthree nights to completely comprehend all of the stone monoliths, therebyreaching the top of the mausoleum. There were very many stories like these inthe history of the mausoleum, almost too numerous to count. This was because ithad always been a legendary holy ground. Thinking of these stories and legends or that number one divine general of thecontinent who had stayed in the pavilion for hundreds of years, Chen Changshengfelt slightly moved. His eyes grew darker and darker due to the color of thenight. Yearning and reverence are all very normal, but.. you are only looking atit one way, and you are doing absolutely nothing. In my opinion, this isextremely stupid..and you are wasting your life. A voice entered from outside the tattered wattled fencing of the grass hut.That person spoke very slowly, and he did not have any obvious fluctuation inhis voice. It sounded like a boring record. Chen Changsheng turned his head around to take a look and only saw a teenagerstanding outside the wattled fencing. The teenager was very skinny and did nothave any expression on his face. He seemed very apathetic, just like his plaineyebrows. It was the teenager of the Wolf Tribe, Zhexiu. Chen Changsheng knew that Zhexiu had earned enough army merits in the northernborders to easily obtain the right to enter the Mausoleum of Books. However, hehad waited many days at the Orthodox Academy for Chen Changsheng who had neverappeared. Instead, he had recently entered the mausoleum with the examinees ofthe top three grades from the Grand Examination, so inevitably, this was somekind of coincidence. He clasped his hand to greet the teenager outside the wattled fencing and saidafter thinking, Listening to songs, watching dramas, and reading novels,arent there actually many people who are wasting their lives? I also reallywant to experience such a feeling. But you.. arent that kind of person. Zhexiu looked at him and spoke withthe wattled fencing separating them. His voice was still dry and awkward, butit was very certain almost unquestionable. Chen Changsheng stayed silent and only replied after a little while, I havesome things that I still cannot make sense of. And before I can understandthem, I temporarily do not want to do anything. At the very least, I do notwant to do anything today. He had only met Zhexiu at the Grand Examination, so he was not too familiarwith him. Also, his first impression of the Wolf Tribe teenager was anextremely dangerous and very vigilant character. However, when twilight hadswallowed the Mausoleum of Books today, he suddenly found that this Wolf Tribeteenager seemed to be able to understand his own bewilderment for some unknownreason. Perhaps, it was due to the brutality of the northern plains extremelywindy and snowy weather or the rumors regarding this teenager. Is living really the most important thing? He looked at Zhexiu and asked himseriously. A fifteen-year-old teenager asked his peer a question concerning life ordeath. It seemed like an extremely philosophical question, and he woulddefinitely be laughed at by people if it were asked in the capitals academies. However, Zhexiu was not a normal teenager, so he did not laugh at ChenChangsheng. Instead, he stayed silent for a very long time. Only after thinkingvery seriously about the question did he give his reply. Living is not the most important thing. In the snowy and windy northern borders, living was an extremely difficultthing. It was even more difficult to survive for a mix-blooded young wolf whohad been exiled from his tribe since his youth. Zhexiu had managed to surviveat all costs, and had done countless cold-blooded things to survive. However,he did not believe that living was the most important thing. This answer was somewhat shocking. Chen Changsheng ruminated deeply and said, Thank you. From outside the wattled fencing, Zhexiu replied, Dont mention it. Chen Changsheng then asked, Then, what is the most important thing to you? Zhexiu said, Living soberly, or dying soberly. Just at this moment, there was a creaking noise in front of the grass hut. Thewattled fencing was pushed open to reveal a hole, and a male walked in. Themale had messy hair and a dirty face, and his clothes were old and shabby.However, he did not seem too old, and a pair of bright and clean eyes could beseen from within his untied hair. He looked at the two teenagers who stood onopposite sides of the wattled walls, and he looked like he wanted to asksomething. However, he did not end up asking anything due to some unknownreason. Silence descended upon both the inside and the outside of the wattled fencing.This silence was somewhat strange. Changes in translations: ?? C Used to be divine sense, now spiritual sense Its technically more correct as spiritual sense because it is heavilydependent on the spirit (?). Even the author explained at the start of the bookthat the strength of the spiritual sense was dependent on the strength of thespirit, so spiritual sense would be more correct than divine sense.
203 Tide Rush of Blood
The man turned around and entered the grass hut. After noticing that the floorand furnishings had been cleaned spotlessly, he fell silent for a while.Afterwards, a fragrance filled his nose, and he found the rice and salted fishthat had just been cooked. Also, he saw the basket full of bok choy on thekitchen table. He used his hand to comb the messy hair in front of his eyesaway and turned around to look at Chen Changsheng. However, he did not sayanything. Chen Changsheng guessed that this disheveled man was the owner of this grasshut. He walked up and grabbed a piece of pork skin that he had already preparedbeforehand, and he rubbed it on the hot metal pot. Afterwards, he threw the bokchoy into the pot and cooked the vegetables in no time. This was accompanied bythe movement of the spatula and a series of sizzling sounds. After serving the bok choy onto a plate, it was not very fragrant due to thelack of oil, and it also did not have a nice look. However, when ChenChangsheng ate, he had always paid particular attention to less oil and salt.When he still lived in Xining Village, he would often just eat boiled bok choy,so he did not feel that this was inappropriate to eat. Afterwards, ChenChangsheng cut the steamed pieces of salted fish into parts, sprinkled somethinly sliced scallions over it, and started serving it as well. The steaming white rice was placed on the table. The man took up hischopsticks and began eating without a hint of politeness. Chen Changshengserved himself a bowl of rice, but after turning around, he discovered thatthere was actually an additional person at the table. He did not know whenZhexiu had walked over from the other side of the wattled fencing. Zhexiu saton the chair expressionlessly, and the message he conveyed was extremely clear. Chen Changsheng shook his head helplessly and placed the bowl of rice in frontof him. He then began to serve the third bowl of rice. There was not much bok choy, and it was finished off with just a fewchopstickfuls. The salted fish was very salty, and it went extremely well withthe rice. However, just like what Tang Thirty-Six had said about Zhexiu at theGrand Examination, Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu both ate at a very slow pace.When they were still eating their first bowl of rice, that man had alreadyfinished four bowls and placed his chopsticks down. Chen Changsheng poured a cup of tea and passed it to that person. Zhexiu glanced at him but did not say anything. The man rubbed his belly in a satisfied manner as he drank the tea. Heproduced a very inelegant belch. From start to end, these three people had not spoken a single word. The mealwas very quiet, and the atmosphere was very weird. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu finished eating at almost the same time. Zhexiustood up and began clearing the bowls and chopsticks. He began to boil waterand wash the dishes. While watching this happen, Chen Changsheng thought tohimself but did not fight over it with him. He poured tea into another twobowls. After washing the bowls, Zhexiu casually dried his hands on the front of hisclothes. Sitting back at the table, he lifted up his own bowl of tea andfinished all of it in one go. Afterwards, he looked at Chen Changsheng andsaid, You still owe me something. When he had said that, he did not even glance at the man who currently had hiseyes closed and was resting. It was as if that person did not even exist at all. Chen Changsheng said, I know. I have been continuously waiting at theOrthodox Academy the past few days for you to come over. I already have enough money. The payment Tang Tang gave was very generous. Zhexiu looked at the remaining spoilt tea in his bowl and remained silent fora while. Afterwards, he said, I need you to help me with something. Chen Changsheng said, Speak. If I can help, I will definitely help you. During the Dueling Stage of the Grand Examination, Tang Thirty-Six representedthe Orthodox Academy and formed an agreement to work together with this WolfTribe teenager. In the following Dueling Stage processes, Zhexiu followed thisagreement very resolutely, especially in that battle with Gou Hanshi. Thebattle lasted for a very, very long time. He made a very large contribution toChen Changsheng obtaining first upon the First Banner. Zhexiu raised his head and stared into Chen Changshengs eyes. He saidexpressionlessly, I have problems with my meridians. Actually, Chen Changsheng had already guessed what Zhexiu needed help with, sohe was not surprised when he heard what was said. He asked, Are you sure I canhelp you? If you can help Her Highness Luoluo, then you might be able to help me, evenif it is only a possibility, Zhexiu said. In the later generations of offspring from the marriage between the Fae andhuman race, there were often problems that occurred with the fusion of the twodifferent bloodlines. There was a chance that a genius would be born, as wellas a huge chance that a cripple would be born. Even for the later generationswith better bloodline talent, their bodies would often also have many dangerousproblems internally. Since the bloodlines of Luoluos parents were toopowerful, the problem was relatively easier to deal with. However, Zhexiu wasnot so lucky. Not only did problems with his meridians affect his cultivation, the scariestpart was that it had affected his resolutions and even his life. When the outbreak occurs, it is very painful. In the most severe cases, Iwill lose all rationality. Rather, speaking more accurately, I will go crazy. Idont know what I will do after I go crazy, perhaps, I will randomly killpeople. Otherwise, I would not be abandoned or kicked out by my tribe when Iwas young. Zhexiu spoke apathetically, as if he were speaking about other peoplesaffairs. There was no change in his expression at all. Only now did Chen Changsheng understand why Zhexiu had said before that livingor dying soberly was the most important thing outside the wattled fencing. He thought for a very long time and said, The likeliest cause is that themeridians connected to your sea of conscious have problems and are somewhatdeformed. Since his own meridians were broken, he had always studied informationregarding meridians within the Daoist Canons. After researching this for a verylong time, very few people knew more than him when talking about problems withmeridians. Afterwards, when he had instructed Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po, hisexperience actually grew extremely rich. Therefore, when Zhexiu finishedsharing about his own situation at the time, he understood where the problemswere very quickly. Zhexiu did not seem excited from seeing a sliver of hope and saidexpressionlessly, The Council of Divine Ordinance also said something similar. Chen Changsheng looked at him and asked after thinking a little, How do youwant me to treat you? To live a little longer is obviously the best. However, if that isimpossible, then at least promise me that I can always stay sober. Living ordying soberly. So long as I am sober, that is enough. Zhexiu stared at him in the eyes and said, I dont want to live withoutknowing anything. Living muddle-headedly and living obliviously is living justlike a dog. He was a lonesome but proud wolf. He would walk thousands of li to eat meatand was unwilling to eat sh*t. I cannot guarantee anything, but I will try my best to find a way. Chen Changsheng spoke before extending his hand to help feel Zhexius pulse. His forefinger and middle finger were together, just like two swords ofdifferent lengths. They were placed gently over Zhexius pulse. It was justlike a frame that exhibited weaponry. They seemed to be very casually placed,but they were actually very sturdily placed. lub-dub. lub-dub. lub-dub. lub-dub. His fingers could feel a distinct pulse. Chen Changsheng discovered that thisWolf Tribe teenager was the same as Luoluo. His heart rate was extremely fast,just like the continuous beating sound of a war drum. Also, his heartbeat wasabnormally strong. His skin was like the light, stretchy skin of a drum,slightly vibrating constantly. It had even caused his fingers to becomeslightly numb. Suddenly, a type of power burst forth from Zhexius pulse. This increase inpower was not sharp nor forceful, just like the rising tide. However, it wasextremely sudden, as if the tide had completely submerged the rocks at sea in aflash. Chen Changsheng was not prepared for this at all, and his two fingerswere forcefully pushed away. He looked at Zhexiu in shock. However, Zhexiu still had not revealed anyexpression, and he was still very apathetic. However, there was a change in onedetail the light within his pupils became very gloomy. What was going on?
204 Treading Xun Mei
TL: The name of the chapter (̤ѩ÷) is actually a pun of an idiom (̤ѩѰ÷). Theyare read the same (t xue xn mi), and the idiom means to walk in the snow toview the flowering plum The power that was transmitted from Zhexius pulse was very strong like aflood that had broken through the rock blockade of a river. It subsided with ahowl and rose in a gush. Chen Changsheng could imagine the amount of damage andpain this type of power brought to Zhexiu. However, Zhexius expressionremained unchanged, which meant that he had tolerated this type of pain allyear round or even at all times. He had even become numb to it, but his eyeswould still become gloomy. This meant that even though he had alreadyacclimated to it, he was still unable to completely ignore this kind of pain.This kind of pain really seemed to be extremely scary. Chen Changsheng stayed silent for a while before placing his fingers overZhexius pulse once again. This time, he channeled some true essence into itHe was somewhat lacking confidence in his own judgment. He was unsure whetherZhexius problems with his meridians were severe or not, as he could notimagine how a person could withstand such pain and still live for so many years. The grass hut became extremely quiet underneath the twilight. The oil lampswere not lit, and he focused on observing Zhexius expression. Chen Changshengonly saw two eyes that were filled with feelings of stubbornness andperseverance. He waited diligently and did not miss any sudden changes inpulse. However, when that had time arrived, he was still thrown off guard. With a soft pop, Chen Changshengs fingers were once again knocked away. This time under the dual observation of true essence and spiritual sense, hehad gained an even more precise understanding of the weird activities inZhexius meridians. He had some vague ideas in his mind, and his heart began tofeel heavy from it. His eyebrows became tightly furrowed unknowingly. Whatexactly was the problem with that turbulent, tide-like shaking? He pulled back his right arm and looked at Zhexiu. He did not know what to say. Zhexius expression remained the same as before, but his face was closer.Therefore, he could see that Zhexius hair was vaguely soaked, glimmering fromthe reflected starlight that shone into the grass hut. It was early spring andonly slightly cold. He was a teenager with such strong willpower that even infront of the Mausoleum of Books, he would not change his expression. However,he currently had sweat profusely. One could only imagine how difficult it wasto bear with such pain. At this moment, Zhexiu opened his mouth and said while looked at ChenChangsheng, I never actually thought that your true essence would be so weak. Chen Changsheng had totally never thought that at this time, what he caredmost about was not his own illness but such matters. Yes, it is too weak. A voice appeared from the side of the table. It came from the man whom ChenChangsheng and Zhexiu had almost forgotten was sitting there. After that man pushed his messy hair behind his ear, his gaze moved from ChenChangshengs body to Zhexius. He said, Tide Rush of Blood. You are actuallynot dead yet? Chen Changsheng stayed silent. He knew that the Daoist Canons had these fourwords written in it, but it was Zhexius problem. There were no changes in Zhexius expression. Four years ago, when ElderTianji helped him diagnose the illness, he had also spoken in such a manner. I wont die. He said while looking at that middle-aged man. The slow speech of the teenager was abnormally forceful like the rubbingbetween two rocks. It was also like a sword cutting through bone. It wasextremely definite. That man shook his head and no longer paid any more attention. He stood upfrom the table and walked to the side of the bed. He collapsed directly onto it. Originally, Chen Changsheng had wanted to speak with him about the matter ofstaying over for the night. However, he had never thought that in the nextmoment, he would hear a snoring sound from the bed, so he naturally could notmention it. The snores echoed through the grass hut like thunder. What he did notunderstand was what the man did during the day to become this tired. Hesignaled to Zhexiu to walk out of the hut with him. They arrived in the sparse,small yard surrounded by wattled fencing. After borrowing the starlight, helooked at Zhexiu and paused to speak again. Even the Council of Divine Ordinance cannot treat me, but you might be ableto treat me. Zhexiu said slowly as he looked at him. His tone could not be considered asrude, but the contents of what he had said was actually rather rude. What Chen Changsheng wanted to see was all blocked by this sentence, so hecould only stay silent. He stared into the distance at the Mausoleum of Books,which was like a black mountain and sighed quietly with emotion, Fate indeedis unfair. Zhexiu said, Fate gave me a powerful bloodline talent, which also broughtalong pain that was hard to live with and a gloomy future. When I look at it,it is very fair. Chen Changsheng said, But you had no choice, nor could you deny the powerfulbloodline, nor at the same time, could you deny such pain. I still believe itis unfair. Zhexiu stayed silent for a while before saying, Yes, it was never fair. Perhaps, it was due to their extremely similar circumstances that closelyafflicted people empathized with one another, but Chen Changshengs impressiontowards Zhexiu underwent a very large change. He had learnt that under theseemingly cold outward appearance, this Wolf Tribe teenager had hidden a lot ofpain and unwillingness. Unwilling to let his mental state remain so cold, hesaid, But there might be something counterbalancing fairness, such as usentering the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths. We will have to rely onourselves for whatever we can comprehend. The Mausoleum of Books is the unfairest thing. Zhexiu looked at the mausoleum under the starlight and said expressionlessly,On what basis should humans be allowed to determine the rules to enter theMausoleum of Books? On what basis is the demon race not allowed to see theHeavenly Tomes? Chen Changsheng had never thought that he who had killed an unknown number ofmembers of the demon race would actually help the demon race cry out againstinjustice. He could not help but stare blankly. I am not crying out against injustice for the demon race. I am onlyquestioning what is fair. Zhexiu said, Those stone monoliths within theMausoleum of Books are actually no different from pieces of leftover deer leg.They are all meat, and everybody wants to eat those pieces of meat. Also, theyare all greedy. However, only the strongest people can have the right todistribute parts of this meat. Chen Changsheng asked, So you want to become even stronger? Zhexiu said, No, I want to become stronger not because I want to distributemeat, but because I just want to eat meat. Chen Changsheng thought about it and was about to say something. Just at thismoment, a shout was suddenly raised from far away in the night. Where are you? Chen Changsheng, you b*stard where are you? After hearing this voice, Chen Changsheng could not help but sigh. EvenZhexius expression underwent some changeIn the Grand Examination, thisvoices owner had left too deep of an impression onto him. I am here, Thirty-Six, I am just right here. Chen Changsheng yelled into thewoods at night. The Mausoleum of Books was a holy ground, and it was extremely sacred andsolemn. People who walked in it would often all hold their breath or lower thesound of their breathing. During the day, the mausoleum park was extremelyquiet, but at night, there were suddenly two teenagers shouting aloud, floodingit with noise instead. Only after yelling did Chen Changsheng realize this, andhe could not help but feel very embarrassed. Accompanying the rustling sounds between his clothes and branches, TangThirty-Six found his way and pushed over the six or seven-foot tall wattledfencing with a single push. After arriving in front of Chen Changsheng, heheavily pat his shoulder, and said with lingering fear that was hard toextinguish, I was really worried that the problem with your mind had not beenfixed and that you had directly left the Mausoleum of Books. Luckily, youhavent. Chen Changsheng was somewhat helpless and said, Could you not yell so loudly?The Mutual Response of the Fishermans Song is a sword technique from theLishan Sword Sect. Tang Thirty-Six said boldly and straightforwardly, This place is so large,and yet the government hasnt even installed a sound projecting array. Also,those Monolith Guardians arent servants, so they cant be ordered around.Other than yelling, how else can I find people? What he had said made a lot of sense, so Chen Changsheng actually could notrebuke him in any way. Just at this moment, Zhexiu said expressionlessly, After entering theMausoleum of Books, everybody will make best use of their time to view themonoliths and comprehend the Dao. Who will be like you, yelling out to friendslike you havent forgotten anything? Hmm, is it actually you? Only now did Tang Thirty-Six notice Zhexiu. After being vaguely startled, hewalked up enthusiastically and said as he reached for his hands, You havefinally arrived. Have you come for your debt? Zhexiu was not used to this type of close interaction, so he took a step backand dodged his hands. Tang Thirty-Six retracted his hands very naturally and then heavily pat ChenChengshengs shoulders. He said, If you can resolve the debt, then quicklyresolve it. Chen Changsheng rubbed his shoulder. He thought that if he had not undergoneperfect Purification under the Black Dragon Pond for some reason, perhaps, hisshoulder really would have been broken today by Tang Thirty-Six. He said, Iwill try, but I lack confidence. Just at this moment, that man walked out from the grass hut. His loose andmessy hair covered up the fatigue on his face. Chen Changsheng bowed and asked, Senior, why do you not rest a little longer? That man looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, Too noisy. Sorry, my friend came to find me. He is in a bit of a cheerful mood. ChenChangsheng apologized and then introduced him to Tang Thirty-Six, This senioris the owner of the grass hut. I thought that since I have to stay in theMausoleum of Books for a month, I cannot live out in the open. It is bad forthe body, so I wanted to ask for lodging He minded his own business and spoke continuously until he noticed that TangThirty-Six was not listening to him at all. Instead, he was staring blankly atthat man. That man tied up his messy hair, which revealed his face. This was also thefirst time Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu had seen his full appearance. They onlysaw that this person was handsome, and he had eyes that carried a hint ofcoldness. However, this did not give people a cold-blooded feeling, but rathera clean feeling although he was not truly clean. Tang Thirty-Six looked at that mans face, and his expression became a littleweird. He seemed slightly bewildered, and afterwards, he seemed to remembersomething. His eyes suddenly glimmered and said with astonishment, You youare. You are Xun Mei. That man was slightly startled. He stared at Tang Thirty-Six and stayed silentfor a very long time before speaking plainly, Correct, I am Xun Mei. Who wouldhave thought that there are still people who remember me. After hearing these two words, Xun Mei, Zhexiu raised his eyebrow slightly. Itwas very obvious that he was also remembered the identity of this person. OnlyChen Changsheng still did not know. How can anybody not remember Senior Snow-Treading Xun Mei? Tang Thirty-Sixlooked at the middle-aged man called Xun Mei and said with astonishment, Therumors say that ever since after the Grand Examination that year, senior hasalways stayed within the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths andcomprehend the Dao. Who would have thought that it was actually true. Xun Mei looked at the indistinct lights within the mausoleum. He revealed aslight disappointment and said, So the Grand Examination this year has alreadyended. No wonder so many people appeared today. Yes senior, today is the first day the top three grades of the GrandExamination have entered the mausoleum. Tang Thirty-Six thought of something and pulled Chen Changsheng in front ofhim. He said proudly, This is my friend Chen Changsheng. He is the same assenior years ago and has also placed first upon the first banner. Oh? What academy are you from? Xun Mei asked. Tang Thirty-Six said, Orthodox Academy. Xun Mei nodded and said, It is common after all for geniuses to come out fromunder the Banyan tree. Hearing what was said, Chen Changsheng was slightly startled. He thought thatwhen people normally heard that the Orthodox Academy was revived, they wouldalways be slightly surprised. But this senior.only after thinking about itagain did he suddenly fully realize that this senior did not know about thegreat calamity that had occurred to the Orthodox Academy a dozen years ago.Wouldnt it be saying that this person had already stayed in the Mausoleum ofBooks to view the monoliths for at least a dozen years and had never left? Tang Thirty-Six said to him, Senior Xun Mei obtained first place upon thefirst banner in the Grand Examination thirty-seven years ago. Chen Changsheng was very surprised and thought to himself wouldnt that meanthis senior had already stayed within the Mausoleum of Books for thirty-sevenyears?
205 Wang Po of Tianliang
TL: The name of the chapter () refers to a person, but at the same time,it is also an idiom that is often used on Chinese social media. It basicallydescribes someone so powerful that when the weather grows cold () and hedislikes it, he can cause the Wang () Corporation to go bankrupt (). Xun Mei looked at Chen Changsheng and said while shaking his head, Is it onlyyour true essence that is actually weak, such that you were still able to placefirst upon the First Banner? It really is getting worse and worse with eachgeneration. Everybody knew that the Grand Examination this year was a high, and thecompetition was much intenser than the past years. Chen Changsheng did notreact, but Tang Thirty-Six could not agree. Even if it was the Council of Divine Ordinance analyzing it, this yearsGrand Examination was much tougher than seniors year. He said. Xun Meis expression suddenly became somewhat lonely, and said, I dont knowwho participated this year, but in my year. two people did not participate. Tang Thirty-Six was slightly surprised and remembered the two names that wereonce placed with Xun Meis name. He could not help but admit what Xun Mei hadsaid was reasonable. If those two people competed in the previous Grand Examination, then even ifQiushan Jun and Xu Yourong had participated, this years Grand Competitioncould still not be compared to the previous one. After sharing this, Xun Meis mood was obviously slightly shaken, and he nolonger paid any attention to the three teenagers. He walked to a rock withinthe yard and sat down. He began to stare blankly at the Mausoleum of Books. Chen Changsheng looked at this seniors back and sighed slightly with emotion.In the daytime, Tang Thirty-Six had shared with him that some cultivators wouldstay in the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths for many years. Who wouldhave thought that he could personally meet one so quickly. Specifically, thisperson had stayed in the mausoleum for thirty-seven years and had not taken asingle step outside. It was obvious that he had some things he wanted to hide. After thinking up until this point, he felt that the seniors shadow becamerather miserable. He did not have the heart to disturb him again and extended ahand to stop Tang Thirty-Six from continuing to ask questions. Tang Thirty-Sixs expression changed slightly and asked, What? Chen Changsheng looked at him and asked seriously, Have you eaten? Only now did Tang Thirty-Six remember this important matter, and he felthunger that struck him like a tidal wave. He hugged his stomach and weaklysaid, No. Chen Changsheng brought him into the hut and served up the leftover saltedfish. He then added hot tea to a bowl of leftover rice and said, There is nomore bok choy, so just make do and eat some of this. Can this be eaten? Can this be eaten? What do you mean make do? Theres nomore bok choy, so you let me use tea leaves to fake it? What type of taste willthat have? Tang Thirty-Six used the chopsticks to pick up a tea leaf that had been soakedblack. He said irritatedly. Chen Changsheng ignored him and used the starlight to find the oil lamp. Afterrubbing it carefully, he lit the wick, and the dim light illuminated theinterior of the hut. The side of the table was also illuminated. Tang Thirty-Six buried his headinto the bowl and ate without stopping. Many fishbones had already appeared infront of the bowl. After seeing this, Chen Changsheng could not help but wonder what those youngladies who loved Tang Thirty-Six within the academies of the capitals wouldthink if they saw his eating manners? Zhexiu naturally would not observe Tang Thirty-Sixs eating. He looked at XunMei who sat outside on the rock and said, Who would have thought that therumors were true. Chen Changsheng said, According to what Tang Thirty-Six had said, thereshould be more people like this within the mausoleum. Tang Thirty-Six took time off from busily eating and raised his head to saysomething, But there are not a lot of well known people like Xun Mei. Zhexiu said, Many people believe that he had already died..To view themonoliths within the mausoleum for thirty odd years is really hard to imagine. Tang Thirty-Six pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeves slightlyunfamiliarly and carefully wiped his mouth under Chen Changshengs gaze. Hesaid, He is unwilling to part with the mausoleum. Zhexiu thought about those stories from years ago and said while shaking hishead, Instead, I feel like he is afraid of leaving. Tang Thirty-Six stared blankly and said while shaking his head, It isinappropriate saying it like that. At most, he is just embarrassed to leave. Unwilling, afraid, and embarrassed were all words that were unpleasant to hear. Chen Changsheng was somewhat surprised and thought that since this seniorcalled Xun Mei had obtained first place upon the First Banner in the GrandExamination thirty-seven years ago, then he definitely was not a normal person.How had he fallen from grace to receive such an assessment? Senior Xun Meis most well-known trait is that his willpower for cultivationis extremely firm and persistent. When he was seven, he stood outside Mr.Yunshans door in the snow for three days and three nights. Only after that washe taken in as a disciple. Tang Thirty-Six said, This was where the four words, Snow-treading Xun Mei,came from. Chen Changsheng asked, Mr. Yunshan? Mr. Yunshan is the teacher of principal Mao Qiuyu Tang Thirty-Six looked at Chen Changsheng, and said, If you are correct, thenXun Mei is Principal Maos youngest junior. Mao Qiuyu was one of the few current day experts of the continent, so onecould only imagine what kind of level his youngest junior was at. Also, hisyoungest junior carried a special type of meaning within the word youngestTheyoungest junior was definitely the final disciple, and only people who hadextremely excellent talent could be accepted as the final disciple of a sect oran academy. For example, the legendary Junior Martial Uncle of Li Mountain or the currentQi Jian. Xun Mei was Heavenly Academys most outstanding student back then, and heheld a position that was much higher in the Heavenly Academy than the currentday Zhuang Huanyu. Hey, speaking of which, shouldnt we call Zhuang Huanyu hereafter entering the mausoleum? Xun Mei is his great senior of the HeavenlyAcademy. Lets see him kowtow to Xun Mei. It will be extremely good. Also,speaking of which, if we didnt go to the Orthodox Academy, then wouldnt wealso have to kowtow to him? What a dangerous thing. Tang Thirty-Six said witha great smile, but then he realized Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu were notinterested in what was said. He could not help but say slightly annoyedly,Just one person in the world who is as boring as you is enough for it to bedepressing. Why must there be two? And why must the two of you meet? It reallycauses people to be depressed. Chen Changsheng ignored him and asked Zhexiu, Why is Xun Mei afraid to leavethe mausoleum? Before Zhexiu could say anything, Tang Thirty-Six had already started speak,Then, it can be considered that you have asked the right person. No matter howyou say it, I have stayed in the Heavenly Academy for half-a-year after all, soI understand this matter better than all of you. Back then, Xun Mei was thepride of the Heavenly Academy. His talent was very astonishing, butunfortunately, there were people who had even better talent than him in his agegroup and were even more outstanding. Tang Thirty-Sixs expression suddenly became serious, and he said, The mostunfortunate thing of Xun Meis whole life was that he was born in the same yearas Wang Po of Tianliang. Since he was twelve, he would often meet him invarious gatherings of academies and sects. They fought at least a hundredtimes, and every time, Xun Mei always lost. And in the Grand Gathering ofZhushi one year, Xun Mei actually lost three times in a row. After living for one year in the capital, Chen Changsheng still possessedrather limited knowledge about the affairs of the world. However, he did knowthis name since this name was just too well-known. Before Qiushan Jun, this was the most well-known name on the entire continent.Even up until now, the name was still high up on the Proclamation of Liberation. Wang Po of the Tianliang County. Afterwards, he discovered that when Tang Thirty-Six mentioned this name, hisexpression was very solemn and vigilant. What he still did not reallyunderstand was that even though Qiushan Jun was already the first on theProclamation of Gold Distinction, he was still very far away from people likeWang Po who were in the Proclamation of Liberation and had already been famousfor a long time. No matter how he looked at it, it was impossible for TangThirty-Six to have any problems with Wang Po. How could someone like Xun Mei who had extraordinary talent, unbendingwillpower, and the heavy hopes of the Heavenly Academy be willing to spend hiswhole life in the shadow of Wang Po? The reason why he had entered themausoleum to view the monoliths for thirty-seven years was to comprehend thetrue meaning of the heavenly Dao and then defeat Wang Po in battle. This wasalso why he was still unwilling to leave. Tang Thirty-Six glanced at the outside of the hut, and said, After thinkingabout it now, Wang Po of Tianliang has already become one of his obstacles inXun Meis heart. For every day he did not believe he could win against Wang Po,it was another day he was unwilling to leave the mausoleum. Unwilling, afraid,or embarrassed. They are all correct because he understands very well thatthe day he walks out of the mausoleum, Wang Po will definitely be outsidewaiting. Chen Changsheng stood up and walked to the doorway. Under the starlight, helooked at the middle-aged man in dire straits, and his feelings became somewhatcomplicated. Was he unable to leave the mausoleum because he did not have the courage toface the world or because of that person outside the mausoleum? Xun Mei did notthink like this. He was once a proud teenager from the Heavenly Academy, so itwas impossible for him to lack courage. At least, he would not lack couragewhen he would face his lifes nemesis, Wang Po. Otherwise, he would not havefought hundreds of battles before. Then, why exactly was he afraid to leave themausoleum? Sometimes, leaving meant forever. Xun Mei was afraid of leaving the mausoleumbecause he was afraid of losing the mausoleum. From his upright youth to whenhe was frustrated and dejected, he had never left this place in the wholethirty-seven years. The mausoleum had caused him to become stronger, and themore this occurred, the more he was afraid to leave it. It was just like what Tang Thirty-Six had said during the day, the Mausoleumof Books was just like a jug of good wine to cultivators. The more they drankit, the drunker they became, and the drunker they became, the more they wantedto drink it. When dealing with such a good jug of wine, how much wasappropriate to drink? Was it to drink until one had become so drunk that onewas unwilling to be sober anymore? Or was it to only take a small sip beforeputting it away? It was an ordeal every person had to face. Because of WangPos shadow, this choice was even harder for Xun Mei to make. Only Xun Mei had extraordinary talents, and he had also trained hard forthirty-seven years within the mausoleum. So, indeed what level was his currentstrength? He was already so strong, but he still lacked confidence in defeatinghis opponent located outside of the mausoleum. So, indeed what level was WangPos strength? However, this was still a problem that had to be solved in the end. TangThirty-Six had said Wang Po would definitely be waiting outside on the day XunMei left the mausoleum. This did not mean that Wang Po was literally waitingfor him outside the mausoleum. Rather, if he left the mausoleum, he woulddefinitely have to go and find Wang Po. Only then could he explain his ownlife, as well as the thirty-seven years he spent viewing monoliths. A cool breeze blew past from the forest outside of the mausoleum. It swept upbits of grass on the ground and brushed away the verdant, tender leaves fromthe trees, which produced a rustling sound like rain. There was only one coolbreeze, but it arose from two directions. Those bits of grass and tender leaveswere swept into the center of the forest, and they began swirling togetherslowly like an upside-down waterfall. It cut the starry sky that the night hadprojected downwards into countless fragments. Mao Qiuyu of the Two Sleeved Breeze appeared there. He looked underneath ascholartree and said with a complicated expression, Twenty years ago, I onceinvited you to come to the capital to persuade him, but you didnt come. A person stood underneath the scholartree. He seemed to still be very young,yet his eyes seemed a little cold. His clothes were very clean, and his blackhair was tied up tightly. However, for some reason, it always gave people awretched feeling. It was like a teenager who was once a young master, butbecause of a reversal in fortune, he became a cashier for a tavern for threeyears. If he doesnt want to leave himself, then nobody will be able to persuadehim. That person said while observing the Mausoleum of Books at night. Mao Qiuyu asked, Then why did you come today? That person said, I dont know. I just feel that he will come looking for metonight, so I came to wait for him.
206 Going South of the Mausoleum
The wattled fencing was pushed over, and the night wind was able to blow inmore easily. The temperature of the area around the grass hut dropped. Comparedto the starlight which had landed in the yard, the oil lamp within the hutseemed especially dim. Chen Changsheng walked into the yard and looked at theman who was sitting on a rock. He wanted to say something, but he did not knowwhat to say. Xun Mei had been an expert with astonishing talent in the past, but now, hehad already spent thirty odd years viewing the monoliths within the Mausoleumof Books. Therefore, he did not know what level his cultivation had alreadyreached. Xun Mei as expected knew the group of teenagers had arrived behind himand said, I am not afraid, nor am I embarrassed. I know that I am currentlynot as strong as he is, so do I even have a reason to leave? Ever since his youth, Zhexiu had been exiled from his tribe. He had survivedand grown up in the midst of fighting. Although he knew this middle-aged manscultivation was extremely high, he still could not accept such an attitude. Hemurmured, If you havent fought him, then how do you know that you are not asstrong as he is? Is there, perhaps, any reason for you to trap yourself withinthe Mausoleum of Books? Xun Meis voice became somewhat lonely, I have already stayed within themausoleum for thirty-seven years, and I have not communicated with the outsideworld. I gave up the painting and calligraphy that I loved most in my youth. Ieat only to fill my stomach and sleep only to keep warm. I have put all my timeinto viewing the monoliths and comprehending the Dao. I have cultivated andmeditated, but I am still unable to catch up to him. I also really want to knowthe actual meaning of life. Do you know Wang Pos current level of cultivation? Tang Thirty-Six was alittle surprised and said, I had thought you would not know how much time hadpassed, and would ask us. Every year, , new people will enter the mausoleum at the end of the GrandExamination. After a period of time, senior will also send someone to visit me.I am not interested in other human affairs, and I do not care who the currentemperor is. But I really want to know Wang Pos current condition. This is whyI know his current and yearly condition. Xun Mei stood up and gazed at the night sky outside of the mausoleum. He couldvaguely see the lights of the capital and said, The year I entered themausoleum, he placed first on the Proclamation of Azure Clouds. Afterwards, Iknew that he had entered the Proclamation of Gold Distinction and placedsecond. Afterwards, he entered the Proclamation of Liberation, and he onceagain placed in front of Xiao Zhang. At that moment, he must have been veryhappy. Wang Po of Tianliang and Painted Armor Xiao Zhang, they were all famous peoplefrom the previous generation before Chen Changshengs generation. Theirpositions were similar to Qiushang Juns current position, and they were stillthe true experts of the current age in the continent. Originally, Xun Mei wasthe same as they were but with an extremely well-known name. However, as he hadnever left and stayed in the mausoleum to view the monoliths, the continentslowly forgot about him. At least, some people like Chen Changsheng had noknowledge of him. If you did not continue to stay within the mausoleum, your name woulddefinitely be on the Proclamation of Liberation. You would have also had anextremely high chance to place within the top five. Tang Thirty-Six said whilelooking at him. Xun Mei turned around and looked at the three teenagers. He said, Top fiveis indeed already very glorious, but in the end, it is not first place. So inthe end, arent I still placed after him? Tang Thirty-Six felt that he still could not really understand and asked,Then, are you, perhaps, only at peace while staying in the mausoleum andbecoming forgotten by everybody? The Mausoleum of Books is an opportunity, the only one for me to overtakeWang Po. That cold feeling within Xun Meis eyes grew heavier and heavier. However, itdid not frighten people, and he only seemed to become more determined, As longas I stay in the mausoleum and continue to view the monoliths, then one daywhen I reach the top of the Mausoleum of Books, I will completely understandthe true meaning of the Dao. On that day, how can Wang Po still be my opponent? The yard fell into silence. A kind of small animal was digging under thewattled fencing, and it produced a rustling sound, as if it protested what hehad said earlier. Senior, in these past thirty-seven years, how many monoliths have you seen?Chen Changsheng suddenly asked. After hearing this question, Xun Mei frowned slightly. He lowered his head andthought hard. Then he said, In the first year, I used three months tocomprehend seventeen monoliths. In the summer of that year, there was a hugethunderstorm. After that, my speed began to decrease. By the time it waswinter, I had comprehended another five or six monoliths? After spending thirty seven-years within the mausoleum, the time had just beentoo long. He had already forgotten many details from the earliest days, and heneeded to think back carefully to remember them. He seriously thought back tothe obstacles he had faced before and said, In the second year, I think Icomprehended four monoliths, and in the third, three monoliths? I cant reallyremember. He shook his head and looked at Chen Changsheng. He said, I really cantremember the total amount. However, it is very obvious that how quickly you comprehend the monoliths hasbecome slower and slower. Chen Changsheng hesitated a little before saying,Please forgive me for being rude, but perhaps, you are unable to remember howmany monoliths you have comprehended in the thirty-seven years. However, youshould at least be able to remember how many years it has been since you lastunderstood a single monolith inscription. Xun Meis body slightly froze, and his face paled slightly as well. His old,dirty clothes fluttered slightly in the night wind. Understanding the inscriptions of seventeen monoliths in only three months.This kind of talent for comprehension really lets people show admiration. Thatis extremely impressive. I believe that if that stone hut had not beendestroyed by His Majesty Taizong, then we would definitely been able to seeseniors name. However Tang Thirty-Six said while shaking his head, Since you have such a talent forcomprehension, why must you continue to torment yourself inside if you can onlyreach such a level? I remember very clearly that back then, Wang Po spent ayear in the mausoleum, and he had comprehended thirty-one monoliths beforeleaving. Xun Meis eyes suddenly brightened, as if he was hurrying to show off hischild and said hurriedly, Although I dont remember how many monoliths I havecomprehended, I am extremely certain that I have surpassed thirty-onemonoliths. I have comprehended more than him. So what? Tang Thirty-Six was once a student of Heavenly Dao Academy. While looking atthis middle-aged man in dire straits, he unconsciously wanted to help him.After hearing what was spoken, he could not help but feel slightly heartsick.He sighed, If Wang Po had continued to stay in the mausoleum for a couple ofyears with his talent for comprehension, he definitely would have also beenable to comprehend a few more. But why was he determined to leave? He had aclear idea of his own limits. If he had decided to stay, even though he wouldcomprehend a few more monoliths, the ratio of time spent working hard toproducing results would be subpar. This would be wasteful. After hearing these words, Xun Mei became a little angry, but afterwards, herealized he did not know how to rebuke Tang Thirty-Six. For a moment, he couldnot help but stare blankly, and the yard in front of the grass hut once againfell extremely silent. Are you saying.. in those years I spent in the mausoleum, I had just beenwasting away my life? He shook his head and said with a trembling voice, Both his talent forcultivation and comprehension heavily exceeded mine. What else can help meovertake him other than the Mausoleum of Books? Yes, he still currently standsabove me. If I am unable to overtake him while I am inside the mausoleum and heis outside, then what hope do I have if I leave the mausoleum? The monoliths within the mausoleum can help us with cultivation, but manyother opportunities exist to help us with cultivation outside the mausoleum.How else could Wang Po become so strong? Zhexiu who had always stayed silent suddenly opened his mouth and beganspeaking. Xun Meis brows were tightly furrowed and he asked, What other opportunitiesexist outside the mausoleum that can help me with cultivation even more thanthese monoliths, which contain profound mysteries? There are many. Zhexiu said expressionlessly, Battles, trials and tribulations, expandingyour horizons, and hardships. Most importantly, there are life and deathsituations outside the mausoleum. Xun Mei opened his mouth slightly, but he could not say anything for a longtime. After witnessing this, Chen Changsheng sighed sorrowfully. Zhexiu was clearlya teenager, and his level of strength was way below Xun Meis. However, hecurrently spoke to Xun Mei like a teacher educating young kidsA young wolfwho had grown up with difficulties on the snowy plains had a more realistic andaccurate understanding of the world than a cultivator who had spentthirty-seven years inside the Mausoleum of Books. But.these thirty-seven years Xun Mei turned around to look at the mausoleum in the night sky, and hisexpression became somewhat frustrated. He said to himself, There are stillmany stone monoliths up there that I cannot understand nor read. I really wantto understand. If I can reach the top of the mausoleum, understand all of thesemonoliths, and grasp the true meaning of the heavenly Dao, I can definitelydefeat Wang Po. If I just leave like this, how would I be willing? After saying these things, he shook his head with a bitter smile and thenwalked towards the outside of the yard. The starlight illuminated bits and pieces of the courtyard, and it also landedon Xun Meis hair. Perhaps it was the lighting, but Chen Changsheng definitelyfelt that he could see a few strands of white hair. The night breeze seemed tobecome a bit chillier. Where is he going? After observing Xun Meis somewhat melancholy back and his slightly staggeringsteps, Chen Changsheng became a little worried. He wondered whether Xun Meismind had received too much of a shock or not. Tang Thirty-Six said slightly sympathetically, He should be heading towardthe mausoleum to view the monoliths. in the past thirty-seven years, perhapshe was like this every night. The starlight was very bright. Although it would be slightly difficult towrite under its illumination, it was enough to view the monoliths. There werealso faint lights that could be seen within the mausoleum. After thinking aboutit, there must have been many people also viewing the monoliths by lamplight. He is not going to view the monoliths. Zhexius expression suddenly changed. He looked at Xun Mei who had slowlydisappeared into the night forest and said, The path to view the monoliths isnorth of the mausoleum. He is going southwards. Tang Thirty-Six stared blankly and said, Perhaps he was so angry that hebecame confused and is now travelling in the wrong direction? Chen Changsheng was slightly regretful and said, As the senior spent most ofhis life within the mausoleum, he is perhaps slightly confused. However, thissituation is different. The reasoning we believe is correct seems wrong to him.We are also his juniors after all. Didnt you go a little overboard with yourwords before? Wrong is wrong. Wasting your life away is wasting your life away. This hasnothing to do with being juniors or seniors. Zhexiu said expressionlessly. Well. I want to follow him and see what happens. Hopefully nothing happens. Chen Changsheng walked towards the exterior of the wattled fencing, and TangThirty-Six also followed along. Zhexiu stared blankly at the wattled fencingthat had collapsed on the floor for a while, and then he also left the grasshut. This grass hut was in the southwest region of the Mausoleum of Books. Aftercrossing over the river and walking southwards, they could hear the rumblingsounds of the dozen waterfalls south of the mausoleum. Xun Meis silhouette could be vaguely seen in the night sky. The threeteenagers followed him. They passed through the spray of the waterfalls likewalking through the spring rain, and they arrived in front of the rock plateaucovered with shallow canals. Starlight scattered across the rock plateau, and the clear water within thecanals flowed gently from side to side. It was very beautiful. Xun Mei waded through these shallow canals, which caused his clothes to becomewet. However, he did not pay attention to it at all and seemed to be a littledistracted. He arrived in front of the Divine Path and raised his head to look at the topof the mausoleum. His expression became slightly frustrated. For thirty-seven years and countless days and nights, he had only wanted toreach the summit. However, he still could not get there unfortunately. Although the Divine Path led directly to the top of the mausoleum, he did nothave a way to walk up it. This was because of that person clad in armor who sat quietly within thepavilion in front of the Divine Path.
207 Intruding upon the Divine Path
From a distance, there were faint lights within the mausoleum, and the soundof waterfalls could also be heard. However, the south end of the mausoleum wasvery quiet. No lamps were lit, and only the starlight illuminated the cliffs,the straight path, the canals, and the rock plateau. However, the starlight wasincapable of completely expelling the darkness of night. The clear water withinthe canals were pitch-black like ink. Xun Mei withdrew his gaze from the top of the mausoleum and looked at theDivine Path. Then, his gaze gradually shifted to the pavilion and finallyrested upon the man clad in armor beneath the pavilion. After a short moment, he began to walk toward the pavilion. He stepped throughthe fresh water, as if he were stirring ink, but the splashes of water weresilver-colored. What was he trying to do? Could it be that he wanted to intrude upon theDivine Path? After eyeing this scene, Chen Changsheng, Tang Thirty-Six, andZhexiu grew all the more nervous. Senior, Chen Changsheng called towards Xun Mei. Previously, he had seen many strands of white hair belonging to Xun Meiunderneath the starlight outside the grass hut. His sympathy had grown, but hisworries even more so. Xun Meis steps ceased, and he turned toward those youths standing at the edgeof the rock plateau. Unlike what Chen Changsheng and the others had imagined, Xun Meis expressionwas very calm. There was no frustration on his face, much less the signs of apitiable and out-of-sorts man. While smiling, he asked, Young ones, do youneed something? Chen Changsheng glanced at the pavilion and saw that the legendary DivineGeneral still seemed to be sleeping. After a moment of hesitation, he asked,What is senior planning to do? I am going to ascend the Mausoleum. Xun Mei pointed at the Mausoleum behindhim in the darkness of night. He did not turn his head, but his finger had been exactly on point. His tonewas very matter-of-fact, as if he were heading home. He exuded the feeling ofhaving already walked the Divine Path several thousand times. To ascend the Mausoleum or to sightsee, Chen Changsheng had not heard clearly.However, regardless of which phrase it was, their meaning was the same. Thismade the three youths even more worried.(TL: ?? (denglng) means to climb the mausoleum and ?? (dengln) means tosightsee. They sound very similar.) Perhaps it was an illusion or something else, but Chen Changsheng felt thatwhen Xun Mei had spoken those words, the stars in the night sky seemed to havegrown brighter for a moment. The starlight that fell onto the canals of therock plateau south of the mausoleum seemed to thicken. Underneath the pavilion,the very worn out armor also began to shine from the starlight. His heart beganto throb even more with terror because the Mausoleum Guard who had always hadhis head down and his face obstructed by his armor, had issued forth a lightwind from underneath the helmet, carrying some dust along with it. This was atthe exact moment when the stars had grown brighter.. Chen Changsheng did not dare take another glance, even if it was only out ofthe corner of his eyes. He asked Xun Mei, Why? If Xun Mei could defeat the Mausoleum Guard underneath the pavilion and usethe Divine Path to ascend directly to the summit of the Mausoleum of Books,then why did he endure these thirty-seven long years in the Mausoleum? It wasvery likely that he would have intruded upon the Divine Path long ago. Since hehad not, it was very clear to himself that he had no chance of victory. Yes, even if Xun Meis level of cultivation were even more profound, he stillwould not have been able to overcome that obstacle underneath the pavilion. Ifthat person could be so easily defeated, how could that armor have accumulatedseveral hundred years of dust? Even if Xun Mei surpassed Wang Po, Xiao Zhang,and other such famous names, viewed the monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books foranother thirty-seven years, and pushed his cultivation to even moreunfathomable levels, he still would find it difficult to defeat the manunderneath the pavilion. Out of the continents thirty-eight Divine Generals, Han Qing occupied firstplace. This expert who sat underneath the pavilion for several hundred yearswas only worthy of being mentioned alongside the Five Saints and Eight Stormsof the Cardinal Directions. Of course, those on the Proclamation of Liberationhad profound levels of cultivation as well, but regardless of Wang Po ofTianliang or Painted Armor Xiao Zhang, they would still not dare say they hadthe qualification to challenge him. After hearing Chen Changshengs words, Xun Mei fell silent for a while. He didnot directly answer, but instead he seriously replied, Thank you all. As he expressed his thanks, his gaze brushed over the three youths. From birth, Zhexius meridians and sea of consciousness had problems. He hadto bear the pain of the Tide Rush of Blood at all times. If he were a normalperson, then he would have long ago lost the courage to live, but he did not.This sort of courage was rarely seen. Chen Changsheng made stir-friedvegetables, cooked rice, and steamed salted fish. This sort of tranquil stateof mind was something he had long yearned for. Tang Thirty-Six had made a loudruckus in such a sacred place as the Mausoleum of Books. This allowed him tosee the hot-blooded passion of youth, which had long been lost to him. Xun Mei said nothing, but this was his answer to why he had wanted to climbthe mausoleum. Tonight, he had met these three youths, who had used their bravery, will, andyouth to awaken him. The thirty-seven years he had spent viewing the monoliths in the Mausoleum ofBooks were simply a long dream. After waking from a dream, there were certainthings he had to do. All of you woke me up. I want to see the truth, so I need to ascend themausoleum. Xun Mei once again pointed calmly and resolutely to the mausoleum behind him. If senior has truly awokenthen shouldnt you be leaving the mausoleum tofind Wang Po and where each of you stand? Tang Thirty-Six asked inbewilderment. After hearing these words, Xun Mei roared with laughter. The laughter echoedthroughout the rock plateau, which caused the inky water within the canals toshudder. The laughter gradually faded. He looked at the three youths and calmlyreplied, Is Wang Po really my enemy? Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu faintly understood while Tang Thirty-Six graduallybegan to frown. No, after thirty-seven years, the shadow over my cultivation has long sinceceased to be him, but it. While smiling, Xun Mei continued to point at the Mausoleum of Books behind him. Chen Changsheng and the others were stunned at these words and then fellsilent. Countless years before, the Heavenly Tomes had descended like fire fromthe heavens. They eventually landed on the continent and opened knowledge tohumanity, until humanity had learned the ways of cultivation. Certainly, thismausoleum occupied an irreplaceable role and position in human society, but tocountless cultivators, the Mausoleum of Books was in many ways their greatestenemy. The incomprehensible words and drawings on the monoliths were a tall mountainthey had to surmount and opponents that they had to defeat. Although themausoleum did not look tall or treacherous at all, in reality it pressed upagainst the blue dome of heaven. It was exceedingly difficult to surmount itwhile relying only on human strength, such that countless cultivators had theircourage and spirit shattered upon trying. Xun Mei had awoken and faced the truth. He had finally realized who his trueopponent was. As a result, he did not choose to leave the Mausoleum of Books and find WangPo, but he chose to intrude upon the Divine Path instead. The forest outside the mausoleum was extremely quiet and was without a singlestray sound. Logically, there was no way for the conversation happening southof the mausoleum to carry over here, but those two men in the forest somehowunderstood Xun Meis intentions. Mao Qiuyus two sleeves trembled with emotion.The brows of the man underneath the scholartree leapt up, making an eight (?)character. His eyes were incomparably bright and almost mesmerizing. South of the Mausoleum, the three youths had also understood Xun Meisintentions, but there was still something they could not accept to wake upfrom a thirty-seven year long dream, return to reality, learn who his enemywas, and then challenge him. This was naturally a very valorous course ofaction, but if he lost, then he would enter into a dream of eternal darkness,so this seemed too desperate a course of action. Chen Changsheng had only met Xun Mei today, and they had not exchanged manywords. Reasonably, there should have been no empathy between them, but for somereason, he felt a close connection to this man. He sympathized with him andwanted to do something for him. He did not believe that he had just awoken onlyto find his death. He said, Please be careful. Xun Mei chuckled, and then said nothing more. He turned around and continuedon his way toward the pavilion. He was tread through the water as he went, andthe water was splashing about and soaking his shabby shirt. One hundred yards away from the pavilion, he stopped. The rock plateau south of the mausoleum was black, but the space in front ofthe pavilion was white. It was the same color as the Divine Path, and theymixed together as a whole. The black rock plateau and the white Divine Path. This was the dividing lineand perhaps also the line between life and death. The face of the man underneath the pavilion was obscured in the shadow of hisarmor, so it was impossible to make out his face clearly. Suddenly, countless motes of dust flew out from underneath the helmet. In thestarlight, they seemed like tiny fireflies. A sound followed the dust from underneath the helmet. That sound was deep and resonating, and it caused the water from the canals toleap about in turmoil as if in joy and fear. It echoed throughout the cliffs ofthe Mausoleum of Books. It was as if that man had slept for several hundred years and had only nowawakened. As a result, the Mausoleum of Books had also awakened. The faint lights from the lamps at the north of the mausoleum seemed toslightly sway with the sound echoing throughout the cliffs. Afterwards, sharpsounds of breaking filled the air: hahahahaha. As the night wind blew gently, Gou Hanshi was the first to arrive at the edgeof the rock plateau with his shirt still flowing from the wind. He was closelyfollowed by Liang Banhu, Guan Feibai, and Qi Jian. Whats going on here? Guan Feibai took a step forward and looked at thescene before him in surprise. Tang Thirty-Six mockingly replied, Cant you see? Someone wants to intrudeupon the Divine Path. Someone actually dares to intrude upon the Divine Path? Who is it? Gou Hanshi guessed that the man underneath the pavilion was the legendaryMausoleum Guard, the continents number one Divine General Han Qing. Then, whowas that shabby-looking middle-aged man opposite him? Xun Mei. Chen Changsheng answered. Snow-treading Xun Mei? Gou Hanshi arched his eyebrows. He seemed to be insome surprise. Stunned, Qi Jian said, Xun Mei is actually still alive? It cant be that therumors were true, the he had been hidden in the Mausoleum of Books for all thistime viewing the monoliths? On the side, Zhexiu expressionlessly said, We have already discussed theseexact same words. Qi Jian only now realized that Zhexiu was there. His small face became filledwith hate, and he grasped the hilt of his sword. Zhexiu paid no attention to him, but kept his eyes on the scene playing outbefore him on the Divine Path. Why is it that only you four from the Mount Li Sword Sect came over? Thesound just now was so loud, so how could those guys not have heard it? TangThirty-Six asked. Gou Hanshi replied, Those people are viewing the monoliths and arent willingto leave. To still be viewing those monoliths deep into the night, Chen Changsheng foundit difficult to understand. Was the temptation of the Mausoleum of Books reallyso great? Then, he thought back to how even Xun Mei, whose talent was so broadand deep, had also been imprisoned by those monoliths for thirty-seven years.When he looked at the mausoleum again, he suddenly felt that it was somewhatmore sinister. Those who cross the line will die. A voice resounded from the pavilion. The voice came from the shadowy depths of the old armor. It was very ordinary,but it seemed to bring a sense of great change. It was like an ancient citywall. Its surface was overgrown with moss and the stones seemed ready to comeloose, but in reality they were incomparably firm. The most powerful attackwould be incapable of making the slightest mark upon its surface. Xun Mei stood before that invisible line and looked towards the pavilion. Hesaid, I dont want to retreat, nor can I stand here forever. Then, I must tryand see if I can cross this line. Several decades ago, Wang Po had said the same thing. But in the end, hestood there for an entire night and took not one more step forward. The worn-out armor completely encased the body of the legendary DivineGeneral, and his voice also had to pass through the armor to be heard. Hisvoice seemed muffled, and it also had a strange flavor to it like a sharp bladeor a tongue licking the edge of the blade. It was the sweet smell of iron mixedtogether with that of blood.
208 The Battle Amidst the Snowstorm
After hearing these words, the surroundings of the rock plateau becameincomparably silent. Everyone there understood that when Wang Po had entered the Mausoleum of Booksto view the monoliths in the first year, he confirmed that staying any longerwould be throwing his life away. However, he ended up like many others who werereluctant to leave. As a result, he wanted to try the shortcut. However, in theend, he ended up standing behind the line for a night before turning around andleaving the mausoleum at daybreak. Outside of the mausoleum, Mao Qiuyu looked at the man in the scholartree. That man said nothing. Xun Mei stayed silent for a while, and then he understood why Han Qing, in hiscapacity as Mausoleum Guard, had spoken these words. So, senior already knowswho I am. The suit of armor under the pavilion still remained motionless, but thattransformative voice erupted from the gloom. Of course I know who you are.Several decades ago, the cultivators of the continent began ushering in a newset of blossoming flowers: Wang Po of Tianliang, Painted Armor Xiao Zhang,Immovable Mountain Liang Wangsun, Snow-treading Xun Mei.you were all the mostgifted and had the most potential. In the fight against the Demon Race,humanitys hope rested upon your shoulders.You stayed in the Mausoleum ofBooks to view the monoliths for thirty-seven years, so I watched you forthirty-seven years. You really arent bad. Tonight, you finally broke throughthat obstacle in your mind, so why dont you leave. Why do you insist on tryingthe alternate path? No, the obstacle in my mind is before my eyes. I have only seen it, but Ihave not broken through it. As for the alternate path, it could also be thecorrect path. Xun Meis gaze swept past the pavilion and again fell upon the mausoleumssummit. Han Qings voice paused for a moment before once again reverberating: Wang Powas a smart man. Since you have set him as your target, then at the very leastyou should show the same wisdom. Correct, all my life I have wanted to surpass him. Now that I look at it, atleast on this matter, he is not my equal. Xun Mei replied. Han Qing replied indifferently, He is not as stupid as you? After thinking for a moment, Xun Mei replied, He is not as foolish as me. Han Qing paused for a moment and then replied, That is reasonable. In the forest outside of the mausoleum, that mans hand rested against thescholartree, but he continued to stay silent. In these hundred or so years, you are the first to intrude upon the DivinePath. In the pavilion on the south of the mausoleum, Han Qing continued tospeak. Xun Mei replied, I am relatively foolish. Stupid and foolish were two words that had similar meanings. However, therewas a big difference between them. A foolish man can have good karma. Han Qing replied, As the Mausoleum Guard, I am part of the Mausoleum ofBooks. If you defeat me, then you are allowed to walk upon the Divine Path. Xun Meis expression was calm as he clasped his hands in a formal greeting. This was an established rule of the Mausoleum of Books, and it was also rightand proper. If one could defeat the continents number one Divine General, thenone was obviously an expert who could stand alongside the Five Saints and theEight Storms of the Cardinal Directions. If such an expert wanted to view theHeavenly Tomes, why would they comply with the Zhou Dynastys rules? ChenChangsheng felt that Divine General Han Qing had not said these words just forXun Mei, but for the youths standing at the edge of the rock plateau. Xun Mei glanced at his feet and noticed where the rocky plateau came to an endand where the Divine Path began. This was where black gave way to sacred white. Then, he lifted his knee. Under the pavilion, Han Qings head remained bowed. His appearance wasobscured in the shadow of his armor, but his voice suddenly became cold. XunMei, although your life has greater meaning for humanity if you remain alive, Iam still the Mausoleum Guard. What I guard are the rules of the Mausoleum ofBooks, so I will not hold back. You may also fight without worry and withoutany hesitation. After waking up from his thirty-seven year-long dream, Xun Mei wanted to seethe truth at the summit of the mausoleum. How could he hesitate? It was as ifXun Mei had not even heard the words from the opposition, and he took one stepforward. The step he took was very ordinary. His foot very casually hit the ground anddid not make a sound. The sounds around the pavilion were still sounds of water: the sound of waterfrom the waterfalls descending from the cliffs onto the rocks below and thegurgling water in the canals. Xun Meis foot had crossed the line. The Mausoleum of Books that had been shrouded in darkness suddenly lit upbrightly. The glow from lamps were barely visible very late in the evening. The onlylight that could possibly illuminate the entire mausoleum could only come fromthe sky. It would have to come from the sea of stars. Chen Changsheng raised his head and saw the stars in the night sky shine withunmatched brilliance. He unconsciously squinted his eyes. In reality, the stars in the sky did not actually grow brighter. Even if theyhad, there would be no way that a human eye could tell the difference. This waspurely a feeling or maybe something only the spiritual sense could perceive. Everyone near the rock plateau felt it, but none of them could perceive it aswell as Chen Changsheng could. This was because none of them had a spiritualsense as tranquil and profound as his. He could even faintly sense which star had begun to shine first among thecountless stars in the sky. That star was in the distant depths of the southeast region. Perhaps it wasXun Meis Fated Star. After taking one step forward to see the truth, the Fated Star had sensed thatand had suddenly grown brighter. Xun Mei.just what level had he cultivated to? Chen Changsheng thought back to that time in the Pavilion of Ascending Mistwhere he saw the starry sky and became filled with a sense of awe. The brilliance of the starlight turned the entirety of the Mausoleum of Booksinto a world of silver. Xun Mei stood before the pavilion. The hair, which he had bound behind him inthe courtyard of the grass hut, had at some point become free and flowed downto his shoulders. The starlight had instantly washed away the filth on hisbody. His long hair floated in the breeze, and those silver-white hairsparticularly stood out. He stood between the Divine Path and the rock plateau. He remained in the sameplace, and he obviously had not begun walking toward the pavilion.but he hadalready begun walking toward the pavilion. On the Divine Path, a footprint gradually appeared. The Divine Path was made of white stone. His footprints were wet, so they werenaturally very distinct. Xun Mei had tread through water, so his shoes were naturally wet. After observing this scene, Chen Changshengs eyes went wide. Zhexiu also juststared blankly where he was. They had grown up in Xining villages old templeand the cold, bitter snowy plains respectively. They had rarely seen a truebattle between two experts, so they had no idea, unable to explain thosefootprints. Comparatively, Tang Thirty-Six and the four members of the Mount LiSword Sect were relatively more calm. The wet footprints continued to appear on the Divine Path, as if there was aninvisible man walking across it. Xun Mei looked calmly at the pavilion. Not long afterwards, the footprints had already moved ten or so yards closerto the pavilion. There was a metallic sound. Under the pavilion, the night wind began to blow. Han Qings head remained bowed, and his sword remained undrawn. However, thesword leaning against his chest already seemed eager to leave, half an inch outof its sheath. It was only half an inch, but it seemed like it had already been fully drawn. Countless motes of dust flew off the edge of the sheath, diffusing into theair of the pavilion. Along with this dust, an incredibly powerful Qi emerged from the middle of thepavilion, spanning the entire breadth of the Divine Path. This Qi was still like iron, and it still had blood. It was solemn and firmlike an ancient city wall stained with the blood of countless soldiers. No one could see this wall, but they all knew that it was there, sitting uponthe Divine path. Xun Meis steps ceased. For a long time, wet footprints did not appear on theDivine Path. Then, his gaze pierced through that pavilion and the monstrous figure sittingunder it. It landed upon the Mausoleum of Books, just like a match to a fuse,which began to burn fiercely with a crackle. His gaze began to burn. His vision began to burn. His eyes began to burn. His eyes began to shine, as if they were newborn stars. His body began to slowly lean forward. A wet footprint once again appeared on the Divine Path. If Han Qings sword was a city wall, then he wanted to directly smash thiscity wall to pieces. On the Divine Path, traces of water became more and more defined as thefootprints marched forward. This was the path he would take. He was going to walk the Divine Path, walk under the pavilion, and proceeddirectly to the summit of the Mausoleum. After each step he took, his face grew paler and paler. Each step was more andmore painful, but his eyes were filled with joy. Life is only real when there is pain. What he wanted to face was reality. As time passed, the footprints on the Divine Path continued to press forward,until they had almost reached the pavilion. Xun Mei was still separated from the pavilion by about one hundred yards, buthe could already see that pair of eyes in the shadows of that armor. Two powerful Qis silently clashed south of the Mausoleum. The clear water in the canals seemed to boil in alarm, and then it began tooverflow in all directions. The supple and formless water slowly began to takea form. Even the firm and hard black rock plateau began to change. Under the pressureof their powerful Qi, it began to sink down and form a depression. It was as if an unfathomably huge, heavy, and invisible boulder had landed onit. Stone fragments flew about, and the edges of the canals produced atooth-aching and distorted sound. Only by rapidly retreating did Chen Changsheng and the others avoid theshockwave. After observing the cracked and sunken surface, their eyes werefilled with awe while looking at the two figures upon the Divine Path. The clash of their Qi did not last for too long. Xun Mei stared at the pavilion, and then he whistled. The whistle was like that of a stage managers who ordered someone to beginspreading paper pieces all over the stage. These paper pieces represented fakesnow, but at this moment, real snow came falling down. No, it was not snow, but starlight that had been split into numerous pieces. The scattered starlight that drifted down was in no way different from snow. Xun Mei stood in the snow, as if he had gone back to the old days. In those days, he had been a teenager. He had stood before his teachers doorfor three days and three nights until the snow had piled up to his knees. What year was that? It was a year even earlier than from thirty-seven yearsago. After almost fifty years of bitter cultivation and thirty-seven years ofviewing monoliths, he had long ago ceased to be that frail child who had fallenbadly sick from the cold of the storms. He was a cultivator that had almost reached the level of Saint Realm. Only until now did those youths who were viewing the battle realized that XunMeis cultivation had reached such a level. They could not help but be shockedinto silence. At this time, the Mausoleum Guard under the pavilion lifted his head. The features which had been obscured in the armors shadow finally saw light. It was an elderly and apathetic face. His shout cut through the air. Countless motes of dust spilled out of the countless cracks in his armor. He had sat before the Divine Path for several hundreds of years. This was several hundreds of years worth of dust. Several hundred years ago, the war between humanity and demons had entered itsfinal stage. He had been the last general appointed by Wang Zhice. When he finally lifted his head and looked at Xun Mei, his gaze served as thesharpest sword. In addition, his sword had truly left its sheath. The scattered starlight slowly drifted down to the ground. Divine General Han Qings sword was steadfast in the wind and snow, like agolden spear or armored horse. In front of the pavilion, it had already become a snowy plain. From Xun Meis perspective, this shredded starlight was the snow from the dayswhen he had stood before his teachers door. From Han Qings perspective, this shredded starlight was the snow that fell onthe battlefield from all those years ago. Two different snows represented two different wills. They each had their ownwills. Although they were separated by over one hundred yards, Xun Mei looked at thatelderly face as if it was up close. This battle had finally entered its climax, the moment in which victory anddefeat were decided. The two experts had both unleashed their strongesttechniques. The teenagers viewing the battle from the edge of the rock plateauwere incapable of withstanding it anymore. Even if they took steps after stepsbackwards, they still were blown every which way by the violent snowstorm, andcould fall over at any time. At this moment, Gou Hanshi suddenly grasped Chen Changshengs left arm. ChenChangsheng understood his intention and forcefully grabbed onto Liang Banhusarm. They held onto each other tightly, like tender trees amidst a snowstorm.They were lined up in a row, steadily resisting the full force of nature. If the conditions far away from the battle were so bitter, then it couldimagine what those two in the center were undergoing at the moment. The battle between a general of one hundred battles and a poor, humble scholaramidst the snowstorm. In the end, who would obtain victory, and who wouldsuffer defeat?
209 Thank You and You’re Welcome
It was as if time had stopped at that moment. Scattered starlight was afloat like fragmented snowflakes suspended in thenight sky before the Mausoleum of Books. Xun Mei and Han Qing silently stared at each other. A snowflake fell from the edge of the pavilions roof and landed on Han Qingsarmor. It quickly melted and turned into vapor shortly thereafter. Time began to flow once again. Gou Hanshis expression changed slightly, and he did not hesitate to releaseChen Changshengs hand. He grabbed the handle of the Iron Ruler Sword on QiJians waist and pulled it out as quick as lightning. Chen Changshengs reaction was also extremely fast. With a clatter, he pulledout the Wenshui sword on Tang Thirty-Sixs waist at his side. The two swords pierced through the small snowflakes in front of them. With a huge bang, the front of the Divine Path rumbled. Afterwards, there were countless shattering sounds, and numerous pieces of iceshattered. The whistling sound of wind and snow soon followed. After some time, the battlefield returned to silence. The fragments ofstarlight were not real snow, so naturally, no mantle of snow was in front ofthe pavilion. Xun Mei had left several dozen footprints upon the Divine Path. The moreforefront of the footprints had actually accumulated snow. That footprint had originally been wet with the clear water from the canals.But now it had been frozen into bits of snow. Those footprints, starting from the forefront, gradually turned into the colorof snow. As each step turned into snow, the footprints gradually grew more indistinct. It was as if the person that had been walking on the Divine Path had startedto retreat. Those footprints continuously turned to snow, disappeared, and retreated,until it finally reached that line. Xun Meis will had been pushed back into his body. His leaning body, suddenly straightened, as if it had been struck. Xun Mei left the ground and was tossed backwards into the air with a bang. Hisblack hair danced in the air, and his strands of white hair were aseye-catching as ever in the starlight. However, what was even more colorful was the blood that spurted from his mouth. He landed heavily upon those twisting canals with a great splash. Cheng Changsheng immediately ran over after seeing this, completelydisregarding how dangerous the Qis aftereffects still were. For some reason,he felt very close to Xun Mei. Both the night sky above the rocky plateau and the ground below it werecovered with cracks. It was extremely frightening. After moving only twentyyards, Chen Changshengs shirt received countless fine cuts. At the same time,many white marks appeared on his skin. If he had not undergone perfectPurification, he would have certainly been drenched with blood. Perhaps, hewould not have even been able to run to Xun Meis side. The night wind gradually lessened, and the snowflakes turned back tostarlight. The Mausoleum of Books returned to its tranquil state. Only then didGou Hanshi finally put down the Iron Ruler Sword in his hands. Previously in that final moment, countless shattering sounds had arisen fromthe field of battle. These were the cutting Qi flows that had arisen from theclashing of Qis from the two powerhouses, resulting in a sound that swept inall directions. If Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had not reacted so quicklyand used the swords to resist, those youths would have received many injuries.It was a good thing that despite how frightening the battle was, the Qi thathad come at them was only the leftovers. In addition, the Iron Ruler Sword wasthe Relic Sword of the Mount Li Sword Sects Discipline Hall, and even held aplace on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, so it suffered no harm. Only the backof Gou Hanshis hand had received many fine cuts, which were currently bleeding. He passed the Iron Ruler Sword to Qi Jian, and then he also began runningtoward the scene. Chen Changsheng had already carried Xun Mei out of the canal and was takinghis pulse. Xun Mei lay on the ground. The blood that stained his clothes had been washedoff by the waters of the canal, and he seemed to have no wounds. Just like Chen Changsheng, Gou Hanshi also felt very close to Xun Mei for somereason. When Xun Mei had been intruding upon the Divine Path, they had bothbeen silently cheering him on. Naturally, Guo Hanshi didnt want there to beanything wrong with Xun Mei. He asked, How is he? Chen Changsheng withdrew his fingers from Xun Meis pulse, and then after amoment of silence, he shook his head. A battle between two cultivators at the peak of Star Condensation, one thatcould be said to approach the level of Saints, would be more terrifying thanany other battle that had occurred before in front of the Divine Path. AlthoughXun Meis body had no wounds externally, the meridians within his body hadactually all been broken. His Ethereal Palace had also been shattered. Althoughhis sea of consciousness had remained unharmed, he had no chance of living. This was completely different from the situation with Chen Changshengs body. Gou Hanshi was at a loss for words. Tang Thirty-Six and the others had also run over at this point. In the pavilion, Han Qing once again bowed his head, and the elderly face sunkback into the shadows of his armor. Besides the floating dust, it was as if hehad never moved. No one paid attention to the fact that a faint sigh escaped from the gloom. Im sorry to trouble you, but please send me out of the mausoleum. Xun Mei looked at the youths and feebly spoke, Ive been in here forthirty-seven years. Im rather tired of it, and I certainly dont want to diein here. Although he was very weak, his expression was very peaceful. To those whocultivated the Dao, sought the Dao, and achieved the Dao, how could there beany unwillingness? After thinking it over, Gou Hanshi asked, Does senior. have anything that hewould like to hand over? I still have the strength to say my last words, so theres no need to worryabout it. With some difficulty Xun Mei laughed, then he looked at them all and seriouslysaid, I would like to thank all of you children. This was the second time he had solemnly expressed his thanks. Zhexiu expressionlessly replied, We didnt do anything. Xun Mei replied, In the end, your words about dying with a clear mind atleast made me understand why I have to die. How could I not thank you? Chen Changsheng seemed like he wanted to say something but held back. Xun Mei smiled. Did you want to talk about borrowing a room? Chen Changsheng thought to himself youre about to die, how could I ask such athing? Xun Mei said, Its just a shabby hut. If you all want to live in it, thenlive it. I have stayed here for thirty-seven years. After the Grand Examinationevery year, I would always see several children eat and sleep outdoors forseveral days before realising and finding a place to stay, .however, I likedthe quiet. You all can stay there, but just dont let other people in too. These words concealed some other meaning, but how could Chen Changsheng andthe others have taken note of it? Gou Hanshi picked Xun Mei up and placed him on Guan Feibais back. Theseyouths sent Xun Mei out of the mausoleum. For some reason, those Monolith Guardians never made an appearance. After arriving at the front gate of the mausoleum, there was no need for TangThirty-Six to call anyone over. The stone doors slowly opened by themselves. The ground trembled, and the lamps outside the mausoleum rocked back andforth. The soldiers guarding the mausoleum were already waiting outside. Xun Mei indicated that Guan Feibai should set him down, and then he walkedoutside of the mausoleum. Chen Changsheng and the rest looked at his back with extremely complexemotions. This former proud son of the Heavenly Dao Academy was finally leaving themausoleum of Books after thirty-seven years. However, he probably only had this one night to live. Xun Mei himself seemed to have no regrets as he casually walked out. Entering the mausoleum and exiting the mausoleum. These thirty-seven yearswere just between the opening and closing of the stone gate. Life and death wasalso in between an opening and closing. Outside the Mausoleum of Books were two people that had been waiting for XunMei for the whole time. Chen Changsheng and the others recognized the Heavenly Dao Academy Principal,Mao Qiuyu, and they paid him respects from within the door. However, theycuriously wondered who was the other person? If it were any other day,, he would have given some encouraging words uponseeing youths like Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi. However, today, he only hadeyes for Xun Mei;ow could there be a place for anyone else? He urgently tooktwo steps forward to support Xun Mei. His lips trembled as if he wanted to saysomething, but in the end, he said nothing. Xun Mei forcefully took two steps back and paid his respects. Then with atrembling voice, he said, Senior, Ive disappointed you. Upon hearing the word Senior, tears began to fall from Mao Qiuyus eyes.That doesnt matter. None of that matters. After seeing his senior cry, Xun Mei could not hold back. His eyes moistened,and he replied, The fact that I woke up in the end can already be consideredfortunate. Then, he looked at the other person. I really didnt think you would bewaiting here for me. That persons mood was very complicated. I always felt that today would bethe day you would leave the mausoleum, but I hadnt imagined that you wouldcome out in such a way. Feeling somewhat ashamed, Xun Mei told him, In the past few years, I havealso disappointed you. The mans expression suddenly became solemn. With extreme disapproval, hereplied, What disappointment? In tonights battle, you turned the stars intosnow and glimpsed the great Divine Dao! If Divine General Han Qing was not theMausoleum Guardian, if he was not wearing that suit of armor, then there wouldhave been no way he could have defeated you. With regards to cultivation, youhave already surpassed me. Xun Mei was stunned at these words. In disbelief he asked, Are you sayingthat I have already surpassed you? That person replied, You know that I never tell lies. This is true, even now. Xun Mei stared blankly at him. Starting from the age of twelve, Ive foughtwith you one hundred and twenty-seven times, but I could never beat you. Ididnt think that I would finally win one at the last moment. After saying these words, he was so happy he began to laugh, as joyful as anewborn child. The hint of coldness around him vanished. Only after hearing all this did Chen Changsheng and the rest realize who thatother person was. They could not help but feel shocked. This person, whose clothes were extremely clean, and whose eyes were set a bitclose to each other, giving off the impression that he was distressed, wasactually that man? Yes, the man that controlled half the wealth of Scholartree Manor, was thisseemingly poor and destitute looking man, one of the worlds most famous namesand powerful cultivators, Wang Po of Tianliang. Wang Po earnestly said to him, In the future, when I become a Saint, I willtake you to see the peak of the Mausoleum. Xun Mei chuckled. Thats you, not me. In the end you still want to makeangry? Wang Po asked, Then in the end, what should I say? Xun Mei was also clearly very interested in this question, and asked, What doyou want to say the most? Wang Po seriously thought it over, then finally said, Thank you. As he gave his thanks, his expression was one of complete sincerity. There wasno falsity or consolation. Yes, the shockingly talented and exceptionally gaudy Wang Po of Tianliang ofthe past was no more. Otherwise, why would Xun Mei have locked himself away inthe Mausoleum of Books for thirty-seven years? If there had been no ever-chasing and determined Snow-Treading Xun Mei whorefused to concede defeat, then how could there have existed the present-dayWang Po of Tianliang? Xun Mei calmly looked at him and said, Youre welcome. The stone doors slowly closed. The last picture that Chen Changsheng and the others saw was Xun Mei in MaoQiuyus lap, his eyes closed. Back at the grass hut, some of the youths sat on the doorstep, others walkedon the fence, and more others looked at the mausoleum, but none of them hadanything to say. Gou Hanshi was the oldest and his cultivation was the most profound, so atthis point, it was reasonable for him to say something. However, he did not. To young people like them, succeeding in the Grand Examination and enteringthe Mausoleum should have been the highpoint of their lives. Who could haveimagined that they would encounter this sort of situation on the first night? In the future, who amongst this group would be saying Thank you and whowould be saying Youre welcome?
210 Viewing the Monoliths at Dawn
The courtyard was quiet, the mood was oppressive. The first to break thesilence was Chen Changsheng. He walked into the hut and saw Tang Thirty-Six finishing the leftovertea-soaked rice. For some reason, this angered him. Any other time, he probablywould have left to wash the dishes and wipe the table twice over, but right nowhe was not in the mood. He told the others, Im going to bed. Having said that, he turned around and walked into the hut, found a blanket,and put it over his face. The rest, who were still immersed in that complex and melancholy mood, wererather surprised when they saw him really go to sleep. Guan Feibai arched hiseyebrows and unhappily said, He really is a cold-blooded guy. Gou Hanshi shook his head to indicate that he should say no more. Tang Thirty-Six sneered. You bastard, youre just a battle maniac. How areyou any different from that old man under the pavilion? Suddenly, Zhexiu spoke up. To be a little cold-blooded is better. Everyone there was stunned by those words, such that even Tang Thirty-Sixthought it was a little far-fetched. Colder blood means less likely to get a fever, and even less likely to gocrazy. Zhexiu expressionlessly explained himself, turned and entered the hut. Hefound a blanket, laid on the bed and began to sleep. Tang Thirty-Six suddenly thought of something and walked into the hut. Hey,how many blankets are there anyway? You havent used them all, have you? Hearing this, Guan Feibai leapt from the doorstep and shouted into the hut, Idont care how many blankets there are, but we need at least two! On the brink of death, Xun Mei had passed on this grass hut to these youths.It was a very solemn affair, as if it were his greatest legacy. In reality, thehut was very crude and wretched. It only had three rooms; the kitchen, the mainroom and the inner room. No one could stay in the kitchen, and the remainingtwo were very small. To have seven people living there was rather crowded. Chen Changsheng, Tang Thirty-Six, and Zhexiu stayed in the relatively nicerlooking inner room. After all, they had come first; and while Xun Mei had giventhe hut to all of the youths, he did so mostly because of those three. Thus,other than Guan Feibai, who stubbornly putting his all into getting twoblankets, the four disciples from the Mount Li Sword Sect really had noobjections. Xun Mei had only left three sour-smelling blankets. After two of them had beenwrested away, there was only one left. Fortunately, Zhexiu had grown up in thesnowy plains and did not need a blanket. To normal people, spring was a chillyseason; but to him, it had the all the pleasantness of early summer. As thechild of such a wealthy household, Tang Thirty-Six had actually brought a furskin with him. Thus, luckily, Chen Changsheng did not have to share his blanket. The night grew darker, but Chen Changshengs eyes remained open; he had notfallen asleep. It was not because of the sour smell coming off the blanket, although that wascertainly a big reason. The person that had slept on this bed for thirty-seven years just died beforetheir eyes. Who could sleep knowing that? Like him, there were actually many people who could not sleep. Was it worth it? Tang Thirty-Six asked as he looked out the windows at thestars in the night sky, his mood downcast. Zhexius eyes were closed. He was not asleep, but he did not respond. Thoughton this matter was unnecessary. Chen Changsheng also did not answer; but, under the blanket, he gripped thatblack stone a bit tighter. Last night in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, he hadunderstood some things. Tonight in the Mausoleum of Books, he had encounteredsome things. These things all came up too abruptly, and were too much for hisfifteen-year-old self to handle. In fact, he was probably even more frustratedthan Tang Thirty-Six. Gazing up at the stars, he could feel that distant little red star which washis own. He silently thought, if I wanted to change my fate, I would first havethe change the fate of all the people Im connected to, changing their stars.But how can I know which stars correspond to which people? Xun Meiwhere is hisstar? There was already a connection between the two, would his death changeanything? Or is it to say that because he entered the Mausoleum of Books, XunMeis fate had changed? To change his fate, would he really have to bringsuffering and death to those by his side? And if the star he affected were his Seniors? Or Tang Thirty-Sixs? Or LuoLuos? Even if it were Xu Yourongs, would he be able to coldly look on as herstar grew dim? Just as he was thinking about such trivial things, TangThirty-Six suddenly got up, flung off the fur skin, and began to fan himselfwith the front of his shirt. Whats wrong? He asked. Its a little hot. Tang Thirty-Six continued, I really dont know how thepeople in my family prepared for this. Chen Changsheng chuckled, but did not say anything. Tang Thirty-Six suddenly turned to him, his mood serious. Chen Changsheng, Ineed to tell you something. Puzzled, Chen Changsheng asked, What? Tang Thirty-Six was very serious. In the future, no matter what happens, Iwont ever say thank you to you, and you wont ever say youre welcome tome. Chen Changsheng did not respond. He knew that Tang Thirty-Six had been deeplymoved by Xun Mei and Wang Pos final conversation. Guan Feibais jeering voice came from the other room. How come youre the onesaying thank you and hes the one saying youre welcome? Youve alreadydecided that, in the future, youre going to be Wang Po, and that ChenChangsheng will never be your match; only able to play the role of encouragingyou forward? Dont forget, hes already at Ethereal Opening. Youre stillpretty far from him! In this serious setting where two brothers shared their bond, Tang Thirty-Sixcould not help but fly into rage at these sudden words. He shouted back, Youmake it sound like youre so much stronger than me! Guan Feibai sneered. Regardless of how much stronger I am, Im stillstronger. Gou Hanshi interjected. Stop quarreling. Chen Changsheng added in, Just go to sleep early. The hut finally grew quiet. However, not too long after, everyone heard QiJians shy voice. Second senior brother, I. I. think Im hungry. There was silence, then laughter all around. Qi Jians small face blushed. Chen Changsheng saw that while Zhexius eyes were closed, the corners of hislips perked up. After a few rounds of argument and laughter, their moods had all somewhatsettled down, and they gradually fell asleep. Chen Changsheng was still awake. He calmly looked out the window at the nightsky filled with stars. Tonight, Xun Mei had said he had learned a lot from him and Zhexiu. In truth,Chen Changsheng had also learned many things. Zhexiu had said that the most important thing in life was not to live, but tolive awake or die awake. To him, the most important thing in life was to followhis heart. In the old temple in Xining village, he had studied the DaoistCanons with his master. The Dao which he had practiced was not for killingpeople with flying swords, or living forever without aging, but to follow hisheart. When trying to live while facing death, the only thing that held any meaningwas that he was already between life and death, so he obviously had to staysober and follow his heart. It was also because he had truly faced life and death that in the past fewyears, he had taken the three words follow your heart and cultivated them toan incredible level. He had then gone to the Divine Generals estate to cancelthe engagement, appeared at the Ivy League Gathering, and finally obtained thefirst place on the First Banner in the Grand Examination. However, when he hadfinally been able to enter the Pavilion of Ascending Mist and discovered thosesecrets, he had seen lifes hope for the first time in many years, but hisheart had been instead perturbed. His loss of interest in cultivation and his playing tourist on the first dayin the Mausoleum of Books were because his heart had been confused.Fortunately, he had heard Zhexius answer and met Xun Mei. Xun Mei had takenthirty-seven years to wake up, while he had only used one night. He could nothelp but admit that he had been rather lucky. Now that Chen Changsheng had gotten back his tranquil mood, he naturallyreturned to his familiar lifestyle. Despite the fact that so many things hadhappened last night, that both his body and soul were worn out, and that he hadeven slept later than usual, he opened his eyes and woke up early at fiveoclock when the sky was still dark. When he awoke, he did not immediately get up, but instead took five breaths oftime to calm his mind. Then, he got up and put on his shoes and clothes. As heprepared to make the bed, he realized that there were two people on the bed. Hesaw Tang Thirty-Six tightly holding onto his fur skin, curled up into a ball,like an insecure child. In contrast, Zhexiu was lying on the ground with hisback straight, and, to bluntly put it, he seemed like a stone statue. Chen Changsheng shook his head and walked to the outer room. He saw GouHanshi, Liang Banhu, and Guan Feibai all bundled up under one blanket, while QiJian slept in the corner with his own blanket. Chen Changsheng could not helpbut shake his head. Truly, the Mount Li Sect Masters final disciple receivedspecial treatment. He walked out to the courtyard and went the nearby creek, using the water towash his face and rinse his mouth. Afterwards, he cooked a big pot of riceporridge and also steamed the remaining two-thirds of the salted fish. Then, hewent over and opened the window in attempt to wake up Tang Thirty-Six. TangThirty-Sixs two hands balled up into fists, and he spat out a few angryexpletives, after which Tang Thirty-Six paid him no more attention. For the third time after he woke up, Chen Changsheng shook his head. Hehelplessly turned around, only to find Zhexiu squatting by the collapsed fenceas he brushed his teeth. He could not help but be surprised. Chuckling, hesaid, I didnt expect this. Squatting on the ground, Zhexiu did not turn his head. He said in a somewhatmuffled voice, Didnt expect what, that a wolf cub like me like to be clean? Chen Changsheng thought it over and decided that it was his way of thinkingthat was wrong. Apologetically, he replied, It was my mistake. Zhexiu threw away the tree branch that he had been using to brush his teeth,which he had gotten from a willow or some other tree, and then cupped somewater in his hands to wash his face. Finally, he said, Theres nothing to bemistaken about. On the snowy plains, I really wouldnt wash my face every day.The oil and grease can help protect me against the wind. But at the very least,I would brush my teeth twice a day, and from time to time, I would chew on someice. Chen Changsheng was intrigued. Why did you do that? Zhexiu replied, On the snowy plains, meat would sometimes freeze solid.Sometimes I would have to eat the meat raw, and that requires a good set ofteeth. Only in this way would my teeth be strong enough to chew on it. Chen Changsheng thought it over and agreed. Very reasonable. Zhexiu added, In the various tribes, the old people that lived the longestwould often have the best teeth. Chen Changsheng noticed that Zhexius teeth were indeed very white and healthy. Paired with the salted fish, the two each drank down three bowls of porridge,then left the grass hut. Cutting through a large forest of orange fruit trees,they walked towards the Mausoleum of Books. Nobody said anything along the way, so the atmosphere was very quiet. When they had almost arrived at the main path in the Mausoleum, Zhexiusuddenly stopped. Its a bit weird, he said. Chen Changsheng stared at him and asked, Whats weird? Im used to being alone. After a moments thought, Chen Changsheng replied, Then you first. I still need you to cure my illness, so you should go first. Besides brushingteeth, the snowy plains have another rule: you shouldnt offend your doctor. Chen Changsheng laughed. You dont need to be so courteous about this sort ofthing. Zhexiu did not respond, instead directly thrusting out a clenched fist. Chen Changsheng was rather surprised. Dont tell me we also have to fightover this? Zhexiu asked, Do you know how to play the finger-guessing game? I only know how to play rock-paper-scissors. Zhexiu was silent for a moment, then finally said, I also only know thatgame. Using a tattered rag to wrap around a rock-like fist, Chen Changsheng was ableto obtain victory and was the first to leave. Following the main path northwhile occasionally hearing the fluttering of the morning birds, Chen Changshengshortly arrived at the Mausoleum of Books main gate and walked on the onlypath by which one could view the monoliths. The monoliths were all in the mountain, so naturally, this monolith-viewingpath was a mountain path. However, it was not very steep. There were many stonesteps carved into the path, making the climb very easy. It was just now truly dawn. The morning sun rose from the eastern horizon,illuminating the distant buildings in the capital. The Palace of GreatBrilliance and the Pavilion of Ascending Mist were particularly prominent. The somewhat chilly morning wind lightly brushed his cheeks while the dawnlight illuminated his path forward. As he walked through the quiet woods whilelistening to the song of the morning birds and saw the morning sun be turnedinto a flowery face by the tree branches, Chen Changshengs mind was serene andjoyful. Although he had started a day late compared to others, it did notreally matter. Yes, this was indeed wasting away at his life. Just as he had mentioned to Zhexiu, playing chess and the zither, painting andcalligraphy, and enjoying the scenery were all a waste of life. But how beautiful wasting ones life in this manner was. And how beautiful it was to have a life to waste in such a manner. Within the quiet and uninhabited mountain forest, Chen Changsheng climbed thesteps. Soon afterwards, he arrived at a monolith. He walked in front of themonolith, but all he could see on it were marks that seemed to have been madeby knives and hatchets, not words. There also did not seem to be any lines; itwas very obvious that somebody had destroyed them. He recalled the decree thatthe Divine Empress had issued in the past, and he knew that this was not themonolith he had come to see. He shook his head and continued walking. He did not walk too far before he saw yet another monolith. This place was a cliff, and in front of the cliff was a hut. The monolithstood in the center of this hut. The eaves of the hut furled out on all sides. Even if there was a great storm,it would be very difficult for this monolith to get wet. Chen Changsheng walked to the front of the hut and looked at the monolith, andhis state of mind wavered slightly. The shape of this monolith was not very proper. Even its thickness was notuniform. Compared to normal monoliths in the world, it seemed even more like anunfinished product. The monoliths surface was very glossy. Who knew how many hands had rubbedagainst it? This was a Heavenly Tome Monolith. The first monolith of the Mausoleum of Books. Chen Changsheng restrained himself from looking at the monoliths surface, andlooked around the hut instead. The forest outside the hut acted as an obstacle. The stone steps continued nofurther, ending at a rock plateau. Through the gaps in the forest, one could faintly the eaves of roofs in thedistance. Perhaps they were other monolith huts, but there was no path to reachthem. Seeing this picture, Chen Changsheng became lost in thought. The morning light spilled over the rock plateau, a cool breeze ran through thetrees, and two kingfishers chirped as they flew into the sky. Chen Changsheng awoke from his stupor, and then turned to the monolith withinthe hut. He subconsciously put his hands behind his back and calmly began toexamine it. When his gaze landed upon the surface of the monolith, he could not keep hisheart from racing.
211 The Reflecting Monolith
It was very quiet around the monolith hut; Chen Changsheng was the only personpresent. It was completely different from yesterday. At that time, there hadbeen dozens of examinees in front of this monolith hut. Though very quiet,there had been simply too many people for it to not feel crowded. The sounds ofrustling fabric and footsteps would never cease. Even when night fell, thosepeople did not leave, but instead lit the lanterns in front of the hut.However, the Mausoleum of Books had already existed for countless years. Peoplefrom many sects and academies had entered the mausoleum and viewed themonoliths. They had summarized their experiences long ago, and passed alongthis knowledge before the Grand Examination. After the initial excitement haddied down, the examinees finally realized that viewing the monoliths was notsomething that could be done in one day and night, and that they had to takecare of their bodies. Heeding the advice of their seniors, they had descendedfrom the mausoleum and begun to search for places to rest. Right now, they wereall probably still asleep. Chen Changsheng knew nothing of these events as he seriously examined themonolith. The surface of the monolith was black and covered with innumerable lines thatwere thick and thin, deep and shallow. The lines had been carved onto thesurface by some sharp tool, and they seemed to curve off randomly. The linescovered the entire surface of the monolith, making countless connections witheach other to form an indescribably complex pattern. If one looked at itthrough sentimental eyes, or viewed it through the lens of history, those lineswould seem to carry some primal meaning. But if one looked at it calmly anddisposed of their reverence to the Heavenly Tomes, those lines actually did notseem to have any pattern, much less carry any meaning. Instead they seemed likethe nonsensical drawings of some small child. Many scholars felt that thoselines had possibly been naturally formed, a school of thought that had beenpopular many years ago. Today was the first day that Chen Changsheng had set his eyes on a legendaryHeavenly Tome Monolith, so he naturally did not have the ability to draw anyconclusions. Chen Changshengs heart suddenly started to beat faster, notbecause he had suddenly understood something or because he was shocked athaving seen those lines before, but because of the sort of emotion thatnaturally came from seeing a legend with ones own eyes. Yes, he had seen the marks on this Heavenly Tome Monolith, the so-calledmonolith inscriptions. It was not by chance or destiny, nor was it through some miracle. Many peoplehad seen the incomprehensible monolith inscriptions of the HeavenlyTomesoutside the Mausoleum of Books, there were countless stalls on both sidesof the main road that were selling rubbings of the monolith inscriptions.Almost every tourist visiting the mausoleum would have a set of these rubbings.One has to realize that these rubbings were the Mausoleum of Booksbest-selling souvenirs. Countless years ago, the rubbings of Heavenly Tome Monoliths were already incirculation. After the human dynasty had gradually tightened the distinctionbetween social classes, an emperor had attempted to forbid the spreading of themonolith inscription rubbings . However, there were already too many rubbingsoutside, and their existences were too enticing making it impossible to stop.In the end, they were unable to prohibit it, and were forced to drop the matter. Rubbings of the first seventeen monolith inscriptions were especially common.During the previous dynasty, those rubbings had been publicly sold three timesby the government, printing a dozen official editions. At least several millionhad been printed, enriching the palace treasury, while also providing suitablysoft paper for people to use for cushioning on their mahjong tables at home. The simplest reason why the rubbings of the monolith inscriptions were sowidespread, besides the fact that their circulation was impossible to stop, layin two points. Firstly, to look at rubbings of the monolith inscriptions and tosee them for oneself were two completely different things. Since ancient times,countless cultivators had testified that only by seeing the monolithinscriptions with ones own eyes would one be able comprehend the true meaningof the Heavenly Dao hidden within the inscriptions. Secondly, there was a limitto the number of monolith inscriptions contained in these rubbings. The vastmajority of the rubbings were from the Monoliths in the front mausoleum. It hasto be noted that those who were able access additional monoliths wereundoubtedly experts whose knowledge of the Dao was exceptionally profound, sothey cared not for fame and profit. Take, for instance, a expert like Wang Poof Tianliang, who possessed shocking talent. That year, he had only viewedthirty-one monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books. Even if he had succumbed togreed, he still would not have been able to take a rubbing of those laterMonoliths and take them out of the mausoleum. After Chen Changsheng had arrived in the capital, he had stayed in the PlumGarden Inn outside the Mausoleum of Books. He would see stalls carrying thoserubbings of the monolith inscriptions every day, so naturally he had boughtsome. When he first held those rubbings in his hands, he had been extremelyexcited. Only after he had realized that they had no meaning did he toss themto a side. But now that he stood before the Heavenly Tome Monolith, looking at thoselines carved on the Monolith first-hand, it was a completely different matter. For tens of millions of years, this monolith had sat silently under this hut,as enigmatic as ever. The lines on the black surface of the monolith began to float up in ChenChangshengs eyes. A mark on the lower right of the monolith that had beendeeply carved into the surface suddenly bulged out. The dozens of linesconnected to it also started to leave the surface, seemingly hovering in theair. Chen Changsheng knew this was an illusion. When the mind became connected tothe Mausoleum of Books, ones ability to see reality was affected. Back when hewas a child, he would study the Daoist Canons in Xining villages old temple, and read the various accounts of viewing the monoliths left behind by membersof the Orthodoxy. Thus, he was not too shocked by this abrupt change, andinstead chose to maintain his calm. The so-called change was not actually any change at all, but a trick of light.The objective truth was that the lines remained where they were. Regardless of whether it was overcast or pouring rain, if the hut was there ornot, if the surface was wet or dry, if one looked at in the gloom or indazzling light, the monolith was ultimately still a monolith. Those lines werestill lines. But when comparing those rubbings of the monolith inscriptionscirculating among the people to the real thing, was not this change thegreatest difference? The positions were relative, and the appearances were also relative. As positioning changed with landmarks, the appearances changed withenvironment. If one wanted confirm ones position, one needed to also confirm the positionof the surrounding landmarks. If one wanted to examine the unvarying and objective truth, then should notone first understand how the environment affected the objective reality? The information that those who viewed the monoliths had to understand, theprincipals that they had to comprehend, were they not hidden within thistransformation? Standing before the hut, Chen Changsheng examined the Monolith Inscription. Hestayed in this position for a long time without moving.. The morning sun had now completely risen above the horizon, transmitting itswarmth to the mausoleum facing the crimson morning clouds, gradually dispersingthe chilliness of the forest. The side of the Heavenly Tome Monolith was dyedred in the light of sun, a truly beautiful sight. Seeing that smear of red on the edge of the monolith, Chen Changsheng closedhis eyes, steadied his mind, and then turned around. He no longer looked at the monolith, but instead explored the hutssurroundings. The branches of the trees in the forest were all dyed red, and looked as ifthey were about to ignite. As for those distant and barely distinct monolithhuts in the distant, it was exceedingly difficult to ascertain their positions.He had walked up from the base of the mausoleum all the way to this firstHeavenly Tome Monolith. The path had come to an end, and there was no way toproceed to those other monoliths. However, it was said that the Mausoleum ofBooks had only one path. What was going on here? The morning sun ignited the tree branches, and the radiant red light of thesun illuminated a portion of the dark cliff face. It was only then that he sawthat a line of words had been carved into the cliff. Unlike the ineffable Heavenly Tome Monoliths, the words on the cliff were veryeasy to understand, because they had been written in a language that everyonecould read. "The foggy woods are reflected in the smoky river water,Houses with paintedeaves on the banks are adjacent to each other.Gently on the patches of lotusesshines the autumnal light.The pearl-woven curtains are bathed in the fragrantwind of ten miles." (TN: The author used the parts of the poem An Ode on Southern China by ZhangYanghao. Link:http://www.en84.com/dianji/qu/200912/00000465.html) This poem had been composed by the Leader of the Way around two thousand yearsago. When he had first entered the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths, hehad been so moved that he had composed this poem. From then on, the first monolith in the Mausoleum of Books had possessed itsown name: Reflecting Monolith. From the time he had arrived at the front of the monolith hut to the time ofhis departure, Chen Changsheng had viewed the monolith for not even a quarterof an hour. He turned around and left without the slightest bit of hesitation. Leaving the Reflecting Monolith, he followed the mountain path down. Afterpassing through a mountain depression, he saw Zhexiu. Judging from the time,Zhe Xiu had probably been standing there for quite a while. Zhexiu arched his brows. Clearly, he had not expected Chen Changsheng toreturn so quickly. Im not much for noise, so I dont want to view the monoliths while crammedwith other people. Chen Changsheng gave a rather unconvincing explanation.Seeing the faint columns of kitchen fires rising up from the forests around themausoleum, he advised Zhexiu, It looks like everybody has woken up. If youwant to view the monoliths undisturbed, its best to be fast about it. Zhexiu nodded and set off on the mountain path. Chen Changsheng watched Zhexiu walk off, and after some hesitation, he calledout, I dont think you need to see it for long. Its not very useful; in fact,it might even be detrimental. Zhexiu paid him no attention. Chen Changsheng continued walking down the mountain. On the path, heencountered a middle-aged man clothed in white. He recognized the man as one of the Monolith Guardians that had explained therules of the Mausoleum of Books to them. These Monolith Guardians had sacrificed their youths and lives to theMausoleum of Books, so everyone had some form of respect for them. ChenChangsheng was no exception, so he gave a respectful bow. The middle-aged man did not return the bow, and did not even nod in response .However, he did not leave, and instead indifferently looked at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng felt uneasy and asked, Does Senior have something to tell me? You are Chen Changsheng? That middle-aged man asked, his tone cold. Chen Changsheng was amazed that this man who could never leave the mausoleumactually knew his name. Somewhat cautiously, he replied, Correct. You are the one who obtained first place on the First Banner? Thatmiddle-aged man continued to question him. Hiss tone was now not only ice-cold,but also contained sense of severity. Chen Changshengs levels of unease and confusion continued to grow, and heresponded, Thats right. That middle-aged man asked in a low voice, From the time you ascended themausoleum to the time you left, about a quarter of an hour has passed. Are youtelling me that in such a short time, you were able to comprehend theReflecting Monolith? Chen Changsheng tried to explain. Of course not, I. Without waiting for him to finish, that middle-aged man coldly admonished him.Of course, I know there is no way you could have comprehended the ReflectingMonolith in such a short amount of time! You think your powers of comprehensionare that great? Im saying that your attitude isnt proper! You can be as sillyas you want to be outside the mausoleum, you can be the first rank on the FirstBanner or have some other qualification, but youd better get this straight:this is the Mausoleum of Books! This is the place where countless Saints humblycomprehended the Dao! Ive met countless people that were first place on theFirst Banner, so dont think that your name allows you to be so impudent! Hearing these skull-splitting words of admonishment, Chen Changsheng wasstunned. If this was really a senior pointing out the flaws of the junior, thenit would have been fine, but it was very obvious that all the man wanted to dowas humiliate him. Stranger still, the man was a Monolith Guardian that couldnever leave the Mausoleum of Books, so why would he hold such enmity againstChen Changsheng? That middle-aged man looked at him without even concealing his contempt anddisgust. He continued, Im warning you, the Mausoleum of Books is a holyground! No matter how great your background is, you must still revere thisplace. And dont you even think about bringing any of those grotesque thingsfrom the chaotic world inside this place. At the very least, tell that to theman outside the mausoleum who came to find you.
212 A Myriad of Monolith Comprehension Methods Part One
After saying these words, the middle-aged man took his leave. Chen Changshengstood on the mountain path, baffled at what had just occurred, and naturallyalso a bit angry. After a little time had passed, he realized that the man hadlast mentioned that someone in front of the mausoleum was looking for ChenChangsheng. Arriving at the mausoleum entrance, he saw the still closed stonedoors, which made him reminisce on the scene from last night of Xun Mei walkingout those doors. Just as he had begun to feel somewhat melancholy, he suddenlyheard somebody calling his name. He followed the voice to the side of the stone door and saw that there was asmall window set into the wall, through which Priest Xin was waving at him.Somewhat surprised, he paid his respects through the window then asked, Whydid sir come? Priest Xin passed some things through the stone window and replied, HisEminence asked me to come and check on you. Chen Changsheng received the things and replied, All of our luggage is stillon the carriages. Yesterday they didnt let us bring it in. Those are the rules of the Mausoleum of Books. After theyve finishedchecking them, they will return it to you. It should probably all be done bythe end of the day. Chen Changsheng thought about those sour-smelling stinky blankets back in thegrass hut and decided to ask, Could I trouble sir to get us some cleanblankets? Priest Xin was surprised, then replied, That wont be difficult. Since they will be returning our luggage to us, then I dont think theresanything else I need. Chen Changsheng looked through the things Priest Xin had handed over andrealized that there was actually a bag of boiled chicken eggs. He could nothold back his curiosity and asked, In the Mausoleum of Books, do we have tomanage all three meals by ourselves? Priest Xin explained, Every school and sect has made preparations so thatevery day they can have supplies delivered. As for the commoner students, theImperial Court will supply them with daily necessities, but they will be oflesser quality. Right now the Orthodox Academy still has many things that needto be done, so you and Tang Thirty-Six definitely would not have made anypreparations. Instead, His Excellency the Bishop has already taken care of yourpreparations, so there is no need to worry. Holding a conversation through this tiny window, Chen Changsheng could not butfeel a little strange. It felt like he was a prisoner speaking with a visitor. Seeing his expression, Priest Xin guessed at what he was thinking. TheMausoleum of Books is a holy ground, yet it is also a prison. Chen Changsheng was a little surprised, but then he thought back to Xun Meisbitter experience. Thats reasonable. Many thanks to sir for this warning. How could I be the one to have said such reasonable words? His Holiness thePope of the previous generation said them. His Eminence asked that I conveythose words to you. I understand. Through the stone window, Priest Xin looked into his eyes. You must remember,in one months time the Garden of Zhou will open. You must come out before thattime. Chen Changsheng did not answer, but instead brought up the incident on themountain path with the arrogant Monolith Guardian. How could this happen? Priest Xin creased his brow. To make it easier for their students to view themonoliths, those various schools and academies probably found some way to curryfavor with a few of the Monolith Guardians. Along with their special status,this would probably make some of them arrogant and aloof; but they have alloffered themselves to the Orthodoxy, so how would they dare offend you? Chen Changsheng did not quite understand the logic behind these words. Notdare offend me? Seeing him so at a loss, Priest Xin smiled. Right now the entire world knowsthat you are someone watched over by His Holiness and the His Eminence. Tooffend you is to offend the Orthodoxy. When the Monolith Guardian had been lecturing, he had said that no matter howgreat Chen Changshengs background, the youth would still have to revere theMausoleum. Now that he had heard what Priest Xin had to say, Chen Changshenghad a newfound understanding of those words. Inwardly the youth guessed that itwas because of his background in the Orthodoxy that caused some of the MonolithGuardians to innately have some antipathy towards him. Pondering over these matters, Chen Changsheng walked back to the grass hut. Itwas completely empty. Those youths had all probably gone to the Mausoleum ofBooks to view the monoliths. The large pot of porridge he had cooked beforedawn had all been eaten up and all the dishes had already been washed. Even thewater jar had been refilled. Although he had not seen who had done it, for somereason he felt that it had been Gou Hanshi who had taken care of it all. Even though there would be new blankets, Chen Changsheng still took the threeblankets that Xun Mei left over and carefully washed them several times. Onlyafter making sure that the thirty-seven years worth of sweat and sour tastehad been completely washed away did he finally put them out to dry in thecourtyard. He then cut through the orange grove and came to a distant vegetablefield. It was the beginning of spring, when the yellow had not turned to green,so the vegetable field did not have much fresh produce to choose from. Thegreen that could be seen was onions, garlic, and leeks. He picked a few springonions and dug a few potatoes, then returned to the courtyard and began toprepare lunch. Once Chen Changsheng had brought the water in the pot to boil, he took some ofthe dried meat Priest Xin had given him, cut it in two, and threw it into thepot. On top of the meat, he began to cook the rice. Inside the rice he hadmixed in fingernail-sized potato pieces. He washed and diced the spring onions,then arranged them on the kitchen stove. He also took out the boiled eggs,ready to place them by the side of the pot at any time. Having finished, henodded his head in satisfaction and washed his hands. While it was true that salted fish and dried meat were tasty and paired wellwith rice, they were not very healthy; eating a lot would be bad for the body.Priest Xin said the archbishop had taken care of matters. The Mount Li SwordSect would probably also have sent someone to deliver supplies. He didnt knowif he would be able to guarantee fresh meat and produce in the future. ChengShangsheng sat on the doorstep thinking about these sorts of things. Ifyesterday he played the tourist for the entire day, then today was he going toplay the cook? In the Mausoleum of Books, rather than go view the monoliths tostrenuously ponder their secrets, he instead thought of these sorts of matters.If someone were able to see him sitting on the doorstep lost in thought, whoknows what their reaction would be? As Chen Changsheng sat on the doorstep, he looked out into the grass hutscourtyard at the half-toppled fence and the not particularly good-looking treesin the orange grove. It was very peaceful, and for a very long time he did notmove an inch. Obviously, matters of food and drink did not need such a longtime to think about, and he had never been concerned about matters between menand women; so what was he pondering? Gazing at the toppled fence and the fog in the forest gradually beingdispersed by the sun, he was extraordinarily focused, to the extent that hedidnt even realize that the luggage that they had left outside the mausoleumhad been delivered. The cries of birdsong finally caused him to awaken from his contemplation,upon which he finally saw the small mountain of luggage to his side. He walkedover and found his bag, then took a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from it. Hethen resumed sitting on the doorstep, staring off at the fence and the trees,except this time his hand held a brush and inkstone with ink by his side. As time passed, the sun gradually rose higher, and the angle at which lightstruck the courtyard changed with it. The fence was very scant and, moreover, on the verge of the collapse. Amongstthe stakes, though, there were a few that were thicker than the rest. As the light changed, the shadows that those stakes cast also changed. Thetips of the branches of those trees in the grove also began to change. Thestakes began to grow shorter. Beside them the thin stalks of bamboo began togrow wider. Under the ever brighter sun, some of branch tips seemed ready todisappear; whereas others, because of the shadow cast by the light, grew moredistinct. Chen Changsheng quietly looked at this scene and its various transformations.He thought back to the early morning in front of the monolith hut. As the sunrose, the lines upon the surface of the monolith changed with red warmth of thesunrise, as if they had come to life. When the edges of the deep lines were litby the sun they seemed to grow thinner, while the shallow lines seemed to growwider. Those complex and ineffable lines: the Monolith Inscriptions. The inscriptionsthat had endured countless years of wind and rain and would never change. Butwere not they changing at this very moment? If the messages hidden within theMonolith Inscriptions were fixed, how is it that everyone that had read themfound different meanings? Yes, it was all because of these changes. Chen Changsheng dipped his brush in ink, opened his notebook, and began todraw. He didnt use words to record his insights, instead capturing what was infront of his eyes as well as his inferences. He began to describe those lineson the Reflecting Monolith, the end of his brush traveling heavily across thepaper. After who knows how long had passed, Chen Changshengs brush stopped. He hadactually managed to draw the entirety of the lower right corner of theReflecting Monolith into the notebook. He then took out the book of rubbingsthat he had bought in one of stall outside the Mausoleum, turned to the pagewith the Reflecting Monolith and began to compare the two. He then realizedthat there was a large discrepancy between them; compared to the rubbings, thedrawing on his notebook was clearly much more vivid. If his strokes had beeneven more vigorous, perhaps those drawings would be even more vivid, as if theywere about to come to life. The fog in the forest had completely dissipated, and the bamboo in the fencehad become drier. The light shining on the courtyard was incredibly bright; itwas actually now noon. Chen Changsheng rubbed his aching eyes, then closed his eyes to rest them fora while. As he got up to prepare lunch, he realized that no one had come back.All around the grass hut was silence. Because the temperature had risen, eventhe birds in the trees did not feel like singing. He felt rather lonelystanding in front of the door by himself.. The rice had long ago been cooked, so he placed it on the side to cool. Thefragrant smell of the potatoes mixed with that of the dried meat, making for avery strange yet alluring smell. He took out one half of the dried meat fromthe pot, and after a moments thought sliced off only a small piece. He cutthis piece into even smaller pieces and poured them into the rice bowl. He alsopeeled a boiled egg. Along with a cup of mild tea, he hastily concluded hislunch. After the meal, he took a casual stroll around the courtyard, then he returnedto the hut and took a rest on the bed. He then returned to the doorstep,notebook in his left hand and brush in his right, and resumed being lost inthought while staring at the scenery. If the light was incessantly changingwith time, then he would have to incessantly examine it. As the sun gradually set, the rays of light that spilled over the courtyardgradually grew more intense. The stakes and bamboo stalks that made up thefence, the tree branches which splayed in every direction, they all changedwith the light. Chen Changsheng watched quietly for a very long time, thenfinally put his brush to the paper, attempting to commit all the changes thathe had observed in the afternoon. The changes were not very precise, onlyrepresenting a set of hastily executed lines. By dusk, he had drawn the majority of the inscriptions of the ReflectingMonolith. He knew that he was not far from understanding this set of MonolithInscriptions. At this time, the other people boarding at the grass hut returned to thecourtyard one by one. The first to arrive was Liang Banhu. Chen Changsheng nodded his head at him ingreeting, but Liang Banhu did not seem to notice. Liang Banhu headed straighttowards the kitchen and drank a ladle of water. Afterwards he headed out thecourtyard and stood on the collapsed portion of fence that Tang Thirty-Six hadlast night pushed over. He stared at the sun gradually setting below themountain, his face full of sadness and joy. Qi Jian followed soon after. The youth was rather dazed, but he didnt forgetto greet Chen Changsheng. As Qi Jian entered the hut, he narrowly avoidedstriking his head against the door. After some time, he emerged from the hutand, for some reason, bowed his head and began to walk around the courtyard.His mouth constantly moved, but it was hard to know what he was saying.
213 A Myriad of Monolith Comprehension Methods Part Two
One person stood on the broken fencing while watching the distant setting sun,his face filled with both sorrow and joy. Another person was pacing around theshabby thatched cottage, his mouth seemingly chanting spells, so he seemed tobe deranged. This scene was truly rather odd. Who would have thought that thesetwo youths were disciples of the heaven-shaking Mount Li Sword Sect and membersof the Divine States Seven Laws? Chen Changsheng had also initially been shocked, but then he had rememberedthat Liang Banhu and Qi Jian had most likely just come back from viewing themonoliths. They had likely been struck by some insight and were in the processof digesting it, so he did not bother them. As twilight continued to darken the sky, more and more people were returningto the grass hut. Gou Hanshis expression was as calm as ever. It seemed thatcomprehending the monolith inscriptions had not done any harm to his mind. Asfor the forcefully abducted Guan Feibai, he was worse off than Liang Banhu andQi Jian. Like a drunkard, he constantly shouted, I can still hold on for a bitlonger, I can still hold on for a bit longer! Chen Changsheng asked, Hes fine, right? Hes fine, its just that hes used up too much spiritual sense. The shockinflicted by the monolith inscriptions on his sea of consciousness was toogreat. Gou Hanshi apologized for his juniors lack of manners, and used his fingersto press a few pressure points to make Guan Feibai fall asleep, before tossinghim into the hut. Chen Changsheng had deliberately not used any of his spiritual sense when hehad been viewing the monolith. Now that he had seen the state of Guan Feibai,he felt that it had been right to be careful. Tang Thirty-Six returned, his face filled with fatigue. He could not musterthe strength to say anything. He waved at Chen Changsheng, then immediatelyentered the hut and went straight to sleep. The last to arrive was Zhexiu. Bythen, the night had already turned pitch-black. The many stars in the skyshined upon Zhexius abnormally pale face. It was very obvious that he too hadalso consumed an excessive amount of spiritual sense. With the departure of the setting sun, Liang Banhu awoke from his stupor. QiJian had also grown tired of walking. Wiping his sweat, he returned to thecourtyard. However, upon remembering what he had done, his face flushed redfrom embarrassment. Chen Changsheng went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Gou Hanshi brought QiJian along to assist. Before long, the house became filled with the smell ofsteamed rice, as well as other scents. Qi Jian went to wake up Guan Feibai andTang Thirty-Six for dinner. Gou Hanshi and Liang Banhu sat at the table insilence, with two plates of dried meat in front of them. Whats wrong? Chen Changsheng asked. The cooked, dried meat had been sliced up and split between the two plates. Onone plate, the dried meat had been fried with onions and oil, while on theother plate, it had been soaked in sugar. Gou Hanshi replied, Ididnt think that sugar could be put on dried meat. Liang Banhus expression was somewhat fearful. Will it taste good? I had it twice when I was little, it tastes very good. Chen Changshengoffered Gou Hanshi a pair of chopsticks. Gou Hanshi took up a piece of the sugarcoated meat, and creased his brows ashe placed it in his mouth. After chewing it around, his brows relaxed. There was no way Liang Banhu would fail to interpret his seniors expression.With gusto, he grabbed a few pieces of the sugarcoated meat for his own bowl,and then squatted over by the doorstep and gulped it all down. After dinner, Qi Jian washed the dishes. Guan Feibai sat by the table, hisface still gloomy. Clearly, he was still rather dissatisfied at being pulledaway from the Heavenly Tome Monoliths by Gou Hanshi. Not happy? Gou Hanshi calmly asked. Guan Feibais expression suddenly became fearful. He quickly got up and bowed.This junior would not dare. Gou Hanshi shook his head. You still arent willing to leave the ReflectingMonolith. Guan Feibai helplessly replied, Those people whose levels of cultivation areso much less than mine are still persevering in front of the monolith.Obviously, I can still view them for a bit longer. What sort of things are the Heavenly Tome Monoliths? How can it be thatstudying and comprehending them is a one-day affair? Why should it occupy yourevery waking moment? Guan Feibai was somewhat vexed. In one month, the Garden of Zhou will open.Theres too little timeWang Po took one year to comprehend thirty-onemonoliths. My cultivation is so far below his, and I only have a month! Howmany monoliths can I comprehend? Senior, I can only do my best to make use ofevery second. Although the Garden of Zhou is good, how can it compare to the Mausoleum ofBooks? Before we left the sect, master told us that regardless of whathappened, the first thing that we should do is to grasp the meaning of thosemonoliths in the Mausoleum of BooksSect Master definitely knew of the theGarden of Zhous opening, so this was probably what he meant. Of course,cultivating the Dao is all on the individual, so you can make your owndecision. Gou Hanshi shifted his gaze to Qi Jian and Liang Banhu, who were currentlywashing the dishes, then looked back at the tightly closed door. You shouldall think very carefully about this. I also heard that even Mount Li Sword Sects Sect Master thinks the same way. Chen Changsheng looked at Zhexius pale face and shook his head. He took out afew needles, used his fingers to press a few places on Zhexius shoulders, thenslowly and firmly pushed the needles in. His fingers kneaded Zhexius stomachin a seemingly casual manner, but there seemed to be a rhythm to it. As he didthis, he continued to speak, This is only the first monolith, why so anxious? Zhexiu expressionlessly said, Its precisely because this is the firstmonolith that they are anxious. Chen Changsheng sent his true essence through the needles into Zhexius body,keeping a close watch on the state of his meridians, as he asked, And why isthat? Zhexiu looked out the window. In front of the Mausoleum of Books, there is amonolith. There were once many names on the monolith, but later on, they wereall hacked off. Chen Changsheng knew of the monolith Zhexiu spoke of. That monolith held aranking similar to that of the Proclamation of Azure Clouds. It ranked peopleby the speed at which they comprehended the monoliths. A hundred years ago,after the Divine Empress had acted in place of His Majesty to ascend the DivinePath and offered sacrifices to the heavens, she had seen that monolith. To viewthe monoliths was to glimpse the Heavenly Dao, and she had felt this rankingdisrespected the Heavenly Dao, so she had ordered for it to be destroyed. Even though the ranking on that monolith is no more, who would forget thosenames? Zhexiu continued, There were twenty-three people who needed only one day tocomprehend the Reflecting Monolith. In the past, Zhou Dufu only needed to takea glance at the surface of the monolith before immediately moving to thesecond. Thinking about this legendary figure who had possessed a nigh unfathomablelevel of talent, Chen Changsheng could only remain silent. Tang Thirty-Six was laying on his side in the bed with his furskin rolled upto his chest, watching as Chen Changsheng treated Zhexiu. Upon hearing thosewords, he could not help but be a little angry. Youre embarrassed because youdidnt successfully comprehend the monolith on the first day? Then what aboutus who have already spent two days? Zhexiu could not turn his head, so he calmly looked out the window as hereplied. Idiots? Tang Thirty-Six was furious. If you werent a sick patient, Id kill you. Zhexiu emotionlessly replied, If I didnt need Chen Changsheng to treat myillness, Id have killed you at the Grand Examination. Chen Changsheng removed some needles from Zhexius neck. The interlayer ofyour main governing meridian connecting your sea of consciousness to you hassome problems, so every time your sea of consciousness surges, it causes theTide Rush of Blood. Youve always used the strength of your will to suppressit, but if your spiritual sense was excessively consumed and you became unableto hold it back, it is extremely possible that the problem within yourmeridians will erupt. At that point, who would be able to save you? Zhexiu understood that Chen Changsheng was advising him to not spend so muchtime viewing the monoliths or be overly absorbed into it. However, he paid itno attention. Chen Changsheng continued, You said before, that compared to gettingstronger, living with a clear mind was far more important. After a moments pause, Zhexiu replied, Yes, but if Im not strong enough, Iwont survive for very long in the place I live in. It was just like Gou Hanshi had said, cultivating the Dao was all on theindividual. Chen Changsheng could not give any good advice on this sort ofmatter. Turning to Tang Thirty-Six, he asked, How was your progress today incomprehending the monoliths? Tang Thirty-Six casually replied, I matched the lines on the monolith to mymeridians, then I stimulated my true essenceSince ancient times, theReflecting Monolith had always been understood in this way. Could there beanother? Guan Feibais mocking voice came from outside the door. Its been severalthousand years, but you northerners are still using this dim-witted method. Nowonder the number of skilled people is becoming less and less. How could theHeavenly Tome Monolith inscriptions be the lines through which true essencetravels? Its obviously better to perceive them with the spiritual sense!
214 A Myriad of Monolith Comprehension Methods Part Three
Comprehending the monoliths was not deciphering some sort of riddle, becausethose complex lines and patterns were not a question, but a message.Comprehending the monoliths was understanding the messages on the Heavenly TomeMonoliths. Since the Heavenly Tome Monoliths were not questions, then therewere naturally no standard solutions. It was just like the stars shining upon the many rivers. When the same starsshone upon different rivers, they each would have their own kind of beautytheinscriptions of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths did not change, but how they wereunderstood was up to each viewer. According to the viewers scholarlyattainments, level of cultivation, and life experiences, identical monolithinscriptions would inevitably be interpreted differently. In that case, whatsort of interpretation was correct? It was as mentioned before, there were nostandard solutions. The Heavenly Tome Monoliths did not speak, and only usedthe simplest, yet most mysterious method of judgment. For however many years the Heavenly Tome Monoliths had rested on thecontinent, humanity had attempted to understand them. They had alreadydeveloped countless methods, even schools of thought, for comprehending themonoliths. Even now, there were dozens of schools of thought that were stillused or mentioned. There were three most respected methods amongst these thatcould be considered mainstream. The school of thought which had the most authority was the Orthodoxys LiPalace method. Their method of comprehending the monoliths emphasized clingingto shape, and that the patterns represented the paths through which trueessence traveled. The school of the southern sects, namely the Holy MaidenPeak, was to subtly extract the meaning. They believed that the method ofunderstanding the Monolith Inscriptions should not be so inflexible, andbelieved that they could comprehend the inscriptions through the use of theirspiritual sense. The third schools method seemed to balance the special pointsof both the North and the South on the surface, but in reality, it just asstubbornly believed that the monolith inscriptions were clearly all the resultsof sword intent, sword forms, and sword moves. This school was known as thetechnique school. The method of comprehending the Heavenly Tome Monoliths was an extremelyimportant matter. The disagreements on methods probably played no small role inthe splintering of the Orthodoxy into the North and the South. Right up untilpresent times, the Holy Maiden Peaks southern cultivators still held a grudgeover the authority that the Li Palace had over the Heavenly Tome Monoliths.Since each of the methods emphasized different things, different cultivatorswould naturally comprehend different things from the monoliths. The mostmiraculous thing was that, regardless of whether it was Li Palaces method orthe Holy Maiden Peaks method, they both worked in some sense. When cultivatorsentered the Mausoleum of Books, they would inevitably gain things. Thecultivators who succeeded would then firmly believe that the method they hadused was the correct one. The other schools of thought simply used tricks; itwas believed that even if they succeeded in comprehending the monoliths, theywould ultimately be moving farther and farther away from the Great Dao. As a person of Zhou, Tang Thirty-Six inevitably felt that the Li Palacesmethod was correct. Guan Feibai was a disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect, soof course he felt the mind method of comprehending the monoliths was the onlycorrect path. When he heard the tone of Tang Thirty-Sixs voice, he could nolonger refrain from speaking out. Through the door separating them, he mockedTang Thirty-Six. Tang Thirty-Six had the sort of temperament where even ifsomeone did not provoke him, he would still insult their close ones. Obviously,in this situation where he was provoked in such a manner, his expressionabruptly changed, and he could not hold back anymore. A stream of expletivesflew from his lips, and after a few moments, the grass hut became filled witharguments and ceaseless battle. Some time later, Tang Thirty-Six and Guan Feibai finally got tired, andtranquility was restored. Then, with the door as a divider, the inner room andouter room split into two similar scenes. In the outside room, Guan Feibai,Liang Banhu, and Qi Jian looked at their senior Gou Hanshi. In the inner room,Tang Thirty-Six and Zhexiu stared at Chen Changsheng in silence. From the Ivy League Gathering to the Grand Examination, the Orthodox Academyand the Mount Li Sword Sect had been at odds with each other. Regardless ofwhether it was Chen Changshengs and Xu Yourongs engagement, or theirsuccessive series of battles, the grudges between the two of them were too manyto count. Although Zhexiu had come later, he had fought in the GrandExamination with the intent of opening the way for Chen Changsheng, and haddefeated Qi Jian and Guan Feibai with a fierce hand. In the eyes of the MountLi Sword Sect, he was just as deserving of their hate. However, under thecontrol of Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng, this hostile mood did not get out ofcontrol. Last night, the two sides had slept under the same roof, but this didnot mean the end of their resentments. Now that the debate, or quarrel, betweenTang Thirty-Six and Guan Feibai had escalated up to this point, it wasdifficult to continue. Naturally, someone had to come in and decide the winner. Naturally, their hopes rested on the two that had studied the Daoist Canon,Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng.. A gust of night wind came in, causing the wooden door to slowly creak open.The four disciples of the Li Shan Sword Sect and the three from the OrthodoxAcademy stared at each other in deathly silence. Gou Hanshi suddenly asked Chen Changsheng, Which method do you think is themost feasible? He did not ask which one was right, because there was no right or wrong forthis sort of thing. Chen Changsheng thought it over, not immediately answering. The Daoist Canon elaborated on many methods for comprehending the monoliths.As for the three main school, their accounts were even more exhaustive. SinceChen Changsheng had studied the Daoist Canon, he naturally knew these methodsby heart. But for some reason, when he had viewed the Reflecting Monolithtoday, he had purposely not used any of the three methods. Instead, he hadwalked upon a new, stranger, and inevitably more difficult path. I believethat none of these three methods are necessarily correct. He gave an answer that no one had expected. In addition, he had used the wordcorrect, indicating that he believed the question to have a right and wrong. Upon hearing these words, everyone in the grass hut was shocked, includingTang Thirty-Six. Gou Hanshi frowned. Dont tell me you believe the Heavenly Book isindecipherable? The Continent had many methods for comprehending the monoliths, but there werealso many people, including priests in the Orthodoxy, that believed that theHeavenly Book could not be comprehended. All the attempts to understand theMonolith Inscriptions were absurd and ridiculous. Even if someone possessingincredible wisdom came, they would only be able to understand the message thatthe Monolith Inscriptions wanted to give them. They would be incapable ofseeing the Heavenly Daos true meaning. No, I only think that the schools of thought today have all deviated fromthe Heavenly Tome Monoliths original meaning. Chen Changsheng plainly explained, Regardless of whether it is adhering tothe shape, extracting meaning, or imitating techniques, the goals of all thesemethods of comprehension is to cultivate the Dao. But in reality, the earliesthumans that viewed the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, or more precisely, the firstperson that ever understood the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, certainly did not knowhow to cultivateso I believe all three methods are incorrect. The grass hut became very quiet because everyone realized that ChenChangshengs argument was very reasonable. But Gou Hanshi shook his head.Those who cannot cultivate would naturally be unable to comprehend the methodsof cultivations, but we can cultivateits just like a child that doesnt knowhow to read; hey would never be able to understand the beauty in songs andpoems, but we can. According to your logic, wouldnt we have to completely ridourselves of our knowledge and turn into ignorant children before we canunderstand the original meaning of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths? Not convinced, Tang Thirty-Six asked, The child in the bosom is pure andinnocent, thus it can be close to the Great Dao. The Daoist Scriptures havealways said thiswhat if thats true? Discarding the sacred and casting away knowledge doesnt mean that we wouldreally become idiots. Qi Jian softly replied. Gou Hanshi raised his hand, indicating that now was not the time to discussthis question. Turning to Chen Changsheng, he asked, In that case, what sortof method did you use to comprehend the monolith today? Chen Changsheng concealed nothing, relaying the observations he had made ofthe monolith before dawn, as well as the changes in the scenery that he hadobserved in the courtyard. If the Monolith Inscriptions are unchanging inmeaning, why is it that the messages that everyone comprehends are completelydifferent? Thats why I believe that the meaning of the Monolith Inscriptionsis within these changes. Gou Hanshi remembered something and asked, Seven hundred years ago, thePrince of Ruyang Chen Zi entered the Mausoleum of Books to view the monolithsand wrote an essay on this matter. He seems to have had a similar view on it asyou.. Yes. Chen Changsheng continued, The Prince of Ruyang used one year to graspthe meaning of seventeen monoliths. Amongst the imperial family, he would rankin the top ten. I still believe that this method is not feasible. Chen Changsheng seriously asked, Why? Because the monoliths of the front mausoleum are already extremelycomplicated. A cool breeze, the starry sky, the scorching sun, the night snow;the changes in light are even harder to keep track of. Its simply impossibleto make a thorough examination. The sampling of one persons observations issimply too small. Even if you disregarded all this, you would still need toselect a target in order to determine any changes with time. How would youchoose this? After a moments thought, Chen Changsheng replied, Intuition. Gou Hanshi said nothing more. The grass hut grew quiet once again. The Heavenly Book was indecipherable, yet it could also be comprehended at anytime. On the surface, it seemed like all the methods described by these youthswere all reasonable. Different cultivators had different methods of comprehending the monoliths,stating this sort of thing was meaningless. After some hesitation, Qi Jian asked, How did you think of thismethod?...Its too far off the beaten path. Chen Changsheng chuckled. The world has a myriad of monolith comprehensionmethods. I only have one question: are they easy to be used? It makes sense. Its just like the dried meat you cooked; regardless ofwhether it was cooked with sugar or onions and garlic, you only need to ask onequestion: does it taste good? Gou Hanshi smiled, but then he restrained himself. He sternly warned ChenChangsheng, But I advise you not to tell anyone about this. Chen Changsheng was stunned by these words, but then realized what they meant. If he was still that young daoist from Xining village that had just arrived atthe capital, who would care about what method he used to comprehend themonoliths? No one would have paid him any attention. However, by this point hisstatus had gone through a great transformation. In a variety of ways, he hadbeen chosen by the Li Palace. To the eyes of the world, his many actions werepossibly a reflection of the Orthodoxys will. Zhexiu, who had remained silent this entire time, suddenly opened his mouth.He expressionlessly told the four from the Mount Li Sword Sect, Now we have tosee what you all think. Gou Hanshi laughed, but said nothing. Although his nature was mild, he stillhad his own pride. They all stopped discussing it and began to wash their faces and prepare forbed. As Chen Changsheng was putting away his notebook, he suddenly thought ofsomething. Walking to the outer room, he handed his notebook over to GouHanshi. Can you take a look at this? I drew it by relying on my senses. Gou Hanshi felt a bit uneasy. The debate before had been one thing, to giveones notes on the Monolith Inscriptions to another was yet another thing. Hethought it over, then took out a small booklet from his chest and handed it toChen Changsheng. Before I entered the Mausoleum of Books, I made somepreparations. This booklet contains some of my notes. Chen Changsheng laughed, Gou Hanshi also laughed. The two exchanged glances,then suddenly went quiet. The smiles on their faces slowly disappeared, only tobe replaced with expressions of shock. The youths that had finished washing their faces saw this sort of scene uponreturning to the room. It should be somewhere in the room. Gou Hanshi said. Chen Changsheng replied, Its not in the blankets. When I was folding themduring the day, I didnt see any sort of notes. I didnt even see a sheet ofpaper. Puzzled, Tang Thirty-Six rubbed his wet hair. What are you guys talkingabout? Xun Meis notebook. Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi chorused in unison. Immediately afterwards, they simultaneously turned around to rummage throughthe things in the room.
215 The Thin Notebook that Tempts People
Liang Banhu and Qi Jian also realized very quickly, and began looking for itwith Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi. The grass hut was not big at all, so inthat brief amount of time, it had already been completely searched by them.Even the top of the kitchen and the water tank was not neglected. For a while,the dust danced around inside the whole hut. Tang Thirty-Six on the other hand did not show any reaction, and still thoughtabout what Chen Changsheng had said before. He chased behind him, andconstantly asked, If you rip open the bedsheets, where are we sleeping later?Although the blankets Senior Xun Mei left behind are indeed smelly and hard toput up with, at least there is something to cover up with. I tell you, I willnot sleep under that bloody fur skin no matter what. That thing is too hot. Everybody secretly thought that this young master of the Wenshui Tang familyhad indeed led an extravagant life ever since he was young, and was differentfrom other people. At this time, he only worried about whether he could sleepcomfortably. Most of the Li Shan Sword Sect disciples originated from poorhouseholds, and did not like Tang Thirty-Sixs normal conduct at all, so rightnow, they were even more unimpressed with him, they all ignored him. Chen Changsheng had just finished searching through the fireplace, and hisface was covered with soot. Hearing Tang Thirty-Sixs whinging behind him, hestopped his actions helplessly and said, The new bedding will be delivered ina jiffy, so dont make a fuss out of it. Only now did Tang Thirty-Six ease his mind slightly, and asked curiously,What are you looking for? Chen Changsheng said, Didnt I just tell you, its Senior Xun Meis notebook. What notebook? Tang Thirty-Six obviously still had not realized. His notebook for comprehending the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. Chen Changshengwalked outside, and looked at the wattled fencing. He thought whether it couldactually hidden in the ground or not, and if it was, that it would be hard tofind. Only now did Tang Thirty-Six understand why everybodys reactions were sointense. He quickly rolled up his sleeves, and said, This is somethingimportant. We need to find it quickly. The grass hut quietened down, and only the sounds of overturning boxes andknocking walls remained. However, this quietness did not remain for too long.Tang Thirty-Sixs headache-causing voice once again resounded, I say, if therereally is a notebook, who does the notebook belong to? Guan Feibai currently stood on the kitchen table, and looked at the beam whichthe cured meat hung from. After hearing that, he said in a bad mood, Itbelongs to whoever that finds it first. Tang Thirty-Six disagreed, and said, Why so? We obviously moved in herefirst. Qi Jian rubbed away the sweat droplets on his face, and said very seriously,Last night, when Senior Xun Mei was heavily injured in front of the DivinePath, he said that he left this grass hut to all of us. Zhexiu said expressionlessly, It belongs to whoever that finds it. Tang Thirty-Six glanced around, and thought how many people the Li Shan SwordSect had, and how diligently they were looking for it now. He was scared thatthey would find it first, so he brought out an idea. We should take a step back. No matter who finds it, we can just look at ittogether. Dust flew in the air, and the wattled fencing of the courtyard fell over evenmore.The grass of the roof was lifted, and even the flooring near the well waslifted. Just as the grass hut was almost taken apart by everybody, a pleasantlysurprised shout could finally be heard. Found it! Everybody was exalted, and rushed into the hut following the sound. They onlysaw that an extra, thin notebook had appeared in Tang Thirty-Sixs hand. TangThirty-Sixs expression was slightly complicated. He was naturally happy frombeing able to find the notebook Xun Mei had left behind, but the problem wasthat he had already suggested beforehand that no matter who found it, they wereto look at it together... Id rather let you guys find it. Perhaps I would be happier. He placed thatthin notebook onto the table, and said regretfully, Why was I the one whofound it? Where was it? Chen Changsheng asked curiously. Tang Thirty-Six pointed to the square table behind him and said, It wasplaced under the table leg. Did you not see it? There was a period of silence. Everybody had already eaten two meals on thatsmall square table in the kitchen, but nobody thought that Xun Mei wouldactually place such an important notebook under the table leg. Perhaps this wasthe logic of the darkness under the light. Thinking of how they had riskedtearing down the house, they could not help but feel slightly embarrassed. Liang Banhu looked at Tang Thirty-Six and said, Who would have thought youhad the skill to find things? Tang Thirty-Six said, In the Wenshui Clan, grandpa often uses silver notes toraise the table leg. When I was young, I often went to steal them, so I glancedtowards it out of habit. Who thought it really was under the table leg. There was still a period of silence. Including Chen Changsheng, everybody hadlost interest in talking to him. They were never people of the same world, soit was very hard to communicate both smoothly and happily. The dust slowly settled, the tables and chairs were wiped down again. The hutwas tidied up, and after everything was completed, the seven people stoodaround the small square table. Using the slightly dull lamp, they stared at thetable top. Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi raised their heads, and looked into eachothers eyes. They thought how Xun Mei had specially left this grass hut forthem to live in when he was at deaths door. He had also said that he likedtranquility, and did not want too many people to move in. At that time, theyfelt that it was slightly weird, and only now did they finally understand thedeep meaning hidden within. Xun Mei spent thirty-seven years in the Mausoleum to view monoliths. The mostimportant property he had left behind obviously was not this grass hut, nor thesmelly blankets of the three beds, but the thin, old notebook on the table. As Gou Hanshi lifted open the first page of the notebook, six heads extendedforwards. This thin notebook was the notebook of Xun Mei. Inside it, it carriedthe records of what he had comprehended from the monoliths, and even moreimportantly, the various ideas and experiments he attempted beforecomprehending the monolith. Within these densely packed words carried a wholethirty-seven years of knowledge. Xun Mei spent thirty-seven years in the Mausoleum of Books, and hadcomprehended several dozens of Heavenly Tome monoliths. He naturally was unableto record the entire process of comprehending each monolith flawlessly, butjust like all the other monolith viewers, the meaning of the first monolith ofthe front mausoleum, the Reflecting Monolith, was especially different. Severaldozens of years ago, the feelings he had experienced when he first saw thestone monolith, as well as the choice of the method he took to comprehend themonolith afterwards and his change in mental state after comprehending themonolith, were all recorded extremely clearly. The Heavenly Tome Monoliths never changed, but those who viewed the monolithwere instead distinct individuals. The method of how a previous personcomprehended the monolith naturally could not be used directly by the followingpeople. Otherwise, people like the Sect Elders of the Li Shan Sword Sect wouldhave already personally passed the methods of comprehending the monoliths todisciples like Gou Hanshi. However, the process and valuable experience ofprevious people who comprehended the monoliths could help the following peopleto provide a path of mental thought, so they can avoid some of the manydeviations the path. Other than the Monolith Guardians who could never leavethe mausoleum in their life, and the Saints or members of the Eight Storms ofCardinal Directions that could view the Heavenly Tomes whenever they wished,how many more people were more experienced than Xun Mei who had spentthirty-seven years viewing the monoliths? If this thin notebook were to becirculated, it would definitely become the target for countless organisationsto fight over. The teenagers who sat around the table knew very well that this type of goodfortune was naturally incomparably valuable. Staring at those words in the thinnotebook, they constantly pondered and gasped as Gou Hanshi turned the pages. There was silence in the grass hut. After an unknown amount of time, Gou Hanshi closed the thin notebook. TangThirty-Six was deeply absorbed into it, so he stood up and said in alarm, Whatare you doing? Hurry up and open it so we can see more. Chen Changsheng said, There is still a lot of time. We can look through itslowly later. There should always be time for digesting it. Also, we haventgotten past the first monolith, so just reading this part is enough. Only after hearing that did Tang Thirty-Six sit down quietly. Gou Hanshi gazed at the notebook in front of him and said, Senior indeed is asenior. Everybody else also sighed concurring with his statement. The notebook had it written down very clearly that Xun Mei had only used twodays to comprehend the Reflection Monolith. However, what was even moremind-blowing and had made them show even more admiration was that in the firsttwo days, Xun Mei had actually only tried two methods of comprehension.However, afterwards in the long period of time he spent viewing monoliths,perhaps he was bored, or perhaps the later monoliths were too hard tocomprehend, he once tried comprehending the Reflection Monolith again in hisspare time. In the end, he actually discovered seven different methods thatcould be used to comprehend the Reflection Monolith.. Seven successful ways ofcomprehension, what kind of idea was that? As Zhexiu, Guan Feibai and the other three had already spent too long duringthe day viewing the monoliths in the mausoleum of books, their mental strengthwas overly exhausted. They had also understood as well as absorbed theexperiences in Xun Meis notebook, so they were all already asleep. As ChenChangsheng and Gou Hanshi only viewed the monoliths for a limited amount oftime, and also because they had already undergone Ethereal Opening, they stillhad a decent amount of mental strength, they stood in the yard and looked atthe sky full of stars. They did not intend to rest. I want to go a look at it for a little more. Chen Changsheng looked at those stars in the night sky, and thought of thesixth method Xun Mei used mentioned in the notebook. He suddenly had animpulsion and wanted to see the change of the monolith inscriptions under thestarlight. Gou Hanshi, I also have such an idea. When they said go, they went. The two crossed through the orange grove, andwalked towards the Mausoleum of Books. Not long after, they arrived in front ofthe mausoleum. It was the only path in the mausoleum, and under the brillianceof the star light, it was like a jade belt. It was very pretty. Just when he was about to ascend the mausoleum, Chen Changsheng suddenlystopped his steps, and looked at him. He asked, You have already looked at themonoliths for two days, so you should have already comprehended it. Otherwise,it would not make sense. Whether it made sense or not, he had already battled against Gou Hanshi threetimes from the Ivy League Gathering to the Grand Examination, so they were veryclear about what types of people each other were. Although he was placed firstupon the first banner, he knew that it was just that he did not fear death asmuch as Gou Hanshi, or that he just feared death more. If they really had thementioned cultivation level and the knowledge they knew, he was very lacking incomparison to Gou Hanshi. In the afternoon, Chen Changsheng was sure that he was only a step away fromcomprehending the monolith, and after looking at Xun Meis notes, he was evenmore sure of this thought. Gou Hanshi had already looked at it for two days, soit would not make sense that he was still unable to comprehend the monolithinscriptions. Gou Hanshi stayed silent for a while, before saying, I want to wait for myjuniors. As long as he wished, he could comprehend the Reflection Monolith whenever hewanted, and move onto the second Heavenly Tome Monolith. Regarding this, he didnot want to hide it from Chen Changsheng. Just how great of an attraction the Heavenly Tome monoliths had to cultivatorscould be known from just looking at Zhexiu, Qi Jian and Liang Banhuspale-faced and senseless look. To purposely slow down his speed of monolithcomprehension for the pupils of the same master? If someone else had said that,Chen Changsheng would definitely not believe it, but he was Gou Hanshi. Chen Changsheng did not like Xu Yourong, and did not regard the marriagecontract with any importance at all. However, because of this, he did not havea favorable impression of Qiushan Jun or the Mount Li Sword Sect withoutquestion, but he was Gou Hanshi. Gou Hanshi said, My other reason is that I am waiting for someone. If nothinggoes wrong, you will see him after two days. At that time, I will introduce himto you. Are you not curious what the monolith inscriptions of the second HeavenlyTome monolith is like? Chen Changsheng asked. Gou Hanshi said, Of course I want to know. However, just like what Senior XunMei has written in the notebook, different methods to comprehend tablets doesnot mean that it will bring different types of joy. There is no harm in stayingback for another two days.
216 Viewing the Monoliths in the Night by Lantern Light Part One
The night was dark. Unlike last night, there were no longer many people sitting intoxicated beforethe monolith unwilling to leave. Those who still remained in front of themonolith all had relatively strong spiritual senses, thus being able to holdout until now. Chen Changsheng looked as far out as he could and saw twostudents from the Star Seizer Academy: the senior sister from the Holy MaidenPeak, as well as that girl called Ye Xiaolian. There were also severalexaminees from the Grand Examination that Chen Changsheng had seen before, buthad failed to remember the names or origins of. The most prominent ones werethe three scholars from Scholartree Manor that had ended up closest to themonolith. In the dark, their plain white robes were especially eye-catching. With only a glance, one could tell that there was a problem with thisscenethe farther one was from the monolith hut, the stronger their level ofcultivation was. He did not know if this was some hidden rule, or if somedispute had already taken place. The three scholars from Scholartree Manor were closest to the monolith hut. Zhong Hui stood in front of the hut, viewing the monolith in silence. His twoschoolmates stood at his side, watching Chen Changsheng warily. Chen Changshengwas not surprised by this. In the Grand Examination, Zhong Hui had beendefeated by Luo Luo, while Huo Guang had been severely injured by ChenChangsheng to the point where Huo Guang had been unable to continue. TheScholartree Manors hostility towards the Orthodox Academy was well-deserved. Gou Hanshi and he had read the experiences that Xun Mei had concealed in hisnotebook. They had come to view the monolith by the starlight, so theynaturally began to move towards the hut. To their surprise, their movement gaverise to another disturbance. A dozen pairs of eyes followed their footsteps,each filled with different emotionsin order to stand in front of theHeavenly Tome Monolith, they would have to take the places currently occupiedby the three from Scholartree Manor. Two Scholartree Manor scholars did not let them through. Looking at Gou Hanshiand Chen Changsheng, they coldly said, First come, first served. These words seemed to be very reasonable, but the crowd outside the hut couldonly sneer. Before, you wanted us to let you through because you said thatyour senior was on the Grand Examinations First Banner. Why didnt you sayanything about first come, first served then? Now, that the GrandExaminations first and second place holders have arrived, are you really notgoing to let them through? The two scholars from Scholartree Manor were infuriated by these words. Only now did Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng realize what had happened here.They both disapproved of the conduct of the two scholars from Scholartree Manorand continued walking forward, not even glancing at them. Proceeding directlyto the front of the monolith hut, they took up positions behind Zhong Hui. Those two scholars were even more enraged by this. Just as they seemed aboutto say something, they suddenly remembered the jeers from the crowd. They didnot dare speak, much less personally take action. Zhong Hui took his eyes off the monolith, then turned around and saluted GouHanshi. However, when he looked at Chen Changsheng by his side, his eyes didnot carry any traces of respect. No long-reputed young geniuses like Zhong Hui would ever have very goodimpressions of Chen Changsheng even if Chen Changsheng had broken through intothe Ethereal Opening level during the Grand Examination, thus surpassing themin level of cultivation. Instead, they continued to feel that he had merelygotten lucky. It was either that or because he had received the care andattention of several powerful figures in the Orthodoxy. I didnt see you during these past two days, is it that youre confidentyoull be able to comprehend the monoliths? Or is it that youve realized thatyouve used up all your luck, like a fragile, damaged vase that has finallyfallen to pieces? Zhong Hui looked at him with an indifferent expression. In previous years,the first rank in the First Banner of the Grand Examination took, at the veryleast, five days to comprehend this first Heavenly Tome Monolith. You are thisyears first rank of the First Banner. If you spend too much time on this, itwill cause the rest of us to lose face. I hope you dont disappoint me. Chen Changsheng had been viewing the starlit monolith, his heart and soulengrossed in studying the changes amongst those complex lines. Chen Changshengwas very perplexed by what Zhong Hui had said, so he very casually asked, Wedont really know each other, so even if I cant comprehend this Heavenly TomeMonolith, what does that have to do with you? Why would you be disappointed? Zhong Hui was stunned by these words. Taking a deep breath, he could barelyrestrain his anger as he said, It seems like you have quite the mouth. Chen Changsheng did not respond, instead walking directly to his side andsaying, Excuse me, could you move? Zhong Hui had been standing in the best position. He was closest to themonolith and was not obstructing the starlight. At Chen Changshengs words, hecould no longer suppress the anger in his heart and clenched his hands intofists. To everyone there, Chen Changshengs first sentence was clearly to disregardZhong Hui, while the second sentence was to politely put his foot down. Eventhose people that had previously jeered and ridiculed those Scholartree Manorscholars also believed that Chen Changsheng was humiliating Zhong Hui. Only GouHanshi realized by looking at Chen Changshengs expression that he was notsetting out to humiliate Zhong Hui, but really just wanted Zhong Hui to move. He shook his head and followed Chen Changsheng to Zhong Huis side. His robe trembled in the night wind as Zhong Huis wrath reached a boilingpoint. His two fellow schoolmates were the same. The three were ready to attackChen Changsheng at any time. However, when Gou Hanshi walked up between themand Chen Changsheng, they had no choice but to cool their tempers somewhat asthey thought about the gap that lay between Meditation and EtherealOpeningThey were no match for Gou Hanshi. In other words, they were also nomatch for Chen Changsheng. Since they could not beat him, their anger had no power. Although the twoscholars from Scholartree Manor remained furious, Zhong Hui forced himself tocalm down, then backed up several steps, letting Gou Hanshi and Chen Changshengthrough. Looking at Chen Changshengs back, Zhong Hui said nothing, but thesigns of a sneer appeared at the corners of his mouth. It was precisely as hehad said before: these past two days, Chen Changsheng had rarely been seen infront of the monolith hut. To him, this was definitely all a pretense. Hethought it impossible that Chen Changsheng would have the same sort of luckthat carried him through the Grand Examination. Could it be that he would stillbe able to see a pattern in this monolith? The starlight illuminated the Reflecting Monolith, making those complex linesseem lined with a layer of silver, as if mercury was slowly flowing throughthem. A vivid sensation that was hard to describe appeared before ChenChangshengs eyes. He did not use his spiritual sense, did not move his trueessence through his meridians in accordance with those lines, nor did heattempt to extract some sort of sword form from the direction of the lines; heonly calmly looked at it, perceived it, experienced it. He had confirmed thatthe picture he had seen at dawn was real, and that the picture made using hisspiritual sense while daydreaming in the afternoon in that courtyard was alsotrue. A smile gradually emerged on his face. Did you get something? Gou Hanshi asked, somewhat surprised in his change ofexpression. Chen Changsheng nodded. I was originally a little hesitant because I felt itwas too simple, but there were parts in the notebook that reminded me ofsomething. Youre still persevering on using the most primitive method of understanding? It might be less intelligent it might be slower, but it fits me the best. Silence reigned around the monolith hut. Everyone was listening in, includingZhong Hui. Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi were publicly acknowledged as two ofthe worlds most erudite scholars of the Daoist Canon. When discussing themethods to comprehend the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, how could they miss theexperience? Only, what was that notebook that Chen Changsheng had mentioned? What is this most primitive method of comprehension? To make the lines intonumbers? The senior sister from the Holy Maiden Peak, who knew Gou Hanshiwell, asked curiously as she stepped forward. Gou Hanshi glanced at Chen Changsheng. We think that the most primitive method discards everything about trueessence, spiritual sense, and sword moves. Its not turning lines into numbers,but Chen Changsheng turned around to look at the girl from Holy Maiden Peakas he seriously spoke. He was prepared to speak about his insights, explain histheories, that the true meaning of the Heavenly Tomes was hidden within thechanges, when unexpectedly A cold admonishment rose up from the night. Ridiculous! A middle-aged man had at some point arrived, the expression on his faceabnormally cold. Upon seeing this man, Zhong Hui and the other two from Scholartree Manorsuddenly became happy. They rapidly approached and paid him respects. We haveseen Martial Uncle. Chen Changsheng realized that the middle-aged man was the Monolith Guardianthat had severely reprimanded him at dawn. Only now did he realize that thisman had originally been a senior from the Scholartree Manor.
217 Viewing the Monoliths in the Night by Lantern Light Part Two
Now that the middle-aged man had appeared, one of the Scholartree Manorsstudents regained his arrogance. He introduced the man to the surroundingonlookers. This is my martial uncle from Scholartree Manor, Ji Jin. More thantwenty years have passed since he offered his Dao to the Mausoleum of Books. The young examinees were all startled by these words and one by one steppedforward to pay their respects. It must be known that in the past, Ji Jin hadbeen one of the souths most famous scholars, possessing exceptional gifts. Whowould have thought that he had actually become a Monolith Guardian? This martial uncle, from the Scholartree Manor, called Ji Jin paid noattention to the respects and bows of these juniors. While throwing ChenChangsheng an exceptionally cold stare, he strode before him and Gou Hanshi. To take the shape is to refine true essence, to take the idea is to stimulatethe spiritual sense, to take the form is to imitate sword moves; the world onlyrecognizes these three methods as authentic. All other methods, regardless ofhow bizarre they are, equally serve as the foundation for these three. If youreally plan on discarding them all, then I want to know, what sort of method doyou have? In the many years past, there have been countless peopleoverconfident in their intelligence, always thinking that their predecessorswere only mediocre and that they could easily surpass them. How could thesepeople understand that with such an unrealistic mindset, that they were alreadytravelling down a limited path? He stared at Chen Changsheng, his voice harsh and uncompromising. Dont thinkthat just because you obtained first place on the first banner in the GrandExamination that youre entitled to look down on all these others in this holyand sacred Mausoleum of Books, that has attained first rank on the first bannerand more! Who would dare to be as arrogant as you, wanting to reachenlightenment as fast possible. Otherwise you would definitely be battered andbruised here. Everything around the monolith hut sat in silence. Only Ji Jins cold andoppressive voice rang out. In the eyes of the senior from the Holy Maiden Peak,the two students from the Star Seizer Academy, as well as all the otherstudents present, Senior Ji Jin was a Monolith Guardian worthy of great respectfrom all Daoists. His understanding of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths was farbeyond that of anyone outside the mausoleum. Although his words were harsh,they were also reasonable. Although Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi could beconsidered well-read, even erudite, in the Daoist Canons, they were stillyoung. Especially in the domain of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, when faced withsuch harsh yet substantive criticisms, what else could do they except humblyreceive this advice? Yet as time passed, the atmosphere in front of the monolith hut grewincreasingly tense. Because while Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi had not said anything, they alsohad not clearly acknowledged their mistakes. The Bureau of Ecclesiastic Educations building was not very eye-catching. Itwas completely engulfed by the dozens of tall red fir trees around it, but eventhose trees were incapable of shutting out the night sky. This was why thedozens of stone steps were illuminated by the starlight, as if covered by alayer of snow. His Eminence, Archbishop Mei Lisha, stood in front of the window, gazing atthe white steps as his right hand twirled a winter plum flower behind him. Itwas the beginning of spring, but for some reason this winter plum flower hadjust blossomed. The Empress mind was vast and broad, able to hold the entire world, thus sheneednt care about the Orthodox Academy, neednt care about how far that childcalled Chen Changsheng could goof course, most importantly, the Empress wastoo powerful. Even if that child were to come across a stroke of luck, he wouldstill be but an ant in the Empress eyes. If she wanted to crush him, she coulddo so at any time, but there were still many people that were not as strong asthe Empress, so naturally they cannot be as open-minded. So they will fear,they will be afraid of those matters of the past, such as the reversal of theverdict in the Orthodox Academy. Mei Lishas wizened face exuded a faint sense of ridicule. No matter if itspeople from the Tianhai clan or those dogs that the Empress uses to gnaw peopleto death, along with the Popes attitude, the fear in their hearts grows everstronger and they grow increasingly wary of the Orthodox Academy and ChenChangsheng. Naturally, they have no desire to see him continue to shine. Sincethey themselves are unable to act, they invited a southerner that they hadknown for many years, yet this is to be expected. Its just that I didnt thinkthat a person like Ji Jin would deign to act. After Priest Xins conversation with Chen Changsheng earlier that day, he hadfelt that the situation was a little strange. After investigating, he quicklyreturned to report. Standing before the bishop, he was stunned by these words.His face carried a fierce expression as it shuddered. With disbelief apparentin his voice, he asked, Who would dare do such a reckless thing in theMausoleum of Books? Upon entering the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths and comprehend theDao, the most important asset is the mindset. Those people do not need topersonally take action to deal with Chen Changsheng, just disturb his mindset,thus affecting his cultivation.The experience of entering the Mausoleum ofBooks for the first time, for ones cultivation, is irreplaceable andimpossible to reverse. Mei Lishas eyes gradually grew small, his expression cold. Even if were notspeaking in the long-run, only at the moment, if Chen Changshengs cultivationwere to be affected, if he were unable to obtain sufficient gains in theMausoleum of Books, even if he were to enter the Garden of Zhou a month later,he would not be able to reap much. In fact, it would be extremely dangerous. Only now did Priest Xin understand that the seemingly unremarkable hostilityand scorn that some in the Mausoleum of Books held actually concealed suchruthlessness. He took in a breath of cold air and somewhat hurriedly said, Iwill immediately send someone over to tell Mister Nian Guang to keep watch overJi Jin and the others. Nian Guang, huhHe might not necessarily like Chen Changsheng. Mei Lisha frowned, then said a little roughly, If he had not been so fiercelycoerced by the Orthodox Academy that year, how could that outstanding studentfrom the Temple Seminary be willing to spend the rest of his life in theMausoleum of Books? Priest Xin asked worriedly, Then what should we do? You can still tell Nian Guang, but I think that in the end, I want ChenChangsheng to overcome this problem himself, in factIm really quite curious.That child stayed for a day in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, then playedtourist for a day, then made meals for a day. When he finally arrives beforethe Heavenly Tome Monoliths, what will he see? The main residence of the sumptuous mansion grounds was filled with the soundsof music and laughter. This was not the Tianhai clans main residence, but wasTianhai Shengxues own home, so there was no elder to take notice. Tomorrow, Tianhai Shengxue would once again set off for Snowhold Pass. All theyoung nobles of the capitals princes and dukes, that he was friends with, hadcome to send him off. With the wine flowing freely, it was hard to avoid thesubject of the recently concluded Grand Examination, as well as the youngpeople that had recently entered the Mausoleum of Books. Towards the beginning,the subject of Tianhai Shengxues odd withdrawal from the Grand Examination wasstill fresh in the minds of those young nobles, so they tiptoed carefullyaround the subject, but after three rounds of drinks, they gradually became toointoxicated to restrain themselves, and their conversations gradually began toridicule and shame Chen Changsheng and even the Li Palace. Tianhai Shengxue had nothing to say, only smiling upon hearing their words. Atthe midpoint of the feast, he turned to Prime Minister Yu Wenjings son andexcused himself, got up, and walked towards the rear of residence. In the rearresidence, there was someone waiting for him. This was a person even youngerthan him and their bloodline was even more distinguished. Normally, he wouldnever have invited this person to come to his drinking parties, sometimes goingas far as avoiding him if possible. The people in my family are ready to go crazy. Could it be that you alsothink Ive gone mad? Tianhai Shengxue looked at Prince Chen Liu and frowned.Youre worried that Chen Changsheng will be suppressed in the Mausoleum ofBooks, but your worries are redundant. The Empress hasnt said anything and thePope has made his position clear. Who would dare to touch him? Its not likehes offended Zhou Tong. Prince Chen Lius handsome face was fraught with anxiety. Youre right, thereare people in the Mausoleum of Books that are attempting to disrupt ChenChangshengs viewing of the monoliths, and Zhou Tong is really waiting outsidethe mausoleum for him.
218 Viewing the Monoliths in the Night by Lantern Light Part Three
When Tianhai Shengxue had said that these people were about to go crazy, hewas not referring to the nonsense-babbling young nobles who were feasting, buttheir parents, as well as his parentsthose people had invited a southerner todisrupt Chen Changshengs viewing of the monoliths. The Mausoleum of Book wastoo important to cultivators. Everyone knew that one slow step would leave thema step behind for the rest of the journey. However, he did not care too much about it. This was because in the GrandExamination, through Her Highness Luoluo, he had secretly bet on ChenChangsheng. It was also because, although the reason for why the Pope highlyregarded Chen Changsheng was still a mystery, there must certainly have been areason for such high regard. For someone who could fight evenly with EtherealOpening Realm cultivators, as long as they could not destroy his physical body,it would be almost impossible for them to destroy his spirit. This was howTianhai Shengxue saw it, but now that he had heard Prince Chen Lius words andheard Zhou Tongs name, only then did he finally realize that he hadunderestimated the strength of the older generation. The people of the world said that Zhou Tong was a dog raised by the DivineEmpress, but he was no normal dog. Rather, he was the fiercest dog in all ofhistory. Ever since the Judgement Board of the Orthodoxy had been placed underthe authority of the Ministry of Personnel, his power and influence had risento the heavens. Who knew how many ministers and generals had died by his hands?As for who the ministers of the old royal family and the elders of theOrthodoxy loathed the most? It was not the Divine Empress, but him. Several decades ago, many powerful experts had risked their lives toassassinate him, but not one of them succeeded. As for why this was the case,Zhou Tong always kept numerous sinister and terrible defensive weapons on hisperson. Moreover, Zhou Tong himself was at the Star Condensation realm.Logically, a cultivator at this realm should have a calm and bright state ofmind, no longer concerned with mortal affairs. Even less would they deign toperform such sordid and bloody matters such as interrogation, torture, murder,and search and seizure, but Zhou Tong was just that type of eccentric creature.His interest, no, his goal in life, was in these sordid affairs, notcultivation. This sort of man could not be moved by the Tianhai family. If he really waswaiting outside the Mausoleum of Books for Chen Changsheng, it was, bynecessity, a reflection of the Divine Empress will. Tianhai Shengxue ponderedthis in silence, when suddenly, he felt that something was off. The DivineEmpress manner had been confident and open-minded. Even if she were to actagainst Chen Changsheng and the revolutionary countercurrent he represented,she would only do so after his return from Zhou Garden. Thinking up to this point, he lifted his head and looked at Prince Chen Liusfurrowed brows. He thought to himself that she had purposefully sent Zhou Tongahead of time. In the end, what was she hoping to accomplish? The fallout from the Grand Examination had not completely dispersed yet.Within the capital, countless powers were carefully watching the Mausoleum ofBooks. Within the inns and taverns, common folk also discussed this matter.They were curious about the situation of all the examinees in the Mausoleum ofBooks, especially Chen Changsheng. Yet they would never have thought thatwithin the Mausoleum of Books, due to specific circumstances, the disciples ofthe Orthodox Academy and the Li Shan Sword Sect were living under one roof, norwould they have imagined that Chen Changsheng had gone together with Gou Hanshito view the monoliths. Just like how those examinees around the monolith hutdid not think that after Ji Jin had finished his criticisms, Chen Changshengand Gou Hanshi did not appear to humbly accept this advice, nor did they seemready to admit fault. Under the dim moonlight, the monolith hut seemed rather eerie. The atmospherewith stifling and tense. The young cultivators did not know what to say. Theanger on the faces of Zhong Hui and the other two from Scholartree Manorcontinued to grow while Ji Jin maintained his icy expression. At this moment,Chen Changsheng broke the silence, saying something that no one anticipated. He looked at Ji Jin and said, Senior, you are wrong. These word immediately caused an uproar. A fifteen-year-old youth actuallydared to point out to a Monolith Guardian, who had been viewing monoliths forfar more than fifteen years, that his method of comprehending the monoliths waswrong?! Even if he was this years first rank in the First Banner of the GrandExamination, it was just as Ji Jin had said. Every year, the Mausoleum of Bookswould welcome another first rank of the First Banner from the GrandExamination. In this place, how could Chen Changsheng even compare with Ji Jin? The next thing that happened caused the people viewing the monoliths to becomeeven more shocked. After a brief moment of silence, Gou Hanshi also said a fewword to Ji Jin. Senior, you really are wrong. The night was dark. Although the stars twinkled in the night sky, to clearlymake out all those complex lines was still rather strenuous. Some time before,someone had quietly lit an oil lantern that had been hanging off of a treeoutside the monolith hut. The dim light of the lantern mixed with the starlightand fell on the youthful faces of Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi, both calm andresolute. They knew that what Ji Jin had just said was actually very reasonable. Theso-called ten thousand changes but never straying from the original. It wastrue that the commonly seen methods for comprehending the monoliths, if tracedback to the source, would never be able to escape the confines of the threemost mainstream and most orthodox methods: take the shape, take the idea, andtake the form, but they were both well-read in the Daoist Canons and they hadalso taken a look at Xun Meis notebook, so they were even more confident thatthey would manage to find a new path. Before the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, there are no set methods and no setrules. Gou Hanshi looked around at the young examinees as he spoke. Correct, rightnow the only standard methods that we can instantly call to mind are allvariations of the three mainstream methods, but it cannot be believed that thecountless ways to comprehend the monoliths, all of which have already beenrealized by our predecessors. If we were to think in such a way, then how wouldwe have ever surpass them? Back at the Li Shan Sword Sect, he had often played the role of a teacher forhis juniors, so these words came very naturally to him. Hearing these words, Ji Jins expression became more and more heavy. He feltthat this was the unyielding provocation of the younger generation. He coldlyretorted, The current junior generation seems to be getting more and morearrogant. What often occurs when they want to surpass their worthypredecessors, just like that madman that only knew how to paint armor! Butdont forget, if youre as arrogant as him, in the end youll end up possessedby madness. To cultivate the Dao is to look at the worthy and unworthy, not early andlate. Gou Hanshi calmly told him, If those who came later didnt have the courageto surpass those who came before, then how could each generation becomestronger than the last? When Ji Jin had received the message from his alma mater, it only furtherinflamed his inborn loathing for Chen Changsheng to extreme heights, which waswhy he had, from early morning until late night, confronted Chen Changsheng inorder to humiliate him. He could not have imagined that Gou Hanshi would cometo refute him. In the south, the Scholartree Manor had deep roots and longbloodlines, but in the end it still could not compare with the Li Shan SwordSect, the number one monastery of the Longevity Sect. He did not want to arguewith Gou Hanshi, but he was also burning with rage and was being watched by allthese members of the younger generation, so how could he take intoconsideration these other factors? Rebuke apparent in his voice, he said. TheDao of the Heavenly Tomes lies within the Monolith Inscriptions. Youve onlybeen in the mausoleum for two days, so what Dao can you have understood? Whatsort of justification have you cooked up? You insist on taking the wrong pathto failure? Chen Changsheng replied, Ten thousand streams, each with a different scenery,but in the end they all join the ocean. Ji Jin stared into his eyes as he callously said, I hear that during theGrand Examination you managed to break into the Ethereal Opening Realm, shakingthe entire capital. Presumably you think yourself to be one of those bubblingclear streams, but dont forget! Many streams initially seem to have anabundance of water, but when they leave the mountain, after a few days they dryout in the wasteland, so for what reason would you be able to escape this typeof end? Up to here, the hostility had already transformed into barely concealedinsults, even curses. The onlookers all turned pale at these words, and eventhe oil lantern hanging on the tree seemed to grow dimmer. Chen Changsheng could not help but shake his head at these words. In thepast, I heard that senior was a famous talent of the south who willinglyoffered his life to Dao, making you even more worthy of praise. I didnt thinkthat you were this sort of person who resorts to threats when he cant speakreason. It would seem that not one bit of the graceful bearing from the pastremains. He was not returning Ji Jins ridicule, but rather really thought this way.His face naturally contained some sorrow and disappointment, but in the eyes ofeveryone else, it was an expression of ridicule against Ji Jin. Ji Jin flew into a rage at these words. Pointing at him, he yelled, You wantto talk reason, then well talk reason! Since ancient times, of the countlessmethods used to comprehend the Reflecting Monolith, which of them was a part ofthe ocean that is the correct path? Who could not take the shape, could nottake the idea, or could not take the form to open this monolith? Was it ZhouDufu or His Majesty Taizong? Was it the previous generations Holy Maiden orHis Holiness the Pope? Or was it that person surnamed Su from Mount Li? Ormaybe it was that principal from the Orthodox Academy? The speed of his voice became faster and faster. As he spoke the names ofthese outstanding and famous personages, he was almost like a hurricane,rushing forth with skull-crushing speed. The last two names were seniors ofChen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi. The last name of the principal of the OrthodoxAcademy especially seemed to contain some hidden subtext. The area around the monolith hut became completely silent. Likewise, GouHanshi and Chen Changsheng also said nothing. As for how those legendaryfigures that Ji Jin had mentioned ultimately comprehended the monoliths, no oneknew the exact details. According to the Daoist Canons and official governmentrecords, they had all used the conventional methods, that is the most orthodoxmethods. The year Zhou Dufu had used one glance to comprehend the monoliths, hehad afterwards revealed his method in idle chatter with Taizong. He had takenfrom both shape and idea and combined them into a high-level method, but it wasstill within accepted practice. Just as everyone felt that Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng would be leftspeechless in the face of these cold hard facts, Chen Changsheng once againspoke. The oil lantern on the branch gently flickered about due to the night wind.The light swayed to and fro, reflecting from his eyes, almost as if there werestars twinkling within them. One thousand one hundred and sixty-one years ago, His Majesty Taizong came tothe capital from Tianliang county to view the monoliths. That year, he wasaccompanied by the Duke of Wei, who, back then, was the official secretary ofthe county. His Majesty Taizong used only one day to view three monoliths,whereas the Duke of Wei needed two whole months to understand just thisReflecting Monolith. Of course, everyone knew that the Duke of Wei didnt knowhow to cultivate. Logically, it would be correct to say that there was no wayfor him to understand the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, so His Majesty Taizong didnot laugh, but rather was baffled at how he managed to comprehend the monolith.He asked the Duke of Wei just what he had seen in the Reflecting Monolith. TheDuke of Wei replied that he did not see the flow of true essence, the traces ofspiritual sense, nor did he see any sword forms or moves Chen Changsheng pointed at the unspeaking monolith as he recounted thisancient and long forgotten tale. Everyones gaze, including Ji Jins followedhis finger, resting upon the inscription on the monolith. They wanted to knowin the end, what had the Duke of Wei seen? Could it be that there were actuallymethods outside the three main methods? He saw a forcefully twisted straight line. He saw the pain and helplessnessof that formerly straight line that had been forcefully distorted by externalforces. He saw what was hidden within the fold was the power of straightness.In his eyes, the lines on the Reflecting Monolith had nothing to do withcultivation. It was beyond cultivation. Those lines were the law. They wererules. There was naught but silence in front of the monolith hut. Only ChenChangshengs voice resounded. In this way, the Duke of Wei comprehended the Heavenly Tome Monolith.
219 How Much Do You Know About the Past? Part One
Chen Changsheng had finished with his story. After a moment of silence, the area erupted with discussion. The gazesdirected towards Ji Jin were now rather complicated. Previously, this Seniorhad harshly asked if, among the countless methods of comprehending theReflecting Monolith from ancient times up until now, there existed a correctpath that deviated from the ocean. But now it would seem that the method whichthe Duke of Wei had used to comprehend the Heavenly Tome Monolith back then wascompletely different from the orthodox methods. How could he respond? Ji Jins face grew unsightly, as he had also just recalled the legend aboutDuke of Wei viewing the monoliths. He could not deny the existence of thisstory. While the history books had no records of it, the Mausoleum of Booksdid. As a Monolith Guardian, he had personally seen them. The Duke of Wei trulyhad comprehended the Heavenly Tome Monoliths as being laws, which was why helater on became the protector of the rites of Zhou, the admonishing king,before finally becoming a trusted minister. Only Ji Jin was unwilling to beconvinced by this junior. With a heavy voice, he said, When the Duke of Weisaw the lines of the Monolith Inscriptions and understood them as laws, hestill formed his ideas by observing its shape, and then used these ideas tostimulate his spiritual sense. Everyone grew restless at these words. Several young examinees at the back ofthe crowd shook their heads. The shape and idea spoken of in the threemainstream methods were completely different from the shape and idea said justnow. The Duke of Wei had never cultivated once in his entire life. He had onlyrelied on his courage and insight, not any sort of spiritual sense. With thesewords, it seemed like Ji Jin had just resorted to sophistry. Seeing peoples reactions to his words, Ji Jin got even angrier. But before hecould say anything else, Gou Hanshi spoke up once more. I have also thought of a story. This story was recorded in the Tales onReturning to the Origin, not within the Daoist Canon. I read it when I wassmall. If it wasnt for Chen Changsheng bringing up the Duke of Wei, I probablywould have forgotten about it. This story was about the Leader of the Way, whoposed a question to a woodcutter. Everyone was astonished. The Leader of the Way asked a question to awoodcutter? How had they never heard of this before? Gou Hanshi continued, In those days, the world was strife-ridden. Theteachings of the Way had not yet been established, much less the Orthodoxy, butthe first leader of the Way was already a powerful expert at an extremely highlevel of cultivation. He had entered the Mausoleum of Books to view themonoliths multiple times, attempting to comprehend a part of the true meaningof the Heavenly Dao each time. But although he obtained some gain every time,he found himself well short when he wanted to ascend to the summit of themausoleum. On a certain day, the Leader of the Way was stroking a monolithwhile looking at the peak of the mausoleum, filled with regret that his careeras a Daoist had finally reached its limit, that in this life, it would beincredibly difficult for him to proceed another step. Then, to his surprise, hesaw a woodcutter descending from the mausoleum summit, a bundle of firewood onhis back. The Leader of the Way was struck by the oddness of this scene. If Icould not reach the top of the mausoleum, he thought to himself, The otherexperts of the continent who have similar cultivations also cant reach it. Inthat case, how did this woodcutter, who clearly cant cultivate and whose bodyis aged and feeble, walk to the mausoleum summit as he pleased? The hut fell into silence once more. Their minds had all been mesmerized bythis never before heard story. Could it be, they thought to themselves, Thatthis woodcutter was really an expert of the Heavenly Dao, that perhaps he hadeven entered into the legendary Realm of Grand Liberation? The Leader of the Way sincerely asked for instruction. The woodcutter repliedthat his ancestor had made their living off cutting wood from this mountainsince ages ago. The Leader of the Way strenuously inquired, how was he able tofind his way through the mausoleum? After a long period of hesitation, thewoodcutter brought the Leader of the Way in front of a monolith. He told himthat the path through the mausoleum was all on this monolith, that he wouldejust need to walk according to its instructionsAfter he said these words, thewoodcutter descended from the mountain. Gou Hanshi paused, then continued, The Leader of the Way pondered before thatmonolith for dozens of days and nights, but he failed to find any sort of pathamongst those lines. Then, one night, he had a sudden realization. He gavethree hearty laughs, and with a brush of his sleeves, he flew straight to thesummit of the mausoleum. There, he comprehended the entirety of the HeavenlyDao, and founded the Daoist school. Even after hed reached his later years andhad finally returned to the sea of stars, he still could never forget how hecould never see the path on the Heavenly Tome Monolith that the woodcutter hadseen This story had also come to an end. Only silence surrounded the monolith hut. Ji Jins face extremely unsightly as he retorted. Leaving aside what sort ofmethod the woodcutter used to see the path in the inscriptions and onlyspeaking about the Tales of Returning to the Origin that this story wasrecorded inWhat sort of book is Tales of Returning to the Origin? If it isnot to be found in the Daoist Canon, how can we trust it? Dont tell me yourandomly made up a story to prove that I was wrong? Chen Changsheng shook his head. The Tales of Returning to the Origin is acollection of the First Leader of the Ways conversations from the one hundredyears before he returned to the sea of stars. As for the why it wasnt includedin the Daoist Canon, its because one thousand five hundred thirty-seven yearsafter the establishment of the Orthodoxy, the descendants of the first Leaderof the Way attempted a schism within the Way. They were then accused of the sinof treason, and their traces were purged. That is why this book is not includedin the Daoist Canon. However, it is still a true part of the Canon. Theoriginal copy is still probably in Li Palace. We can consult it at any time. Gou Hanshi had wanted to say exactly this. He exchanged glances with ChenChangsheng for a second, and slightly nodded his head. They were both youngpeople that had read the Daoist Canon in depth, so they could respond off ofeach other. It really was a good sort of feeling. While the troubles, or evengrudges, between Chen Changsheng and the Mount Li Sword Sect were hard toresolve, Gou Hanshi held no enmity for him. Chen Changsheng also saw Gou Hanshiin an increasingly better light. The reason why they liked each other waslargely because of their knowledge of the Daoist Canon. Everyone knew that Gou Hanshis knowledge of the Daoist Canon was profound.After the first night of the Ivy Festival, Chen Changshengs reputation in thisfield had also become widespread. At this moment, the former narrated while thelatter supplemented. And when Chen Changsheng explained that the original copycould be found at the Li Palace and could at any time be consulted, everyonethere believed it without a doubt. At this point, Ji Jins face had grownextremely unsightly, and even seemed a little ashen. Enough. Accompanied by a cold voice, a white-robed Monolith Guardianappeared. This Monolith Guardians hair was all white and his age advanced. Those youngexaminees who knew him spoke in disbelief. Mister Nian Guang. Chen Changsheng had to ask Gou Hanshi before he understood. This Mister NianGuang had originated from the Temple Seminary. He had cultivated since he was achild and had become rather well-known in the cultivation world. Yet, for somereason, after he had obtained qualifications from a certain Grand Examination,he had entered the Mausoleum of Books and took the vows to become a MonolithGuardian, and never again emerged. Nian Guang looked at Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng and indifferently said,Neither the Duke of Wei nor the woodcutter cultivated, yet the two of you arecultivators. When you view the monoliths, it is for the purpose of asking theHeavenly Dao, not for laws or finding the real path up. Sir Ji Jins words arenot necessarily without reason. Of course, for you two to persevere in openinga new path is truly a courageous course of action, and not necessarilyinappropriate. From hearing these words, everyone there understood that this virtuous andupstanding personage had come to settle the dispute. Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng clasped their hands in respect and said nothingmore. Nian Guang then turned to Ji Jin with a slight frown. His voice seemed to takepity on him, yet also seemed o angry. Back then, you only took a few years tocomprehend the first seventeen monoliths of the mausoleum, and we all praisedyou for your mind as tranquil as water. But now, what has happened to you? Evenif your alma mater paid offerings to our cultivation, how could you waste timeon such ordinary affairs from outside the mausoleum? Ji Jin had attempted to humiliate Chen Changsheng not just because of theurgings of outside forces, but also because he himself had wanted to. Now thatNian Guang had appeared, he was still unreconciled, yet also knew that therewere no words that would let him take back control. H coldly e said, TheOrthodoxy seems to really value this young one. They actually allowed someonelike you, who has been wronged by the Orthodoxy Academy, to appear. Nian Guang frowned. Ji Jin turned towards Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi and indifferently said,These words and debate are ultimately meaningless. Your words may seem like adeluge of heavenly flowers, but they might turn out to be a pile of dog shit.Forty-four people from the Grand Examination entered the mausoleum this year. Iwould really like see who will be the first to comprehend this ReflectingMonolith in the end, and who will be able to comprehend the largest amount ofthem. Tonight, Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had come to view the monoliths bylantern light, not to take part in a debate. They were also not terriblyinterested in who would be the first to comprehend the Heavenly Tome Monoliths.As a result, they did not respond to Ji Jins provocative and disdainful words,nor did they say anything. However, that did not mean all their peers had sucha good temperament. A bright and especially frivolous voice rose up from the mountain path. One hundred years ago, in place of the prior emperor, the Divine Empressascended to the summit of the mausoleum to offer sacrifices to the heavens. Asshe carried out this task, she happened to see the monolith that had been setbefore the Mausoleum of Books, upon which were inscribed the names of those whohad comprehended the Heavenly Tome Monoliths the fastest throughout history.This monolith displeased her, because to her, to view the Heavenly TomeMonoliths was to catch a glimpse of the Heavenly Dao. To decide who came firstand last and then write these names on a list was extremely vulgar. Hence, sheordered Sir Zhou Tong to personally take up a hatchet and hack off the names onthat monolith. I didnt think that there would be someone who, despiteremembering the actions of that year, would talk such nonsense here within themausoleum tonight. Could it be that you resent the Empresss decree? Or is thatyour ignorance has reached the extent where you fail to realize that yourproposal profanes the Mausoleum of Books? Everyone knew about this piece of history. But truthfully speaking, while thatranking on the monolith was already no more, it existed within the hearts ofall cultivators. No one could forget those once highly-placed names, such asZhou Dufu, or His Holiness the Pope, or Wang Zhice. It was just as Ji Jin hadsaid previously, nobody cared that the listing was no more. It was only thatthis person coming up from the mountain path did not care for their opinionsand raised the Divine Empresss decree up high. His pompous voice went so asfar as to render everyone speechless. As for denouncing the Empresss decree,who would dare? Hearing this voice, Chen Changsheng shook his head. Gou Hanshi also recognizedthe voice and made a somewhat sour smile. The two retreated to the side. Theyknew that since that guy had arrived, seemingly ready to start a war of words,their turns would not come. Ji Jin did not know who was coming, but his face became extremely gloomy andseemed about to start dripping with water. Zhong Hui and his two companionsfrom Scholartree Manor also became extremely angry. Along with the appearance of the youth, the dusky light emanating from the oillantern on the tree abruptly got brighter. This was because the youths beltwas inlaid with dozens of precious gems, and also because the sword sheath athis waist was also embedded with a gem. The gems shined with light, just likethe youths handsome face. The eyes of the senior from Holy Maiden Peak also lit up. Tang Thirty-Six had arrived. He looked at the gloomy-faced Ji Jin and archedhis brow. Could it be that you believe my words are unreasonable? Then whydont you go the Palace of Great Brilliance and ask the Divine Empress what shethinks? Nian Guang frowned. His disapproval evident, he declared, Enough. When this virtuous and upstanding Monolith Guardian had previously spoken thewords Enough, Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng had spoken no more, but TangThirty-Six was not that sort of person. In actuality, his brows leapt up evenhigher as he said, Sir shouldnt think about glossing things over, nor shouldhe thinking about parading his seniority before me. This is the Mausoleum ofBooks. Fighting isnt allowed, so why should I be scared of you? Nian Guang paused at these words. Tang Thirty-Six turned back to Ji Jin. Similarly, you cant fight, let alonekill me. If I mock you with a few words, what can you do about it? Do you wantto trade insults with me? Dont think Im as taciturn as Chen Changsheng, or aflowery-speaking hypocrite like Gou Hanshi. With regards to insulting others,you really arent my match. If you arent satisfied, you can have yourdisciples and grand-disciples bang a gong at my side tomorrow when Im viewingthe monoliths and comprehending the Dao and see if you can affect me theslightest bit. Did you really think I hadnt prepared a pair of verycomfortable, velvet earplugs?
220 How Much Do You Know About the Past? Part Two
This set of words was very coarse and the logic behind them was rather crudeas well, yet like a stone, it was rather sturdy and impossible to rebut. TheMausoleum of Books was this sort of special place. If you did not care forseniority, if you feared no man, then in this place you need not fear any man.Before the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, everyone was equal. Ji Jins body trembled with rage. With a trembling voice he said, Very good,very good, and what family are you from, that you would actually dare You want to know of my origin, so that you can get people outside of themausoleum take care of me? Without the slightest bit of concern on his face, Tang Thirty-Six declared, Iam the sole grandson of the Wenshui Tangs. If the Scholartree Manor is willingto offend my esteemed grandfather, then they are welcome to try. No one was willing to offend the Wenshui Tangs, even the Divine Empresstreated that lonely, upright old man with the most delicate care. At most, shewould scold him as pedantic and stubborn. This was because the Tangs had athousand years worth of hidden reserves, because the Tangs had dreadfulstrategies and techniques, and most importantly, because the Tangs were rich.Very rich. Now that Ji Jin knew Tang Thirty-Sixs identity, his complexion became ashenand the sleeves of his robe trembled. He truly had no means of getting back athim. Of course, he could flaunt the rules of the Mausoleum of Books anddirectly discipline Tang Thirty-Six, but that would mean that he would nolonger be able to stay in the mausoleum. As a Monolith Guardian, the penaltieshe suffered were even more severe. Ever since he had joined the Orthodox Academy, Tang Thirty-Six had oftentimesappeared rather insolent, his mouth filled with curses. In reality, this wasonly the rebellious nature of young men, and also made up for the unflusterednature of Chen Changsheng. Yet how could the scion of a great family such ashis be lacking in wisdom? Quit while you are ahead! Tang Thirty-Six practicedthese four words more than anyone else. He walked over to the front of themonolith hut, and without pause took Chen Changshengs hand and began to walkback down the mountain path, out of the mausoleum. As they walked back down, hemumbled, Look at you what youve done. When you argue, you cant evenout-argue someone, youre really bringing shame to our Orthodox Academy. Gou Hanshi gave a bitter laugh as he shook his head. He paid his respects toMister Nian Guang to take leave, then followed the pair down the mountain. The people around the monolith hut looked at each other in dismay. The lightof the oil lantern hung on the tree grew increasingly dim. It was as if thenothing had happened here. From the mountain path, they made their way into the forests around themausoleum. Jumping over the canal that sided the main path, they ended up inthe orange grove. The darkness made the forest rather gloomy, but tonight thestars seemed to shine extremely bright, somewhat diminishing this feeling. ChenChangsheng looked at Tang Thirty-Sixs glistening belt and asked, Why are youso bedecked with jewels and carrying the air of wealth with you tonight? In Wenshui, you only tell someone they have an air of wealth about them ifyou want to quarrel. In the future please dont describe me with such words.Tang Thirty-Six remonstrated him, then explained, I woke up in the middle ofthe night and realized that the two of you werent there, so I came out to lookfor you two. I was in such a rush to leave that I randomly grabbed a belt frommy bag. There was no time to figure out if it matched or not. Chen Changsheng earnestly replied, Luckily you didnt recklessly grab thatfur skin, otherwise you might have been mistaken for a bear back at themausoleum. Tang Thirty-Six clicked his tongue. So it turns out that you do know how tomock and ridicule, then back there why were you such a quai;? Or is it that youonly know how to do it to your own side? Chen Changsheng shook his head. He truly could not continue this. He turnedhis thoughts to that pair of incidents, which had occurred at dawn and in thenight. Perplexed, he asked Why is it that Senior Ji Jin took such actions? Before, people believed that it was the Pope His Eminence and the otherelders only wanted to use you to revive the Orthodox Academy, but after theGrand Examination, they realized that His Holiness also valued you. Those loyalto the Divine Empress naturally became nervous. The southern sects neveraccepted the rule of Li Palace, so they were persuaded by those people tosuppress you. Its a very common occurrence. When Tang Thirty-Six mentioned the southern sects, he shot a glance at GouHanshi. Gou Hanshi smiled, but did not add anything. Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, Perhaps that is the reason, butsenior Ji Jins mood was clearly unsettled. Tang Thirty-Six answered, Then I dont know. Not all Monolith Guardians can have hearts as placid as still water. Even ifthey managed to do so when they first entered the mausoleum, as time passes andtheir cultivation ceases to progress, some Monolith Guardians will inevitablybegin to feel remorse. They feel constrained by their past vows and thestrictures of the Mausoleum of Books. They dare not leave, but it is very easyfor their minds to start developing problems. Gou Hanshi continued, To add on to my own opinion, perhaps Ji Jin felt thatXun Mei was extremely likely to become a Monolith Guardian, but then Xun Meiunexpectedly undertook that decisive and valorous course of action last night.In the end, his soul returned to the sea of stars, which can also be considereddeparting the Mausoleum of Books. Although this really has very little to dowith us, he feels that it does. Inevitably he chose to vent his frustrations onus. Chen Changsheng had wanted to ask, if Ji Jin did not want to stay in themausoleum as a Monolith Guardian any longer, then he should have been happythat senior Xun Mei was able to leave the mausoleum and did not take up therole as Monolith Guardian? Why did it engender such strong resentment instead?He suddenly realized that this was one of those sorrowful questions of humannature and could not help but shake his head. Tang Thirty-Six added, Its always been said that Monolith Guardians of theMausoleum of Books have always been somewhat abnormal and unlikeable, but ifyou examine it more closely, these rules are abnormal in themselves. Chen Changsheng agreed. Its true that they are somewhat inhumane, but Ireally dont know how they thought them up. Gou Hanshi replied, The Heavenly Tome Monoliths are truly too alluring forcultivators. In addition, the Monolith Guardians occupy a special positionwithin the Mausoleum of Books. Every year, the disciples from the sects enterthe mausoleum and attempt to win their support. That Mister Nian Guang hasalso, very clearly, been urged to act by some powerful figure within theOrthodoxy, causing him to appear to play mediator. Tang Thirty-Six replied, It should be this way, but I dont trust Nian Guang. Chen Changsheng recalled that Tang Thirty-Six had been extremely disrespectfulto that virtuous and upstanding senior. Why? he asked, rather puzzled. Tang Thirty-Six replied, Mister Nian Guang came from the Temple Seminary. Inthe past, some genius from the Orthodox Academy dealt him a bitter blow. In hisrage, he swore the blood oath to become a Monolith Guardian. You are the hopefor the revival of the Orthodox Academy, so how can he sincerely care for yourwell-being? To Chen Changsheng, the Orthodox Academy was an old, declining, andbroken-down park, a cold and cheerless set of ruins. It was simply impossibleto picture this sort of historical scene. Was the Orthodox Academy very arrogant back then? Tang Thirty-Six shot another glance at Gou Hanshi before saying, It was evenmore arrogant than the current Mount Li Sword Sect. Gou Hanshi did not reply. He did not think that the Mount Li Sect wasarrogant, but he tacitly agreed with a similar interpretation. After a moment of silence, Tang Thirty-Six added, Though those incomparablyarrogant geniuses are all dead now. At these words, Chen Changsheng became rather perplexed. After a moment, hethought of a matter and asked Gou Hanshi, Does the Mausoleum of Books have anyMonolith Guardians that came from Mount Li? In the past there were, but then Martial Granduncle broke into the mausoleum,gave a tongue-lashing to those two seniors, then took them back to Mount Li. Chen Changsheng was completely taken aback. There was actually someone who soflagrantly disregarded the rules of the mausoleum, he thought to himself. Wasthe Martial Granduncle he mentioned Mount Lis legendary Junior Martial Uncle? Tang Thirty-Sixs expression did not change. Clearly he had heard this storybefore. Chen Changshang curiously asked, And those two seniors? They didnt receiveany sort of punishment? Gou Hanshi, replied, Those two seniors are now elders of Mount Lisdisciplinary hall. Tang Thirty-Six, Havent you heard the phrase, whoevers sword is fastest,whoevers rules are followed. What Chen Changsheng was even more interested in was the words the Mount LisJunior Martial Uncle had used to scold his two fellow sect members. Gou Hanshi replied, Martial Granduncle said that they couldnt waste theirlimited lives on unlimited trifling matters. Trifling matters? Chen Changsheng questioned. Yes, Martial Granduncle always believed that cultivation was a triflingmatter. Chen Changsheng had nothing to say to these words. As he thought about that legendary Junior Martial Uncle more, he suddenly feltlike the weight on his shoulders had become much heavier, as if a shadow hadcovered up the starry sky. In the Mausoleum of Books, they lived with the Mount Li Sword Sect under oneroof, but that did not mean that their enemies would suddenly become friends.Gou Hanshis calm and gentle manner symbolized nothing. It was more similar toGuan Feibai and Qi Jian, who both clearly resented the Orthodox Academy, andthe reason for this resentment was the name Qiushan Jun, dividing the two sidesand ending all hopes of reconciliation. When they arrived at the grass hut and walked past the fence, Gou Hanshusuddenly turned to Tang Thirty-Six and said, I am not a noble man. Chen Changsheng was at a loss for words as Tang Thirty-Sixs eyebrows leaptup. He spread out his hands and said, Youre the one that said it, not me. Gou Hanshi calmly and firmly continued, So, it is impossible for me to be ahypocrite. TL: Basically, is a nobleman, but α is a hypocrite. They are antonyms inChinese After a moment of silence, Tang Thirty-Six asked, And then? Gou Hanshi smiled. The next time you call me a hypocrite, Im going to beatyou up. On the next day at five in the morning, Chen Changsheng woke up on schedule.He went to the kitchen and cooked up a large pot of porridge, ate two bowls,but did not go to view the monoliths. Instead, he took up Xun Meis notebookand began to read it with the morning light. In his right he held a brush,which he used to incessantly write on a piece of paper. Yet he did not knowexactly what he was writing, but at the very least they were not words. The youths in the grass hut began to wake up, one after the other. After theyate some porridge, they set off for the mausoleum. Before Gou Hanshi took off,he made sure to greet Chen Changsheng. As Guan Feibai was leaving, he told ChenChangsheng, Dont think that if you make food for me every day, that Illbecome your acquaintance. Qi Jian somewhat nervously said, Ill become youracquaintance, but I wont be your friend. Chen Changsheng chuckled and askedwhy. Qi Jian said it was because eldest brother would not like that. TangThirty-Six had woken up long ago, but he delayed until he was the last toleave. Under Chen Changshengs inquisitive gaze, he very solemnly said, Itsabsolutely not because Im afraid Gou Hanshi is going to beat me up. Then to Chen Changshengs surprise, after not much time had passed, TangThirty-Six returned to the grass hut, his face grim, and dragged ChenChangsheng outside. Whats wrong? Zhong Huiis breaking into the next Realm. The front of the monolith hut was already crowded with people, forming a densemass. Chen Changsheng took a cursory glance and estimated that there werenearly a hundred people here. Around forty of them were this years GrandExamination examinees, five were white-robed Monolith Guardians, and the restwere those who had entered to view monoliths in the past and never left theMausoleum of Books. In the previous two days, those people were all atdifferent monoliths huts individually cultivating, not interacting with the newentrants. Yet now, they all suddenly showed up in front of the ReflectingMonolith. Unexpectedly they had known that something big was about to occur. Zhong Hui sat cross-legged in front of the monolith hut, his eyes closed, hisbody pervaded with mist. Ji Jin stood expressionlessly behind him, obviously watching over him. Yet forsome reason, this Scholartree Manor senior, with a profound cultivation, wasvery pale-faced today. It was almost as he had consumed a great quantity oftrue essence. Chen Changsheng brow creased as he faintly guessed what had occurred. Suddenly, the gurgling sound of water arose from the front of the monolith hut. There was no waterfall or spring here. This sound came from Zhong Huis body. The sounds of water grew increasingly louder, as if it was about to boil over. During the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng had experienced somethingsimilar in the Tower of Purging Dust. He knew that this was the prelude tobreaking into the realm of Ethereal Opening. He did not look at Zhong Hui, but at Ji Jin instead. In one nights time, Zhong Hui had crossed the threshold into EtherealOpening. There must be a reason, and Ji Jins pale complexion was most likely aresult of this. At this time, Ji Jin turned to him, his eyes cold and full of contempt.
221 The First to Comprehend the Monolith
Viewing the monoliths of the Mausoleum of Books and comprehending the Dao.This was the fastest method for cultivators to break through into the nextrealm. This point had been confirmed countless years ago, so obviously none ofthe examinees from the Grand Examination needed to confirm it. In thistree-covered mausoleum mountain, it was very common to see monolith viewersbreak into the next realm. Occasionally, there would even be someone breakingthrough into the Star Condensation Realm, not even speaking of the EtherealOpening Realm. Logically, even if Zhong Hui only needed one night to break through, it stilldid not necessitate such a huge response, and yet besides those new entrants tothe mausoleum like Su Moyu and Ye Xiaolian, those who had stayed in themausoleum, as well as several senior Monolith attendants, all had seriousexpressions plastered on their faces. This was because if Zhong Hui succeeded,he would be the first amongst this new batch to break through. It was alsobecause, regardless of any suspicious circumstances, he had only seen the firstmonolith of the mausoleum and obtained great benefits to his cultivation.Perhaps this was an indication that his powers of comprehension wereastonishingly extraordinary. Chen Changsheng did nott lock gazes with Ji Jin for long before turning toZhong Hui, who still sat cross-legged before the monolith hut. As he watchedthe mist curl around Zhong Huis body and listened to the increasingly franticsounds of boiling water, he thought to himself, in the end what had reallyhappened? Last night Zhong Hui had not even found a method to comprehend themonolith, not even thinking about the possibility of breaking through. Howcould it be that over the course of one night, such great change occurred? Apparently Zhong Hui sat in front of the monolith hut for the entire night, Ialso heardthat senior Ji Jin guarded him for the entire night as well. SuMoyu walked from the edge of the woods to stand by Chen Changsheng and TangThirty-Six. Chen Changsheng frowned slightly as he thought of a certain incident that hadbeen brought up in Xun Meis notebook. Around twenty years ago, there was oncea Monolith Guardian that originated from the Heavenly Dao Academy that had usedsome sort of method to help a Heavenly Dao Academy student viewing themonoliths to break into the next realm. As he looked at Ji Jins face, hethought to himself that maybe this person had unstintingly used an enormousamount of true essence and spirit and transferred it to Zhong Hui. Im thinking the same as you, but the problem is that its just a bit toowasteful. Gou Hanshi walked over. He had seen Chen Changshengs expression andcould guess what he was thinking. Senior Ji Jin consumed, at the very least,half of his true essence, but Zhong Hui can only maintain it for half a day.After that, the true essence will disperse from his body. Chen Changsheng replied. But you can still remember the sensations. Atdifferent realms of cultivation, what the eyes see in the monolith inscriptionswill naturally be different. Gou Hanshi nodded in agreement. If its to forcefully increase comprehensionspeed, then this course of action would actually make some sense. There were some people around the monolith hut that had taken note of ChenChangshengs arrival. Seeing him converse with Gou Hanshi caused theirexpressions to subtly shift. In the eyes of those people, the discussion taking place was far too calm andcollected. There was no sense of anxiety whatsoever. There were even somepeople who began to grow anxious on their behalf. Tang Thirty-Six and Zhexiucalmly watched Chen Changsheng. Guan Feibai and the other two from Mount Licalmly watched Gou Hanshi. None of them said anything, but their meaning wascrystal clear: Its time for you two to start working harder! Su Moyu said, Breaking into Ethereal Opening and then successfullycomprehending the monolith. If this really is what Zhong Hui did, then you fromGrass Hut Seven will unavoidably be a little embarrassed. Chen Changsheng was taken aback by those words. What is this Grass HutSeven? he asked in confusion. Su Moyu looked at the group of seven and explained, Amongst this yearsexaminees, you seven are the ones that have received the most attention. Afterall of you entered the mausoleum, all of you ended up staying in the same grasshut. Some people feel that you separated yourselves from the rest of us onpurpose. Some people feel that youre all arrogant and aloof. I dont know whostarted it, but this name has already begun circulating. Tang Thirty-Six proudly said, Let them be jealous. Guan Feibai indifferently said, To not cause jealousy in others ismediocrity. The two glanced at each other, then suddenly felt that something was notright. They turned their faces away from each other than simultaneously said,But dont think were on the same track. This humorous dispute did nothing to dispel the mood around the monolith hut.Those people, whose gazes rested on the group of seven, held rather complexemotions. Chen Changsheng clearly felt that Ji Jin had used that one nights time toallow Zhong Hui forcefully break through, so that Zhong Hui would comprehendthe monolith faster than him and Gou Hanshi. The Divine Empress words thatTang Thirty-Six had used last night essentially had no effect. To become thefirst among this years examinees to comprehend a monolith, that was thegreatest glory. Right then, something happened in front of the monolith hut. Ji Jin lightlymoved over to Zhong Huis, gave a shout to wake him up, then stuck a pill inhis mouth. Then, his hand began to path Zhong Huis back. Gou Hanshis expression was somewhat apprehensive. Scholartree ManorsCrossing Heaven Pill? Chen Changsheng did not know what this Crossing Heaven Pill was, but thevast majority of the people in front of the monolith hut did. Hearing GouHanshis words, their faces could not help but change color. To think thatScholartree Manor would use such a precious medicine to help Zhong Hui breakthrough. It was easy to see how much Scholartree Manor valued this youthfulscholar, and it was also because of Ji Jins intense desire to see ChenChangsheng and the others thwarted. Zhong Hui swallowed the pill, then used the true essence that he had obtainedfrom Ji Jin to digest the pill. In a flash, his face took on a deep redcomplexion, then after a moment returned to normal. The mist that pervaded hisbody grew much darker. Then, like smoke returning to the mountaintop, it slowlymade its way back into his body. An extremely pure breath of Qi appeared around the monolith hut. The oil lantern that was hung up on the tree had long since gone out, but nowit suddenly began to sway back and forth. A cool breeze was blowing from someunknown place, and the flowers and plants around the Reflecting Monolith swayedwith the wind. Zhong Hui opened his eyes and stood up. He slowly turned around and looked atthe crowd around him. His gaze seemed much more serene, much more profound thanusual. A Scholartree Manor student happily shouted, Congratulations to senior forbreaking through! Those monolith viewers that had stayed in the mausoleum voiced theiragreement. One of them said, Scholartree Manors hidden reserves are trulyprofound. Excellent, excellent! Zhong Hui was very tranquil. His handsome face bore not a hint of ecstasy andnot a trace of arrogance. He clasped his hands in salutation to the crowd, hismanner and behavior both unhurried. One of the old timers praised, Although he had outside help, in the end hestill entered a new realm. To break through into a new realm after viewing onlythe first monolith is by no means an easy feat. Many thanks to Martial Uncle for his assistance. Zhong Hui turned to Ji Jin,clasped his hands, and bowed down to the ground, his voice filled withsincerity. Ji Jins pale face showed a hint of red. He lightly stroked his hair and saidnothing, extremely satisfied. It was just as the crowd had said, if Zhong Hui did not have such excellentinnate perception, then even if he had used up all the true essence, he wouldhave been incapable of producing this scene. The area around the monolith hut suddenly grew quiet. Because Zhong Hui had begun walking towards the mountain path where ChenChangsheng and Gou Hanshi were standing. Of the three people in the First Banner of this years Grand Examination, ChenChangsheng was first, Gou Hanshi was second, and Zhong Hui had placed third.When this result had come out, those who knew the details of the battle feltsorry for Gou Hanshi, and even more were surprised at how inconceivable ChenChangshengs growth in power was, but very few people thought about Zhong Hui.Even if they brought him up, it was usually with a hint of ridicule, sayingthat he really was extremely lucky. Zhong Huis luck in the Grand Examination really had been too good. In thedrawing of lots for battle, besides his final loss to Luo Luo, he had actuallynot faced any strong opponents. Guan Feibai, Liang Banhu, Qi Jian, ZhuangHuanyu; he had faced none of these opponents, who were not any weaker than him,and if he had matched up against the obviously stronger Zhexiu, he would mostlikely have lost. Perhaps he would have been defeated by Gou Hanshi or ChenChangsheng. It was luck that he had not encountered any of these opponents, orelse it would have been very difficult for him to enter the top three. Of course, no one would have placed him on the same level as Gou Hanshi andChen Changsheng. The most important reason was because he was not at the samerealm of cultivation. Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi were both at the EtherealOpening realm, while he had been at Meditation. Even if he was only one stepaway from Ethereal Opening, he was still missing the most important thing, theimmense gap of that step, so it was a matter, of course, that he was ignored. But today, he had finally entered into Ethereal Opening. Of the First Banner of the Grand Examinations top three, at the very leastthey were now equal in terms of cultivation. When those people around the monolith hut saw him walk towards Chen Changshengand Gou Hanshi, they knew he would have something to say. After the Grand Examination, the Pavilion of Divination will make no changesto the Proclamations of Azure Sky and Golden Distinction. This is due to thefact that the Three Banners of the Grand Examination will all enter theMausoleum of Books. Within this mountain mausoleum, there are countless chancesfor good fortune and countless setbacks. There were many examinees in the GrandExamination who would have performed poorly, but once they entered themausoleum, they would soar like a dragon into the azure sky. There were alsoexaminees who would have had a good showing in the Grand Examination, but oncethey entered the mausoleum they could do nothing but sit in front of the huts,moaning and groaning before the monoliths, using up the entire day with nothingto show for it. In the face of all of this, the previous rankings weremeaningless. Everything depended on this moment, so the Pavilion of Divinationwould wait until the examinees had left the mausoleum before adjusting therankings. Zhong Hui looked at Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi as he spoke. Before Ientered the mausoleum, everyone said that I was on par with the two of you.Luckily, I finally found my good fortune. Last night you told me, what doesyour ability to comprehend the monoliths have to do with me, that we were notfamiliar with each, so why would I be disappointed. What I want to say to youis this. If you can no longer keep up with me, then once we leave themausoleum, perhaps you won''t even have the qualifications to be my opponent,then I will truly be disappointed. Chen Changsheng gave no response while Gou Hanshi was as calm as ever. Tang Thirty-Six coldly mocked, Isnt it just breaking into Ethereal Opening?Those two reached Ethereal Opening long ago. With such arrogance, a passersbymight think that you had broken into Star Condensation. These words were actually very reasonable. Even if Zhong Hui had broken intoEthereal Opening, it could only be finally considered catching up to Gou Hanshiand Chen Changsheng, not worthy of speaking such words. Zhong Hui paid no attention to Tang Thirty-Six. At the very end, he glanced atChen Changsheng and said, Thats all I have to say. I will be taking a stepahead of you. Upon hearing this, the two scholars from Scholartree Manor vaguely guessed atsomething and became extremely excited. They loudly shouted, Respectfullysending off senior! Ji Jin was still running his hands through his hair. Though he said nothing,the smile on his face continued to grow. Even those several monolith guardians surrounding crowd nodded their heads, asif in praise. Saying these words, Zhong Hui walked back to the monolith hut, stopping infront of the monolith. He rested his right hand on the lines on the surface ofthe monolith. A bright light appeared. A gust of wind swept through, causing the leaves onthe tree branches to rustle. Zhong Huis body vanished. Seeing what had just happened, the new entrants to the mausoleum could nothelp but cry out in surprise. However, those who had already been in the mausoleum for some time turned ablind eye towards this event. Yes, the Heavenly Tome Monolith had been comprehended. Among this years examinees from the Grand Examination who had entered themausoleum, the first person to successfully comprehend the monolith hadappeared. It was not Gou Hanshi, nor was it Chen Changsheng. It was Scholartree ManorsZhong Hui. Right now he was probably standing before the second monolith hut. The cool breeze gradually calmed down. The area in front of the ReflectingMonolith also gradually calmed down and peace returned to the monolith hut. Everyone subconsciously looked towards Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng.Particularly the gazes towards Chen Changsheng contained a variety of emotions. It was just as Tang Thirty-Six and Guan Feibai had said. Many people werejealous of the so-called Grass Hut Seven. Of course the target of most of theirjealousy was him, who had been barely known, who had suddenly risen toprominence in the Grand Examination, who was potentially going to marry XuYourong: Chen Changsheng. Seeing him, who would not secretly hold someresentment in their heart?
222 The Gate of Myriad Wonders
After Zhong Hui had successfully comprehended the monolith, he disappearedwithout a trace. He had left the words Ill take a step ahead of you to ChenChangsheng, who was still standing on the mountain path. In the eyes of thecrowd, Chen Changshengs figure seemed rather lonely, although he himself didnot feel this way. They looked at him and thought with a small amount ofderision that the monoliths of the Mausoleum of Books truly were impartial. Noone could be lucky forever. Some felt that this was not enough and sought to rub salt over ChenChangshengs wounds. One of the Scholartree Manor scholars in front of themonolith hut derisively said to him, The words senior left with you before hedeparted were said rather indifferently, but to me, they were too modest.Although its only a step, once he has finished taking this step, then perhapsthe difference will be more than a thousand li. These words were meant to mock Chen Changsheng, but it ended up including GouHanshi as well. Guan Feibais eyebrows leapt up and he was about flare up when,unexpectedly, Tang Thirty-Six beat him to it. He teased the Scholartree Manorscholar, Didnt he say he was going a step ahead? Where is he preparing to go?Reincarnation? So impatient. That Scholartree Manor was infuriated by his words. Ji Jins face alsosuddenly turned dark. His fingers became rigid and he almost pulled a hair outof his beard. Mister Nian Guang and the rest of the Monolith Guardians walked over. NianGuang warned Tang Thirty-Six, Cease your unruly manners. If this happensagain, no one will be able to protect you. Tang Thirty-Six looked back at him and scornfully said, As I said last night,even if you wanted to hit me, you cant hit me. What can you do with me? Mister Nian Guang solemnly said, We Monolith Guardians are entrusted withkeeping order amongst those who view the monoliths. If you continue to maketrouble, I will personally write to my school, to have them recommend to theOrthodoxy that you be expelled from the mausoleum immediately. Tang Thirty-Six looked at him as if he were an idiot. Pointing to ChenChangsheng by his side, he said, Truly this is an old man thats gonemuddleheaded from viewing the monoliths for too long. Do you know who he is? Atthe imperial palace, before countless witnesses, His Holiness the Popepersonally involved himself! Countless people in the capital suspect that hesHis Holiness the Bishops illegitimate son! Recommend who to the Orthodoxy? Ifthe Li Palace will listen to you, I will cut off my own head and offer it toyou. Mister Nian Guang became indignant and shouted back, If the Li Palace reallydoes protect him, I will definitely get my school to ask for the reason! Tang Thirty-Six was also indignant and yelled back, Your school? You shouldgo ask those bishops and the Temple Seminary, who gives a third of their moneyevery year so that you lot can idle around until you die for so many years!Youre all dependent on my familys support! The Orthodoxy wont comply becausethey protect Chen Changsheng, the Temple Seminary wont comply because of thebenefits they receive from protecting me, so you have to get some southerner tocome out and scare me! What sort of reasoning do you have! Mister Nian Guang trembled in rage, now prepared to discipline him with a fewmore words, but in the end he angrily brushed his sleeves and left. Silence reigned around the monolith hut. Regardless of if it was the newentrants to the mausoleum, or the old entrants, they all stared blankly at TangThirty-Six. What sort of person is he, really? they thought to themselves. Because Zhong Hui had taken the lead in comprehending the monoliths, TangThirty-Sixs mood was extremely bad. He yelled at the spectators, What are youlooking at?! Have you never seen a wealthy person before? Are the Wenshui Tangsreally that wealthy? Guan Feibai, Liang Banhu, and Qi Jian looked at each other speechlessly. Theyhad grown up in bitter conditions, and life at the Mount Li Sword Sect was evenmore Spartan. Even Qi Jian, who had experienced the dotage that only the sectmasters last disciple had, and who since childhood had been raised in theDiscipline Hall, had not lived any sort of luxurious lifestyle. It was hard forthem to imagine that the world really had this sort of wealthy person. In theaspect of money, the youths of the Mount Li Sword Sect were truly lacking inknowledge. If you think about it, if Tang Tang is so wealthy, yet hes always so swollenwith arrogance, why is it that he isnt that unlikable? Guan Feibai thought back to that time in the Li Palace, where those girls fromthe Thirteenth Division of Radiant Green and the Holy Maiden Peak looked atTang Thirty-Six with such fervor. He had thought of a probable reason, but hefound it awkward to say in front of his junior. At this time, a youth began walking towards them. Guan Feibai and the othertwo clasped their hands in greeting, and smiles appeared on their faces. It wasvery obvious that they were very familiar with this person. Especially LiangBanhu. Normally, he was rather wooden and oppressive, but now he had evenstepped forward to welcome this youth. He even patted the youth on the shoulderseveral times, making it seem like they were quite close. Gou Hanshi introduced the youth to Chen Changsheng. This is my third martialbrother, Liang Xiaoxiao. Chen Changsheng realized that this was the Third Law of the Divine StatesSeven Laws, Liang Xiaoxiao. Liang Xiaoxiao had always been ranked third on theProclamation of Azure Sky. It was only during this years rearranging of ranksthat he was bumped down to fourth by Luo Luo. Chen Changsheng also knew hisname because he was the previous years first rank of the First Banner of theGrand Examination. Previously, when all those people were standing in thecrowd, nobody took note of his presence. Ji Jin and Zhong Huis words from lastnight were reasonable. The Mausoleum of Books truly was a place where heroesgathered. To be first rank of the First Banner in the Grand Examination reallywas not anything special here. Liang Xiaoxiao clasped his hands in greeting towards Chen Changsheng, hisexpression indifferent. Apparently, he was not one for much talking. He then turned to Gou Hanshi and said, Senior, these past two days, I fixatedon the East Pavilion Monolith, so I did not have the time to find all of you. Gou Hanshi responded, Of course viewing the monoliths and cultivating is moreimportant. Since weve already come to the mausoleum, there will be plenty ofopportunities to meet each other. Chen Changsheng recalled that yesterday, Gou Hanshi said that he wouldintroduce him to somebody. Now that he thought about it, Gou Hanshi probablymeant this youth. Once Qi Jian heard the three words East Pavilion Monolith, he said withamazement, East Pavilion Monolith... thats the sixth monolith. Youre reallyamazing third brother. Liang Xiaoxiao gave a subtle nod. Although his name contained the wordXiao(Ц), he did not show the slightest hint of a smile on his face. He wasactually a bit more icily arrogant then Guan Feibai. (TN: Liang Xiaoxiao iswritten as Ц. Ц means laughter or smile.) Gou Hanshi smiled. Since youve already seen the East Pavilion Monolith, thenpresumably breaking through to the next realm is not close at hand. Liang Xiaoxiao solemnly said, Half a year ago, I broke through into EtherealOpening realm, and have not been able to take a single step forward since. I amdeeply ashamed, so I didnt send any messages home. Liang Banhu gave a good-natured laugh. Its fine, its fine. Gou Hanshi told Chen Changsheng, Third brother and fifth brother are siblingsby blood. Tang Thirty-Sixs gaze moved back and forth between Liang Xiaoxiao and LiangBanhus faces, then asked in confusion, Why is it that the fifth sibling looksolder than the third sibling? Upon hearing this, Liang Xiaoxiao turned his head and gave Tang Thirty-Six acold stare. Tang Thirty-Six stared back. Qi Jian suggested, Third brother, hes just that sort of person, no need toworry about him. Liang Xiaoxiao took this advice to heart, and turned away from Tang Thirty-Six. Zhexiu glanced at Qi Jian, his gaze somewhat odd. Qi Jian sensed his gaze, then as if he were stung by a scorpion, he quicklyretreated behind Liang Banhu. As Gou Hanshi explained to Chen Changsheng, originally the Fifth Law, LiangBanhu, was the elder brother, and the higher ranked, Liang Xiaoxiao, was thefamilys younger brother. Then Chen Changsheng recalled that Liang Xiaoxiao hadsaid that half a year ago he had broken through, so he understood that thisperson was already at the Ethereal Opening. In other words, the moment he leftthe mausoleum, would he leave the Proclamation of Azure Sky and enter theProclamation of Golden Distinction? I would have to trouble you with telling Her Highness Luo Luo, I will not befourth place on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Liang Xiaoxiao apathetically delivered these words to Chen Changsheng. He didnot wait for a response, nor did he wait for Tang Thirty-Six to open his mouth.He turned to Gou Hanshi and seriously said, Senior, although we came from theSouth with Scholartree Manor together, being in Mount Li is still Mount Li. Howcan we fall behind? Gou Hanshi replied, I have my own way of keeping score. You continue tomeditate on the monoliths. Theres only one months time left before we have toleave. Time is of the essence. Liang Xiaoxiao said nothing more. It was just as he said. Although that ranking in front of the Mausoleum ofBooks had long been destroyed by Zhou Tong on the order of the Divine Empress,in matters of competition and even glory, there was no way to forcefully wipeit from the hearts of the people. The speed at which one comprehended themonoliths and the total number of monoliths comprehended, within the hearts ofthe people, there still remained a formless ranking. This year, there was no unparalleled genius that had comprehended a monolithon the first day, nor was there one that succeeded on the second day, but onthe third day, Zhong Hui had successfully comprehended a monolith. This couldalready be considered as not bad, but those old entrants, who already knew whoChen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi were, already knew that they were the top twofrom this years Grand Examination. In addition to this, rumors from outsidehad already trickled in, that these two were reputed for their profoundknowledge of the Daoist Canon. Naturally, the two youths attracted quite a bitof attention. And yet, up to this point, neither of the two had managed tocomprehend the first Heavenly Tome Monolith. Inevitably, this would stir upsome discussion. After Wang Zhice, the people who are most praised for their erudition in theDaoist Canon are these two people. But who would think that they would bebeaten by that scholar from Scholartree Manor. Not all rumors are true. What well-read in the Daoist Canon? Its more likeat a young age they broke into Ethereal Opening. From what I see, some factswere likely over exaggerated. The monolith viewers all went back to their respective monoliths to achieveenlightenment. Liang Xiaoxiao also took his leave. The crowd in front of theReflecting Monolith gradually dispersed, and the mountain forest regained itstranquility. Chen Changsheng walked up to the front of the monolith hut andstared at the black monolith. After a long period of silence, he suddenlyasked, How did he disappear? Dont tell me that the back of the monolithcontains a miniature world? Tang Thirty-Six and the others thought he was ruminating over some importantmatter, not pondering this sort of question. They could not help but be struckspeechless. Gou Hanshi said, It is said the Heavenly Tome Monoliths are pieces of someminiature world that have now scattered all over the true world. Although thespace that they were once a part of is now destroyed, these pieces are stillsomehow interlinked. It can also be understood like so: each monolith is asliding door, but these sliding doors dont lead to anywhere except othersliding doors, which are the other Heavenly Tome Monoliths. In addition, thesequence of monoliths is eternal and unchanging. Chen Changsheng replied, So it was like that. No wonder its said that theMausoleum of Books only has one path, but, how do the Heavenly Tome Monolithsdecide whether the key in the hands of the monolith viewer is the right one? The Daoist Canon did not record how one moved from one Heavenly Tome Monolithto another. As for those previous great experts that had recorded their time inthe Mausoleum of Books, they had also not mentioned such details. This wasbecause in the view of cultivators, this sort of thing was common knowledge andthere was no need to explain it. Chen Changsheng knew many bits of esoterica from the three thousand classicsof the Daoist Canon, but he was somewhat lacking in knowledge of the world orcultivation. This was because he was a self-made genius. Gou Hanshi answered, The Heavenly Tomes cannot comprehend. In many ways, theHeavenly Tome Monoliths themselves are mystical and maybe evenincomprehensible. Whether ones interpretation of the monolith inscriptions iscorrect or not, this is something that the cultivator can never decide, nor cana spectator. Only the Heavenly Tome Monolith itself has the right to decide. Decides by itself? Chen Changsheng did not understand so he repeated thewords. Gou Hanshi explained, The monolith viewer touches the monolith. If theHeavenly Tome Monolith feels that you understand, then you have reallyunderstood it. Chen Changsheng thought of that famous description of the Heavenly Dao in theDaoist Canon: Mystery of mysteries, the gate of myriad wonders. If the Heavenly Tome Monolith was a door, what sort of wondrous world would bebehind it? Seeing him with such a pensive expression before the monolith, Tang Thirty-Sixand the others decided to stay silent. Zhong Hui had already deciphered the first Heavenly Tome Monolith. Was ChenChangsheng now interested, or was he content on continuing to sit on thesidelines. Could it be that he was still in no rush? Ah! Chen Changsheng suddenly thought of something and said, I have to goback. Tang Thirty-Six asked in surprise, What is it? Somewhat anxious, Chen Changsheng replied, You dragged me out in such a rushthat I forgot that I was still boiling water on the stove. What will we do ifit boils dry?
223 The Teenager who Embraced the Monolith
Seeing Chen Changshengs figure hurry down the mountain, Tang Thirty-Six had asort of indescribable feeling. Zhexiu felt the same way, and on his normallyexpressionless face a hint of doubt could be seen. He silently thought tohimself, could it be that Chen Changsheng was running away from something? Butwhen he thought about all the storms that had brewed over the Orthodox Academyduring this past year, no matter what he thought about. he could not imagineChen Changsheng as that sort of person. Gou Hanshi looked away from the mountain path, no longer concerning himselfwith Chen Changshengs plans. He spoke to his fellow disciples, Last night, Ionly let you see a section of Senior Xun Meis notebook because I didnt wantall of you to be distracted. After you saw the notebook, all of you should haveknown that there are many angles through which one can comprehend the HeavenlyTome Monoliths. Then, what do you all think about all this? Guan Feibai thought it over before saying, In Senior Xun Meis notebook, onlyfor the Reflecting Monolith did he leave behind more than a dozen trains ofthought. After looking over each one carefully, I have come to the conclusionthat, in reality, they are all extremely reasonable. Its just that my Mount LiSword Sect is located in the south, so Im used to taking the idea to stimulatethe spiritual sense. With a bit more time, I will probably be able tocomprehend this monolith. Qi Jian and Liang Banhu had the same opinion, but Gou Hanshi said, If you canforget every one of those trains of thought, or so to say experiences, inSenior Xun Meis notebook, then maybe youll be able to comprehend themonolith. Once he finished speaking, he very naturally thought back to the conversationhe had with Chen Changsheng last night. To him, Chen Changsheng had veryclearly separated those concepts, otherwise he would not have chosen to searchfor the true meaning within the changes and attempt to open up a new idea. Itwas just that this sort of method for comprehending the monoliths was almosttoo new. To open a new path was really not an easy affair. Guan Feibai and the others were somewhat shocked at his words, but aftercalming down and contemplating for a moment, they vaguely understood theirseniors meaning. They walked before the monolith hut and each found a placethat was relatively flat to sit down. Then they stared at the black monolithand began to silently pour out all the words in Xun Meis notebooks onto themonolith, gradually expelling them from their minds. Zhexiu and Tang Thiry-Sixglanced at each other, before also walking forward. Many of the students fromthe Grand Examinations Three Banners, who had entered the mausoleum this year,also sat cross-legged in front of the monolith hut. Only Gou Hanshi remainedstanding in the distance, calmly and silently gazing at the distant mountains,his thoughts an enigma. Time slowly passed, but the space in front of the monolith remained silent andsoundless. At some point, someone removed the oil lantern from the tree. Thenewly lightened tree branch swayed lightly in the spring wind. From time totime, it would spring up a few inches towards the blue sky. Occasionally itwould shed a leaf, which would flutter in the wind to land in front of the hut. Qi Jian suddenly opened his eyes, brushed off the leaf that had landed on hisslim shoulder, then stood up. After a moments hesitation, he walked over tothe monolith hut. As members of the group that lived in Xun Meis grass hut, they were theobject of attention for all the students viewing the monoliths; otherwise, howwould the name Grass Hut Seven have come about? In that quiet period of time,who knew how many gazes had, from time to time, glanced at those seven. Seeingthat Qi Jian was seemingly moving to comprehend the monolith, the previouslytranquil surroundings could not help but begin to buzz with activity again. Zhong Hui was the first to comprehend the monolith, so many people wanted toknow, who would be the second? The vast majority of people felt that the secondperson would be Gou Hanshi, because Chen Changsheng was not present. If not forhim, then the next most likely person to succeed would likely be Zhexiu, orperhaps Guan Feibai or Liang Banhu, who had both cultivated for a relativelylonger amount of time. No one thought it would actually be the still-young QiJian. Qi Jian walked up to the Reflecting Monolith before glancing behind him, hisyoung and tender face was filled with uncertainty. Gou Hanshi stood under a distant pine tree. He said nothing, but a smileappeared on his face. This caused Qi Jian to also smile and the expression ofuncertainty disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only happiness. He took another step towards the Reflecting Monolith, before carefully placinghis right hand on the edge of the monolith. He did not touch a single line onthe surface of the monolith. A cool breeze swept up from the cliff behind the monolith, brushing against QiJian which caused his hair to float lightly in the breeze. It flitted acrosshis young and elegant face, and then he vanished. The monolith hut grew deathly silent. The lively discussion that had just beentaking place had vanished without a trace, just like Qi Jians petite form.Just like that, the second person to comprehend the Reflecting Monolith hadappeared. Before the onlookers had even awoken from their shock, Guan Feibai suddenlystood up and began to walk towards the monolith hut. Compared to Qi Jian, this cold and arrogant Fourth Law of the Divine State wastruly casual, even if what he faced was this hallowed Heavenly Tome Monolith. He placed his right hand on the Reflecting Monolith, not even caring to glanceat where it fell. It was as if he was randomly patting a railing, ready todiscuss the days weather. The cool breeze rose up again, and with another flash of bright light, hisfigure also disappeared. All those people, who were still bitterly attempting to comprehend the truemeaning of the monolith, were incomparably shocked by this development. Theyfelt even more helpless as Liang Banhu also stood up and walked to the monolithhut. This peasant child, who kept the lowest profile and was the most taciturnof the Divine States Seven Laws, carefully tidied his clothes, clasped hishands in respect, and then very seriously placed his hand on the monolithssurface. Without a break, without an interval, these three Mount Li Sword Sectdisciples, one after the other, comprehended the Reflecting Monolith anddeparted for the second Heavenly Tome Monolith. After a moment of silence, several sighs arose from the front of the monolithhut. These sighs were full of admiration, and also disappointment. Their talent in cultivating the Dao indeed was not the same. The Mount Li Sword Sect indeed was exceptional. Compared to Zhong Huis breakthrough that morning, the success of these threeMount Li Sword Sect Disciples did not cause much of a stir. Yet they also didnot have a senior from their school protecting them, nor had they brokenthrough into Ethereal Opening. They had just very ordinarily stood up, walkedup to the hut, then before everyones eyes, disappeared. This was truly to actas freely as one wished. Of the four disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect that had entered themausoleum, only Gou Hanshi remained. Many people subconsciously looked towardshim and thought it quite strange. His level of cultivation and knowledge wasfar and above these three juniors. How could it be that his comprehension speedwas slower? Some of them guessed at a reason, and when they saw Gou Hanshifinally leave the shade of the pine tree and walk towards the monolith, theyfelt that they guessed correctly. Gou Hanshi walked in front of the Reflecting Monolith, yet he did not closehis eyes in thought, nor did he examine those lines on the monolith. Gazing, asalways, at the distant mountain, he placed his right hand on the monolith. The cool breeze blew again. The birds in forest took flight, and with thefluttering of their wings, his figure had already ceased to be. At this point, everyone there finally understood that Gou Hanshi had long agocomprehended the Reflecting Monolith. He had only been waiting for his threejuniors to comprehend it too. In other words, did it not mean that as he long as he wanted to, he could havevery easily become the first this year to comprehend a monolith? They thoughtback to how, in the early morning after Zhong Hui had successfully comprehendedthe monolith, when those two Scholartree Manor students were so excited andproud, and they could not help but feel that it was now somewhat embarrassing.At this time, those two young Scholartree Manor scholars that still remained infront of the monolith truly did seem rather embarrassed. The reason Gou Hanshi could comprehend the monolith but choose not to move onwas because he was waiting for his fellow disciples. Then what about ChenChangsheng? Very naturally, they were drawn to this question. Was he like GouHanshi and had deciphered this Heavenly Tome Monolith long ago? If that weretrue, then who was he waiting for? Or was it as Zhong Hui had said, that he hadinsufficient skill to comprehend the monoliths? Discussion gradually stirred, then gradually died down once more. After not much time had passed, Zhuang Huanyu walked up to the monolith hut.As this years strongest student from the Heavenly Dao Academy, many peoplerecognized him. It was just that for some reason, after he entered theMausoleum of Books, he had disappeared. No one knew where he had gone, or whathe had been doing. Even in the early morning when Zhong Hui was breakingthrough, he was nowhere to be seen. They could not help but feel surprised. Zhuang Huanyus shirt was covered with grass and leaves, as if he had actuallyspent two nights out in the woods. He cut a somewhat sorry figure, but hisexpression was extremely calm and there was a sense of self-confidence abouthis appearance. Tang Thirty-Six looked at him and asked, You didnt go to the Green ForestDorm? The Six Ivies had always been in the capital, thus they were extremely closeto the Mausoleum of Books and could obtain many conveniences. In the past fewyears, the Heavenly Dao Academy had been the most well-off of all the academiesin the Zhou Dynasty, so naturally they would have made previous arrangementsfor their students in the mausoleum. The Green Forest Dorm was the dormitoryfor the Heavenly Dao Academys students within the mausoleum. The otheracademies, like the Temple Seminary and Star Seizer Academy, also had similararrangements. I didnt go to the Green Forest Dorm, because I had no time. Zhuang Huanyu brushed the dirt and leaves off of his body, before walkinginside the monolith hut. Tang Thirty-Six looked at his back and said, Even if you succeed now, you canonly be placed sixth. Is it really worth all the trouble? Zhuang Huanyu held his right hand in front of the monolith and said, But atthe very least, Im still in front of Chen Changsheng, right? Saying this, he rested his right hand on the monolith. Not long after, Su Moyu stood up and walked to the monolith hut, becoming theseventh person this year to succeed at comprehending the monoliths. Seeing one person after another succeed, how could such a proud person as TangThirty-Six not feel nervous? Especially since Su Moyu had placed behind him inthe Proclamation of Azure Sky, he became even more pressured. After a moment, he sobered up, slightly frowned, then closed his eyes, nolonger thinking about these matters. He sent his consciousness out of his body,not dwelling on the monolith. At some moments it even seemed like he hadactually fallen asleep. When he woke up, it was already twilight. The glow of the sunset suffused thesky and the mausoleums vibrant forest seemed to burn in the light. He stood up and began to walk towards the monolith hut. As he passed Zhexiu,he said Tell Chen Changsheng that he can start eating without me. He walked up to the monolith and happily laughed. He spread his arms wide thengave that ice-cold monolith a giant embrace. To comprehend the Heavenly Tome Monoliths would give off a sort ofindescribable feeling. To cultivators, this feeling was more delicious thandragon marrow, more fascinating than the stars. There was a sense of immensesatisfaction, the so-called only after eating the marrow does one know thetaste. The vast majority of cultivators, after comprehending the first monolithand arriving at the second, would lose themselves in the monoliths and forgetthe passage of time. (TL Note: ʳ֪ζ is an idiom that translates to Eating the marrow to know thetaste. It means that once one eats the bone marrow, it tastes so good thatthey want to immediately eat it again.) Tang Thirty-Six knew that he was powerless to resist such intoxication. Heknew that he would spend the night in the company of the stars embracing thesecond monolith until he fell asleep, thus he told Zhexiu to bring a messageback to Chen Changsheng to eat without him. Just like him, Zhong Hui, ZhuangHuanyu, Qi Jian, and the rest were all sitting in front of the second monolith,not knowing how to even write the two words go back. However, the world always would have people that stood out from the masses.The exceptionally gifted and strong-willed would never be confused by externalforces. Accompanied by the sunset, Gou Hanshi returned to the grass hut.
224 The Cry of the Goose Part One
Chen Changsheng rubbed his eyes, that ached from staring at the sunset, beforestanding up from the doorstep. He said, Im not waiting for anything. Gou Hanshi replied, Even if you want to walk an untrodden path, using yourown words, that method is a little stupid, but you also said that the methodwas feasible. Logically, its impossible for you to not have a method tocomprehend the first Heavenly Tome Monolith, because I know your powers ofcomprehension are far greater than anyone else can imagine. As the worlds two most erudite scholars of the Daoist Canon, he and ChenChangsheng were rivals. From the Ivy Festival to the Grand Examination, theyhad vied with each other for supremacy, but it was because they were rivalsthat they truly understood each other. He had seen Chen Changsheng rise in thespan of a few months from an ordinary youth that could not cultivate at all tosomeone who broke into Ethereal Opening amidst the rain in the EducationPalace. If he did not have such excellent powers of comprehension, how could hehave done such a thing? Chen Changsheng thought for a few moments, then said, I think the method Idiscussed with you last night was wrong. Gou Hanshi arched his brows and asked, In what ways was it wrong? Its not a matter of it being wrong. If I could use that to follow the ideaof studying the changes in the monolith inscriptions, I would probably be ableto comprehend the monoliths, but Ive always felt it to be somewhat strange, asif there was something missing. If I cant figure out what it is that Immissing and continue to study this method, I will find it very difficult toconvince myself, because the Dao I cultivate is to follow my heart. Gou Hanshi asked, Dont tell me youre planning on creating a new method? Theres also that train of thought, but I havent resolved myself to it yet. Gou Hanshi frowned. To change methods halfway through was something bestavoided when viewing the monoliths. You know that this is a very dangerous wayof thinking. Chen Changsheng understood his warning. If he continued to hesitate in thismanner, his hope of deciphering the Heavenly Tome Monoliths would grow smallerand smaller. He pondered the matter for a long time before finally saying, If I cantcomprehend them in the end, then forget about it. Regardless of how you think, you shouldnt be too pedantic about it. GouHanshi said these words and walked into the hut. Chen Changsheng looked at Gou Hanshis back and said, The egg soup stillneeds a bit more time. Dont be in such a rush to take off the lid just yet. These words had no hidden meaning, yet Gou Hanshi saw one in it. He thought tohimself that Chen Changsheng must have a reason for waiting. After a while, Zhexiu returned to the grass hut. Of the seven people thatresided there, only he and Chen Changsheng had not succeeded at comprehendingthe monolith. Seeing how the courtyard was now much more cold and cheerlessthan it had been the night before, his face began to show traces ofself-rejection. Turning to Chen Changsheng, he asked, Why is it that Im neverable to make it work? Could it be that my innate talent is not enough? Chen Changsheng thought to himself, this wolf youth who had no sect or schooland cultivated all on his own, could live in those cruel, snowy plains. Hisname could strike fear in the hearts of many famous demons, and he couldcomfortably beat Guan Feibai and other such youths on the Proclamation of AzureSky; not only did his innate bloodline talent have no problems, it was alsounreasonably strong. It has nothing to do with your innate talent. Then whats wrong? My diligence or concentration? It has nothing to do with any of those, its just because Chen Changshengearnestly told him, Youve read too little. Zhexiu got a little angry. Since he was a child, he had roamed the snowyplains, homeless and miserable. Where would he have found the time to readbooks? Chen Changsheng took Xun Meis notebook from his chest and handed it toZhexiu. Its fine to not read much, but the most troubling part is that frommy observations of you, Ive realized you really dont like to read. Of thenotebook senior left behind, you only looked at it twice. Last night, you onlylooked at it for a while before going to sleep. How is that okay? Zhexius face paled, but it wasnt because he was injured, but rather becausehe was angry. Taking the notebook, he went straight into the grass hut. The next day at five in the morning, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and tookfive breaths of time to settle his mind. Afterwards, he got up from his bedand realized that Tang Thirty-Six was sprawled out sleeping on the side,snoring thunderously. Walking to the outer room, he saw that Qi Jian and theothers were all in a deep sleep. He realized that at some late hour last night,they had returned from the Mausoleum of Books. After washing his face and rinsing his mouth, just like the previous two days,he began to boil water and prepare breakfast. Next, he began to sweep thecourtyard and repair the toppled fence. Even after Tang Thirty-Six and theothers had finished eating breakfast and left to view the monoliths, he stilldid not seem like he wanted to leave. His face contained no trace ofapprehension, and he even seemed to be enjoying the present lifestyle. The people had gone and the courtyard was empty. He sat back down at thedoorstep, opened Xun Meis notebook, and began to read once more. He graduallybecame enthralled and he gained more and more. For the entire day, besides making meals and cleaning, he did not leave thedoorstep. Obviously he did not go to see the Reflecting Monolith either. As night fell, Tang Thirty-Six and the rest returned one after the other.After dinner, they sat around the table and discussed the inscriptions on thesecond monolith. The atmosphere was extremely warm and enthusiastic. Chen Changsheng called Zhexiu into the inner room, took out his copperneedles, and began to treat his illness. Right now, he was still confirming thenature of the abnormality within Zhexius meridians. To cure Zhexiu of thiscondition, that had tormented him for a dozen years, was not something thatcould be done in a day. After a long time, the group around the table realized that the two were stillmissing. Qi Jian was looking at the tightly-closed door of the inner room; hissmall, young, and honest face held an unbearable expression. Gou Hanshi frownedand shook his head. Right now even he was starting to find it strange. Not wanting to upset the two in the inner room, the group decided to end theirdiscussion. Tang Thirty-Six suddenly stood up, opened the door, and told Chen Changsheng,Today, another three people succeeded. Chen Changsheng was concentrating on maneuvering the copper needles with hisfingers. He softly said something to Zhexiu, but paid Tang Thirty-Six noattention. Day after day passed. The number of days after this years Grand Examinationexaminees had entered the mausoleum was now seven. On the fifth day, Zhexiu finally passed through the Reflecting Monolith. Itwas unknown whether or not it was because he had spent the last few nightstudying that book. Chen Changsheng had still not succeeded in comprehending a monolith. Now, hehad established a new record. Previously, he had established a incomparably glorious and brilliant record inthe world of cultivation: the youngest cultivator to enter Ethereal Opening. The record he had established now was less than brilliant. Amongst all the previous holders of the first place of the First Banner of theGrand Examination, he had used the most time to comprehend the first HeavenlyTome Monolith, and it was possibly going to take him even longer. In the blink of an eye, the tenth day had arrived. At five in the morning, Chen Changsheng finally departed the grass hut andwent to the monolith hut. He looked at black monolith in silence, his thoughtsunknown. The dawn light gradually flourished and the monolith viewers began tosuccessively enter the mausoleum. Arriving before the monolith hut and seeinghim sitting cross-legged under a tree, at first they were shocked, then theyhad a variety of emotions. In their eyes, one could find sympathy, one could find mercy, and one couldalso find ridicule and schadenfreude. Some people kept their distance from him and walked into the hut. Otherspurposely walked in front of him, almost seeming to saunter by, then along withthe cool breeze that curled around the roof of the hut, they disappeared. The group from the grass hut, after finishing their breakfast, also arrived. Seeing this scene, Guan Feibai creased his brow. He said nothing, but touchedthe monolith and continued on his way. Tang Thirty-Six stood in front of him and asked, Do you need me to keep youcompany? Chen Changsheng lifted his head and seriously told him, For the Heavenly TomeMonoliths, even a shorter amount of time would be precious. You have totreasure these moments. Tang Thirty-Six was speechless. He thought to himself, Youve spent the lastten days playing tourist and cook, and you can still sincerely tell me that. Zhexiu said nothing, directly sitting next to Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng made no comment. The morning wind swept through the trees, causing the green leaves to restupon the roof of the hut. Thank you, its about time now. Chen Changsheng sincerely said. Zhexiu stood up and entered the monolith hut. This about time was not about his hopes of comprehending the monolith, butfor Zhexiu keeping him company. On the twelfth day at noon, the spring sun was particularly luminous. ChenChangsheng sat in the monolith hut, borrowing the roof to keep the sun fromhitting him. With a cool breeze, two youths suddenly appeared in the monolith hut. One ofthese youths was called Guo En. He was a brilliant student from the GentleStream Monastery in the south, under the administration of the Holy MaidenPeak. In the previous years Grand Examination, he had placed third. The otherperson was called Mu Nu. Before Zhuang Huanyu, he had been the strongeststudent from the Heavenly Dao Academy. He had been viewing the monoliths in theMausoleum of Books for about four years now. These two youths were once geniuses on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. Yet astime passed and the days which they viewed the monoliths increased, they brokethrough into Ethereal Opening and had long since entered the Proclamation ofGolden Distinction. The northern and southern sects had never gotten along.Outside the mausoleum, the two youths had a relationship like fire and water,but now their relationship was not that bad at all. You are Chen Changsheng? Mu Nu expressionlessly asked him. Ten days ago, when Zhong Hui had successfully comprehended the monolith, thesetwo people were amongst the crowd, but Chen Changsheng did not recognize them,only knowing that they were probably older entrants of the mausoleum. Correct.Do you two have some advice for me? The corner of Mu Nus lips moved, as if he was smiling, yet not smiling, buthe did not answer. Guo En shook his head and sighed. A letter came from my sect saying that thisyears Grand Examination produced an extraordinary individual, but now that Isee him, it seems that they really exaggerated it. Mu Nu replied, Otherwise, for a fifteen-year-old to break into EtherealOpening is truly amazing. Its just that cultivation is like a sharp bladecutting through bamboo at first, but afterwards its stagnant like sand andstone and hard to proceed. In the course of history there have been many ofthese kinds of people. Keep in mind that the Mausoleum of Books is the realtest. This person cant even pass through the Reflecting Monolith, he may verywell be that sort of person. Its truly lamentable. They were looking right at Chen Changsheng, but they were talking tothemselves, as if Chen Changsheng did not exist, or perhaps because they didnot care for Chen Changshengs opinion. Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, then he returned to contemplating themonolith. Guo En and Mu Nu chuckled to themselves, then turned around and began headingdown the mountain, but their conversation continued. What sort of person is Xu Yourong that she got engaged to him. This is the hope for the revival of the Orthodox Academy? Truly hysterical. Not knowing if it was on purpose, their conversation was incredibly clear, sothat even Chen Changsheng could hear it. A bout of laughter followed from the mountain path. Chen Changsheng calmly viewed the monolith, as if he did not been affected inthe least. The spring atmosphere gradually deepened. In the sky, there were several hundred snow geese, returning from some faraway place. They had originally come from the warm lands of the Great Western Continent,and now they were crossing the ocean to return. They were going to HeavensPillar Peak to spend the long summer. The cry of the geese was somewhat tired, but still clear and bright. In the forest around the monolith hut, the various birds cried out inresponse. It was as if they were mocking the snow geese for bringing suchtrouble upon themselves, for being so unbearably stupid.
225 The Cry of the Goose Part Two
Suddenly, the bird cries vanished without a trace. It was not known if theyceased because they realized a person even noisier than themselves had arrived.Seeing Tang Thirty-Six appear in front of the monolith, Chen Changsheng wassomewhat baffled. Based on what he had observed these past several days, onlywhen the sun had almost set would Tang Thirty-Six be able to pull himself awayfrom the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. Do you know who those two people are? Tang Thirty-Six looked at the mountainpath, his brows arched. I dont know their origins, those two Chen Changsheng deliberated over hiswording for a moment, then said, Theyre what you would call ignorant people. Tang Thirty-Six took a look at his face and realized that he did not reallycare about the deliberate words of ridicule spoken by those two. Somewhatirritated, he asked, Even if theyre what you call ignorant people, does thatmean you dont care what they call you? Chen Changsheng replied, Lets not talk about those things, why did you comeout? Tang Thirty-Six remembered what he had come here to do. He stared at ChenChangsheng in the eye and proudly said, Ive seen the third monolith. Chen Changsheng was at a loss, Isnt that something that happened yesterday? Tang Thirty-Six was clearly unsatisfied by his reaction, then said a bitlouder, More importantly, Im ready to break through. Chen Changsheng was startled, then a big smile appeared on his face, and hesincerely said, Is that so? Thats great. Tang Thirty-Six felt somewhat helpless. Im almost about to catch up to you.Got it? Ive always been waiting for this day. Chen Changshengs face was ecstatic.He took a box of medicine from his chest and offered it to Tang Thirty-Six.Inside I left instructions on how to take the medicine. Breaking through intoEthereal Opening is a big deal, so we cant afford to be careless. At eachstep, which medicine to take and at what dosage, not a single mistake can bemade. Tonight Ill ask Zhexiu to help me keep watch over you. Within the box were pills that Luoluo had asked the priests of the Li Palaceto refine before the Grand Examination. They were made from the valuablemedicinal herbs that Tang Thirty-Six and he had stolen from the Hundred HerbGarden, as well as assortments of precious ingredients Luo Luo had asked herclansmen to prepare for them. They were specially prepared for cultivating inMeditation, as well as breaking through into the Ethereal Opening. In terms ofmedicinal strength, perhaps not even Scholartree Manors Crossing Heaven Pillwas its better. Tang Thirty-Six, dumbfounded, took the medicine box. Originally he had wantedto motivate Chen Changsheng a bit, so how did the conversation become likethis? Suddenly he thought to himself, if Chen Changsheng was acting this way,could it be that he had already given up on comprehending the monoliths? As hethought of this, his mood immediately became heavy. The spring became increasingly vibrant. The flocks of snow geese that passedthrough the capital on their way home to the Great Western State increased innumber. Twenty days had passed since the examinees of the Grand Examination hadentered the Mausoleum of Books. During that period of time, the examinees hadone after the other succeeded in comprehending the Reflecting Monolith. OnlyChen Changsheng was left sitting in front of that monolith hut every day.Compared to the liveliness of the first day, the scene in front of the monolithhut was now rather desolate. Gou Hanshi felt that perhaps there really was a problem with his state ofmind. Even Tang Thirty-Six and Zhexiu were beginning to lose confidence in him.Those Monolith Guardians that had always been watching him from the shadows hadalready lost interest, not even speaking of the other monolith viewers.Whenever they saw his figure in front of the monolith hut, they could not evenhide their looks of derision. The situation inside the Mausoleum of Books had been accurately conveyed tothe capital. The fact that Chen Changsheng was still unable to successfullycomprehend the monoliths brought forth a host of different responses. In theDivine General of the Easts Mansion, Madam Xu had rarely seen Xu Shiji in sucha bad temper. When speaking of the family feast that was scheduled to be heldin just a few days, Xu Shiji descended into silence, even accidentally breakinga famous Ruyao porcelain cup. In the building of the Bureau of EcclesiasticEducation, the atmosphere was rather oppressive. Everyday, Mei Lisha lay in hisroom filled with plum flowers, his eyes closed almost as if he were asleep, yetPriest Xin had clearly heard him muttering remorseful words to himself multipletimes, Could it be that we pushed him forward too quickly? (TL: Ruyao is a rare type of porcelain that was produced during the era of theNorthern Song Dynasty.) In her leisure hours, Lady Mo Yu would still go to that small building in theOrthodox Academy and lie in Chen Changshengs bed. However, the clean youthsscent was beginning to fade from the bedding, and her mood grew increasinglyfidgety as a result. As she read through memorials in the place of the Empress,she rather rudely gave two governors an earful of harsh criticism. TianhaiShengxue had returned to Snowhold Pass and did not affected by the mood of thecurrent number one family of the continent. Their several mansions in thecapital continuously held feasts, scholars and literati wove their way throughthem like hunting dogs. The clan leader, as well as several key members of theTianhai clan seemed calm on the surface, but in reality they were relieved. The fact that Chen Changsheng was incapable of comprehending a monolithsparked numerous discussions in the capital. People all tried to explain thematter, but no matter what they said, it did not seem to make any sense. In theend, the line that the Tianhai clan leader had said in jest at several feastswas adopted as the consensus: An even more resplendent diamond, if it wasburned in such a fierce way, what can be left except a few strands of smoke? Itmust be known that hes been burning for an entire year now. From the Ivy Festival to the Grand Examination, this youth from Xining Villagehad given this part of the continent too many shocks, basically miracles. Atthis point, the Mausoleum of Books had become a tall mountain obstructing hispath. There was no one left who believed that this youth would continue toproduce any more miracles. They all felt that he would be like those otherfallen geniuses in history, disappearing without a sound. Only one person remained confident in Chen Changsheng. On the top floor of thegreat hall of the Education Palace, Luo Luo stood at the edge of the railing,her hands shading her eyes. She did not like the false sunlight of this world.No matter how far she looked, she could only see unchanging perfection. Shecould not see the real world where the Mausoleum of Books was, nor could shesee her teacher, who was, at that very moment, viewing the monoliths. Teacher has never cared for the hopes that other people placed on him,because he only lives for himself, but has there ever been a time where youplaced your hopes on him and he has let you down? She turned to Jin Yulu, her beautiful face full of confidence and pride. Idont know why he has not deciphered the first Heavenly Tome Monolith even upto now, but Im very certain that its not because he doesnt know how to, butfor some other reason. If he can succeed, then he will absolutely causeeveryone to be stunned into silence. As promptly as ever, Chen Changsheng awoke at five in the morning, collectedhimself, and opened his eyes. He got up, washed his face, rinsed his mouth,made rice, and did some cleaning, before finally proceeding to the Mausoleum ofBooks. Of the seasons of the year, it was spring. In a day of the season, it wasdawn. The spring dawn was the most beautiful time of day, except it was just atad bit chilly. Chen Changsheng tightened his collar and sat down in front ofthe monolith hut. He had already sat here for many days now. Excluding theoccasions where he would retreat under the roof to shelter from the rain or theblazing sun, he had never changed that position from day to day. The limestonethat he used as a seat had not a speck of dust on it. In fact, its surfaceseemed somewhat glossy. Chen Changsheng had read Xun Meis notebook from cover to cover many timesnow, and he had long ago committed its words to his heart. The complex lines,that made up the monolith inscriptions, had long ago been deeply embedded intohis sea of consciousness. Although there was not enough time to see how thoseinscriptions changed throughout all four of the seasons, he had already graspedthe day-to-day changes. He no longer needed to see the monolith anymore anddirectly closed his eyes. There were footsteps in the distance that hurriedly walked by him, and therewere footsteps that slowly walked right by him. There was the low whisper ofdiscussion on the mountain path, as well as the clear sound of ridicule by hisear. Those voices all slowly disappeared, leaving behind the quiet woods andthe song of the birds. The cry of the birds amidst the forest suddenly seemed to crowd together, thenfrom up high in the sky came the cry of the geese. Amongst these cries, one ofthem was particularly clear and bright. Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and looked up at the azure sky. He only saw aflock of snow geese flying from the east. This was one of countless flocks ofsnow geese that had returned to the capital. The appearance of so much snowmade the spring sky seem all the more beautiful. He thought to himself, thegoose that gave that particularly clear and bright cry, perhaps it was that ofa chick, or maybe this was its first time going on such a long journey. The flock of snow geese flew off into the distance. Perhaps they would rest inthe capital for a few days, then continue their journey west. I suppose this is it. Chen Changsheng said these words with some regret as he stood up and walkedinto the monolith hut. Seeing the ice-cold monolith, as well as those lines which he had seen so manytimes he was sick of them, he shook his head. He thought to himself that hisskills were truly still lacking. For him, as well as all the other members of the grass hut seven, Xun Meisnotebook had brought enormous benefits in terms of comprehending the monoliths.For Guan Feibai and the others to comprehend the monoliths so smoothly, thenotebook had allowed them to draw closer to the wisdom of their worthypredecessor and achieve various enlightenments. As for the benefits heobtained, there were many points of reference. In the notebook, Xun Mei had left behind many lines of thinking forcomprehending the monoliths. For the Reflecting monolith alone, he had leftmore than ten, but in Wang Zhices notebook, which Chen Changsheng had found inthe Pavilion of Ascending Mist, the first line he had read said that Thepositions are relative, and so what Chen Changsheng aimed to do was not followthose lines of thinking to comprehend the monoliths, but to completely avoidthem and create a new path. By means of observing the monolith inscriptions amidst the natural changes ofheaven and earth, he would find an answer that was completely his own. This washow he wanted to comprehend the monoliths. This line of thinking was most likely correct, but under his standards, it wasfar from perfect, or in other words, it was not pure enough. It was still avariation of the three most traditional and mainstream methods: take the idea,take the shape, and take the move. In other words, this method had still notbroken away from those intrinsic lines of thinking. He was unsatisfied, so he had spent the past twenty days in deep thought.Regretfully, he had not met with success. Most importantly, it was just as he had told Gou Hanshi, his Dao was to followhis heart. He had always felt that all those methods, including those used bycountless past experts and saints, were all wrong. He felt that the Mausoleumof Books and those monoliths still held some deeper meaning. That was what hewanted to see. It was truly regretful that he did not have more time. That clear and bright cry caused him to wake up. Time had passed too quickly.In the blink of an eye, only several days remained before the opening of theGarden of Zhou. On the first day they entered the Mausoleum of Books, Gou Hanshi had askedhim, did he want to go to the Garden of Zhou, or did he want to stay in theMausoleum of Books for a bit longer. Back then, Chen Changsheng had said he wasstill thinking, but over the past few days he had made it clear to himselfwhich choice he would make. If he could not change his fate, or cultivate until the Concealed SpiritRealm, then he only had five years left to live. Of course, he wanted to go to more places, see more sights, get to know morepeople. He wanted to go to the Garden of Zhou, he demanded to go to the Garden ofZhou. Then, he would have to start comprehending the monoliths. Thus, he began to comprehend the monoliths. He lifted his right hand and pointed at some place towards the top of themonolith. This is the character for house (). With the angle of light at this moment, amongst the complicated lines on thesurface of the monolith, several of the shallower lines seemed to float in thelight. One could faintly make out a character in these lines. Then he pointed at another place on the monolith. This is the character forriver (). Immediately, without pause, he pointed towards the top of the monolith at amess of lines from which no one would be able to make out a character and said,Gentle (). Smoke (). Reflect (). Eave () Autumn (). Patch (). In the blink of an eye, he had, without pause, named twenty-eight characters,all of which were on the monolith. The last character was light (). His voice was clear and bright, very similar to the cry of that goose. It wasa voice of expectation, filled with that confidence and fearlessness of theunknown world. Then, a cool breeze blew. He vanished from in front of the monolith.
226 Comprehending all the Monoliths of the Front Mausoleum in One Day
The twenty-eight characters that Chen Changsheng had seen on the stonemonolith formed a poem. The foggy woods are reflected in the smoky river water,Houses with paintedeaves on the banks are adjacent to each other.Gently on the patches of lotusesshines the autumnal light.The pearl-woven curtains are bathed in the fragrantwind of ten miles. This poem was written down by the leader of the Way two thousand years agowhen he had viewed the monoliths in the mausoleum. The first Heavenly Tomemonolith in the Mausoleum of Books was called Reflecting because of this poem. Chen Changsheng used the comprehension method to extract this passage ofmonolith inscriptions, and understood its meaning. This method of comprehension was actually very simple, and very primitive. Countless years ago, when the Heavenly Tomes landed on the continent, thestill-ignorant predecessors conquered their cowardice, and carefully arrived infront of this stone monolith. The predecessor, who had first understood this stone monolith, also used asimilar method. However, what he saw perhaps was a simple image. This imagecould be cows, sheep, or even dragons. Afterwards, some people saw even morecomplicated images in the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, with numbers and even moreinformation. As a result, there were characters. This method was also the cleanest, as it did not have any other distractingthoughts layering on top of it. At the very beginning, these predecessors definitely did not believe thatthese weird stones hid secrets that needed to be understood, and would notbelieve that there was any flow of true essence in those lines. Just like how he had discussed with Gou Hanshi before. The leader of the Way two thousand years ago saw a poem from this HeavenlyTome monolith. He thought that this poem was a question. In the countlessfollowing years, countless cultivators had all once tried to find the trueanswer from this poem, but they always gained nothing. Today, Chen Changsheng also saw the poem. However, this did not mean that hehad used the completely same method of comprehension as that peerless expertfrom two thousand years ago. This was because he did not believe this poem wasa question, and believed that this was what the Heavenly Tome monolith wantedto relay to others. The daylight varied in brightness. Some lines showed, while others did not.The incomparably complicated lines could reveal countless words. These words had countless permutations. They could form a poem, or they couldform a great verse. The stone monolith could not speak, and became a piece of text in itself. He had sat in front of this stone monolith for over twenty days, and did notknow how many characters he had seen. Now, he could find countless works ofpoetry that already existed in the mortal world. However, he understood veryclearly that these poems all originated from the inscriptions of this HeavenlyTome monolith. The comprehenders of the monoliths only needed to find it, see it, andunderstand it. They did not need other extra thoughts. Of the myriad of monolith comprehension methods in the world, no matter if itwas by idea, by shape or by moves, it was all to comprehend, learn, and copythe information on the monoliths. However, the Heavenly Tome monoliths never waited for people to comecomprehend, learn, and copy. The Heavenly Tome monoliths always waited for people to come to understand it. Chen Changsheng tried to demonstrate this point, and in the end, the Mausoleumof Books confirmed that his understanding was correct. As a result, he comprehended the first Heavenly Tome monolith, and then sawthe second monolith. Deep within the dense forest, there was a monolith within the hut, and by theside of the monolith, there was also an engraved poem. This poem was raised bya certain renowned scholar, and the poem was called Cloud Piercing Stone. TL: ʯ, literal translation Cloud Piercing Stone, is an ancient Chinese poet. The second Heavenly Tome monolith was called the Cloud Piercing Monolithbecause of this. About twenty people sat on the outskirts around the monolith hut. Those peoplestared at the slightly flat and wide stone monolith within the hut. Some hadtheir eyebrows furrowed and were in deep thought, while others mumbled tothemselves. Chen Changsheng arrived in front of the monolith, and saw a few familiar facesin the group of people. That junior called Ye Xiaolian from the Holy Maiden peak raised her head asshe heard the sound of footsteps. Seeing that the person was him, she could nothelp but stare blankly. Some people also realized that Chen Changsheng had come, and stared blankly,just like her. In the past few days, those who had viewed the tablets in theMausoleum of Books had already gotten used to seeing Chen Changsheng outsidethe Reflecting Monolith hut. However, today, they suddenly saw him arrive infront of the Cloud Piercing Monolith, and actually could not respond in time. Only in the next moment did everybody realize. As it turned out, ChenChangsheng had finally comprehended the first Heavenly Tome monolith. There were some slight disturbances in the people outside the monolith hut,and afterwards, there were provocative discussions. To only comprehend the first monolith now. What is there to be arrogantabout? Indeed. I always thought that my own talent in comprehension was bad, butlooking at it now, at least it is better than some peoples. Chen Changsheng was not arrogant. However, his appearance brought a type ofpressure to the people outside the monolith hut. It was just like a student whohad extremely good grades suddenly place last in a certain subject. Thestudents of the lower half would laugh at his misfortune for several days,before suddenly discovering that that student was actually slowly catching up,how could they not be worried? Especially thinking of the mocking from several days ago, some people werebound to be slightly worried. In order to rid themselves of this pressure, to wipe away their worry, evenmeaner mocking obviously occurred. Chen Changsheng ignored these discussions, and continued forwards. Walkinginto the monolith hut, arriving in front of the Cloud Piercing Monolith, heraised his right hand. There were cries of alarm from outside the monolith hut. The news that Chen Changsheng had comprehended the Reflection Monolith waslike the wind. It spread out of the mausoleum with lightning speed, enteringvarious estates in the capital, and also spread to the royal palace and the Lipalace. Upon hearing this news, some people finally relaxed a little, such as thearchbishop, Mei Lisha, while Prince Chen Lius happy laughter resoundedthroughout the princes estate. Mo Yu currently held a pen, and was dipping itin cinnabar. Hearing the report from her subordinate, she was slightlystartled. She then said in a slightly joking manner, Only comprehending thefirst tablet now. What sort of future does he have? Many students of the Heavenly Dao Academy were in a feast at a restaurant, sothey naturally were bound to mention the Mausoleum of Books and comprehendingmonoliths. Just when they were laughing at Chen Changsheng and the OrthodoxAcademy, they received this news. The room immediately became silent, and awhile later, a student laughed at him, With this speed, whether ChenChangsheng is able to comprehend the second monolith in this year is still aproblem. Senior Zhuang has already arrived in front of the third monolith. Howcan they be compared at all? Another student said with a sigh, Gou Hanshi is even more terrifying. Can hebe ranked within the top three in the past ten years? Hearing Gou Hanshis name, the previous student stayed silent for a while,before saying, If he can maintain his comprehension speed, then perhaps hecould be ranked with the top ten within the past hundred years. Just at this moment, a student of the Heavenly Dao Academy hurriedly sprintedto the second floor. His face was full of sweat, and carried an expression offright that he could not hide. He said with a trembling voice, ChenChangsheng. has just comprehended the second monolith. Hearing this, several students of the Heavenly Dao Academy were greatlysurprised, and all stood up in a rush. They actually knocked over severaldishes of food and wine on the table. They looked at the student, and asked consecutively in an disbelieving manner. What! How is that possible! Didnt he just comprehend the first monolith? How can comprehend the secondmonolith so quickly? No one was able to answer their questions. The restaurant immediately fell into a deathly stillness. Of the seventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum, the third was called theBent Osmanthus. It must be known that the further back the monoliths were, theharder they were to comprehend. He had only entered the monolith for twenty odddays, and had already arrived in front of the third monolith. It already couldbe said to be extremely outstanding. Seeing Chen Changsheng appear, people were very surprised. It was because thatmorning, he had obviously been seen outside the first monolith hut. Did thisnot mean that he used the period of half a day to consecutively comprehend twomonoliths? Tang Thirty-Six directly leapt up from the ground, and walked up toChen Changsheng. With his two eyes rounded, he said, I say, what are youdoing? It seemed to be slightly ill-mannered, but in actuality, his eyes that lookedat Chen Changsheng were full of joy. Chen Changsheng did not know how to explain. Zhexius expression was still very indifferent. However, his eyes began toglow vaguely. He said, There must be a reason. Chen Changsheng thought a little, and said, Firstly, the Heavenly Tomes,should be tomes. Hearing this, some people outside the monolith hut seemed to fall into deepthought. Zhuang Huanyu instead gave out a cold sneer. Chen Changsheng said to Tang Thirty-Six, I will be leaving first. Youre going to leave just like this? Well it is right, you should restproperly. Tang Thirty-six said subconsciously. For Chen Changsheng to use the period ofhalf a day to comprehend two Heavenly Tome monoliths, it definitely would havetaken up a lot of his mental strength, so he indeed should return to the grasshut to rest. Chen Changsheng stared blankly, and pointed to the monolith hut. He said, Iam talking about over there. Tang Thirty-Six was stupefied. He stared blankly at him as Chen Changshengwalked to the front of the monolith and extended his hand towards it.. Seeing this, Zhuang Huanyus expression suddenly changed. Zhong Hui, who sat in the monolith hut and always stayed silent, also becameincomparably pale. The fourth Heavenly Tome monolith was called the River Guiding Monolith. Thismonolith just happened to be on the side of a cliff, so its location wasslightly dangerous. There were many people in front of the monolith hut. Since entering theMausoleum of Books to view the monoliths, nobody of the top three grades fromthe Grand Examination in the previous year had left. They were basically allthere. Qi Jian sat closest to the outer edge of the monolith hut. His skinny, weakbody was buffeted by the wind from the cliff. It always gave people a totteringfeeling. Chen Changsheng was slightly surprised. This youngest junior of the Mount LiSword Sect was actually had even faster comprehension than Guan Feibai andLiang Banhu. Of course, those who were the most surprised were still Qi Jian and the othersthere. Seeing him walk up to the side of Qi Jian and sitting down, people revealed ashocked expression. Compared to the previous three Heavenly Tome monoliths, the inscriptions onthe River Guiding Monolith were actually simpler. Speaking more precisely, itshould have been that the lines on the monolith were just as complicated, butthere already seemed to vaguely be some sort of rules. With rules, it was notnecessarily a good matter to those who viewed the tablets, as their mind wouldinstead be disturbed more easily, in other word, constraining them. After saying a few words to Qi Jian, Chen Changsheng focused his gaze on thestone monolith, and began to study it seriously. Back then, how many days did it take us to reach the River Guiding Monolith? In the empty great hall of the Li Palace, the voice of a Sacred Hallarchbishop resounded. He looked at the several dozens of sculptures of thevirtuous members of previous generations. His expression was slightlydisappointed, and there was also a sliver of shock visible in his eyes. Another Sacred Hall archbishop, who was also one of the prefects of theOrthodoxy, did not answer the questions, and only said after a period ofsilence, Although the front mausoleum is easy to comprehend, this is just alittle too quick. Perhaps, some people viewed it as Chen Changsheng had used over twenty days toarrive in front of the fourth Heavenly Tome monolith, however he who was suchgreat personage of the Orthodoxy naturally knew to not count in such a fashion.From comprehending monoliths to now, Chen Changsheng had only used the time ofhalf a day, so it was just half a day. To reach Ethereal Opening in just a year of cultivation, and reach the RiverGuiding Monolith with half a days worth of comprehension...He is worthy ofbeing the child His Holiness has thought highly of. Conversations like this occurred everywhere in the capital. Only like thiscould it neutralize the wave that Chen Changsheng had created. The current Chen Changsheng was no longer like before, directly moving onafter comprehending a monolith. When the news of him sitting in front of theRiver Guiding Monolith was announced, many people relaxed at the same time.Those people did not antagonise Chen Changsheng, such as Prince Chen Liu andPriest Xin. They only felt that the whole thing was too unrealistic. At thismoment, Chen Changsheng had stopped his advance, and instead made them feelthat what occurred today was somewhat realistic. Gou Hanshis performance inthe mausoleum in those days already shocked the entire capital. ChenChangshengs current performance was even more flabbergasting. If he were tocontinue, who would be able to stand it? However, just like how it was often said, reality was often even moreunbelievable than imagination. Not long after, everybody within the capitallearnt a piece of news. Chen Changsheng stood up from the side of the cliff. He walked into the tablet hut. He had finished comprehending the River Guiding Monolith. Following closely, Chen Changsheng comprehended the fifth Heavenly Tomemonolith the Fowl Language Monolith. Chen Changsheng arrived in front of the sixth Heavenly Tome monolith. This monolith was called the Eastern Pavilion Monolith. The person who placed first on the First Banner last year in the GrandExamination, Liang Xiaoxiao, the Third Law of the Divine Kingdom, had spent thepast couple of months trying to comprehend this monolith. When he saw Chen Changsheng, his cold and arrogant expression immediatelydisappeared, the only thing that remained in his gaze was shock and intenseconfusion. Chen Changsheng nodded his head towards him in greeting. However, his stepsnever stopped. In front of the seventh Heavenly Tome monolith, there was only Gou Hanshihimself. He currently gazed at the far away mountains. Hearing the sound of footsteps,he turned around to only realize Chen Changsheng had actually come. He couldnot help but slightly raise a brow. Chen Changsheng walked over to Gou Hanshis side. Gou Hanshi stayed silent for a while, before saying, Impressive. Chen Changsheng did not know what he should have said, so he did not speak. Looking at him, Gou Hanshi began to feel deeply moved. He said, For the firsttime, I feel that you may be a possible rival of my senior. His senior was Qiushan Jun. Even up til now, he had still felt that ChenChangsheng barely had the qualification. Chen Changsheng stayed silent for a while, before saying, There are stillproblems with the method of comprehension. It is just that there is not enoughtime, so I can only first proceed and then see how it goes. Gou Hanshi sighed, First proceed and see how it goes? If someone else were tohear these words, other than resentment, what else would they be able to feel? Chen Changsheng glanced at the monolith, and said, I am about to leave. Gou Hanshi did not misunderstand him like Tang Thirty-Six. He looked at himand said, Looks like you have decided to go to the Garden of Zhou. Chen Changsheng thought about it, and said, Ill first proceed, then see howit goes. These words were said once more. To many monolith comprehenders, if they wanted to take a step forwards in theMausoleum of Books, it was as difficult as reaching the sky. However, to him today, it was like a casual stroll. There were two people in front of the eighth Heavenly Tome monolith. He had seen these two people. A few days ago, they had once specially come tothe Reflecting Monolith hut to see him, and said a few words to him. On that night, Tang Thirty-Six had told him the history of the surnames ofthese two people. Seeing Chen Changsheng, the two people looked as if they had seen the DemonLord. Their faces were full of shock. Chen Changsheng walked towards the monolith hut, and suddenly stopped. Heturned around and looked at them. He said, You are Guo En and Mu Nu? In front of the monolith hut that day, they had asked him, Youre ChenChangsheng? Chen Changsheng was not a timid, bun-selling young girl after all. He was anupright, youthful teenager, so how could he not have a temper at all? So before he left, he also asked that. In the lingering breeze around the monolith hut, Guo En and Mu Nus facesbecame incomparably red, in a heated flush. Arriving in front of the eleventh Heavenly Tome monolith, it finally becamequiet. The gurgling sounds of water from the nearby clear, small stream wasvery pleasant to the ear. With Chen Changshengs cultivation level, he did not know that there wereseveral Heavenly Tome Monolith Guardians looking attentively at him from afar. Ji Jins expression was extremely unsightly. That night, in order to helpZhong Hui break through, his consumption was extreme, which was very difficultfor him to recover from. Nian Guang looked at Chen Changsheng walking towards the side of the stream.He stayed silent, but his feelings were extremely complicated. The Orthodoxy had ordered him to look after Chen Changsheng in the Mausoleumof Books. He did not do anything, because whether it was before or now, he didnot need to do anything at all. Many years ago, he had been a student specially nurtured by the TempleSeminary. However, he was pressured by the group of geniuses from the OrthodoxAcademy so badly that it even limited his breathing. In the end, only after allhis hopes and dreams had been destroyed, he decided to go to the Mausoleum ofBooks to become a Monolith Guardian. Seeing Chen Changsheng comprehend tenHeavenly Tome monoliths in one day, he very naturally thought of the peoplefrom the Orthodox Academy. Speaking normally, he should have been somewhatfurious, but for some reason, he was slightly relieved. Just like over tenyears ago, after he learnt that those geniuses that had once pressured him tothe point where he could not even breathe were all killed, he did not feelhappy, but instead felt slightly sad. A Monolith Guardian said, He is the fastest one in the past decade, evenfaster than Wang Po and Xiao Zhang all those years ago. Nian Guang stayed silent for a while, before saying, Not just faster, he ismuch faster. So fast that he has reached a universally shocking level. Chen Changsheng walked to the side of the stream. He washed his face and feltmuch more awake, before continuing to comprehend monoliths. Seeing the breeze of the monolith hut begin to blow, the Monolith Guardiansdid not say anything. Naturally, there were many people that had walked even further than ChenChangsheng in the Mausoleum of Books. Ignoring a monolith comprehender like XunMei, there were still cultivators that had viewed monoliths for hundreds ofyears in the seventh mausoleum. However. Chen Changsheng had only used a days worth of time. Ji Jin thought back to all those years ago when he first arrived at theeleventh monolith. He had used a whole seven years. For a long time, he couldnot help but be absentminded, with never previously existed doubt blooming inhis cultivation. His spiritual sense shook and was not calm. The injuriescaused by the consumption a few days ago began to act up secretly. He held ontoan old tree beside him, staggering and sobbing. Nian Guang and the others did not notice his abnormal action, as they werestill submerged in shock. If he was not surnamed Zhou, then I really would have wondered if he was thedescendant of that person Twilight invaded the sky, and he finally felt a shred of fatigue. He gazed off into the distance, and also saw that the capital in the dusk wasincomparably magnificent. He stood there quietly for a while, before turning around. Facing the settingsun, he walked into the monolith hut. The front mausoleum of the Mausoleum of Books only had seventeen monoliths intotal. This was the final one. Before, there was Zhou Dufu. Today, there was Chen Changsheng.
227 The Broken Monolith
Fourteen years without cultivation, only reading, then only one year wasneeded to break into Ethereal Opening. Twenty days without comprehending themonoliths, only calmly sitting then in one day he saw and comprehended all themonoliths in the entire front mausoleum. After the Pope had learned of what had happened in the mausoleum, he deliveredthese two lines of commentary on Chen Changsheng. Assisted by several powerfulfigures within the Orthodoxy, these two lines of commentary, like the glow ofthe sunset, quickly spread throughout the capital. The shocked populace onceagain looked to the south, towards the Mausoleum of Books, with every kind ofemotion. The last time someone had been able to view all the monoliths of the frontmausoleum in a single day was countless years ago, and that man was Zhou Dufu.Today, Chen Changsheng had performed the same deed. Did that mean that he wasthe second coming of Zhou Dufu? Yet there was a certain incomprehensible matterthat some people took note of. According the news that had come out of theMausoleum of Books, Chen Changshengs cultivation did not change as he viewedthe monoliths. He still remained at the initial stage of Ethereal Opening. Itmust be known that the year that Zhou Dufu rambled about in the mausoleum,whenever his eyes rested on a monolith and his foot entered a hut, hiscultivation would incessantly change. To take what those who had entered themausoleum just this year had said, even Scholartree Manors Zhong Hui hadbroken through into Ethereal Opening. There were also many people like TangThirty-Six who could see the possibility of breaking through. Logically, afterChen Changsheng had finished viewing seventeen monoliths, as a matter ofcourse, he should have obtained some sort of enlightenment. Even if he did notbreak through into a completely new realm, he should still have received somebenefit. Priest Xin supported Archbishop Mei Lisha to the Li Palace. After payinghomage to the Pope, Mei Lisha brought up the discussion currently spreadingaround the capital. After a moments hesitation he also added, There are manypeople who are suspicious. They believe that perhaps Chen Changsheng used somesort of trick, or even that we in the Orthodoxy taken some sort of action inthe Mausoleum of Books. Enlightenment is enlightenment. Comprehending the monoliths has alwaysdepended on the cultivation of the individual cultivator. No one is able toreally change that. The Pope took up a wooden ladle and began watering the Green Leaf as he spoke.I dont believe that child will have the chance to catch up Zhou Dufusperformance that year. After all, it requires extraordinary courage, as well asthe right temperament. His performance is already outstanding and I am quitesatisfied, one could even say that Im surprised. Mei Lisha responded, What I most want to know is what his response will bewhen he sees that last monolith. Will he be as shocked and surprised as we wereby his actions today? The Popes wooden ladle hovered above the Green Leaf, slightly tilted, as ifhe were thinking about something and had gotten lost in thought. Miraculously,not a drop of water spilled from the ladle. Priest Xin stood startled at one side, uncomprehendingly wondering, ChenChangsheng had already deciphered all seventeen monoliths of the frontmausoleum, how could there be one more? The Pope shook his head and resumed watering. Even if he does see it, donttell me hell be able to decipher it as well? Mei Lisha smiled. That child has already amazed us so many times. To do soone more time is not that unthinkable. In the crimson twilight, the Dew Platform seemed to be ablaze, as if it were amassive torch. The Divine Empress stood at the edge of the platform, her handsclasped behind her back, as she looked towards the Mausoleum of Books. On herindifferent expression appeared a trace of ridicule. They both viewed theentire front mausoleum in one day, but that year Zhou Dufu actually understoodthe monoliths. Chen Changsheng is still far away from comparing to him. Of the people living on the continent today, only she and the Pope could beconsidered to have actually met Zhou Dufu. They could even be consideredacquaintances. Only they understood the terrifying degree of strength that thecontinents strongest cultivator had held, so they believed it was simplyimpossible for Chen Changshengs name to even be said in the same sentence asthat man. Mo Yu stood behind her and could not help but say, But viewing seventeenmonoliths in one day can already be considered rather extraordinary. At thevery least, its much better than my performance. The Divine Empress did not turn around. She continued to gaze at the Mausoleumof Books, remembering all those aged and white-haired cultivators that, sinceancient times, had viewed the monoliths, and the sense of derision about hergrew increasingly more distinct. In the end, why is it that cultivators viewthe monoliths? Why is it that some people never understand that viewing themonoliths is not the purpose of cultivating the Dao, but a method forcultivating the Dao? When Empress ordered the rankings to be destroyed that year, it was to teachthe people of the world to not go astray. It is a pity that no one understoodthe Empresss labors. Mo Yu softly said. Yes, if ones cultivation or enlightenment in the Dao has not advanced, theneven if one comprehended every monolith in the mausoleum, what use would it be?That year when I ordered Zhou Tong to destroy that ranking in front of themausoleum. Many of those old fools in the Orthodoxy came to me weeping tearssaying that I wasnt respecting the ancestors. Now that I think of it, I shouldhave had that lot of senile fools killed. The Divine Empress continued indifferently, Even if the Heavenly TomeMonoliths are sacred objects, it is only when they are used by the people dothey actually have meaning. True, Chen Changshengs speed in comprehending themonoliths was certainly faster than yours, but that year in the mausoleum yousucceeded in entering the Star Condensation realm. And him? Even if hecomprehended every last one of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, if none of it didanything for his cultivation, then it isnt worth a damn thing. These words had come up twice and they held the same meaning, but the firstwas for the cultivators of the world, while the second was aimed directly atChen Changsheng. Mo Yu was alarmed, but then smiled. So even the Divine Empress could use suchvulgar language, she thought to herself. It would seem that Chen Changshengsperformance in the mausoleum still caused the Empress to be somewhat vigilant. Of course, what she was wary of was not Chen Changsheng himself, but theOrthodoxy who stood behind him. Mo Yu did not conceal her emotions. This was why she had been able to earn thefavor and dotage of the Empress. She opened her large eyes and asked curiously, Then in Empresss viewwillChen Changsheng have a chance? The Divine Empress contemplated the Mausoleum of Books in silence, then said,Perhaps if he is able to view that final monolith, onlyhe is too unflustered,yet so young. He gives off the unlikeable scent of sour decay, completelyunlike the Zhou Dufu of that year. He was as glorious as the morning sun, asvigorous as a hurricane. He would berate the heavens and curse the earth, allto ask a single question. Mo Yu slightly frowned. She always felt that whenever the Empress brought upthat peerless expert, her mood would seemingly become unsteady. To cultivate the Dao is to cultivate the heart. Ones nature determines onesfate, and it will also decide how far one is able to walk in the Dao. The Divine Empress announced her final conclusion. Chen Changshengis notable. After comprehending the seventeenth monolith, Chen Changsheng arrived at alush and verdant meadow. In the twilight, the entire Mausoleum of Books seemed to be on fire, thismeadow being no exception. An intangible wildfire rolled across the meadow,creating a breathtaking scene. From the cliff under the meadow came the rumbling of water. He realized thathe had arrived at the southwest face of the mausoleum, where that waterfalloriginated. The wind from the cliffs carried up a mist of water, which landed on his face.It was a little wet and a little cold, but it washed away his exhaustion. He thought back to todays course of events. Although there were some placeswhere he was not satisfied, he could not but feel somewhat happy, to think thathe was pretty good. Suddenly, he felt something, and the cheer on his face gradually retreated tobe replaced with confusion. He turned around, and saw that, in the meadow, under a white cliff, wasanother monolith hut. He had deciphered the seventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum, so accordingto the records of the Daoist Canon, he should have been sent to the nextmausoleum. But this was definitely still the front mausoleum. The structure of that monolith hut was no different than that of theReflecting Monolith or the River Guiding Monolith. Chen Changsheng was rather surprised. Could there possibly be another HeavenlyTome Monolith in the front mausoleum? Front mausoleum of the Mausoleum of Books had seventeen monoliths. This was afact that everyone knew. Unless someone had been concealing this fact, but whowould conceal it? Chen Changsheng suddenly remembered when he was studying theDaoist Classics back in Xining Village, with regards to the worlds way ofspeaking, at the very beginning the Mausoleum of Books did not have any sort offront or back mausoleum. Standing amidst the blazing meadow, he did not hesitate for long. He steppedforward and began walking towards the monolith hut. As he broke through theweeds, it was as if he was stamping out the fire, or a fishing boat rowingthrough a river as thousands of fish scales gleamed in the light. Walking in front of the monolith hut, he stopped and looked in. What he sawwas a scene he could never have imagined, and could not help but stare. This monolith hut had no Heavenly Tome Monolith. To be more precise, thismonolith hut once had a Heavenly Tome Monolith, but now that monolith haddisappeared without a trace, only leaving a pedestal. On this pedestal was asomewhat conspicuous protrusion of spoiled stone, about half a palm wide andvery short. Perhaps it was all that remained of the Heavenly Tome Monolith? Chen Changshengs body became as incredibly rigid. The previous joy andrelaxation had long since been replaced by shock and surprise. The front mausoleum of the Mausoleum of Book actually had eighteen monoliths.This was already surprising already. Yet what was even more unfathomable wasthat the last monolith was actually this broken monolith! He stood in front of the monolith hut in a daze for a very long time, thengradually was able to collect his wits and suppress that fierce shock andunease. He walked up to that broken monolith and realized that on this smallchunk, there were no lines or characters. In other words, the monolithinscriptions were all on the piece of the monolith that had been broken off. He rubbed the surface of that broken monolith, feeling the hardness of themonolith stone, how after countless years of wind and snow, its edges stillremained as sharp as ever. An expression of frustration slowly grew on his face. This monolith had clearly been broken by some extremely great power. In the beginning, when the Heavenly Tome Monoliths fell to the earth, the baseof the monoliths began to grow roots that connected them deep into the earth ontheir own. In the three thousand classics of the Daoist Canons, amongst countlessstories, there was not a single one that said that the Heavenly Tome Monolithscould be broken and carried out of the mausoleum. Then where did this power come from to be powerful enough to break thisHeavenly Tome Monolith? If it was a human, then who was this human? How did that person do it? Where did he take that piece of the Heavenly Tome Monolith? Chen Changsheng looked around in frustration at the blazing meadow. The twilight deepened and the night seeped in. The mountain winds graduallybecame colder. He felt somewhat chilly. The joy and satisfaction he felt had long since departed. The shock fromseeing the broken monolith had also vanished without a trace. His mind had already become somewhat numb. His heart was filled with boundless reverence and even fear. Is that what real power was like? The Mausoleum of Books became shrouded in darkness. Along with the disappearance of the last rays of sunset, the stars in the skyonce again occupied the sky as well as the eyes of man. Chen Changsheng stood outside the monolith hut, staring motionlessly at thestarry sky. He remained in this position for a very long time. He had been accompanied by that shadow for so many years, that in the end, hewas no ordinary youth. Although he had not reached the point where he was able to laugh in the faceof death, but after using so much time, an even stronger power would be unableto affect his mind. He turned around and walked into the monolith hut, and once again stood beforethe broken monolith.
228 Thus We Shall Perceive Them Part One
Standing in front of the broken monolith, Chen Changsheng was not actuallythinking about it, nor was he attempting to recall some story from long ago.Rather, he was thinking about his own problems. What he understood was that not all monolith viewers would be able to comebefore this broken monolith. In that case, he really wanted to know just what exactly having the ability tosee this broken monolith signified. It was just as some people in the capital had already realized, and also whatthe Divine Empress had said to Mo Yu on the Dew Platform. Viewing the entirefront mausoleum in the span of one day truly did have few problems. He hadcomprehended the monolith inscriptions, but had made no attempt to extract anyfurther messages. Thus, he naturally was not enlightened by any sort of truemeaning outside of what was written on the monolith inscriptions. He had very easily read through the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, but it seemedthat he had obtained no benefits. However, this was not the problem. At the very least, it was not the problemthat he was currently pondering about and worrying over. Disregarding any philosophical reasons, the reason Chen Changsheng had notused any of the three most common and most traditional methods of taking shape,taking ideas, and taking moves was very simple: his meridians were defective.His true essence had no means of flowing through his broken meridians. Thus,even if his true essence were to be even more abundant, it would have nomeaning. Therefore, he had to find a new method. He seemed to have achieved enormous success, having become the second personafter Zhou Dufu to comprehend the entire front mausoleum in a day, but he hadalways felt that there was something wrong. It was the same sort of hesitation and helplessness he had felt when he haddecided to begin comprehending the monoliths. The method that he had used was rather ingenious, but it was still a variationon the method of taking the idea. He had originally thought that after he had finished comprehending theseventeen monoliths one after the other, he would no longer care about such athing. However, now that he had seen this broken monolith, he finallyunderstood: to be unsatisfied was to be unsatisfied. He could cheat the heavensand cheat the earth, cheat a king and cheat a saint, cheat his father or cheathis mother, but he could not cheat himself. The front mausoleum of the Mausoleum of Books had always contained eighteenmonoliths, but it was currently missing one. Therefore, even if he deciphered seventeen monoliths, it would still beincomplete. This sense of incompleteness weighed upon his spirit, making him uncomfortable. It was just like his method for comprehending the monoliths. It was indeedvery powerful, but in the end, it was only a type of compromise. For the sake of going to the Garden of Zhou, he had deciphered the monolithsas fast as possible, thus renouncing those twenty odd days of persistentseeking. To comprehend the entire front mausoleum in one day was truly impressive, but,in his view, was it not a type of failure? The Dao he cultivated was to follow his heart, and in the end, the heart washard to satisfy. He stood in front of the broken monolith for a long time, but he ultimatelywas unable to come up with anything, so he began his descent from the mountain. In the dim light of the night, the monolith huts by the path wereexceptionally quiet. Not a single person could be seen. Accompanied by the starlight, he soon walked past seventeen monolith huts,finally returning to the front of the Reflecting Monolith. Outside the Reflecting Monoliths monolith hut, a dense mass of people hadgathered. As it turned out, those monolith viewers who would have normally been sittingin front of the various monolith huts, had all gathered here. They had been waiting for Chen Changsheng. Seeing his figure appear from outside the monolith hut, the crowd grewrestless. Tang Thirty-Six stepped forward, looked him in the eye, and said, Seventeenmonoliths? Chen Changsheng nodded his head. Tang Thirty-Six laughed heartily, then heavily patted Chen Changshengsshoulder several times. He turned around to face the crowd and shouted,Seventeen monoliths! The murmur of discussion suddenly ceased, and the area around the monolith hutbecame silent. The crowd looked at Chen Changsheng, speechless from surprise. Ye Xiaolian opened her eyes wide and looked at Chen Changsheng, her moodsomewhat strange. Could it be that there was someone in this world that couldmatch up to senior Qiu? Seventeen monoliths, perhaps senior Qiu would alsofind that difficult to accomplish? She thought of how, back in the Li Palace onthe Divine Avenue, she had attempted to shame Chen Changsheng. She could nothelp but feel thoroughly embarrassed, and she lowered her head. Chen Changsheng said nothing. Together with Tang Thirty-Six, he headed downthe mountain path. Countless pairs of eyes, full of admiration and even awe, followed him. A normal person would no doubt become a little intoxicated under the gazes ofso many people. If he had departed like this, the gazes and the starlight that fell upon himwould become his glory. However, after a moment, he stopped. Astonished, Tang Thirty-Six glanced at him. Chen Changsheng stood still for a while, then suddenly turned around andwalked back to the monolith hut. Whats wrong? Did you drop something in there? Tang Thirty-Six asked inconfusion. Chen Changsheng did not respond. He walked over to the forest at the edge ofthe monolith hut, lifted the lapel of shirt, and just like that, sat down. Just like he had done for the past twenty days, he once again began to viewthe monolith, sitting where he had always sat. That piece of limestone wasalready so clean that it seemed to glisten. Just what are you doing? Tang Thirty-Six walked up in front of him and askedin surprise. Zhexiu, Gou Hanshi and the others also walked over. After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng replied, I feel that my method forcomprehending the monoliths wasnt correct, so I plan to try again. These words caused an uproar around the monolith hut. They were all flabbergasted, shocked, perplexed, and at a loss. Just what exactly did Chen Changsheng want to do? Su Moyu asked, Why? Chen Changsheng did not answer. Guan Feibai said somewhat icily, Just why? He still did not answer. Gou Hanshi did not ask, because he had already vaguely understood. From far away, Zhuang Huanyu jeered, Show-off. Zhong Hui said nothing, but the Scholartree Manor scholar by his side mocked,Just what are you playing at? Even if you are so amazing, is there any need tosit there and humiliate the rest of us? Chen Changsheng paid no attention to this talk. Addressing Tang Thirty-Six andthe others, he said, You guys will have to handle tonights dinner. It was just as the Divine Empress had said. Only Zhou Dufu had been able totruly understand the meaning of those monoliths after seeing them all within aday. Besides talent and perception, the most important trait was temperament.Zhou Dufu was domineering and arrogant. Even if Zhou Dufu had to tear open thesky to ask a question, so what? And how could Chen Changsheng ever have suchboldness? Yet what the Divine Empress did not know was that although Chen Changshengstemperament was steady, he was most conscious of what his heart desired. If hedesired to ask a question, then, while he would seem rather calm on thesurface, he would actually be burning with an intensity just as fierce as ZhouDufus. When the news that Chen Changsheng had once again sat down in front of theReflecting Monolith reached the capital, many people were dumbfounded. The Divine Empress was silent for a long time. There were some people who wanted to see just what sort of trick ChenChangsheng was trying to pull, but they were turned away by Nian Guang, whowould not allow any sort of disturbance. Carrying a meal, Tang Thirty-Six came to deliver dinner. Chen Changsheng continued to view the monolith. He viewed the monolith under the starlight, its surface seemingly covered withsnow. He thought of a sentence in Xun Meis notebook, then recalled the words GouHanshi had said upon entering the mausoleum. The Heavenly Tome Monoliths were pieces of a world. Since these Heavenly Tome Monoliths were all once one, then was it not correctby viewing each monolith on its own? Was it correct instead to comprehend all seventeen monoliths together? He calmly looked at the Reflecting Monolith, yet it also seemed like he wassimultaneously looking at the Bent Osmanthus Monolith, the River GuidingMonolith
229 Thus We Shall Perceive Them Part Two
Thousands of years ago, there was no such thing as the seventeen monoliths ofthe front mausoleum. When they suddenly appeared, naturally there would be somesort of meaning behind it. What Chen Changsheng sought to do was to find thismeaning. Of course he had already realized that this meaning most likely had todo with the missing Heavenly Tome Monolith. It had long since disappeared andhe was incapable of finding it. Yet he knew that his process of deciphering themonoliths was not satisfactory. If he did not even attempt to find that missingportion, then the hole in his heart would never be filled. This was a situationthat was unbearable to him. Reflecting Monolith, Cloud Piercing Monolith, Bent Osmanthus Monolith, RiverGuiding Monolith, Fowl Language Monolith, East Pavilion Monolith the seventeenmonoliths of the front mausoleum simultaneously appeared before his eyes. In the center of his field of vision was the Reflecting Monolith, while theother sixteen monoliths orbited it as he attempted to piece them all together.It was just that those monolith inscriptions were too abstruse and complex.Those lines were too inexplicable and incomprehensible. Between lines, therewas not a single natural connection, and between marks there was no interveningmark to be found. No matter how he combined, he could find no signs that thesemonolith inscriptions were originally one. He even had a feeling that even if that broken monolith had been restored andhe had been able to read its inscription, he still would not be able to put themonolith inscriptions together. For several hundreds of years, no one had been able to realize the profoundmysteries of the seventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum, or perhaps it hadalready shown that all his efforts were futile. He serenely sat outside themonolith hut. At some point, his eyes closed. The seventeen Heavenly TomeMonoliths swiftly moved through his sea of consciousness, combining in allsorts of ways. They did not pause, causing his spiritual sense to be consumedfaster and faster, and his face became paler and paler. Outside the Mausoleum of Books, the world was similarly quiet. Of the lightsof the innumerable houses of the capital, more than half had been extinguished.Only the mansions of the aristocracy, as well as the two important places ofthe Imperial Palace and Li Palace, were still brightly lit. Chen Changshengsdetermination to comprehend the monoliths of the front mausoleum again causedmany people to be extremely shocked. It prompted ridicule, and it also madesome people unable to sleep. Time slowly but steadily passed. The vast sky of brilliant stars graduallygrew dimmer. Once the darkness had passed, the light of dawn once again rose,brightening the earth. Unconsciously, Chen Changsheng had spent the entirenight sitting in front of the monolith hut. There were many people within andoutside the mausoleum that had also stayed there for the entire night waitingfor him. With the slight warmth of the morning light, the monolith viewers began toarrive from the mountain path one by one. When they saw Chen Changsheng sittinginside, eyes closed, and not saying a word, each of their expressions weredifferent. Perhaps it was admiration, perhaps it was ridicule, and some evenhad a sense of absolution that was hard to describe. Last nights circumstanceswere special, so Nian Guang was able to turn away all monolith viewers, butthat could not be kept up forever, and thus the area around the forestgradually began to liven up. Some people shook their heads at Chen Changsheng before proceeding to theirown monoliths. Some people decided to purposely stay around the monolith hutjust to see what Chen Changsheng would be able to comprehend. They took joy inhis suffering as they thought back to how yesterday, Chen Changsheng had seenthe entire front mausoleum and could clearly have departed with confidence.However, he had chosen to stay which was as if he had taken a rock and brokenhis own legs with it. The people living in the grass hut also came over. Tang Thirty-Six carried apot of porridge. It was clear this scion of Wenshui Tangs, born with a goldenspoon in his mouth, had never done a day of housework in his life. He drippedporridge the entire way, even dropping quite a bit of it on to his shoes. Heseemed somewhat battered and exhausted. Zhexiu brought along some side dishesand steamed buns, while Qi Jian carried bowls and chopsticks. Chen Changsheng opened his eyes, took the bowl of porridge, and with a word ofthanks to Qi Jian, he began to eat. He ate two bowls of porridge, then ate a steamed bun accompanied with somepickled tofu. At this point, he felt full enough, so he put his chopsticks down. Tang Thirty-Six saw his clearly pale face and worriedly asked, Wont you eatsome more, or how else will you keep pushing forward? Chen Changsheng replied, Eating too much makes it easier to get sleepy. Tang Thirty-Six frowned. Although Im not clear just what the hell youretrying to comprehend, since you insist on it, I know theres no way to persuadeyou otherwise, but dont tell me you really plan on doing this with no sleep? Off to the side, Gou Hanshi said nothing. He knew that the reason why ChenChangsheng was in a rush was because the day which the Garden of Zhou openedgrew closer and closer. Zhexiu offered a wet towel to Chen Changsheng. The towel had been soaked in a creek, so it was very cold. Chen Changshengforcefully rubbed it on his face and felt his energy restored somewhat. He toldthe group, You guys dont have to worry about me. Saying these words, he once again closed his eyes. Although he had closed his eyes, Gou Hanshi and the others knew that he wasstill viewing the monoliths. Perhaps this method did not hurt the eyes, butrather injured the spirit. The morning birds flew out to welcome the rising sun, shaking the dew fromtheir wings and feathers. Around the monolith hut, silence was restored. Itseemed that all the people had already left. Eyes closed and legs crossed, Chen Changsheng sat before the monolith hut andcontinued to attempt to comprehend the monoliths. Time flowed by. Noiselessly, noon arrived, and then dusk, the twilight dense. Today, the capital was as peaceful as the Mausoleum of Books. Within the LiPalace, the archbishops were in no mood to pay attention to the reports fromtheir subordinates. In the Imperial Court, the chancellors had no mind to useon government affairs. The speed at which Mo Yu read through memorials hadcritically decreased. The Divine Empress brought the black goat on a slowstroll through the Palace of Great Brilliance, thinking about something oranother. In one day, the Pope watered that Green Leaf seven times. Those who did not know, who did not understand, viewed Chen Changshengsactions as entertainment, or the topic of idle chatter. Those who knew of how Zhou Dufu had comprehended the monoliths, who understoodthe inside story of the Mausoleum of Books, were anxiously waiting forsomething to happen, or not happen. Up until this point, that something had not occurred yet. Within Chen Changshengs field of vision, or perhaps his sea of consciousness,the seventeen Heavenly Tome Monoliths formed countless combinations andpermutations. Although he had not exhausted all the possibilities, he hadalready exhausted an enormous amount of effort and consumed an innumerableamount of spirit. Regretfully, he had still not found what he was looking for.To him, the world was still missing something. Suddenly, he had a flash of insight. He no longer attempted to assemble theseventeen monoliths together. To be precise, he no longer attempted to put themonoliths on the same plane together . Instead, he organized the seventeenmonoliths into a straight line. In front of him was the Reflecting Monolith, behind that was Cloud PiercingMonolith, and behind that was the Bent Osmanthus Monolith. In succession, hearranged them into a straight line. Then he thought to himself, only the monolith inscriptions were needed. Hence, the bodies of the seventeen monoliths disappeared, only leaving thoseinexplicably complex lines. The seventeen layers of monolith inscriptions, from near to far, hoveredbefore his eyes. His vision could see through the monolith inscriptions of the ReflectingMonolith and see the inscriptions of the other sixteen monoliths behind it. When these inscriptions were superimposed one in front of the other, theyformed a brand new, never seen before, impossible to imagine design. He looked at this design, and was astonished. In the seventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum, the farther back they were,the simpler and more orderly they seemed. The lines when superimposed seemed tobecome more orderly the farther back they were. Perhaps the thing that hewanted to find was concealed within? However, the lines on the Reflecting Monolith were already exceedinglycomplicated. Although the lines on the monolith behind it were relativelysimpler, they were still complex and incomprehensible, but if they weresuperimposed into a single design, their complexity was multiplied by severaltimes. Relying on a humans mental strength alone, one would never be able todecipher it. Even if they only tried, they would still encounter problems. Chen Changsheng only glanced at it, his spiritual sense barely stimulated, andhe found it absolutely unbearable. His sea of consciousness shook in unrest anda sharp pain came from his stomach. He spit out blood, wetting his shirt. From the ever peaceful, seemingly deserted, surroundings of the monolith camea cry of alarm. So as not to affect Chen Changsheng, those people had forced the volume oftheir cries down. Chen Changshengs eyes were still closed, so he was unable to take in thesituation. In addition, his mind was fixed completely on that unfathomablycomplex design, so he did not notice their cries. He only needed a glance to understand that the design could not becomprehended through human powers. He inwardly said to himself: A little simpler. These three words were not meant for that design, but for himself. In the sea of consciousness of a cultivator, if one saw the world a certainway, the world would change to match what one imagined. He forcefully curbed his spirit. Relying only on his mindset, which was calmbeyond his years, as well as his spiritual sense whose suppleness even movedthe Divine Empress, he once again looked upon the design. He no longer attempted to arrange and calculate those lines, and just simplylooked at it. In response, that design also became somewhat simpler. Within that design, he saw countless scribblings of children, saw countlesscharacters, saw countless songs and poems, saw countless ink paintings, saw thebeautifully arranged and built buildings of the Li Palace, saw the OrthodoxAcademys great banyan tree, saw the high mountains wreathed in clouds, and sawthe three thousand classics of the Daoist Canon. Everything that existed in this world also existed in that design. However, it was still not enough. It was still too much, still too complex. Chen Changsheng silently said to himself: Even simpler then. He forgot the three thousand classics of the Daoist Canon, which he hadstudied since he was young, forgot the songs and poems that he had previouslyseen, forgot that he had once been to the Li Palace, forgot that he had onceclimbed that great banyan tree, and with Luo Luo by his side watched the sunset over the capital with satisfaction, forget all the characters that he hadlearned. He forgot everything about everything. This sort of forgetfulness was obviously not true forgetfulness; it was only aself-imposed isolation of the mind. Only in this way would he be able to ask himself a single question. If he was an illiterate child who saw the lines of this design, what would hethink? These were traces. These were traces of flowing water. These were the traces of clouds. These were the traces left behind by a flock of geese as they flew through theblue sky. Whatever walks must leave behind tracesno, that is something invented inessays and consolation when feeling sore. When snow geese fly through the sky, not leaving behind a single trace. Thelines of snow were really only an image to the eye. Just what were these lines pointing at and indicating? What the lines of snow were pointing at and indicating were the snow geese atthe very front of the line. What these lines pointed at and indicated was the end of the line. If there is no end, then the line must have intersected somewhere. Even simpler. Chen Changsheng stared at the incomparably complex design, and repeated thesewords to himself. Seventeen monoliths superimposed themselves before his eyes. The bodies of the monoliths were the first to disappear. Then the lines disappeared. More and more lines continued to disappear before his eyes, slowly,ceaselessly disappearing. More and more empty space, before his eyes, slowly, ceaselessly appeared. The seventeen monoliths had completely disappeared. The lines on the monolithhad also disappeared. A new design had been born. It was a countless number of isolated points. Chen Changsheng was sure that he had never seen this design before. Yet for some reason, he felt that the design was very familiar.
230 Seeing the Truth for the First Time
The seventeen monoliths turned into thousands upon thousands of lines, theninto innumerable points. These points had no rhythm nor reason, like inkdrizzled over a white sheet of paper. It was a design that no one couldpossibly have seen before. Then, how was it that it seemed so familiar? ChenChangsheng silently thought that the feeling that this design gave him was likesomething he had often seen, yet it was something that he had never closelyexamined. In the end, what exactly was it? The monolith inscriptions had already been simplified into countless points.In his sea of consciousness, that invisible sheet of paper only containedcountless points. No matter how he saw it, they were just points. Points, points, pointsthe points of stars in the sky? Even though he was still in self-observation, he seemingly felt that his lipswere somewhat dry. Because he was excited. The design formed by the monoliths of the front mausoleumcould it perhaps bethe starry sky? In the next moment, he confronted his own speculation with intense doubt andsuspicion. It was because the points that he saw in front of him were toonumerous, even more numerous than the stars in the night sky. If one said thatthe Heavenly Tome Monoliths of the front mausoleum had something to do with thestarry sky, then on the contrary, one would also say that the starry sky wasmore monotonous than the design on the monoliths. According to the most simplistic logic, there was no reason to use an evenmore complex design to portray an even simpler object. Even more importantly,if the Heavenly Tome Monoliths of the front mausoleum truly did portray thestarry sky, then there was no further way to simplify it. Unless, thesemonoliths portrayed many pieces of the starry sky. Yet, this world only had one starry sky. Chen Changsheng pondered this in silence for a long time, then after pushingaround an idea in his mind for a while, several lines slowly began to appearbetween the numerous points. If those lines were used to describe the movementof the points along their orbits, then, of those countless points on thedesign, some of the points were at different positions in time. Then all thiscould be easily resolved all at once. Yes, it should be this way. However, this forced him to face another problem. This problem was even harderto address. It could even cause the situation to become even more arduous. Because the stars could not move. The brightness of the stars could subtly change, but their positions in thenight sky were eternal and unchanging. This was a truth that had been provedcountless years ago. The star charts drafted by the countless starobservatories of this continent did not have the slightest difference. Thefocus of their observations was completely concentrated on the brightness ofthese stars. There had never been anyone who dared to question this standpoint, becausethis was a truth testified by countless people over a countless number ofyears. Just like how the sun would always set in the west. Just like how themoon was always in some faraway place that only demons could see. Just like howwater would always flow to places of lower elevation. This was a truth thatcould never be overthrown. When he was reading Wang Zhices notebook in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist,that had been the reason why Chen Changsheng was uncomprehending and doubtfulof the method of changing fate by changing the position of the stars. Even inthat fantasy that he saw with his own eyes that Purple Abstruse Emperor Starsubtly shifted the positions of the stars around it, he still did not believeit, because that was a fantasy, and not a truth seen with his own eyes. It was just Xun Meis notebook had mentioned multiple times that to view themonoliths was to see the truth, but he had viewed the monoliths of theMausoleum of Books for several decades and yet had never encountered the truth.In the end, in order to ascend to the summit of the mausoleum and see thetruth, he paid his life as the price. Then, in end, what sort of truth did ChenChangsheng want to see? What was the truth? Was what he saw with his own eyesthe truth? Chen Changsheng left his self-observation. He opened his eyes and looked up at that monolith which truly existed. It was late in the night, but there were still many people around the monolithhut. It was not what Chen Changsheng had thought. Tang Thirty-Six, Zhexiu, GouHanshi, and the rest had never left. They had remained to watch over ChenChangsheng as he attempted to comprehend the monoliths. From early morning tosunset, right up until the stars shone in the dark night sky. At dusk, they had seen Chen Changsheng spit out blood and were very concerned. Then they saw Chen Changsheng ball his hands into fists and arch his brows, asif he had realized something and became excited. Now, they finally saw Chen Changsheng open his eyes and wake up. Tang Thirty-Six stopped holding his breath and was prepared to walk forward,but then he stopped. Because he realized that Chen Changsheng had not seen him. Chen Changsheng was still staring at the monolith, still comprehending themonoliths. His mind was so devoted, that it moved their hearts and made themnot want to disturb him. Chen Changsheng had already viewed this monolith for twenty days. In the morning light and the glow of the sunset. In the shower of rain and inthe clear sky; he had viewed this monolith in all sorts of environments, andthe changes in the monolith inscription were engraved in his heart. He had also seen this monolith under the starlight, and he had not seen anyplace on it that stood out. Tonight, the stars were as brilliant as ever, no different from any of theprevious nights. Yet, his eyes suddenly seemed to glow. That light originated from a very thin and inconspicuous line in the lowerleft corner of the monolith. There was nothing special about this line. It was just that its position andangle were just right so that the starlight coming down from the night skywould reflect off of it and into Chen Changshengs eyes. So his eyes glowed. Twenty days of single-minded observation and contemplation had already drawnhim very close to the truth. Tonight, this smattering of light finally allowedhim to understand everything. If the lines upon the monolith could reveal themselves and hide themselveswith the natural light, then they could become countless characters andpictures. Then where did the brightness in the stars come from? It was becausethe stars moved. Only, if the stars could change position, how was it that noone had ever been able to see it? The seventeen monoliths once again appeared before his eyes. When those monolith inscriptions were superimposed over each other, the lineson the last monolith seemed to connect in many places with the lines from thefirst monolith. At the very least they appeared to do so in his eyes. In reality, there was still a large gap between those lines. The reason why what he saw with his eyes was different from reality wasbecause his line of sight was perpendicular to the surfaces of the monoliths. The surfaces of the monoliths were the starry sky. When people on the ground looked up at the starry sky, because the stars weresimply too far away, one could believe that, when viewing the stars, onessight was always perpendicular to the plane where the star resided. Then, ifthat star moved forward or backwards, those people would be incapable of seeingit because they stood on the ground. They could only see that the star hadgrown dimmer or brighter. Yes, this was precisely why. Chen Changsheng withdrew his vision from the monoliths. Only then did herealize that there were quite a lot of people around the monolith hut. Tang Thirty-Six looked at him in concern. Nothings wrong, right? Chen Changsheng said to him, The positions are relative. These were the first words that he had seen in Wang Zhices notebook back atthe Pavilion of Ascending Mist. It was only now that he understood their truemeaning. Tang Thirty-Six did not understand why he had so absent-mindedly said thesewords. He subconsciously responded, And then? Chen Changsheng thought it over, then he pointed up to the sky filled withstars. Dont you see? The stars can move. There was complete silence around the monolith, not a single voice could beheard. Everyone thought that Chen Changsheng had tried to comprehend themonoliths for too long and his spirit was exhausted to the extreme, so his mindwas somewhat unclear. Yet for some reason, seeing his earnest appearance, theywere struck with a sense of unease, as if something terrible were about tohappen. Ji Jin sternly scolded him, What nonsense are you saying! Yet, they really do move. Chen Changsheng calmly said, his tone and expression were incomparablyconfident. Because this was the truth. This really was the truth.
231 Tonight, the Stars Are Brillian
The entire area around the monolith hut was in an uproar. Chen Changshengswords challenged a truth that had never been questioned. The question was howwas it that the stars could move? This was really too ridiculous. Not a singleperson believed it, and even Gou Hanshi could only arch his brows. The sense ofunease in the peoples hearts disappeared without a trace, replaced withridicule. Chen Changsheng was not surprised by their reactions. He knew that he wasdefinitely not the first one to realize that the stars could move. At the veryleast, Wang Zhice had shown in his notebook that he had long begun to think inthat direction. Then, why did the Daoist Canon have nothing on this matter?That was because this sort of matter was impossible to prove. When cultivatorsdetermined their Fated Star, everything that they saw was with their spiritualsense and could not be taken as proof. It was only evidence if they could flyup to that unfathomably distant starry sky and transmit everything they saw tothe people down below. Chen Changsheng had no means to prove that the stars could move, and so to saythat he had realized it would not be right. Rather, this was only thespeculation that had arisen from his viewing of the seventeen Heavenly TomeMonoliths of the front mausoleum. It could also be considered as theenlightenment he had obtained from comprehending the monolithsIt wasimpossible to convince people with speculation, but it was enough to convincehimself. This was because it was in line with his idea of beauty, as well asthe fundamental way in which he viewed the world. At least for now, it was enough for only him to believe that the stars couldmove. As for whether people could believe it or not, he did not care. He lifted his head towards the brilliant stars in the sky and said nothingmore. The stars in the night seemed to be eternally unmoving, but in reality theywere in constant motion, sometimes forwards and sometimes backwards. From timeto time, the distance between the stars and earth would grow larger, and fromtime to time it would grow smaller. The distance and angle between the starswas constantly changing. It was just that the starry sky was simply too faraway from the observers on the ground. It was too difficult to perceive thesubtle changes in angle from where they stood. If the seventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum portrayed the positions ofthe countless stars, as well as the orbits they traveled upon, then how couldthis picture be compared to the true starry sky? He lowered his head and closed his eyes, once again entering his sea ofconsciousness to observe the monolith inscriptions. The seventeen monoliths arranged themselves into a straight line before hiseyes once more. The monolith inscriptions were superimposed upon each other inthe air, and then the countless intersecting lines became countless points. Heused his consciousness to have the image disassemble then reform itself.Gradually, those points began to move along those lines, slowly and smoothly,adhering to some indescribable law. The image was a star chart. Countless star charts, each from a different time,one after another flitted before his eyes. The endless variations of the stars, with time as their axis, ceaselesslymoved before Chen Changshengs eyes. The stars moved through the night, and the traces that they left were chiseledinto the monoliths, which eventually became the monolith inscriptions of theHeavenly Tome Monoliths of the front mausoleum. From the ground, even though the stars moved back and forth, they alwaysremained in fixed positions. As a result, this ever-changing star chartnecessarily could only be obtained by observing them from some other angle. Time passed slowly, but in reality, an innumerable number of years had passed,upon which he finally arrived at the final star chart. Logically, this star chart should have portrayed the current position of thestars in the true sky. Yet, for some reason, the stars on the star chart occupied a completelydifferent position from the real stars in the skyIn the final moment, if theresult and the expected outcome were different, many people would receive amassive shock, even so much so that they would begin to doubt their premise;however, once Chen Changshengs heart was set, it would not waver. He looked at the final star chart, then after a long period of silence, liftedhis right hand and began to gently pull at the edges of the star chart. The star chart was a reflection of the truth, so obviously it could not be aplane, but rather it was a cube. Along with the gentle pull of his fingers, the side of the star chartnoiselessly and slowly began to revolve, its side facing the front. This was yet another new design. On it were still countless stars, yet theyseemed much more solemn and constant. Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and once again looked up at the night sky. Over there was a brilliantly starry sky. When the new star chart in his sea of consciousness was placed over the realstarry sky, there was a region in the southeast corner that was a perfect fit. There was not a single star out of place. Every star on that star chart foundits matching counterpart in the sky. This sort of feeling was very beautiful, and very shocking. For a long time, Chen Changsheng found himself speechless. Then he thought of even more things. In Wang Zhices notebook, he had brought up a question about this starry sky. In the long stream of history, countless worthy predecessors had brought upsimilar questions. If the fate of man was truly hidden within this same starry sky, and the starswere eternally unmoving, then it was naturally impossible to change their fate.Then in the end, why did man struggle and strive? To the understanding of humanity, the starry sky was always that solemn andserene, always that perfect. It was like the Heavenly Dao or fate, set up onhigh, unable to be glimpsed at. Tonight, Chen Changsheng understood that to be solemn did not mean it wasrigid. True perfection did not mean being eternally unchanging. As the stars could move, their positions could also change. The distance andangle of ones fated star with other stars were naturally also changing. If those connections were the traces of fate, then was that not essentiallysaying that fate could be changed? On the back of his notebook, Wang Zhice had written these words so forcefullythat he penetrated through the page: There is no such thing as fate. Yes, there simply was no such thing as a fixed fate. With a huge bang, it rumbled through Chen Changshengs sea of consciousness. He had deciphered the thing which had plagued him for so many years, thehardest thing to dispel on the spiritual level for him. He had deciphered his own personal Heavenly Tome Monolith The spiritual strength that he had obtained from comprehending the seventeenHeavenly Tome Monoliths began to affect the actual world. In the distant night sky, the specks of starlight were intimately connected. Within his sea of consciousness, on the star chart made up of monolithinscriptions, all the points began to light up and glow. Almost at the same time, the stars above the Mausoleum of Books also seemed togrow several times brighter. In the even more remote depths of the sea of stars, where perhaps even thepowerful spiritual sense of a Saint would be unable to perceive, a red starbegan to exude a boundless radiance. This was the true radiance of a star, a radiance that human eyes wereincapable of seeing. A strand of this starlight fell upon the Mausoleum ofBooks. The people around the monolith hut were all stunned, not knowing what had justhappened. In the next moment, they were all shocked beyond compare as they realized thatChen Changsheng had disappeared from his place in front of the monolith hut. Like a cool breeze, like a strand of starlight, without a noise, coming andgoing unhindered. Chen Changsheng had vanished from the Reflecting Monolith. Momentarily, heappeared before the Cloud Piercing Monolith. He paused at the Cloud Piercing Monolith for only an instant before his bodyonce again disappeared, appearing before the Bent Osmanthus Monolith. Soon after, he appeared at the River Guiding Monolith, then the Fowl LanguageMonolith, and then the East Pavilion Monolith. For only an instant, he appeared before each of the monoliths of the frontmausoleum, then vanished just as quickly, finally arriving before that brokenmonolith. His eyes were still shut, oblivious to everything. He simply did not know whatwas happening. Tonight, a strange phenomena occurred in the sky. To the naked eye, it seemed that the many stars in the sky did not get anybrighter, but many people knew otherwise. A little later, even the commonpeople were able to realize this amazing fact. If one star got a little brighter, it would be very hard to tell, but if allthe tens of thousands of stars of the entire southeast region simultaneouslybecame slightly brighter, what sort of scene would that produce? The starlight illuminated the Mausoleum of Books, and it also illuminated theentire capital. The streets and alleys in the late night seemed to return to daytime. The Dew Platform was closest to the night sky, so every detail of it wasbrightly illuminated. The night pearls at the edge of the platform seemed dimcompared to the illuminating starlight. The Divine Empress stood at the edge of the platform, looking out into theboundless sea of stars. Her expression was somewhat surprised, even dignified. She did not think that, with his temperament, Chen Changsheng would sit beforethe monolith hut to comprehend the monoliths once more. She did not think thatChen Changsheng would actually be able to be like that man, deciphering theentire front mausoleum and attracting countless rays of starlight. She stilldid not believe that Chen Changsheng would be able to do what that man had doneso many years ago. As the present was no longer those days of the past, the Mausoleum of Book wasno longer the same mausoleum that it had been in the past. The starlight spilled through the window and onto the table, causing thememorials that were faintly yellow from the candle light to be bathed in white.The words upon the memorial also became much more distinct. Mo Yu raised her eyebrows and looked out the window. In surprise she thought,perhaps he really comprehended those Heavenly Tome Monoliths? South of the city in Bitter Rain Alley, there was a government office. Thisgovernment office seemed very plain, but in the eyes of the people, it wasespecially sinister, because this was the office of the Zhou Dynastys Ministryof Personnel. Tonight, the sinister atmosphere of this office was somewhat dispersed by thepurifying starlight. Zhou Tong walked into the courtyard, using his hand to bring the veil of hishat down, so as to block out the radiance of the starlight. He slightlyfrowned, somewhat displeased. The words Prince Chen Liu had said to Tianhai Shengxue were incorrect. He hadnot been waiting outside the mausoleum for Chen Changsheng. Even if Chen Changsheng had obtained the first rank of the First Banner duringthe Grand Examination, in Zhou Tongs eyes, he was still an unremarkable nobody. Yet now, as he looked up at the night sky filled with brilliant starlight, hefinally began to think differently. In other words, this sky full of starlight left him with no other choice butto put this youth in his focus. Since the starlight filled the human world, illuminating houses and courtyardsalike, it naturally would also illuminate that well near the New North Bridge. In the past two days, the dirt at the bottom of the well had been freshly dugup. A strand of miserable yet obstinate starlight penetrated into the gloomyworld. The starlight illuminated that red mole on the small girls face, yet it wasincapable of dispelling the coldness about her. Luoluo stood beside the railing of the top floor of the Education Palaceshall, when suddenly she looked up at the sky. The night here was fake, the stars eternally unmoving, and yet they had novitality. She felt something, that Chen Changsheng was, at the moment, doing somethingextraordinary. She turned to Jin Yulu and said, I want to go out. After a moment of silence, Jin Yulu replied, Your Highness cannot help him. Teacher does not need my help. Luo Luo confidently said, I want to go tothe Orthodox Academy to wait for him and congratulate him. The starlight illuminated the Mausoleum of Books, and it also illuminated thecapital. The Li Palace basked in the pure and holy starlight. Several thousand priests and students from various academies came out to theplaza and the Divine Avenue. They ceaselessly prayed to the stars in the skywith expressions of absolute piety. In the deepest depths of that hall. The Pope looked as the starlight that leaked through the cracks of the roofand fell upon the Green Leaf, and on his aged face appeared a loving smile. Mei Lisha looked outside the hall to view that snow-like starlight, and saidwith deep emotion, Its just like that day. The Pope knew that he was speaking of that day that Wang Zhice comprehendedthe Dao and broke through. On that night, the entire capital had also beenbathed in light. Tonight, the image from that day once again appeared. This sort of image had not been seen for several hundred years. Mei Lisha suddenly creased his brow and questioned, Is this StarCondensation? The Pope replied, No, he is still at Ethereal Opening. Mei Lisha asked, Then why are the stars so bright? The Pope thought it over, then said with some hesitation, Perhaps, he used aStar Condensation method to continue on Ethereal Opening?
232 The Enigmatic Black Stone, the Perfect Starry Sky
Even a Saint like the Pope was unsure of Chen Changshengs current situation.This was due to the fact that from the very beginning, Chen Changshengs methodof cultivation was different from everyone elses. He had walked a path that noone else had ever walked before. He had already dispelled what many cultivatorsconsidered to be common knowledge or even rules. There were so many bizarrethings on his path that would be hard to believe. Before he had even undergone purification, he had already begun doingmeditative introspection, thus having a close encounter with death and almostreturning to the stars. However, he received the assistance of the Black Dragonand was able to survive that harrowing encounter. Later, in the GrandExamination, he once again found himself in dire straits, but amidst the autumnrain, he was able to break through into Ethereal Opening. He had originallythought that he was still taking in starlight for purification, but in reality,he had always been at opening his Ethereal Palace. From beginning to end, he had always used methods that exceeded his own levelof cultivation. It was just like an infant that had not learned how to walk, yet was alreadytrying to run, or who did not have the teeth to learn words, but had alreadybegan to memorize the Daoist Canon. Or perhaps it was like someone who did nothave the strength to lift a sword, but was already attempting to learn how tofight. These were all extremely dangerous things, and so were all the thingsthat Chen Changsheng had attempted. If he did not have such fortuitousencounters, he would have died long ago. Starlight rained down upon the Mausoleum of Books, illuminating that meadowinto a snow-white cloth. Chen Changsheng sat in front of that broken monolith,his eyes tightly closed. His sea of consciousness and the starry sky above bothshone as the universe harmonized with his body. The countless stars in thenight sky gazed down on him. They watched over him as he who was still atEthereal Opening began to undergo Star Condensation ahead of time. The Qi emanating from his body continued to rise, continuing to stretch out inall directions. Like the sharp sword-like edges of that monolith, this Qi cuttowards the heavens. The invisible radiance of the stars accompanied thestarlight and fell upon the roof of that hut, falling upon the monolith, andfalling onto his body. It flooded into his body without end, bringing with itthe slight chill of the night wind. If he could break through this mountain pass, then his future prospects wouldbe limitless. Accompanied by the chilly night wind, many people arrived outside theMausoleum of Books. The Six Prefects of the Orthodoxy had come with Mei Lisha standing at the lead. The head of the Tianhai Clan had also come. Jin Yulu had come Mao Qiuyu had come. Mo Yu had also come. They did not enter the mausoleum. Relying on their powerful spiritual senses,they silently observed the event which occurred in front of the broken monolith. The distance left before Chen Changsheng broke through that mountain pass wasnot too far. However, nobody knew if he would really succeed in breaking through, and if hedid break through, to what degree he would succeed. Within his body, the gate of his Ethereal Palace had already begun to slowlyopen. The clear waters that wrapped around his Spirit Mountain were, at themoment, ceaselessly flowing, with it flowing faster and faster. As the waterbecame faster, it created many whirlpools, which caused the dead leaveslittering the mountain path to float into the air, beating against the stonesteps before the gate. Although all this had been done without a sound, intruth it shook one to the core. The Ethereal Palace sat in the center of the Spirit Mountain, while the SpiritMountain sat within the waters of the lake, which were at the very moment,being transformed by the radiance of the stars. The radiance that entered his body continued to increase and the lake grewincreasingly restless, almost as if it was about to turn into a vast ocean. At any time, the dam could burst, even though this floating lake had no dam. In time with the fluctuations of the lake, countless rays of light wererefracted and reflected back and forth under the surface of the water. The raysof light gradually became purer and concentrated, eventually gathering togetherand becoming sparkling points of light, almost like stars. The vast sky of stars of the night appeared in Chen Changshengs mind, whichthen appeared within this lake. Every stars position was precisely where itshould have been. It was just that this starry sky gave a sense of incompleteness, thatsomewhere, there was something missing. This piece of the starry sky made up the seventeen Heavenly Tome Monoliths ofthe front mausoleum. However, the front mausoleum formerly had eighteen monoliths. The last monolith had been broken, so naturally its monolith inscriptions nolonger existed. Chen Changsheng had not seen those monolith inscriptions, so naturally thestar chart in his spirit would still be missing that piece. If that gap in the starry sky was never filled in, then everything would stop. In the plaza of the Li Palace, the Pope gazed towards the Mausoleum of Books,raising his hand to block out the night and the starlight. After a moment ofsilence, he said, It would be better if only that monolith were still there. On the Dew Platform, the Divine Empress looked into the night. With anapathetic expression, she thought to herself, missing that monolith, how couldtodays mausoleum still be the same Mausoleum of Books from the past? Many years ago, Zhou Dufu viewed all eighteen monoliths in one day. Then for areason, the reason for not wanting others to be like him, he took away amonolith. From that day on, people began to speak of the seventeen monoliths of thefront mausoleum. After many years, Chen Changsheng was the closest to comprehending the fullmeaning of the monoliths of the front mausoleum. The problem lay in the fact that he had no means of viewing that brokenmonolith. As a result, it was very likely that he would only be this close tothe truth forever, never able to touch upon it. Seeing the starry sky slowly taking shape in the lake, Chen Changshenginstinctively sensed that this starry sky was still incomplete. He knew that what he was missing was the monolith inscriptions on the brokenmonolith. He silently pondered this, unable to find a solution. He went on a mentaljourney of ten thousand miles, but found no monolith. Gradually, his spirit became increasingly disordered, even somewhatmuddleheaded. Just then, the dagger at his waist began to fiercely tremble. A black stone appeared amidst the wasteland. This wasteland was covered in a blanket of snow. This snow was the trueradiance of the stars. Chen Changsheng was oblivious to everything. He did not know what was going onin the outside world, nor did he know about the changes inside his own body. That clear lake, suspended in the sky, absorbed and condensed countless raysof light, which becam incomparably translucent. If one looked at the lake from above, it would seem just like a massive glasspearl. The curved surface of the water was so smooth, that it could magnify thescenery. Under the lake, the black stone was magnified to an incredible size. In the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, when Chen Changsheng had touched the blackstone, he had an out-of-body experience. He knew that the black stone wascertainly no ordinary object. It could even be the key to defying the heavensand changing fate. He had even given it a close examination, yet in the end hecould not find anything special about it. That black stone was small enough to be held in his hand. It was gentle andsmooth, its surface not having the slightest crack. If he were to open his eyes now, he would certainly be extremely shocked. Only when the black stone was magnified many times would one be able to seethat the surface of the black stone was covered with countless extremely thinlines. Those lines were extraordinarily complex, like the traces left behind bywater. They had no pattern and they absolutely could not have been artificiallycarved into its surface. If one examined it closely, one would perhaps feel that those lines weresimilar to the inscriptions on the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. The black stone suddenly began to glow, just like it had back in the Pavilionof Ascending Mist. The fine lines on the surface of the black stone also began to glow. The lines projected onto the lake became glowing rays of light. Then those rays of light acted just like the other monolith inscriptions,unceasingly condensing and turning into countless points of light. Every point of light was a star. Countless points of light converging in onearea was a small portion of the starry sky. The incomplete starry sky in this way was completed in such a way. There was a hum. Chen Changshengs sea of consciousness quaked. The countless stars within the lake simultaneously flared with light,consolidating into an extremely thick pillar of light which landed on the gateto his Ethereal Palace in the end.
233 The Grand Display of Fireworks Makes a Nightless Day
The starlight that covered the Mausoleum of Books, shining in sync with thestarlight that rushed into his Ethereal Palace. The starlight was like snow,blanketing both Chen Changsheng and the broken monolith. His spiritual sensewas carried along with the wind and snow, being taken off to some placeunknown. The starlight also fell on other places, such as the ReflectingMonolith. The lines on the monolith became increasingly brighter and they wouldoccasionally sparkle. It was just like as if mercury was flowing through thoselines. Although he could not see the Reflecting Monolith, he could see theinscriptions on it. He was insensible to the world, but his true essence flowedlike the mercury-like starlight that flowed through the monolith inscriptions.The true essence began to flow through his meridians, allowing those onceparched rivers and streams to flourish with life once more. Ultimately, thoseclear waters poured off the steep cliffs into the abyss below. It seemedidentical to what had happened in the past, but now, there seemed to be a faintglimmer of hope. Even if the abyss was even deeper, as long as the water flowed without end,presumably, there would be a day in which it was filled, right? The starlight also fell upon the second Heavenly Tome Monolith. The lines onthe monolith seemed to fluctuate between bright and dim, like the spiritualsense was floating in the void, its position was unfathomable. ChenChangshengs spiritual sense shifted, moving off to some distant riverbank,then suddenly arrived in front of the River Guiding Monolith. In the midst ofhis sojourn, an indescribable rule had been branded onto his soul. The starlight fell on each of the seventeen Heavenly Tome Monoliths of thefront mausoleum. Like falling snow and like drifting leaves, the countlessmethods for comprehending the monoliths thought by his worthy predecessorsappeared in his sea of consciousness, one after the other, and in his body,they began to display their purposes. His meridians became saturated with trueessence like never before, his spiritual sense was nourished like never before,and his Qi constantly increased in power. Time slowly passed. He sat in front ot the broken monolith with eyes closed,waiting for that moment to come. The starlight continued to illuminate the capital, and the Dew Platformcontinued to blaze, except the light it gave off were cold like flames made ofice. The Divine Empress stood in the middle of the indescribably beautiful flamesof ice, looking at the Mausoleum of Books in silence. That monolith hadvanished from the Mausoleum of Books long ago, so how did Chen Changshengcomplete the starry sky? The Mausoleum of Books was enveloped in that snow-like starlight. There wassilence all around the monolith hut. As Gou Hanshi, Zhuang Huanyu, TangThirty-Six, and the other young monolith viewers saw the mercury-like starlightflow through the lines on that monolith, they each had their own expression.Although they could never know for sure what had happened here tonight, theyknew that it definitely had something to do with Chen Changsheng. Gou Hanshi suddenly lifted his head to look at the star-filled region in thesoutheast part of the sky, then he began walking towards the monolith hut.Zhexiu followed him. Then Tang Thirty-Six, Qi Jian, and the rest followedwithout hesitation. They all entered the hut, then they disappeared, goingtowards their respective monoliths. They did not know why tonight, the Mausoleum of Books was illuminated to be asbright as day. However, they knew that many years ago, when Wang Zhice hadbroken through, the capital had experienced a similar strange phenomena. They could clearly sense that the starlight tonight was much richer than onnormal days. Even their own Fated Stars were much brighter than usual, likethey were waiting for them. To cultivators, how could they pass on such anopportunity? Especially since after twenty odd days, the vast majority of themwere on the verge of breaking through. They had to take advantage of everychance and opportunity. Not long after Gou Hanshi and the others had entered the monolith hut anddisappeared from the Reflecting Monolith, a clear and long cry suddenly arosefrom within the mountain mausoleum. This clear cry came from the East Pavilion Monolith. The Divine States Third Law, Liang Xiaoxiao, stood in front of the monolithhut, his expression has an icy arrogance as ever, only his trembling right handbetrayed his excitement. After he had broken through all those months ago, hiscultivation had become stuck in a rut. Even his viewing of the monoliths hadceased to progress. Yet tonight, borrowing this starlight, he had brokenthrough to the middle level of Ethereal Opening in one stroke. In front of another monolith hut. Tang Thirty-Six took the medicine box that Chen Changsheng had given himseveral days ago out of his bosom. He took some pills from the box and heoffered them to Zhexiu. Then, he swallowed down the rest of the pills andclosed his eyes. Zhexiu shot him a glance, and then in the same way, he swallowed the pills. Glancing at Guan Feibai and Liang Banhu, Gou Hanshi distributed the medicinesprepared by the Mount Li Sword Sect, then without any further delay, he movedon to the next monolith hut. Only after he delivered the rest of the pills toQi Jian would he slowly take his leave. This was the third Heavenly Tome Monolith, Bent Osmanthus Monolith. It was spring, so there were no osmanthus flowers blooming on the mountain.There were no golden petals, nor was there any of that sweet cloying fragranceof osmanthus flowers most detested by Tang Thirty-Six. And yet for some reason, around the Bent Osmanthus Monolith, an intensefragrance suddenly appeared. Perhaps it was because all those shockingly talented youth were using theirtrue essence to digest the pills, thus releasing this fragrance. Pop, pop, pop, pop. A fine, yet extremely disturbing breaking sound arose from Zhexius body. It seemed like the sound of all of his bones being broken. Soon after, the sound of boiling water arose from his body. Following this, more and more sounds of boiling water began to arise from allaround the monolith. The cross-legged youths, eyes shut, slowly began to bewrapped in a white mist as they broke though. The boiling was the sound of the radiance of the stars igniting into trueessence, the sound of the gate of the Ethereal Palace in the Spirit Mountainslowly being pushed open. After an unknown amount of time, Tang Thirty-Six opened his eyes. The joking expression that was usually seen in his eyes long ago haddisappeared, it was replaced with solemnity, peace and an incomparable serenity. In the deepest depths of his black pupils, there still seemed to be theafterglow from the radiance of the stars. This was proof that his Ethereal Palace had been opened. Tang Thirty-Six had entered Ethereal Opening. Guan Feibai opened his eyes next. He spat out a mouthful of impure Qi, and ahot vapor rising from the corner of his lips. Liang Banhu opened his eyes, then he looked around with a look of na?ve joy.He seemed extremely peaceful and happy. The two disciple from Mount Li Sword Sect had entered Ethereal Opening. Next, Su Moyu had entered Ethereal Opening. The senior sister from Holy Maiden Peak entered Ethereal Opening. The students from Star Seizer Academy entered Ethereal Opening. The two scholars from Scholartree Manor entered Ethereal Opening. Around the Bent Osmanthus Monolith, people successively entered EtherealOpening. In front of the River Guiding Monolith, Qi Jian entered Ethereal Opening. In the front mausoleum, every person had entered Ethereal Opening. Like snow, the starlight fell over the Mausoleum of Books. When some people broke into Ethereal Opening, the Qi around the monolith hutbecame disturbed. This caused the starlight snow falling down to bend andscatter, like flowers blooming. It was particularly beautiful. Tang Thirty-Six stood in front of the Bent Osmanthus Monolith, lightly rubbinghis fingers and taking in that sweet and cloying fragrance. Suddenly, herealized that the osmanthus flowers were not so unbearable after all. The starlight fell on his body, then like water, it sputtered apart andscattered back into the night sky. Not too far off, where Liang Banhu and Guan Feibai stood, starlight was alsosputtering apart and then scattering back into the night sky. Outside the Bent Osmanthus Monolith, ten odd rays of starlight sputtered intothe night, there were figures of people standing in them. An identical scene was occurring in many places in the front mausoleum. The luxuriant forests of the Mausoleum of Books, even when enveloped instarlight, were still somewhat gloomy. Suddenly, from the mountain rose dozens of strands of sputtering starlight,blooming into silver flowers. A more beautiful sight could not be imagined. Tang Thirty-Six looked at Zhexiu. Under the snow white starlight, Zhexius face was all the paler. An incidentalflush of red was a sign of the Tide Rush of Blood. His true essence had been brought under control by Chen Changshengs copperneedles. Before when he had taken those pills, it was exceptionally dangerous. This was also the principal reason why compared to the other monolith viewers,he had not yet been able to enter Ethereal Opening. The other was naturally his demi-human blood. Suddenly, the only sound that could be heard around the monolith hut was thatof a mournful wind. On the roof of the hut appeared many deep knife cuts. Extremely sharp claws extended from Zhexius fingers, suffused with a metallicluster. His face grew many gray hairs and his eyes turn red. He gave a bloodthirstyfeeling. Suddenly, a powerful Qi emanated from his body. He lifted his head and howled into the night. Arooooo! This howl was filled with unwillingness and anger, it was also filled withcontempt and pride. This howl was directed to the vast sky of stars, but it was even more directedto that luminous ball at the extreme ends of the north. It said: I have won. Within the Mausoleum of Books, the starlight fell upon the bodies of thoseyouth breaking into Ethereal Opening, then it sputtered back up into the nightair. It was just like a display of fireworks, truly beautiful. If one looked at it from outside the mausoleum, one would think the entireMausoleum of Books was releasing fireworks. While the scene was beautiful, it was also incredibly shocking. In the Mausoleum of Books, in front of the Divine Path, sat a pavilion. All around this pavilion were shallow canals. Within those canals flowed clearwater. Tonight, the clear waters of the canal had been covered with a thin layer offrost and then it was illuminated by the countless fireworks rising from themausoleum. Under the pavilion, that dust-covered suit of armor was also illuminated bythose fireworks. The rust-covered helmet flashed with light. The man in the armor had woken up. An extremely transformative voice flowed out of the helmet, his tone somewhatoppressive. As expected, the season of blossoming flowers has finally come. As the continents number one Divine General, this old man had left thefrontlines of the war with the demons and guarded the Mausoleum for severalhundred years. What he guarded was humanitys future. As he saw tonightsdisplay of fireworks over the Mausoleum of Books, he was naturally gratified.In his heart, he silently thanked two people. One these people was called XunMei. The other was called Chen Changsheng. Those powerful figures outside the mausoleum had come to see Chen Changsheng.They had simply not imagined that they would able to see such a shockingspectacle. In one night, dozens of monolith viewers collectively entered into EtherealOpening. In all of humanitys history, this sort of scene had never been seen before. The gardens outside the mausoleum were silent, punctuated by the occasionaldeep sigh. The fireworks gradually died down, the radiance of the stars dimmed, and theMausoleum of Books returned to normal. The powerful figures of the Orthodoxy, the Imperial Court, and the varioussects and academies made an exception and they entered the Mausoleum of Booksto wait at the foot of the mountain. Tonight, the young cultivators that had broken through were too many. Some hadentered Ethereal Opening, others had entered the middle level of EtherealOpening, and there were still others that succeeded in entering StarCondensation! To humanity, this was undoubtedly a fruitful night. It wasabsolutely necessary that they handle the following matters personally. Not asingle problem could be allowed to arise. Chen Changsheng woke up and realized that he was sitting cross-legged in frontof the broken monolith. He took a look at the color of the sky and he confirmedthat it was five in the morning. It was the time right before dawn. He stood up and walked through the meadow to the edge of the cliff. The waterfall under the cliff still made its soul-shaking sounds. He did not sweat, he did not feel exhausted nor did he ache anywhere. It waslike nothing had happened. However, he knew that many things had already happened. It was darkest before dawn. The starlight was insufficient to illuminate thedistant capital. Yet in his eyes, his view of the capital was crystal clear. It was like everystreet and alley, even the great banyan tree in the courtyard of the OrthodoxAcademy, was right in front of his eyes. The dawn light gradually drew closer. Line by line, the stars in the skygradually vanished. But he knew that those stars all still hung up above his head. He could clearly sense his Fated Star. This was the first time that he was able to sense his Fated Star in thedaytime. The morning sun appeared over the horizon. The warm and red rays of light caressed his face. He did not know why. He could not explain why. He was completely unaware of the magnificent spectacle that had occurred inthe Mausoleum of Books last night. He was unaware that he had become the youngest cultivator in history to reachthe upper level of Ethereal Opening. Yet, he felt deeply moved.
234 Leaving the Mausoleum
Facing the red morning sun, Chen Changsheng spread out his hands and didsomething contrary to every law of cultivation. Later on, he would also wonderwhy he had done such a thing. It was just like how he had, for no reasonwhatsoever, become deeply moved. He wanted to do it, so he did it... He spreadhis hands out, turned to the sky that was just changing from a dull gray to adark blue, found his Fated Star, and began to absorb the starlight. This was the first time that he had ever attempted to absorb starlight forpurification in the daytime. This was also perhaps the first time in countless years where a normalcultivator attempted to absorb starlight for purification in the daytime. Perhaps because he was lucky, he did not die, nor was he burnt to ash. On thecontrary, he was able to clearly sense that the gate to his Ethereal Palace hadbeen completely opened, so the speed at which he absorbed starlight wasincreased by several hundred times. Of course, his meridians were still broken in many places. His seven mostimportant meridians, especially, were still broken. That bottomless abyss stillexisted, but amongst those meridians which had been broken into countlesspieces, especially those around the inner organs around his Ethereal Palace,the true essence that had been converted from the radiance of the stars wereextremely plentiful, such that it seemed like the wounds inflicted upon hismeridians had been somewhat healed. Could this be one of mystical properties of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths? Heturned and looked at the broken monolith as he ruminated in silence. As he was standing on the cliff edge, he was somewhat far from the brokenmonolith and he could not see it clearly. And yet, he felt that he could seethe missing monolith, and that it was not because his eyes were playing trickson him. Up to now, Chen Changsheng had truly comprehended the meaning of the HeavenlyTome Monoliths of the front mausoleum. He had accomplished the same feat thatZhou Dufu had accomplished all those years ago. If he were to continue forward, he would most likely enter another mausoleummountain and see Heavenly Tome Monoliths that were even more mystical. However,he glanced at the color of the sky and chose not to continue. In this way, hedeparted. In the early morning, the Mausoleum of Books was very peaceful. The previousnights display of fireworks had finished long ago. There were no people infront of any of the seventeen monoliths. The mountain path was also devoid ofpeople. Many people were deep asleep and they had yet to wake up. Perhaps they wouldstay asleep for many days ahead. Breaking into a new realm was never a simple venture. Not everyone could belike Chen Changsheng and to seemingly so casually stride across that threshold,without even feeling a hint of exhaustion. Of course, to some people, breakingthrough was not a very arduous affair. An example of this was Gou Hanshi. Gou Hanshi stood at the end of the mountain path, calmly waiting for him. Chen Changsheng walked up to him, clasped his hands in greeting, and then hesaw the faint luster in Gou Hanshis eyes. He knew that Gou Hanshiscultivation had also improved. From the Ivy Festival to the Grand Examination to the Mausoleum of Books, thepairs level of cultivations was finally identical. They were both at the upperlevel of Ethereal Opening. Chen Changsheng bid farewell to him. Im going now. Gou Hanshi replied, There are still several days until the Garden of Zhouopens. There should still be enough time. There are still some matters I have to take care of in the capital. Gou Hanshi was silent for a while, then he said, I am not planning on goingto the Garden of Zhou. Take care of yourself on the journey. Why are you planning on staying here? Chen Changsheng asked with somebewilderment. At the very least, I have to finish seeing all seventeen monoliths of thefront mausoleum. Gou Hanshi smiled as he replied. Chen Changsheng said sincerely, I wish you the best. Gou Hanshi looked at him and said, All of this years Grand Examinationexaminees should be thanking you. Chen Changsheng did not understand, so Gou Hanshi explained everything thathad happened last night. After a period of thought, he replied, Theres no need to thank me. I onlydid what I wanted to do. Gou Hanshi knew that he was not being modest, because Chen Changsheng was onlythinking about his comprehension of the monoliths. As for the starlight thathad illuminated the capital and the mausoleum, that was not something that hehad willed. Side by side, the two youths walked back to the grass hut. Walking past the fence that had just been fixed not two days ago, ChenChangsheng entered the hut and he began to pack his things up. Seeing TangThirty-Six with his thunderous snores, Chen Changsheng shook his head. Yet,when he realized that Zhexiu was not there, he could not help but feel a bitdown. Carrying his luggage out, he said to Gou Hanshi, I trouble you to take careof Tang Tang for me. Gou Hanshi said, Thats no problem. But just to be clear, outside themausoleum, we are still rivals. Chen Changsheng said, Understood. Gou Hanshi added, Third junior brother and youngest junior brother are alsogoing to the Garden of Zhou. Once inside, I would like you to look after themfor me. Chen Changsheng asked in confusion. You just said that we were rivals. Being rivals doesnt mean we cant mutually support each other. Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, Thats reasonable though I dontthink I have the ability to look after those two. Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian were ranked amongst the Divine States Seven Laws,the most shocking disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect sword style. ChenChangsheng felt that even though he was at the upper level of Ethereal Opening,abundant with true essence, because of his damaged meridians, the amount oftrue essence he could use was rather small. If it was a true battle for lifeand death, then he might not even be able to defeat his opponent, much lesshelp others. Gou Hanshi chuckled. I value your strength in other areas. Gou Hanshi saw him off all the way from the grass hut to the stone doors ofthe mausoleum. The ground trembled as the stone doors slowly opened. To those who cultivated the Dao, the Mausoleum of Books was the supreme andonly sacred ground. Regardless of who one was, when the time came to leave themausoleum, one would always feel some reluctance or else some complicatedemotion. Yet Chen Changshengs expression was very serene. Just like that, hewalked through the stone doors very casually, not even sparing a glance behindhim. Gou Hanshi as well as those monolith guardians that had caught wind of thenews, upon seeing his scene, could not help but feel that it was a littlestrange. It was just like many people had said before, Chen Changshengs attitudetowards everything was too calm and unflustered, not like a fifteen-year-oldteenager at all. This was because he treasured his time. In addition, he had found the paththat he wanted to walk, making him treasure his time even more. He alsobelieved that there would be a day where he would enter the Saint Realm. Onthat day, he would return to the Mausoleum of Books. Whether he intruded on theDivine Path or walked the same path as this time, there would be no problems.So why would he be reluctant to part? And if that day did not come, thenseveral years later when he returned to the starry sky, what good would anyfurther reluctance do? After viewing the monoliths for twenty days, especially that period startingfrom yesterday of viewing the monoliths without sleep, in the end he succeededin entering the upper level of Ethereal Opening. Besides this, there was oneother extremely important reward. He finally understood the last sentencewritten in Wang Zhices notebookThere is no such thing as fate. Since the stars could move, then naturally there was no such thing as a fixedand unchanging fate. Perhaps his master Daoist Ji had wanted him to enter thePavilion of Ascending Mist and find Wang Zhices notebook so that he could findout about the secret of changing fate used by Emperor Taizu and EmperorTaizong. Only, Daoist Ji could not have imagined that in the Mausoleum ofBooks, Chen Changsheng would comprehend these things that would cause him towalk a different path. He had an unprecedented confidence that he could change his fate on his own.He did not need to do it by changing the fates of others. He had to enter the Concealed Spirit Realm before the age of twenty. Indeed, no one in the world had ever done this before. However, who said that he was unable to do it? In the forest, Mao Qiuyu and the principal of the Star Seizer Academy lookedat Chen Changshengs figure, their moods complex. The principal of Star Seizer Academy said, He should be the youngestcultivator to reach the upper level of Ethereal Opening in history. Mao Qiuyu nodded. Hes earlier than Mo Yu by two years. After the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng became one of the youngestcultivators ever to reach Ethereal Opening. After viewing the monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books, he became the youngestcultivator to reach the upper level of Ethereal Opening. There were no others. With these two points, he was apparently quite skilled at making what manyviewed as impossible possible. In the quiet and secluded forest, Chen Changsheng saw a youth standing under atree. He could not help but be a little surprised. There was someone that had actually left the Mausoleum of Books even earlierthan him.
235 In Spring I Sleep, Unaware of the Dawn
The youth under the tree was Zhexiu. Chen Changsheng saw his pale face and theblood on the corner of his lips, and asked in confusion, Why are you here? Zhexiu indifferently said, I am going with you to the Garden of Zhou. Chen Changsheng did not think about this outcome. After a moment of silence,he replied, It can be dangerous. Still expressionless, Zhexiu said, Which is why Im going with you to theGarden of Zhou. Chen Changsheng asked, Why? Tang Tang has already paid me. So Im going with you to guarantee yoursafety. Youre planning on being my bodyguard? Chen Changsheng asked with a strangetone. Yes. Zhexiu paused, then continued, Of course, if the Garden of Zhou is toodangerous, I will have to ask for more money afterwards. Even up until now, Chen Changsheng was still not used to this wolf youthsmanner of thinking. Spreading his hands helplessly, he said, But I dont needa bodyguard. Zhexiu glanced at him and said, Although right now youre at the upper levelof Ethereal Opening, if we e thrown together in the same forest, the one thatwould come out alive in the end would most definitely be me. If the GrandExamination did not have so many restrictions, not allowing me to be as fierce,even if Gou Hanshi was able to defeat me, he would not be able to kill me. Thenin the end, I would have been the one to kill him. Hearing these words made Chen Changsheng somewhat uncomfortable, because heknew that those words were true. The next words Zhexiu said cause Chen Changsheng to make up his mind. Inaddition, you still have to treat my illness. Chen Changsheng thought about it, then he said, Then lets go together. Zhexiu very naturally took Chen Changshengs luggage, then he began walkingout of the forest. Chen Changsheng hurried after him and said with concern, Being a bodyguard isfine, but how can I let you do such menial work? Zhexiu showed no expression and paid him no attention. Chen Changsheng said, Then Ill pay you extra. Zhexiu stopped his steps, thought it over, and said, This is a complimentarygift. These two did not like talking very much. Amongst their peers, they wereconsidered very uncommunicative. They walked out of the woods, without exchanging a word along the way. Jin Yulu and a carriage were waiting for them at the bridge. The carriage wheels rolled over the hard limestone pavement, clacking along asthey went. The new doors of the Orthodoxy Academy were pushed open from theinside. Xuanyuan Po ran out to meet them, his stalwart body was like a smallmountain. The ground trembled as he ran, causing the dust in the cracks of thestone steps to fly about. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu stepped out of the carriage. Xuanyuan Po gave a hearty laugh. Coming out so early. It seems to me that youcouldnt get much out of the monoliths, huh? Zhexiu creased his brows and looked at Chen Changsheng. Somewhat embarrassed, Chen Changsheng explained, He speaks rather bluntly,but he doesnt mean any harm. Its not like Im Tang Thirty-Six. Xuanyuan Po unhappily said, then he tooknote of Zhexius existence. Surprise, he said, So its you? Dont tell methat you actually went to the Mausoleum of Books to demand payment? Didnt Isay that there was no need to be in such a rush? When has my Orthodox Academyevery failed to pay up? Jin Yulu at the side solemnly asked, When will you be paying me? A gatekeeperalso has a family to raise. The three youths turned to him, but they said nothing. Jin Yulu felt a little awkward. I know, I know, comedy does not suit me.Please continue. Zhexiu did not come to ask for payment. Chen Changsheng told Xuanyuan Po, but he did not know how to explain Zhexiuspresence. After some thinking, he said, He came to the Orthodox Academy totake a look around. In the world of the demi-humans, Zhexius name was very famous. Now thatXuanyuan Po knew that Zhexiu did not come to ask for money, he naturallyreturned to his mindset as a demi-human youth. His face full of admiration, hetold Zhexiu, The old men in my tribe told me that when you were only three,you were able to kill demon snakes? Zhexiu ignored him. Xuanyuan Po followed him into the Orthodox Academy and continued, I heardthat when you were seven, you could kill demons? Zhexiu continued to ignored him. Xuanyuan Pos enthusiasm was not dampened. It looks like youre not goingback to the snowy plains just yet. It would be great if you joined our OrthodoxAcademy instead. Zhexiu stopped. Chen Changsheng also stopped and looked at Zhexiu. Zhexiu seemed to think it over, then said to Xuanyuan Po, If I stay around ablack bear like you, Im afraid Ill become an idiot. (TL: Black bear () can also mean coward.) They were both demi-humans, so Zhexiu could naturally tell what Xuanyuan Postrue body was. Xuanyuan Pos expression suddenly became very grave. He very seriously said,Take off that first character (), or else I will be very angry. Zhexiu replied, Fine, black bear. Xuanyuan Po flew into a rage and blurted, How could a person like you be justas troublesome as Tang Thirty-Six!? Chen Changsheng returned to the small building, washed his face and rinsed hismouth, then he went straight to bed. Last night, he had gone without any rest,so he was extremely tired. Now his mind had also calmed down, no longer in sucha frenzy, only leaving behind satisfaction and warmth. All this mean that thesleep that he had was especially sound, such that even when someone came in, hecould not tell that it had happened. Mo Yu sat the edge of the bed, gazing at the youths clean and delicateappearance. She slightly raised her brows, muttered some words, and took awhiff of the renewed scent. For some reason, her mood became much morepleasant. She lifted up a corner of Chen Changshengs bedding, then in she went. She very quickly fell asleep. Even as she dreamed, her smiling face was like aflower. If the eunuchs in the Imperial Palace or the chancellors of the Imperial Courthad seen her appearance, they would most assuredly have thought that they wereseeing things. Outside the window came the pitter-patter of spring rain. Mo Yu opened hereyes and woke up. As she languidly stretched her waist, she turned around andrealized that Chen Changsheng was snugly positioned by her waist, sound asleep.Only now did she become a little embarrassed, and two blushes of red appearedon her elegant face. She quickly got up and left, disappearing into the springrain outside the window. Not much time had passed, then the door to the room was pushed open and Luoluoentered. Seeing the soundly sleeping Chen Changsheng, she happily rushed over. Justwhen she was about to pounce onto the bed, she smelled the faint aroma ofmakeup. She wrinkled her thin eyebrows, then moved close to Chen Changshengs neck andcarefully smelled it. Suddenly, she became angry and stamped her feet on theground, causing the pearl-like raindrops in her hair to fall onto the floor. Even though she was angry enough to stamp her feet on the floor, she did notreally stamp her feet, because she did not want to wake up Chen Changsheng. Looking out the window at the spring rain, she hatefully cursed, Mo Yu, youshameless woman! She closed the window, blocking the soft and gentle spring rain and windoutside. Thus, the small building became whole. Now, there would be no moreshameless women who would come to disturb her teachers rest. Only now couldshe relax. She brought a stool over to the side of the bed, then sat down andlooked at Chen Changshengs face with a beaming smile. She did not say anythingor do anything, she just quietly watched him. She was satisfied with just that. Chen Changsheng woke up and realized that his left arm was being held tightly.Hearing the gentle and relaxed breathing, without opening his eyes, he knew whoit was and smiled. His arm was held for quite some time, which was always a bitexhausting. That crisp smell was a very familiar odor. How could he not knowwho it was? Opening his eyes, he saw that it really was Luoluo sitting by the bed. He didnot know how long she had been there, but she probably got tired from sittingfor so long. Just like in the past, her two hands were customarily holding hisarm, hanging over his body. Only that she still sat in a stool, making herposition somewhat awkward. Of course, it was very cute. With a trembling of her eyelashes, Luoluo woke up. Somewhat muddleheaded, sherubbed her eyes, then she realized that Chen Changsheng was looking at her. Shequickly sobered up, feeling somewhat bashful, and yet even more happy. Crisplyshe said, Teacher. Good girl. Chen Changsheng stroked her small face. The two left the small building and sat for a while in the library, waitingfor Xuanyuan Po and Zhexiu to come over so that Chen Changsheng could tell themwhat had happened in the Mausoleum of Books. At noon, Jin Yulu prepared lunch.After eating lunch, Chen Changsheng and Luoluo took a stroll through thegrounds of the Orthodox Academy. The spring rain was very light, so there wasno need for an umbrella. It was just when they climbed atop the great banyantree, and their feet were a bit wet. Luoluo gazed at the capital through the drizzle, then turned to ChenChangsheng and asked, Does Teacher want to go to the Garden of Zhou? They had been together in the Orthodox Academy for so long that Luoluo couldbe considered to be the only person in the world that most understood ChenChangsheng. She knew very well that if her teacher did not have some reason toleave the Mausoleum of Books, a person who valued time and opportunity as muchas her teacher would absolutely not depart from the mausoleum, from theHeavenly Tome Monoliths, with such ease. Chen Changsheng replied, Yes. Luoluo opened her eyes wide and asked, Why? Not waiting for an answer, she lowered her head to look at the ripples made bythe rain as they fell into the pond under the banyan tree. Then she softlysaid, Is it because teachers young lady is also going to the Garden of Zhou? Chen Changsheng was stumped for a few moments, then he realized that the younglady she spoke of was Xu Yourong. Although he had never thought about marryingXu Yourong, Luoluos method of address still made him feel rather embarrassed.He replied, What does it have to do with her? Only people in Ethereal Openingcan enter the Garden of Zhou, and despite her shocking talent, she still hadnot managed that. Last night, the Mausoleum of Books was bathed in starlight for an entirenight. Dozens of people had broken into Ethereal Opening. It could now beassumed that Xu Yourong, first place in the Proclamation of Azure Clouds, wastarnished in comparison. Teachers young lady broke through into Ethereal Opening several days ago. At some point, Luoluo realized something, and a na?ve and vivacious expressionreturned to her face. She gave a big smile and said, In her body flows theblood of the phoenix. Such a proud person, even if she did not care thatTeacher exceeded her, how could she lose out to all those other mediocrepeople? Chen Changsheng was a little astonished. It took a bit of time before he wasable to digest this abrupt news. The very first thought he thought of was the fact that very soon, theProclamation of Azure Clouds would be changing its rankings. Congratulations. Chen Changsheng said to Luoluo as he smiled. Luoluo mumbled, This isnt anything to be happy about. Xu Yourong had entered Ethereal Opening, so naturally she left theProclamation of Azure Clouds. Last night many, people entered Ethereal Opening.If they left the mausoleum, they would also leave the Proclamation of AzureClouds. The value of the first rank in the Proclamation of Azure Clouds had definitelydecreased a lot. Chen Changsheng extended his hand to listen to Luoluos pulse, then said, Thedifference between demi-human blood vessels and human blood vessels is quitelarge, especially with the bloodline of the White Emperor. The innate talent inyour blood is too overbearingly strong, so even though youre in the MeditationRealm, you can still defeat many opponents at Ethereal Opening. Thats why youshouldnt worry so much. Though when the time comes, it will be somewhat moredifficult for you to enter Ethereal Opening. Now that he thought about it, he could not help but wonder how exactly Zhexiubroke into Ethereal Opening last night and what sort of ordeal he went through. Luoluo suddenly looked at him and very seriously said, Teacher, after you goto the Garden of Zhou and meet the young lady, you cant become softhearted. Chen Changsheng remembered that she had previously been discussing how XuYourong was going to the Garden of Zhou.
236 Paying Respects to the Pope
Confused, Chen Changsheng asked Luoluo, What do you mean by softhearted? Luoluo sighed. Xu Yourong is a disciple of the Holy Maiden Peak and she isdoted upon by the empress, so much that even her father benefits from it. Inaddition, after the Grand Examination, everyone knows that teacher wasspecially chosen by His Holiness. In the current state of affairs, you and herare rivals. Chen Changsheng still did not understand. When he was leaving the Mausoleum ofBooks, Gou Hanshi had even told him that being rivals did not mean that theycould not support each other, then what about being softhearted? Luoluo continued, Regardless of if the Garden of Zhou contains Zhou Dufuslegacy or some other magical powers, in the end, who ends up with what willdepend who is faster and stronger. Chen Changsheng felt that if Tang Thirty-Six were here, he would probably say,Dont tell me it wont be the virtuous?. Thinking about that guysexpression, Chen Changsheng could not help but smile. Luoluo maintained her solemnity. Teacher, cant you be more serious? Im notjoking around. Chen Changsheng hurriedly apologized, then asked, Are you saying that we cansteal from each other in the Garden of Zhou? Luoluo replied, As long as theres no loss of life, nobody can object. Thisis why I said you cant be softhearted. After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng asked, And then? Teacher is very willing to do things for old times sake, and whenever youmeet girls, you end up at a loss for what to do. Luoluo cautioned him, Theyoung lady has an old relationship with Teacher, and she is so beautiful. Imjust worried that if you two meet in the Garden of Zhou, she wont need to doanything except say a few soft words, and then you will be completely bewitchedby her. He did not even know what Xu Yourong looked like, Chen Changsheng thought tohimself, so what old times were there to be sentimental over for? Not takingthis lying down, he responded, The person you describe seems really annoying,how can that be me? Luoluo thought to herself, when I was throwing a tantrum, you said that youcould not do anything, but this time you respond. It was only out of respectfor her teachers dignity that she had not directly pierced through ChenChangshengs fragile guard. She said with heartfelt words, At the very least,teacher must remember, the more pretty the girl, the more they will attempt todeceive others. Chen Changsheng looked at her and smiled, Then, why is it that this prettygirl has never tried to deceive me before? Luoluo was somewhat startled, then she began to giggle and playfully hit him.She happily said, Teacher, youve been with Tang Tang for too long. Youregetting better and better with your words. She seemed very happy, but in truth, she felt somewhat guilty. She thought toherself, if teacher knew that I was the same age as him, would he think that Iwas deceiving him? Because of her guilt, she inevitably lost some control over the power of herpunch. Coupled with the tree being slippery from the rain, Chen Changshengalmost fell off. Luoluo quickly grabbed him, her eyeballs flitted about, searching for a newtopic. Adopting an aggrieved expression, she said, Teacher, I also want toenter Ethereal Opening. Chen Changsheng was least able to handle this sort of situation. In somewhatof a panic, he immediately began to console her. As I said before, there aremany people at Ethereal Opening that are no match for you, like me. Luoluo thought about how Chen Changsheng would soon be going far away. In avery short time, she would no longer be able to hear such warm and comfortingwords. Now, her expression truly seemed aggrieved as she said, The problem issince I cant enter Ethereal Opening, I cant go with teacher to the Garden ofZhou. Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, Even if you were at EtherealOpening, would the Divine Empress or His Holiness allow you to go to such adangerous place as the Garden of Zhou? Guardian Jin wouldnt allow it either. Luoluo sighed, Teachers words really arent very comforting. Chen Changsheng felt somewhat ashamed. I really am no good at this. Teacher, if you arent going to see the young lady, then why is teacher goingto the Garden of Zhou. Luoluo suddenly sincerely asked. She knew that Chen Changsheng was someonethat valued his time. Yet, he always spoke of the following his hearts desire.However, no matter how she viewed the choice to leave the Mausoleum of Booksfor the Garden of Zhou, it seemed to carry with it a sense of urgency. Chen Changsheng said nothing. He used his hand to rub her hair, but gave noexplanation. Luoluo did not ask again. The spring rain was like many lines blown about in all directions by the lakewind. It fell upon their faces and bodies. They got a little wet, but they werenot in too sorry of a state. Chen Changsheng used his hand to push a strand ofwet hair covering Luoluos eyes to the side. Luoluo looked at him and giggled. Chen Changsheng also laughed. Luoluo said, Teacher, in a moment, come with me to the Li Palace. HisHoliness wants to see you. The smile on Chen Changshengs face immediately disappeared. In the evening, a carriage emerged from Hundred Flowers Lane and arrived atthe Li Palace. Guarded by more than a dozen demi-human experts and priests of the Orthodoxy,Luoluo continued on the carriage along that Divine Avenue to the Hall of PureVirtue, passing the Temple Seminary and the Li Palace Academy. Under the guidance of two bishops, Chen Changsheng followed anever-before-walked Divine Avenue to the main hall of the Li Palace. In the blood-red light of the sunset, there was no sense of powerful armies,only gravitas and solemnity. The priests and students walking on this Divine Avenue realized who he was andmade way for him. At this point, it was known throughout the continent that this student fromthe Orthodoxy Academy, who had made the capital buzz with his disturbance, wasspecially selected by the Pope. Of course, he had been famous before that. No matter what title he carried,such as Xu Yourongs husband-to-be or the first place upon the First Banner inthe Grand Examination, they were all worthy to attract the gazes of thepopulace. Not to mention that not long ago, he had viewed the entire frontmausoleum of the Mausoleum of Books in one day, causing the capital to bebathed in starlight last night. Several hundred gazes followed Chen Changsheng on the Divine Avenue. Thosegazes were complex shock, admiration, envy, and even reverence. Yes, the present him was finally worthy of being revered by others. It had nothing to do with his level of cultivation or strength. It lay in histalent as well as the powerful figures behind him. Chen Changshengs mood at the moment was also very complex. From the announcement of the rankings in the Grand Examination, he had knownthat there would be a day when he would be summoned by the Pope. It was just that he had not imagined that the day would come so fast. He hadjust come out of the Mausoleum of Books and now, he was at the Li Palace. Hefelt somewhat unprepared. He nervously thought to himself, in a little while Ishould ask those questions to ensure I get answers for them, then the Pope willnot use his staff to beat me to death. The numerous gazes that followed him made the Divine Avenue seem endless.Before, he felt somewhat out of place. However, he now was thankful for it,because it gave him enough time to organize those questions in his mind. Even a longer Divine Avenue eventually had an end. Gates were pushed open oneafter another. The twilight gave way to darkness, and the Li Palace also grewdark. At last, they finally had arrived in front of the incomparably vast mainhall of the Li Palace. Standing amidst the dozens of sculptures of previous Saints and knights,taking in the solemn and radiant atmosphere, Chen Changsheng was speechlessfrom shock. Without time to appreciate any more of the atmosphere, he was taken to a sidehall. The eaves of this hall extended out much further than normal palacehalls, blocking out much of the light from the sky. Not even speaking of thefact that it was the time where twilight gave way to the night, even if it washigh noon, this place would still be dark and quiet. The two bishops retreated without a sound, leaving Chen Changsheng to stand onthe stone steps. This hall had no one else, so it only took a glance for him to see the Pope. The Pope was an elderly man. He had no crown or staff and he wore a coarserobe made of hemp. At the moment, he was watering a pot that held a green leaf. This tall and thin old man was impossible to describe in terms of power andprestige, because he had long surpassed a secular concept like authority.
237 Successor
The Pope was a Saint. With but a word, the countless believers of the Orthodoxy would die for him. Chen Changsheng did not know what the first word that the Pope would say tohim would be. He was somewhat nervous. Then, he heard three words. Come come come. The Pope beckoned him over as he said these words, indicating that he shouldcome in. Like a farmer calling his chicks, or a grandfather teasing his grandson. Chen Changsheng stared blankly for a few moments, then he walked up the stonesteps and stood before the Pope. Having the Pope right in front of him really made Chen Changsheng feelincredibly nervous. Even though he had met so many powerful figures after he had come to thecapital, even with some that could be considered legends; he still found ithard to control his emotions. After all, this tall, thin old man was the Pope. On one side, the Pope continued to water the Green Leaf with his wooden ladle,while on the other side, he pointed at a chair and said, Sit. His voice was very gentle, and his manner was very casual. Chen Changsheng sat on the chair like he was sitting on pins and needles. Hisentire body was uncomfortable and yet, he did not dare to move. Relax. The Pope looked at his appearance and smiled. I know that there aremany questions that you want answered. In order to save time, I will speakfirst. If there is anything you do not understand, or any question you wantanswered. If it is convenient for me to answer, then I will naturally give youone. Saying this piece, his hand left the ladle, then gave a smile. It will takearound two hundred breaths of time for me to speak and to answer yourquestions. I presume that you can hold on for that long? Chen Changsheng knew that the Pope was speaking about how his sitting posturewas very uncomfortable, so he respectfully and cautiously nodded his head. Without any preamble or any foreshadowing, the Pope began his narrative. Your teacher is called Daoist Ji. He has another identity and that is theprevious principal of the Orthodox Academy. He is also my senior. There is noneed to look at me like that. I am very sure that he only has these twoidentities, because the most likely third identity was ruled out by me and theEmpress some time ago. In other words, you are my martial nephew. Outside the Li Palace, they saythat Tianhai Yaer is my disciple, but this is not correct. I have no realdisciple. In other words, you are our schools only disciple. Then of course, Iwould look after you. Between your master and me, there is enmity... a great enmity. I once killedhim, but I did not think that he survived. Now that I have grown so old, I nolonger feel like killing him again. Besides, even if he has committed anoffense, it does not mean that you have also committed a crime. Nor does itmean that you must take responsibility for his sins. As he agreed to let you enter the capital to end the engagement and took nomeasures to conceal his name, it means that he did not intend to conceal itfrom us. I even feel that he did so because he wanted me to take care of you.But you entering the Orthodox Academy was truly a coincidence. When you weretaken to the Tong Palace, it was because I allowed Mo Yu to take you there. How is it that I could cause her to move? That is because I am the Pope. By staying in the Tong Palace for one night, the trials and hardships of theIvy Festival could be avoided. Under the watch of the Bureau of EcclesiasticEducation, you entering the three banners of the Grand Examination would not betoo difficult. But I did not think that you would get to know Her HighnessLuoluo, much less become her teacher. I did not think that you would be able tostimulate such great activity from the stagnant pool of water that was theOrthodox Academy. I did not think that you would be able to leave the TongPalace and confront the trials brought by the Mount Li Sword Sect head on. Inthe Grand Examination, you unexpectedly managed to break into Ethereal Openingand then, you truly obtained the first place of the First Banner. Speaking up to there, the Pope suddenly paused, and then looked at himaffectionately. What I did not imagine the most but which should have beenparamount in my mind, was that you are our schools one and only disciple. Howcould you require my care? How could you require my plans? Not bad. This childreally is not bad. The hall was quiet. From the Popes first word, Chen Changshengs mouth had fallen open from shockand it had never closed. The Orthodox Academy had always received considerable support from the Bureauof Ecclesiastic Education. At the beginning, many people, Chen Changshengincluded, had thought that this was a noiseless protest of the conservativefaction of the Orthodoxy against the Pope and the Divine Empress, as well as adeclaration. It was only after those multiple episodes of autumn rain in thetournament portion of the Grand Examination, as well as the Pope personallycrowning Chen Changsheng as the champion, did the people finally realize thatthis had never been an internal matter in the Orthodoxy. It was a declarationfrom the Orthodoxy to the Divine Empress and the entire Imperial Court of Zhou. From that one time, Chen Changsheng had many conjectures as to why the Popevalued him so highly. He was very certain that this care had something to dowith his matter. However, no matter what he thought, he never could haveimagined that the unremarkable middle-aged man in Xining Villages old templewas actually the Popes senior. Nor could he have imagined that his master wasthe final principal of the Orthodox Academy that caused it to fall into ruindozens of years ago. If there is something you want to ask, you may begin now. The Pope said this casually as he picked a small towel up from the table andwiped his hands. Before this conversation, Chen Changsheng imagined that the Pope would have anextravagant and lofty way of speaking to match his powerful status. His wordswould be cryptic and profound, filled with countless hidden meanings that wouldhave to be carefully pondered to become aware of the truth. Who could imaginethat the Pope would be able to so simply and swiftly explain all these things?The soothing wind on a starry night could not be as refreshing. The questionsthat he had thought up on the Divine Avenue had actually all been answered. He did not know what questions to ask, but then he remembered that there weresome details in The Popes story that he questions about. He sincerely asked,Your Holiness said that my master committed an offense. What offense? The Pope replied, That year, he rebelled against the decision made by theGreat Congregation of Light and supported the imperial family of Chen inrebelling against the Divine Empress. He brought the entire Orthodox Academyand more into that abyss with him. The people of Zhou supported the imperial family of Chen, this is as it shouldbe. What offense was there? Chen Changsheng said without the slightesthesitation. That was not wrong. At the time, only if the Divine Empress ascended to the seat of the emperorwould the government be stabilized. If not, the Great Zhou would inevitablybreak apart, and the fires of war would blaze once more. The demons wouldinevitably take advantage of this opportunity to invade the south once again.Whether the starting point or the objective was correct or not, in the eyes ofus old people, as long as it affected the ability for humanity to resist thedemons, it was wrong. The Pope looked at him calmly, yet intolerant of any dissent. It has beenseveral hundred years since that war. For children your age, there are very fewpeople that have personally seen a demon. They are even less capable ofimagining how the desperate the straits on the continent were in that year. Ifyou knew, then you would also believe that our decision was correct. Chen Changsheng was young, but he had never been someone easily convinced.Then what about now? As Your Holiness gets farther and farther from the DivineEmpress, arent you afraid of affecting our ability to resist the Demons? I have known the Divine Empress for several hundred years. I know what kindof person she is, so I have no objection on her rule of the Zhou Dynasty. Theproblem lies in the fact that no one can live forever. The entire continentmust consider how the world will maintain its peace after her. The Pope seemed to think of something and his face seemed to fill with regret.He slowly said, If the Tianhai clan puts forth a second Divine Empress, whatharm is there in pushing the Chen Imperial clan aside a second time? Yet, it isimpossible for the Tianhai Clan to raise a second Divine Empress. Then, theimperial family of Chen will, in the end, return to their former position. After Chen Changsheng heard this, he was quiet for a long time. Then he asked,Even if it is this way, I still dont understand. How could my master haveguessed that you changed your mind? When your master agreed to send you to the capital to end the engagement, hewas also using you to communicate to us that he was still alive. He was alsoreminding me that you are our schools one and only disciple. The Pope repeated those words, then continued, Regardless if I had changed mymind or not, I must take care of you, or else would I not be breaking ourlineage? In this world, your master understands me the most, so your master isclearer on this point than anyone else. Chen Changsheng was somewhat at a loss. He was still unable to reconcile theimage of the middle-aged man in Xinings old temple with the famous principalof the Orthodox Academy. Then he thought of something. The Pope had said thathe had cared for him because he had to continue the lineage of their school,but The Pope came from the Heavenly Dao Academy while his master came from theOrthodox Academy. How could these two be the same school? What school was hespeaking of? He asked this question. The Heavenly Dao Academy, the Temple Seminary, the Orthodox Academy, theThirteen Divisions of Radiant Green and the Li Palace Academy besides the StarSeizer Academy, the Six Ivies of the capital are places where the Orthodoxynurtures the next generation. Yet in those days, the only people thatcultivated in the traditions of the Orthodoxy were me and your master. Thisso-called lineage is naturally the lineage of the Orthodoxy. The Pope looked at him serenely. That year, your master almost caused a breakin the lineage of the Orthodoxy. Now, it is your responsibility to take up andcontinue this lineage. Hearing these words, Chen Changshengs face instantly paled. For a long time,he struggled to speak. This did not mean that his mindset was lacking, it was just that this news wastoo astonishing. The Orthodoxys sole successor? No matter who it was, if one was told that one would most likely be the nextPope, one would be stunned speechless. Even the insane Painted Armor Xiao Zhangwas no exception. Not to mention, Chen Changsheng was only a fifteen-year-old teenager. The hall was silent. The wooden ladle was suspended in the air, slightlyslanted. A trickle of water, like a strand of silver, incessantly fell into thepot. The Green Leaf in the pot faintly trembled, several droplets of watersparkling on its surface. After who knows how long had passed, Chen Changsheng awoke from his daze. Helooked at The Pope, and asked, This isnt a matter that I should have toconsider now, right? His voice was very dry and hoarse. It was somewhat unpleasant to the ear. Itwas clear that it was caused by his nerves. In the past, Mei Lisha and I were afraid of giving you too much pressure. Ifyou were not mature enough, you might have collapsed. Right now, it seems thatwe have worried too much. The Pope looked at him quietly. His eyes were peaceful and deep, like theycould see through everything. Chen Changsheng felt that all the secrets in hisbody and spirit were all laid bare. This was a very uncomfortable feeling.Thankfully, in the next moment, the Pope shifted his gaze, lifted his hand, andonce again grabbed onto the wooden ladle. Two hundred breaths of time had passed. The water in the ladle had beenexhausted. This round of questions and answers was over. It was time for Chen Changsheng to leave, but he did not want to leave.Before, he felt that he had no questions to ask. However now, he realized thatthere were still many things that he wanted to know. Such as the Mausoleum of Book, such as the Garden of Zhou, such as the stars.
238 The Young Principal
At the start, he thought that he had no questions to ask, but later, herealized that there were countless problems which he had not gotten the answerfor. Facing the Popes eyes which felt like they could penetrate through theworld, Chen Changsheng remained silent for a long time. Although he was stillyoung, it did not mean that he did nott understand. He knew that there werecertain questions that he could not bring up, such as Xining village, or hissenior, or the Orthodoxy. He could only ask things that he was allowed to ask. Such as the Garden of Zhou? After the Pope heard his question, he gave a smile. There are severalimportant objects in the Garden of Zhou that you must obtain, because yourepresent the Li Palace. Chen Changsheng directly asked, Who would fight against me for them? Those words seemed somewhat arrogant, but in reality, they were honest. Withinthe Zhou Dynasty, who would dare compete with the Li Palace? In his heart, healready knew the answer. He only needed confirmation. The Pope replied, The Orthodoxy is separated into the north and the south.Since you go to the Garden of Zhou as a representative of the Li Palace, thosewho would dare vie with you are naturally southerners. The Pope did not tell him what exactly the objects he was supposed to obtainin the Garden of Zhou were, he only told him that he would know when he sawthem. In truth, Chen Changsheng had already guessed as to what the objectswere. It was just that the Pope had not spoken of them for some reason, sonaturally he also was unwilling to bring it up. Recalling the words that Luo Luo had said atop the great banyan tree, he knewthat his opponents in the Garden of Zhou would probably be Ethereal Openingexperts from the Holy Maiden Peak, the Longevity Sect, and the ScholartreeManor. As well as that girl. Will Xu Yourong really be entering the Garden of Zhou? He asked. The Pope seemed to grasp his meaning. Faintly smiling, he said, On the dayyou entered the Mausoleum of Books, a message arrived from the south. In asmall village, Xu Yourong broke directly into the upper level of EtherealOpening. In other words, her cultivation level is exactly the same as yours. Ifyou two were to meet in the Garden of Zhou, it would surely be extremelyinteresting. Chen Changsheng was silent. He knew that if their cultivation levels wereequal, then he was absolutely no match for her. Due to this fact, he remainedsilent for quite a while before continuing, What about Qiushan Jun? Based onthe rumors, he loves Xu Yourong and cares deeply for her. If Xu Yourong entersthe Garden of Zhou, then he should be accompanying her. He did his utmost to keep his tone as calm as he usually was, but he was onlyfifteen years old after all. At some points his tone became strange, especiallywhen he said the word loves. The Pope smelled that faintly acrid smell of the hall that had been stirred upby the wind, and his smile grew larger. Which is why I said that it wouldextremely interesting. Ten days ago, Qiushan Jun successfully broke into StarCondensation, so he is not allowed to enter the Garden of Zhou. So regardlessof what Xu Yourong does in the Garden of Zhou, he has no means to disturb her. These words contained a mischievous, and even annoying, side of the Pope whichwas completely at odds with his stature. Chen Changsheng could only bestupefied for a few moments before waking up. Suddenly, he realized the important part of the Popes words, and his faceshowed a somewhat astonished expression. Qiushan Jun broke into Star Condensation? Previously when he was stealing the key to the Garden of Zhou from thedemons, he suffered serious wounds. Contrary to expectations, it brought seriesof fortune, and treating it as an opportunity, he successfully broke through. Chen Changsheng contemplated this in silence. If he remembered correctly,Qiushan Jun was almost twenty years of age. He had not participated in a GrandExamination, nor had he entered the Mausoleum of Books Yet, he still managed toenter Star Condensation. Xu Yourong was younger than Chen Changsheng by threedays and she had not entered the Mausoleum of Books to view the monolithseither, yet she had actually entered the upper level of Ethereal Opening. He silently sighed to himself, so that is what a true genius is. He cultivated the Dao of following his heart, so he paid particular attentionto keeping his heart calm. In addition, he truly did not have much affectiontowards Xu Yourong. Yet, for some reason, whenever she was mentioned alongsideQiushan Jun, he would always feel somewhat awkward. What made him feel evenmore uneasy was that no matter how many miracles he had produced, Qiushan Junwas always there to put him in his place. In the Grand Examination, he obtained first place upon the First Banner, butQiushan Jun obtained the key to the Garden of Zhou. He entered the Mausoleum ofBooks to view the monolith and reached the limits of Ethereal Opening, butQiushan Jun did not even need the Heavenly Tome Monoliths to enter StarCondensation. The great affairs of the country compared with the small affairsof the individual and not requiring external help compared with requiringoutside help. How could the latter be considered stronger? I believe that you are stronger than Qiushan Jun. The Pope apparently knew what he was thinking and smiled. Even if otherpeople do not think this way, they would also not dare to say that you wereweaker than Qiushan Jun. Chen Changsheng shook his head. Im not as good as him. The Pope calmly replied, You are four years younger than him. Chen Changsheng stared at him blankly, then happily smiled. The Pope continued, As for Xu Yourong she is the daughter of Xu Shiji afterall. Chen Changsheng was silent. Since Xu Shiji was the Divine Empresss dog, XuYourong naturally stood on the same side as the Divine Empress and thesoutherners. In other words, she stood opposite to the Orthodoxy. He thought of an extremely terrifying possibility. Does the Divine Empressknow of my origins? The Pope nodded. Mo Yu had long ago sent someone to Xining Village toinvestigate your origins. This matter could never be kept hidden forever. Afterthe Grand Examination, I spoke to the Divine Empress about it. Chen Changsheng sat in silence for a while, then asked, Wont the Empress ? No. The Pope smiled at him. If the Empress does not want to tear apart ouralliance, then she will not. At the very least, on the surface, she will notact against you, because that is the equivalent to making my entire Li Palaceher enemies. Nobody wants that situation, even if she is the Tianhai DivineEmpress. What was self-confidence? This was self-confidence. The items in the Garden of Zhou are naturally very important, but neverforget that the true enemy has always been in the north. This time, the key tothe Garden of Zhou has landed in our hands, but there is no way that the Demonswill let it go so easily. If Black Robe still lives, he will have plannedsomething. Inside the Garden of Zhou or outside, as long as you have notreturned to the capital, you must remain cautious and vigilant. Many thanks to the Saint for his guidance. Chen Changsheng said. The Pope replied, Do you have to call me a Saint? Chen Changsheng said somewhat awkwardly, Yes, Martial Uncle. The Pope smiled in satisfaction. At the end of the conversation, Chen Changsheng brought up a demand. As the Pope had previously said, on the last night of the Ivy Festival, hetold Mo Yu to take Chen Changsheng into the Tong Palace. Then, he should knowvery well what lay beneath that cold pond. I want to see that Black Dragon. He sincerely asked the Pope. The Pope had not imagined that the only request Chen Changsheng would bring upwas actually this. Smiling, he asked, I hear that youve apparently met withthat Black Dragon? Chen Changsheng recounted his meeting with that Black Dragon under the pond,but he left out many details. Nor did he mention that it was there that heattempted Meditation Introspection and almost burned himself to death. He onlyspoke of the agreement that he had with it, that if he was allowed to leave,then he would find time to come back and see it again. That was the promisethat he made. Although it is an evil dragon, a promise is a promise. The Pope wasapparently satisfied at how Chen Changsheng valued promises. When Wang Zhicechained it under the pond all those years ago, he truly was rather ungenerous. Chen Changsheng asked, Then how can I go to see it? The well near the New North Bridge is already open. Saying these words, the Pope took a wooden placard out and handed it to him. Chen Changsheng took the placard and saw the words carved into it: OrthodoxyAcademy. This is Chen Changsheng looked at the wooden placard in confusion. The Pope smiled. This is the Orthodox Academys school nameplate. Chen Changsheng still did not understand. The Pope said, Only the principal of the Orthodox Academy is allowed to holdthis nameplate. Chen Changsheng still did not understand, or more accurately, he vaguelyunderstood, but he was unable to believe it. The Pope smiled at him. In our first proper meeting, as your martial uncle, Ihave to give you a gift to commemorate our first meeting. Only opening the wellby the New North Bridge seems a little too petty. How about this nameplate? Chen Changsheng did not know much about this nameplate. He did not know whattype of wood it was made from nor how many years of history it possessed. Heonly knew that it had suddenly gotten much heavier. Coming from Xining to the capital, then accidently entering the OrthodoxAcademy. Now that I think about it, how could that not be some sort of sign?Under the hands of your master, the Orthodox Academy was destroyed. It is onlyright that it should be under your hands that it is reborn. The Pope said sorrowfully to him. Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that as soon as he had taken thenameplate, he had become the newly appointed principal of the Orthodox Academy.Only what did it mean to be the principal of the Orthodox Academy? In the pasttwo decades, the Orthodox Academy had fallen into ruin, resembling a cemetery.Despite this, it was still one of the Six Ivies. In the past, it once stoodshoulder to shoulder with the Heavenly Dao Academy. It was the oldest of theacademies. In addition, earlier today in the afternoon, Luoluo had told himthat last month, the archbishop of the Hall of Subjugation had fallen ill anddied. Mao Qiuyu, the principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, had been promotedto the rank of the Orthodoxys Six Prefects. He was only fifteen years old, and yet suddenly he was now the principal ofthe Orthodox Academy? He suddenly felt that not only was the nameplate gettingheavier, it was also starting to burn his hands. He had not gotten far from the hall when he heard the sound of coughing fromthe side of the path. As he turned, he saw the head of the Bureau ofEcclesiastic Education, Archbishop Mei Lisha. He hurriedly walked forward topay his respects. Mei Lisha looked at him and smiled, then indicated that he should walk withhim. In his slow voice, he asked, Do you understand everything now? After a moment of silence, Chen Changsheng replied, For the most part, Iunderstand. Mei Lisha looked up towards the stars in the night sky. Some time passedbefore he finally said, You know that I am very old? Mei Lisha continued, leaving no time for Chen Changsheng to respond.Currently in the Orthodoxy, His Holiness and I are the oldest. To be old is agood thing. One is able to see all sorts of things. Yet to be old is also a badthing, because one remembers too many things. To live this way is somewhatexhausting. What happened to the Orthodoxy back then, even now I still remember itclearly. Yet strangely enough, I have actually somewhat forgotten what hadhappened in the Orthodox Academy nearly two decades ago. Mei Lisha coughed twice, then continued, I knew your teacher very well, so Iwas the first to realize your identity. Back then, I still was not clear aboutthe His Holinesss intentions, so I waited for some time before telling him. Ofcourse, you can also understand your teachers prudence. Chen Changsheng still had not fully grasped the situation, so he remainedsilent. At night, the Li Palace was very quiet. They walked along the stonepath between the halls. The resplendent lights on the distant Divine Avenuecould faintly be seen. There was a question that he had been afraid to ask the Pope. Now he hadfinally suppressed the worries in his heart and uneasily said, I am somewhatworried for my master. Mo Yu sent someone to Xining Village long ago, but you have no need to worry.On that day, all the experts of the Zhou Dynasty besieged the Orthodox Academy.The Empress and His Holiness personally took action. Since your teacher couldeven live through that, right now this is nothing. Chen Changsheng looked into the elderly mans squinting eyes and sincerelysaid, I am thankful for the care Your Eminence has given me in this past year. Mei Lisha squinted his eyes, then smiled like an old fox. Living in thecapital is actually very easy, because wanting to die is a very difficultaffair. The people who live here are all on good terms with each other, andthey are all willing to do things for each other for old times sake. Chen Changsheng earnestly took in the meaning of those words. Mei Lisha turned towards him and said, But outside the capital, it is not so.Especially outside the borders of the Zhou Dynasty, it is full of dangeroushardships. Out there, only you can look after yourself. Chen Changsheng remembered the Popes words and said worriedly, Black Robecould he actually still be alive? Could the demons have some sort of plot forthe opening of the Garden of Zhou? Mei Lisha replied, Since the key to the Garden of Zhou is in the hands ofhumanity, no matter how determined the demons are, they still have no means ofseizing the initiative, so there is no need to worry too much. On the contrary,you must not forget that in my Great Zhou, there are some people whoseintelligence is a far cry from Black Robe, but in terms of mercilessness,shamelessness, and contemptibility, they far exceed him. You must be wary ofthose sorts of people. Chen Changsheng knew that he was speaking of Zhou Tong. Arriving at the Divine Avenue in front of the main hall, Mei Lisha stopped. Iwill send you up to here. Chen Changsheng clasped his hands in respect and bowed. After this juniorreturns from the Garden of Zhou, this junior will come to see Your Eminenceagain. Mei Lisha shook his head. Too low. Chen Changsheng was a little stunned. He did not understand the meaning ofthose two words. You bow too low. Mei Lisha looked at him and smiled. You are now the principal of the OrthodoxAcademy. The only people deserving of your full bow are His Holiness and theDivine Empress. Other than those two, there is no need to pay your respects toother people like that. Only now did Chen Changsheng realize that his status had already changed. He was now of equal status with the archbishop of the Bureau of EcclesiasticEducation. From the depths of the quiet Li Palace suddenly came the distant brightringing of a bell. This bell was not a signal to return home, but rathersignified an official edict from the Orthodoxy. The contents of this edictspread faster than the night wind, reaching all the palace halls and everycounty and country in the continent. From this day forth, there is no need for you to lower your head. Mei Lisha smiled, then turned and left. Chen Changsheng stood by the Divine Avenue, somewhat dazzled, not believingthat any of this was true. Two bishops stood atop the Divine Avenue, waiting to send him out. Previously,when they had brought him into the Li Palace, their manner could be describedas calm and polite. Now they could be considered to be even more respectful. The hierarchy of the Orthodoxy was extremely distinct. In the Li Palace, thedividing lines between classes had always been strict. He was no longer a newstudent from the Orthodox Academy. He was the principal of the OrthodoxAcademy. Naturally, he would be looked upon with a different sort of reverence. The tall lamps illuminated the ramrod straight Divine Avenue. Under the care of the two bishops, Chen Changsheng followed the Divine Avenueout of the palace. The priests that they had encountered moved to the sides of the path. Previously, when he had entered the Li Palace, he had encountered a similarscene. Only that previously when the priests had stepped aside, they only needed tomeet his gaze. However now, they could not do so, because what was polite thenwas rude now. They had to bow to Chen Changsheng now. As the teenager walked through, several hundred priests paid their respects,their expressions humble, their voices coming one after the other. I pay my respects to Principal Chen. My respects to Principal Chen.
239 The Cinnabar Birthmark Between Her Eyebrows Part One
Mei Lisha walked back into the hall, then asked the Pope, What did the two ofyou talk about? The Pope thought about it, then said, We talked about everything, but it waslike we did not talk about anything. After he said those words, he shook his head. That child asked about thingsthat had nothing to do with him. I heard none of the questions that I thought Iwould hear. He did not ask about the Orthodoxy, or about the stars. He did notask about the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, nor did he ask about the so-calledintentions. In the entire continent, the greatest authority on deciphering the HeavenlyTome Monoliths was this hemp robed old man. Not even the southern sects HolyMaiden could exceed him in this aspect. In the Mausoleum of Books, ChenChangsheng had been enlightened on some matters, but he also had manyquestions. Yet today in the Li Palace, he had not mentioned a single word aboutit. He still lacks confidence. Mei Lisha said in his coarse and slow voice. Although the child has not lived for many years, he is not stupid. Tosuddenly experience so many earth-shaking events, there is no way that he couldwholeheartedly trust us. The Pope was unconcerned and smiled, Later on, he will naturally find outthat all that we have done has always been for his own good. Mei Lisha became silent at those words. Then he said, Before, I worried thathe was maturing too slowly. But now, it seems that he has grown far faster thananyone had imagined. Should we not constrain it somewhat? The Pope did not answer. Leaving the Li Palace, Chen Changsheng felt that his waist was somewhat sore.Previously on the Divine Avenue when all those hundreds of priests had beengreeting him one after the other, even though he had only given them a slightbow in return, it was still somewhat strenuous. Leaving those countless gazes and returning to his company of one, he feltsomewhat disoriented. He turned around to look back at the Li Palace. Seeingthose silent and speechless stone pillars, he also became silent andspeechless. Within that palace, he had enjoyed countless sceneries, yet forsome reason, he had a faint sense of unease, even fear. He had long ago guessed that his master was no ordinary man, but he had notguessed that his master was this special. Moreover, for the past year, he hadput his heart and soul into cultivation and the Grand Examination and he had notime to think about these things. It turns out that tonight, the truth about itall came to light in the Li Palace. The shock was so severe that it made hisbody turn cold. Just as the Pope and Mei Lisha had just discussed, there were many things ChenChangsheng had not mentioned in the Li Palace, and many question that he hadnot asked. For instance, he had not brought up that he had a senior. If theOrthodoxy truly needed a successor, then his senior was far more suited for theposition. He had also not brought up the special situation in his body. ThePopes eyes were as deep as the ocean, seemingly able to see through all.Perhaps the Pope already knew everything about Chen Changsheng, like the twodaoist youths in Xining Villages old temple. Like the knowledge he hadcomprehended from the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. Like how the meridians in hisbody were all broken. Yet the Pope did not mentioned them. The Pope and Mei Lisha had both said that nothing would happen to the XiningVillage, but how could that be possible? The Divine Empress would absolutelysend someone to hunt down and kill his master and senior Yuren. He wasuncertain if master and senior would be able escape. Furthermore, nearly twodecades ago, the Orthodox Academy was destroyed by the Pope and the DivineEmpress. The Pope even personally took action. Why did the Pope care for him somuch? Was it because of those reasons? In his old age, was the Pope gettingnostalgic? Those sorts of reasons were very hard to believe. He could notcompletely trust the Pope, even though the Pope seemed so compassionate, soworthy of his trust. Phrases like tongue twisters bounced around in his head. To believe or to notbelieve, why and why not, his expression became somewhat frustrated. Heabsent-mindedly thought, if what the Pope said was really true, then fromtonight on, his life had apparently entered a completely different stage. From Xining Village to the capital. From the old temple to the OrthodoxAcademy. By the will of others or by his own will. The greatest shadow thathung over his head through all this was the Divine Empress. The Divine Empress herself was a peerless expert of the Saint Realm. Sherelied upon the thirty or so Divine Generals to control the Great Zhousmillions of soldiers. She had the devotion and loyalty of Yu Wenjing, ZhouTong, Mo Yu, and the Tianhai Clan as well as the love and reverence of themasses. It could be said without a doubt that she was the continents mostpowerful human. If it was any other person in Chen Changshengs situation, they would havecommitted suicide long ago. However, it was just as the Pope had said, even the Divine Empress wasunwilling to come in direct conflict with the Orthodoxy. This was because inthis world, the only establishment that could be considered her equal was theOrthodoxy. The Orthodoxy had been the religion of the Zhou Dynasty from itsfounding and it possessed countless believers and millions of priests. This waswhy the Pope could speak with such confidence. And he... he was now the successor to the entire Orthodoxy. As Mei Lisha had told him on the Divine Avenue, he no longer needed to lowerhis head to anyone. However, this good fortune had arrived just too suddenly, so how could hebelieve it? It all returned to trust and reason. Why? These matters were all too complex. Although Chen Changsheng was an eruditescholar of the Daoist Canon, even knowing the most profound andincomprehensible scriptures by heart, he still was not very good at this sortof thing. This was because all of this had to do with the will of the people. He wanted to find someone to consult with, but Tang Thirty-Six was still inthe Mausoleum of Books. Even if he were here, he would definitely just say theopposite of whatever Chen Changsheng said. Luoluos status was too special andsensitive. Even if her status was disregarded, no matter how Chen Changshengwould say it, she would definitely take him at his word. What sort ofconsultation would that be? Despite the vastness of the capital, he could not find anyone to speak withabout what had occurred to night. This made him feel very lonely. In the deep night, the lights of the Li Palace still shone as brightly asever. Chen Changsheng turned into a dark and quiet alley, his right handresting against the hilt of the dagger at his waist. He circulated the Qi in his body, and his breathing gradually calmed. There was a faint noise, like a choked bang. However, the dagger had neverleft the sheath. It was only sword energy. It was a sword energy of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mount Zhong. Borrowing this sword energy, Chen Changsheng also used the Yeshi Step. Amidstthe chilly wind, his figure suddenly disappeared. With his deceptive movements,he suddenly disappeared into the night, his destination unknown. After a while, several people suddenly appeared around the dark alley. The eyes of these people had the remnants of shock. They all looked each other in the eyes and immediately knew who each of themworked for. Without any sort of warning, they all scattered. The technique that Chen Changsheng had used to leave seemed simple, but it wasactually rather complex. Those people that the great powers of the capital had sent to monitor him wereunable to track him down. At last, Chen Changsheng had finally entered the ranks of the experts. The ringing of the bell in the Li Palace announced to the entire continentthat Chen Changsheng was the new principal of the Orthodox Academy. This newsshocked the people of the world once again. From the Imperial Palace to the Tianhai Clan, to the Divine General of theEasts Mansion, there were many people who could not sleep because of thisnews. They incessantly analyzed exactly what this would mean. As the target of all this speculation and discussion, Chen Changsheng wascurrently in the southern part of the capital, strolling through a bustlingnight market. He first went to the famous Quyuan Roast Lamb restaurant at the head of thestreet and ordered an entire roast lamb. Afterwards, he began to purchasethings from the vendors on the street. Half an hour later, he appeared under tree outside the New North Bridge. It was a late spring night, but the temperature was not as cold as it had beenthe past few days. There was not much dew on the blades of grass. In the distant imperial city, the lights in the corner of the wall illuminatedthe ground. The light made the tender buds sprouting from the trees seemparticularly green, like freshly-picked tea leaves. This place was very close to the walls of the Li Palace and it was thusheavily guarded. The night ospreys atop the wall who monitored nighttimeactivity were especially watchful, their eyes shining like pearls in thedarkness. Chen Changsheng hid his body in the shadow of the tree and began to feel outhis surroundings. When the squadron of imperial guards was off in the distance,when the night osprey perched on the southeast corner of the wall turned itshead left on schedule, he suddenly made his move. With the tiniest of puffs ofsound, two balls of dust rose up from under the tree. Two clear footprints hadbeen left behind, but he had already disappeared without a trace. After a while, the dust gently fell back down, and coincidentally covered upthose footprints. During all this, his body was like a ghost, arriving above the mouth of theabandoned well. To arrive at the well from under the tree had only taken him one step. Right then he only had time to think, if the Pope was lying, he would mostdefinitely have fallen into an extremely miserable situation. Would this beconsidered a sort of test of his trust? Whoosh. He landed perfectly in the abandoned well, not even his clothes had touchedagainst the wall. This sort of accuracy was truly somewhat shocking. The bottom of the well was once again dug up. Chen Changsheng fell from the bottom of the well directly into that seeminglyabyssal underground space. He immediately became enshrouded in endless darkness. He could only see theextremely faint glimmer of starlight, and he could only hear the increasinglyharsh whistle of the wind. He fell for an unknown amount of time. The air around him suddenly becameviscous, and the speed at which he descended naturally began to slow. At the end, he floated down to the ground like a leaf. As he put his footdown, there was a cracking sound. He had probably stepped on a piece of ice. He had already come here multiple times, so he was not alarmed. Taking out anight pearl, he began to illuminate his surroundings. Along with the shine from the night pearl, the several thousand night pearlsthat studded the ceiling of this subterranean space slowly began to glow. Thepitch-black world became as bright as day. There was a groaning sound. That was the sound created from the distortion ofspace. Chen Changsheng lifted his head and saw the mountainous body of the BlackDragon slowly float over. The body of the Black Dragon was truly too enormous. As it moved, the sound ofthe cold wind became increasingly mournful. The Black Dragon stopped in front of him, and its palace-sized head filledChen Changshengs vision. Chen Changsheng happily smiled, then waved at it and said, Zhizhi, Ive cometo see you. The Black Dragons eyes were indifferent, its whiskers lightly moved to andfro. As they moved, countless flakes of frost fell from its body, before beingblown by the wind into Chen Changshengs face. Chen Changsheng used his hand to wipe off the frost, not at all distressed. He saw the mischievous look in the dragons eyes and he knew that it was justteasing him, or else punishing him for coming to see it in so long. After, he saw the wound in between the dragons eyes. In comparison to the Black Dragons head, this wound was very small. However, in Chen Changshengs eyes, this was a fierce and terrible wound. He clearly remembered that the Black Dragon never had this wound before. Who did this? He asked gravely. Even if the Black Dragon was imprisoned under the Imperial Palace, that didnot mean that it could randomly become the target of insult and torment. To leave such a frightening wound on its brow, it was imaginable how powerfulthat person was. However, Chen Changsheng did not care. He only thought of demanding justicefor the Black Dragon. That was because right now, he was very angry.
240 The Cinnabar Birthmark Between Her Eyebrows Part Two
Chen Changsheng really was very angry. Right before the Grand Examination, he had succeeded in Purification, and hadeven achieved perfect Purification. Although he had been unconscious for theentire ordeal and could not recall what had truly happened, he knew that itdefinitely had something to do with the Black Dragon. He had lived and was able to obtain the first rank of the First Banner in theGrand Examination. He had been able to enter the Mausoleum of Books to view themonoliths and comprehend the monoliths. He was able to bathe the entire capitalin starlight. All of this had been bestowed upon him by the Black Dragon. To him, the Black Dragon was even more important than the person that savedhad his life. When he saw the wound between its eyes which still seemed to bebleeding, when he faintly made out the white bone, deep in the wound, when heimagined the pain it had suffered, he could not help but be moved. Yes, it was as the Pope had said in the Li Palace, that legendary Black Dragonwas an evil dragon. However, even if it had committed such monstrous crimesagainst the capital, and several hundred years of imprisonment underground wasnot enough to atone for its crimes, how could such abuse be allowed? The Black Dragon calmly floated in the air, listening to Chen Changshengsangry question. Its eyes were incredibly serene. There was no pain or fear. Itdid not grow angry with him, nor was it deeply moved, only holding detachmentand disregard. Under its indifferent gaze, Chen Changsheng felt like an idiot. For somereason, he felt quite embarrassed. Could he have misunderstood something? After a long time, he felt it was necessary to break the silence. He askedwith some hesitation, this is the first time since that day that Ive come tosee you. Are you alright? The Black Dragon did not answer, nor did it give any other sort of response. As he had said, although Chen Changsheng was not clear on what had happenedthat day he first attempted Meditative Introspection, he knew that it couldonly have been with the aid of the Black Dragon that he was able to escapecalamity. I dont know how to thank you, so I brought some things that you wouldnormally like to eat. He placed the entire roast lamb that he had ordered on the floor in front ofthe Black Dragon. Its fragrant aroma and heat spread forth, only to beimmediately frozen by the air. You should first quickly eat the lamb. We can take our time with the rest. He suggested this as he saw the congealing oil on the lamb leg. He continued to take out more food. Roast chicken, roast deer tail, roastgoose, beef hotpot with pickled vegetables, cask-soaked tofu, phoenix fruitina short time, the floor was densely packed with dozens of dishes. The Black Dragons eyes seemed to gleam, but it still remained unmoving andunspeaking. Chen Changsheng thought that it was somewhat strange. It was true that in thepast few times he had come to this underground space, besides teaching himdragon language, the Black Dragon very rarely talked with him However, it hadnever been as quiet as it was tonight, perhaps due to disdain, or perhaps itfound speaking to be very strenuous. Whats wrong? Are you angry because I havent come to see you in so long? He looked at the Black Dragon and explained, After that night, I woke up inthe Orthodox Academy. Apparently someone must have brought me back. I realizedthat I had succeeded in Purification and wanted to find you, but found out thatsomeone had filled in the wellI think it was probably the person that broughtme to the Orthodox Academy. Afterwards, I was busy preparing for the GrandExamination, and then this past month I was in the Mausoleum of Books viewingthe Heavenly Tome Monoliths, so I really didnt have the time to come andvisit. In truth, he did not need to explain this much. However, he still wanted toexplain. His eyes were extremely clear and his expression was very sincere. Perhaps it was for this reason that the Black Dragons whiskers lightlyfloated up. Amidst the brilliance of the night pearls, it waved twice. Thissignified that it would, in a short while, enjoy his offerings. Chen Changsheng was content with this and began to chat with the Black Dragon. I really have to thank you. Without you, there would have been no way for meto obtain the first place of the First banner in the Grand Examination. He narrated the events of the Grand Examination, then described how at theannouncement of rankings, the Pope himself had personally crowned him with thegarland of thistles. He did not mention what had happened in the Pavilion ofAscending Mist, but he did describe in fine detail the sights he had seen inthe Mausoleum of Books, as well as the events that had occurred in the monolithhuts. I have seen many rubbings of the monolith inscriptions, but before I enteredthe Mausoleum of Books, I always had this sort of fantasy. I thought that maybethose inexplicable Heavenly Tome Monoliths were written in dragon language. Chen Changsheng smiled at the Black Dragon. When I was small, I studied thedragon language, then I was taught by you for a few days. If the monolithinscriptions were really written in dragon language, then I would have had anadvantage over the rest. The Black Dragons eyes were filled with ridicule and disdain. Somewhat embarrassed, he laughed and said, Only when I entered the mausoleumand looked at those inscriptions did I finally realize that I was overthinkingit. This was a rather embarrassing matter, but his laughter was filled with joy. He gradually brought his laughter under control, before he said a few words tothe Black Dragon very sincerely. As he said these words, his expression wasextremely solemn, even somewhat grave. After viewing the Heavenly Tome Monoliths for over twenty days, I saw allseventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum on the very last day. At the veryend, I realized a secretthe stars can move. In the Li Palace, in front the Pope, he had not even mentioned this matter. However, the Black Dragon viewed Chen Changshengs trust as being beneath itscontempt, even to the extent that it saw his solemnity and graveness as solaughable that the ridicule and disdain in its eyes increased. Chen Changsheng stared blankly, and only after a while did he come to. Of all living beings in the world, dragons could fly the highest. They couldbreak through the clouds and soar above the nine heavens. As for Black FrostDragons, this supreme clan of royal dragons, legends said that once they werefully grown, they could fly freely through the galaxies. Even if the BlackDragon had been unable to fly amongst the stars itself, how could it not knowthat the stars could move? He had seen it as going against common sense, even so much as a new discoverycontrary to the truth, but to the Black Dragon, this was probably a very commonknowledge. When he so gravely told the Black Dragon that the stars could move,it was like seriously telling the fish that it was calm under water, or tellingthe birds that clouds were made of water vapor It seems like I overthought things once again. He looked at the Black Dragon helplessly and was at a loss. In this case, itshould be that many people should know about it, so why is it that no one hasever brought it up before? The Black Dragon still paid him no attention. Chen Changsheng had no other option but to talk about something else,something to be happier about. He cheerfully said, Did you know? Right now Imat the upper level of Ethereal Opening. In his view, the Black Dragon was at least several hundred years old. It wasnaturally the most senior of seniorsthis achievements, that had been acquiredunder the care and guidance of a senior, should obviously be promptly reported. The Black Dragon still looked upon him with contempt and ridicule. Chen Changsheng continued to monologue to himself, Right before this, I wentto the Li Palace. I learnedthat His Holiness is actually my martial uncle.Yeah, he said that I was their schools sole disciple, so in the future theOrthodoxy will have me become its successor. Although I still think its quitepreposterous, His Holiness seemed very serious. Hearing these words, the contempt and ridicule in the Black Dragons eyesfinally disappeared. Even if it was a member of the most supreme and powerfuldragons, even it had to pay an appropriate amount of respect to the successorof the Orthodoxy. Of course, the truth is Chen Changsheng thought it over, then changed the subject again. Im going ona long journey to the Garden of Zhou. It might be a long time before Ill everbe able to see senior again. Yeahmy fiance, Xu Yourong, is also going to the Garden of Zhou. Imthinking that if I meet her, Ill need to return the marriage contract. This iswhat her father has required of me. I know that she doesnt want to marry me, but if I return this marriagecontract to her, she wont necessarily be happy about it. Her handmaid, ShuangEr, came to the Orthodoxy Academy once to find me and I can guess at what shewas hinting. She plans on using this marriage contract, naming me as her fiancso we can be a fake husband and wife, allowing her to put all her efforts intocultivating the Dao. On the surface, this sort of thing would do me no harm, but I dont likedoing things this way, so I dont like her either. Due to this, I will directlyrelieve the both of us of this engagement. After Chen Changsheng spoke this most important decision aloud, he suddenlyfelt much more relaxed. Standing up, he prepared to take his leave. After Ireturn from the Garden of Zhou, I will come to visit senior again. The Black Dragon watched him in silence. Its eyes seemed to gleam, as if itwanted to say something, but in the end it remained silent. Perhaps it hadwanted him to stay a bit longer. Leaving the underground space, the place where he emerged was that same coldand cheerless abandoned palace, next to the pond that people rarely approached.Chen Changsheng was already experienced in this. Walking over to the edge ofthe pond, he took a towel and dried his body, before changing into a new set ofclothes. After doing all this, he realized that, in a cluster of flowers, there was apair of eyes that had been staring at him this entire time. He could not helpbut recoil in surprise, then smiled and shook his head. Luckily it was onlyyou that saw me. The Black Goat slowly walked out of the flowers, proud and indifferent. Itsmeaning was very clear: And just what is there to see about a little man likeyourself? Chen Changsheng hurriedly followed him. There was no key around the Black Goats neck. That key had always been inChen Changshengs possession. The goat was only supervising him. Passing through the numerous palaces and avoiding the patrolling guards, hefinally arrived before the Imperial Citys ivy-covered secret door. ChenChangsheng used the key to unlock it, before passing through it. He turned around and looked at the Imperial Palace, silently thinking tohimself. Who was it that had always been helping him? Was it that middle-agedlady? Or was it the Pope? In that underground space, there are many things that he had said many thingsthat he would say to no other person to the Black Dragon. However, he did notbring up Senior Yuren, nor did he bring up anything about Xining Villages oldtemple. This was because the Pope had already admitted that he had purposelylet him meet the Black Dragon, so what did that mean? It was never wrong to besomewhat more prudent. Chen Changsheng returned to the Orthodox Academy. The Black Dragon remained in that cold subterranean space. It had nowhere togo, no home to return to. Several hundred years had passed since it had beenlocked away. Of course its name was not Zhizhi. Its dragon name was incredibly long. Ifwritten in the words of humans, it would probably require a few dozen pages.Moreover, many years had passed since it had been called out to by a fellowdragon, so it had even forgotten parts of its own name. The light of the night pearls gradually dimmed. In the cold air, a strand of magical power slowly disappeared. It had been amagical power similar to a smokescreen. The mountainous body of the Black Dragon floating in the air rapidly began toshrink. Accompanied by the scattering of countless motes of light, it finallydisappeared. A small girl dressed in black sat on the floor. The floor was covered with snow. Similarly, her expression was as cold as thesnow. She , as enchanting as the night. On her brow was a red line, like a cinnabarmole. Seeing that roast lamb covered with congealed oil, she knit her brow indispleasure. She opened her mouth and spoke the human language. This idiot, does he wantto stuff me to death? She had still not recovered from the blood that she had shed that day, so itwas still not possible for her to assume her dragon form. As a small girl, shecould only look at the roast lamb, not eat it. Then she saw the braised chicken wings wrapped in oil paper. She took a piece and placed it in her mouth, quietly sucking on it. Her browsraised in delight, like a flower blooming. Braised chicken wings were her favorite dish. Chen Changsheng had also brought some fine oolong tea. She poured herself a cup and slowly began to drink it. For some reason, her expression became somewhat sorrowful. At this point, a voice echoed throughout the underground space. A fine tea. Towards this voice, the girls expression subtly changed. There was some hate,but there was even more fear.
241 Different Souls
(TL: This refers to the Chinese conception of soul as being made up of twoparts: Hun (), the spiritual soul which goes to heaven on death; and Po (),the animal soul which remains with the body.) The cold winds suddenly calmed, the night pearls suddenly began to glow. TheDivine Empress appeared before her. As she glanced at the two iron chainsaround the dragons feet, she said. The tea is good, but the man? The girl stared warily at her and said nothing. The Divine Empress looked at her and continued. You gave up a drop of yourtrue dragon blood to help Chen Changsheng. Just who did you think you couldhide your plans from? The girl put down the tea and apathetically said, I dont know what youretalking about. The Divine Empress calmly said. Regardless of if you plan to have him helpyou get something, or send some message back to the dragon tribe, or concoctsome method to break Wang Zhices imprisoning spell, none of it is possible. Heis too young, and to have all the qualities you require would take him at leastanother two hundred years. The girl realized that all her plans had been grasped by this terrifyingwomen, and her expression grew even colder. So what? Chen Changsheng has told you much. Since youve been listening, then youshould know that it will be very difficult for him to live past the age oftwenty. Because of this, the chances of you succeeding in carrying out yourplans are basically zero. The Divine Empress continued, If you help me with a certain task, after tenyears I will release you. The girls slit-shaped eyes narrowed, becoming even more enchanting. Whattask? The Divine Empress placed her hands behind her back and gazed at that gloomyand barely visible ray of light. After a moment of silence, she said, Help meunderstand just who Chen Changsheng is. The girl stared blankly, not quite understanding the sentence. Chen Changsheng was Chen Changsheng, how could he be anyone else? I want to know just how old he is and what is wrong with his body. I want toknow why Daoist Ji would raise him, and I want to know how much the of theconversation between the Pope and him in the Li Palace was true and how much ofit was false. The Divine Empress withdrew her gaze and calmly looked at the girl. Anindescribably powerful pressure suddenly descended upon the vast undergroundspace, grinding the ice on the floor into a fine dust. The girls voice slightly trembled as she asked, How would I know thesethings? Because he trusts you. That is very important. The Divine Empress replied. As if attempting to explain something, she hurriedly said, I dont even knowwhy he trusts me! The Divine Empress calmly replied, Perhaps it is because of the first time hemet you, he already said too much, so he no longer cares and now tells youeverything. After a moment of thought, the girl replied, This isnt very logical. The Divine Empress calmly looked at her said, There is still the mostimportant reason. Confused, the girl asked, What would that reason be? The Divine Empress indifferently replied, Youre not a human. The girls brows tightly knit together in irritation. Ifthe Demon Lord and the Pope were in front of me, who do you think I wouldtrust more? The Divine Empress looked at her and gave her a smile that was not a smile. The girl was deeply confused. Between the greatest enemy and the most reliable comrade, was there any needto think about it at all? The Divine Empress gave her no time to think. So? The girl looked at the oil paper-wrapped chicken bone and the remnants of thetea left in her cup, then blinked and said, Fine, I agree. If you let me go, Iwill go with him and report back to you on all his whereabouts. She reached behind her back and pulled out the chains, then she looked at theDivine Empress and seriously said, Madame must first help me break thesechains. Thank you. The Divine Empress calmly looked at her and said, To go so far is tootroublesome. Saying these words, she walked in front of the girl and stretched out herright hand to space between the girls eyebrows, as if she wanted to caressthat wound. The girls vertical pupils suddenly contracted as she felt an incredible senseof danger. The flash of cunning that had appeared in her eyes had long since disappeared,leaving only fear and unease. Her black hair floated around her, as they rustled. Her lips slightly opened as she prepared to furiously roar. Yet she was powerless to do anything, even unable to avoid the DivineEmpresss palm. Although the Divine Empresss right hand seemed to fall very casually, intruth it was like heaven and earth were conforming to its will. There was noway to escape from it. There was a light slap. The Divine Empresss right hand landed between her brows, covering that lineof blood. The girls body furiously trembled, her face turning deathly pale. Her pupilscontracted until they gradually disappeared. It all seemed extremely painful. After a while, the Divine Empress slowly withdrew her hand. Along with her hand, the image of a black dragon slowly emerged from the wound. That black dragon image was about half a chi long and as wide as a fingernail.Struggle as it might, it was incapable of escaping from the Divine Empressspalm. Inch by inch, it was extracted from the girls brow. This black dragon image seemed to be both real and illusionary. It seemed tolive, and yet it was clearly not any sort of living being. It was a microcosm of the Black Dragon, as well as its soul. While the Black Dragon was still alive, the Divine Empress had managed toextract its soul. At the end, this black dragon soul had been completely taken out. The line of blood on the girls brow grew increasingly red. On its surfacegradually formed a plump bead of blood. Now it seemed like it had truly turnedinto a cinnabar birthmark. With the extraction of the dragon image, the girl became abnormally exhausted,and her body fell limply to the floor. The Divine Empress took a jade ruyi from her waist. TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruyi_(scepter) Everyone knew that the Divine Empress had two pieces of jewelry that neverleft her body. In her hair was an ebony hairpin, its tip painted with a dot of captivatingred, as if it had drunk blood. Its rear was damaged in places and it wasextremely old. Yet it had never been switched out, because it was thethird-ranked weapon on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, the sole hairpin amongstits ranks. The other piece of jewelry was this ruyi bracelet that was always tied to herwaist. No one knew what sort of use this ruyi had that it was treated on parwith that ebony hairpin. In the next moment, the Divine Empress poured the Black Dragons soul into theruyi. It seemed very simple, almost like the sleight of hand of some swindler,but in reality it was one of the worlds most supreme divine abilities. The jade ruyi suddenly came to life, transforming into a small black dragon. That small black dragon lay still in the Divine Empresss hands. It seemedvery weak, but its eyes burned with fierce resentment as it stared into theDivine Empresss eyes. You are a dragon, so your blood is innately condensed. As long as it is notfor too long, ripping your spiritual soul from your animal soul should do youno harm. In addition, if you had not willingly given up your true dragon blood,even I would have no means of taking a wisp of your three wisps of dragon soul,so if you must resent someone, you should first resent yourself. The Divine Empress looked at the small dragon in her palm and calmly said,You should know how cruel the consequences are if the spiritual soul does notreturn, so when you go to the Garden of Zhou, you should behave yourself. On this spring night, the night was as bright and beautiful as it was duringthe day. Under the starlight, the trees seemed to be filled with vitality. TheDivine Empress took her leave from the well. She strolled in a leisurely mannerthrough the lively spring atmosphere. Not far from her was a carriage. As she approached, the black rhinoceroshitched up to the carriage went down on its knees in humility, or moreaccurately, reverence. At the same time, a pale-faced middle-aged man alsoknelt down. The long river of history still flowed on, and there were still some peoplethat had not died. Their names had not yet disappeared, but they were certainto become some of the most unforgettable sights on that long river. One ofthese names was Zhou Tong. It was an absolute surety that in these tens ofthousands of years that passed, he would still be remembered as one ofhistorys most ruthless officials and treacherous ministers. Whether it was theextraordinary cruelty of his torture, or the number of ministers he hadexecuted on fraudulent charges, he would place first without a doubt. To both government officials and the common people, Zhou Tong was an enigmaticindividual. Outside of important events like the Grand Examination, he mostlystayed in the secluded and sinister office of the Ministry of Personnel in thesouthern parts of the capital. On his occasional excursion, he would always beguarded by countless experts. He rarely saw others, and even when he met withfellow colleagues in the halls of the Imperial Court, or interrogatedprisoners, face would always be obscured by a black veil. Generally speaking, only women, especially beautiful women, would wear a blackveil. This peculiarity of Zhou Tongs was the subject of much ridicule. Manypeople thought that because Zhou Tongs methods were too cruel, his actions tooshameless; he had no face to see his ancestors, no face to see the heavens andthe earth with. Thus he would obscure his face year-round. Of course, thesejeers, or perhaps curses, were only whispered in the dark. They woulddefinitely not land in Zhou Tongs ears. The people probably could not imagine that Zhou Tong was actually an averagelooking middle-aged man. Only because he spent too much of his time in theprison and always had his face obscured by a veil, his face was rather pale. Your Majesty, I do not know how to handle Chen Changsheng. Zhou Tong continued to speak with a low voice, Considering his connections tothe Li Palace, I am unable to use torture. The Divine Empress smiled, but said nothing. The entire continent knew that Zhou Tong was the Divine Empresss most loyaland most insane dog. In the eyes of many, he was certainly her most obedientdog. However, in reality, this was not the case, because Zhou Tong understood dogsvery well. If the master told the dog to stop barking, and the dog stopped barking, itdid not necessarily mean obedience. On the contrary, if the master told the dogto stop barking, but the dog continued to bark because there was somethingoutside the door, then even if the master had to scold it in front of guests,or strike at it, the master would inwardly feel happy, thinking that it wastruly a good dog. This sort of disobedience was true obedience. Zhou Tong knew very well when he should bark and when he should stay silent.He knew when he should leap into a scuffle, and when he should directly tearthrough the throats of Her Majestys enemies. The Divine Empress had always been satisfied with his performance. Even thoughhe had committed so much evil and had become an enduring stain on theflourishing world of the Zhou Dynasty, she would never once think about takingthis dog and cooking it in a pot, then feeding it to its victims. That wasbecause she was very pleased that this dog would not be a dog like Xu Shiji whowould never mature. Moreover, she cared not for the assessment of the historybooks, so why should she care for the talk of common people? What do you think We should know from Chen Changsheng? The Divine Empress indifferently asked. It was very strange. Even when she ascended to become Empress, she very rarelyreferred to herself using the royal We. Only before Zhou Tong would she referto herself as such. The ministers of the court had also grown accustomed toreferring to her as the Divine Empress. Zhou Tong was the only one who insistedon addressing her as Your Majesty. Zhou Tong replied, Since Your Majesty has allowed him to live up to thispoint, then it must be because Your Majesty wants him to say something. In this world, only the dead did not speak. The Divine Empress pondered this in silence, then said, I want to confirmsome things. Zhou Tong softly said, If I cannot use torture, thenshould I use death? The Divine Empress laughed at these words, then brightly said, I once askedMo Yu a question, and now I can ask you the same thing. Zhou Tong replied, I will be pleased to answer the Empress. The Divine Empress asked, Do you believe that there is anyone in the worldthat is unafraid of death? Zhou Tong seriously pondered this question for a long time, then finally said,I do not believe it. The Divine Empress smiled. Before I did not believe, but afterwards, Irealized that there really were people that did not fear death. Not waiting for Zhou Tong to reply, she continued, A man who does not feardeath, how can he not fear it? Zhou Tong thought hard but found no answer. He asked, How can Chen Changshengnot fear death? Because he is a real person, true to his heart and true to his own nature. The Divine Empress placed her hands behind her back and looked in thedirection of the Orthodox Academy. There had been another reason that she hadleft unsaidthat youth had death as a constant companionshe silentlythought, if he was true to his feelings and true to his nature, if ChenChangsheng was able to live past twenty, then would he perhaps really becomethe second Zhou Dufu?
242 The Big Rat in the Pile of Junk
The black rhinoceros pulled the carriage away from the New North Bridge andpulled it to the Orange Garden. One of Zhou Tongs subordinates knocked on the front door of the OrangeGarden. Mo Yu, who had just been preparing to go to bed, slightly frowned atthe man standing in her main hall. You may not have to attend the court, but Istill have to wake up early. Zhou Tong looked around at the famous paintings on the walls and said, I wasjust with Her Majesty at New North Bridge just now. These words were very abrupt, and sent without any reason. Mo Yus expression suddenly became very serious. What do you want to say? I want to say, I am very afraid. Zhou Tong said these words calmly and his face held no trace of fear, and yet,for some reason, this Orange Garden, whose spring warmth was maintained by aspell, suddenly dropped a few degrees in temperature. Mo Yu stared into his eyes and realized that the pale whites of his eyes werebloodshot, making them somewhat ghastly. She asked, Just what are you afraidof? Zhou Tong gave a nervous laugh and asked, Are you not afraid? Mo Yu indifferently replied, I have no time to keep an adult like yourselfcompany while you go senile. Zhou Tong forced down his smile and expressionlessly said, The entirecontinent knows what the greatest problem currently facing humanity is: theposition of the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty. Although Her Majesty has thoughtof returning the throne to the Chen Imperial clan, she is unresolved. She knowsthat if she doesnt, then the entire Tianhai clan will be completelyannihilated. Even though they say that the Tianhai clan is not synonymous withHer Majesty, Her Majesty still bears the surname Tianhai, so how can she steelherself to see a tragedy such as that play out? Mo Yu frowned and said, As you said, the entire continent knows this. Zhou Tong continued, So Her Majesty has always hesitated. The Tianhai familyhas taken her hesitation as a chance. In the eyes of Prince Chen Liu and allthe other princes in the counties, this hesitation is the shadow of death. HerMajestys continued reticence also has another reason: The Li Palace has nevermade their position clear. After a moment of silence, Mo Yu replied, So just what are you trying to tellme? Zhou Tong expressionlessly said, I want to say, tonight, His Holiness finallymade his position clear. He does not agree. The Orthodoxy does not agree. Sonow, will Her Majesty continue to hesitate? Mo Yu did not respond. After the Grand Examination, many people realized who Chen Changshengsoriginal master was. The Pope had personally admitted itChen Changshengsteacher was the previous principal of the Orthodox Academy, the firmestsupporter of the Imperial clan. Almost two decades ago, he had joined handswith the Imperial clan in an attempt to overthrow the Divine Empresss regime. Tonight, the Pope allowed Chen Changsheng to become the principal of theOrthodox Academy. The position this decision represented was extraordinarily clear. If the Divine Empress insisted on keeping the Tianhai clan on the throne, thePope and the Li Palace would no longer stand on the same side with her. Theywould assume the same role that the Orthodox Academy played in the past. Mo Yu asked, You believethe Empress has already made up her mind? Zhou Tong was silent, then said, Her Majesty can willingly abdicate inexchange for the continued existence of the Tianhai clan. Preposterous! Mo Yu angrily declared, How can the Empress abdicate? And ifthe Imperial clan could be trusted, why would the Empress have hesitated for somany years? What if His Holiness acted as a guarantor? Zhou Tong stared into her eyesand said, You think that even if Prince Chen Liu ascends to become Emperor,that he would dare to ignore the Orthodoxy? Mo Yu was somewhat stunned by these words. Only after a long period of timehad passed did she finally speak. If it really is this way She suddenly smiled, Then thats also fine. For the position of Emperor to be smoothly handed over, for the world ofhumans, of course this is good. For the Tianhai clan to continue existing, evenif not as well-off as it was before, this is also fine. Zhou Tong looked at her with a smile that was not really a smile. But for thetwo of us, where is the benefit? Mo Yu calmly said, The Empress will naturally arrange things for us. Zhou Tong replied, Such disrespectful words. One day, Her Majesty willinevitably board a raft and swim upon the sea of stars. When that day finallycomes, where will the two of us go? Mo Yu had no answer. Zhou Tong continued to look into her eyes as he continued speaking, Under HisHolinesss orders, you have done many things. Why has the Empress never blamedyou? Because the Empress can sense very clearly the unease in your heart, justlike the fear in mineThose people in the Li Palace have never liked either ofus, so you planned to ease your way into good standing. Mo Yu met Zhou Tongs gaze and calmly replied, So what? When that day reallycomes, theres really no way for you to survive. There are simply too manypeople who want you dead. As for meI only want to live, I dont care aboutmuch else. Zhou Tong once again gave that forced smile. Is that so? When some member ofthe Chen Family becomes Emperor, and youre given a choice between death andbecoming his woman, would you be willing? Then I dont care either. There was a subtle change in Mo Yus expression. Somewhat jittery, sheshouted, Just what are you proposing? Zhou Tong replied, First, at the very least, we must ensure that Her Majestydoes not decide rashly. Mo Yu pensively said, You want to break the tacit understanding between theEmpress and His Holiness? Zhou Tong replied, I wouldnt dare to. I only want His Holinesss position tolose its effectiveness. Mo Yu shook her head. You cant kill him. The Empress would absolutely notallow it. He has done too much for the Zhou Dynasty. At the very least youcant go and kill him now. Zhou Tong said expressionlessly, Ive killed many meritorious ministers andgenerals. Mo Yu stared into his eyes. But he has made an even greater contribution. To break through from the Meditation realm to the Ethereal Opening realm wasthe most difficult to pass of the three bottlenecks of cultivation. This wasbecause it was the first time most cultivators would experience a life or deathsituation. With the slightest lack of caution, one could easily end up goinginsane. If the mind was unclear, one might die on the spot. The proportion ofpeople that died this way was extremely high. For countless years, there hadbeen many cultivators that were on the threshold of Ethereal Opening, but didnot dare to attempt to step over it. When Chen Changsheng had deciphered all seventeen monoliths of the frontmausoleum, he had triggered that starlight phenomenon. This indirectly helpeddozens of monolith viewers break through. In only one night, humanity suddenlywelcomed many more Ethereal Opening cultivators into its ranks. Even the sum ofall the disciples who broke through to the Ethereal Opening realm every yearfrom the Six Ivies, the Scholartree Manor, and the Holy Maiden Peak could notexceed the number that broken through into Ethereal Opening in that one nightalone. In the future, just how many of these people would enter Star Condensation andbecome true experts? As Gou Hanshi had said, everyone should be thanking Chen Changsheng. Everyschool and sect should be thanking him. The Zhou Dynasty and all of humanityshould be thanking him. Tonight, when the Pope had directly appointed ChenChangsheng as the new principal of the Orthodox Academy, there was not a singleword of protest within the Orthodoxy. Presumably, tomorrow there would be noone outside the Orthodoxy who would protest. This was because they allunderstood that this was merely repayment for a meritorious service. Zhou Tong went silent for a very long time, then suddenly said, Tonight, HerMajesty said that he was a real person. Mo Yu was astonished at these words. She had not imagined that the Empresssevaluation of Chen Changsheng was so high. He has merit, and so Im not allowed to kill him. Hes a real person, so Imnot able to kill him, but in the end, something must be done. Zhou Tong shook his head and walked out of the Orange Garden, incessantlymurmuring to himself like a nagging old lady. Mo Yu gazed at his back with some concern. In the Orthodox Academys small building, that warm bedding truly did smellvery good. She did not wish to never be able to smell it again. Even if the bedding was even warmer and more comfortable, it would still notbe enough to break Chen Changshengs schedule. At five in the morning, he promptly woke up, opened his eyes, washed his face,and rinsed his mouth, then went with Xuanyuan Po to the Mausoleum of Books. The soldiers responsible for watching over the mausoleum probably had notheard about the Orthodoxys new appointment, so they were the same as ever. One after another, people emerged from the Mausoleum of Books. There were somemonolith viewers that had entered in previous years, but there were even moreof this years Grand Examination examinees. These people were like ChenChangsheng, preparing to go to the Garden of Zhou. When they saw ChenChangsheng standing outside the stone doors, they were like the soldiers, notknowing that he was the Orthodox Academys new principal. However, regardlessof that, they all sincerely paid respects to him, even if some of them hadunnatural expressions on their faces. Only after Gou Hanshi had sent Qi Jian and Liang Xiaoxiao out did ChenChangsheng learn that Tang Thirty-Six was still on that mental journey of his.Regretfully, he had no other choice but to turn back and leave. That same night, after Chen Changsheng had treated Zhexiu with acupuncture,Zhexiu went to the library to meditate. Chen Changsheng and Xuanyuan Po beganto tidy up the kitchen It was unknown when Tang Thirty-Six would leave theMausoleum of Books, and Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu would probably stay in theGarden of Zhou for at least a hundred days. As a result, the kitchen would mostlikely be unused for an extremely long time, so there were many things thatneeded to be tidied up before they left. I cant go again. Im really useless. Xuanyuan Po said these muffled words as he sat by the basin and washed dishes,his back facing Chen Changsheng. Only cultivators at Ethereal Opening were permitted to enter the Garden ofZhou. Chen Changsheng looked at the demi-human youths tall and sturdy back andrecalled how similar it was to how he found him last year at the night market.Consoling him, Chen Changsheng said, Its no problem, you just need a littlebit more time. Indeed, Xuanyuan Po innate talent was very exceptional, or else he would nothave been so well-treated by the Star Seizer Academy. Only that on the firstnight of the Ivy Festival, he had been too severely injured by Tianhai Yaerand his entire right arm had been crippled. Although under Chen Changshengstreatment it had slowly recovered, he still had to train it from scratch, butit would only be a matter of time before he returned to his former strength. Inaddition, with Chen Changshengs research on methods for the demi-humans tocultivate with human methods, he would certainly explode with power one day. Chen Changsheng naturally began to think about Tianhai Yaer, the littlemonster that had once caused many people to feel nervous. He could not help butshake his head. He found it impossible to disperse that sense of loathing hehad. It was just like how some women would always be afraid of rats. Regardlessof if they were experienced and knowledgeable, or if they never left the wallsof their own home, even if they were a Star Condensation expert; they had allat one point shrieked at the sight of a rat. A sudden scrambling sound arose from the corner of the kitchen, followed bythe sound of squeaking. This sound was very weak. If Xuanyuan Po and ChenChangsheng had not been cultivators, they probably would not have been able tohear it. Eh? I just cleaned this place a few days ago, how can there be mice again? Xuanyuan Po stood up and wiped his hands off on his clothes. He randomlypicked out a thick piece of charred firewood from the stove and walked over tothe corner. Amidst the pile of junk in the corner, there was something faintly moving. Its pretty big! Xuanyuan Pos eyes went wide. He tightly held the firewood and slammed it downwith all his strength. Chen Changsheng thought to himself, did it really require such strength? Evenif the rat was beaten to death, the floor would suffer a few cracks aswellsuddenly he felt that something was not right. That sound had feltsomewhat familiar. He opened his mouth and moved his hands to stop Xuanyuan Po,but he was too late. With a muffled bang, all the junk was turned into dust. The upper half of thefirewood suddenly disappeared. That terrifying strength sent dust flyingeverywhere. As the dust settled, Xuanyuan Po stared at the still-moving thin and longblack-colored animal on the ground. In complete shock, he yelled, What in theworld is this? Its actually not dead! That black-colored animal flew in front of Xuanyuan Pos eyes. Xuanyuan Po thought it was a snake or some limbless lizard, but how could itfly? There was a slap as the black animal used its tail to give him a slap. Xuanyuan Po stared blankly at this scene before him. His mouth opened widerand wider, his tongue grew increasingly clumsy. Losing his mind out of fear, heyelled, Dragondragondragondragon! He then fainted straightaway.
243 Journeying Together
When the real dragon appeared up in front of Xuanyuan Pos face, he wastruthfully rather frightened, yet that had not been enough to make him faint.The real reason for why he fainted was that the Black Dragon had, in its fury,released some of its dragon aura. For a Demi-human like Xuanyuan Po, he wasabsolutely incapable of resisting that ancient and terrifying Qi. With a gust of wind, Jin Yulu appeared, his shirt lightly flapping in thebreeze. He warily looked around. As soon as he had sensed that frightening Qi,he immediately rushed over from the gatehouse. The Li Palace had appointed ChenChangsheng as principal of the Orthodox Academy. Could it be that it hadalready attracted some peerless expert? Yet when he finally arrived in the kitchen, he could sense nothing. SeeingXuanyuan Po knocked out on the floor, he asked in a deep voice, What happened? Its nothing. Chen Changsheng explained, I was unblocking one of hismeridians, but then some of his true essence began to flow backwards. With alittle rest hell get better soon. Jin Yulu creased his brow. He found that Chen Changshengs expression wassomewhat unnatural, yet he could not sense any of that terrifying Qi anymore.After examining the scene again, he took his leave. Chen Changsheng rubbed his forehead, sighed a breath of relief, he knelt downto wake Xuanyuan Po up. Xuanyuan Pos face was painted with fear. He looked all around, his facedeathly pale. At the Ivy Festival, this demi-human youth had shown extraordinary bravery andcourage when confronting the vicious Tianhai Yaer. Yet the previous scene hadalready exceeded his imagination. As a demi-human, he had felt an innate crushing terror towards the dragonsaura. Did you seeablack dragon? Xuanyuan Po did not see any sign of that terrifying existence, yet this onlymade him more worried. His voice shuddered with fear. Chen Changsheng was originally going to tell him that he was seeing things,but he knew that it would not convince Xuanyuan Po. After a moment of silence,he said, It came to find me. Dont say anything about it. Xuanyuan Po pointed at Chen Changsheng, his lips trembling, unable to speak.Only after a long while did he finally stammer out a few words. Just who hellare you? Many people wanted to know who Chen Changsheng was, but he was incapable ofanswering that question. Because to him, this had never been a question. He was Daoist youth fromXining Villages old temple. Even though his master Daoist Ji had so manysecrets, that did not mean that he did as well. Of course, right now, he had a secret: that Black Dragon. Back at the small building, he placed his dagger on the display rack and thenwalked over to the table and looked at that tiny Black Dragon. After a verylong time, he still was not convinced that he was not hallucinating. Only whenhe finally summoned up the courage to run his fingers along the Black Dragonsbody and feel its icy scales did it finally prove that all that had happenedwas real. The tiny Black Dragon clearly did not like him touching it, so it slapped hishand away. Thisjust what is going on here? Chen Changsheng nervously asked. The tiny Black Dragon said nothing but flew to the table, rubbed itself inink, and used its body as a brush to put a few words on paper. It was very cute, but Chen Changsheng had no time to pay attention to suchthings. He took up the paper and only then understood that this was the result of asecret technique for the spiritual soul. This secret technique allowed the soul of a dragon to split from its massivebody, allowing it to assume some other appearance. It originated from when thedragon tribe first transformed into humans, only that it was even moremysterious and challenging. The downsides of this method were that the dragonsspiritual soul could not be too far from its body. There was also a time limit.If the spiritual soul did not return to its original body, it would graduallydissipate. In addition, a dragon in this state was extraordinarily weak, no longerpossessing any of its original supreme strength. It would even require theprotection of humans. Seeing this tiny Black Dragon before his eyes, Chen Changsheng found itimpossible to reconcile with the mountainous body of the Black Frost Dragon inthe underground space. You figured out this secret technique yesterday, and today you want toaccompany me around the capital? Incomparably shocked, he said to the tiny dragon, And you need me to keep yousafe? The tiny Black Dragon floated in front of him and nodded its head. Chen Changsheng kneaded his forehead in silence. It was only after a long timedid he say with difficulty, Im going to the Garden of Zhou. I dont know whatIll encounter. If something happens, what then? The tiny Black Dragon said nothing, and only quietly watched him. Chen Changsheng and the dragons eyes met. Though its eyes on the surfaceseemed indifferent, he could faintly detect a fervent desire deep within. Only then did he realize that this Black Dragon had been imprisonedunderground for several hundred years, so this was its first visit to thesurface in a long time. Even though it was not truly free, it finally managed to leave. After it left the underground space, the first thing it did was to find him. After thinking it over for a long time, he finally said, Fine, Zhizhi. Hearing this, the dragons eyes were as cold and proud as ever, yet it stillgave a cry of zhi zhi. Chen Changsheng knew that this was its way of laughing, and so he also laughed. One after another, monolith viewers departed from the Mausoleum of Books.Added together with all the Ethereal Opening cultivators in the various schoolsand academies, as well as the teacher, more than a hundred people had assembledbefore the stone pillars of the Li Palace, preparing to set off on a journey toenter the Garden of Zhou. There were even more cultivators that had already set off from differentplaces all over the continent, or had already arrived at the Garden of Zhou. An imperial carriage, pulled along by a pegasus, slowly proceeded along theSacred Path. The carriage probably contained an important member of theOrthodoxy whose duty was to manage the journey to the Garden of Zhou. Chen Changsheng looked at that imperial carriage, trying to guess whichimportant figure was within, and why the Pope or the Archbishop had not sentsomeone to tell him who it was. As he looked at the carriage, there were many people looking at him, becausehe had already become one of those important figures of the Orthodoxy. ChenChangsheng had no awareness of this. When the bishop of the Temple Seminarybrought his three students to pay their respects, he could only stare blanklyfor a while before responding. Soon after, the groups from the Heavenly DaoAcademy and the Li Palace Academy also came to pay their respects to him.Naturally not everyone paid respects to this fifteen-year-old youth willingly,but Chen Changshengs status was so high, and it was right in front of the LiPalace. As members of the Orthodoxy, none of them dared to show the slightestbit of disrespect. Chen Changsheng had no experience with this sort of thing. He could onlyreturn their bows one by one. Thankfully, he still remembered the Archbishopswords. Besides the Pope and the Divine Empress, he did not need to give anyonea full bow, he did not need to lower his head. However. his movements wereinevitably somewhat stiff and reserved, completely lacking the sort of presencethat his status deserved. Zhexiu expressionlessly stood by his side. He said nothing because he also hadlittle experience with this sort of thing and would be of no help. Liang Xiaoxiao, Qi Jian, as well as more than a dozen southern examinees ofthe Grand Examination stood on the opposite side, silently spectating. When the group going to the Garden of Zhou left the capital, a melodious bellrang from the depths of the Li Palace. Earlier, the red geese had flown off to some far away place. The ranking of this years Proclamation of Azure Clouds had officially beenchanged. Xu Yourong, who had sat on the first place seat for so many years, was nolonger amongst its ranks. Luo Luo had become the new first place. Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian had also departed from the Proclamation of AzureClouds. The Pavilion of Divination had also put forth a new Proclamation of GoldenDistinction. As expected, Qiushan Jun remained at the top of the ranking. Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian also appeared on the rankings, as well as many ofthe other youths that had successfully broken through into Ethereal Opening inthe Mausoleum of Books. However, surprisingly, neither Xu Yourong nor Chen Changsheng could be foundon the rankings. Gou Hanshi, Tang Thirty-Six and all the others, that stillremained in the mausoleum, would not be evaluated by the Divining Elder, as percustom. However, Chen Changsheng had already left the mausoleum, while XuYourong had always been outside of it. Did they not appear on the Proclamationof Golden Distinction?
244 The Yellow Paper Umbrella
Every time the Pavilion of Divination issued a new ranking, it would alwaysadd a brief or a commentary. On this occasion, the Pavilion of Divination hadprobably guessed at the discussion that its decision would invite and they hadalso explained as to why Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng had not entered theProclamation of Golden Distinction. It was made known that the Divining Elderlooked forward to twos excursion to the Garden of Zhou. At this point, the entire continent knew that Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourongwere entering the Garden of Zhou. Ever since last years Ivy Festival, the story of Chen Changsheng and XuYourongs engagement had already spread across the entire world. This story wasfull of gratitude and grudges, childhood friendships, twists and turns. It wasa story filled with turmoil, and its ending was hard to predict. Now, the leadactor and actress of this story would meet in the Garden of Zhou. Thisnaturally caught the attention of countless people. The other lead role in this story, Qiushan Jun, had not appeared, but hisjuniors were present. The gaze that Liang Xiaoxiao aimed at Chen Changshengbecame increasingly cold. Qi Jians impressions of Chen Changsheng had changedsomewhat because of what had happened in the Mausoleum of Books. Now when heheard the following discussion, his small face flushed with indignation. Even if he gets lucky once more in the Garden of Zhou, how can he possiblyseize first place on the Proclamation of Golden Distinction? How can hepossibly be discussed on the same terms as Qiushan Jun? And why not? Although Qiushan Jun is already at Star Condensation, dontforget that Qiushan Jun is four years older than him. Although this discussion did not bring up Chen Changshengs name, everyoneknew that he was the subject. Ye Xiaolian stood with her senior at the edge of the crowd, looking at ChenChangshengs back. Her eyes no longer had that loathing and anger that shefirst had, they only had some curiosity. Chen Changsheng felt the gazes coming from all around him, especially the illwill from the southerners. He felt a huge pressure, and yet he also feltsomewhat frustrated. In the eyes of the people, he and Xu Yourong were possiblychildhood sweethearts. Perhaps they had a love-hate relationship. Only ChenChangsheng knew that none of this was true. He did not even know what XuYourong looked like, nor did he believe that Xu Yourong had any impression ofhim. Departing from the south gate of the capital, the convoy took a break after ashort while. Priest Xin descended from that carriage at the very front that wasbeing pulled by the pegasus and walked towards Chen Changsheng. Surprised, Chen Changsheng asked, Could it be that His Eminence is in chargeof the convoy? Priest Xin shook his head. His Eminences health has not been too goodlately. Chen Changsheng looked curiously at that imperial carriage in the front.Which important figure of the Orthodoxy is in that carriage then? Priest Xin smiled at him. I was just about to invite Your Eminence to boardthe carriage. Chen Changsheng was stunned, only after a while did he come to. Almost notdaring to ask, he said, Are you saying on this journey to the Garden of Zhou,Im the one in charge? Priest Xin firmly said, Yes, His Holiness has handed this matter over to YourEminence. Chen Changsheng thought back to the scene of those priests and teachers fromthe Temple Seminary and Heavenly Dao Academy coming to pay their respects andsilently thought to himself, perhaps he had been the last one to know. Leaving the capital, the convoy arrived at Wenshui city. The dozen or socarriages passed through the city gates one by one, each carriage bearing thecrest of the Li Palace. The Orthodoxy in the city had been informed severaldays ago and they had made some arrangements. The guards at the city gates didnot dare perform any inspections and they had long ago opened the gates. Bothsides of the official road were crowded to the bursting point with spectators. Who is Chen Changsheng? How many of the Divine States Seven Laws have come? Phoenix Xu directly departed from the South River Temple, so she shouldnt bein this group right? Which carriage is Chen Changsheng in? Could he be in the first carriage? Oh!Look at how white that pegasuss wings are its about the same as the cottonbedding in our house. The crowd passionately discussed as they pointed at the convoy. The beautifuland mystical white pegasus was naturally the focus of their gazes. Of course,when the crowd realized that Chen Changsheng really was in the first carriage,they surged forward. The street suddenly became very noisy and teeming withpeople. Time and time again, one could hear cries of his name from the crowd. A daoist youth from Xining Village, versed in the Daoist Canon. First rank ofthe first banner in the Grand Examination. In the Mausoleum of Books, hecomprehended all seventeen monoliths of the front mausoleum in one day. Now,this youth had become the Principal of the Orthodox Academy. No matter what angle it was looked at, this was all the stuff of legends. Hewas a legend. Innumerable gazes rested on that carriage, their eyes burning with fervor,like that curtain across the window was going to burn to ash. Even though Chen Changsheng had a similar experience moving through thestreets of the capital after the Grand Examination, he still was not used tothis sort of treatment, so he felt like his face was on fire. Contrarily, Zhexiu who sat across him was as apathetic as ever. He seemed tobe affected in the least by the noise from the outside, nor by the fiery gazes. The convoy directly headed to the headquarters of the Orthodoxy in WenshuiCity. Several of Priest Xins subordinate priests went to make arrangements. Asthe Principal of the Orthodox Academy and head of the convoy, Chen Changshengwas naturally not required to handle these things on his own. To phrase itanother manner, he occupied a similar position as the door gods who stuck onthe doors. The Orthodoxy had already prepared rooms for their stay, and the variouscultivators split up into their respective rooms. In the past few years, theMount Li Sword Sects reputation had resounded throughout the world, so Qi Jianand Liang Xiaoxiao were able to stay in the eastern courtyard. The two girlsfrom the Holy Maiden Peak were their neighbors. Chen Changsheng naturally hadthe best accommodations. The bishop of Wenshui City enthusiastically invitedhim into the main hall while Zhexiu followed silently. After a simple bath and arranging his luggage, Chen Changsheng was prepared torest when a priest came to inform him that somebody had come to pay theirrespects to Principal Chen. After a moment surprise, Chen Changsheng guessed who that person was and hequickly changed into a clean set of clothes and walked out towards the front ofthe hall. A man who looked like a steward stood in front of the hall. His clothes wererather plain. On his waist was tied a piece of jade that was absolutely notordinary. When that steward saw Chen Changsheng, he bowed with the utmost respect. Seeing this scene, the priests of Wenshui city were extremely shocked. The Wenshui Tangs had always been arrogant, such that they did not evenrespect the Tianhai clan or the Qiushan clan. On a normal day, this stewardwould not even give face to the bishop. So why was he so humble towards ChenChangsheng? It must be known that the position of Principal of the OrthodoxAcademy was an empty office. His status only had value in the Orthodoxy. Evenif Chen Changsheng had a good relationship with the Tang clans sole grandson,that still did not warrant such respect. Chen Changsheng apologized to that steward of the Tang clan, Logically, thisone is a member of the junior generation. No matter what, I should go and paymy respects to the Old Master of the Tang clan. It is just that this time thepace of journey is too rapid. In addition, His Holiness has put me in charge ofthis convoy, so it is inconvenient for me to leave. I ask the steward to givemy regards to the Old Master. Saying this, he took out a small box that he had prepared in the capital andhanded it over. Inside this box was medicine. It was made up of the rare medicine and fruitsthat he and Tang Thirty-Six had stolen from the Hundred Herb Garden, as well asthe rarely seen local specialties of the Red River provided by Luoluo. Thepriests of the Li Palace had refined these plants into pills. Besides the pillsthat had been used to assist in breaking through to Ethereal Opening, therestill many pills left. While they were probably not very useful forcultivation, they were quite excellent for strengthening ones physicalconstitution and extending ones life. Thanking him repeatedly, the steward took the box. Afterwards, he took a boxfrom his bosom and offered it to Chen Changsheng with both hands. He said thatit was a gift from the Old Master to commemorate their first meeting, then thesteward took his leave. Returning to his quiet and secluded room in the main hall, Chen Changshengplaced that small box on the table. Upon opening it, all he saw that there wasa metal ball inside. This metal ball was about the size of a fist, yet itseemed extraordinarily heavy. Its surface was extremely glossy. The ball wascovered with lines like those between fish scales that divided the metal ballinto three parts. Zhexiu walked over to the edge of the table and glanced at the ball, then hisexpression subtly changed and he said nothing for a long time. Chen Changsheng asked, Whats wrong? You seem to be very surprised. Zhexiu looked over at him and said, Just what is your relationship with TangThirty-Six? Confused, Chen Changsheng replied, Were friends. Yes, Tang Thirty-Six was the first friend that he made after entering thecapital. If you were just friends, would the Tang clan hand over such a precioustreasure to you? Zhexiu expressionlessly asked. Chen Changsheng grabbed that seemingly ordinary and unremarkable metal balland carefully examined, but he could find nothing special about it. What is this thing? Zhexiu walked in front of him and looked at the metal ball. His normallyemotionless eyes seemed to glow with a strange light. In every city of every country in the human world, the defensive spellformations were all created by the Tang clan. The best weapons for theirsoldiers were created by the Tang clan. The armors of every one of thethirty-eight Divine Generals were all created by the Tang clan. It was evensaid that the reason that the Red River wound its way around the White EmperorCity was because an ancestor of the Tang family personally designed it. Along the banks of the Wenshui, this clan had persisted for a thousandgenerations. They had so much money that even the Divine Empress was afraid oflaying hands upon them. If this was a treasure of the Wenshui Tangs, it would no doubt be no ordinarytreasure. Zhexiu said, Of the one hundred divine artifacts of the Tier of LegendaryWeapons, at the very least, seventeen of them were made by the Tang family.Although they can still make unusual weapons, because of the lack of rare ores,those weapon can no longer match up to those divine weapons, but their skill indesign is unchanged from the past. All those legendary weapons have mostly beenhidden away by the various sects and schools, or like the Frost God Spear,locked away in the Imperial Palace. Thus, the experts of this era most desireweapons created by the Tang family, so not even a crazy fool like Xiao Zhangwould dare offend the Tangs. Chen Changsheng suddenly felt that the metal ball in his palm had gotten muchheavier. Zhexiu continued, If Im not seeing things wrong, that metal ball in yourhands is the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Chen Changsheng repeated the name in surprise. Yellow Paper Umbrella? He faintly remembered hearing this name before. Right. In the past, Mount Li Sword Sects Junior Martial Uncle Su had ordereda magical artifact from the Tang clan. After amending the original design, theTang clan needed thirty years to create the weapon. That magical artifact isthat metal ball in your hands. Its name is the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Is that the martial uncle that Gou Hanshi and the rest always mentioned? Since it was that legendary expert that ordered this tool, why is it still inthe Tang family? Because at the end, Junior Martial Uncle Su didnt come to take it. Why? Because he couldnt afford it. The room was silent. Chen Changsheng felt like the metal ball had grown even heavier. Even hisvoice became nervous. This item is very expensive? Zhexiu replied, The Yellow Paper Umbrella was a name dubbed by the Old Masterof the Tang clan himself. Chen Changsheng was mystified as to the meaning behind that. Yellow paper is paper money. (TN: Paper money is fake money that is usually burned during rituals.) Chen Changsheng understood. The paper money was different from the silvernotes circulating in the world. Any value could be written on paper money. If the number written on the paper money was made real, how much money wouldthat be? Outside of the Tang family, was there anyone in the world that had that muchmoney? No wonder that legendary Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li, who personallyordered the weapon, could only reluctantly give it up in the end. This Yellow Paper Umbrella would cause the everyone in the world to feel poor.
245 Outside the Garden of Zhou, a Storm Comes Part One
Although no one has ever seen the Yellow Paper Umbrella with their own eyes,this umbrella is extremely famous. There are even some people in the Pavilionof Divination that say that if the Tier of Legendary Weapons was ever revised,amongst the various famous weapons and tools of this era, this umbrella is mostqualified to enter the Tier. Zhexiu continued, Dont say that you and Tang Thirty-Six are friends even ifwe considered that you are the new Principal of the Orthodox Academy and TangThirty-Six is a student of the Orthodox Academy, the Tang clan still wouldntneed to use this umbrella to win your favor. Not to mention the Tang clan hasnever bribed or curried the favor of anyone. Recalling those angry words that Tang Thirty-Six had said back at theMausoleum of Books, Chen Changsheng felt that they were correct. Regardless ofif it was the Heavenly Dao Academy or the Temple Seminary, a third of theirexpenditures were paid by the Wenshui Tangs every year. Even if the OldMasters most precious grandson was a student of the Orthodox Academy, he stilldid not need to show such special care. However, just at this moment, Chen Changsheng began to think of something else. If that Junior Martial Uncle were to see this magical artifact, which he hadspent such painstaking effort on, appear in the hands of a junior like me,would he be unhappy? If it were you, would you be unhappy? Of course. So, he will also be unhappy. Then would he steal or even kill somebody for it? Stop thinking that your seniors are all so reckless. In addition, back therein front of the hall, how could any of those priests imagine that the TangFamilys Old Master would give you the Yellow Paper Umbrella as a commemorativegift? As long as the Tang clan says nothing and you say nothing, who will know? You know. But fine, since its such a potent magical artifact, in the future, therewill be definitely be a time where I have to use it. When that time comes, well talk about it. Im just afraid that on the day I do use it, what if I provoke the Mount LiSword Sect? The Ivy Festival, the Grand Examination, your engagement with Xu Youronghavent you provoked them enough? Thats true. The next problem is how do you use this Yellow Paper Umbrella? Zhexiu thought about it, then said, Try pouring your true essence into it. That was the most common method of using a magical artifact. Chen Changsheng complied with these instructions and he slowly sent a wisp ofhis true essence into the metal ball. As he sent true essence into the ball, the ball sent back a sort of wondrousfeeling into his sea of consciousness. Within the metal ball, he sensed an undulating surface, like countless hills. Using his eyes, it was very clear that the outside of the metal ball was verysmooth, so these undulations should be on the inside of the ball. His true essence slowly followed the contours of the hills, finally arrivingat the central area of the ball. A flash of brilliant light sparkled there, like thunder and lightning, or likea star coming into being. A gentle breeze rose up in the hall. The metal ball in his palms trembled asthe lines on its surface split apart. Accompanied by metallic clacks, the opening metal ball underwent endlesstransformations, constantly reforming itself. Several metallic membranes, which formed the canopy of an umbrella, appeared. That was closely followed by the shaft, and then the handle. Not long after, an umbrella had appeared in Chen Changshengs hands. From the canopy to the handle, the entire umbrella was constructed of metal.It practically shined in his hands, like a piece of silver that had just comeout of a furnace. The gentle breeze continued to circulate around the hall. Soon after, something happened which made both Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu veryworried. When the gentle breeze touched the bright metal surface, it began to change.Some places on the umbrella turned black, while other places on the umbrellaturned dark. In a few breaths of time, the formerly shiny surface had becomemottled all over. It was like it was constructed from plain oil paper thensubmerged in layers and layers of dust, making it extraordinarily filthy. What happened? Chen Changsheng nervously asked. Even the handle he was grasping had turned black and old, like it was made ofwood. Dont panic yet. As he saw the umbrella change, Zhexiu was also shocked at first, then hecalmed down. However, his eyes seemed to grow brighter and brighter. He thrust out his hand to Chen Changsheng and asked, Let me use your daggerfor a moment. Chen Changsheng glanced at the dagger on his waist, then shook his head. Thiswas a treasure gifted to him by the Old Master of the Tang family, there was noway that he could have it be slashed at. Even Qiushan Juns Dragonscale Sword would probably be unable to scratch thisumbrella. Zhexiu expressionlessly said, but he did not push the matter. Instead, helifted his right and said, Hold the umbrella tight, Im going to attack itwith all my might. Chen Changsheng hurriedly grabbed the handle tight. Just as he had done this,he saw Zhexiu send his fist flying towards him. After breaking into Ethereal Opening in the Mausoleum of Books, Zhexiu wasmuch stronger now than he had been at the Grand Examination. Chen Changsheng could only see several straight line piercing through the airand heading directly at his face. For a split second, Chen Changsheng could even faintly make out the knife-likeclaws at the heads of those lines. He even felt like Zhexiu really wanted to kill him. However, at this moment, it was too late for him to do anything but tightlyhold onto the umbrella. Swish. The handle of the umbrella slightly trembled. Suspended in the air in front of him were five distinct scratches, but thenthe scratches slowly dissipated. He had a vague understanding that the powerful force that Zhexiu had directedat him had been completely absorbed by the fluctuating Qi that hung on theedges of the umbrella. Then by some sort of method or by some mysterious means,the energy had all been set down into the ground, dissipating the force so muchthat Chen Changsheng did not even feel the slightest aftershock. It truly was worthy of being a magical artifact that even the Junior MartialUncle of Mount Li was unable to afford. The defensive capabilities of the Yellow Paper Umbrella were truly toopowerful. Zhexiu watched in silence as his claw marks slowly disappeared from theinvisible curtain hanging under the edge of the umbrella. Chen Changsheng asked, Is that it? Zhexiu indifferently replied, Is that not enough? Chen Changsheng replied, Since this umbrella was so famous I thought itwould be much more impressive. Zhexiu replied, Solely with regards to defense, this umbrella can resist theattack of a Star Condensation expert. Thats already pretty impressive. Chen Changsheng thought to himself, even if your talent is exceptional and youcan not be compared to the average Ethereal Opening cultivator, is it nottaking it a bit too far to put your attack on par with that of a StarCondensation cultivator? Even though he thought this, he naturally did not say it out loud. He thought of something else and asked, Do you think that this umbrellaperhaps has another use? Zhexiu replied, I dont know. Chen Changsheng said, Maybe I should go and ask the Tang Old Master. This umbrella had already become an extremely unremarkable item, just like anyother shabby old umbrella. Zhexiu looked at the umbrella in Chen Changshengs hand, then after a momentof silence, he replied, Its very obvious that this is the first time thatthis umbrella has been opened since it was constructed, I think not even theTangs Old Master would understand all the abilities of this umbrella. If youreally wanted to know, I think the only way would be to ask that Junior MartialUncle. Chen Changsheng decided to end the discussion there, then he stimulated histrue essence through the umbrella handle to collapse the umbrella. With theclashing of metal, the umbrella furled in upon itself so quickly that it leftafter images. In the end, it returned to being a metal ball resting in hispalm, but it no longer possessed its shiny luster. Now, it looked like a pebblethat had been freshly excavated from the dirt. Northwest of Wenshui City lay the Qin Mountains. The Qin Mountains extended for one thousand li. From its northeast foothillsflowed a great river. On both sides of that river, there was an endless expanseof fertile land. This was Tianliang County. Chen Changshengs destination was very far from this place, separated by manymiles from the capital of Tianliang. However, the great families of Tianliangscapital had long ago sent countless experts to surround the city. That was because this year, the Garden of Zhou was appearing in TianliangCountys Hanqiu City. The Garden of Zhou was a miniature world. It opened once every ten years, andeach time it appeared in a different place. Sometimes,it appeared in Jiangnan,other times in Dongshan. Sometimes it would appear in the snowy plains,sometimes it would be at the edge of the capital, or right outside Xuelao City.Twice, it had even appeared in the great ocean that lay between the GreatWestern Continent and the continent. The fleet of carriages that had come from the capital arrived in Hanqiu Cityat dusk. Only one night remained before the Garden of Zhou would formally open. Considering all the various Ethereal Opening cultivators from across thecontinent along with their teachers and seniors, there was at least severalhundred people waiting in Hanqiu City for the opening of the Garden of Zhou. For many people, this last night seemed particularly long. Many youngcultivators could not bear to stay holed up in the inns and they had long left,going to a forest right outside the city. Behind the forest, one could see white-capped snowy peaks, burning in thetwilight. However, there was nothing else to see. The youthful cultivators whispered to each other while viewing the twilight,but none of them dared approach that forest. That was because right outside the forest, there were several grass huts, andin these grass huts sat several powerful individuals. Sitting () in these huts, suppressing () everyone with their might, thesewere the overseers (). Those overseeing the Garden of Zhou this year included one of the archbishopsof the Sacred Halls, two Divine Generals of the Great Zhou, and an elder of theLongevity Sect. Yet, what made those young cultivators the most afraid of approaching thatforest was the person sitting in the most forward hut. In the hut sat a middle-aged man, his long hair spilling over his shoulders.His bearing was relaxed and easy going, yet he looked around with an extremelycold expression. Those cultivators from Hanqiu City paid their respects from a distance, fullof reverence. Yet the middle-aged man paid them no mind. No one had any sort of objection to this. That was because the middle-aged man was the Sect Master of World-SeveringSect, and also the master of Tianliang Countys Zhu clan. The greatest noble family of Tianliang was of course the Chen clan of theimperial family of Zhou. However, the Chen Imperial Clan currently resided in the capital. Ever sinceWang Pos Wang clan had declined in power, the Zhu clan became the de factopremier family of Tianliang County. Of course, this mans status in the cultivation world was even moreheaven-shaking. That was because he was Zhu Luo of the Eight Storms of the Cardinal Directions. The Solitary Drunk Under the Moon, Zhu Luo. The Five Saints, the Eight Storms of the Cardinal Directions and the membersof the Proclamation of Liberation were considered to be the pinnacle of expertson the continent. Compared to the Five Saints, the Eight Storms did not have as much secularinfluence, but in terms of cultivation, they could not be considered to be weak. The expert was known as the Solitary Drunk Under the Moon not because he wasaddicted to alcohol, but because three hundred years ago, he traveled to thedistant snowy plains in the north. There, outside Xuelao City, he saw the moonwith his own eyes and composed a poem. After he composed this poem, hedemonstrated the power of the Saint Realm by beheading the number two DemonGeneral with one blow, shocking the world. Thus, the World-Severing Sect cultivated severing the emotions andexterminating ones nature. The poem that he composed under the moon had a line, To drink alone is tohave no relations. Everyone knew that this experts temper was not very good. As a result, no one dared to approach his hut. Even the pegasus seemed to sense the cold and frightful pressure emanatingfrom that grass hut and it lowered its head in acknowledgement. Chen Changsheng caressed its wings to console it, then he looked in silence atthe slim yet tyrannical figure of the man in the hut. Some people took notice of the crest of the Li Palace on the carriages andthey guessed at who was in them. The quiet scene gradually began to grow noisy.One could faintly hear some people whispering, which one was Chen Changsheng?In the dim light of the twilight, the snow white color of the Pegasus stoodout. Many people looked over and thought to themselves, can it be that thisunremarkable youth is that person?
246 Outside the Garden of Zhou, a Storm Comes Part Two
So you are Chen Changsheng? He is Chen Changsheng? Who is Chen Changsheng?From the Ivy Festival, or to be more precise, from the time that the news ofhis engagement with Xu Yourong spread to the entire continent, these were thethree phrases that Chen Changsheng had heard the most often. As time passed,this situation had not improved one bit. Contrarily, as his name became moreand more famous, there were times where he was not sure who he was. The curiosity of humans was not too different from a cats. Not even theDivine Empress could block up the mouths of all the people in the world. Eversince he had begun to hear those comments and see those gazes filled withnervousness and caution, he had slowly become silent and numb to them. Only nowhe was unable to treat this as he had done before, because the man who hadasked the question was Zhu Luo, the Solitary Drunk Under the Moon. He was apowerful personage that even the Li Palace had to treat with extreme courtesy. He took several steps forward and bowed to that distant grass hut, dignifiedand orderly. The peace and quiet gradually began to grow restless. Many pairs of eyes fellupon his body. Chen Changshengs expression was calm, but how could he be calm? When hethought about that scene in Wenshui City, or how on the road some people wouldflatter him while others would give him a cool eye, he felt extremely helpless.He began to have the feeling that being famous really was not that fortunateafter all. How could Xu Yourong have borne this for so many years? Compared to liveliness of the capital and Wenshui City, the crowd outside theforest was much faster in calming down. Zhu Luo was asking a question to ChenChangsheng, who would dare to disturb them? The Eight Storms of the Cardinal Directions stood at the peak of humanexperts. In terms of strength, they were not necessarily below the Five Saints.Although the opening of the Garden of Zhou was very important, it was enoughfor just Zhu Luo to be overseeing it. With one of the worlds most powerfulexperts here, unless the Demon Lord or Black Robe personally came, there wouldbe no problems. Zhu Luo did not look at Chen Changsheng. Instead, he looked at the snowy peak.In the twilight, his long hair that fell to his shoulders seemed to blaze withthat snowy peak. It made him give off an especially wild feeling. Has Mei Lisha gone senile? He actually let a child like you become Principalof the Orthodox Academy. Hearing these words, it became even more quiet. Many people turned towardsChen Changsheng, their eyes showing all sort of expressions. Some had pity, butnaturally there was also scorn and pleasure in his misery. Even though he had performed that great merit of summoning the starlight inthe Mausoleum of Books, in the end, he was only fifteen. To become thePrincipal of the Orthodox Academy at such an age, this decision had beendiscussed and censured all across the world. It was just nobody dared to opposethe Popes decision in public Even though Zhu Luo was a member of the Eight Storms, not even he would defythe Popes will in public. So although he said Mei Lisha, everyone knew who hewas really talking about. Mei Lisha was the archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education and oneof the Six Prefects of the Orthodoxy. His position had a similar status to thatof Zhu Luos. Zhu Luos taunting words were not necessarily provoking theOrthodoxy, nor was it bullying a weak child. Priest Xin walked over to Chen Changsheng and whispered a few sentences intohis ear. Only then did Chen Changsheng know that as master of the Tianliangssecond most powerful family, he had built a very close relationship with theimperial family of Chen over the past several hundred years. Because the DivineEmpress had ascended to the throne and suppressed the imperial family, thispeerless experts relationships took a turn for the worse and his relationshipwith the Li Palace became cold. On the other hand, he was very close with theOrthodoxys conservative faction which Mei Lisha represented, and he was oldfriends with Mei Lisha. Reasonably, he should have been looking after ChenChangsheng. Why did this supreme expert say these words which made things difficult forChen Changsheng? Chen Changsheng seriously pondered this question, then he realized that ZhuLuo was jeering at the archbishop, not him. Regardless of his age, status, orstrength, he was obviously a child in Zhu Luos eyes. To the world, the Orthodox Academy had fallen into ruin long ago. ChenChangsheng was its principal in name only. Perhaps they did not know that theacademy, deep within the Hundred Flowers Lane, only had three students?However, to a worthy senior like Zhu Luo, this was a far cry from the OrthodoxAcademy of old. Under the leadership of that principal, the Orthodox Academy ofthe past could be considered to have limitless potential. Not even the currentMount Li Sword Sect could compare. Seeing that Chen Changsheng had actuallybeen made the principal of this academy, Zhu Luo naturally felt somewhatsorrowful or even uneasy. For such a powerful person as he, not even he couldimagined that the words he had said without thinking would place such greatpressure on Chen Changsheng, and such great expectation in the minds of thespectators. The crowd was silent as they looked at Chen Changsheng, waiting for his answerto Zhu Luos question. Some were scornful, some took pity on him, but very fewpeople were worried about him. Just at this moment, Chen Changsheng recalledthe words that the Pope had said to him during the Grand Examinationsannouncement of the rankinglower your head, so that I might crown you. Upon which he made a slight bow, then lowered his head. He paid his respects once more to Zhu Luo, not saying anything, then returnedto the carriage. What was this? Was it disregard? The scene once again grew restless. They allthought that Chen Changsheng was about to meet with tragedy for offending ZhuLuo. Everyone knew that amongst the continents peak experts, Zhu Luostemperament was the harshest. How would he discipline Chen Changsheng? Against all their expectations, Zhu Luo was not angry, nor did he sayanything. Using two of his fingers, he brought up a flask of wine to his lipsand took a drink, then he looked up in silence at the gradually emerging stars. The words that he had said were for the Li Palace, for Mei Lisha, and also forthe Pope. He wanted to make his dissatisfaction known, but none of his wordshad ever been directed at Chen Changsheng. Naturally, Chen Changsheng did not need to answer. To not answer turned out to be the best answer. Priest Xin wiped the sweat off his forehead, then softly asked ChenChangsheng, Enter the city to rest? Chen Changsheng shook his head. I wont enter Hanqiu City. Just waiting inthe carriage is fine. The seemingly endless night tranquilly passed. With the coming of the dawn,people emerged one after another from the official road. Even more peoplehurried over from Hanqiu City. Under the protection of several dozen priests, Mei Lisha arrived, at whichpoint Chen Changsheng realized that this venerable elder was supervising theopening of the Garden of Zhou. However, he wondered when Mei Lisha had arrived,and why did he not travel together with them? The cultivators of the varioussects and schools all had different reactions when seeing Mei Lisha. Some ofthem thought back to the words that Zhu Luo had said last night andsubconsciously turned towards that grass hut. The light spring wind breezed through the grass hut, ruffling Zhu Luossleeve. Zhu Luos eyes were closed, his body leaning against the fence. Itseemed like he had drunk himself into intoxication and he was unwilling toawaken. Mei Lisha looked over and he could only smile and shake his head. Afterwards,he indicated that the ceremony to enter the garden should begin. Every ten years, the Garden of Zhou would open once. It would remain open forone hundred days. After these one hundred days had passed, everyone had toexit, or else risk being torn to pieces by the changes and chaos occurring inthe Garden of Zhou. This was an iron law that had been verified many times inthe past. The Garden of Zhou possibly contained Zhou Dufus legacy. It wouldalso contain the legacy of all those experts that had been defeated by ZhouDufu. This was a truth that had already been affirmed. To enter the Garden of Zhou could be said to be going on an adventure, and itcould also be called a trial by fire. For this reason, the rules which humanityestablished for the Garden of Zhou were very simple. No matter who was the onethat picked up a treasure or technique in the Garden of Zhou, that item wouldbelong to the sect or school of whichever cultivator managed to successfullytake it out of the Garden of Zhou. Stealing was permitted in the Garden ofZhou, and any other methods except killing were allowed. In the past, there were people that asked, were these rules not too cruel andviolent? The Pavilion of Divination, which had been entrusted by the Saintswith devising these rules, gave the following explanation: if bitter encountersand the spilling of blood could not be had in the Garden of Zhou, then in thefuture, when confronting those callous and murder-loving Demon experts, theywould still die. Why squander the resources? If humanity wanted to continueexisting on this continent, then they must be a little heartless to the youngergeneration, which would bear such heavy responsibility. As the priest explaining the rules delivered a solemn warning to thecultivators entering the Garden of Zhou, even more priests registered the namesof the cultivators in books and distributed cloth bags. In these cloth bagswere two items: a flowing water bottle to keep track of time and a gray string. There were some people that did not understand why the flowing water bottlewas necessary to keep track of time. Even if the sun and the stars in theGarden of Zhou were impossible to use for calculating the true date, they werenonetheless Ethereal Opening cultivators that would never count the days wrong.As for the gray string, everyone was very clear on its use. If one encounteredan unconquerable danger in the Garden of Zhou, they found their harvest to besatisfactory, or no longer wanted to continue their exploration; they onlyneeded to light that gray string and they would be automatically sent to theGarden of Zhous gate. Zhu Luo would stand guard outside the Garden of Zhou the human world had nomoonlight. He could only drink alone under the starlight. Regardless of howdead drunk he was, as long as people could see him, they felt safe. While Chen Changsheng listened to the priest explain the rules and took thebag that Priest Xin had gave him, his mind was elsewhere. His eyes somewhatnervously moved about the crowd. The senior from Holy Maiden Peak as well as Ye Xiaolan had journeyed togetherwith him. Now, the two women stood together with several other girls. They wereprobably their fellow disciples from Holy Maiden Peak. He very seriously lookedaround very seriously, but he did not find anyone that looked like her Hehad never met her before, but he heard that she was extremely beautiful. Heshould have been able to tell who she was at a glance. Had Xu Yourong come or not? If she had come, then where was she? The morning light gradually flourished, yet the fog did not disperse. In thatspace between the forest and mountains, the fog only grew thicker. The light ofthe morning sun was dispersed in that fog, transforming into all sorts ofstrange lines. Suddenly, a cry of alarm arose from the crowd. As the crowd looked into the fog, they saw a small bridge faintly come intobeing. Under bridge was flowing water. They saw a gallery, and at the corner ofthis gallery sat an old plumtree. This quiet and secluded beauty seemed to beone side of a garden. Was this the Garden of Zhou? This quiet garden amidst the fog seemed to be both fake and real at the sametime. It was like a mirage. The instance the Garden of Zhou appeared, Zhu Luo opened his eyes. He turned towards the quiet garden within the mountains, and a complex swirlof emotions bubbled up in his eyes as he began to think about many things. His hand rested on the fence, constantly patting it. Mei Lisha also opened his eyes. Slowly, he said, Go, and do not loseyourselves in greed and forget the time.
247 Outside the Garden of Zhou, a Storm Comes Part Three
As Mei Lisha said these words, he looked at the several hundred cultivatorsthat were prepared to enter the Garden of Zhou. All of these cultivators wereat Ethereal Opening, as such, they were already considered experts. None ofthem were that old. It could be said that these several hundred EtherealOpening cultivators were the future of humanity. Chen Changsheng stood amongst these several hundred people. He understood thatthe archbishops words were directed at him and slightly nodded his head inunderstanding. Afterwards, he followed the crowd in entering the forest. The forest at dawn was extremely peaceful and quiet. Perhaps it was because ofthe appearance of the Garden of Zhou, not even the twittering of birds could beheard. The only sound was that of the rustling produced as people stepped onthe fallen leaves. Not too much later, the several hundred cultivators arrived at where the fogwas thickest. The faintly discernible quiet garden in the fog had becomeclearer. It seemed to be right in front of their eyes, yet it also seemed to beat the ends of the earth. Many cultivators had gradually begun to sense that this fog was filled with arich energy, similar to the radiance of the stars, and even more similar to theenergy contained in the crystals. The cultivators could not absorb this energydirectly, but it provided enormous benefits, greatly assisting in calming theirsouls. However, the fog instead concealed a hidden danger deep within. Thosecultivators with good eyesight could faintly make out that outside that realand yet illusory garden, and the extremely short and thick bolts of lightningthat flashed before disappearing. The priests from the Orthodoxy and the teachers and seniors from the varioussects and schools all remained outside the fog, not taking a single stepforward. Perhaps that lightning flashes in the fog had some responses tocultivators above Ethereal Opening, which could bring about some disastrousconsequence. This was already the outer garden of the Garden of Zhou. There were several hundred cultivators from the schools and sects of the northand south as well as several dozen loose cultivators and shamans. Despite theirnumbers, the fog-covered woods were very quiet. No one spoke a word. All these people were waiting for the Garden of Zhou to open. Every ten years, the Garden of Zhou would appear once. Each time it appeared,it would open for exactly one hundred days. However, that did not mean that itsappearance would necessarily be sensed by humans. In the past few decades, ithad not appeared once. That the Garden of Zhou would appear this year outside Hanqiu City was alsonot something that the humans had discovered. Rather, it had been thatenigmatic advisor of the Demon Race, Black Robe, that had confirmed this.Fortunately, a subordinate of Black Robes had attempted and failed toassassinate Luoluo in the Orthodox Academy. As he was reluctant to die and hadnot been allowed to commit suicide, Xue Xingchuan had been able to capture himalive. Afterwards, Zhou Tong used his unparalleled methods of torture toextract information, actually finding a spy organization that Black Robe hadplanted in the human society. Following this trail of clues, Zhou Tong was ableto discover the location and time at which the Garden of Zhou would open. To control the Garden of Zhou, the most important matter was not its location.The most important matter was to hold the key to the Garden of Zhou. In thatperiod of time in which the common people were not aware of the opening of theGarden of Zhou, the Demons had sent several experts at the upper level ofEthereal Opening to Hanqiu City with the intent of snatching the keybeforehand. Humanity, also knowing about the opening of the Garden of Zhou,feigned ignorance, yet in reality, they also sent people to quietly infiltratethe outer garden of the Garden of Zhou. To hide from the attention of theDemons and noiselessly steal the key, humanity had sent only one person. For such an important matter, the Five Saints themselves made the decision.The person they sent was Qiushan Jun Whether it was the humans, the demons,or the demi-humans, in the Ethereal Opening realm, Mount Lis eldest martialbrother was without equal. Qiushan Juns situation seemed to be rather perilous, but in fact, his successwas not at all a surprise. He had suffered a heavy injury for it, but he hadused it as an opportunity and became the worlds youngest Star Condensationcultivator. The world had just begun to admit that Chen Changsheng had the qualificationsto be compared on the same footing with Qiushan Jun. However, obtaining thefirst rank of the First Banner in the Grand Examination was an event thathappened every year, whereas obtaining the key to the Garden of Zhou was amomentous event could only occur once in a decade. Ignoring the differencebetween Star Condensation and Ethereal Opening, the most important fact wasthat Qiushan Jun had battled against the demons to obtain the glory. Even ifChen Changshengs performance had been even more world-shaking, it would stillbe a matter in the human world. The significance of the two events werecompletely different. If Chen Changsheng had not viewed the entire frontmausoleum in one day and then been appointed as Principal of the OrthodoxAcademy, then perhaps his image would have been even more lost in Qiushan Junsshadow. In this brief period of time before the Garden of Zhou opened, many peoplesubconsciously looked at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng paid no attention to these matters. His mind was still on XuYourong. He had confirmed that Xu Yourong was not amongst these several hundredcultivators, and this fact for some reason made him feel much more relaxed.According to the records in the Daoist Canon, there were some cultivators whowould choose to wait a few days before entering the Garden of Zhou. Xu Yourongwas probably following such a plan, but why did she want to purposefully arrivelate? Was it because she wanted to avoid those passionate and adoring gazes, orwas it because she wanted to avoid him? That aside, how would the Garden of Zhou open? The key that Qiushan Jun had obtained was probably handed over to Mount Li,yet the only senior expert to come to the Garden of Zhou was an elder from theLongevity Sect. There was no representative from Mount Li. Chen Changsheng stood at the front of the crowd thinking, watching as thelightning threw the space in front of him into turmoil, seeing that sometimesclose and sometimes far garden. Just at this moment, a rainbow fell from the sky. The origin of this rainbow was a mystery. It fell from high in the sky andfell through the fog to land in front of them. When the rainbow touched the lightning flashing in the fog and the turbulentair, it caused them to gradually dissolve into nothingness. The fog also began to lift, allowing the scene behind the fog to become muchclearer. In front of that small bridge and gallery, a whitewashed wall began to appear. In that wall, and in front of the hundreds of cultivators, a round arched gateappeared. On the board above the arched door were inscribed two words: Ethereal Opening ( ͨ). Behind the arched gate was a limestone path, its surface covered with lightmoss. Further along, the path bended into the depths of the fog. There wereoverhanging eaves joined together as well as many points of scenery. Standing in the forest, it was impossible to take in all the scenery at aglance. The scenerys end lay behind the wall. A winding path leads to Ethereal Opening. Who once maintained the Garden ofZhou? (TN: The line is a reference to a Chinese poem where ͨĴ means secluded place) The fog gradually dispersed and the scenery became more real. The water vaporgradually condensed, leading to the pitter patter of rain. The spring wind blew the rain into Chen Changshengs face. He stood around calmly for a while, then he began to walk towards the archedgate called Ethereal Opening. Several hundred cultivators followed him into the Garden of Zhou. The spring rain fell on the outside of the forest as well. The threadlike rain fell with a steady pitter patter. Coming from Hanqiu City, several girls dressed in white walked through thedrizzle, In front of the forest, the priests of the Orthodoxy confirmed theiridentities as members of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. There had been a plague in the south. On the orders of the Pope, they hadaccompanied the medical officials of the court in treating the disease, so theyhad come somewhat late. As Zhu Luo watched the group of girls walk into the forest, a look ofunderstanding appeared on his face Amongst the group was a girl dressed in the ceremonial white garb of theThirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. Her appearance could be considered to bedelicate and pretty, and her temperament seemed ordinary. Sensing Zhu Luos gaze, the girl calmly bowed in respect, then she continuedto walk forward. Zhu Luo smiled, but said nothing.
248 The Arrival of Rain Warrants an Umbrella
The rainbow that opened the Garden of Zhou arose from the distant Mount Li. The Longevity Sect consisted of more than a dozen mountain sects. Amongstthese, the Mount Li Sword Sect was the strongest and most resolute,specializing in the killing arts. It was not in the midst of the mountains, butinstead, it was the northernmost peak. It was like the tip of the sword, readyto pierce the north. At dawn, the principal peak of Mount Li was shrouded in mist. From the halfwaypoint of the mountain, one could only see a flat plain of clouds, like asolitary island suspended in the sea of clouds. The rainbow shot out of a dwelling perched on the very highest point of MountLi''s principal peak. Several hundred ancient pines stood sentinel on both sides of the stone steps.Xiao Songgong himself sat cross-legged at the very top of the steps. He wasaccompanied by three elders of the Discipline Hall, swords at ready as theystood guard outside the immortal cave. Seeing the power of this formation, the Mount Li disciples under the stonepath could not help but discuss about it. "Is that brilliant light the key to the Garden of Zhou?" "Just what is the key? It could actually bring forth a rainbow and leap greatdistances to open the Garden of Zhou? Eldest Brother will be okay, right?" What could go wrong? You think that the demons will come to my Mount Li toseize the key?" "Right, the Sect Master is personally protecting eldest brother inside thecave. Four elders are set up in a sword formation outside. Taken together withMount Li''s Myriad Sword Array, even if the Demon Lord himself showed up, whatcould he do?" "Now that you mention it, I''m really curious to see what really is in theGarden of Zhou. If I could just go in and see, that would be great." "Then you have to hurry up and cultivate, or else you''ll be stuck at themiddle level of the Meditation realm forever. You won''t be able to enter theGarden of Zhou in your lifetime, much less think about catching up to ourseniors." "Even Seventh Brother is an incomparably dazzling genius, how could we evercatch up? "Now that I think about it, could that youth called Chen Changsheng reallyhave reached the upper level of Ethereal Opening?" "Who knows? Northerners have always had a tendency for the preposterous, andtheir words are even more exaggerated. Even if the Orthodox Academy has alreadyfallen into ruin, to let a child become its principal is absolute madness." "Watch your tongue junior, it was the Pope himself that arranged it." "I can''t say it even if it''s so beyond belief? Don''t the elders usually speakthis way when discussing this topic?" "For that youth called Chen Changsheng to reach his level of cultivation inthe short span of a year, there must be some exceptional qualities about him.Or else Second Brother would not hold him in such high regard." "So what? Does that mean he''s worthy of being discussed in the same breath aseldest brother? If eldest brother had not broken into Star Condensation and wasable to enter the Garden of Zhou, I don''t think that Chen Changsheng would beable grab anything. I also don''t know what Senior Sister Xu is thinking. When atrue dragon is right before her eyes, can she not tell who''s the better andstronger one?" In the past few months, as soon as the external disciples of the Mount LiSword Sect got to talking about their seniors that had gone to study abroad inthe capital or about their Eldest Brother''s extremely famous love troubles,Chen Changsheng''s name would naturally come up. Afterwards, the boring cycle ofscorn, caution and scorn began again. However in the next moment, all discussion had suddenly ceased as a distincttrembling was transmitted throughout the principal peak of Mount Li. Althoughit was not that big, the sea of clouds remaining as peaceful as ever, the facesof the people on the mountain were suddenly panic stricken, because somethinglike this had never happened before. On the perimeter of the sea of clouds, bright lights began to suddenly appear.Countless sword images wielding awesome power began to move amongst the sea ofclouds. On the occasion, they would leap up like the rising sun, and at times,they would disappear into the clouds like a waterfall. The dense andinnumerable sword images danced in the air with a mournful whistle. It was likeseeing a vast school of swordfish searching for food in the ocean. This was famous Myriad Sword Array of Mount Li from the legends. After a while, the Myriad Sword Array could sense no sign of enemies.Following the rules of the array, the innumerable swords hid themselves away inthe numerous sword cavities that dotted the peak. The Mount Li disciples turned in panic towards the summit. They saw that therainbow still remained, yet, there seemed to be something inside it now.Perhaps it was more accurate to say that the multi-colored ray of light hadbeen thrown into disorder. Seated at the top of the steps, the cross-legged elder Xiao Songgong suddenlyopened his eyes. He stared at the rainbow that stretched off into the distanceand harshly asked, "What''s going on?" The three elders of the Discipline Hall had even graver expressions. Theyturned towards the immortal cave from which the rainbow had arisen. An extremely prolonged whistle resounded from the cave. Along with this whistle, the disorderly rainbow very quickly restabilized. However, Xiao Songgong and the other three Mount Li elders did not relax. For the venerable Sect Master to have to use the long whistle of his truesword, just what could have happened? In the next moment, the Mount Li Sect Master''s calm and dignified voice rangout. "Send a message to the Li Palace. There has been a change in Hanqiu City. Itmay be that the demons have moved." Many tens of thousands of li from Hanqiu city was a snowy plain. There wassnow as far as the eye could see. Although it was spring, the snow here stillpiled up high, like the plumage of the peacock. If the snow stopped for just afew moments, one would probably be able to make out the only city which couldstand side to side with the Great Zhou capital, the imposing demon city. A demon man cloaked in a black robe walked through the snowstorm, his backfacing the increasingly distant Xuelao City. Only when the snowstorm hadcompletely concealed the silhouette of the city did the man stop. He turned inthe direction of the remote south, and an enchanting smile appeared on his lips. From his walking speed and slightly crooked posture, this demon male was mostlikely very old.. It must be known that Demons had always been known for theirincredibly strong bodies and almost perfect movements. When he had lookedtowards the south, his black robe had lifted. His deathly pale face could beseen. His skin seemed to be suffused with the sickly green color of death thatall people loathed and feared, and yet, the smile on his lips was as enchantingas ever. This was because his charm had already surpassed any words, and couldeven rise victorious over the god of death. He sat down in the snow and took out a black-colored square plate. This black square plate was constructed of some sort of unknown material. Itseemed to generate heat, for whenever snow would fall on it, it would instantlymelt and turn into steam. The steam became fog. The black square plate was obscured by the fog. The demon male''s face was alsocovered by fog, his face became indistinct. Only his two shining eyes wereimpossible to conceal. On the fog-obscured black plate appeared all sorts of scenery. Compared to thereal scenery, this scenery on the plate was of course much smaller. In theplate, one could see several mountains and river, a plain, as well as severalgardens. Those gardens were constructed in a completely different style to theornate style of Xuelao City. It seemed more similar to humanity''s gardens inthe south. The demon male closed his eyes in thought for a while, then he lifted his headand once again looked south. In the midst of this snowstorm, he logically should not have been able to seeanything. Yet he saw a rainbow. His mood seemed to change as he sorrowfully said, "For decades I have not seenyou, and still nothing has changed." After saying these words, the demon male calmed down. With an indifferentexpression, he stretched out his hand like he was going to seize the air. The demons had a proverb about fetching the moon out of the water. His current actions were very similar to the proverb, somewhat preposterous. However, when he withdrew his hand, there was a sliver of rainbow in hisfingers. He had managed to tear away a piece of the rainbow that was heading towardsthe Garden of Zhou. Next, he carefully placed that piece of rainbow on the northeast position ofthe black square plate. When the fog surrounding the plate touched the rainbow, it disappeared,leaving a path. Many thousands of li from Hanqiu City was a tea hill. There was tea whereverthe eye could see. Since it was spring, the tea trees naturally flourished,like the plumage of the peacock. If the wind blew or that the sun shone for toolong, waves of the fragrance of tea would assault the nose. In the early morning, the depths of the tea hill was surrounded by fog. Withinthe fog, one could faintly make out a path that headed off into the verdantmountains and fields. An old man carrying a zither and a small girl of aboutten years of age walked along in this path towards the center of the fog. Thegirl''s face seemed very childish, and her appearance was picturesque, yet forsome reason, she gave off an atmosphere that would make people tremble in fear. The zither-carrying old man and the small girl disappeared into the fog. Aheadof them, the figures of several people could be made out. After a short while,a man and woman also walked into tea hill. By their appearance, they seemedlike husband and wife, honest and straightforward. The husband carried acarrying pole while the wife brought along an iron pot. However, even if theyplanned to sit on the side of the path and sell food to the passersby, the potwas still somewhat too large. No one knew what sort of truths were concealed by this fog that blanketed thetea hill. No one knew that this path that thrust into the fog had its finaldestination at a place called the Garden of Zhou. Because regardless of who it was, nobody knew that a second door to the Gardenof Zhou could be opened. The snowstorm raged. For that demon male to forcefully open the Garden of Zhou, he had clearlyconsumed much of his strength, both physically and mentally. His face wasextremely paley, and the sickly green aura of death about him had grown thicker. He silently prayed at the black square plate, and the scenery in the plategradually grew more distinct. One could even see the several hundred humancultivators that had just entered the Garden of Zhou. Amongst these several hundred human cultivators, he very easily found hisobjective. Extending his hand, he snapped his fingers over the heads of Qi Jianand Zhexiu, igniting two life flames. He then directed the life flames into twobronze flasks. The bronze flasks floated in the air, the ferocity of thesnowstorm incapable of snuffing out the life flames. The demon male calmly looked at the black square plate, searching for his nexttarget. After a while, his gaze rested upon those maidens from the ThirteenDivisions of Radiant Green, accoutered in their ceremonial white robes. A third bronze flask floated in the snowstorm. Lastly, he looked at Chen Changsheng. He looked at Chen Changsheng''s figure for a very long time, then he chuckled. He had handed Qi Jian, Zhexiu, and that maiden from the Thirteen Divisions ofRadiant Green over to his subordinates, the people that had just entered theGarden of Zhou via the tea hill. "I think that you need to continue to live, at the very least until you''retwenty. I can''t let you die so easily, so I''ll keep my eyes on you." His black robed figure was quite striking against the snowstorm as he saidthis to Chen Changsheng. On the arched gate to the Garden of Zhou were written the two words "EtherealOpening". This also represented the rule governing who could enter. OnlyEthereal Opening cultivators were permitted, only they would not be destroyedby the rules governing this miniature world. Several hundred cultivators filtered through the arched gate into the quietgarden, then they each began to go off on their own. The vast majority of thecultivators from the Orthodoxy''s faction would bid farewell to Chen Changshengbefore taking their leave, while the cultivators from the southern sects wouldnotify Liang Xiaoxiao. In a short time, the garden returned to its former tranquility. Chen Changsheng stood on that small bridge, watching the water flow by.Suddenly, he felt somewhat uncomfortable. Zhexiu stood behind him. He said, "It''s not yet time to be grieving over thepassing of the spring or advent of the autumn, yet, you seem to be doing itahead of time." Chen Changsheng chuckled, then he prepared to leave. Suddenly, he felt astrange sensation, like someone was watching him. He looked around the garden but he did not see anyone. However, he continuedto sense that something was out there. He cultivated the Dao of following his heart, so he was in no rush to leave.Instead, he stood on the bridge for a very long time. Suddenly, it began to drizzle. Dots of water began to appear on the bridge,while the water underneath began to be covered with tiny ripples. He looked up at the sky in silence, then he took out the umbrella from hisbosom. The umbrella seemed very shabby, yet also very heavy. It was the Yellow Paper Umbrella. When he opened up the umbrella, the feeling of being watched suddenlydisappeared.
249 Small, Small Su
Zhexiu walked up, and he looked at the Yellow Paper Umbrella in ChenChangshengs hand. He asked, Whats wrong? Chen Changsheng did not know how to explain it, and said after thinking alittle, A sudden impulse? Zhexiu stayed silent for a while, before saying, Thats an illness. (TN: Tide Rush of Blood, Zhexius illness, can also mean a sudden impulse orto be carried away by a whim.) Chen Changsheng began to laugh, I should be able to treat that illness. The two people walked over the stone bridge. Carrying the umbrella, theydisappeared into the misty rain. A while later, several girls of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, whohad entered the Garden of Zhou later than them, had also arrived at the stonebridge. One of the teenage girls had a pretty and delicate face. She seemed to be veryordinary, just like the average, commonly seen disciple in sects forcultivation. That young girl stopped at the end of the bridge. She raised her head to lookat the drizzle in the sky, and felt that there was something abnormal. A girl, who was slightly older looked, looked at the other girls tilted head.An expression of reverence could be seen through her eyes. Another girl looked at the girl on the end of the bridge. She gathered upcourage and asked, Senior, do you not want to see him? That girl said calmly, There is no difference between seeing or not. Sincethere are no differences in seeing him or not, I hate trouble. Tens of thousands of kilometres away from Hanqiu City, in the wind and snow, amale of the demon race shrouded in black robes looked at the black square disc.His brows were slightly furrowed. In that moment before, Chen Changsheng had disappeared, and closely following,Zhexiu also disappeared. He did not know that Chen Changsheng had opened up the umbrella that wasgifted to him by the Old Master of the Wenshui Tang clan. Pondering thissilently, just exactly what had happened? Currently, nobody understood the Garden of Zhou better than him, and nobodycould scheme as deeply as him. He believed that he could control the situationperfectly, with the black square plate as his chessboard and those people inthe Garden of Zhou as his chess pieces. However, at this moment, he hadsuddenly discovered that there were chess pieces that had disappeared from hischessboard. This surprised him very much. Floating in the snowstorm, there were three bronze flasks. Within them burnedthe life flames of Zhexiu and the other two. These flasks were already linkedwith his subordinates that had sneaked into the Garden of Zhou. However, he wasnot able to deal with Chen Changsheng in time, so he could only wait for histrace to appear again. He did not know when that drizzle in the Garden of Zhouwould stop. The snowstorm suddenly stopped. It was not the normal stop, and it had actually, truly stopped. The sound of the wind became silent. The snowflakes that were like peacockfeathers froze mid air, and they were scattered in the air and ground aroundthe demon race male. He raised his head, and looked at a certain region deep in the snow. Hisexpression remained apathetic, and he squinted his eyes. They seemed to be thinand long, and elegant, however, they carried a heavy, deathly aura. A distinct sword slash slowly appeared from that area, like it had cut openthe snowy air. Where did this slash come from, for it to be able to stop the snow and wind inthe land of demons? To plot a murder for a few members of the younger generation, you revealedyour special techniques. Dont you feel that the price that you have paid isjust a little too great? A voice resounded in the snowy sky. This voice was very cool, but it alsocarried an undisciplined feeling. Actually, we have already searched for hundreds of years. Only until now didwe learn that the advisor of the demon race was actually a Candle ShadowShaman. The demon race male smiled a little, but he did not say anything. As it turns out, he was the most mysterious and the scariest, the legendarymilitary advisor of the Demon Race, Black Robe. No wonder he wore black robes. It was extremely obvious amidst the wind andsnow. Then who was the owner of the cool voice? Facing the unfathomable advisor of the Demon Race, Black Robe, this person wasnot scared at all, and they even seemed to be slightly rough and uncaring. With the terrifying sound of space ripping open, the sword slash in the snowysky began to slowly grow larger. From within, a person walked out. Walking out of the sword slash, this person seemed to enveloped with a layerof sharpness. His clothes and appearance were completely coated in bright light. Only until that person had taken several steps on the snowy ground did thesharp light slowly disappear. He was a human male. No one knew how old he was. If it was just looking at theundisciplined look in his eyes, he seemed to still be a youngster. However,seeing the peace and profoundness within his pupils, it was like he had alreadycultivated for thousands of years. The man walked on the snowy ground with his hand clasped. He carried a swordon his waist, which swayed gently. He seemed to be very casual, so he alsoseemed very natural and unrestrained. In order to do something, you must always pay a certain price. Black Robe looked at that man and said calmly, Su Li, you have already roamedthe world for several hundreds of years. Perhaps you still do not understandthis idea? There was only one person in the world who was surnamed Su and could cause theadvisor of the demon race army to be interested and converse with. The junior uncle of Mount Li, Su Li. To the human world, the demon army advisor Black Robe was the greatestnightmare. On a certain level, he was even scarier than the Demon Lord. Then the junior uncle of Mount Li, Su Li, was the oddest legend, the mostreckless ocean. Because of the Garden of Zhou, they had met. Who was able to leave later? Su Li was not interested in what Black Robe had said. From hundreds of years ago, he had already been extremely disinterested in theextremely profound conversation of his senior, the Sect Leader, the HolyMaiden, the Pope, His Majesty Taizong and other important figures. He was only interested in the sword, in travelling, in the floating clouds andthe starry sky. He asked directly, How many people have you sent to sneak into the Garden ofZhou? Are there still tribe members of the Candle Shadow Shamans that are stillbeing used by you? Black Robe waved his hand., and the mist above the black, square plate beganto move. The surroundings and people in the Garden of Zhou disappeared. He looked at Su Li and his eyes squinted. He smiled slightly, What? Worryingabout your daughter? Hearing this, Su Li also began smiling with his eyes squinted. When Black Robes eyes squinted, his eyes became long and thin, and veryelegant. However, they was filled with a frightening killing intent. When Su Li squinted his eyes, his smile seemed to reveal the happiness withinhim. However, it currently carried the sharp intent of a sword. He said with regret, No wonder you are the legendary Black Robe. You areindeed scary. You actually even know about this. Black Robe said calmly, There are very few things that I do not know in theworld. Su Lis smile gradually disappeared, and his expression became serious. Heasked, Then, do you know how terrifying I am when I go mad? Black Robes smile became even more genuine. He said, Back then when you wentmad for the first time, the Myriad Sword Array of Mount Li was destroyed byyou. The second time you went mad, seventeen elders of the Longevity Sect diedin one night. As a result, even now, they are unable to choose a sect leader,causing the Six Saints to decrease by one. You humans say that Painted ArmorXiao Zhang is a madman, but how could they know that he cannot even be comparedto a toe of yours. It is just that the things that you do when you go mad areso crazy that no one is daring enough to mention it. Su Li explained seriously, The second time has nothing to do with me, atleast I wont admit it. Black Robe only smiled a little, and he did not say anything. Su Li said, Since you know how terrifying I am when I go mad, why are youstill doing this? Black Robe stopped smiling, and said extremely seriously while looking at him,It means that I have confidence in controlling everything. Su Lu raised a brow, and said, What I dont understand the most is that justhow are you able to control the Garden of Zhou? At that time, I had evendoubted whether you were His Excellency Wang Zhice or not. Black Robe said calmly, In the past hundreds of years, you were alwaystravelling around in the world. I believe that you were always looking for me.May I ask why? Su Li looked at him quietly. His right hand landed on the sword hilt, and hesaid, Up until now, I still dont know who you are. But since I found youafter great difficulty, I dont want to let you escape. Without a question, the military advisor of the Demon Race, Black Robe, wasthe most mysterious and terrifying enemy of the human world. Back then, if it were not for him, under the leadership of Taizong, perhapsXuelao City would have been already taken by the allied army, with the demonrace becoming just a noun in history. In the past hundreds of years, the thing that the experts of the human worldwanted to do the most was to find Black Robe, and then kill him. The problem was that right up to this moment, nobody even knew the trueappearance of Black Robe, much less found any trace of him. Until now, when Black Robe had plucked a sliver of the rainbow from the sky,opening a door to the Garden of Zhou. It alarmed Mount Li, allowing Su Li, whowas currently travelling in the north, to find him. Finding me is not important, what is important is killing me. The problem isthat can you kill me? Black Robe looked at Su Li calmly. He said, I touched the Garden of Zhou,revealing a small trail, which you took advantage of. However, have you everthought that this may have been an ambush against you? Just like what was saidbefore, you looked for me for hundreds of years, and still failed to find me.Then, if it was not that I wanted you to find me, how would you still be ableto find me? Su Lis squint became even more intense. It was filled with smiles, and thesharp intent slowly dispersed. Black Robe seemed to not realise at all, and said plainly, At the start, whenI let that person of the Yeshi tribe to go and assassinate that little princessof the demi-human race, it was for you humans to discover the Garden of Zhoufirst. In order to make you trust it, I had even borrowed the His MajestysHeavenly Fog Net. Of course, that young fellow Qiushan Juns behaviour in theouter garden had somewhat exceeded my expectations. My strategies that wereoriginally planned were unable to be used, so I could only use my backup plan. Su Li said, You want to kill people in the garden? Black Robe said, Correct. Su Li said, If you really use such a method, why havent you done it in thepast hundreds of years? Black Robe looked at him, and said with a smile, Because only around a dozenyears ago did you have a treasured daughter. Because your daughter can onlyenter this year, I just wanted you to know that I have the power to hurt yourdaughter, so you would definitely come and find me. Only like that can I killyou. Su Li seemed to understand something immediately. He said, So in the end, itis still for me to die? Black Robe said, After spending so much effort into arranging such asituation, it definitely should be used to gain a reasonable amount ofbenefits. Su Li was slightly awkward, and said, I am not a Saint, nor do I hold theposition as one of the Storms of the Cardinal Directions. To the world ofhumans, I am not important. You are not being modest, but instead laughing at my insight. Black Robe shook his head, and said sternly, In my eyes, the so-called FiveSaints and Eight Storms of the Cardinal Directions are not enough to be feared,because they have already grown old and they do not require thought to be dealtwith. However, you are different. You are not held down by matters of theworld. You are just one lonely person, so you are daring to kill, you are ableto kill, you can like to kill, you can kill for the greater good, or even justmassacre indiscriminately. If my race wants to be victorious over the humanrace, someone like you must die. Su Li stayed silent for a very long time. He was suddenly somewhat distressed,and said, Why do I feel very happy listening to these words? Black Robe smiled, and he did not say anything. Holding the black, squareplate, he shook it gently. The mist disappeared, and everything returned to howit was before. Su Lis expression instead became a little cold, and said, You closed theGarden of Zhou. Black Robe said, This is Mister Zhous world. Although I have someunderstanding, but I am unable to completely close it. However, closing it fora few days is still achievable. Su Li raised his brows slightly and said, What exactly do you want to do? Black Robe said, As I said, I put so much effort into creating thissituation, there must be enough benefits. Other than you, I still want to killmany people. Su Li said coldly, Only cultivators at Ethereal Opening can enter the Gardenof Zhou. Even if you have planned beforehand, there is still a limit to howstrong the subordinates you sent. How can a few demon bastards win againstseveral hundred people? Then have you never thought why you humans were never able to defeat us?Because the more of you humans there are, the easier it is for internalconflicts to occur. Other than jackals, I really have not seen other speciesthat like killing each other as much as you humans. Of course, I have alsonever thought that a side door opened to the Garden of Zhou can bury severalhundred human cultivators at the Ethereal Opening realm. I just want to kill afew people. Thats all, its not that difficult. Su Li asked, Who do you want to kill? Black Robe smiled, Zhexiu is too similar to you in the past, so he must bekilled. The two girls, your daughter included, also must die. And that teenageprincipal of the Orthodox Academy called Chen Changsheng? It should be justthose four. It is very regretful that Gou Hanshi did not enter the Garden ofZhou, otherwise it would be about all of them. Why kill these four people?Because they are the future of the human race, and as for you, you are thepresent of the human race. With the Garden of Zhou appearing again, it willhelp me destroy the present and future of the human race. If the owner of thegarden were to find out about this matter, he should feel very relieved. Su Li stayed silent for a while before questioning, What about Qiushan Jun? To have a True Dragon Bloodline and reach Star Condensation before twenty heindeed is a true genius. Black Robe looked at him with a smile and said, Sadly, that member of theyounger generation is a lovesick person. When he knows opening the Garden ofZhou is opening the gate of the abyss for those four people, when he knows thatXu Yourong died because of him, he will definitely regret it for his wholelife. To handle such a lovesick person, leaving him alive is even more ruthlessthan killing him. Su Li said, Wang Po, Xiao Zhang, Liang Wangsun. These three names were all on the Proclamation of Liberation. When he said these names, he was questioning and also challenging. Black Robe thought about it and said, Just like what you said, the human raceis so adaptable, so I definitely have to have some patience, and go slowly. Ican kill slowly. I believe that there will always be a day where I can killthem all. Saying this, he began to cough. His handsome face began to pale, and thegreenness under his skin began to grow darker. It seemed especially weird, anda line of blood had even begun flowing from the corner of his lips. Su Lis body also began swaying slightly. His gaze seemed to dull slightly. Only up until now did several intersecting sword slashes appear in themotionless snowy sky. Some of those sword slashes flew several li into the snow, and they had evenseemed to cut the sky open. However, it did not break in the end, because outside the snowy sky, there wasstill a dancing snowstorm. As it turned out, as they were conversing, the two greatest experts in theworld were always fighting. Following the coughs of Black Robe, the motionless snowy sky also began tomove slightly, and the snowflakes began to fall again. Several mountainous silhouettes slowly appeared in the area surrounding thesnowy plain. Their overbearing pressure was extremely terrifying. Several great demon generals had appeared. A shadow bursted out of the faraway Xuelao City. It covered up half of thesky, and landed on the snowy plain. Su Li stared blankly, and he turned around to face the south. Squinting bothhis eyes, his expression became slightly sad, like he was sighing with emotion.
250 Going Upstream… Part One
The Mount Li''s Myriad Sword Array once again moved into action. In the lightof sun, the innumerable sword glows gleamed like liquid gold. With a bright cry, the white crane departed from Holy Maiden Peak. In the Imperial Palace, on the Dew Platform, the Divine Empress''s figure wasnowhere to be seen. In the Li Palace, a bell suddenly rang out without any warning. Although itdid not seem urgent, it nevertheless rang out without end, like it would nevercome to a stop. In that grass hut outside Hanqiu City, Zhu Luo suddenly opened his eyes. Hiseyes only contained vigilance and surprise, without a trace of intoxication. In the carriage, Mei Lisha also opened his eyes. Within his turbid eyes, anindescribable expression flashed. Neither of them knew what was happening in the distant north outside of XuelaoCity, nor did they know about the shaking of Mount Li or the ringing of the LiPalace''s bell at that moment. However, in that previous moment, they had sensedan extremely shocking matter the Garden of Zhou had just closed. The forest was thrown into chaos. The elder of the Longevity Sect, the priestsof the Orthodoxy, and all the teachers from the various sects and academieshurried towards the impenetrable fog. The lightning still flashed through the fog like snakes, but the rainbow thathad opened a path through the fog this morning had at some point disappeared.The path was once more occupied by the fog. The rainbow was still there, but its position was constantly changed, so itwas impossible for it properly open the path. All it could do was cause the fogto roll about. Zhu Luo and Mei Lisha stood in front, their expressions solemn as they viewedthe scene before them. With the strength of their eyes, they could faintly seethat winding path. They confirmed that the path had not completely disappeared,but it had been disturbed by some force so that it was temporarily impossibleto use. "The miniature world naturally possesses its own rules for moving within it.Unless one possesses them, it is impossible to change them." Mei Lisha slowly continued, "Unless Zhou Dufu himself came back to life, noone can cause the Garden of Zhou to close prematurely. Presumably after a fewdays, the door to the garden will open once again." Despite these words, the atmosphere in the forest did not grow any morerelaxed. Just who could affect the opening of the Garden of Zhou? What did that personplan to do? Zhu Luo and Mei Lisha did not need to think. They knew that it was definitelythe work of the Demons. They could even directly think of the name of the perpetrator Black Robe. The more Mei Lisha thought about it, the more concerned he became. When would the door to the Garden of Zhou open once more? Within those days, what sort of things will be happening in the Garden? What would those people find? What would happen between them? Was there anyone that could control the situation? Zhu Luo suddenly spoke. "She went in." After a moment of silence, Mei Lisha responded, "We''ll have to see what hedoes." The people inside the Garden of Zhou had not realized what was happeningoutside. With Zhexiu holding the umbrella, Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu walked throughthe light rain. Taking leave of the quiet garden with the small bridge, they had arrived neara lush and verdant mountain. Standing on a cliff and gazing at the forest below him that was wet with rain,then looking off towards that distant plain bathed in the sunlight, ChenChangsheng''s mind felt free. The Garden of Zhou was not a garden. It was a true miniature world. Zhou Dufu was truly worthy of his reputation as the strongest cultivator ofthe continent in the past one thousand years. This miniature world that he hadleft behind was many times larger than the Pope''s Green Leaf world. Following the mountain path, they entered the forest. Exiting the forest, thepair arrived near a river. Off in the distance, they could see that the plainwas still shimmering in the sunlight, yet they had drawn no closer to it. Chen Changsheng examined the flowing water bottle and he realized it had takenan hour for them to walk there. Comparing that to the time he kept in his head,he confirmed that time had not flown any faster or slower. "I heard that on those plains, one month inside is equivalent to one dayoutside the garden." Zhexiu continued, "Only it''s been more than a hundredyears, yet no one that has ever entered the Garden of Zhou has been able topenetrate the depths of those plains. Nobody knows if Zhou Dufu''s legacy lieswithin. The only thing that is known is that the plain conceals many dangers,as well as extraordinarily fierce monsters. Chen Changsheng had studied the records related to this matter in the DaoistCanon, so when he heard the word monster, he subconsciously glanced at Zhexiu. As a child, the wolf youth had grown up in the snowy plains. He should be anexpert in hunting monsters. The sort of monsters that can live and reproduce in that plain aren''tsomething that an Ethereal Opening cultivator can oppose." Zhexiu expressionlessly said, "So don''t think about it too much." Seeing that distant plain, there was no way that Chen Changsheng could notthink about it. He subconsciously rubbed the hilt of his dagger. Perhaps because the sound of the river was quite loud, or because it was onlyin his sea of consciousness, Zhexiu did not hear the two feeble squeaks thatcame from the dagger. "Where are we going?" The Garden of Zhou had five regions. It seemed to be calmness from a distance,but actually extremely treacherous plain. Other than the grassland, the otherfour regions had been, for the most, already completely explored by humancultivators and demons several hundred years ago. The remnants of many of thecontinent''s heaven-shaking experts had been recovered and their legacies hadbeen restored. Many magical artifacts also saw the light of day once again.After the passage of several hundred years, no one knew what was left in theGarden of Zhou, but all the schools and sects agreed, for the currentgeneration to obtain any sort of legacy or magical artifact, they would have towork all the harder and risk all the more than the previous generations ofcultivators. Chen Changsheng thought it over and said, "Is there any place that you want togo and see?" When he had been viewing monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books, he had alreadythought of what he wanted to see when he entered the Garden of Zhou. He would see some sights, and search for some artifacts. After that night, hehad amended his travel plans somewhat, but he had absolutely left that plainfor last. Zhexiu replied, "I want to go to the Sword Pool." Then he added, "If the Sword Pool is real that is." Chen Changsheng replied, "The Sword Pool is only something spoken of in tales,but no one has ever seen it if over the past several hundred years, ourseniors couldn''t find it, I don''t think that we''ll be able to." "There are no swords." Zhexiu''s seriously said as he looked at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng pondered the matter for awhile. It was true that over allthese centuries, the Garden of Zhou had opened so many times and so manycultivators had entered to explore and they found many magical artifacts,treasures and precious legacies, and yet no one had found any swords. Whetherit was the mountain range where wind angrily howled through the pines or thelakeside where the bluish waves were like mirrors, not a single sword had beenfound. Where did the sword of all those experts who had fallen at Zhou Dufu''s hand go? The tales of the Sword Pool had a very reasonable basis. "Even if we''re very lucky and do actually find the Sword Pool, all thoseswords are most definitely broken and devoid of spirit. It would be better togo searching in those caves in the mountains. We might even find a convenientmagical artifact." "I don''t have a sword." Zhexiu seriously told him, "If it''s possible, I want to find a sword that Ican use. And anyway, I don''t like magical artifacts." Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that Zhexiu had only ever used his handsto fight. After thinking about it for a while, he said, "I remember reading inthe notes of our predecessors that if you follow this river upstream, around adozen li up on the right-hand side is a mountain stream. Someone had once founda scabbard at the bottom of this stream. If the Sword Pool truly exists in theGarden of Zhou, then it should be in that vicinity." For some reason, the rain stopped. Chen Changsheng put away the umbrella, then he and Zhexiu began to make theirway upstream. They did not walk far before they suddenly began to hear the clashing ofswords up ahead. As they rounded the beach, they saw a girl leaning against a tree, her leftshoulder completely stained with blood. It was the senior from Holy Maiden Peakthat had journeyed together with Chen Changsheng from the capital. That girl called Ye Xiaolian stood guard by her side, her sword bared and herface filled with fury.
251 Going Upstream... Part Two
With a clank, the sword glow by the river suddenly disappeared, and a flyingsword returned to its sheath. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu gazed across, and they saw that the one whoattacked was a middle-aged cultivator. His eyes were clear and deep, andspirited. Beside him was a young daoist, who probably was his companion. The hundreds of cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou were all inthe Ethereal Opening realm. Most of them were the backbone force of variousacademies and sects, so there were not many people like him that could havetheir age determined with a glance. Chen Changsheng thought that if he was nota loose cultivator, then he would belong to a slightly small sect. What he thought was correct. The middle-aged cultivator was called FuQiansong. He was a cultivator from a sect called the Clear Void Monastery inthe south. He was even the monastery master for the Clear Void Monastery, buthis cultivation was still at the middle level of Ethereal Opening. Placing himin groups like the Li Palace or the Longevity Sect, perhaps it was not veryspecial. However, in a normal sect, he could be considered to be an impressiveexpert. As for the young person, it was his eldest disciple who had justundergone Ethereal Opening. Seeing Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu suddenly appear, the young Daoist of theClear Void Monastery immediately began to grow nervous. His right hand trembledslightly, like he was prepared to summon his flying sword at any time. The middle-aged cultivator had recognised Chen Changshengs identity at firstglance, and he stuck out his hand to stop his disciple. Afterwards, he greetedChen Changsheng by clasping his hands, and said, I greet Principal Chen. This unknown small sect, the Clear Void Monastery, belonged to the system ofthe Orthodoxy. According to the rules in the Garden of Zhou, when thismiddle-aged cultivator moved against the disciples of Holy Maiden Peak, he didnot have any difficulties at heart at all, but when facing Chen Changsheng, heinstead became respectful and cautious. This was because he still had a lifeoutside of the Garden of Zhou after all, so how could he be daring enough to bedisrespectful to Chen Changsheng? Only after listening to the middle-aged cultivators self introduction didChen Changsheng understand what had happened. Looking at the fragmented magicalartifact in his hand, Chen Changsheng thought of how it was said that most ofthe legacies and treasures in the Garden of Zhou were already discovered, sohow could the two girls from the Holy Maiden Peak find it so easily? It was a magical artifact found by a predecessor of my Gentle StreamMonastery eighty years ago. However, it was just that she was in a hurry whenshe left and she could not take it with her, so she hid it under the tree nextto the river. Ye Xiaolian looked at that middle-aged cultivator and said angrily, It wasoriginally mine. You actually ambushed me and forcefully stole it. Isnt itembarrassing? The middle-aged cultivators expression seemed slightly awkward. He was in hisfifties this year, and he had already undergone Ethereal Opening several yearsago. Facing these two girls that had only undergone Ethereal Opening not toolong ago, he had even used a method of ambush. If this news was spread outside,it definitely would not be too nice. As the Clear Void Monastery was one of branches of the Orthodoxy, he did notfear the retaliation after this matter had occurred. Even if it was thelegendary Holy Maiden Peak, the rules of the Garden of Zhou were set by theSaints. Since he had already destroyed his dignity, he definitely had to makehis opponents leave the Garden of Zhou as soon as possible. However, as ChenChangsheng and Zhexiu had appeared, he could only put his sword away. Eighty years ago, a preceding Daoist nun of the Gentle Stream Monastery hadentered the Garden of Zhou to discover mysteries. She found a fragmentedmagical artifact, but for some certain reason, she did not take it with her,and she instead hid it under a tree. After leaving the garden, she told thissecret to later disciples, and she made them retrieve it after entering theGarden of Zhou. It could be imagined that in order to retrieve it, this oldstory still hid many secrets, and it was even enough to let a few people sighwith emotion. Chen Changsheng looked at the injured girl from the Holy Maiden Peak andasked, Senior Tong, are you alright? Similar to the Longevity Sect, the Holy Maiden Peak also governed over manyother sects, such as the Gentle Stream Monastery that Ye Xiaolian came from. Asthe cultivation potential of the young girl was rather good, perhaps she wouldbe able to enter the Southern Stream Temple next year. The Southern StreamTemple did not have the rumored inner sect and outer sect separation. It wasonly Xu Yourong, who was the chosen successor of the Holy Maiden, who had somespecial treatment. Otherwise, according to the order of entering the sect, XuYourong should have called this girl surnamed Tong Senior. Chen Changshengdid not know why he called her Senior so naturally but he had always calledher that from the Mausoleum of Books till now. That Senior Tong stood up with the support of Ye Xiaolian. Fresh blood flowedbetween the fingers of her hand which were pressed against her shoulder. Herface was somewhat pale, and said shaking her head, There should be noproblems. As she could break through to Ethereal Opening from one month of comprehendingmonoliths in the Mausoleum of Books, it could be said that her cultivationtalent was outstanding. Ye Xiaolian was actually also able to break through toEthereal Opening. Her luck was good, however, the main reason was the starlightChen Changsheng had drawn in that night. All of the examinees of the Grand Examination this year understood this veryclearly, so outside of envy, those disciples from the Star Seizer Academy, LiPalace Academy and the Temple Seminary all felt slightly but truly grateful tohim. However, for the two female disciples of the Holy Maiden Peak and otherdisciples of the southern sects, what they felt towards Chen Changsheng insteadwas more complex. No southerner liked Chen Changsheng, however, they had to accept what he haddone. Ye Xiaolian was only a young girl, so when she thought about matters, shewas much more immature and much more direct. In the beginning, she humiliatedChen Changsheng on the Divine Avenue, but afterwards, her attitude changedslowly. After that night in the mausoleum, the only feeling left wereadmiration and gratefulness. Looking at the back of Chen Changsheng, she feltthat her heart had calmed down a lot, like she had found something to rely on. She supported her senior and stood up behind Chen Changsheng. She stared atthe master and disciple from the Clear Void Monastery. The middle-aged cultivator naturally did not care about the anger in her eyes,and he only cared about Chen Changshengs attitude on this matter. He believedthat with his cultivation of middle level Ethereal Opening, no matter how greatChen Changshengs potential was, or that the indifferent looking teenagerbeside him may have been the legendary wolf cub, Chen Changsheng could not beathim. However, as he was a member of a branch of the Orthodoxy, how could he notworry about Chen Changshengs backing from the Li Palace? Taking advantage of the fact that Chen Changsheng could not say anything intime, he made a prompt decision, The Garden of Zhou is extremely large. Thetwo of us still want to look around some more, so I shall be taking my leave,Principal Chen. The Senior Tong looked at Chen Changsheng and said apologetically, Findingtreasure in the Garden of Zhou relies on your own skills. Originally, I wouldnot ask Senior Chen for help, but it is only that that magical artifact is abeloved item of a predecessor in the temple. Before entering here, I wasspecially asked to bring it back for her. So I plead She spoke up to there, and stopped, as she felt that this series of pleadingwas somewhat unjustified. Chen Changsheng indeed did not know what to do. What the master and discipleof the Clear Void Monastery had done, which was ambushing and forcefullytaking, naturally was disgraceful, but the Garden of Zhous rules were likethat. Also, the opposing was a part of the Orthodoxy and had not beendisrespectful to him at all. Contrarily, although Xu Yourong and he had anengagement, he did not have any affiliations with the Holy Maiden Peak at all.The north and the south were already going in different directions. Did he haveto move against a northerner for a southerner? This was the first time he had met such a difficult choice. He only felt that those Saints, who had set down the rules for the Garden ofZhou years ago, really did cause people to loathe them. Just at this moment, an extremely sharp sword intent erupted from the forestsfar away. The expression of the middle-aged cultivator changed slightly. He clasped hishands at Chen Changsheng with respect, and he was about to leave with hisdisciple. Senior Tong gave out a soft sigh, and she did not say anything more. YeXiaolian instead stared at Chen Changsheng with her eyes wide, like she did notunderstand why he had let this person go. She thought, Are you really theson-in-law of the Holy Maiden Peak?, and then instead, she suddenly realisedthat if she thought like this, Chen Changsheng had really replaced the QiushanJuns once seemingly irreplaceable place in her heart. Chen Changsheng looked the master and disciple who had waded through the riverto the other side, and he finally made a decision. However, just at this moment, the tree leaves swayed slightly, and ZhuangHuanyu appeared on the riverbed. He looked at Chen Changsheng with an indifferent expression. He did not sayanything, but the meaning was very clear.
252 The Green Smoke Gives Warning
On the journey to the Garden of Zhou, Zhuang Huanyu had stayed in hiscarriage, seldom showing his face. Perhaps, he had been purposely avoiding ChenChangsheng. Chen Changsheng cared little for what Zhuang Huanyu did, to theextent that he did not even know that Zhuang Huanyu had left the Mausoleum ofBooks, came to Hanqiu City, and entered the Garden of Zhou. However, ChenChangsheng knew very well why Zhuang Huanyu had chosen to appear, and why hehad come to him. He was the Principal of the Orthodox Academy. Whether it was because of theposition of the Li Palace or the words of the archbishop said before theyentered the garden, all the cultivators of the northern sects looked to him forleadership. Of course, in handling matters, he had to be fair. The problem was,at this very moment, what would be considered fair? He took a step forward, only to be blocked by Zhexiu. A hint of scorn appeared in Zhuang Huanyu''s eyes. Zhexiu''s face remained as impassive as ever. He slowly said, "You don''t needto handle this sort of thing." Zhexiu did not mean that Chen Changsheng could not handle the matter, butrather that there were people who could handle it for him. The chilling sword intent that had come from the distant forest did not belongto Zhuang Huanyu, but another person. The master and disciple from the Clear Void Monastery were very clear on thispoint, which is why they had so urgently taken their leave. Just at this moment, the chilling sword intent arrived at the riverbank. Ittore through the trees on the shore and tyrannically slashed at the body ofthat master from the Clear Void Monastery. The master''s expression abruptly changed. With a shout, he wielded his swordwith both hands to block the intent. There was a sharp sound of clashing. Waves broke out on the riverbank as the water was thrown into chaos, evenrevealing the pebbles on the riverbed. Only then was everyone able to clearly make out the sword that had flown outof the woods. The progress of that sword had seemingly been halted by the sword of themaster from Clear Void Monastery, but it suddenly began to exude a greatbrilliance, like it was about to grow even mightier and sunder the entireriverbank. With a massive explosion, the water flowing in the river was all sent flyingabout. Countless pebbles rolled about in chaos, and the riverbank was even moreinundated in dust and smoke. With a groan, the Clear Void Monastery master''s stomach was pushed down likeit had been struck. His knees bent and then like a broken kite, he began flyingtowards the river, his two feet leaving a clear trail in the riverbank. After being pushed more than a dozen yards, his progress finally came to ahalt. His face was extremely pale and his stomach now bore the extremely clearmark of a sword slash, one corner of it bleeding blood. The river water that had been shocked into the air fell down at this moment,drenching the master from the Clear Void Monastery, making him cut a rathersorry figure. The young daoist hurriedly ran over to the other side of the river. A truly tyrannical ''Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff''. As he viewed this scene, Chen Changsheng silently thought to himself, back atthe Ivy Festival, Qi Jian had used this Mount Li sword technique against TangThirty-Six. However, back then Qi Jian was not yet at Ethereal Opening. The''Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff'' then and the one now were two completelydifferent things. He and Zhexiu both turned to the forest and they saw Liang Xiaoxiao and QiJian emerge. Where do you think you''re going?" Although the river had begun to flow again, its sound was unable to mask LiangXiaoxiao''s frigid voice. On the opposite bank, the master and disciple were supporting each other andthey were preparing to leave. When both were at the middle level of EtherealOpening, the sword arts of Mount Li would be much stronger than that of theClear Void Monastery. How could some little-known master from the Clear VoidMonastery be on par with the Divine State''s Seven Laws? He had no other choicebut to admit defeat. Hearing these words, the Clear Void Monastery master turned around, a trace ofanger visible in his pale face. "What do you want?" Liang Xiaoxiao expressionlessly said, "Leave your things behind." His teeth clenched, the master from the Clear Void Monastery threw over thedamaged magical artifact in his hands. Liang Xiaoxiao, not willing to let them leave yet, continued, "Then come overhere and apologize." The master from Clear Void Monastery shouted, "Don''t try and take advantage ofme! Don''t try and wield the power of Mount Li against me, that''s too much." He looked at Chen Changsheng as he said these words. The rules of the Gardenof Zhou were like so: that senior and junior from the Holy Maiden Peak couldnot defeat him, so the magical artifact naturally became his. He could not beatLiang Xiaoxiao, so he naturally had to leave the magical artifact behind.However, the master looked in askance towards Chen Changsheng because there wasno requirement that he needed to apologize to the southerners. As if not hearing that, Liang Xiaoxiao took the magical artifact and returnedit to the Holy Maiden Peaks Senior Tong. For the southern continent to remain independent of the Zhou Dynasty and theOrthodoxy for so long was only because of the alliance between the LongevitySect and Holy Maiden Peak. The disciples of these two great sects wouldcommonly consider themselves as fellow martial brothers and sisters. It wouldnot even be too excessive to call them disciples in the same sect. Liang Xiaoxiao grasped his sword and began to head off to the opposite bank. Chen Changsheng stated, "He is severely injured and he can no longer dobattle." This sentence did not include the words ''enough'', but they contained themeaning. Liang Xiaoxiao stopped and turned to Chen Changsheng, his eyes cold. The MountLi Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy had many hard to resolve disputes.Unlike Gou Hanshi and the others, Liang Xiaoxiao had not spent time under thesame roof with Chen Changsheng. In his eyes, Chen Changsheng had always been amost troublesome existence. Zhexiu still stood in front of Chen Changsheng, his face impassive. Although he was only at the initial stage of Ethereal Opening, one full levelbelow Liang Xiaoxiao, there was no fear in his face, not even anxiety. Just like he had told Chen Changsheng in the woods outside the Mausoleum ofBooks, if the battles in the Grand Examination had been ones of life and death,he would not even fear Gou Hanshi, so he had no reason to fear Liang Xiaoxiao,who was only ranked third in the Seven Laws. This was the confidence born from being accustomed to life and death, fromslaying countless demons. Qi Jian knitted his brow as he looked at Zhexiu, then went to go stand byLiang Xiaoxiao. Liang Xiaoxiao said somewhat mockingly, "You didn''t say anything before, butnow you''re trying to be fair?" Chen Changsheng thought about it, then he decided not to explain what he hadbeen preparing to do. Senior Tong from Holy Maiden Peak, who was the subject of this conflict,unexpectedly did not take part, and she attempted to say a few mediatory wordsinstead. Liang Xiaoxiao said nothing, but the look of derision on his face only gotworse. From the time I entered the Mausoleum of Books, you''ve always seemed to behostile towards me." Chen Changsheng earnestly asked him, "I don''t understand why this is the case." Liang Xiaoxiao looked like he had been asked an extremely stupid question."I''m a disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect. For me to have hostility towardsyou, isn''t that only right?" Chen Changsheng pondered the matter, then pointed to Zhuang Huanyu. "He''s astudent of the Heavenly Dao Academy, so why is it that he''s always been sohostile to me as well?" Liang Xiaoxiao replied, "Perhaps the question that you should be pondering isthat if the entire world hold enmity towards you, then isn''t it you that''s inthe wrong?" Chen Changsheng thought about this question in silence, then replied, "I''veseriously considered this question, and I realized that it could also be theentire world that is wrong." Qi Jian lightly pulled on Liang Xiaoxiao''s sleeve. Liang Xiaoxiaos expression was indifferent, and he said no more. Chen Changsheng shook his head, then he waded across the river to the masterand disciple from the Clear Void Monastery. Examining that terrifying sword wound on that master''s stomach, he said, "Yourinjury is too heavy. You two need to leave." The young daoist thought to himself that they had only been in the Garden ofZhou for half a day, not having gained anything, and now they already had toleave! An expression of unwillingness suddenly appeared on his face. Chen Changsheng stated, "Just as your master said before, these are the rulesof the Garden of Zhou." The young daoist looked at him and indignantly said, "You''re one of the greatpowers of the Orthodoxy, why didn''t you come and help us?" Chen Changsheng did not respond, but he continued to measure the pulse of theClear Void Monastery master. Lowering his head, he said, "You must leavequickly." The Clear Void Monastery master weakly nodded his head. Unlike his disciple,he was much more experienced in the ways of the world. He knew that althoughChen Changsheng had not helped them, if he had not been present, the two youthsfrom the Mount Li Sword Sect would have injured him even more severely. He took out that gray string which he had received before entering the gardenand shakily ignited it. The dull green smoke rose up from that burning string and wafted over theriver, gradually disappearing into the sky of the Garden of Zhou. Chen Changsheng could faintly sense that as this green smoke disappeared intothe air, it was producing a response from the space that separated the Gardenof Zhou from the real world. The laws of space were extremely profound, so logically, igniting a graystring was not enough to teleport a person dozens of li to the gate of theGarden of Zhou. So, what these gray strings most likely used was the inherentlaws of the Garden of Zhou. There was even a high probability that these graystrings were a product of the Garden of Zhou, created many years ago. The river slowly flowed by and the beaches on both sides slowly grew dry oncemore. Although the young daoist was still unwilling, he knew that he had no otherchoice. Once his master left, he would also definitely have to follow him inleaving the Garden of Zhou. His cultivation and sword arts were simplyincapable of opposing the experts in this garden. With the slow passage of time, the gray string in the Clear Void Monasterymaster''s hand gradually burned to nothing. The river still flowed, the water weeds still floated about indeterminately. Nothing had happened. The master from the Clear Void Monastery still lay on the riverbank. Shocked, Chen Changsheng asked in confusion, "Could it be that the gray stringdoesn''t work?" Zhexiu arched his brows, then he looked at the young daoist. The young daoist stared blankly back at him, then he came out of his stupor.He took out his gray string and ignited it, his hands trembling fromnervousness. After a while, the young daoist''s gray string had also burned out, yet stillnothing had happened. He pinched the remains of the string, his face somewhat pale. His master''s face was even more pale. Liang Xiaoxiao''s ''Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff'' move had been tootyrannical. In only two bouts, his stomach had obtained a terrifying swordwound that even now continued to bleed. If he could not promptly return to thegarden''s gate and be treated by the Orthodoxy priests, his life would really bein danger. "Just what is going on here?" The young daoist asked in panic as he subconsciously looked around. The forest around the river was quiet and peaceful, yet now it suddenly seemedsomewhat more sinister. The events that had occurred on one side of the river had also finally shockedthose on the other side. Qi Jian, Liang Xiaoxiao, as well as the pair from Holy Maiden Peak came over,then Zhuang Huanyu came over as well. "There won''t be a problem, right? My master, what''s going to happen to him?He''s still bleeding, he''s not going to die, right?" The young daoist looked at Chen Changsheng. His face was filled with worry andexpectation. Liang Xiaoxiao looked at the wound on the Clear Void Monastery master''sstomach and creased his brow. If the Ethereal Opening cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou werehumanity''s hope for opposing the demons, how could the Saints let them socasually die? Back then when the rules for the Garden of Zhou had beenestablished, the reason why they seemed so cruel and violent was because nomatter how bitter the battle, or how vicious the people, at the very end thegray string could be used to directly leave the Garden of Zhou. However, the gray string no longer worked anymore. Chen Changsheng took out his needle box and he began to work on stemming thebleeding. Afterwards, he stood up and gazed into the distance downstream.
253 Two Field Doctors Part One
Downstream, he could see hills that the river winded its way through. ChenChangsheng could even make out the plain in the distance. It was the same scenethat he had seen when they had arrived, but Chen Changsheng knew that somethinghad definitely gone wrong in this world. As Chen Changsheng was observing the garden in silence, Zhuang Huanyu preparedto leave. "It''s best not to go out on your own." Chen Changsheng turned around and sincerely told him, "The gray strings losingtheir power means that something has probably gone wrong. It''s best to firstinvestigate what''s going on, or else I''m worried that there will be problems." Zhuang Huanyu did not stop. Arching his brow, he said, "The Garden of Zhou isonly open for one hundred days. In here, every moment is precious. Don''t tellme that you want me to waste my time for such a small matter?" Chen Changsheng replied, "You observing the battle was also a waste of time,so what''s the harm in wasting a bit more?" "Fine". Zhuang Huanyu looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "If there really isa problem, then obviously, someone needs to go to the garden gate and see. Fromhere to the garden gate is dozens of li, who is going?" Precisely as Zhuang Huanyu had said, to those cultivators that entered theGarden of Zhou, every moment of time in the Garden was incomparably precious.For the people at the riverbank to make a trip from there to the garden gateand back, even if they expended true essence, it would still take at least anhour. Who would be willing to waste their time on this sort of matter? Qi Jian seemed somewhat willing and was preparing to say something when LiangXiaoxiao shook his head. Thinking of the heavy responsibility that their masterhad conferred to him, Liang Xiaoxiao thought that it was best to maintainsilence. The riverbank was very quiet, with not a single person responding. ZhuangHuanyu looked at Chen Changsheng and said derisively, "You see, not a singleperson is willing. Since you were the one to suggest it, why don''t you go?" Chen Changsheng did not directly answer, but he instead looked at the heavilyinjured Clear Void Monastery master. Qi Jian understood his meaning and said, "Ill keep an eye on him. Then, he turned to Liang Xiaoxiao and whispered a few words, his attitude veryresolute. "Great. I think you all can search in the surrounding woods, but it''s best tonot walk too far." Chen Changsheng knew very well that of the disciples of the sects that enteredthe Garden of Zhou, the vast majority of disciples, just like the senior fromthe Holy Maiden Peak, had the responsibility of accompanying their juniors. Saying these words, he began to walk downstream. Zhexiu followed behind,saying nothing. Once he rounded the bend of the river and he made sure that no one could seehim anymore, Chen Changsheng turned to Zhexiu and said, "I''m taking a trip intothe woods. Wait for me here." Zhexiu did not know what he planned to do, nor did he desire to reveal ChenChangsheng''s secrets, so he indifferently nodded his head. He entered the tranquil forest, climbed a bit of a ways up a mountain, thenstopped. He took in the view of that distant plain, which seemed to burn underthe sun as well as that mountain which seemed to extend into the depths of theplain. His right grasped the hilt of the dagger at his waist and he softlysaid, "Can you help me out by going to the gate of the garden and seeing what''sgoing on?" At some point, the Black Dragon had appeared on his shoulder. As it looked atthat distant mountain, a strange light appeared in its eyes. It seemed somewhatperplexed, like it felt that there was something in that mountain calling to it. "I have a premonition that the gate is closed and this garden is no longerconnected to the outside world. So, whether you go or I go, they''re both thesame. Only you have to be careful that no one sees you." Chen Changsheng turned his head to the Black Dragon on his shoulder andsincerely requested. The Black Dragon withdrew its gaze from the mountain and gave Chen Changshengtwo squeaks. Somewhat vexed, Chen Changsheng answered, "I have some things that youdisdain, but this dagger was given to me by my senior, so I can''t give it you." The Black Dragon gave him a cold look. The meaning was clear: you''re notwilling to pay up, yet you dare ask for my help? Chen Changsheng though it over, then said, "How about this? I promise you asingle request You know, right now I''m the Principal of the Orthodox Academy.In the future, I might be able to get my hands on all sorts of rare treasures." The Black Dragon''s pupils constricted. Apparently, it was quite satisfied withthis answer. With a sudden gust of wind, the Black Dragon became a fleeting image as itpierced through the air, accompanied by an earsplitting sound that tore throughthe air. Not long after, Chen Changsheng emerged from the woods and walked over toZhexiu. With a solemn expression, he said, "The gate is closed." Zhexiu arched his brow, but he said nothing, not even asking how ChenChangsheng had been able to know that the gate to the garden was closed in sucha short time. Returning that stretch of riverbank, the rest of the people were quitesuspicious of the information that Chen Changsheng had so quickly learned. Ahint of scorn could be detected in Zhuang Huanyu''s indifferent appearance,while Liang Xiaoxiao directly asked, "You say it''s closed, so it''s closed?" Somewhat confused, Chen Changsheng replied, "If you believe it, then believeit." Not waiting for any more questions from Zhuang Huanyu and Liang Xiaoxiao, ChenChangsheng squatted down and resumed treating the master from the Clear VoidMonastery. Qi Jian said, "I believe it." Liang Xiaoxiao creased his brow, like he was befuddled as to the reason whyhis junior disciple was so confident in this rival of their Mount Li Sword Sect. "Second Brother said, if something happens in the Garden of Zhou, the personyou could be most confident in was Chen Changsheng." Qi Jian explained. Chen Changsheng was currently taking that master''s pulse, so his finger wassomewhat rigid. When Chen Changsheng was leaving the Mausoleum of Books, Gou Hanshi had askedhim to look after the Mount Li disciples. Back then, Chen Changsheng thoughtthat Gou Hanshi had been asking out of courtesy, but he did not imagined thatGou Hanshi really meant it. For some reason, he suddenly felt that hisshoulders had gotten somewhat heavier, and yet his mind became more relaxed. Itwas a very comfortable feeling. After confirming that the master''s wound was not about to quickly get worse,he stood up and had Zhexiu begin to prepare his medical instruments. He said toLiang Xiaoxiao and the rest, "I confirmed that the rules of the Garden of Zhouare still intact, only that there is some outside force that is causing thisdisturbance. In these one hundred days, the gate to the Garden of Zhou shouldopen once more, it''s just that I don''t when exactly it will open." Liang Xiaoxiao creased his brow. "What sort of outside force could disturb aminiature world?" Qi Jian pondered this question, then answered, "Either that person issufficiently powerful, or they have an extremely good understanding of theGarden of Zhou." Chen Changsheng nodded his head. "I believe it to be the latter." Ye Xiaolian opened her eyes wide and asked inquisitively, "Who could it be?" They all looked each other in the eye, but none of them said anything. The people that wanted to mess with these several hundred human cultivators inthe Garden of Zhou was obviously the enemy of humanity. The enemy of humanity was the demons. "We must be careful." Qi Jian looked downstream at the open country and anxiously said, "We have tothink of a way to quickly inform everyone else." They were not sure, or perhaps they simply could not imagine, that demons hadentered the Garden of Zhou. But it was true that a change had occurred in theGarden of Zhou and the gray strings had lost their effectiveness. In order toprevent the human cultivators from attacking too fiercely and inflictingirreversible damage on fellow humans when stealing treasures, it was necessaryto transmit the news that the Garden of Zhou had closed as quickly as possible. It was just that the Garden of Zhou was truly too vast. While several hundredhuman cultivators did not seem like a small number, when spread out over such alarge area, they seemed extremely sparse. In addition, since the vast majorityof the cultivators had entered the Garden of Zhou to search for treasure,presumably many people would go into hiding. In this sort of situation, evenoccasionally bumping into someone would be a rare event. The reason why this group by the river had all met was because that they wereall thinking about the same thing: the Sword Pool. Whether it was the OrthodoxAcademy, the Mount Li Sword Sect or the Heavenly Dao Academy, they all probablyhad left records regarding the evidence of the Sword Pool. Thus why they hadall journeyed upstream and come to this place. This was something that they allmutually understood. As for this master and disciple from Clear Void Monastery, from the momentthey entered the Garden of Zhou, they had been following the senior and juniorfrom Holy Maiden Peak. At a certain level, it could even be called shrewd andcalculating. In the vastness of the Garden of Zhou, there were three mountain ranges thatdivided it into three great regions. The famous plain,whose depths no one daredto venture into,was situated in the middle. On the edge of the mountain range,which was also the edge of the Garden of Zhou, were several gardens. Thosegardens were rumored to be where Zhou Dufu used to live in the past, thusmaking them the place most likely to hold hidden treasure. Thus, whencultivators entered the Garden of Zhou, the majority of them would first searchthat region. Liang Xiaoxiao said to Qi Jian, "Those places are too far and going there istoo time-consuming." Before he had finished his sentence, Qi Jian understood his meaning.Truthfully, everyone there had probably realized his meaning. Apparently, the Mount Li Sword Sect had extremely strong information on thewhereabouts of the Sword Pool, or perhaps over the past few decades, the eldersof Mount Li had obtained some fruits from their analysis. So of course, LiangXiaoxiao and Qi Jian were in a hurry to leave. In the Mausoleum of Books, Chen Changsheng would frequently treat Zhexiu, soZhexiu was well-acquainted with the contents of that box. It didn''t take longfor Zhexiu to prepare all the items that Chen Changsheng needed. Chen Changsheng paid no attention to what the two disciples from the Mount LiSword Sect were thinking about. Taking the tools, he squatted on the floor andbegan to treat the master from the Clear Void Monastery. The application of the copper needles had already stopped the bleeding. Whathe was doing now was sewing up the wound. Ye Xiaolian glanced over, and she could not help but turn pale at the sight. Even that young daoist from the Clear Void Monastery, who was holding hismaster''s hand, could not help but tremble. As cultivators, whether it was exchanging pointers indoors or engaging inbattles in the world outside, they had all seen blood before. But what theyrarely saw was a metal needle weaving through the flesh of a human. Once he had finished sewing up the wound, he packed it tightly with a cleancloth. Chen Changsheng had not yet finished his treatment, as he now began touse the copper needles to touch the meridians around the chest that had beendamaged by Liang Xiaoxiao. At this scene, everyone present had somewhat strange expressions, especiallySenior Tong from Holy Maiden Peak. Holy Maiden Peak''s South Stream Temple as well as the capital''s ThirteenDivisions of Radiant Green were the two sects most skilled in medicaltreatment. A thousand years ago, amidst the fierce war between the humans anddemons, one would always see the women garbed in white. In that war, theyplayed an extremely vital role. The senior had not imagined that today in the Garden of Zhou, she would beable to witness such an exquisite display of medical expertise. In addition, itwas very clear that Chen Changsheng had not been trained in the Sacred Lighttechnique of the Orthodoxy. The riverbank was quiet, with only the sound of the water flowing by and theoccasional muffled hum from the master from the Clear Void Monastery. Everyone looked at Chen Changsheng, not daring to disturb him. Zhuang Huanyu did not enjoy this sort of atmosphere. Slightly arching hisbrows, he nodded at Liang Xiaoxiao then he began walking upstream. Chen Changsheng spied this out of the corner of his eye, but he did notattempt to dissuade him as he had done before. After not much time had passed, he confirmed that the master from Clear VoidMonastery was no longer in any danger. He stood and looked up at Qi Jian andsaid, "I also have to go. I have to find other people. Just like you, I worrythat the others don''t know that the Garden of Zhou has closed. If a disputewere to occur, if they begin to fight, then it is certain that no one will backdown. The ferocity of their battle will bring about problems, and people mighteven die." Thinking that these words were directed at him, Liang Xiaoxiao''s face subtlychanged. He didn''t understand that this was just Chen Changsheng delivering hisassessment of the situation. Qi Jian replied somewhat awkwardly, "We also have to leave for a reason." "I understand." He turned to the pair from Holy Maiden Peak and asked, "CouldI trouble you two to temporarily watch over them for a while? I should be ableto get back before midnight." Senior Tong was somewhat at a loss. She did not imagined that he would putforth such a request. After thinking it over, she agreed. Taking care of their ambushers, if she had not been a disciple of Holy MaidenPeak, she really would not have accepted this task. Chen Changsheng gave them a grateful smile, then he and Zhexiu once againproceeded downstream. The sun shined brightly, dispelling some of the eeriness of the woods. In the southeastern part of the Garden of Zhou, there was a garden that wasconstructed against the side of a mountain. According to the legends, thisplace was where Zhou Dufu, in his middle years, enjoyed listening to the songof birds, thus he built this garden. It was given the name ''MountainsideWhispering Wood''. The Mountainside Whispering Wood was not the garden that was at the entranceto the Garden of Zhou, but it was the closest. Because every cultivator had to pass through that garden at the entrance whenthey entered the Garden of Zhou, the place had long been picked clean. Sincethere was nothing to find in that garden for later cultivators, the vastmajority of this year''s cultivators would first visit the MountainsideWhispering Wood garden. The birds happily sang out amidst the mountains, while the water noiselesslyflowed through the garden. As for the viewing galleries, the overhanging eaves,the whitewashed walls and windows; in accordance with the iron law set down bythe human cultivating world, besides magical artifacts and legacies, nothingelse in the Garden of Zhou was to be touched. So even after the passage ofseveral hundred years, this place still retained the atmosphere of seven partsserenity and nine parts nobility of the past. Only now in a room in the depths of the garden, there was only fear andunease. The serenity and nobility had long been replaced by the scent of bloodwhich rushed off into the unknown. Around a dozen cultivators surrounded the scene and their faces were extremelyunsightly. A cultivator was collapsed on the floor. His abdomen had been run through by asword, leaving a gaping wound around five fingers wide. His left hand wasplaced on the wound, attempting to hold it closed. Yet it could nothing to stopthe blood from flowing. His intestines seemed to be on the verge of coming out.As he gasped his dying breaths, the gray string that he had grasped in hisright hand had burned away long ago, leaving only ash. The other cultivators face was deathly pale as he continuously said, "Ididn''t do it on purpose, at most, I thought that my Perching Tong move wouldjust injure him! How was I to know that his true Qi would freeze and he wouldbe unable to lift his sword? I really didn''t do it on purpose, and anyway thisgray string doesn''t work!" The severely injured cultivator''s stomach had been run through and his bloodflowed like water. It was easy to see that he was about to die. The faces ofthe surrounding cultivators grew increasingly unsightly. The thing that madethem the most concerned was, why had the gray string lost its effectiveness.Was the only thing that all of these people could do was watch this person die? At this moment, several maidens dressed in ceremonial white arrived at theMountainside Whispering Wood, and the garden was filled with the sounds ofrespect and pleasant surprise.
254 Two Field Doctors Part Two
As the sunlight shone onto the young lady''s face, her delicate and pretty, yetfar from being described as beautiful, appearance suddenly seemed to growbrighter and more beautiful. As she calmly looked at the distant sun, she thought of all the matters thatshe had encountered after entering the Garden of Zhou. In her heart, she hadprobably finished her assessment. At this moment, one of the maidens of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Greencame over to her and whispered, "That person''s injuries are too severe, Senior" The young lady nodded and indicated that the maiden should leave first, shewould come soon after. The maiden from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green returned to room,then, disregarding the protests of the injured cultivator''s compatriots, hadeveryone exit the room. Only after this did the young lady go inside. Two of the maidens from theThirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were attempting to treat the injuredcultivator, but his injuries were truly too severe. The commonly used treatmentmethods of the Li Palace were lacking in effectiveness. Despite the efforts ofthe two maidens, they were still incapable of stemming the blood spilling fromthe wound in the abdomen. Seeing the young lady arrive, the maidens suddenly breathed a sigh of reliefand they hurriedly moved aside for her. The young lady walked over to the injured cultivator, then after taking twoglances, she raised her right hand and placed it in the air above the wound. A faint green light fell from her palm. Like flowing water, except evengentler, it incessantly fell from her palm onto the wounded cultivator''s body. The gaping wound which had been spilling blood nonstop suddenly ceasedbleeding. Soon after, the beam of light falling from that young lady''s palm changedcolors from a joyful and refreshing green to a holy and dignified milky white. The pure white beam of light touched the cultivator''s abdomen, and theterrifying wound slowly began to close up. "The Garden of Zhou has a problem. I suspect that the gate to the garden hasbeen closed. In a little bit, choose the fastest from amongst those cultivatorsto go to the gate and see." That young lady stood up and said to the other girls, "After I leave, you allshould light two fireworks. I believe that all the cultivators in the mountainsand by the river should be able to see them." Regardless of it was the Holy Maiden Peak or the Thirteen Divisions of RadiantGreen, on the battlefield, they both had always used fireworks to communicate.To cultivators as well as human soldiers, these two fireworks were hope.Although this place was inside the Garden of Zhou, when those injuredcultivators whose gray strings had failed to bring them out of the garden sawthe two fireworks, they would probably try and make their way to theMountainside Whispering Wood. One of the maidens of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green that wasslightly older than the rest asked the young lady with some concern, "Senior,what are you planning to do?" "I have some things that I need to do." The young lady calmly stated, then sheturned and departed. The maidens from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green could only look insilence as the young lady''s back disappeared into the depths of the garden. Only after a moment did people begin to discuss the miraculous event that theyhad just witnessed. One of the maidens said in admiration, "That was the Sacred Light Technique,wasn''t it? I couldn''t have imagined that Senior, despite her young age, couldhave mastered the Sacred Light Technique to such a level! It seems to me thatperhaps not even teacher would be able to do that." "The latter was the Sacred Light Technique. At the beginning, she probablyused Holy Maiden Peak''s Natural Light." The maiden that was slightly older than the rest smiled. "Senior first studiedat our school for a while, then she went to Holy Maiden Peak to cultivate.Growing up in both the north and the south, naturally she''s not ordinary." As the night approached, the Garden of Zhou became somewhat chilly. In thefoothills, it was even colder. The white robes of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were somewhatthick, able to keep out the wind and protect against the cold. The young ladywas not worried about those things. As she seemingly casually strolled throughthe mountains and fields, in reality, she was searching for the cultivatorsthat had entered the garden. She held the same view as Chen Changsheng and Qi Jian. An even more powerfulforce would still be incapable of changing the rules of the Garden of Zhou, sothe closing of the gate was most likely a temporary matter. The problem lay inthe fact that the sudden closing of the gate presented many dangers to theseveral hundred cultivators in the garden. These dangers came from the humancultivators themselves as well as from other places. At the previous cliff, she had encountered a student from Star Seizer Academy.The student had not been injured from battle, rather he had experienced aproblem with circulating his true essence and he had fallen off the cliff. Evena body that had undergone Purification was unable to resist the force of thefall from such great height and his bones had been broken in many places. Ifshe had not seen him, then perhaps the only thing that he would have been ableto do was wait for his death. The night gradually set in and the mountain forest grew somewhat gloomy. Inthe distance, one could make out the faint glows of bonfires. It would seemthat many cultivators had realized that something was strange and they nolonger feared attracting competitors. They were only thinking about findingcompanions as fast as possible, and right now any person in the Garden of Zhoucould be considered a companion. The young lady headed towards the closest fire, and her white robes flutteringlightly in the night. In the darkness of the Garden of Zhou, the most eye-catching objects were theglimmers of the bonfires. It was just that some of the bonfires were verydifficult to see, perhaps because they were too far away. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu walked out of the mountain forest. Chen Changshengspied a bonfire on a hill not too far away and said, "We''ll start with theclosest. No need to rush." Zhexiu said nothing. As a descendent of the wolf tribe, the trait that helacked the least was patience. Chen Changsheng quickly realized this and he felt somewhat embarrassed. Thenhe remembered something else. "There are probably still many magical artifactsto be found in the Garden of Zhou. Coming with me, don''t you feel like you''relosing out?" Zhexiu replied, "And you? Are you telling me that you don''t feel like you''relosing out?" Chen Changsheng replied, "When I think about how the Mount Li Sword Sect verylikely knows the exact location of the Sword Pool and that Liang Xiaoxiao andQi Jian are right now heading there, and when I think about how even ZhuangHuanyu might have already found it, of course I still somewhat care about it.It''s just that tonight, there are most definitely many people that have beeninjured, even on the verge of death. I can''t just leave them be." Zhexiu stared into his eyes and gravely asked him, "Why can''t you leave thembe?" For this wolf youth that had grown up in the cruel snowy plains, everykindness was a weakness. He really did not understand why humans as well assome demihuman simply could not let things be. "Is it a sort of woman''s kindheartedness?" Chen Changsheng pondered the question, then replied, "It''s that I can''t bearto leave it be." After a moment of silence, Zhexiu replied, "The responsibility of an expert isto make themselves more powerful, so that they can better protect the weak." Chen Changsheng honestly admitted, " maybe I don''t have the consciousness ofan expert? Besides, since the Li Palace has handed these people over to me, Ihave to assume some responsibility over them. In addition, it seems that I''mthe only that can treat injuries amongst these people." Zhexiu said no more. Chen Changsheng asked, "You still haven''t answered my question." Zhexiu replied, "Tang Tang paid in advance, so I''m your bodyguard." Chen Changsheng thought about his friend who was still in the Mausoleum ofBooks, then he thought about the Yellow Paper Umbrella, then regretfully said,"Being rich is really great." Zhexiu added on at the end, "In addition, I feel that if I go with you, Iwon''t be missing out." As they talked, the pair didn''t slow their speed at all. In a short time, theyhad arrived at the top of that hill. They saw the bonfire, as well as thepeople beside it. From their clothes, those two cultivators were likely from the south. For somereason, they had battled with each other, and the end result was that neitherside had won and both of them were covered with numerous wounds. What most mystified Chen Changsheng was that these two cultivators were bothsound asleep, the wounds on their bodies had already healed. If it were not forthe bloodstains on their clothes, it would have been impossible to tell thatthey had been wounded. He walked over to the two cultivators and took their pulses, then he openedtheir eyes and closely examined them. Lastly, he lifted their clothes toexamine the state of their wounds. Although the wounds of the two were not completely smoothed over, it was clearthat they were clear of any major obstacles. In addition, their deep sleep wasmost likely because they had sniffed some Spirit-Pacifying Incense, which wouldaid in their recovery. "A senior from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green has given themDesistance Incense." Chen Changsheng stood up and said to Zhexiu, "Since there''s someone else goingaround saving lives, we can relax a little." Zhexiu shook his head, "It''s not the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green." Chen Changsheng''s expression became a little strange. Thinking to himself, asa person well-versed in the Daoist Canon, he was very familiar with thehandiwork of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. For the wounds on thosetwo southern cultivators to recover so quickly could only be accomplished bythe Orthodoxy''s Sacred Light Art. There were even the remnants of sacred Qiaround the wounds. So why is it that Zhexiu said that this was not the work ofthe Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green? The Orthodoxy''s Sacred Light technique was extremely difficult to cultivate.The level of Sacred Light technique he had just seen was something that only adozen or so bishops within the Li Palace could demonstrate. Therefore, he hadguessed that the person that healed these two cultivators was probably ratheradvanced, which is why he had called her a senior. It was even very likely thatshe was a female instructor. It was probably the case that Chen Changsheng hadnot been paying attention closely enough when entering the garden, so he hadnot seen her. "It truly was the Sacred Light technique that healed the wounds, but the smellof the spirit-pacifying incense is wrong. It''s not the Thirteen Divisions ofRadiant Green''s Desistance Incense, but rather the Holy Maiden Peak''s mostrarely produced Stainless Dust." Zhexiu expressionlessly said to him, "The first incense I have smelled manytimes, while the latter I have only smelled once. There is no way I wouldforget it, so there''s no way that I''m wrong." Only now did Chen Changsheng remember that while Zhexiu hunted demons in thesnowy plains of the north, he would also often undertake extremely dangerousmissions for the Great Zhou Army. Who knows how many times he had lingered onthe edge of life and death? There were probably few people more qualified thanhim to discuss these two holy grounds of healing that were the ThirteenDivisions of Radiant Green and Holy Maiden Peak. "Knows the Sacred Light technique, and also carries the Stainless Dust ontheir body who could it be?" He said this out loud, but in his heart, he wondered, to have grown up in boththe northern and southern sects, this senior would clearly be ratherextraordinary. But would such a senior really remain in Ethereal Opening? Zhexiu stared wordlessly at him. Somewhat uneasy, Chen Changsheng asked, "Why are you staring at me?" Zhexiu looked into Chen Changsheng''s eyes and asked, "Do you really not knowor are you just acting stupid?" Chen Changsheng stared blankly at him, then understood, after which hecontinued to stare blankly at him. One of the important reasons that which he entered the Garden of Zhou was tomeet that young lady and then personally return the marriage contract. It was only that so many things had occurred after entering the garden that hehad actually forgotten the matter, forgotten that she was also inside theGarden of Zhou. To grow up in the sects of the South and the North, to cultivate the SacredLight technique to such a high level at Ethereal Opening, and then to alsocarry the precious Stainless Dust. In these past years, it seemed as though theonly person to match those conditions on the continent was only her? Somewhat helpless, he said to Zhexiu, "It can''t be, right?" Zhexiu impassively replied, "It is." Chen Changsheng said no more, instead, he turned to the dark mountains andfields. He thought about how she had probably also stood in this spot, stood bythe same fire. For some reason, his mind felt somewhat strange. "Lets go?" Zhexiu asked. Chen Changsheng suddenly turned to the two southern cultivators, took out hisneedles, and he began to treat them. Zhexiu was somewhat confused. Since Xu Yourong has already treated them, whatneed was there for him to do so as well?
255 Two Field Doctors Part Three
"Using the Sacred Light technique to stop the bleeding and mend the flesh,then using the Stainless Dust to pacify the spirit, is that enough? These twopeople still have clumps of true essence clogging their meridians. If theyaren''t cleared up, then after these two wake up, their cultivation mightdecrease by thirty percent. Some people think that if you just learn somemethods, you could go treat illnesses and save lives, but that''s trulyinappropriate." Chen Changsheng moved the needles like the wind while he muttered to himself. Zhexiu looked at him from up high and said, "You could replace the words somepeople for her." After Chen Changsheng completed his task, he stood up and explained veryseriously, "I''m not comparing myself to her at anything." Zhexiu seriously replied, "I don''t believe you." Chen Changsheng felt that his face was somewhat hot, so he said nothing more.He prepared to wake up those two cultivators so that he could direct them tothe riverbank where they could meet up with others. Just as he was about to do this, he saw something that had been drawn on theground besides the fire. After careful examination, he realized it was a map,along with a simple set of words. The words were written rather well. He silently commented to himself. "She wants them to go to the Mountainside Whispering Woods. It seems thatthere are a lot of people gathered there." Zhexiu asked, "Do we need to go there?" Chen Changsheng didn''t even need to consider an answer before directlysaying, "No." Zhexiu asked, "Why?" Istill have things I need to dothere are still lots of peoplewaiting forme to treat themfine." Chen Changsheng stood up and was quiet for a long time. He finally, somewhatembarrassingly, said "I''m still not ready." The white ceremonial robes were especially eye-catching in the night. If itwere spotted on an everyday street, it might have even frightened people.However, in the eyes of cultivators, these white robes were associated with thespecial message-delivering fireworks of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Greenand Holy Maiden Peak. They represented the hope to live and the end ofsuffering. Over the course of her journey, there had already been two instances where theyoung lady''s arrival had been greeted with cries of joy, accompanied with hottears. So when she saw how calm the cultivator sitting next to the fire on thegrass slope was, she was momentarily out of sorts. After a moment, sheunderstood why the cultivator was so calm. It was because the cultivator was inthe midst of meditating. As she drew close, she realized that the cultivator''s wounds had already beenbound up. From the angle and wrapping of the wounds, this was not self-appliedtreatment. She was planning to take her leave when she suddenly thought ofsomething and squatted back down. She unwrapped the bandages and examined thewound. This cultivator''s wounds were probably inflicted by a magical artifact fromthe Temple Seminary. All around the wound, she could still see the so-calledstardust that was always left behind by the Temple Seminary''s magicalartifacts. However,the stardust within the wound had been cleaned out by thesame person that had treated the cultivator, and the wound itself had been sewntogether by some sort of thread. The young lady could not help but think that the person who had treated thiscultivator was incredibly bold. All the Daoist Canon and medical classicscontained information on these sorts of methods, but it had been a long timesince anyone had actually put them into practice. There was most likely no problem with the external wounds, but what she wasreally worried about was the meridians. Injuries inflicted by magical artifactsand injuries inflicted by swords were two completely different things. Thesword injured the body while the artifact injured the essence. The magicalartifacts of a cultivator were not as extravagantly flashy as swords. Theykilled by damaging the internal organs, especially the meridians. After this cultivator''s external injuries had been healed, he had been inconstant meditation. Perhaps by now, even his sea of consciousness would haveproblems. Her finger rested upon the cultivator''s vein as she slowly inserted a drop ofextremely pure true essence. The sensation of the true essence entering the cultivator caused him to wakeup from his meditation. Seeing this young lady so close to his face, he was soshocked that he subconsciously prepared to attack. The cruel rules of the Garden of Zhou that had been set down by the Saintswere truly made to sharpen the will of the human cultivators, thus improvingtheir battle prowess. That young lady cared not for those things and said, "Don''t move, don''t speak,close your eyes." That cultivator did not know her, or at the very least, he did not know thecurrent her. Yet, when he heard the voice that was akin to a clear spring, hefelt that it was a voice that he could absolutely trust. He subconsciouslyrelaxed and closed his eyes once more. After a while, the young lady stood up. She did not continue to stay and strode off into the night. The light of the fire caused her shadow to stretch out. That cultivator woke up once more. He looked at her back, and his expressionsomewhat perplexed. Previously in that graceful glance, he had seen a delicate yet very normal andvery forgettable appearance. However, why was it that when he looked at her back, he felt that she was sobeautiful that it shook him to his core? The young lady''s expression at this moment was rather perplexed. That cultivators meridians were extremely free-flowing. The shocks andblockages that had been left behind by the Temple Seminary''s magical artifacthad all been resolved by that person. Amongst the several hundred cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou,which one was best in the medical arts? Who was the most well-versed in these methods? Who amongst Ethereal Openingcultivators would know enough about the meridians that they could perform suchminute repairs? Unlike Chen Changsheng, she immediately knew who it was. So he still has some uses. She silently commented to herself. Hearing the sound of water, she had arrived at the river. Seeing the bonfire,she realized that she recognized two of the people there. The two girls were also very surprised after seeing her. Ye Xiaolian''s eyes were filled with reverence while Senior Tong gave a smileof relief. Everything could be changed about the self aside from the eyes. Moreover, shehad not purposely changed anything about herself this time, so her fellowdisciples were able to recognize her. She shook her head, to which Ye Xiaolian and Senior Tong understood and saidnothing. She walked over to side of the master from the Clear Void Monastery and openedhis bandages. As she glanced over the wound, her eyebrows slowly rose up. "He treated him?" She asked Senior Tong. Senior Tong had cultivated together with her in the South Stream Temple, soshe naturally knew about the situation with Chen Changsheng. However, she didnot understand the meaning of her words momentarily. "Originally, I thought he still had some use, but who knew that he would treathim in such a haphazard fashion? He only treated the outside of the wound, butit''s still bleeding inside. Does he not care about it?" For some reason, the young lady was getting increasingly angry. The master from the Clear Void Monastery was currently extremely weak, so hesimply had no idea what was going on. His disciple was even more confused, butfrom the attitude of the two disciples from Holy Maiden Peak, he knew that theperson who had arrived was someone he could not afford to offend. The young lady stretched out her right hand over the master''s stomach. Then, apure and sacred light fell from her palm. The Clear Void Monastery could be even more remote, but it was stillassociated with the Orthodoxy, so how could that master not recognize theSacred Light technique? Believing this young lady to be an extraordinary and powerful figure of theOrthodoxy, the master was moved and hurriedly attempted to rise and pay hisrespects. The young lady slightly frowned, then directly knocked him out. The Clear Void Monastery disciple stood hesitantly at the side, not evendaring to speak much, much less act out. After learning art of healing from Daoist Ji, did he suddenly think he couldcure everyone under heaven? Did he think that cultivators were the same asordinary people? That a sword wound was the same as the common cold? The young lady was slightly annoyed as she thought of these things. Turning toSenior Tong, she asked, "When is he coming back?" Senior Tong estimated the time and realized that it was not long before thetime Chen Changsheng had mentioned. She replied, "It should be soon." The young lady stared blankly at her, then turned around and walked off intothe night. Senior Tong asked, "You won''t wait for him?" The young lady did not answer. She quietly moved on, causing several birds tocry out in the night.
256 The Sob of the Zither Causes a Man to Die
As she watched the young lady disappear into the dark forest, Ye Xiaolianraised her head in thought. After a while, she could no longer suppress thequestion in her mind. Quietly, she asked, "Just who does Senior Xu like?" Senior Tong smiled back at her. "If it were you, who would you pick?" "If it were like before, of course I would pick Senior Qiushan, but now..." YeXiaolian answered very sincerely, then felt it difficult to continue for somereason. Chen Changsheng was oblivious to the fact that his existence had deliveredsuch a blow to this girl''s perspective on life and love. Zhexiu and he werewalking amongst the mountains and forests in the night, searching forcultivators that had been injured in battle and treating their injuries.Although Chen Changsheng had not expressed it at any particular place, Zhexiuhad realized that whenever they met a person that Xu Yourong had alreadytreated, Chen Changsheng would clearly spend an extra amount of time and efforton the treatment. Similarly, that young lady was also walking in the darknessin search of people to heal. Similarly, for inexplicable reasons, whenever shefound someone that Chen Changsheng had treated, she would particularly becomeuneasy and stay for a longer time. Cloaked in the darkness, the Garden of Zhou was very quiet. The dome of thenight contained no stars, but the glimmers of fire helped to somewhat dispersethe monotony of the night. The young man and young lady moved between thoseearthbound stars. Perhaps it was because they were purposely avoiding eachother, or perhaps because of the arrangement of fate, they never met each otherdespite encountering many people that the other had treated. They were in different places, doing different things. They never saw eachother, but they knew who the other person was. The bandage wrapped around awounded cultivator''s leg, the true essence left behind in the meridians, thesacred Qi that hung around the edge of the wound they were like letters oreven simple notes that passedon a message, telling the other side what had beendone. There was also faintly a sense of comparing strengths, of betting againsteach other. Similarly, neither of them knew the reason why. At midnight, Chen Changsheng returned to the riverbank in accordance with hispromise. Seeing the sleeping master from the Clear Void Monastery, he confirmedthat she had been through here. After a moment of silence, he felt a faintsense of admiration. He had no way of taking care of those internal wounds. Hecould only support the wounded and let them slowly recover. There was truly nocomparison with her methods. Only, tonight he had treated about twenty or so people. She had probablytreated about the same, or even more. Whether it was the Orthodoxy''s SacredLight technique or the methods of the Holy Maiden Peak, they were bothextremely taxing on the true essence. To keep using her strength unsparingly toheal person after person, would she be able to hold on? The human cultivators had entered the Garden of Zhou to seize treasures. Inaccordance with the rules set down by the Saints, they were all completelyunscrupulous. So even though it was just the first day, there had already beenmany fights. Cruel battles brought about bitter consequences. The fact that thegray strings had ceased to function had made those injured cultivators all themore afraid. Fortunately, she and Chen Changsheng, as well as several maidensfrom the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, had treated dozens of people. Atthe very least, no one had died for the time being. As there were nocasualties, the mood amongst the cultivators could still be described as calm.However, the desire for revenge was impossible to disperse, especially againstthe backdrop of the north versus the south. At any point, the situation couldbe thrown into chaos. The first night after entering the Garden of Zhou was slowly passed in thisnervous and silent atmosphere. The dim light of dawn illuminated the plain and the mountain range thatextended into its depth. The early morning in the Garden of Zhou was no different from the outside. Therising and setting sun was also no different. Under the red warmth of themorning light, the mountain range seemed like the proud upturned head of agreat dragon. This place was the legendary Sunset Valley. At the peak of Sunset Valley, an old man faced the morning sun as he played azither. The sound of the zither was like sobbing, as if it were mourning forsomething. Behind the zither-playing old man, a girl of ten or so years sat with herhands wrapped around her legs. She gazed vacantly at the newly born, morningsun. She truly was gazing vacantly. Her indifferent countenance held no trace ofemotion. She seemed somewhat pitiful. Regardless of how gentle the morninglight was, it was still harsh on the eyes. However, what was even moremiraculous was that she stared with her eyes wide open directly at the sun. Notto even mention any pain or aching, she did not even squint her eyes. "Chen Changsheng''s skill in medicine is truly exquisite. We don''t even need todiscuss Xu Yourong. In addition, their reaction was too fast. Last night, theGarden of Zhou failed to fall into chaos." The zither-playing old man walked over to the girl''s side and said, "My lady,the little wolf and Chen Changsheng are together right now. Let''s go and killthem first." The old man said this very matter-of-factly, as if to signify that he wouldcertainly be able to kill Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu if he wanted to. Only Ethereal Opening cultivators could enter the Garden of Zhou. In otherwords, no matter how strong this old man was, he could not be more than thepeak level of Ethereal Opening. Chen Changsheng was already at the upper levelof Ethereal Opening. Although Zhexiu was only at the initial stage, hisastonishing bloodline talent and the battle prowess he honed on the snowyplains meant that his true power was not far from the upper level. So where didthis old man''s confidence come from? The little girl continued to wrap her arms around her legs and stare vacantlyat the red light of the morning sun. She did not give any sort of reply to thequestion that came from the zither-playing old man. Her lack of response was an indication of her disapproval. Silence had neversignified a tacit agreement. Whenever the lady acted, it was always in a veryupfront fashion. The old man understood this point very well and saidadmonishingly, "In accordance with the military advisor''s plan, we were toavail ourselves of the chaos in the garden last night to kill the humancultivators. Since no chaos occurred, we should be moving on to the next stageof the plan." The girl''s expression was cold and her gaze seemed rather dull. As she staredinto the rising sun, she said, "I want to kill her." The old man knew what ''her'' the lady referred to. The lady had risked herinvaluable body in such a dangerous place as he Garden of Zhou for the solepurpose of killing that human woman. The old man continued to admonish her. "XuYourong is no normal human" He had narrowly avoided the words that were the absolutely taboo for thisgirl. He could not help but still be afraid, and it was only after he composedhimself that he continued, "even if she consumed most of her true essenceusing the Sacred Light technique last night, killing her still would not begood. According to the military advisor''s arrangements, we should first killthe other people first, then kill Xu. Only in this way can we avoid anymishaps." With the two words ''military advisor'', the girl descended into silence.However, after a long period of thought, she still shook her head and said, "Iwant to kill her." She needed to kill Xu Yourong. She wanted to kill Xu Yourong. She only thoughtabout killing Xu Yourong. The other human cultivators were naught but trash inher eyes, not even worth a glance. Awaking to the sound of water, Chen Changsheng felt his entire body ached.Last night, as he walked around saving lives, he had walked several hundred liat the very least. Even though his body was now incredibly valiant, he wasbarely holding on. The most crucial factor was that his mind was stillexhausted. That rush of activity had been like a tide, and it had truly beendifficult for his mind to bear. The morning sun had risen long ago and five in the morning had long sincepassed. Chen Changsheng got up and walked over to the river, using some of the chillywater to wash his face. Feeling somewhat more awake, he took the field rationsthat Zhexiu had brought over and began to eat silently. Last night, the injured or solitary cultivators had, in accordance with ChenChangsheng''s instructions, come one after another to gather at the riverbank.Now, as those people successively woke up, the scene suddenly grew much morelively. After Chen Changsheng finished eating the rations, he drank some water, thensat back down so as to disperse the exhaustion that pervaded both his mind andbody. Only then did he stand back up. The wound on Senior Tong''s shoulder had been treated by him last night, and atthe present, she had mostly recovered. The Clear Void Monastery master''scondition had also improved. Although he still could not walk, his life was nolonger in any danger. As for the other cultivators, whether their wounds wereheavy or light, they were all in an okay condition. After a night''s rest, theycould probably handle the journey towards the garden that sat right in front ofthe gate. Chen Changsheng walked over to Senior Tong and softly relayed his plan for theday. Senior Tong nodded her head. Chen Changsheng seemed to hesitate, but was unable to suppress his questionand asked, "Shedid she say anything about me? Or leave behind a message forme?" Senior Tong thought about the frustrated monologue that Xu Yourong haddelivered at the riverbank last night, and she could not help but smile as shereplied, "She didn''t say anything that was particularly meant for you." For some reason, Chen Changsheng felt both at ease and disappointed. At this moment, a cry of surprise arose from the forest by the river. Upon hearing this cry, Chen Changsheng, Zhexiu, and a dozen other cultivatorsquickly rushed to its location. An expert of the Heavenly Bestowal Sect stood there, his face pale. At hisfeet was a middle-aged man whose face was deathly green. He had long sincestopped breathing. Dead. Somebody had died. "What happened here?" Could it be that Sect Master Fei couldn''t hold on? "Could it be that last night, some person snuck into the woods and tookadvantage of the wounds Sect Master Fei suffered to execute some evil scheme?" The forest resounded with angry and somewhat panicked discussion. Ascultivators that had roamed the world even if no one present had faced a lifeor death situation they would, at the very least, not have been so mentallyaffected by death. However, the closing of the Garden of Zhou had cast a shadowon their hearts, not to mention that the middle-aged man was the Sect Master ofthe Heavenly Bestowal Sect. Although the Heavenly Bestowal Sect was an obscuresect of the south, he was still a Sect Master, moreover......last night thewounds Sect Master Fei had were not serious. Relying on his cultivation at themiddle level of Ethereal Opening, he should have been able to very easily makeit through the night. How could he so noiselessly die? Chen Changsheng squatted down by Sect Master Fei''s body, put on the glovesthat were handed over by Zhexiu, and opened the eyes of the deceased man. Heexamined the nose and mouth, then inserted a copper needle into the neck.Extracting the needle, he brought it up into the sunlight and closely examinedit. His expression slowly grew grave as he delivered his conclusion, "It waspoison." With these words, the crowd grew even more nervous. Who had used poison? Thatperson could sneak past so many people and stealthily poison Sect Master Fei todeath. What did that imply? Did it mean that as long as the person was willing,he could fatally poison any person present? And the most important cause oftheir anxiety was: why did that person want to kill Sect Master Fei? "It must be a shaman." A southern cultivator said hatefully. "Yesterday whenentering the garden, I spied a few of their ilk. I don''t know what the LiPalace and Holy Maiden Peak are thinking, to let these people that love to usesuch strange things as the shamanistic arts and poison into the Garden of Zhou." Chen Changsheng shook his head, "Although it''s true that poisonous plantswere used, the poison is nothing like the plants grown in the south." "Then whose poison was it?" Out of grief and anger, the expert from the Heavenly Bestowal Sect did notcare for Chen Changsheng''s status. Staring at him, he shouted, "Last night,senior said he didn''t need your treatment, but you insisted and then had uscome here. In the end, he died! Who knows if it wasn''t because you didsomething while you were treating him!" At these words, the entire forest suddenly became quiet.
257 In the Pool, Sword Inten
The reason that the forest suddenly went quiet was not because the HeavenlyBestowal Sect expert''s words had broken through the hearts of the crowd. No one thought that Chen Changsheng used his treatment to secretly poison SectMaster Fei, because there was no logic behind this argument and no reason forsuch actions. Everyone knew that Chen Changsheng was doted upon by the Pope andsupported by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. At such a young age, heshocked the world by becoming the Principal of the Orthodox Academy. No matterhow they looked at it, his future prospects were limitless. In comparison tothese prospects, there was no benefit that could be obtained from the Garden ofZhou that would make him commit such an act. The silence was because everyone there was very curious to know, in the faceof such an ill-mannered accusation, how Chen Changsheng was going to react. Chen Changsheng did not give a single response. The redness around thatHeavenly Bestowal Sect expert''s eyes, because of him rubbing the grief-strickentears from his face, were all seen by Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu turned around and walked out of the forest. SeniorTong and Ye Xiaolian came over with their faces filled with concern. Chen Changsheng gave them a short explanation of what had happened in theforest, then he and Zhexiu took their leave from the riverbank, once againentering the vast world that was the Garden of Zhou. Not long after he left, Senior Tong and two other well-known cultivators tookthe rest of the cultivators, each of them supporting each other, to that gardenwhere the gate was. In the procession, another stretcher had appeared. The deadbody of Sect Master Fei lay upon it. From time to time, the sound of cryingwould arise from the riverbank. Standing on a large rock atop a cliff and seeing the procession move down theriver, Chen Changsheng felt somewhat more relaxed. "Your method of dealing with things is wrong." Zhexiu expressionlessly continued, "When a disagreement occurs in your group,regardless of what method you use, you must always suppress it. Followingorders is a necessity if you want to continue to live." Chen Changsheng did not reply. He turned and headed back into the dense forest. As the search and treatment of cultivators progressed, more and more humancultivators were beginning to gather together, dividing into three gardens, allof which were communicating with each other. The problem was that the Garden ofZhou would not open in one day. Could it be that all these people would becontent to stay put in these beautiful but treasureless gardens for the entireduration? In the following two days, an even more frightening situation took place. Oneafter another, several cultivators died in bizarre fashion. Regardless of whothey were with, further investigation could find no motive. As time passed, thepressure on all the cultivators grew larger. Some would probably fall apartunder the pressure, while others would become numb to it. However, an evengreater number of cultivators would most likely leave the three gardens andenter the Garden of Zhou once more, in search of the magical artifacts andlegacies that were incomparable treasures to cultivators. They were willing tobrave these dangers because, in their eyes, to stay with their fellow humanswas even more dangerous. Indeed, many cultivators had begun to suspect that this was all the plot ofthe demons, but even now, they still could not believe that the demons wereable to infiltrate the Garden of Zhou. It must be known that the gate to thegarden was guarded by the Solitary Drunk under the Moon, Zhu Luo. It was alsoguarded by His Eminence Archbishop Mei Lisha as well all the priests of theOrthodoxy that specialized in identification. Even if it was the most enigmaticDemon Advisor Black Robe, he would still be incapable of mixing in the crowdand enter the Garden of Zhou. Since the demons could not enter the Garden of Zhou, then the danger obviouslycame from humans... from amongst themselves. Chen Changsheng dipped his legs into the chilly water of the river and let outa sigh of relief. Over these past two days, he had pushed himself across a distance ofapproximately a thousand li. For someone like him, this was an incrediblybitter experience. His clothes were caked with dust and his appearance was oneof complete exhaustion. In comparison, Zhexiu cut a much more valiant figure. It was like this wolfyouth had no idea what the word ''tired'' meant. As Chen Changsheng gazed at the small white fish swimming in the river, hesaid, "I still don''t think that there''s a traitor." Zhexiu replied, "Four people have already died by poison. Since we''vedetermined that there are no demons in the Garden of Zhou, the poisoner canonly be traitor within our own ranks." This was a very simple and clear conclusion. Yet, Chen Changsheng found it very hard to accept. This war of humans allied with the demi-humans against the demons was a war ofextinction. It was very rare for either side to produce a traitor. "Although the war still continues at the border of the snowy plain, for themajority of the people on the continent, the war ended many years ago. Manypeople have already forgotten the terror of the demons, and they have forgottenthe genocidal war." Zhexiu coldly continued, "In the snowy plains, I met manydeer people that acted as guides for the demons. For a traitor bribed by thedemons to be amongst the cultivators that the entered the Garden of Zhou wouldnot be unusual." Chen Changsheng silently pondered this, then said, "The reason why I''ve neverbelieved in the existence of a traitor is because right now, everyone isalready beginning to suspect each other. I think that this sort of distrust iseven more dangerous." Zhexiu conceded that toying with the minds of humans had always been the mostterrifying trait of demons. The demons had no need to enter the Garden of Zhou. They only needed to cutoff communication between the outside world and the Garden of Zhou. The traitorwould fan the flames and commit some sinister acts, and then the humancultivators would be thrown into chaos. This sequence of events had occurred many times throughout history. Chen Changsheng continued, "The several hundred Ethereal Opening cultivatorshere are the future of humanity. Amongst them are many exceptional and powerfulindividuals. The demons can''t have enticed that many traitors, so if theseseveral hundred cultivators can not suspect each other, be wary of each other,or even confront each other; as long as their wills can remain united, thedemons will never be able to succeed." Zhexiu impassively said, "If this were so easy to accomplish, then you humanswould have united this continent a long time ago." Chen Changsheng remained silent. In these past two days, especially today as he observed the MountainsideWhispering Wood, he had already confirmed that the wills of these severalhundred cultivators had already dispersed. He was the leader upon which the Li Palace had conferred a heavyresponsibility, so he had a duty to take care of the Orthodoxy''s northernsects. Gou Hanshi had entrusted his beloved juniors to him, which made thatsense of duty weigh even heavier upon his heart. Yet, if the will of the people had dispersed, how could he lead? "As long as they''re in the gardens, they shouldn''t encounter any problems. Allthe people that have been poisoned died in the mountains and fields, so wedon''t need to worry about the people in the gardens. The first priority shouldbe to quickly find the other people that are still outside." Chen Changsheng took his feet out of the water and stood, soaking wet, on arock. Staring off into the horizon, he could faintly see the other two sets offoothills. He had already counted up the cultivators that had been found and gathered inthe gardens. From the original number of cultivators that had entered theGarden of Zhou, he was still missing one hundred. "There are some people that don''t want to be found by you. What then?" Zhexiu expressionlessly continued, "Like Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian, ZhuangHuanyu, as well as the other upper level Ethereal Opening cultivators from thevarious sects; we haven''t seen any of them." Chen Changsheng shook his legs, then put his shoes back on and tied themtight. "Even if the demons really did buy over a few traitors, none of themwould dare fight against those people." Zhexiu said, "They''re definitely keeping an eye on things from the shadows." Thinking about the responsibility that Gou Hanshi had entrusted to him back inthe Mausoleum of Books, Chen Changsheng said, "Let''s go to the Sword Pool andsee." Even if they could not meet up with Qi Jian and Liang Xiaoxiao, it would begreat if they were able to find the Sword Pool. After rushing about for these past two days and nights, he felt that he wasentitled to be somewhat selfish. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu departed from the riverbank and they walked intothe forest. They would let the other cultivators worry about the dangers hidden in themountains, yet apparently, they were not worried about their own safety at all. It was because they were youths. Although they did not display much passion onthe surface, neither of them was lacking in self-confidence. As they set forthtogether on their journey, of course they would have no fear. Just as the pair were setting off across the mountain, on the other side ofthe mountain range, the white-robed young lady was walking. Although she was alone, she remained as fearless as ever, and her expressionwas calm. At some point in time, a bow had appeared on her shoulder. She arrived at the river that she had come to at the beginning. Following thesame route upstream, she came to the place where the master from the Clear VoidMonastery had battled with Holy Maiden Peak''s Senior Tong. On the riverbank,which Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu had barely paid a glance at, was a blackenedbloodstain. She continued to walk in silence, not saying anything for a verylong time. Those two had never been good at conversation, nor did they like it very much.The various conversations that they had in the past two days in the Garden ofZhou could already be considered to be quite a lot. Occasionally, the cry of a bird would disrupt the tranquility of the forest.These were caused by their footsteps disturbing the wildlife. In the records of the Daoist Canons, Chen Changsheng had learnt that someonehad once found the scabbard of ancient sword in this piece of forest. Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian, as well as Zhuang Huanyu, had disappeared in theupper reaches of this river, further confirming his conclusion. If there truly was a Sword Pool in the Garden of Zhou, it was probably in thisdirection. For the Mount Li Sword Sect to want to find the legendary Sword Pool was themost natural thing in the world. What Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu did not know was that the saying that no onehad ever found a sword in the Garden of Zhou was, in fact, wrong. Many years ago, the Junior Martial Uncle from Mount Li with the name of Su hadfound a sword and brought it out of the Garden of Zhou. Only, for some reason, this matter had never been made known. The volume of water in this river was not great. Especially as someone movedupstream and went past several tributary rivers, the strength of the flow grewmuch weaker, and the river became as clear and as shallow as a mirror. However, this river was very long. The two had set out at dawn, and only whenthe sun hung high up in the sky did they finally reach its end. As with many other rivers, this river ended at a cliff. From this cliff flowedthe silver thread of a waterfall. At the bottom of the waterfall, there was a deep pool. There was a constantdeep boom as the water fell into the pool. Zhexiu lifted his head and squinted his eyes up at the top of the waterfall,but he only saw the fierce light of the sun and the shallow layer of water onthe cliffside, as transparent as colored glass. From this, he could confirmthat this was the peak of the mountain. "I''ll go and take a look." Without waiting for Chen Changsheng''s response, he quickly rushed over to thecliff. As he approached it, he suddenly lowered his body, then with a whoosh,he turned into a dark shadow. Leaping up over a dozen yards up the cliff, hebegan to speedily zip his way up the cliff. It only took him a few momentsbefore he arrived at the top of the cliff. Chen Changsheng viewed all of this from the bottom. He could faintly make outhow as Zhexiu quickly ascended, his hands seems to emit a cold light. Zhexiu''s figure disappeared from the top of the waterfall. Most likely, he hadgone to check the true source of the river. Chen Changsheng withdrew his gaze and he turned his attention to the deep poolof water under the waterfall, at which point he had a thought. This place was the summit of the mountain and the source of the stream, so thevolume of water should not have been too great. The scene that he and Zhexiusaw was in line with their expectations. The waterfall was very thin and its volume was very small, so then why was thepool into which it fell so deep? He walked over to the edge of the pond and looked into water. He could onlysee the gloom, the bottom not visible in the slightest. He calmed his mind, then he released his spiritual sense and began to explorethe depths. After his spiritual sense had traveled who knows how far, he felt his eyebegin to ache, like a thin leaf had blown into them. He closed his eyes and began to shed tears. There was a strand of sword intent.
258 Over There is a Lake
Chen Changsheng stood at the edge of the pond in silence for a very long time.The strand of sword intent in his eyes continued to linger, and the pain in hiseyes caused him to continue to shed tears. At the moment, he seemed like an idiotic youth who, upon looking at theirreflection in the pond, had descended into self-pity. The sword intent, which had emerged from the depths of the pond, had made himshocked, amazed, and frustrated. Could this very plain and unremarkable waterfall and pool be the legendarySword Pool? Otherwise, how could the strand of sword intent emerge from thepool? Yet, if it really was the case, how had nobody found it in these past severalhundred years? It must be known that although this sword intent was elusive andhard to grasp, it was still very distinct. His frustration arose from ignorance... his own ignorance. The sword intent, which had emerged from the pool, was truthfully rather weakand imperceptible. Even a peak level Ethereal Opening cultivator would havetrouble grasping the traces of its existence. Only Ethereal Opening cultivators were allowed to enter the Garden of Zhou. So for all these countless years, no one had ever been able to sense thisstrand of sword intent. Finally, in a certain year in a certain month on acertain day, a genius cultivator, who was innately close to the sword, stood atthe edge of this pool. His eyes were touched by the strand of sword intent,alarming his mind. At this point, the first curtain over the legendary SwordPool was finally lifted. That person was Mount Li''s Junior Martial Uncle, Su Li. How was Chen Changsheng able to detect this strand of sword intent? He couldbecause both his mind and body were pure, and his spiritual sense, while notenough to be described as unrivaled, was much calmer and steadier than theordinary cultivator''s. On that night in the Orthodox Academy''s library, when hehad been fixing his Fated Star, even the Divine Empress atop the Dew Platformhad silently concluded this. In this way, he was be able to become the second cultivator, in the severalhundred years worth of cultivators that entered the Garden of Zhou, to sensethe strand of sword intent in this pool. Where did this strand of sword intent originate from? Chen Changsheng had his spiritual sense dive deeper into the pool, but then hesensed that there was an oddity within the pool. Deep in the pool was some sortof invisible pressure that obstructed the continued advance of his spiritualsense. Standing at the edge of the pool, he caressed the hilt of his dagger, then helooked at the small Black Dragon, which had at some point appeared on hisshoulder. He said, "Otherwise " The Black Dragon looked at him, its eyes cold and filled with scorn. Themeaning was clear: I''m not your subordinate, for what reason should I behelping you with so many things?" Chen Changsheng could not help but say, "How is it that you and Zhexiu are sosimilar? Everything you do has to have some sort of benefit." The Black Dragon was infuriated at these words and its thin tail moved to andfro as it prepared to return. So brazen, to compare myself with some lousywolf! It thought to itself. "Fine, fine, I will agree to another one of your requests." Chen Changshengsaid helplessly. Only then was the Black Dragon satisfied. With a flick of its tale, it turnedinto a black shadow, and with a splash, disappeared into the chilly water ofthe pool. After a while, the Black Dragon broke through the surface of the water. As thewater splashed in the sunlight, its brilliance made it seem like a shatteredcrystal. Chen Changsheng lifted his right arm to let the dragon rest on it. The water fell from the dragon''s scales, soaking his sleeve. It was somewhatchilly and it gave him an odd sensation. From the information relayed to him by the dragon, Chen Changsheng realizedthat there was a cave at the bottom of the pool. It probably headed towardssome place behind the cliff. However, the strangeness of the pool was that thedeeper someone went, the greater the pressure became. Moreover, the pressureexerted was much more powerful than what was to be expected in the real world.Since the Black Dragon was only a spiritual soul detached from its body, it hadonly one percent of its original power, so it was unable to enter the cave. For the Black Dragon to find that cave could already be considered as ratherdifficult. Any human Ethereal Opening cultivator would most likely be unable todo so. Chen Changsheng stood at the edge of the pool, sensing the weak swordintent and pondered for a very long time. Then, he looked up at the top of thewaterfall, calculated the distance, and made a decision. He let the black dragon go back and rest, then he headed over to the waterfalland began to climb up the cliff. His ascent was not as wanton and reckless asZhexiu''s. It was very steady and precise, using an extremely large amount ofstrength. Passing by the top of the waterfall, he finally arrived at the top of thecliff. He took out a towel and wiped the water from his face, then he realizedwhat lay in front of him was a clear pool of water. The bottom of the pool wasmade up of yellowstone, and the flat surface of the water extended far off intothe distance. There was probably another cliff several hundred yard away fromwhich the water fell. In the middle of the pool, he could faintly make out thatthe surface of the water was undulating. That place was most likely the sourceof the water. Taken together, it made for a beautiful picture. At this time, Zhexiu had concluded his distant exploration and returned. Heshook his head, indicating that he had not found anything. "At the bottom of the pool is a cave. It probably goes to some place in themountain. I suspect... that the Sword Pool lies within." Chen Changsheng stood by the waterfall, and pointed down at the pool, whichnow looked like the size of a fist. Zhexiu walked over to his side and glanced down. "I''d like to express mydoubts." Chen Changsheng replied, "Then what do you think is over there?" Zhexiu said, "The stories often say, that at a desperate impasse, whensuddenly finding a path, the first sight someone sees upon entering the newworld is that of a beautiful woman bathing." "You''re overthinking it." Chen Changsheng felt very speechless so he changedthe subject. "It seems that there''s an oddity at the bottom of the pool, makingit so that we can''t dive into the cave. We need to think of a way in." Zhexiu took another glance at the faraway pool, then said, "It seems thatyou''ve already thought of a way." "If we jump down from here, with the assistance of our descent, we might beable to fall directly at the cave''s position." Chen Changsheng did not mention that with the Black Dragon''s assistance, hehad already ascertained the distance between the surface of the pool and thecave. According to his rough calculations, there should not be any problems. Zhexiu took another glance at the pool and frowned. "What if our lives are indanger?" The cliff was too high. Even Zhexiu was not certain that he would not beknocked unconscious when he hit the water. Chen Changsheng replied, "I should be able to hold on, I don''t know if youcan." Zhexiu did not know that he had bathed in the true dragon blood of the BlackDragon, but he did know that his body was so strong that it might even betterthan that of one obtained from perfect Purification, so he was not worried. Zhexiu''s heritage was special, his purification was extremely successful, andfrom childhood, he had been engaged in countless cruel battles in the snowyplain such that his muscles and bones could be described as made of stone.However, he still had little confidence at jumping from such a height. He said,"If Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian used this pool to get to the other side, howcould they have done it?" Chen Changsheng had not thought of this problem and scratched his head."Perhaps the Mount Li Sword Sect has some sort of strange method?" What about Zhuang Huanyu?" Zhexiu asked. Chen Changsheng was somewhat stumped. "The Heavenly Dao Academy also has somesort of secret method?" Zhexiu looked at him expressionlessly and said, "With your status and positionin the Orthodoxy, do you think that if the Heavenly Dao Academy had some clueabout the Sword Pool, Mao Qiuyu wouldn''t tell you? Chen Changsheng had no response to his questions. Somewhat in a rush, he said,"Regardless, I can go through. Just say if you can or cant do." As men, even not fully matured men, nobody could say the words ''cant''. Zhexiu impassively replied, "See you on the other side." With these words, he walked over to the edge of the waterfall and jumpedwithout the slightest hesitation. His figure quickly descended down the cliffside, dashing the waterfall intoseveral jade-like strands. Chen Changsheng could not help but be startled at this scene. He silentlythought to himself, being so straightforward really catches one unawares. Then he heard a boom. A massive splash rose from the surface of the pool. Through the middle of thesplash, the depths of the pool could be seen. This was a path along whichZhexiu had proceeded. Chen Changsheng shook his head, took off his outer clothes and put them away.After making sure that the timing was right, he also leaped off the cliff. As the wind blew against him, it was broken to pieces. As the water splashedup, it was broken into pieces. The whistling sound did not have time to reachhis ears before it was thrown behind him. He became faster and faster, so that in but a moment, he had already reachedthe surface of the pool. There was no sound, only the distinct impact as he struck the surface and theresulting numbness in his face and neck. After a moment, he began to feel the pressure and wetness of the water. Assisted by the power of his descent, his body continued downwards, piercingthrough layer upon layer of obstruction. The pressure of the water continued to increase. Compared to the depth that hehad traveled, the pressure was much greater than what he had imagined, but itwas still within the range that he could withstand. Only now did he open his eyes and looked in front him, or to put it anotherway, he could see Zhexiu''s figure below him. Zhexiu was kicking his legs. It seemed that he was not having any problems. Afterwards, he looked further past Zhexiu and could faintly make out a pointof light. In a short time, he and Zhexiu had arrived at the location of the point oflight, but they found no sign of the cave that the Black Dragon had mentioned. However, at this point, they had no other option. They could only use theremainder of the falling force to continue swimming downwards. After this forcehad gradually been used up, they began to use their hands to swim through thewater. After swimming for who knows how long, they suddenly realized that thepressure exerted by the water was gradually fading. Then, they realized that the point of light was gradually growing larger,eventually engulfing their entire view. Only then did they realize the true change. They were not swimming down. They were swimming up. Splash. They finally managed to swim out. They were still in the water. They broke through the surface of the water. This place was a placid lake. The lake was vast and the forest around it wasverdant and lush. On the rocks of the shore grew all sorts of nameless flowers. Right now, they were both in the center of the lake. The depths of that pool was actually this lake. The most miraculous thing was that when the bottom of the pool was connectedto the lake, up and down were reversed, and heaven and earth exchangedpositions. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu were truly shocked by this. The scene they saw soon after made them even more shocked, so much so thattheir jaws were agape and they were at a loss for words. In the middle of the lake was a rock. It was right in front of them. On the rock sat a woman. The woman''s face was charming and beautiful. It seemed that she had also justgotten out of the water. Her entire body was wet, and her pliable clothespressed up tightly against her body, revealing her curves. Her mature andcaptivating body was completely exposed. The extraordinarily beautiful woman was in the midst of straining the waterout of her black hair. Her actions were very gentle. Her body was very gentle. Her complexion wasvery gentle. Her gaze was very gentle. She was like a just ripened fruit, like the mountain spirit which the shamansof the south offered sacrifices to or like the beauties pictured in the muralsin the capital. To young men, she was at her most captivating period, and this was the mostcaptivating scene. Chen Changsheng thought about what Zhexiu had said before, and he hadabsolutely no idea what to do. On the other side of the cliff, there actually was a lake. In the lake, there actually was a beautiful woman that had just finishedtaking a bath.
259 A Green Greener Than the Lake Water
Although it seemed like a long time had passed, in truth, it was only aninstant. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu broke through the lake water and then they saw thedrenched woman sitting on the rock in the center of the lake, combing her hair.Gawking at this scene, they felt rather silly. However, in the woman''s eyes, two heads had suddenly popped up in the middleof the lake. Naturally, this was incredibly horrifying. With a shriek of surprise, the woman had lost her head in panic and leapedinto water. Choking on the lake water, sometimes floating and sometimessinking, the woman''s beautiful appearance was filled with fear. The lake water curled up onto her light clothes. A jade color could be faintlyseen underneath the clothes. Chen Changsheng had no time to carefully ponder about the details. He beganmoving his arms and swimming towards that place where she had landed. Zhexiu said nothing, but followed behind him. After he swam to where the woman had fallen, Chen Changsheng dived into thelake. Naturally, Chen Changsheng could not close his eyes this time. Within thelake water, the woman''s clothes floated while still on her body. As shestruggled in the water, her clothes also became disheveled. Chen Changshengcould see the whiteness of her neck, and could even faintly see even morealluring places. Chen Changsheng had no reaction to all this. He thrust out his hand and tookhold of her. Having been suddenly saved, the woman instinctively came over and then tightlyhugged him, like a small bear hugging a tree. Chen Changsheng could clearly feel that his face had been buried in some placethat was very plump and soft. His waist was tight in the grasp of two thighs. This was a very rapturous position, even at such a urgent time. If he were a normal person, he probably would have been absolutely incapableof saving anyone, and he might have even sunk down together with her. Chen Changsheng would not. His right hand was clenched in a fist, ready at anytime to come down. Perhaps he was preparing to knock this panicked womanunconscious, or perhaps it was for something else. He held that woman and swam upwards. The woman calmed down somewhat andrealized that Chen Changsheng meant her no harm and had come to save her.Because she felt embarrassed, she adjusted her posture. She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her face by his. Thus, the two faces were right up close to each other. Even in the chilly water of the lake, Chen Changsheng could still feel thewarm breath that emerged from her lips and the heat that came from her body. Zhexiu swam behind Chen Changsheng, his eyes were fixed on the woman.Previously, when he had just emerged from the lake, he had very clearly seenthe insignia on the woman''s waist and judged her to be a disciple from asecluded sect in the east. However, this was not an indication of anything. He stared into her eyes, butjust what he was looking for was unknown. Finally arriving at the surface of the lake, the woman embracing ChenChangsheng''s neck looked at Zhexiu. Her eyes were no longer as panicked, norwas there anything unusual about them. This sort of calm was a problem. Soon after, Zhexiu detected the trace of a smile in the woman''s eyes. Lady, for what reason are you smiling? Zhexiu wanted to ask her this question, but he could not ask, because therewas no time to ask. The woman''s arms were wrapped around Chen Changsheng''s neck, so her fingersvery naturally pressed up against the area below his earlobes. One of the most important blood vessels was located there, as well as themeridian that was connected directly to the sea of consciousness. If that place was punctured, even if the Pope himself had personally came, hewould still be unable to save Chen Changsheng''s life. Without a sound, the woman''s fingernails suddenly began to glow with abewitching green color. The blue-green of the lake water could not obscure that shade of green. The verdant forest on the lake shore, in the face of this green, seemed tosuddenly lose all color. The woman''s nails lightly pierced inward. Nothing happened. The woman''s nails cloaked in green light were unable to pierce ChenChangsheng''s neck. As if he had sensed nothing at all, Chen Changsheng swam towards the rock inthe center of lake and seemed ready to climb onto it. The woman''s fluid glance seemed to flow slightly more, like she was somewhatastonished and shocked. Putting more strength in her fingers, she once againpierced down. Still, nothing happened. The woman''s mind was reeling with shock, because no matter how much shethought about it, she had no idea what was happening. The smear of green hidden in her fingernails was the one of the world''ssharpest magical artifacts. As long as it was not a Star Condensationcultivator, even if the cultivator had undergone perfect purification, shestill would have only required the slightest pressure to break the skin. Moreover, that smear of green itself contained the world''s most frighteningpoison. Even the most powerful monster, when afflicted by this poison, wouldnot be able to hold on for long. And yet how was it that she was unable to pierce Chen Changsheng''s skin? At this point, Chen Changsheng finally turned his head. They were both very close to each other, so much so that they could hear eachothers breathing and see the reflections of themselves in each other''s eyes. His eyes were very bright. So bright that it would cause others to get flustered. The woman looked into his eyes, looked into those eyes that shined likemirrors, and looked at her slightly pale complexion. Afterwards, something thatwas extraordinarily rare for her happened: she began to feel flustered. In Xuelao City, she had made countless demon generals dance in the palm of herhand. No matter what sort of unforeseen event she had encountered, she hadnever been flustered. However, this time, she was very flustered. Chen Changsheng''s eyes were very calm, without the slightest hint of ridicule. However, she felt that she was being ridiculed, that those eyes were filledwith nothing but ridicule. She was very angry and unwilling. Her fluid gaze flowed about once more,suddenly becoming incredibly lovely and pitiful. Her beautiful appearance, her aggrieved expression, her mature and soft body,and her innately charming demon''s magic; combined, they made up an incrediblyalluring sensation. Even if Chen Changsheng''s heart was made of stone, he should have felt pity.At the very least, he would not kill her immediately, even more so since he wasonly fifteen years old. As long as she could make it until he turned away for a moment, then she stillhad a chance; that was her thinking. Sadly, reality never agreed with the plans of humans, and the same was truefor demons. Chen Changsheng had no reaction, like he had not even seen her face. He wasnot affected in the slightest by her demon magic. He held her arms as tightly as iron bands. The woman''s color slightly changed. A harsh whistle burst out of her whips,then her clothes split apart like spider webs and an extremely powerful Qisuddenly emerged. If it was measured in terms of human cultivation levels, the Qi that sheemitted was comparable to the upper level of Ethereal Opening, which was thesame as Chen Changsheng. Moreover, the true essence that was released was manytimes more. Chen Changsheng''s body began to fiercely tremble, but he did not loosen hisgrip. Holding her tight, he broke through the lake and leaped into the azure sky. With one leap, he covered dozens of yards. Afterwards, he landed on top of the rock in the center of the lake. In this short period of time, he had used the Yeshi Step to make himself falleven faster. Holding the woman tightly, he was like a stone, falling towards the rock inthe middle of the lake. Boom! The rock in the middle of the lake suddenly split apart. At least one third ofit collapsed and fell into the lake. In the face of such powerful force, Chen Changsheng was no longer able keephis grip and he went flying back into the lake. The woman was in even more miserable straits. Under that fierce attack, it wasunknown how many bones had been broken in her nigh-perfect demon body. Her facewas pale and two lines of blood streamed from the corners of her lips. At this moment, another shadow came to attack. Zhexiu had come. Swish swish swish. Several streaks of light exploded in the air above the rock. Afterwards came a yell filled with anger and pain. Even if the woman''s cultivation level had been greater and her true essencewas even more powerful, she was unable to block Zhexius attack after havingher sea of consciousness shaken by Chen Changsheng''s attack and being caughtoff guard. Those streaks of light had emerged from Zhexiu''s fingers. His fingers had grown several extremely sharp and metallic claws, which hadleft several extremely deep and bloody marks on the woman''s body. When Zhexiu roamed the world and hunted demons, he never needed weapons. Hisweapons were his two hands. He knew more than anyone else where the weakestpoints of the bodies of the demons were. Seething with anger atop the rock, the woman gave an angry hiss. Her left handshot out to press Zhexiu onto the rock. However, in a flash, the extremities ofher fingers had been severed by Zhexiu''s claws. At this moment, Chen Changsheng had also come. The blue-green of the lake suddenly turned a fiery red, like this was theplace where the sun had chosen to set. The evening clouds of the twilight enveloped the rock in the lake''s center. Wenshui Sword''s Third Move, Hanging Sunset! Borrowing the power of the sword, Chen Changsheng swiftly moved from the wateronto the rock. Once his two feet landed on the rock, he concentrated the swordenergy, then with a clank, the dagger left its sheath. This was the first time that the dagger at his waist had truly left itssheath. There was a crisp swish. The glow of sunset suffused the sky, and the rock at the center of the lakehad a warm red color. Using some sort of demon technique, the woman had maneuvered her right handuntil it was only half a chi from Chen Changsheng''s throat, yet it couldproceed no further. That was because her right hand had been severed and had been sent flyinginto the air. The woman gave a wretched cry, and then her body disappeared. Stepping overthe water, moving hurriedly backwards, with a few steps, she had arrived at theshore. Who would have thought that Zhexiu had long already gotten there before her? With water splashing all about, Zhexiu swung his arm. In a flash of light, anadditional line of blood appeared on the woman''s ankle and she collapsed on thebeach. Chen Changsheng''s sword pierced through the air, which the woman was barelyable to avoid, only for Zhexiu to straddle her body. Zhexiu''s fingernails pressed against her throat. The tip of his sharp clawshad already pierced an extremely difficult to find cartilage in her throat. If he exerted the slightest amount of strength, her throat would end up beingpierced. The woman''s pupils contracted and she did not dare to make another move. Only at this point did her severed hand finally land in the lake. Only now did that stream of blood, which followed her as she rushed across thelake, finally fall into the water. The clear water of the lake, by the blood, was dyed a deeper shade of green. The blood that had dripped onto the beach looked like patches of moss. Her blood was actually green. Chen Changsheng walked out of the lake, lifted up his dagger, and walked overto the two. The woman did not have a single thread of clothes and she was being straddledby Zhexiu. This would have seemed to be very erotic, but it was not, becauseZhexiu''s fingernail were still tucked into her throat. Seeing the green blood that flowed from that woman''s severed wrist, ChenChangsheng was somewhat at a loss. He could not recall the color of blood fromthat member of the Yeshi tribe who he had encountered in the Orthodox Academyhad. This was not his first battle, but it was his first battle that was so fierceand where it mattered between life and death. He had seen blood before, but rarely had he seen such a bloody scene. Most importantly, this was his battle, and some of this scene had been causedby his actions. Since he was but a youth, he still had not adapted much towards scenes likethis, so he was momentarily speechless. Zhexiu was very used to it, so he was very calm. The woman''s face was very pale and her expression was delicate and weak.Matched with her beautiful looks, it was easy for her appearance to arouse pityin others. However, Zhexiu''s face had no expression whatsoever. The woman determined that she would be unable to entice the two young humans,so she finally gave up. She stared up at the azure sky. Her chest heaved gentlyup and down, and her beautiful face became pale.
260 You Carry the Pole and Isll Carry the Pot Husband and Wife
The woman''s clothing had been destroyed in the course of the battle and hadfallen into the lake. Her silky skin was covered with tiny droplets of water.The tiny droplets faintly trembled against the chilly wind of the lake. Itmatched with her gentle curves that slowly moved up and down and made made fora very alluring picture for a woman lying flat on the beach with two young menin front of her; this was a very shameful and embarrassing matter. However, herface was expressionless, not showing an opinion on anything. It was not becauseof her severed hand or the claws in her throat, but for some other reason. The assassination had begun too quickly and had ended even quicker. The tideof battle had shifted so rapidly that it seemed to have never shifted at all,as if Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu had known everything from the very beginning.Consequently, the preceding sequences of events seemed very natural andlogical, only just why was this the case? How were these two human youths ableto see through her plan? How come the Peacock Plume was unable to piercethrough Chen Changsheng''s skin? Why were the actions of these two youths sofierce and cold-hearted, even surpassing her own ferocity? Because of the wolf claws that were still sunken into her throat, she couldnot move her head, and could only move her eyes. She moved between Zhexiu''sface, which was very close, to Chen Changsheng''s face, which was by his side.The perplexion in her eyes increased by the second. The air of immaturityclearly still hung about the faces of these two youths, so how was it that theypossessed such maturity above their ages and carried such deceit? She could not speak, so she naturally had no means to voice her question andcould only communicate through her eyes. It was often the case that thevictorious side would give a very mild-mannered explanation of what hadhappened when they saw this sort of expression. This was the victor''s privilegeand honor, but Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu had not given her a singleexplanation at all. They kept focused their attention on the surroundings,maintaining their vigilance. They had never been very good at explanations, andexplaining had always been a meaningless affair. It served only as a waste oftime, and to waste time was to endanger their lives. Not to mention, the matterhad yet to be concluded. "The scene of you sitting on the rock and combing your hair was truly verybeautiful, but anybody could tell that something was up. Crucially, we hadfailed to grasp that Principal Chen had, for some reason, obtained a body thatwas even stronger than the one obtained from a perfect Purification. ThePeacock Plume can pierce through the skin of any normal Star Condensationexpert, yet it could not pierce his neck. From that point, your defeat wasdecided." A voice called out from the forest. It was a very steady voice that would givepeople a sense of familiarity. It was like the auntie from next door that wasexplaining how she had cooked this pot roast. However, the color of Zhexiu''sface suddenly changed as he stared into the forest. The fingers from his righthand that had been sunk into that woman''s throat began to glow white, ready tokill her at any point. He seemed very tense. His tension arose due to that voice, and even more so from the ''Peacock Plume''that had been mentioned by the owner of that voice. This made him think of onlyone person. Chen Changsheng knew that Zhexiu had an innate sense for danger and anincomparable understanding of the demons, so naturally he also grew tense. "After those two emerged from the water, Principal Chen used some sort ofmethod to convince the wolf cub. He made you take action, then took advantageof your momentary lack of vigilance to counterattack, thus grasping the keymoment. Although you are so skilled at speed and strength, displaying them totheir fullest extent, Zhexiu was concealed behind you and waited for theopportunity to strike You must know that the wolf is most skilled at patientlywaiting, then making the fatal strike. You wanted to ambush and kill the two ofthem, but you were the one that ended up being ambushed in the end." "Why was the sword so fast, it could directly cut off your hand? Because thetrue essence on its surface was too forceful. Why did your demon charm magicfail to entice him? Because his heart is guarded by the thousands of scrolls ofthe Daoist Canon. As for the wolf cub, everyone is an enemy in his eyes, sothere is no difference to him between a man and a woman." The voice continued to speak, full of praise and admiration. "Your cultivationwas above theirs, yet they managed to suppress you in every respect......trulyextraordinary children. Even I feel somewhat intimidated. They are truly worthyof being named by the venerable military advisor as the future of humanity thatmust be killed. If we were to let them continue to mature, in a few decades,who in Xuelao City would be their match?" With the rustling of grass and fallen leaves, the woman who was speakingwalked out of the forest, but she was not alone. By her side was a middle-agedman. The woman''s face was very composed and she had a gentle expression. Herclothing was plain and simple, and in her hand was an extremely large iron pot.As she ambled over, she continued to speak. She really did seem like the auntiefrom the next door. An even more prudent person would find it hard to hold anyill will towards these people or be too wary of them. The middle-aged man''s face was very commonplace and he seemed extremelywell-behaved. From the start, he had said nothing. On his shoulders, hesupported a carrying pole. The carrying pole was bent to an excessive degreeand yet, had not snapped, making people wonder just what the pole was made of.At the same time, it indicated just how heavy the item being carried inside was. Seeing the man and woman, Zhexiu''s pupils contracted. He quickly placed hisfeet on the floor and stood up, then swiftly moved behind Chen Changsheng. Theentire time, he still had his claws in the lady''s throat. He was not using ChenChangsheng as a shield, but was rather preventing the couple from taking backthe hostage. This signified that even if he could kill the woman with the slightestmovement, he had no confidence that she would not get taken away by the man andwoman. Just who were they? Chen Changsheng looked at the two horns that sprouted from the man''s head. Thehand gripping the hilt of his sword felt somewhat moist. Besides the imperialclan, all mature demons would grow a pair of demon horns. As they grew in ageand power, these horns would grow longer. For this man''s demon horns to be solong, just how strong was he? "Let me introduce ourselves. We are husband and wife." The wife gave Chen Changsheng a warm smile and said softly, "I am Liu Wan''erof the Treasured Vase. I am virtuous and patient. In handling things, I amhonest and attentive. He is my lover, his name is Teng Xiaoming of the GreenBull. He''s somewhat slow, so in the past, I''ve even called him Chenwen (calm).He likes to spend the entire day at home doing nothing. He truly does not haveany future prospects. To say that he did not have any future prospects seemed to be a reproach, butthe gaze she gave towards the middle-aged man was full of love and admiration. The middle-aged man gave a hearty laugh but did not say anything. Chen Changsheng kept his eye warily on the couple. His lips barely moving, heused an extremely soft voice to ask Zhexiu, "What treasured vase and greenbull?" Although his voice had been so soft, his words had still ended up in the earsof the demon wife called Liu Wan''er. Zhexiu''s face was somewhat pale. "If you connect the stars in a region, theybecome an image. The demons believe that every person is associated with adifferent star region, which influences their fate and character. This was the first time Chen Changsheng had ever heard of such a thing. Liu Wan''er smiled. "The rarer it is, the more value one places on it. Werarely get to see the stars, so within our culture, we place even more hiddenmeanings in the starfields. In this aspect, I''ve always felt you humans to belacking respect, always wishing that this world was without the sacred Moon." Chen Changsheng thought to himself that if he had not memorized the DaoistCanon, then he would have probably been like the rest of the people on thecontinent, not knowing that at the end of the snowy plains where the demonslived, a Moon existed. Liu Wan''er''s gaze swept past his shoulder and rested on Zhexiu''s face. Hersmile gradually faded as she asked gravely, "So you''re that wolf cub?" Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Changsheng saw that Zhexiu''s face wassomewhat pale. He could not help but feel somewhat astonished. Just who wasthis husband and wife pair that had made Zhexiu react like so? "The twenty-third Demon General, the twenty-fourth Demon General" Zhexiusaid with a hoarse voice, "How did you two enter the Garden of Zhou?" Amongst the demons, there was an incredibly famous couple. Both husband andwife were Demon Generals, and their strength were tyrannical to the extreme.Moreover, it was rumored that they were extremely ruthless. Right at this moment, they were facing that same couple. Over the course of the years, Zhexiu had killed many demons. However, in thevast majority of these cases, he had been wandering the snowy plains,concealing himself for many of the days and then killing off solitary demonsoldiers. Demon Generals were not opponents he could defeat. Even he, who had broken through into Ethereal Opening and gained a largeincrease in strength, had no hope of besting the husband and wife duo. He did not understand how this powerful Demon General couple was able to enterthe Garden of Zhou. It was well known that the Garden of Zhou only permittedEthereal Opening cultivators. Chen Changsheng had not even thought that the couple were both Demon Generals. The husband and wife wore simple clothes and straw sandals. One of them held acarrying pole and the other carried a pot; no matter how someone looked atthem, they were just like a couple selling food. Where was any of the bearingof a Demon General? Only then did he suddenly realize that the middle-aged man was carrying aperson in his carrying pole a young girl. Her outer clothing had already beentaken off, leaving only a white undergarment. However, it was tightly woven sonothing that should not have been revealed was revealed. The girl was verypretty. With her eyes shut and her eyelashes unmoving, she was probablyunconscious. Chen Changsheng thought of a certain matter. When the woman that had beenheavily injured by Zhexiu and him was combing her hair on the rock, she hadbeen wearing the robes of a secluded sect from the east The very pretty girlwho was unconscious in the carrying pole was most likely that sect''s disciple. Originally, the mountains and lake were incomparably beautiful, and thathusband and wife seemed so gentle and even simple. However, when they appearedon the scene, the entire world suddenly became much more sinister. Theunconscious girl in the carrying pole and the woman that had Zhexiu''s clawsburied in her throat made the scene take on an even stranger atmosphere. The demon race was blessed by the heavens. Their bodies could be considered asperfect and they would rarely get sick. Likewise, their meridians were perfectso they cultivate all sorts of different methods. They were different fromhumans. When they cultivated, they did not absorb starlight, but an even purerform of energy. At the same level of cultivation, demons were innately strongerthan humans, let alone the fact that their opponents were two Demon Generals.Based on cultivation levels alone, it was enough for them to be crushed. "Call for others." Zhexiu whispered. Chen Changsheng understood his meaning. They had leapt from the waterfall tofind the Sword Pool, and at the same, it was because they thought that LiangXiaoxiao, Qi Jian, and Zhuang Huanyu would also be there. In a two-on- two situation, their loss was guaranteed. If Liang Xiaoxiao andthe others were to promptly appear, they had a chance of victory. Only, how should they call out? Just yell out into the forest and the lake forsomeone to come quickly? Just as he was seriously pondering this matter, Zhexiu''s hand came from behindand offered him an item. This was the Cloud-Piercing Arrow that was commonly used by the Great ZhouArmy. It required the use of both hands to fire. Chen Changsheng took the Cloud-Piercing Arrow and exerted a little strength.
261 The Heavenly Principle of ‘Demons Eat Humans, Humans Eat Dragons’
A single Cloud-Piercing Arrow. Afterwards, the lakeshore returned to silence. The demon wife called Liu Wan''er looked at the woman whose throat was beingpierced by Zhexiu and sighed. "My lady, although you obstinately insisted onyour own path and were injured because you underestimated the enemy, we can''tjust watch you die like this." She turned to Chen Changsheng and the gentle smile reappeared on her face. Shesincerely said, "Little friend, you see, what do you think about exchanginghostages?" Along with her voice, that middle-aged demon man called Teng Xiaoming slowlyturned around, bringing the basket that was behind him to the front. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu could clearly see the marks of tears still evidenton that female cultivator''s face. Zhexiu was expressionless. It was his custom to never do anything meaninglesson the battlefield, let alone throw himself into a dangerous position. Regardless of the status of the woman that he currently had his fingernailsdug into, as long as she was truly able to use the Peacock Plume, then she wasqualified to serve as their protective charm. As for that unconscious human girl who might have been the female disciple ofthat eastern hidden sect, what did she have to do with him? Chen Changsheng was also not one to do meaningless things, but he had adifference in opinion. He believed that as long as this human girl would beable to live, this matter most definitely had meaning. However, he also clearly understood that whether it was fighting or dealingwith demons, Zhexiu by surpassed him in terms of experience. As a result, hemaintained his silence as to not disturb Zhexiu''s decision. "Once we exchange hostages, you two can just kill us." Zhexiu said to thedemon couple. Liu Wan''er said to him very seriously, "I will swear on the name of myancestors that you must die within the Garden of Zhou. However, I can also vowthat as long as you agree to this exchange, I can give you a one hour headstart. If I break this vow, then may the heavens punish me and the earthextinguish me." Zhexiu''s expression remained unchanging. "The promises of demons areequivalent to the promises of humans, all lies." Liu Wan''er calmly replied, "How could I make you trust me?" Zhexiu responded, "The first thing you could do to make us trust you is totell us what sort of person this woman is, to be worth honoring your pledgefor." Liu Wan''er glanced at her husband, then said, "She is Lady Nanke......" "I don''t believe you." Zhexiu did not wait for her to finish the sentence. "Ifshe really was Nanke, then even if Chen Changsheng and I had been even moreprepared, we would still be lying dead in the lake." The word he said were like so, and his heart was also certain of it, and yethe was puzzled. Previously when he had examined that woman''s hair, he hadconfirmed that there were no demon horns. For such a proud and powerful demonwoman to face him and Chen Changsheng, underestimate them, and not even havedemon horns, who else would it be other than the legendary Nanke? Chen Changsheng did not know who Nanke was, but whenever that name wasmentioned, the demon couple''s faces grew very solemn and respectful, whileZhexiu''s breathing became somewhat ragged. "Those human cultivators in the Garden of Zhou, it seems to me that it was youlot that poisoned them?" Seeing Liu Wan''er with the pot in hand and Teng Xiaoming with the carryingpole on his shoulder, he suddenly thought of this matter. Liu Wan''er did not respond directly to his questions. With a gentle andsincere gaze, she said, "From the time you all entered the Garden of Zhou, weknew your exact positions. The people we want to kill were also you. After wekill you, we will take our leave. If you want less people to die, then youmight as well cooperate with us." Cooperate? How should we cooperate? Cooperate by you killing us? Or was itsuicide? This clearly preposterous matter, but when it was said so sincerelyand seriously by her, it actually gained an indescribable type ofpersuasiveness. Chen Changsheng stared blankly at her and said, "For you toinfiltrate the Garden of Zhou, how many people do you plan to kill? Just thetwo of us?" Liu Wan''er gave off the feeling that she would say everything she knew, andthat she would not stop until she had finished. She said, "The venerableMilitary Advisor said that you were the future of humanity, and so you mustdie. Besides the two of you, there are still other targets, but it''sinconvenient to inform you of them." Chen Changsheng replied, "The Divine State''s Seven Laws sent twopeople......Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian, these are definitely people you want tokill." Liu Wan''er smiled. "Makes sense." Chen Changsheng continued, "Although there are several other upper levelEthereal Opening seniors that have entered the Garden of Zhou, they are alreadytoo old. Their chances of breaking into the next realm aren''t that great." Liu Wan''er nodded. "Not bad, there is no way the venerable Military Advisorwould care about such rotten and incapable seniors." In the world of cultivation, no matter how one looked at it, the upper levelof Ethereal Opening was already considered the realm of experts. Even if ittook slightly longer to cultivate to that level, was it deserving of beingcalled rotten and incapable? Chen Changsheng was somewhat at a loss for wordsas he said, "Since you are targeting younger people, then you''ve definitelybeen carefully observing this year''s Grand Examination examinees...... ZhuangHuanyu?" Zhong Hui and Su Moyu had remained in the Mausoleum of Books, and he couldonly think of Zhuang Huanyu''s name. "Who is Zhuang Huanyu?" Liu Wan''er knit her brow and turned to her husband. Teng Xiaoming obediently replied, "Heavenly Dao Academy Mao Qiuyu''s student.He''s rather good." Liu Wan''er chuckled and shook her head, then turned back to Chen Changsheng,"I don''t even remember his name, so how could the venerable Military Advisorremember it?" Chen Changsheng continued, "To be remembered by the famous Black Robe......Idon''t know if I should be honored or scared." Liu Wan''er smiled, then replied, "The venerable Military Advisor wanted tokill Luoluo, but then you came out of nowhere to destroy his plans. How couldhe forget you?" Chen Changsheng remained silent. "Let''s quickly exchange hostages then." Liu Wan''er said with a sincereexpression. "With an hour to run away, you''ll be able to live another hour atthe very least. If, while chasing after the two of you, we happen to come uponthose two children from Mount Li, perhaps you can live even longer." "If......she really is Nanke." Zhexiu glanced at the dying demon woman in his grasp and impassivelycontinued, "Then regardless of who that girl in your carrying pole, whatqualifications does she have to be exchanged with Nanke?" Liu Wan''er replied, "You should be able to guess that this girl is a discipleof that secluded sect in the east. If we''re discussing groups, then she''s inthe same group as the Pope. Are you saying that she doesn''t have thequalifications?" Chen Changsheng said nothing, while Zhexiu indifferently said, "I''m not amember of the Orthodoxy, so I don''t have any relationship with the Pope. Inexchanging hostages, I only care about fair or not fair." Liu Wan''er sternly replied. "Fair? That''s reasonable......you''ve destroyed allher clothes, so we can''t give the clothes along with the girl." As the words fell from her mouth, without her seemingly taking any actionwhatsoever, with only the sound of tearing, the undergarment of the unconscioussplit apart like butterflies and danced into the air. In an instant, that girl''s body was devoid of clothing. Her fair and youthfulbody was revealed, looking just like a white lamb. Her arms wrapped around her legs, curled up in a basket; this picture had asort of indescribable attractiveness. Chen Changsheng angled his body so that he could not see it directly. Zhexiu had no reaction. He stared right at it, as if he had seen nothing atall. They were both alike in the cool-headedness, not showing the slightest sign ofpanic. Liu Wan''er continued to smile. Her expression remained gentle, but in herheart, she was somewhat surprised. After a moment, she slowly continued, "Onlywithout clothes......it''s still not fair." Chen Changsheng seemed to think of something and his expression changed. Hewas prepared to say words to stop her, but he was not fast enough. An extremely beautiful blade glow appeared on the lake shore. A scarlet spray of blood spilled out. The pretty girl''s right hand had been severed at the wrist. The severed hand plopped on to the ground. Teng Xiaoming slowly crouched down and picked it up, then turned to Liu Wan''erand said, "For tonight''s dinner, should we steam it or fry it?" This was the second sentence this Demon General had said today. He was talking about eating human flesh. As he said these words, he maintained his straightforward and honestexpression, as if he were discussing a very ordinary matter. Liu Wan''er thought the matter over, then said, "It''s better to boil it inplain water, it will be more fragrant." She said this very calmly and casually, just like when she was speaking fromthe forest, as if describing how to cook pot-roast. This time she wasdescribing how to cook a hand. Chen Changsheng''s face paled somewhat, and his body grew stiff. Zhexiu remained calm. He knew from the rumors of the cruel deeds that thisseemingly straightforward and plain Demon General couple were famous for. In addition, on the snowy plains, he had also eaten meat that was forbidden. Liu Wan''er chuckled, "You see, isn''t it fair now?" Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu had cut off the demon woman''s hand. Now, Demon General couple had severed that human girl''s hand. It seemed to be very fair. In Chen Changsheng''s eyes, this demon wife''s amiable and sincere smile hadsuddenly become extremely frightening. He looked at her in silence for a while, then said very earnestly, "Can younot eat human flesh?" Liu Wan''er could only stare. She had thought of many ways in which these twohuman teenagers would respond to this scene. Perhaps they would put up a strongfront and say they that were not afraid, or perhaps vomit in revulsion, ormaybe coldly ignore it. However, she had never imagined that Chen Changshengwould so earnestly urge her to not eat human flesh. She saw that Chen Changsheng was so earnest, so she also became more earnestthan she had ever been. In this world, there was some earnestness that was truly worthy of admiration. She asked Chen Changsheng, "Do you eat meat?" Chen Changsheng replied, "Yes." She asked, "What crimes did chickens and ducks commit?" Zhexiu suddenly said, "The weak are prey to the strong." Liu Wan''er smiled, "We are stronger than you humans, so why can''t we treat youas food?" Chen Changsheng replied, "You are all intelligent. We can speak andcommunicate." Liu Wan''er looked into his eyes, then said very earnestly, "But you humansonce ate dragons." Chen Changsheng was speechless. He really had not known that humans had onceeaten dragons. At this moment, he realized that the hilt of his dagger was trembling. "I am a human, so I have to advise you to not eat human flesh." After a moment of silence, he continued, "Just as if I were a dragon, I wouldprevent humans from eating dragon flesh." "So in the end it''s still a matter of perspective." Liu Wan''er smiled. Chen Changsheng shook his head. "I would never eat a dragon that could talk,even if it would give me all sorts of benefits......I think that, perhaps, theperson who ate dragons could not even be considered a person......at least inmy view." At these words, Liu Wan''er was quiet, and then said, "That person may alreadynot be considered a person." As this housewifethe twenty-third Demon Generalwas recalling the past, ChenChangsheng and Zhexiu glanced at each other. Afterwards, Chen Changsheng took a step back. The two teenagers stood shoulder to shoulder. Then, afterwards, Chen Changsheng used his right hand to grab onto his daggerand move it behind his waist.
262 The Invisible Wing
This was the first time, ever since Chen Changsheng and the Black Dragon hadgotten to know each other, that the Black Dragon had agreed to help withoutfirst negotiating some benefit. This was because that demon had stirred somerather unhappy memories. That giant iron pot made her feel especially annoyed,and when that demon woman brought up that man who had eaten dragons, it madeher even more annoyed. The Black Dragon left Chen Changsheng''s hand, turning into a shadow that wasinvisible to the naked eye. It surged towards the center of the lake, thennoiselessly dived down like a falling leaf. It easily followed that tunnelwhich reversed the sky and earth and returned to the chilly pool by the cliff.Bursting through the water, it flew towards the gardens. With her current level of strength, she was incapable of influencing thisbattle. Chen Changsheng had given her the task of warning others and searchingfor assistance. In Chen Changsheng''s opinion, it would have been good if shewere simply able to find those seniors from the various sects that were at theupper level of Ethereal Opening, but she did not think this way. She knew verywell just who amongst the human cultivators in these gardens was the strongest.The world within the Garden of Zhou was vast, but her luck was good. It was notmuch time before she found that solitary young lady dressed in white, walkingon a cliff. It was just that, for some reason, she felt a little cold andafraid when she saw the bow and arrow on that young lady''s body. At this moment, Teng Xiaoming arched his brows and glanced off into thedistance. As the twenty-fourth Demon General, he was incredibly strong.Although the Black Dragon had left like lightning and without a sound, he hadstill managed to sense some movement. However, that Black Dragon was truly toofast, so fast that he had barely seen anything. "Since Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian are also people you want to kill, then Iunderstand now." Chen Changsheng said to Liu Wan''er. When he had previouslyused the Cloud-Piercing Arrow, the husband and wife pair had not elicited asingle reaction, which he felt to be somewhat odd. Now, it seemed that thisdemon couple had purposefully ignored his call for help as to bring LiangXiaoxiao and Qi Jian over so that they could kill them all together. Liu Wan''er looked at him and smiled, "If we can use the shortest amount oftime to resolve all our problems, then that''s for the best." Chen Changsheng looked at that dying demon woman whose throat had been piercedby Zhexiu and still felt he had some misgivings that were impossible to resolve. "I really don''t understand where you two get the confidence from, thinkingthat you can win two against four." Zhexiu expressionlessly said, "If this was outside the Garden of Zhou,, Iwould have definitely used this opportunity to escape considering the fiercereputation of the twenty-third and twenty-fourth Demon Generals. But since youused some sort of method to forcefully suppress your cultivation and enter theGarden of Zhou, then you can only use that cultivation to fight. At the verymost, your power is still limited to that of the upper level of EtherealOpening." Liu Wan''er calmly looked at him and said, "Self-confidence is the foundationof the strong." "But did you know? Chen Changsheng is like me, neither of us are one forwords." Zhexiu suddenly said. Liu Wan''er arched her brows, then asked inquisitively, "This isn''t somethingthat''s easy to see." Zhexiu said, "You and him speaking so much, as well as this conversation I''mhaving with you; in reality we share the same goal as you......we''re all justbuying time." Liu Wan''ers brows went up even higher. "Why?" "What you said is very correct. Self-confidence is the foundation of thestrong." Zhexiu continued, "Chen Changsheng is very confident that he is much strongerthan the Chen Changsheng you have imagined. Coincidentally, I happen to thinkthe same way about myself." At this moment, a cold and proud voice rang out from the forest. "Not bad, I also happen to think this way." With these words, two youths dressed in plain sword uniforms walked out of thewoods. The disciples of Mount Li had finally arrived. They had already prepared for battle. Their bodies were cloaked in swordintent. They faced that Demon General couple, with their fresh and cool sword Qi thatwas dazzling to the eye. A bit farther off into the forest, a clothed figure could faintly be seen.Zhuang Huanyu was probably going to arrive soon as well. A huge change had just occurred in this scene. Five young human geniuses against two demon experts; no matter from whatangle, it seemed like a worthy fight.Moreover, the odds of success were ratherhigh. As Zhexiu had said, regardless of how tyrannical this Demon General couplewere outside of the Garden of Zhou, the greatest strength they could use insideof the Garden of Zhou was that of the upper level of Ethereal Opening. However, Chen Changsheng was still confused by one thing. Why were they stillso confident? Liu Wan''er''s expression remained as gentle as ever, unlike the fearsome foethat Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian had thought they were confronting at all.Looking at Chen Changsheng, she said, "Even if we must battle, we should atleast exchange hostages first." She held the life of the female disciple from a secluded sect in the east inher hands. The demon woman''s life rested in Zhexiu''s fingertips. "You are the Principal of the Orthodox Academy. You''re so young, even I thinkthat the Pope is just messing around" Liu Wan''er looked at him and chuckled, "But you''re still a member of the LiPalace. Presumably, you won''t watch a fellow human die in front of you. TheLongevity Sect is an orthodox sect of a profound school. Although they say thatMount Li is good at killing, that doesn''t mean that you two can just watch asyour fellow human dies. Wofu Zhexiu is a wolf cub who only needs to eat meat tolive, but none of you can do that." After she was finished with her words, Zhexiu glanced at Chen Changsheng. In the snowy plains, he was a wolf youth who had given respect to no one. WhatLi Palace, what Mount Li? It all had nothing to do with him, so long as hecould live and kill his enemies. However, after his journey to the capital, hehad fixed his position. Within the Garden of Zhou, he was Chen Changsheng''sbodyguard. Chen Changsheng glanced at Qi Jian, and Qi Jian glanced at Liang Xiaoxiao. "Exchange." Chen Changsheng and Liang Xiaoxiao simultaneously said. Qi Jian nodded his head, indicating that this was how it should be. Zhexiusaid nothing. Liu Wan''er lightly waved her sleeve, and by some mysterious means, that girlin Teng Xiaoming''s basket whose right hand had been cut off awoke. Suddenly awakening, the first thing she felt was pain. The girl''s face suddenly became deathly pale. Two lines of tears fell from hereyes, but she bit down on her teeth. Besides an initial groan, she actually didnot make another sound. Seeing this scene, even Zhexiu was moved, as if he felt some pity andadmiration. Qi Jian quickly took off his outer garment and threw it over so that she coulduse it to cover herself. Only then did the girl realize that she was naked. After the momentary shock,she looked hatefully into Liu Wan''er''s eyes. Liu Wan''er smiled, but paid her no attention otherwise. "Please don''t be confused." Liang Xiaoxiao then gave a most concise summary ofthe current situation. "Many thanks to my fellow Daoists for their assistance." The girl gave a slight bow of appreciation. Wearing a slightly tight robe overone''s naked body, who would not have felt somewhat embarrassed? With her purewhite legs pressed against the sandy beach, who would not have felt somewhathelpless? However, her pretty face showed no sign of panic. She was like somenoble daughter, still wearing the clothes she wore inside the house. The admiration in Zhexiu''s eyes increase. Qi Jian glanced over at him, then gave a mental snort. That disciple from a secluded sect in the east who was like a noble daughterbegan to walk towards Chen Changsheng. Liu Wan''er and her husband made no attempt to stop her. It was hard to walk on the lakeshore. Moreover, she had just lost her hand andbled a lot of blood. This was her weakest moment, but she walked very steadily.She most likely did not want to add any new variables to the situation. After a while, she arrived in front of Chen Changsheng and the others. Qi Jian took two steps forward and offered an arm in support. On that beautiful face appeared a strand of shame and defiance. Qi Jian realized what he was doing, then with some mumbling, withdrew his handand stood to the side. Chen Changsheng nodded at Zhexiu. Zhexiu withdrew his sharp claws and grabbed the shoulder of that demon woman,preparing to return her to the demon couple. A change. A change that was absolutely going to happen. A change that several people had been waiting in silence to happen for a longtime. In this moment, it finally happened. The first place to change was at Zhexiu''s location. Just as he was about totoss the demon woman into the air, that dying demon woman who had seemed readyto drop dead at any moment suddenly opened her eyes. Her two legs chopped towards Zhexiu''s throat like two swords suffused with acold light. Blood was still flowing from the hole in her throat, and it still dripped fromher severed wrist. From the time she had been suppressed, she had not said a single word.Everyone had thought that she had no more strength to fight. No one had imagined that she was waiting for that instant in which Zhexiuremoved his claws from her throat. The next change occurred in front of Qi Jian. Just as he was mumbling and turning his body, the shame on that femaledisciple from a secluded sect from the east disappeared, and there was onlyindifference. A frigid sword pierced through her robe. Carrying a terrifying Qi, it wasthrust toward Qi Jian''s throat. The robe was originally Qi Jian''s. She had exploited Qi Jian''s kindheartedness and courtesy. The changes had begun, but naturally this was not all. Qi Jian did not turn around. He seemed totally unprepared, about to die underthis woman''s sneak attack, but then a bright sword glow emerged. The Mount Li Relic Sword. Fair and honest, but absolutely not gentle. It carried an austere aura. Although he was small and thin, Qi Jian''s sword carried a massive Qi. How could the crafty sneak attack overcome Qi Jian''s accumulated power, hisheartless and shameless sword? Qi Jian''s Mount Li Relic Sword flew towards the sword in the woman''s hand,whistling through the air. With a swish, a line of blood appeared on her neck. If that woman''s movement techniques had not been so strange, and if Qi Jian''sbattle experience was not so sparse, then perhaps his sword would have beheadedthat woman. Even Qi Jian had prepared for a sneak attack, so there was no need to discussabout whether Zhexiu had. As that demon woman''s two legs chopped towards him like swords, Zhexiu''s handswere already waiting for them in the air. Several muffled squelches resounded like a knife chopping onto a rotten,wooden board. Zhexiu''s ten fingers had all buried themselves into that demon woman''s ankles,causing blood to spurt out. The demon woman gave a miserable cry of anger. Zhexiu''s expression was indifferent. He extracted his fingers, then his bodyvanished. His two hands fell from the air, prepared to tear this woman topieces. Just at this moment, Teng Xiaoming put down his carrying pole, removed the tworopes that kept the baskets tied to the pole, and swung them around. As if they were alive, the two ropes wrapped around the two women. With a whoosh, those two women were narrowly pulled out of the range of QiJian and Zhexiu''s attacks. That woman who had been feigning as a disciple of a secluded sect in the eastmaintained her indifferent and dignified expression, like a noble daughter.Only this time, half her chest was stained with blood, making her seem quitemiserable. The demon woman was even more miserable. From the time where she was combingher hair on the rock, she had suffered injury after injury. She could no longerhold on and directly collapsed onto the ground. With a shashing, Chen Changsheng''s dagger was sheathed. Liang Xiaoxiaos sword had been unsheathed and rested in his hand. The previous sneak attack and counterattack had happened too fast. Althoughthey had prepared, they still did not have time to unsheathe their weapons. It must be said that Teng Xiaoming was truly worthy of his title as thetwenty-fourth Demon General. In terms of foresight, knowledge, experience, andstrength, he was far above the humans present. The lakeshore once again grew quiet. That demon woman sat gasping for breath on the ground, not caring that she wasstark naked. She stared hatefully at Chen Changsheng and the others, saying, "Iwon''t accept this." The woman wearing Qi Jian''s robe arched her brows, an annoyed expressionappearing on her face. "Don''t mind this stupid thing. How did you see throughme?" The demon woman angrily replied, "Are you calling me a stupid thing?" The woman shook her head, as if she was unwilling to pay her any attention.Looking at Qi Jian, she asked, "How did you know that I would attack you?" Qi Jian glanced at Zhexiu and said, "I didn''t know, he told me." The woman turned towards Zhexiu and arched her brows. "Then how did you seethat I was Nanke?" Hearing the name Nanke, Zhexiu''s expression became very grave. Observing herin silence, he confirmed once more and shook his head, "You''re not Nanke......Isaid before, if you were Nanke, then none of this would be necessary. You coulddirectly come out and kill us, no need for any of these troublesome andannoying plans." The woman creased her brow, "Then how did you see through it? I don''t have anydemon horns, and my blood is red." That demon woman''s ability to recover was truly frightening. After sufferingsuch severe injuries, she only needed to sit for a few moments before standingup once more. Her face was filled with anger as she said, "Right! So what if myblood is green, I spent a few days making a new haircut and cut off too much,so I couldn''t completely hide my demon horns. It''s nothing if you saw mymistake. But what about this girl? Her blood is clearly red with no horns to beseen, so how could you tell that she was one of us?" Chen Changsheng and the others all turned to Zhexiu, not knowing how he hadseen through it. After a long period of silence, Zhexiu replied, "You did it too purposefully,as if you wanted us to see that her blood was red." Zhexiu referred to how the Demon General couple had, without a word, cut offthat woman''s hand. Liu Wan''er glanced over at the woman and smiled. "See, I told you that yourway of doing things was more than necessary." The woman gave Zhexiu a bewildered look. "Just this reason? No other evidence?" When life and death are on the line, a single reason is enough." Zhexiuimpassively replied. The woman grew even more annoyed at those words. She thought that she hadspent so much time painstakingly developing this stratagem, but why was theplan completely useless against these humans? She thought to herself. The demon woman looked at her and jeered, "See, I said that your head wasn''tthat bright, yet every day you stubbornly insist that I''m the stupid one." The woman expressionlessly said, "If you weren''t the stupid one, then youwouldn''t have snuck away to make a futile attempt at one person killing two." Chen Changsheng and the others all felt very strange. That demon woman was extremely enchanting. Her entire body presented a matureand charming view. The other woman''s expression was dignified, and herappearance was beautiful. She seemed like a noble daughter that had beenstrictly raised since childhood. Yet when these two teased and bickered witheach other, they seemed very similar, almost like they were the same person. Qi Jian felt even stranger. This was his first time seeing demons and hisfirst time fighting with them. He realized that these demons also knew how tobicker and quarrel, just like his fellow sisters and brothers back in the sect.However, he soon realized, after sobering up, that this way of thinking was fartoo dangerous. What had caused him to sober up was the transformation of these two women. Their hands which had been chopped off suddenly grew back. It was not anything frightening as regrowing flesh and bone, but instead, attheir wrists appeared a translucent, light-green hand. Moreover, the seemingly spiritual hand was gradually becoming real. Chen Changsheng was truly amazed. Although the recovery abilities of the demonbody were truly great, no one other than the pure-blooded imperial clan couldregenerate limbs. Not to mention the fact that this clearly was not a unique demon art forregenerating limbs. Zhexiu finally thought of something, and his face suddenly paled. These two demon women indeed were not Nanke, they were.......Nanke''s two wings. "Have you two played enough?" Liu Wan''er looked at the two women and saidhelplessly, "If you two weren''t competing with each other on every littlething, we probably could have finished everything that we need to do today along time ago. Be careful, or when the Lady comes back from killing the truephoenix and discovers what you''ve done, she''ll give you three years ofpunishment. Then we''ll see what you do." At these words, fear appeared on the two demon women''s faces and they said nomore. Liu Wan''er turned to Chen Changsheng and gave an apologetic smile, then said,"Do it." Her black hair floated in the air and her sleeves madly moved about. There was no sneak attack this time, only the use of strength to fight.However, it gave Chen Changsheng and the others a massive pressure instead. Qi Jian grasped his sword, and his expression was cold and without fear. Zhexiu remained expressionless. With his metallic and sharp claws, he onceagain attacked the demon woman. The Qi at the lake shore was thrown into chaos, with sword Qi and demon Qimixing together. Chen Changsheng looked at Liu Wan''er, and his expression was grave. Liang Xiaoxiao stared at Teng Xiaoming. His face was slightly pale. In terms of cultivation, the two of them were higher than Zhexiu and Qi Jian,so it was only right for their opponents to be the two Demon Generals. In this battle, these young cultivators could still fight back. If they couldfight, it meant that a loss was not guaranteed. Maybe the Black Dragon could even bring back an expert to help? This was Chen Changsheng''s plan, but he was wrong in one matter. When Liu Wan''er had said "Do it", it actually was not aimed at him, but atsomeone else. Amidst the flying sand and stones, a sword approached Zhexiu from behind. The sword was very powerful and very insidious. No matter how vigilant Zhexiu was, he would never have imagined that a swordwould pierce him from behind. With a squelch, that sword pierced his waist. Blood began to spurt out. In these few breaths of time, the demon woman flew over to his side. Her hands glowed a dim green, then pierced his shoulder. Her black hair scattered like needles that pierced towards his eyes. At the brink of death, Zhexiu gave an extremely ruthless howl.
263 The Sword that Breaks the Hear
The eyes reddened and the cheeks began to sprout hair; this was thetransformation of the demi-human. In a few moments, Zhexiu''s strength increased several times and his body grewstronger to an unimaginable level. Although the demon woman''s hands had alreadytorn at his shoulder, it was unable to shatter his bones. At a crucial moment,the treacherous sword that pierced his waist could go no deeper. The sword was pulled out with a whoosh, then chopped at Zhexiu''s neck. Giventhe Qi at the edge of the sword, Zhexiu would still have not been able to blockit even if he had completely transformed. Qi Jian spotted this scene out of the corner of his eye and was shocked beyondbelief, but his sword was currently entangled with the sword of the woman, andso he was incapable of providing assistance. His left hand grasped his sheatheand moved to protect Zhexiu''s back. He used the incredibly sharp Mount Liswordplay in order to block that sword. However, the sword floated like a spirit snake and, as if it were extremelyfamiliar with Qi Jian''s swordplay, inclined upwards and actually easily brokethrough Qi Jian''s sword move. The second thrust of the sword had never beenaimed at Zhexiu. Its target had always been Qi Jian. On the lakeshore, another squelch sounded out. Qi Jian''s lower abdomen had been directly thrust through by that treacherousand extremely powerful sword. Blood spurted out violently. In a flash, that sword was extracted like lightning from Qi Jian''s abdomen.Afterwards, it inclined once again, this time thrusting towards Chen Changsheng. The person''s first sword had heavily wounded Zhexiu and the second had heavilywounded Qi Jian. It had come noiselessly and caught them unprepared, bringingforth extremely painful consequences. Would Chen Changsheng be able to avoid it? Chen Changsheng finally responded to the sword which had pierced Zhexiu and QiJian. Using the Yeshi Step with his feet, he narrowly avoided the edge of thesword which approached from behind. However, at that very moment, the attack of the Demon General couple alsoarrived. Teng Xiaoming, his face expressionless, picked up his two baskets and hurledthem at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng had been forced forwards by that treacherous sword, so he hadno energy left over to avoid this attack. The two baskets were like small mountains, smashing down towards his head. Chen Changsheng''s true essence swiftly flowed out. His dagger was unsheathed,after which an extremely wondrous flower bloomed, forming two branches thatinthe most improbable of circumstancespierced the two baskets. With two successive tearing sounds, the two baskets fell into pieces andbecame two puffs of dust. The carrying pole in Teng Xiaoming''s hand smashed at Chen Changshengs head. If those two baskets were like mountains, then the carrying pole wielded bythe twenty-fourth Demon General was just like a real mountain. It brought anincomparably stern shadow that completely engulfed Chen Changsheng''s body. Boom! A giant crater appeared on the lake shore. Dust violently flew about while the nearby trees crashed down one after theother. In a short while, several trees had crashed to the ground. That demon woman gave a hiss. Taking advantage of Zhexiu''s severe wound, sheutilized her demon techniques to their fullest extent. Her fingers glowed witha queer, green light as she launched a barrage of attacks against Zhexiu. As for the woman with the dignified expression, there was nothing gentle abouther attacks. Her sleeve blew about in the strong wind. From within, countlessfeathers could be seen, each of them possessing a powerful Qi, all of whichbegan attacking Qi Jian. Zhexiu''s eyes were blood-red, making him seem exceptionally fierce. His twohands were grey shadows in the air, valiantly blocking that demon woman''spowerful attacks. However, Qi Jian''s abdomen had been run through and hisinjury were too severe. He had no more strength to battle. Under the barrage ofthat woman''s attacks, he was struck down onto the ground. His face was pale,his expression fatigued. At this point, the three human youths had already been pushed to the brink. Liu Wan''er, who had not acted all this time, finally made her move. Carrying that massive iron pot in her hands, she burst through the air with aterrifying clap. Landing at the side of those three human youths, she flippedher wrist, and that massive iron pot enveloped the youths in its shadow as itfell. That iron pot was truly massive, so massive that it obscured the sky abovetheir heads, like a dark cloud. If that iron pot fell down, then ChenChangsheng and the other two would truly would be out of luck. Just at this moment, in the deep crater on the lake shore where dust had stillpervaded the air, a light suddenly burst forth, accompanied by footsteps thatsounded like the beating of a drum. It broke through the wind, giving off a mournful cry. Wielding his dagger, Chen Changsheng emerged from the crater and stood beforeZhexiu and Qi Jian, thrusting it forth. He thrust towards that iron pot which covered the sky. With a clang, a hole appeared in the center of the pot. With theear-shattering sound of metal scraping on metal, Chen Changsheng''s daggerpierced through the pot and continued forward. The iron pot covered them like a black cloud, but now there was an extra areaof radiance. Chen Changsheng''s dagger moved through the light, giving off aglow of its own. It was like a ray of light falling from a gloomy rain cloud. Swish swish swish swish. Those were the stabs of the dagger. Swish swish swish swish. Those were Zhexiu''s claws. With a swish, Liu Wan''er''s face somewhat paled. She rushed backwards, and herneck sported an extra streak of blood. The demon woman groaned as she backed up. Her abdomen also beared some newbloody scars. Qi Jian finally gave out. Covering his wound, he knelt down on the ground,with blood seeping between his fingers. However, at the very least, he was still alive. Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu were also still alive. The two sides of the battle had suddenly been separated. The lakeshore grew quiet once again. Liu Wan''er gently rubbed the bloody scars on her neck. As her gaze landed onChen Changsheng, it became much more serious. It was still as gentle as ever,but it no longer gave an amiable feeling. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that the dagger in ChenChangsheng''s hand would be so sharp, it could easily pierce through her magicalartifact. Just what was the dagger made of? Chen Changsheng turned his head to look back at Zhexiu. He knew that Zhexiuhad suffered heavy injuries, so he could only hope that Zhexiu still had thestrength to fight. Zhexiu''s upper half was covered with blood, but he still stood. The gray hairon his cheeks had yet to be fully retracted. He was gasping for breath, as ifeach breath was especially difficult to take. His eyes were abnormally cold. Seeing Zhexiu''s eyes, Chen Changsheng''s heart also grew cold. Liu Wan''er and Teng Xiaoming glanced at each other, seeing the surprise ineach other''s eyes. Those three human youths had actually managed to withstand that round ofgenuine attacks. This had truly exceeded their imaginations. It must be knownthat before entering the Garden of Zhou, not even they had known about theexistence of that sword. "If you had listened to what I said before and fought them together, the wolfcub would have been dead a long time ago!" The demon woman that had once againbeen heavily injured by Zhexiu''s fingers angrily exclaimed at the woman besideher. That woman contemplated about Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu in silence, and thenreplied calmly, "If it were just the two of us, perhaps we really wouldn''t havebeen able to beat the two youths." Chen Changsheng did not pay any attention to what they were saying. Zhexiu no longer cared about who was Nanke. Qi Jian was the same. Because what they cared about was that sword, that treacherous sword. They all looked at Liang Xiaoxiao, and each of them with a differentexpression. Qi Jian''s face was pale, and his expression was one of shock. He wasincredibly heart-broken, somewhat despondent even. He muttered towards LiangXiaoxiao, "Why?"
264 Understanding People
No one had thought that the treacherous and cruel sword had come from theirown side, that the perpetrator of the sneak attack was Liang Xiaoxiao. Zhexiu had an incomparably rich experience in battle, and his temperamentalways had been cold and detached. Because of the environment in which ChenChangsheng had been raised in, he had always been cautious in handling hisaffairs. Thus, regardless of how enticing or pitiful those two demon womenwere, they had been unable to deceive the two of them. However, even the two ofthem could have never imagined that Liang Xiaoxiao would suddenly revolt. From the Mausoleum of Books to the Garden of Zhou, Chen Changsheng had alwaysfelt that Liang Xiaoxiao had a faint sense of hostility towards him. However,Chen Changsheng had become acquainted with the Divine State''s Seven Laws. GouHanshi was a sincere and earnest noble, while Guan Feibai was a fierce fencer,or perhaps a rival or enemy. However, he had never believed that these Mount LiSword Sect disciples were lowly traitors, much less that Liang Xiaoxiao wouldactually be colluding with the demons. The war between the humans and demons had already stretched on for nearly onethousand years. Whether it was the Zhou Dynasty in the north or the LongevitySect and the other sects in the south, how many predecessors and fellowdisciples had gone bravely towards their deaths? As cultivators, they shouldhave understood even more clearly that this was a war of extermination. So whydid Liang Xiaoxiao join hands so willingly with the demons? Of course, the person most shocked by this was Qi Jian. His abdomen had beenrun through by Liang Xiaoxiao''s sword. This was a severe injury, but what hadbeen even more injured was his heart. He looked at Liang Xiaoxiao. His face waspale and his expression was frustrated. Even now, he still failed tounderstand. This Third Brother had grown up together with him, and cared forhim every day, so why would he perpetrate such a vile plot? Liang Xiaoxiao said nothing. His face was pale and a faint struggle could beseen within his eyes. However, deeper within those eyes was a mad sense ofpainful delight. It was pain, and it was delight. Chen Changsheng and the two others thought of many matters, manypossibilities; however, in reality, only a very short time had passed. The demons had always been cold and emotionless. Seeing that their plan hadfinally succeeded, and that Liang Xiaoxiao''s sneak attack had gone off withouta hitch, how could they have given them any time to catch their breaths or waitfor justification? Teng Xiaoming once again hefted his carrying pole against the three youths.With both hands grasping it, he smashed it towards their faces without pity. The wind was suddenly broken into countless strands. The nearby trees were allknocked down as that that terrifying carrying pole swung down like a mountain. Even if Chen Changsheng and the others were uninjured, it would have been verydifficult for them to block a whole-hearted attack from the famously ferocioustwenty-fourth Demon General, let alone their current disastrous situation. Zhexiu''s two shoulders were a bloody mess. In between the chaotic lumps of furthat still had not receded yet, dense bones could be faintly made out fromunderneath. What was even more frightening was that these wounds had beencaused by that demon woman whose nails contained the Peacock Plumedeep withinthe eyes of that wolf youth, an extremely small tinge of green could already beseen. The legendary Peacock Plume was a poison that could kill the most powerfulmonster. That poison was now beginning to wreak havoc in Zhexiu''s body. Qi Jian was in an even sorrier state. Blood continued to spill from hisabdomen. Even using the very last of his strength, he could only keep his graspon the Mount Li Relic Sword. He could not even stand up, so how could he fight? Chen Changsheng seemed to be in a somewhat better state. He had come out ofthat pit with his dagger covered in dust and cut a rather sorry figure, butthere were no wounds on his body nor blood on his clothes. However, in reality, he only seemed to be in a better state. Previously, in that crater where he had received Teng Xiaoming''s first strikeof the carrying pole, he still was unable to completely block it even though hehad bathed in dragon blood. The bone in his left arm had already cracked, whileseveral of his ribs had already fractured. Even more troublesome was that hissea of consciousness had received a massive shock, which he found incrediblyhard to bear. His stomach felt smothered, and at any moment he could spit upblood. How could these heavily injured youths possibly withstand this mountainouscarrying pole? After Liang Xiaoxiao had succeeded in his sneak attack, he had made a swiftretreat. Separated by dozens of yards, he looked upon this scene in silence. The demon woman''s smile was like a flower. The dignified noble daughter had a calm expression. Liu Wan''er sympathized, then waited. She waited for Chen Changsheng and the other two to die as expected. Of course, Chen Changsheng did not want to die. It could be said without a doubt that, from the age of ten, he was the personon this world who had least wanted to die. For the sake of not dying, he had expended much effort, and had naturally mademany preparations as well. Everyone, including Qi Jian, thought that they were dead beyond a doubt. EenZhexiu, who had walked at the border of life and death so many times, thoughtsilently that this was it. However, Chen Changsheng got to work once again, andtook out the item he had prepared beforehand. It was a metal ball, and its surface was covered with lines like fish scales. Chen Changsheng poured his true essence into the metal ball. The surface ofthe ball flashed, then it began to tremble as those scales began to split open. A cacophony of metallic clicks began to resound from it. The split metal ball transformed in a flash, forming the thin canvas of anumbrella, then the pole, and finally the handle. This transformation took a very short time. When the handle fell into ChenChangsheng''s grasp, the Demon General''s powerful carrying pole had not evenlanded yet. A rather old oil-paper umbrella had appeared in Chen Changsheng''s hand. This umbrella seemed very ordinary and uninteresting, just like ChenChangsheng. Boom! This time, the lakeshore did not gain a new crater. Instead, it gained dozensof deep cracks. That force had been dispersed in all directions. It struck against thepebbles, leaving very distinct scars. Of the Qi that had arisen from that terrifying collision, some of it had beenpushed deep into the forest, mottling the bark with scars. Countless birds thathad been unable to escape in time fell miserably to the ground. The dust gradually settled, and the echoing in the mountains behind the lakegradually faded off into the distance. Chen Changsheng had not died. The carrying pole had been blocked by the ordinary and unremarkable umbrella. A yellow light hung down from the edge of the umbrella. Like a hangingcurtain, it completely enveloped Chen Changsheng within. He stood in front of Zhexiu and Qi Jian. Seeing this scene before her eyes, the demon woman covered her mouth with herhands. She shocked speechless. Liang Xiaoxiao arched his brows and his expression became grave. Liu Wan''er creased her brow, her expression one of thought, as if she hadremembered something. Only Teng Xiaoming''s expression was as wooden as ever. His right foot tookanother step forward, his two hands lifted up that carrying pole, and heattacked once more. The clouds above the lake were carried along by the carrying pole as it struck. There was another boom. The Yellow Paper Umbrella blocked it once more. However, Chen Changsheng''s face became even paler. Back in Wenshui City, the Old Master of the Tang clan had given this magicalartifact to him as a gift. Zhexiu had once said that this umbrella could blockthe full-on attack of a Star Condensation expert. Similarly said by Zhexiu, since the demons had used some method to forcefullysuppress the cultivations of these two Star Condensation Demon Generals andsend them into the Garden of Zhou, then Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wan''er could onlydisplay a strength at the peak level of Ethereal Opening at most. Logically, the umbrella in his hands would obviously be able to block theirattacks. The problem was, how many full-on attacks from the Demon General could heblock? Using magical artifacts also consumed true essence. He had much less trueessence than cultivators of the same level, so how long would he be able tohold out? Most importantly, the area covered by this umbrella was not large. If thedemon experts all began to attack, how would he be able to protect Zhexiu andQi Jian? There was no other way. He had no means of protecting his companions. The problem would only get worseas time passes, so the only thing he could do was send his companions away. Just as the Yellow Paper Umbrella was blocking thecarrying pole, his righthand moved like lightning. He took several pills and stuffed them into Zhexiu''smouth. Simultaneously, he also stuffed a small item into his hands. Those pills had been refined by the Li Palace priests under Chen Changsheng''sspecifications and were meant to detoxify. His medical skills were passed downfrom Daoist Ji, the person most skilled in the medical arts in the entirecontinent, so it could be imagined how effective these pills were. Perhaps theycould not remove the Peacock Plume, but at the very least, they could helpZhexiu suppress it for a time. As for that slightly chilly small item, it was a button. Before leaving the capital, he had only brought a single button with him.Originally he had planned to use it in the Garden of Zhou to save his life whenencountering some sort of danger. However now, it seemed he had to give it to someone else to use. In the Orthodox Academy, when Luo Luo had first gifted him this button, shehad said very clearly that this button could at most carry two people away. Carrying the umbrella and seeing those demon experts speedily approaching,Chen Changsheng did not turn around. He calmly said to Zhexiu, "Take him away." It was a certainty that the demons plan in the Garden of Zhou was not justthis, but the series of events that had occurred at the lakeshore had allowedthem to confirm that amongst the group of three, Qi Jian was their prioritytarget. Otherwise, the demons could have came together and killed him andZhexiu off first, instead of what was happening now. Instead, they had waitedfor Qi Jian to enter their fatal plot, at which point Liu Wan''er said thosewords and Liang Xiaoxiao made his move. Zhexiu understood this point, though he failed to understand another. Even ifQi Jian had been the final disciple of Mount Li''s Sect Master, it did no''tseem to be enough for the demons to view him so highly. He also understood that when Chen Changsheng had given him this button, he hadalso given him the hope of living. Howeverm Chen Changsheng had guaranteed hisdeath by staying. He also understood that Chen Changsheng would not take Qi Jian away, nor wouldhe abandon Qi Jian. Thus, this left only a single possibility. Simultaneously, he understood that he was heavily poisoned and had no strengthto fight. Since he would be of no help to Chen Changsheng, it would have beenbetter for him to take Qi Jian and escape. What he understood the most was that Chen Changsheng had already made hisdecision. Regardless of what Zhexiu did, it would all be meaningless, only awaste of time. Without hesitation, Zhexiu hugged Qi Jian and simultaneously activated thebutton in the palm of his hand. Resting in Zhexiu''s bosom, Qi Jian''s face was abnormally pale. His eyebrowswere wrinkled, his eyes were closed, and his lashes were barely moved. Helooked extremely pitiful, but he was not conscious of any of the eventsoccurring around him. A puff of green smoke appeared under the umbrella. At the very last moment, Zhexiu stared at Chen Changsheng''s back. Heimpassively thought, just who was the bodyguard here? If he could live pastthis day, then it would have seemed that he owed someone a life. At the same time, the Demon General''s third strike from his carrying pole fell. The ground shook, causing dust to suffuse the air and obscure that green smoke. Countless cracks formed on the ground, exposing new clay. It was as if thiswere a newly plowed field in the spring. The dust gradually settled. Chen Changsheng stood alone. His left hand held an umbrella. His right hand held a dagger.
265 A Courageous Path
"That was the Thousand Mile Button? Liu Wan''er looked at the umbrella, thenasked in surprise, "Don''t tell me that''s the umbrella that not even Su Li couldafford?" The war between the humans and demons was exceptionally cruel. At the dividingline in the snowy plains, things like assassinations had never stopped. Inorder to obtain the final victory in this war of extermination, both sides werewilling to commit all sorts of crimes. As long as there was a chance, theywould pay any sort of price. To kill members of the opposite side was anopportunity to nurture young geniuses. This was the reason why Zhexiu, who hadbeen such a young age and was still in the Meditation realm, obtained such afamous reputation in the continent. It was why his solitary self was able toexist in the most cruel and dangerous place. In order to protect their young geniuses and give them sufficient time tomature, the sects and schools of the human world would dispatch experts toprotect them from the shadows, or gift them with life-saving magical artifacts,before sending out their most valued disciples to truly mature. For instance,when Tianhai Shengxue was battling in Snowhold Pass, the Divine General FeiDian would often be hidden at his side. For young geniuses like the DivineState''s Seven Laws, Zhuang Huanyu, Su Moyu, and Zhong Hui, they all had similararrangements. The demons had chosen the Garden of Zhou to carry out theirassassinations because the Garden of Zhou was very special. The human seniorexperts were unable to enter. The young human cultivators could only rely onthemselves for protection. Of course, those young human cultivators would certainly have life-savingmagical artifacts. For someone like Chen Changsheng who was doted upon by thePope, this should have been the case even more so, only the number of magicalartifacts on Chen Changsheng was truly somewhat excessive. Moreover, they wereall rare and powerful. Whether it was the legendary Yellow Paper Umbrella, orthe Thousand Mile Button that cultivators valued as much as their lives; in thecontinent, they were all considered top-ranked magical artifacts. As for the seemingly ordinary dagger in his hand, it possessed an unimaginabledegree of sharpness, which caused Liu Wan''er to fear it all the more. According to their original plan, the demon experts that had entered theGarden of Zhou would use the rumor of the Sword Pool to gather their targets bythe lake. With the help of a surprise attack from their human spy, they shouldhave been able to kill Chen Changsheng, Zhexiu, and Qi Jian very easily. Havingcompleted three-quarters of their mission, they would rendezvous with the Ladyand then kill Xu Yourong. Who could have imagined that, in the end, their meticulous plans would havebeen shattered by Chen Changsheng alone? Zhexiu had been poisoned by the Peacock Plume while Qi Jian''s abdomen had beenrun through. Presumably, his internal organs and meridians had also sufferedinjury. However, in the end, they had both managed to leave the lakeside,temporarily evading their deaths. Liu Wan''er turned to Liang Xiaoxiao. Her gaze rested upon the cloud patternthreaded around his wrist. She then nodded her head. She did not actually recognize this disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect andonly knew that he was the Third Law of the famous Divine State from the south.She also knew that before she had entered the Garden of Zhou, the MilitaryAdvisor had said that this human would assist them. Liang Xiaoxiao''s face was still pale and his voice was somewhat shaky, but histone was very stable, "I must confirm that Qi Jian has died......everyone thatcomes to this place must die." Chen Changsheng had used a precious Thousand Mile Button to let Zhexiu and QiJian escape. If this were the real world, then no matter how strong these demonexperts where, they would still be unable to pursue them. Regrettably, this wasthe Garden of Zhou, where there was a natural barrier. Zhexiu and Qi Jian couldhave traveled a thousand miles, but they were still within the Garden of Zhou. Crucially, Liu Wan''er could, at any time, grasp their whereabouts. "I don''t need to kill you. I''m very satisfied because I really like you." She looked at Chen Changsheng with a gentle expression. "It''s very difficultfor me to like a human. You so earnestly urged me not to eat human flesh soearnestly. Other humans, and even many of my fellow demons would have onlydetested or been afraid of us when they found out about the rumors regardingus. None of them would give us some honest advice like you. You''re a verydifferent child." "It''s a pity that you cannot continue to live, because that is what theMilitary Advisor has commanded." With these words, she lifted up her giant pot with its hole in the middle. Herbody abruptly disappeared, appearing again on the surface of the lake as shefloated way across it. Teng Xiaoming had fastened the two baskets back onto hiscarrying pole and followed her. Only the demon beauty, the dignified daughter, and Liang Xiaoxiao remained onthe lakeshore. Chen Changsheng looked at Liang Xiaoxiao and asked a question, "Why?" This was something he really wanted to know, and it was also what Qi Jianwanted to know most. In the past several hundred years, very rarely had therebeen a case where a human served the demons, let alone the fact that LiangXiaoxiao was of the Divine State''s Seven Laws. His future prospects wereincomparably broad and radiant. The demons could not possibly offer himbenefits or prospects. No matter how one saw it, his betrayal made no sense. Liang Xiaoxiao did not answer. He slowly raised the sword in his hand, and hisface was as frigid as ice. "Leaving behind the three of us, would you think that we are underestimatingyou? I must tell you that we are all very curious about whether you have anymore precious treasures on your body, The demon beauty said to him flatteringly. The husband and wife had gone off in pursuit of Qi Jian and Zhexiu. It couldbe viewed as a sort of contempt, but Chen Changsheng did not think in such away. The one behind the plot was that enigmatic and terrifying Black Robe. Hiscountless deeds over the countless years had testified to the fact that thedemon Military Advisors plans were flawless. If the demons had left behindthree people to kill him, then it meant that the three people would mostdefinitely kill him. "For the youngest Principal of the Orthodox Academy to die so quietly likethis, even I feel somewhat disappointed." The demon beauty sighed. The dignified beauty gave off a completely different atmosphere from the otherdemon woman, but when they stood next to each other, they actually seemed verysimilar, like twins. Chen Changsheng could even faintly make out that behind their backs was aclear wing made of light, just like previously when the woman had grown a newhand. A powerful and cold Qi exuded from this wing that had emerged from the backsof the two women. Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense was exceptionally acute. He was very certainthat this was not a power he could stand against. What was more was that Liang Xiaoxiao''s contemptible and insidious, yet stillpowerful sword was still waiting at the side. Several of his ribs were broken, while his arm bones had who knew how manycracks. He had been on the verge of puking blood several times, but he hadmanaged to force it back down. His sea of consciousness had been severelyshaken, and now the true essence flowed through the formerly hardly-openedmeridians even more slowly. On the surface he did not seem to be injured, butin reality, his injuries were rather severe. It was very obvious that his enemies already knew this. This was a battle without suspense, even if he had this powerful magicalartifact or this extremely sharp dagger. If the battle were to continue for a moment longer, then he would soon becomeunable to even hold up this umbrella or be able to keep a grasp on his dagger.So then what use were they? However, Chen Changsheng had no awareness of these things. With one hand wielding the umbrella and the other wielding the dagger, hisexpression remained serious and concentrated. Despair? No, as long as he pressed on, there would always be hope. In the distant mountain forest, the figure seemed to hesitate. If he could display his will and ability in this battle, perhaps he couldinspire some courage in that figure. Moreover, he was still waiting for the Black Dragon to bring back good news. The white ceremonial robes lightly swayed in the mountain wind. The young ladywalked silently through the mountain ridge. It was somewhat lonely, so she wastired, but her expression was as serene as ever. Seeing the longbow on her back, the Black Dragon suddenly grew fearful.Although she had come to find her, she suddenly no longer wanted to approachher. The Black Dragon''s gaze followed the trail of the white-clothed girl, restingupon that mountain peak which thrust into the depths of the plain. At this time, the sun was once more setting in the west. The mysterious plainsbegan to blaze once again. The peak turned the color of blood. Her spiritual sense felt the peculiar sensation that she had felt yesterdaywhen looking at that peak once again. She thought about going there. There was something calling her from thedistance. However, she did not dare. Because at this very moment, a girl of around ten years old and azither-playing old man sat at the peak of Sunset Valley in the splendor of thesunset. The Black Dragon had very good eyesight, so she could even make out thechildish air that still hung about that girl''s appearance. She also knew very well that of the fear that appeared in her heart, half ofit came from the longbow on the white-clothed young lady''s back, while theother half came from this small girl. As a member of the world''s most noble and most proud Black Frost Dragons, thatshe felt this fear and unease made her feel incredibly ashamed. If she was in her original bodyregardless of whether it was the white-clothedyoung lady, or the young girl and her zither-playing old manshe could haveeasily gulp them down in one bite. She would not have even needed any water towash it down. However, right now, she was only a strand of a dragon soul attached to a jaderuyi. She did not have the power to participate in Chen Changsheng''s battle againstthose demon experts. As for now, when a new battle was just about to begin, she did not dare getany closer. The young lady dressed in white continued to pass over the mountain ridges. The girl with the cold appearance continued to wait at that mountain. Regardless of how much time passed, they would eventually meet. In the weeds that filled the mountain slopes, a depression suddenly appeared,which began to expand down the mountain. It was like there was a large rocktumbling down the mountain. The thing tumbling down the mountain was no rock. It was Zhexiu and Qi Jian. The sharp blades of grass and the hardness of the mountain rock did not leaveany marks on Zhexiu''s face. Qi Jian was draped over his shoulders, dejected and weak. His black hair wasin complete disorder and his small face was pale. With Qi Jian on his back, Zhexiu madly rushed towards the direction of thesetting sun, dripping blood all the way. At this time, they had already passed through that lake which had reversedheaven and earth and arrived in the world at the other side of the cliff. He did not know that the Demon General couple was chasing them, nor did heknow that they could grasp his whereabouts at any moment. However, Zhexiu hadalways had an instinctive sense for danger, which made him exceptionally wary.It was like he could hear the footsteps of his pursuers, and even the strangesound being made as air rushed through the hole in the iron pot. He had to go faster. However, in the very next moment, he stopped. Qi Jian opened his eyes with some difficulty and saw the perfectly straightpath ahead. He weakly asked, "What''s wrong?" Zhexiu looked impassively ahead at the path before him, and asked, "Whereshould I go next?" Qi Jian weakly replied, "How would I know?" Because of their battle in the Grand Examination, he had always loathed thiswolf youth and wanted nothing to do with him. However now, he was being carriedon his back, which already made him feel rather wronged. Who would have knownthat this guy would actually ask a heavily injured person like him which way togo? Truly, absolutely useless. "I can''t see anymore, so from now on, you''ll have to guide me." Zhexiu''s voice was very calm, devoid of any sort of emotion. The light of sunset that reflected off his eyes was not red, but a deep green. The poison of the Peacock Plume had finally made its appearance.
266 Wolf Charge
Because he had lost too much blood, Qi Jian was somewhat dazed. It took him awhile to respond after hearing Zhexiu''s words, at which point he instantlybecame much more clear-headed. His face became even paler. then, he turned hishead with some difficulty so that he could see Zhexiu''s face. While Zhexiu''sface was as expressionless as ever, it was very obvious that there was no vigorin his eyes. Qi Jian''s body instantly became very stiff. "You......can''t see anymore?" Qi Jian''s voice trembled and he was about to getoff Zhexiu''s back. As if to indicate that he was not allowed to leave, Zhexiu''s hands grabbedonto Qi Jian''s legs like iron bands, giving Qi Jian no chance of leaving. Feeling the heat and strength of Zhexiu''s hands on his legs, Qi Jian becameboth ashamed and hurried, using all of his strength to try and leave. Zhexiugave no response and allowed him to struggle. He stood like a statue as QiJian''s strength faded away and his struggles died down. In the end, Qi Jiangave up and powerlessly draped himself on Zhexiu''s shoulders once more. This time, when he turned to Zhexiu, the expressionless face that arousedincomparable hatred in him, the face like a dead man that made him want to gofar away, seemed to have another indescribable atmosphere hanging about it. Yes, it really did seem like a statue; like a wolf, or perhaps a youth,standing on a cliff and staring into the distance. Unconsciously, Qi Jian''s heart softened, and so did his eyes. When he sawZhexiu''s face, an expression of admiration appeared on his small and pale face.Then, for some reason, he felt very sad. Especially when he saw Zhexiu''s eyes,he began to cry, his tears filled with grief. Zhexiu remained cold and indifferent, as if he could not be influenced by whathe could not see. He said, "If crying could solve problems, then I wouldabsolutely be the world''s number one expert in crying." In the snowy plains, in his battles with the demons, there were innumerableproblems concerning life and death that needed to be resolved. Qi Jian felt deeply humiliated. He lifted up his arm and used the sleeve towipe his tears, but he could not wipe it clean because the tears continued tofall. Zhexiu''s voice became rather hesitant. "Perhaps you" Then he after a long pause, he said, "Don''t cry, there''s no problem." It was very obvious that Zhexiu was no good at consoling others, and evenworse at sweet-talking. So while his manner of speaking seemed stiff, it felteven more sincere because of this. Qi Jian rubbed his nose, then gave an unhappy grunt of agreement, though itwas not clear who this unhappiness was directed to. Then he softly said,"Then......let''s go." Zhexiu looked at the darkness before him and composed himself. He then said,"We should continue in the direction of the Mountainside Whispering Wood." Supporting himself on Zhexiu''s shoulder, Qi Jian laboriously lifted his headand looked at the ramrod mountain path in front of them. "Continue straightforward for four hundred yards, then turn right. I''ll tell you when it''s time." Without hesitation, Zhexiu grabbed tightly onto Qi Jian''s legs, then beganproceeding forwards. He harbored not a single doubt about Qi Jian''s words. This made Qi Jian feel both moved and puzzled. The mountain wind blew across Zhexiu''s face, but he had already closed hiseyes. Then the mountain wind blew across Qi Jian''s small face. That wind seemed to carry a sort of heat with it. Qi Jian felt it was somewhat warm, and somewhat calming. In the mountains of the Garden of Zhou, the sound of footsteps continuouslyresounded. It was accompanied by Qi Jian''s clear but weak directions, followedby Zhexiu''s calm and indifferent replies. "Slower, there''s a hole up ahead." "A small stream, two yards, and in front of us is the beach." "Are you okay?" "Let''s go faster." "But......" "There is no but." "Careful, don''t run into that tree." In Zhexiu''s view, they had to find the other human cultivators in the Gardenof Zhou as quickly as possible. However, they had run so many dozens of milesand had not met a single person. Last night, the vast majority of the humancultivators had already gathered in those three gardens, in accordance withChen Changsheng and the white-clothed young lady''s instructions. Now that he thought about it, this had probably been long taken into accountby that legendary Military Advisor. Human cultivators entered the Garden of Zhou for the purpose of vying formagical artifacts and legacies, so if the Garden of Zhou was to be cut off fromthe outside world, there would inevitably be internal strife. Even if there wasa person that succeeded in stemming the chaos, the human cultivators wouldundoubtedly congregate in some place. Meanwhile, for Zhexiu and the Mount LiSword Sect disciples, these assassination targets would be even more likely togo off on their own. Zhexiu and Qi Jian stopped at a cliff. The distance from the closest place thehumans had gathered, the Mountainside Whispering Wood, was still dozens ofmiles. On the hillside behind them, they could already make out two shadows stretchedlong by the setting sun. The Demon General couple had already caught up to them. He was still wieldinghis carrying pole, while she was still carrying around that big iron pot. Itlooked like they were moving to a new home, but in reality, their speed wasdreadfully fast. Qi Jian gave a painful cough and his small face grew even paler. He reported,"Southwest, at the Guizhen Star, approximately......six, no, five miles." For them, the shadows of that Demon General couple on the hillside were likethe shadows of death. They had to find a way to break away from them. "They stopped." Qi Jian said with some astonishment. Zhexiu replied, "They want to see which way we''re going to go." Although he could not see his surroundings, over the past two days, he hadwalked the surrounding mountains of the Garden of Zhou many times with ChenChangsheng and inscribed the geography and the environment into his heart. Ifthey continued on their present plan to go to the Mountainside Whispering Woodand meet up with the other human cultivators, then the Demon General coupleonly needed to change their course slightly and cut through a forest tointercept them. In silence, Zhexiu estimated the distance between them and the couple, thendecided that there was no way they were going to make it to the MountainsideWhispering Wood. He faintly recalled someone on the lakeshore apparently saying that the demonscould grasp their location at any time. Even if they could not grasp their position, it seemed that this couple weretruly worthy of their titles as Demon Generals. It was clearly two chasing two,but they had used strategy and tactics. This chase and flight had persisted fora few hours now, but they had gotten no closer to the Mountainside WhisperingWood. Rather, they were being pressured farther and farther away. Carrying Qi Jian on his back and feeling the last rays of twilight on hisface, Zhexiu silently thought, then turned to the southwest. He could not see, but he wanted to look at those Demon Generals that wanted tokill him. That distant hillside had been enveloped by the sunset and was, at this verymoment, ablaze. Liu Wan''er and Teng Xiaoming stood amongst the blazing field, looking back. From a distance, the two pairs stared at each other. "I''m going to start running," Zhexiu suddenly stated calmly and resolutely. He could not see the path, and yet he was going to run? Qi Jian was shocked, and his hands subconsciously tightened their grip onZhexiu''s shoulders. Zhexiu said, "From time to time, you would report their position to me, and atthe same time give me directions. Now......first tell me, this cliff in frontof me: how steep is it?" Qi Jian''s voice was very weak, and at this point, it began to shake even more.Because he was nervous, it took him a while before he replied, "It''s aboutforty-three degrees......can you really do it?" "I''ll definitely fall a few times, but I just need to get up and start runningagain." After a pause, Zhexiu added, "The fall will hurt a lot, so don''t cry." Qi Jian gave a light grunt. After a moment of silence, Zhexiu said, "Hold a bit tighter." Qi Jian gave another grunt, then tightly wrapped his arms around Zhexiu''s neckand brought his head close to the shoulders. After all these preparations were complete, Zhexiu took a deep breath. Thetrue essence in his body began to madly circulate around his body in order tosuppress that poisonous Peacock Plume that was attempting to spread from hiseyes to many other places. Then Zhexiu crouched his body. As he moved, his two knees, through some method beyond human comprehension,began to bend strangely. The front part of his boots burst open as sharp claws protruded from his darkwolf fur. As they thrust into the solid rock of the cliff, they gave a ''zeng''sound. Simultaneously, countless hard and coarse hairs sprouted on the edge of hischeeks and his neck. His transformation turned his eyes blood red. When mixed together with thegreen of the poison in the depths of his eyes, it produced a very strange hue. It looked like a fresh lemon: sour to the extreme, able to stir up endlessvigor. "Afraid?" he asked. Qi Jian did not answer. His hands tightened their grip even more and he dreweven closer to Zhexiu''s body. Zhexiu was rather surprised, apparently. After a moment of silence, thecorners of his lips perked up. He was probably smiling. If Chen Changsheng were to see this, he would almost certainly be incrediblyshocked, because he could not recall a single time he had seen Zhexiu smile. It was a shame that Qi Jian''s head was buried in Zhexiu''s neck so that hecould not see it. Zhexiu said no more. Holding tightly onto Qi Jian''s legs, he began rushingdown the incomparably precipitous cliff face. Sand and stone scattered; debris flew about in chaos. Carrying Qi Jian, Zhexiu madly rushed. Every time his feet landed, they woulddig deeply into the cliff, giving him an excellent grip. The poison of the Peacock Plume had damaged his vision, but it did nothampered the rest of his strength. After his demi-human transformation, the wolf youth could use his nearlyperfect balance and speed to increase his running strength and instinctiveadaptation to unimaginable levels, in accordance with his surroundings. In only a few moments, he carried Qi Jian all the way to the bottom of thecliff. Several miles away on the hillside, it was clear that the Demon General couplehad not expected them to use this method, this direction, to break out of theirentrapment. They paused for a while before once again beginning their pursuit. With a rumble, the cliff trembled as two dragons made of dust followed them. "South, at the Zhen Star, four miles." Qi Jian withdrew his gaze, then attempted to make his weak voice as clear aspossible. "Three hundred, two hundred forty, two hundred, one hundred seventy,stone steps, inclined at a forty-one degree angle, ready......jump!" Like a young male wolf, Zhexiu carried Qi Jian as he frantically made his waythrough the mountains. Turning into a gray shadow, he leaped up a dozen yards,directly jumping to the top of the stone steps. Qi Jian felt that sudden shock of the landing and the pain of his abdomen.However, he held it down and made no sound. He weakly said, "Go straight forfour hundred yards. Enter the forest?" Zhexiu''s heart and soul were engaged in running so he did not answer, onlynodding his head. Qi Jian rested his head on Zhexiu''s shoulders once again, feeling theincessant shocks. As he saw the forest get closer and closer, his handstightened their grip, and his mind also became more tense. He was unable to see the path, carrying a heavily injured person, yet he stillran at his fastest speed. Moreover, he was doing so in the mountains. It was truly mad. What Zhexiu was doing was mad. With madness came an inevitable price to pay. Even though he had already transformed, and even though Qi Jian was doing hisbest to calculate and giving him a constant stream of directions, he wouldstill inevitably tumbleand these were serious tumbles. However, just like he had said at the top of the cliff, every time he fell, hewould get up straightway and continue running. Because only by so madly rushing and throwing caution to the wind could theycontinue to live. The first few times that they fell, Qi Jian would subconsciously close hiseyes, but later on he no longer did. This was because every time they wereabout to fall, Zhexiu would always valiantly adjust his posture so that hesuffered the brunt of the fall, doing as much as he could so that Qi Jian wasnot further injured. He did it regardless of whether they fell on mud or sand, the soft water ofthe stream, or even the hard, sharp surface of the cliff. Qi Jian did not close his eyes, not because Zhexiu''s protection made him losehis fear of falling, but rather because he wanted to see the path ahead asclearly as possible, so that Zhexiu would hopefully fall less often. Zhexiu''s body was covered with wounds, flowing with blood. He closed his eyes, lowered his head, and silently continued his mad rush. Qi Jian tightly held on. His eyes had long ago turned red. She wanted to cry. However, he did not cry. She was obedient. So she did not cry. An entire journey of chasing and fleeing. Seeing the Sunset Valley, but unable to approach it. They could only keepmoving forward. In the end, there was no more path to walk. Zhexiu, with Qi Jian on his back, had finally arrived at the perimeter of thatplain, so he finally stopped running. Liu Wan''er and Teng Xiaoming also stopped their chase. This Demon General couple looked at the distant sun which was just about toset, then looked at the silhouette of that youth in front of that half-sun.Their eyes were filled with admiration. Zhexiu''s head was lowered as he continuously gasped for air. Sweat and blood were all over his body and face and caused those dark hairs totangle together, which made for an absolute mess. Qi Jian rested against his shoulder, close to those very hard and very pricklyhairs. They seemed to be very uncomfortable, but she felt that they were verysoft. "I''m sorry, he said apologetically. "My directions weren''t very good." Zhexiu expressionlessly replied, "It was me that didn''t run fast enough." The distant setting sun continued to hang at the edge of the horizon. For somereason, it had not been completely swallowed by the horizon. In the sunset, the vast and boundless plain seemed to be suffused with agolden light, like the plaza of the Divine State. This was the very center of the Garden of Zhou, its most enigmatic and mostdangerous locationthe legendary Plains of the Unsetting Sun. Several hundred years ago, there were once many cultivators that attempted toenter this plain, yet of the people that entered, none of them had lived toreturn. They had only left behind rumors. It seemed very strange. If no one had ever been able to leave these plains,then how did those rumors get left behind? "So where do we go next?" Qi Jian whispered. Ahead of them were the plains; it was death. Turning around was a battle, and also death. It was just like Tang Thirty-Six and Chen Changsheng had said at the IvyFestival: Qi Jian was a very delicate child. However, in the end, he was a disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect. Moreover,he was the last disciple of Mount Li''s Sect Master. At his waist was Mount Li''sRelic Sword. In his view, if he was going to die, then it should have been by turningaround and engaging in one final battle. Zhexiu did not turn around, nor did he ask for Qi Jian''s opinion. Carryinghim, he entered the plain with its grass that was about as high as a man. "No human has come out of this plain alive," Qi Jian nervously said. "I''m not a human, I''m a wolf." Zhexiu continued, "The plains are my home. I don''t believe there are plainsthat can imprison me." Qi Jian said no more. Hugging Zhexiu, he somewhat rested his head againstZhexiu''s shoulders comfortably. The plains were filled with the same grass, so his directions were no longerneeded. Then walk wherever you want. No matter how far you walk, it is okay. No matterhow long you walk, it is okay. Even if it was the path to death, with someone to keep company, then he shouldstill walk to the end and see. The grass rustled as it rubbed against their clothes. The distant sun still had not set.
267 Those Who Will Not Walk into the Dark Nigh
Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wan''er stood at the edge of the plain, staring at thatsun which hung suspended over the distant horizon. Liu Wan''er said, "I heardthat the sun that hangs over this plain never sets, which is why it''s calledthe Plains of the Unsetting Sun I just don''t understand that if no one hasever been able to come out of the plain alive, then who was the one to see thatthe sun never sets?" Teng Xiaoming heartily laughed, but he did not reply. He knew that she was notreally asking for his opinion, but rather that she was somewhat unhappy. "To actually let that wolf cub carry that person inside the plaineven ifthey do die inside, what do we do? Are we going to have to wait? How can weconfirm that they died?" Liu Wan''er glanced at Teng Xiaoming. She thought to herself that with thehusband''s tyrannical cultivation, if they were outside the Garden of Zhou, whatneed would there be to chase them for such a long time? They could not evencatch a poisoned wolf youth. Of course, if they were outside the garden, thenChen Changsheng and the rest would have been dead a long time ago. In order toenter the Garden of Zhou, they truly had to pay a disastrous price. Teng Xiaoming knew what his wife was thinking. He gently caressed her hair andconsolingly said, "I am willing to do this." Who could have known that on this mission to infiltrate the Garden of Zhou,the Demon General couple with such a vicious reputation had personallyrequested to be sent? It was because they had grown tired of the endless warwith the humans and wanted to leave the army, to return to their oldcountryside. However, they knew very well that the Demon Lord would neveraccede to their request. In all of the demon realm, only the Military Advisorcould help them fulfill their desire. So they had sought out the Military Advisor, who had asked them to enter theGarden of Zhou to take care of this matter. For this reason, they hadforcefully suppressed their cultivation, losing at least two hundred yearsworth of life. However, if they could finish this task, then return to thecountryside hand in hand, then it was just like Teng Xiaoming had said: theywere willing. They were Demon Generals at the middle level of Star Condensation. Even ifthey had forced their cultivation down to Ethereal Opening, they stillpossessed a battle prowess that far surpassed that of Ethereal Openingcultivators. For a person who had once climbed a mountain to slowly rambleamongst the hills once more, he could naturally walk as he pleased. Logically,amongst all the human cultivators within the Garden of Zhou, besides XuYourong, they could leisurely kill whoever they pleased. However, they had not anticipated that Lady Nanke''s two maids, in competingwith each other for merit, would bring about so many troublesome affairs. Theyhad even less anticipated that the human youth called Chen Changsheng wouldcarry so many precious magical artifacts on his person. Even the strength andwill that Zhexiu had expressed had surpassed their prediction, such that he wasable to successfully escape into the Plains of the Unsetting Sun. Although entering that plain was assuredly a path that led to death, it wasnot them that had done the killing in the end. This was the edge of the plain, so although that red sun seemed to never set,it was actually still setting very slowly. As time passed, two-thirds of it hadpassed below that seemingly endless plain, and the sky grew dark. Liu Wan''ersaid, "Wait a while before seeing the situation. Let''s eat first." Teng Xiaoming gave an obedient grunt, then put down his heavy carrying pole.Taking out firewood and bricks, he began to make a fire. Liu Wan''er removedthis year''s new rice from the carrying pole, as well as spring water taken fromJadespring Mountain. Then she began to rinse the rice. Only when the waterbegan to flow out of the pot did she remember that, back at the lakeshore, ChenChangsheng had pierced a hole through this big pot. Liu Wan''er was at a loss for words. That gentle and amiable face finallyrevealed a strand of irritation. "Chen Changsheng, that little fool, doesn''the know that damaging a pot and destroying a kitchen is this continent''s mostcontemptible crime?" Teng Xiaoming heartily laughed, then said, "We were going to kill him! Howcould he consider such things?" Liu Wan''er groaned like a young girl, then said with displeasure, "I''llremember this enmity, and if those two maids can''t kill him, I won''t be lettinghim off easy." Teng Xiaoming consoled her, "When we go back home, we won''t need to fight withhumans anymore. We can sell off the broken pot for scrap and get a littlemoney, so it''s not that bad." Saying these words, he took another pot from the basket and took the rice fromher hands. Then he began to rinse the rice and prepare to cook it. "What do you want to eat tonight?" Liu Wan''er asked. Teng Xiaoming looked at the plain, hearing the cries that came from within. Hehesitantly proposed, "Inside there are quite a few monsters. I could go insideand grab two? If I don''t go too far, it shouldn''t be a problem." "To risk your life for a mealwe''re not birds, nor are we humans," Liu Wan''ersaid in a bad mood. Then she walked over to the basket and flipped through itscontents for a while. Finally finding what she had been looking for, shebrought it out and said, "Before we left, I brought along the left maid''s lefthand. We can cook it in the pot, then eat it with some of the hot sauce thatwas gifted to me?" Previously at the lake shore, in the name of fairness, she had severed thehand of that dignified woman. That hand was now being held in hers, its stump still traced with blood. Teng Xiaoming took the severed hand and used the spring water to wash itclean. Opening up the pot, he added a steaming tray, then also added a plate ontop. With this done, he placed the hand inside. "That pair of maids are too close to souls. The spiritual Qi in this hand issomewhat excessiveI''m afraid it won''t digest very well." He thought it over,then said, "It''s better to not use hot sauce. In a while I''ll pair it with someapricots." At home, he would always be the one to make the meal. Liu Wan''er was not verygood at this, so she naturally had no opinion. The water had not come to boil yet. They did not know whether those two youthsin the plain were still alive or not. Liu Wan''er and Teng Xiaoming sat shoulder-to-shoulder on a stone at the edgeof the plain, watching as the sun set ever so slowly. "We haven''t done this for a long time." "Mm." "Seventy-three years ago, you were still just a lowly soldier. Where''d youfind the courage to ask me out to see the setting sun?" "MmI lost a bet with a colleague." Liu Wan''er glared at him. "So you finally admit it." Teng Xiaoming thought it over, then said, "I''ve already admitted itfour-hundred-and-forty-one times." Liu Wan''er paid him no mind. Snuggling closer to his shoulder and looking atthe distant sun, she said contentedly, "Truly beautiful." Teng Xiaoming pondered how to respond, and decided that this was a time tolie, so he said, "Mm." Liu Wan''er face showed a yearning expression. "When we go back home, we cansit like this every day and look at the sunset." Teng Xiaoming once again pondered how to respond, and decided that he could nolonger continue to lie, even if it would be hard for him in the future. He saidhonestly, "We''d get tired of it." Liu Wan''er arched her brow and said, "If you see me for too long, you''ll alsoget tired of it." Teng Xiaoming did not think about it, and he did not lie. He said sincerely,"I won''t." For an even more beautiful person, if one looked at her beauty all the time,then there would inevitably be a day when one grew tired of it. Chen Changsheng did not have this sort of life experience, but he had a lot tosay about the sun, because it was something that he could never be tired of.Every day he would wake up at five oclock, when the sky was still dark. Afterwashing his face and rinsing his mouth, he would stand under the plum tree, ornext to the temple, or by the lake, or on top of the great banyan, and see thesunrise as usual. This was what made him the happiest. At night, he would usually be asleep, and so he was very unfamiliar with thedark night. Moreover, this was why he did not like the dark night. Whether it was a good night or a cold night, he did not like night at all.Whether it gently walked or angrily advanced, he wanted no part of it. He was afraid of death, because he did not want to die. He was not afraid of death, because he had thought of death many times. So before the moment of death, he would always burst forth with anunimaginable strength. The Black Dragon had seen it. The Divine Empress had seen it. Gou Hanshi had seen it. Now, it was time for his enemies to see that strength. Liang Xiaoxiao''s shoulder had a new sword wound, which was currently drippingblood. The bodies of those two demon beauties were covered with sword marks. Thesmiles had long ago disappeared from their faces, leaving behind a grave andserious expression. Chen Changsheng''s left hand grasped the umbrella, his right hand the dagger.His face was pale, devoid of blood. His true essence had been almost completelyused up. However, his expression was as serious as ever. From the beginning to the end, he had always been this serious.
268 Wings of Ligh
Chen Changsheng''s expression was serious and intent, but it was not confident,because right now his posture was rather strange. If he were to use his umbrella as a shield and move forward with his dagger,then it would be like a brave warrior ascending onto the battlefield. However,right now, the umbrella was not being wielded in his hand, rather being draggedalong the sand. He held his dagger upside-down at his wrist, while his kneeswere slightly bent. His body was leaned forward, as if he was ready at any timeto flee. He seemed just like a little thief, a little thief ready to fight forhis life. Because he was almost at his breaking point, his physical strength had beenused up to the extent that he could no longer hold up the Yellow Paper Umbrellafor extended periods of time. He could only let it drag on the ground, onlybringing it up to block when the attack was just about to arrive. Theincredibly sharp dagger was in a similar situation. The remnants of his trueessence were not enough for him to use those extremely formidable sword styles.Even such simple actions such as slashing and thrusting were very difficult forhim to do. The dagger being held upside down at his wrist meant that the sword-play heused was naturally not very open and sweeping. He could only use very finemovements. The two demon women had to have several close calls before theyrealized that he was actually using the Holy Maiden Peak''s Icebreaking Sword.They could not help but be exceptionally shockedthis method had always beenpracticed by the disciples of the Holy Maiden Peak, so where did he learn it? Whether it was the demon beauty with not a thread of clothes or that dignifiedwoman wearing Qi Jian''s robe, they each had very solemn expressions. The gazesthat they focused on Chen Changsheng were also abnormally grave. It ratherpuzzled them, even giving them a faint sense of admiration, that a human youthcould actually hold on for such a long time in this situation. However, if the battle persisted, victory would eventually belong to theSpirit race. Behind them were two large wings made of light, which quickly began to vibratefaster. There was only a whoosh on the beach, and then the demons disappeared.In the next moment, they appeared behind Chen Changsheng, their hands glowingwith a ghastly green light as they came piercing at him. With such terrifying speed, like bolts of lightning, these sly demons werelike smoke. Their abilities far surpassed the imagination of the vast majorityof humans. This was what Chen Changsheng had resisted for such a long time. How did he do it? In the instant that those two wings appeared behind him, hemoved. His true essence flowed through his damaged meridians and his feet movedseemingly very naturally, but in fact very precisely, to the left. His figuresuddenly disappeared, and reappeared several zhang away. Those two wings swiftly moved once more, bringing those two women to ChenChangsheng''s back, and blocking him from the lake. Chen Changsheng raised up the umbrella to block. With only a hiss, both sideslaunched a flurry of rapid blows against each other, then split apart. The bodies of the two women were covered with sword slashes once again, whichgradually disappeared, just like the numerous cracks Chen Changsheng had madeon the wings at their backs. The demon beauty stared at Chen Changsheng. Her face pale. "So it really wasthe Yeshi Step." Previously they had been shocked by Chen Changsheng''s abnormal movements.After several probing attacks, they finally confirmed what it was. They were Nanke''s maids and also her two wings. Moreover, they hadextraordinary bodies, so they possessed a terrifying innate speed. Just interms of leaping and rushing over short distances, they could truly bedescribed as bolts of lightning. Ethereal Opening cultivators had no chance;even amongst true Star Condensation experts, there were very few people thatcould keep up with their speed. Chen Changsheng had bathed in the true blood of the Black Dragon, allowing hisstrength and speed to reach the peak of Ethereal Opening, but even he wasincapable of keeping up with their speed. However he knew the Yeshi Step. Yes, although his Yeshi Step was not perfect, since he only practiced asimplified version of his own making, it was enough to help him in those mostdangerous moments when he needed to avoid their lightning-quick attacks. This was the most important reason he had been able to live up to now. Liang Xiaoxiao grasped his sword and stood in the forest. As he viewed thisscene and heard that demon woman speak, his expression subtly changed. As for those two women that had competed with Chen Changsheng in terms ofspeed and reactions many times, their expressions grew even more grave. The reason why the Demon race''s plan in the Garden of Zhou had yet to succeedwas all because Chen Changsheng had exceeded their expectations: whether it behis many powerful magical artifacts or his body and sword techniques, or evenhis tenacious and unyielding will. However, what really made them nervous wasthat on the various details around Chen Changsheng, including his surpassinglysharp dagger, his extremely firm umbrella, or the precious Thousand MileButton, and even his mastery of the Yeshi Step; the Military Advisor mostdefinitely knew all about these. So why had the Military Advisor not given themany sort of warning before they had entered the Garden of Zhou? The Military Advisor had not even brought it up. It could not be that these were Chen Changsheng''s secrets that not even theMilitary Advisor knew about. The Military Advisor was omniscient; this was aconviction that all demons cleaved tothen what was the Military Advisoraiming to do? Could it be that in this plot, there were still details that theywere not aware of? Did it involve their master? They could not resolve thisproblem, so they were uneasy. In reality, their master, and even the greatDemon Lord himself, were mystified about the true motives of the enigmaticBlack Robe. They suddenly realized that the wind blowing off the lake had became muchcolder. This brought their attention to the fact that the sun had almost setbehind the mountains. However, they had not received new orders from the Military Advisor, whichmeant that they had to extinguish the four flames floating in the life seatokill off those four people. Chen Changsheng suddenly felt that the trees by the lakeshore were beginningto move. Liang Xiaoxiao, his expression grave and his sword at his chest,unhesitatingly used the Mount Li Sword Sect''s most powerful sword technique. He had already crossed swords with Chen Changsheng several times. Regardlessof how powerful his sword style, or how dense his sword energy, he had beenunable to pierce through his opponent''s Yeshi Step. Twice now Nanke''s two maidshad used their lightning-fast speed to entangle Chen Changsheng, at which pointLiang Xiaoxiao looked for an opportune time to attack. Yet, both times, ChenChangsheng had easily broken through his sword moves. Liang Xiaoxiao was unable to get the better of Chen Changsheng. He felt thatno matter what move he used, it was as if this youth had already guessed itbeforehand. Moreover, his opponent had always been able to execute the movewhich was most adapted to hurting him. This sort of feeling was extremely uncomfortable, extremely disastrous. This time was no exception. The dagger pressed up against Chen Changsheng''swrist was thrust towards that sky filled with sword wind. It easily found themost critical point of his sword energy and fell upon it. With a snap, thismost simple and yet most effective action had stopped the sword move.Afterwards, the slightly gloomy forest by the lake was lit up by a sword glow.Liang Xiaoxiao was compelled to move backwards in order to avoid the attack. All of the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style now rested in the OrthodoxAcademy. If Liang Xiaoxiao had been even more learned in the traditional Mount Li SwordStyle, if he was even more skilled, how could he have gotten the better of ChenChangsheng? His magical artifacts were many, and fortuitously so, but what he had the mostof was still knowledge. Memorizing the entire Daoist Canon was one thing, butof the books on cultivation in the Orthodox Academy''s library, the vastmajority of them had become nutrients for his sea of consciousness within thevery short span of one year. Countless sword arts had been committed to hismind. Besides Gou Hanshi and Guan Feibai, amongst this generation of youngcultivators, who would dare say that they knew more sword styles than him? If he were facing off some other demon experts, then even if it was one versusthree, Chen Changshengwith all of his treasures and methods to protect hisbodycould perhaps really have killed his way out, and maybe even obtainedvictory. Just like before He had broken through Liang Xiaoxiao''s Mount LiSword Style, then pretended to retreat into the woods. In reality, he gatheredup the remnants of his true essence and burned it all up, pouring all his powerinto that dagger. With a flip of his wrist, it turned into a biting cold awland stabbed at a tree branch in the air. There was a sharp screech. Those two women had just appeared in that place, their wings flapping. With a whirlwind of blood, a deep sword slash appeared on their necks. If itwere even deeper, one would even be able to see the bone. The setting sun illuminated the forest by the lakeside. The wind brushedagainst the surface of the lake, and the waves gently splashed. One hand held a dagger, the other an umbrella. Chen Changsheng''s chest heavedup and down, and his gasps for breath slowly returned to normal. In his eyes was a tinge of regret. His move, although it had heavily injured those two woman, had not cut throughthe throat, so it was meaningless. They could even regenerate severed hands, so what meaning was there to woundson the body? Why did that dignified woman have no horns? How was her blood red? How was itthat when the naked demon beauty had used her charming arts, the demon horns onher head had disappeared of their own accord? All of it was because they werenot humans, nor were they demons. They were shamans. To be more precise, they were shaman spirits. Their bodiesrested on the line between the real and the spiritual. When they stood together, it was obvious that their facial features andappearance were completely different, and yet they gave the feeling that theywere twins. It was because they had always been twinsthey were a pair of wings. Just like those two wings of light on their backs. Those wings of light and their almost spiritual bodies allowed them to possessan unimaginable speed. Even if Chen Changsheng used the Yeshi Step, he stillwould not have been able to escape. If there was only one wing, then it would have never been impossible to takeflight. Just like how if those two were separated, they were just ordinaryupper level Ethereal Opening experts. This was why in the center of the lakeand the lakeshore, Chen Changsheng and the others had been able to severelyinjure them. If they were together, they could directly fly up into the bluesky, increasing their battle strength by more than ten times. The most powerful Liu Wan''er and Teng Xiaoming, the Demon General couple, hadtaken their leave to pursue Zhexiu and Qi Jian mainly because Qi Jian was theirprimary target, but there was also another reason. This was because thathusband and wife could tell that due to some problem with his true essence orcultivation method, Chen Changsheng lacked the strength to instantly kill. Sothe only thing that lay in store for him was death. Those two wings made of congealed light slowly flapped behind those two women.It was very beautiful. In Chen Changsheng''s eyes, those wings of light were just as terrifying. Hisgrip tightened on his dagger as he attempted to find a means of escaping thisencirclement, but he could not find one. Those two women lowered their heads to look at the wounds on their necks, butthey could not see it. Then they looked into each other''s eyes, and then lookedat Chen Changsheng''s neck. All their actions were perfectly synchronized. Monstrous green blood and gaudy red blood flowed incessantly from those twosword wounds. They clearly felt the pain, and they had seen the shadow of death. They weretruly angry, yet their expressions grew increasingly calm and solemn. Those two wings suddenly began to beat much faster. A massive wind rose up on the lakeshore.
269 Falling Into the Setting Suns Reflection
The final moment had come, so it was meaningless for him to hold back anyhidden cards. Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng entered self-introspection,then ignited the last remnants of the snowy plain. Yet for some reason, he did not let his spiritual sense touch the water of thelake that surrounded his Ethereal Palace. The snowy plain burst into a fiery conflagration, replenishing his trueessence. He used the Yeshi Step. His figure abruptly vanished from the front of the forest, suddenly appearingin a distant place. Then it disappeared, and reappeared, appearing anddisappearing, like a spirit or smoke. However, the stream of light was truly too fast. No matter where he appeared,in the very next moment he would be facing that stream of light. The sound of a sword breaking through the air continuously sounded out. Thewind on the lake shore and the sound of the waves were all sliced intocountless pieces. On occasion, blood would spurt forth into the air like a flower. Yet when theflower of blood landed on the ground, the people battling had already appeareddozens of zhang away. Those flowers of blood were sometimes green and sometimes red. After Chen Changsheng''s body had been bathed in dragon blood, it wasincomparably strong as expected. In the battle, his body had not yet suffered asingle wound. However, although he had the Yellow Paper Umbrella to protecthim, he had been struck several times by those women''s attacks, imbued with thehighly toxic Peacock Plume. The sinister and awe-inspiring pressure of thoseattacks had penetrated past his skin, attacking his internal organs. This hadcaused many internal wounds, and there were even two occasions in which healmost spit out blood, only to forcefully choke it back down. However now, he had attempted a dangerous act. By placing all his true essenceinto his dagger, a gap had emerged in the protective field of the umbrella.After a sequence of attacks, he could no longer hold it down, and a finetrickle of blood appeared at the corner of his lips. He already did not have the strength to hold the umbrella, so the Yellow PaperUmbrella had lost its use. He did not want to leave such a precious magicalartifact behind for his enemies, so with a thought, a series of metallicclashes and screeches ensued. In a flash, the Yellow Paper Umbrella hadwithdrawn, returning its former shape of a scale-covered metal ball, afterwhich it disappeared into his palm. He no longer grasped his dagger reversed over his wrist. Instead he held itvery casually, making it seem like he was a young man carrying around a winebottle as he returned home to his parents. The sun continued to sink, and the temperature continued to drop. The lasttwilight of the sun in the direction of the distant plain let the lake give offits last bit of warmth. In the form of wind, it brushed against his face,urging him on. He took a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe clean that trickle of blood,then put it away. The handkerchief also disappeared to some place. Yet in just this brief moment of time, the wind had still managed to grazeagainst that blood, bringing with it some of its aroma. It was not the smell of blood, but some other extremely bizarre scent. Liang Xiaoxiao stood in front of the forest, his sword brought up in defense,guarding against any attempt by Chen Changsheng to use the Yeshi Step to enterthe forest. The distance between the two was somewhat large. The two women were shaman souls, so their five senses were extremely sharp. Inaddition, they were very close in front of Chen Changsheng, so they were ableto smell that aroma. It truly did not smell of blood, nor was it sweet, much less the smell of ironin the late winter. Instead it was a sort of fragrance. The fragrance was very light, like an orchid in the deep valley, and yet itwas extremely fragrant, as if the orchid was right in front of them. The fragrance was like the scent of some sparkling pure fruit as it slowlyripened. It was also like the mountain wind passing over numberless valleys ofpine trees, bringing along a night''s worth of their clear and refreshing scent.And it was also like the salty smell that arose when the morning sun shone uponthe stones on the beach. This fragrance was incomparably complex, and yet itwas incomparably pure. It was rich to the extreme, and yet also clean to theextreme. On that night so many years ago, the scent had caused all those mysticalbeings in the great fog behind Xining village to grow restless. One year ago, the scent had caused that little girl separated by a wall fromthe Orthodox Academy to go over the wall and find its source. Besides the night on which he fixed his Fated Star, this sort of aroma had notappeared around Chen Changsheng''s body for a long time, even when he bledduring the Grand Examination or when his body had been a mangled mess in theunderground space. However, after that night of viewing the monoliths in theMausoleum of Books, that scent had once appeared in his blood. The closer one was to nature, the more spiritual the being, the more theycould smell that aroma. They were also less capable of resisting and would wantto get closer. Possessing the blood of the White Emperor, even Luoluo was drawn to it, so howcould these two women with spiritual bodies possibly be able to resist? It only took an instant for them to be intoxicated, to be struck dumb. It wasas if they returned to that sea of flowers from the time that they first wereborn into this world. The wings of light behind them gradually began to slow down. They seemed softand pure, possessing not even a bit of their former strength. They seemedrather to be fanning the women. Chen Changsheng did not understand what was happening, but he knew that thiswas his last opportunity to escape. Liang Xiaoxiao could not smell that scent, so he remained very clear-headed.His guard had always been up, so he realized very quickly that there wassomething peculiar going on by the lake shore. His expression suddenly turnedcold, and he sent his cold sword flying from his hand. He used the Mount LiSword Style''s most awe-inspiring and most defensive three moves of the IronCliff consecutively. Between the lake and Chen Changsheng, it formed aprotective screen that was difficult to overcome. He hoped that it would be able to block Chen Changsheng long enough that thosetwo women could return to normal. He firmly believed that no matter how much Chen Changsheng knew about theMount Li Sword Style, or how unpredictable the Yeshi Step was, it would beimpossible for Chen Changsheng to pierce the three moves of the Iron Cliff insuch a short time. However, Chen Changsheng did not use the Yeshi Step. On the lake shore, the sword wind kicked up as the sword energy gathered. Three Forms of Wenshui, Hanging Sunset! He reversed the technique, using the sword as the person, the person as thesword, thus directly tossing himself into the air. At this moment, the splendid red of the setting sun was hanging in the westernsky. On the already somewhat gloomy lake shore, there was yet another setting sun. Chen Changsheng rose through the air, passing over Liang Xiaoxiao''s swordenergy and flying high into the sky, before finally landing in the lake. He landed in the lake on that setting sun''s reflection. Water splashed in every direction. Those two women were roused from their stupor, their eyes still containingtraces of perplexity, as they had no idea what had happened in those moments.In the next moment, their perplexity was all converted into anger. It would seem that they were finally going to kill that unreasonable youth.How could they let him escape?! The wings of light began to beat faster, and an ear-splitting hum arose on thelake shore. A stream of light shot towards the center of lake, then suddenly turned in theair and shot into the lake. The sky had grown dark, and the reflection of the setting sun on the lakecould not illuminate much. The lake water, clear and transparent in the day,had already become somewhat gloomy. The depths of the lake were especiallydark, making it extremely difficult to see anything, as if the water were ink.In this darkness, that distant dot of light seemed increasingly striking. Chen Changsheng kicked his legs, doing his best to swim towards the light. Heremembered very clearly that it was the tunnel through which he and Zhexiu hadcome over. Yet he had not even swum a few dozen zhang before his body began to feel animmense pressure. He did not need to turn around to know that it was those two women chasingafter him. The wings of light moved quickly through the watery depths, like two untiringoars, bringing along those two women. They made a clear line of water as theyshot towards him. The lake was thrown into a great upheaval, as if it was boiling. Chen Changsheng knew that he would not make it to that light in time. In thewater, he turned around and grasped his dagger once more. His two legs werestill kicking swiftly, so that he maintained his swimming posture whilepreparing for the arrival of his enemies. The faint ray of light dispersed in the water. The two women, one completelynaked and the other tightly wrapped in a sword robe, seemed like two whitefish. The wings of light behind them illuminated their surroundings, suffusingthe dark blue with light. It was incredibly beautiful, such that even at thismoment, Chen Changsheng inwardly exclaimed his admiration. The line of water moved forward without stopping, arriving very quickly beforehim. Chen Changsheng stabbed his dagger at them, but that dignified woman wasactually truly angry, so she unexpectedly made no move to evade, letting himstab that dagger into her bulging chest. Simultaneously she wrapped her armsaround his hand, locking it in place. At the same time, the other woman wrappedaround. She truly wrapped around him, her two hands grabbing his left armtightly while her two legs wrapped around his waist. Those two wings slowly closed, like a shell. Chen Changsheng was sealed within those two wings of light, pressed up tightlyagainst those two women. If this were not a life and death struggle, then the word ''snuggle'' wouldperhaps be an even better description of the scene. They were all packed tight. They could see each other''s faces, see how their appearances changed in thewater. That dignified woman had an indifferent expression. In that charming woman eyes, there was both laughter and apology. The water grew darker and darker, and the lake bottom even more so, like theabyss, like the night. The strangest and most undesired night. Only the wings of light remained glowing. In the icy water, falling towards the deathly night, Chen Changsheng''s eyesbegan to grow dim. He knew that there was no other option now but to take that risk, or else ifhe waited for his mind to dim as well, then he would not even have time forregret. Right now, he felt some regret. He should not have let the Black Dragon leave.Although it would not have been of any help in the battle, it definitely wouldhave been of some use right now in the lake. Just at this moment, he suddenly felt a strand of sword intent. The sword intent was very elusive, yet very distinct. He remembered that before he had come over to this side, when he was standingby the pool, he had also felt a strand of sword intent. Was this the same sword intent? The sword intent of the triple-layered Iron Cliff on the lake shore graduallyfaded away. Gazing at the once again calm surface of the lake, Liang Xiaoxiao was silentfor a very long time. From his entrance into the Mount Li Sword Sect up to now, his life couldwithout a doubt be considered extremely successful. However, his most successful moment, in his opinion, was not too long ago,when his sword ran through Qi Jian''s abdomen. Of course, that was also his most difficult moment. What was his greatest failure? He had originally thought it was the time when he climbed Mount Li and metEldest Brother. Because from that moment on, he knew that he would never be able to catch upto Eldest Brother. But now, he no longer thought that way. The greatest moment of failure in his life, perhaps, was every moment that hemet Chen Changsheng. It was a good thing that he was dead now. Liang Xiaoxiao returned his sword to his sheath and walked into the forest. Hesilently thought to himself that as long as he killed off everyone on this sideof the lake, then the trip to the Garden of Zhou would have been successful. The figure in the mountains had taken its leave long ago. It was very fast,fleeing for its life not just in name, but also in reality. Only that the worldon this side of the lake was very small compared to the vastness of the Gardenof Zhou, so where could he flee to? It did not take much time before he found the person. Zhuang Huanyu had never been known as being handsome or confident. In thecapital, most of his reputation came from his talent in cultivation. Amongstthe students of the Six Ivies, he had always been considered an extremely plainperson. However, he still had his pride as a student of the Heavenly DaoAcademy. Although his clothes were simple, they were very clean, and there wasno place that he would be lacking in manners. The Zhuang Huanyu of the present cut a sorry figure. His clothes were torn allover from the scratches of tree branches. His face was covered with bits ofgrass, and he had even lost one of his shoes in his flight.
270 Past and Present Fate Part One
Zhuang Huanyu saw the Cloud-piercing Arrow and knew what it was, so he rushedover to the lake shore, where he saw the Demon race''s long-plottedassassination. Yet from beginning to end, he had never appeared, never taking action. In the beginning, he was truly too late to assist. However, when LiangXiaoxiao used his sword to heavily wound Zhexiu and then Qi Jian......he didnot dare to take action. However, at that time, he still had a little courage, because that mostpowerful Demon General couple had left. It was for this reason that Chen Changsheng was able to persist for so long,because he wanted to inspire some courage in him. Liang Xiaoxiao had not puthis all into the battle because he was wary of him. From a certain point of view, he had some use. The problem was that he had never been able to gather enough courage to rushtowards the lake shore, and when Chen Changsheng could hold on no longer, allhis courage also vanished into the air in that instant. He turned and left, and began to flee. The act truly marked him as very lacking in manners. "In the Mausoleum of Books, I managed to view up to the third monolithI''vealready broken into the next realm!" Zhuang Huanyu''s right hand held the sword of the Heavenly Dao Academy, whilehis left hand held a magical artifact. Looking at Liang Xiaoxiao blocking hisway, he said with his pale face, "I''m also Ethereal Opening, I''m not afraid ofyou!" He had also been one of the young geniuses on the Proclamation of Azure Sky.Although he was not ranked above Liang Xiaoxiao, in the eyes of the commonfolk, he was equally famous as the Divine State''s Seven Laws. However, the current him, with his head and face covered in dirt and his mindin chaos, did not have the slightest bearing of a young genius. Liang Xiaoxiao said, "You can strike." Even if the world really did have prodigal sons that came home and were worthmore than gold, there was still no person that could turn around so quickly. Even if there really were cases of showing bravery after regaining a sense ofshame, there were very few cases in which a person would be able to clearly seetheir shame in such a short time, then regain their courage. The sword in Zhuang Huanyu''s hand trembled, just like his voice. He was almostabout to drop the sword, so how was he going to stab with it? "You know who my father is." Forgetting himself, Zhuang Huanyu yelled, "If youdare kill me, then your death is also assured!" Saying these words, only then did he realize that the person in front of himhad dared to defect to the demons, and even dared to kill the last disciple ofMount Li''s Sect Master. So how could he scare him off? As he thought of this, he was suddenly seized by an indescribable sense ofanger. Liang Xiaoxiao was expressionless. In his mind, he silently thought, then,does anybody know who my father is? Zhuang Huanyu saw that his words had not brought about any sort of response,which made him even more uneasy. His voice shaking, he said, "If you reallywant to force me, we''ll go down together in the worst case." With these words, he did not lift up his sword, but instead raised the magicalartifact in his left hand. Liang Xiaoxiao''s gaze rested on that magical artifact, and his expressionsuddenly shifted. He realized that this was one of the Heavenly Dao Academy''sseven magical artifacts, the Jadestone. He was quite astonished at this realization. Since this person was actually carrying around such a powerful magicalartifact, if he and Chen Changsheng really had worked together, then perhaps itwould have brought about an unthinkable change. "I didn''t realize that Vice Principal Zhuang doted so heavily on his son. Heactually flouted the regulations of the academy and secretly gave you such aprecious treasure." He looked at Zhuang Huanyu and coldly said, "If this matter were to come out,what would be the consequences for you?" Zhuang Huanyu calmed down a bit and said, "So what? Is it more wretched thandeath?" Liang Xiaoxiao said, "The clue on the Sword Poolit seems that Vice PrincipalZhuang found it. He didn''t tell Mao Qiuyu, nor did he report it to the LiPalace. He only secretly told you. But what sort of crime is that? Mostimportantly, back there you didn''t go help Chen Changshengwhat sort of crimeis that? I think that even if you do leave the Garden of Zhou, I''m afraid yourending really might be more wretched than death." Zhuang Huanyu''s face grew even paler. He simply had no idea how to respond.Liang Xiaoxiao turned back to the already completely calm surface of the lake,observing it in silence for a few moments, before suddenly saying, "ChenChangsheng is already dead. Zhexiu and Qi Jian are also most definitely goingto die. The only person left who knows about this matter is you." Zhuang Huanyu could faintly understand his meaning, and yet he did not believeit. Moreover......the price demanded was far beyond what he could stomach. "You want me to be like you?" Two patches of red appeared on his face, perhapsdue to anger, or some other reason, like shame. Liang Xiaoxiao calmly gazed at him and said, "Besides this, what other reasondo I have to let you go?" Zhuang Huanyu''s breathing grew rough and heavy. The reason was still unknown:anger, shame, or nerves? After a long time, he asked in bewildered fashion,"This just why did you do this?" This was a question directed at himself, and also at Liang Xiaoxiao. Qi Jianhad asked it, Chen Changsheng had asked it, but Liang Xiaoxiao had never givenan answer. This time was no exception. Liang Xiaoxiao looked at the last embersof the sunset on the calm surface of the lake and thought to himself, how couldthe world have so many whys? The border of the Garden of Zhou consisted of an unbroken wall of unevenmountains. Then there were hills and three imposing mountain ranges that ledtowards the center district, that vast and boundless plain. Of these threemountain ranges, Sunset Valley was the longest and the tallest. Its cliffs wereextremely steep and smooth like they had been cut by a knife. On this mountainridge that was several thousand zhang tall, there was only one extremely steeppath. That young lady dressed in white was walking along this high and steepmountain path. On both sides of her was the sky, so it seemed like she waswalking in the air, her white clothes a slowly moving cloud. If she were to continue walking forward, then there would eventually be apoint where she arrived at Sunset Valley''s most forward point. Over there, shewould be able to see the sun setting over that plain, as well as the vastmajority of the Garden of Zhou. But today, she would first encounter thatzither-playing old man and that girl with the indifferent expression. She did not know that the old man and young girl were waiting for her, so shecontinued her journey towards that setting sun. The Black Dragon flew at an even higher altitude, so it could see both thegirl walking on the mountain path as well as the girl that was waiting at theend of that path. Its way of doing things had somewhat departed from ChenChangsheng''s initial plan, but it was too late to change it now. It decidedthat it had to find a way to warn that white-clothed young lady. Yet just as ithad resolved to do so, the summit of Sunset Valley enveloped in the twilightsuddenly resounded with the sound of a zither. This sound was exceptionallyclear and extremely distant, but in an instant it had been transferred overmany miles. The white-clothed young lady halted her footsteps. She slightly inclined herhead, as if she was listening closely. On her elegant yet not particularlybeautiful cheeks appeared a hint of laughter. She was not on her guard, butrather seemed to be enjoying it. The sound of the zither did not stop. The notes rushed out like water,connecting together into a tune. It was a very cheerful piece of music, as ifit were welcoming guests from afar, and also like a hunter celebrating over thenight''s harvest. If the hunter''s harvest was extremely plentiful, the people would build a bigbonfire in the field and suspend the food over the fire to roast until the oilflowed, allowing the fragrance to cause those fierce beasts in the night tosalivate. The Black Dragon subconsciously looked at that vast plain. She knew very wellthat concealed in those grasses that were about as high as a man were manyfierce beasts. Then she saw that the edge of the plain was on fire. That wasthe last vestige of light and warmth from the setting sun, and it seemed justlike a bonfire. Although time passed by ever so slowly, the critical point approached. Then,as sudden as it often was with this sort of thing, without any sort of mentalpreparation, the sun had silently sunken below the horizon. The night hadfinally come. No sun did not mean that there was no light, only that both the sky and theearth were much darker than usual. The vast plain, which even the Black Dragoncould not see the end of, became a dark and gloomy ocean. Seeing this oceanicplain, the Black Dragon gave off a light sigh. The sigh was one of contentmentand reminiscence, because this scene reminded her of her home. The gloom didnot necessarily mean cold. Although it was a Black Frost Dragon, it also lovedthe warmth. In the deep bluealmost blackwaters of its home, the waters werewarm, heated by the blazing sun to be almost like bathing water. The beaches ofthose islands were like bits of silver The Divine Empress had peeled her spiritual soul away from the body and pouredit into the jade ruyi so that she could follow Chen Changsheng on this journeyto the Garden of Zhou, and report on his situation at any time. In some mannersof speaking, she was still a prisoner. Her jail was no longer that undergroundspace beneath the Imperial Palace, but a small ruyi. The restrictions on herstrength were no longer those iron chains, but the shadow of death. She stillhad to confront the depression on her mind, the pressure brought about by beinga traitor. No matter how she looked at this, the trip was not a very goodmission. Yet when she accompanied Chen Changsheng and left the capital, sherealized that it was actually a very good thing. It was the first time inseveral hundred years that she had left that cold and lonely underground world.She saw countless sights that had already become strange to her. She saw somany humans and demi-humans that were once food to her. All this made her feelincomparably happy, such that she even forgot about many things. Only now didshe finally think about her home. Are all unreachable places called distant lands? For the Dragon race, therewas no place on this world that they could not go. Is the place you could notgo back to called home? Yes, could she still go home? She looked at the plain which was as dark as the ocean, thinking about thedeep sea that was like a plain, far to the south. She thought of home, thoughtof her father, thought of many things, and then she began to grieve. It was different from the legends. Dragons did not live up in high mountainsand lofty mountain ranges, in strange caves concealed by the clouds. As themost powerful and most intelligent of all living beings, how could they enjoyliving in such a gloomy and cold environment? Dragons loved palm trees, silverbeaches, jade oceans, the sun and the wind, and palaces. On this point, when all life had evolved to its highest point, there was notmuch difference. It was unknown whether the Demon race''s constant encroachmentson the south to exterminate the Human race were also related to this. The dragons lived far off in the southern seas. Over there, the water was verywarm. That was also the Black Dragon''s home. The Golden Dragons blood was most noble, their existence was most powerful,and they led the entire Dragon Race. However, the Black Frost Dragons were evenprouder and colder. They loved to leave the crowd and find their own places tolive. They never took pleasure in conversing with their fellows. To put itsimply, they were lofty and cold to the extreme. Countless years ago, the leaders of the Dragon race, the Golden Dragons, haddisappeared from the continent for some reason. The Black Frost Dragons hadnaturally arisen as the most suited candidates for next leaders of the Dragonrace. In those days, as long as her father nodded his head, he could have becomechief of all dragons. However, her father was unwilling, not wanting all thetrouble. He set off on his own from the southern sea, going to the continent. The zither continued to play, like a summoning, like a recollection, like thewind that blew over the snowy plains all those years ago. The Black Dragon looked at the dark plain, at the Sunset Valley, then wassuddenly overcome by grief. Her dragon eyes were filled with tears, causing asmall rain to fall from the sky of the Garden of Zhou. Right now, she was only a strand of her spiritual soul. In terms of spirit,she was far weaker than her original body. She had actually been stirred up bythe sound of that zither, moreover she did not resist it. Because the zither had caused her think of the past, caused her see her fatherafter he had left home. Her father had been the strongest Black Frost Dragon of the past one thousandyears. He was of a hue even darker than the night. His breath was a sword ofice and snow that reached far away. His strength was unimaginable. Her father had met a human. The human carried a great blade that seemed able to pierce the heavens. No matter how strong her father was, he still would not have been able toresist that blade. It seemed that all things placed in front of the edge of that blade could onlybe severed into two. Not to mention that the great battle had taken place in the Garden of Zhou. The human was the master of the Garden of Zhou. The blade really had chopped at the sky, and on the azure sky appeared adistinct slash. With time, the slash slowly faded away, but the plain under it had taken on avery different appearance. The sky had been severed, and the black that was even darker than the nighthad also been severed into two. Her father had fallen from the sky, and his enormous body had become amountain range. In the setting sun, that mountain range seemed almost ablaze. At the veryfront of the mountain rage was the loftiest peak. That was the dragon''s head.The plain also burned, and those clouds of red were the dragon''s blood. The Black Dragon finally understood those events of the past; why her fatherhad never returned from his journey. Her eyes were full of tears, then they suddenly went cold, turning into chunksof ice. Humans are humans, as expected. Shameless humans, cold-blooded humans. She looked at that white-clothed young lady making her way up that solitarymountain path and indifferently thought, go die then. Both sides of the mountain path were precipitous cliffs, the bare rockseemingly very smooth. Even more frightening was that person who, all thoseyears ago, created these stone steps upon which only one person could walk. The wind up here was much fiercer than the wind below, and also much colder.Down below, because the mountains were too high, were the clouds. However,because of the wind, they could not form any shapes, and were blown into thinstrands. Hearing the masterful and subtle sound of the zither, the white-clothed younglady began to think about rather worldly things, like the small village''scotton candy, or the little balls of white hanging from the willow tree underthe bridge not far from home. Or that time when she first entered the ThirteenDivisions of Radiant Green, when she was not used to the thick bedding andrandomly kicked out with her legs, which ended up beating the bedding to bits,and leaving the dorm full of cotton filling. When she thought of these things, she smiled. The corners of her lips perkedup, causing her normal and elegant face to suddenly brighten, causing even theclear and solitary mountain path to seemingly warm up a few degrees. Accompanied by the zither, she continued forward. Before the peak of the cliff, there was actually a tree. She walked over to the tree, planning to take a rest. Because of its environment, this tree did not have a single leaf left, onlysmooth branches. It matched very well with the cliffs on both sides, almostmelting into the mountain, so it was no wonder she had not seen it before. She took a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her forehead very seriously. On the cold mountain, even if she was walking nonstop, she logically stillshould not have sweat very much, not to mention her talent in cultivation aswell. Yet when she removed the handkerchief, it was actually somewhat wet. Seeing how wet the handkerchief was, she shook her head and then smiled. So even she could become nervous.
271 Past and Present Fate Part Two
The sound of the zither wrapped around her body. She could not see the person who played the zither, and could only hear itssound. However, she could not tell where it was coming from. The person who played the zither... where was he? It was a song, that''s all. She took out a square plate and placed it down in front of her. What that square plate was made of was a mystery, but it was darker than pigiron, yet it was somewhat more gentle than iron. It was like black jade, yet itwas somewhat stronger than jade. The surface of the black square plate was covered with many complicatedpatterns and lines. If someone who understood them looked at these patterns,they would most likely think of those fake daoists outside the Li Palace thatwould swindle money from others by pretending to tell fortunes. Yes, this was a Fated Star Plate used to deduce one''s fate. The intersections of those lines were all positions of stars. Moreover, in theentire continent, only she and a few other experts could understand that thelines were the trajectories of the stars. Her two hands rested on the Fated Star Plate, then they began to move. Theyflowed over the plate naturally, like the wind that called the clouds aroundthe cliff, like the phoenix which bathed its wings in the ocean. As her hands moved, the patterns and lines on the Fated Star Plate began tomove with them. The speed at which the countless rings turned were not thesame. Some were fast and some were slow, making it extremely complex. Ifsomeone stared at it for a long time, then perhaps the persons eyes would growblurry or maybe he might even swoon into unconsciousness. However, she did not.She calmly examined the Fated Star Plate, her eyelashes unmoving, not missingeven the subtlest change of those patterns. After who knows how long had passed, she ended her deductions andcalculations, and put away the Fated Star Plate. Taking several steps away fromthe tree, she took out her long bow, nocked an arrow, then shot it towards theend of the path. With a whoosh, the cliffs in the night were suddenly shocked awake. The vibration of the bowstring caused that solitary tree to sway even more, asif it had been chopped down. Then, another long period of time passed. Nothing changed. It was as if that arrow had disappeared into the void. Shelifted her head to stare into the night sky at the place where the arrow haddisappeared, and pondered in silence for a very long time. This was her arrow. Regardless of how powerful the enemy was, even if it was aStar Condensation expert, it still would not disappear without a sound. At thevery least, there should be an echo. For there to be no echo meant that there were two possibilities. Tonight, herenemy''s strength far surpassed her own, or the position that she had calculatedwas incorrect. The former was impossible, because this was the Garden of Zhou. Furthermore,if the demons had sent an expert like a Demon General, there was no need towait. He should have long ago taken action. Then it meant that her calculation were incorrect. She was extremely confidentin her deductions. If she really had calculated it wrong, then there was onlyone possibility. There was a problem with the positions of the stars themselves. At this moment, she thought of the same sentence that Chen Changsheng hadthought of in the front mausoleum of the Mausoleum of Books. The positions are relative. The ''relative'' indicated that space was relative, that distance was relative.If the space was not real, then there was no way to calculate. So the positionsin the space were naturally also impossible to calculate. Was the solitary mountain path''s original destination a false space? Was thatclear sound of the zither welcoming her to a land of deathis that why it wasso joyous? She put her hands behind her back and walked over to the cliff edge. As shestared at that distant plain, she began to think. If the Black Dragon had seen this, then she would definitely understand whythat Divine Empress so heavily doted on this white-clothed young lady. It wasbecause her appearance now was very similar to that of the young Divine Empress. However, the Black Dragon could not see it. In her eyes, once that young lady had walked under the tree, she had not movedonce. She had not taken out her Fated Star Plate to make deductions, and shehad not fired an arrow into the night. Night had finally come to the world outside of the Garden of Zhou as well. However, the vast sky of stars could not be seen here. It was not because thesnowflakes flew around too swiftly, or because the clouds were too thick, butbecause that shadow cast from Xuelao City enveloped the entire sky. The place was too close to Xuelao City. The terrifying Demon Lord did not needto leave the city to exert his will over this area. Turning himself into ashadow, he indifferently observed this human. If it were a normal human, they would be frozen into a pillar of ice in theinstant that shadow arrived. Their spiritual sense would be destroyed, and inthe end they would be motes of dust on the snowy plain. However, Su Li did not,because he was no ordinary human. On his left shoulder was a clear wound, but there was no sign of blood. Therewas only a pitch-black substance, thick like ink. In addition, the black waterwas at this very moment gurgling as it boiled. What sort of poison was this, that it was actually so frightening? Su Li looked at that distant Demon General who was like a small mountain andmockingly said, "After so many years, and you still can only use such pettypoisons! No wonder the only thing you can do is follow and lick the feet ofNumber One." In the Demon Army, that Demon General was ranked second. He was theincomparably terrifying Lord Hai Di. Some sort of fierce battle had occurred, and the second ranked Demon GeneralHai Di had managed to leave that horrifying wound on Su Li''s shoulder. However,he had paid an even more painful price. His right arm had been cut off by Su Li''s sword. But there was no pain or anger on Hai Di''s face, only indifference. He said indifferently to Su Li, "Around a hundred years ago, you chopped offone of my limbs, but it only took me ten or so years to grow it back. As forNumber One''s feet, if she was willing to let me lick them, I would already bekneeling." Su Li clicked his tongue in astonishment. "Only you demons can be so bold inyour shamelessness. But even if you lick Number One until she''s comfortable,right now you''re missing an arm. Aren''t you afraid that Number Three will takeadvantage of its absence and take your life, then rip you to pieces and eatyou?" Demons were respected for their strength. The picture he described very wellcould happen. A voice rang out in the snowy night. It was Black Robe''s voice. "This will nothappen, because I will not permit it, and His Majesty will not permit it." Hai Di nodded at Su Li, then took up his arm and began to retreat. With eachstep, a massive and deep crack formed in the snowy plain. This was the resultof his inability to control his Qi after his wound. It was truly difficult toimagine what sort of frightening strength he had possessed when he was whole.Of course, it was even more impossible to imagine just how powerful Su Li waschop off his arm in one blow. Although Su Li had won one bout, he still had no opportunity. Because two more mountainous demon figures slowly began to approach. Those were the fourth and seventh Demon Generals. For the purpose of killing Mount Li''s Junior Martial Uncle, the demons had setinto motion far too many experts. These were all true experts. Since the end of that gloomy war which upturned heaven and earth came to anend several hundred years ago, this was the first time such an array of forceshad appeared. Su Li spit out some bloody saliva in front of him, rubbed his somewhat coldcheeks, then said, "A battle, then a battle, and then another battle! Are youguys annoyed? Can''t you be a little more straightforward?" Black Robe chuckled. Although a hat obscured his face, the smile in his eyesthat were as deep as the sea was still very clear. The night could not concealit. He looked at Su Li and smiled. "You''re starting to panic." Su Lu said derisively, "Only a truly panicked person would attempt this sortof psychological warfare." Black Robe calmly replied, "Time is slowly passing by. You don''t know how longyour daughter can hold on. How can you not be panicked?" At these words, Su Li had no response. From the start, the corners of his lips had always been perked up. Even duringhis bloody battle with Hai Di was this so. In this way did he express hiscontempt and disdain for this demon plot as well as this snowy realm.
272 Past and Present Fate Part Three
Black Robe looked at him, and then his voice penetrated through his hat, likea cold wind from the abyss. "You are prepared to go crazy?" Su Li was silent for a while, then the smile returned to his face. "What useis there in worrying? And what good would going crazy do? What I should bedoing is thinking of ways to live and escape. As long as I survive, then shewill also definitely survive. If she can''t, then it won''t be too late for me togo crazy." Black Robe was calm and gave no reply. He knew very well that those words werenot a threat, but a calm statement of objective fact. If Su Li really didmanage to escape this encirclement that the demons had planned for so long,then if his daughter really did die in the Garden of Zhou, he would definitelygo completely mad. Not even the Demon Lord wished for such a chaotic sight. "So I don''t need to worry." Su Li raised up his eyes to stare into the deepnight. "As long as I live, who amongst you dare to kill her?" Black Robe chuckled, then said, "Logically, that''s the case. But you know,from time to time, I like to do illogical things." Su Li drew back his gaze, and calmly looked at him. "You''re this world''s mostenigmatic figure, and also the most rational. I don''t believe you would do suchan irrational thing." Black Robe calmly explained, "Because I have already promised another personthat your daughter must die, so she must die." Su Li paid attention to the fact that Black Robe had said there was only oneperson that he had promised to. "Who?" Black Robe did not directly answer his question. Slowly, he said, "In thepast, the Longevity Sect drowned your true love to death in a cold pool ofwater. When you returned from the southern seas and learned of this matter, youwent into a rage. With your sword, you burst into the Longevity Sect, and inone night, you killed seventeen elders of the Longevity Sect Everyone knowsabout this matter, but whether it was your Mount Li Sword Sect''s Sect Master,the Holy Maiden, or the Pope, even the Tianhai Empress; none of them could sayanything. Because there was a reason for your rage, and furthermore, after youwent mad, none of them could do anything to control you. They could onlypretend that the incident never happened." As Su Li thought of those matters of the past, his expression did not change,but his appearance seemed to grow more solitary. Black Robe continued, "But did you ever think, even though these true expertssaid nothing and purposely forgot this matter, there were some very weak peoplethat could not forget, who all this time wanted to make their voice heard?Those people that you killed, they also had descendants, those people were alsothe true loves of others." Su Li was silent for a while, then suddenly said, "There''s no need for you toabide by your promise, especially to a human." The moment these words came out, the temperature of the snowy plain suddenlygrew colder by several degrees. Cold indicated that movement had stagnated, that the sword that traveledthrough the night had gotten somewhat slower. It also indicated that with his daughter''s life in grave peril, Su Li hadbegun to think of compromise and negotiation. For Mount Li''s Junior Martial Uncle who was well known for his wild nature tosignify his willingness to negotiate, this was a huge concession. And yet, his opponent was not willing to negotiate with him. "As a schemer, I understand more than anyone else how important keeping apromise is, especially with humans. Only through this can I get more and morehumans to believe me. From a certain perspective, my promises are extremelyvaluable, because they must inevitably be realized, and in addition, theyrepresent Xuelao City''s invitation to the entire world." Black Robe calmly looked at him. "Of course, the most important matter isstill to kill you. The dead have no way to go crazy." The snow continued to fall and the cold night returned to normal. Themountainous figures of the Demon Generals slowly stopped around the perimeter. In the night, there was the sound of an extremely sharp whistle of the sword. Su Li patted his scabbard with his hand, and with a light shake of his sleeve,there was only a whistle that approached from the horizon. With a swish, hissword returned to his scabbard, carrying along with it an indescribable senseof confidence. One of the dark figures on the perimeter began to slightly rock, as if it wasa mountain about to collapse, but in the end, it managed to stabilize. Only thecold iron pike in his hands clattered to the ground, sliced in two. When Su Li withdrew his sword from the night, he used the energy to also breakthe seventh Demon General''s weapon, indicating just how indescribably powerfulhe was. However, the Demon General showed no signs of shock, nor of anger. With afrigid voice, he declared, "Su Li, you will definitely die today." Su Li looked at Black Robe and asked very seriously, "Will I truly die on thisday?" Black Robe replied, "Yes. We''ve calculated it thirty-seven times. Without adoubt, you will die." At these words, Su Li was quiet for a very long time. He wanted to hear Black Robe''s answer, because he believed Black Robe wouldanswer truthfully. However, this was not the answer he wanted to hear. Whether it was the human Saint experts, or that husband and wife of WhiteEmperor City; whether they were willing or not, they all had to admit to onething. After Wang Zhice had faded away, the person on the continent most skilled atscheming and calculation was the demon Military Advisor who cloaked himself ina black robe. The plans created by Black Robe rarely ever failed. Those schemes which hepersonally took part in had never had a problem. For example, the time when Emperor Taizong brought countless experts andmillions of armored horsemen on a Northern Expedition against the demons. Inthe end, he was forced to turn back at Xuelao City with no achievements. Thisperson was the Demon race''s most accomplished minister. It had been several hundred years since Black Robe had personally taken partin his plans to kill a human expert, until now. He wanted to kill Su Li. He had calculated it thirty-seven times that Su Li would die without a doubt. It meant that perhaps Su Li really was going to die. Su Li also thought this way, but he felt that it did not mean his death wascertain. "To kill me, you did so many things. Just what was real and what wasfake? Are you really planning to kill those children in the Garden of Zhou, orare you using it as a lure so that I would come and you could kill me? If evenyou aren''t clear on that, then perhaps there''s still a chance for me." "It''s all real, but it also could all be fake. But to kill you is the mostreal thing. Just like you said before, those young ones are the future ofhumanity. You are humanity''s present. I am a vulgar person that lives in themoment, so the first thing I have to do is obviously to kill you." Black Robe calmly continued, "Tianhai and the Pope, and the Holy Maiden, forthe sake of humanity''s future, have attempted to unite the north and the south.How is it that even up to now, they have met with no success? How could thesouth have held on until now? The reason lies not with the Longevity Sect, notwith Scholartree Manor, but in you, Mount Li''s Junior Martial Uncle Su Li. So,in what way can I not kill you?" Su Li replied, "If I''m a dead man, the unification of humanity''s north andsouth possesses not a single benefit for you demons." Black Robe shook his head. "Not wanting to be annexed by the Zhou Dynasty,this is what many southerners think. You are only the southerners sharpest andstrongest sword. Even if the sword is broken, the southerners won''t changetheir minds. On the contrary, Tianhai will change her mind. In accordance withthe woman''s grand aspirations, if those aristocratic families no longer haveyou, when they resist the unification of the north and the south once again,she will inevitably bring her armies south and bring all of humanity under herrule. Only the unification of the north and south of that time will no longerrely on the great powers, but on the Zhou Dynasty''s armored horsemen."'' Su Li had no response. This was an extremely probable scenario, up to thepoint that he could already clearly envision it. "On that day, the human world would absolutely be thrown into chaos. Tianhaiwill bring her armies south, His Majesty will bring his armies south. Thesouth, ah the south ever onwards to the south. From this cold and snow-filledworld to the warm ground illuminated by the sun, that will be a journey filledwith corpses and blood. I don''t know who will be the final victor, but this ismy most desired result." Black Robe calmly looked at him. "So, please go to the starry sky and reunitewith your family. Many years later, when you overlook this war-torn world withdead dragons and an extinct humanity, please remember to say hello to me." Standing at the edge of the cliff, her hands held behind her, she stared atthe silky strands of the clouds. The cold wind cut like a knife, but it wasunable to scrape away the exhaustion on that white-clothed young lady''s face. With two days of no sleep and no rest, rushing around the Garden of Zhousaving others while successively using the extremely draining Sacred Lighttechnique, even someone like her should be feeling tired. Exhaustion was not anything to be afraid of. What she was afraid of was thatwariness in the depths of her heart. The sound of the zither, the tree behind her, as well as the space thatenveloped the entire mountain path, made her feel that there was somethingextremely dangerous out there. Since childhood, she had cultivated the Dao. Ever since her blood hadawakened, this had been the greatest danger she had ever perceived. She did not have any specific reason. She did not know who was waiting for herat the end of the path, nor did she know for what purpose her opponent had usedso much mental strength to design this space to cut her off from the Garden ofZhou. However, she knew that she should probably break this space. There was no reason to do it, but she did not need a reason. Since heropponent had trapped her in a prison, and she wanted to destroy the plan, thenof course she should destroy this space her opponent had designed for her. She brought her finger up to her lips and lightly bit down on it. Then, sherealized that she hadn''t broken the skin, so she could not help but feel alittle embarrassed. Afterwards, she forcefully bit down, and her slender eyebrows twisted in pain. As she looked at the beads of blood coming out of her fingertip, she frownedin displeasure. She disliked the pain, and much less to wound herself. She placed her hand in the air over the abyss at the edge of the path. A dark red bead of blood dripped down from her finger and fell towards thewispy clouds below. As they fell, the drops of blood began to change color. They grew increasinglyred and splendorous. They continued to grow brighter, until at the very end,they had become gold. They were like drops of melted gold. Within, they concealed an unimaginablepower. The temperature around the mountain suddenly began to rise. The shallow layerof frost that had just covered the stone surface suddenly evaporated. Thatlonely tree became even more withered. The weeds that had grown up with much difficulty in the seams of the cliffinstantly burned to ash. The golden drop of blood fell down upon the clouds. There was only a whoosh. A light began to erupt from the clouds. Those clouds were like cotton that hadsuddenly been set on fire. A massive fire suddenly blazed up amongst the mountain range, turning the darknight into day. A single drop of blood had brought about such a magnificent sight. Was this the power of the Heavenly Phoenix''s true blood? Seeing the newly lit up mountain range, her face was filled with satisfaction,but in the next moment, her brow creased once more. Biting open her own finger truly was a bit painful. She brought her finger in front of her mouth and began to lightly blow on it,seemingly very focused. At the same time, she mumbled to herself as if she were coaxing a child,"Doesn''t hurt......doesn''t hurt......it doesn''t hurt, good." From the day he entered Mount Li to learn the sword, Su Li''s fate had beendecided. He wanted to protect this peak as well as the entire south. So even ifhe spent the vast majority of his time wandering the four seas, he would alwayscome back to Mount Li every so often to prove to the Empress in the capital andto the demons even further north that that iron sword was still there. From the day her blood had awakened, her fate had also been decided. Shewanted to protect the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, protect the EasternDivine General''s Mansion, the Imperial Palace and the Li Palace. Now she hadadded on the Holy Maiden Peak. The things she wanted to protect were truly toomany. In reality, they all pointed without a doubt towards that final goal ofprotecting all of humanity. How to protect it? On what grounds should she protect it? The most important,or even the sole reason was of course the fact that within her body flowed thetrue blood of the Heavenly Phoenix. For this reason, all people doted upon her,or revered her, or placed endless hopes and expectations on her. However, noone knew that there were times when she really did not like the fact thatwithin her body flowed that blood. That blood was too pure, too sacred, so in everyone''s eyes, she was also pureand sacred. As a result, she, a person of the Zhou, born in the capital, ableto become the successor of Holy Maiden Peak. However, she had never thought ofherself as a pure and sacred young lady. The entire continent called her"Phoenix", but she felt that a more appropriate title would be "Vulgar". She creased her eyebrows and blew on her finger as she watched the faintlydiscernible outlines of demon horns in the blazing clouds. She thought toherself, "If I wasn''t afraid of pain, perhaps I really would try and find someway of pouring out all this blood until there was nothing left." But would itbe okay for there to be no blood? There was no way, so she could continue to beafraid of pain with a clear conscience. If this was to be her fate, then sheshould continue forward and see, and talk about it then. The clouds had burned into nothingness, leaving only the sky. The cliffsreturned to darkness, but it seemed lighter than before. It gave one a feelingof safety. She continued forward along the mountain path. For some people, their fate was not decided at birth, or when their blood wasawakened, or when they entered the tutelage of some expert or sect. Somewhat sorrowfully, and prone to bring about an indescribable anger in them,was that their fate was decided by the fate of others. At the peak that was at the end of this path was the legendary Sunset Valley,the true Sunset Valley. If someone sat there, he would be able to see the mystical design of suspendedlight over the plain. A little girl sat at the edge of the cliff, calmly looking at the plain below.In her indifferent, wooden eyes, there was no emotion. She was called Nanke. She was the Demon Lord''s thirty-seventh daughter. When she was born, the Demon Lord was extremely happy, because her bodypossessed the bloodline of the Peacock. So he gave her the name of "Nanke". (TL: Ͽ (Nan ke) is another name for the peacock.) Nanke was a Peacock. At that time, her fate should have been to be doted upon by her royal father,then becoming the pride of the entire Demon race. However, when she was one year old, the blood of a girl in the south awakened,and she began to cultivate the Dao. In comparison, she fell short. Let alone the fact that she was of the imperial family. Thus, pride became shame, and even humiliation. From that point on, her fate had been decided.
273 Bits of Grass
The dark cliffs, the solitary mountain path, and the pitch-black abyss; therewas only the wind that blew head-on, brushing her clothes and her dark hairagainst her cheeks. In the deep darkness of the night, her white ceremonial robes were verystriking. At the summit of Sunset Valley, the zither-playing old man slowlycaressed the fluff that had been disturbed from his zither strings by the wind.He silently thought to himself, "The first song breaks the heart, the secondsong breaks the soul, and the third song brings the end, and yet even thisfantasy couldn''t imprison you? Could it be that there truly exists a human withthe spotlessly pure Dao heart?" He was an elder of a shaman tribe of the south that had left it behind. Hespecialized in spiritual attacks. The sound of his zither could createfantasies that were almost impossible to differentiate from the real world.Especially tonight, he was able to borrow the energy of Sunset Valley, and thefantasy that he created could look far up the river of memories of intelligentbeings. He could go far upstream to those most distant, most indistinct, andyet most unforgettable moments of life. Those beings would not want to go back;they would gradually grow intoxicated and sink into those memories. In the end,they would enter a long sleep and become incapable of leaving The zither-playing old man did not know that high up above Sunset Valley, thespiritual soul of the Black Dragon had been paying careful attention to allthis, and thus had been dragged into a fantasy by his zither. The Black Dragon saw many scenes from several hundred years agothat was theremnants of dragon Qi that she innately sensed, that was the assault on herspirit brought about by her recognition of Sunset Valley''s original form. Whenshe had been with Chen Changsheng as he looked at Sunset Valley from adistance, she had felt some sort of emotion, that something was calling out toher. Only now did she understand why this world stirred such sorrow withinherThe Garden of Zhou had never been only the human''s home, it had also beenthe grave of her father, the strongest Black Frost Dragon in the past onethousand years. The zither-playing old man knew nothing about this. The fantasy he constructedwith his music was targeted at the white-clothed young lady. She was naturallythe person he placed all his focus on. As for what the white-clothed young ladysaw in that fantasy, he did not know. He only knew that she had not moved for awhile now, but she had not sunk into intoxication either. She had only calmlystood under that tree, then saw through his fantasy and easily destroyed it. She had bitten on her own fingertip, then spilled a drop of blood onto theworld that emerged from the sound of the zither. That golden-colored, dignifiedand sacred blood, that incomparably fierce blood that seemed to holdnigh-infinite power had easily burned the clouds away, destroying the fantasyweaved together by the music. Was that blood the legendary Heavenly Phoenix''strue blood? The old man looked at the dark mountain path. He was slightly moved, but hesaid nothing. All of Xuelao City knew of this taboo: before Princess Nanke,one must absolutely never mention the word ''phoenix''. "The natural state of life is desire and disorder. There is no such thing as acompletely transparent soul. Not even cultivating the Dao can make one''s Daoheart spotlessly pure. On the contrary, her spirit is more complex than youcould have imagined. Over her Dao heart, she has spread many layers ofpretense. Your zither could only touch upon the most shallow layers, so howcould they move her? If you couldn''t even move her emotionally, how could youexpect to confuse her?" The little girl coldly continued, "Truthfully, I''m very curious. For her toput up so many pretenses, at times being the Holy Maiden and at times beingordinary, will there be a day where she forgets who she is?" "If that really does happen, then in the future, she will encounter extremedifficulties." The zither-playing old man was pensive. He lightly plucked at the strings ofthe zither, and a concentrated Qi emerged with the sound. It continued toseparate this mountain ridge from the true Garden of Zhou. The little girl had never thought that the sound of the zither alone would beenough to imprison her opponent. The white-clothed young lady had used herblood to easily break through the space, but the space still existed. To leave,she would have to meet in person. To meet in person. Tonight was the night that their fates would intersect. As she gazed expressionlessly at the dark mountain path, she said, "For acrazy being like the phoenix, they always die by burning themselves up. Butbefore she burns herself, I will definitely kill her with my own hands." The night wind blew across the desolate mountain path, causing the ceremonialrobes to seem like a great cloak. The white-clothed young lady seemed to beproceeding slowly, but she was actually moving very quickly. Like a crane, sheseemed to flutter across, arriving at the summit of Sunset Valley. There were no stars in the night sky above the Garden of Zhou, but deep withinthe plains, there hung a dim sphere of light. What was it? She thought about itas she looked at the girl sitting at the edge of the cliff. The little girl stood up and turned around. "You came." The white-clothed young lady was astonished. The first moment she laid eyes onthis little girl, she had guessed, or perhaps finally confirmed, the identityof her opponent. For her to be so strong at such a young age, she couldnaturally only be that legendary Demon Princess, Nanke. Xu Yourong was soshocked because she had not imagined that Nanke would actually look like this. Nanke was about ten years of age, but her appearance was actually ratherdelicate and pretty, and a childish air still hung about her. She could beconsidered a rather pretty little girl, except that the space between her twoeyes was somewhat wide and her pitch-black eyes were inclined somewhat inward.Moreover, the expression in those eyes was rather wooden. All in all, it madeher seem somewhat slow-witted. She was just like a girl that had grown up in some village. Every day shewould go out to the back mountain and gather a basket full of pigweed, then eatand go to sleep until the dawn of the next day, where she would once againgather a basket of pigweed. Indeed, she was just like a village girl whose life was to go out every dayand gather pigweed. For some reason, the white-clothed young lady thought of this image, eventhough she had never lived in a village, nor had she ever gathered pigweed,much less even knew what it looked like. But still she thought in such a way. If this was an intersection of fates, then Nanke had definitely thought of itmany times, and Xu Yourong would have also thought about it many times. She had thought that Nanke would be a proud and aloof Peacock. The legendssaid that phoenixes could command all kinds of birds, but only the peacockwould always be so cold and proud, soaring alone in places where the sun didnot reach. She had never imagined that Nanke would be just like some girl whowould go out to gather pigweed every day. She seemed rather slow-witted, ratherwooden, and rather pitiful. For some reason, it made people feel sorry for her,going out every day to endlessly gather pigweed. This also made her seem rather stupefied. The night wind lightly caressed Sunset Valley and time slowly passed. She did not know what to say, which made her feel somewhat tense. She feltthat she did not know how to confront this girl called Nanke, so she turned tothe zither-playing old man. She was fated to be a true phoenix, so it only took a glance for her to seethe truth. She could tell that the old man was an elder of the Shadow Candle Shamans.Perhaps his fighting prowess was at the peak of Ethereal Opening, but in termsof spirit, his strength far exceeded it. For killing human cultivators in theGarden of Zhou, he was extremely suitable. Of course, the demon MilitaryAdvisor would not miss a single detail. Only, it was a pity. She looked at the zither on his knees, saw the fluff slightly rising from thestrings, and she could only regretfully shake her head. This was the sacred artifact of the Shadow Candle Shamans that had been passeddown for many yearsthe Precious Jade Zither. If the Precious Jade Zither was not used to construct this space as well asthe fantasy, and was instead used to accompany Nanke in her attacks, thenperhaps she really was in extreme danger, and would maybe even die. Nanke said, "I want to kill you. No-one else is allowed to interfere."
274 Shooting Stars
Nankes expression was stern yet proud. Her gaze was concentrated and serious.Her eyes were like two sharp awls staring at Xu Yourong. The speed she spokewas not slow, however it did not have any variation in intonation, which madeher seem especially apathetic. She clearly had the appearance of a young girl,but it gave an observer the feeling that she overlooked and looked down on allliving things, exuding great confidence. The two most respected, and those who carried the greatest innate talent, inthe younger generation of the Human race and the Demon race finally met on thepeak of Sunset Valley. It could be said that it was destiny for them to meeteach other, or that they were simply willing to meet. The battle was fated tobe recorded within the books of history. Before it began, there was definitelya ceremonial feel between the two. Nanke made a salute, and the white-clothedyoung lady made a salute in return. Afterwards, they began to converse. So you are Xu Yourong. The night wind on the mountain peak was somewhat strong, so she was unable tohear whether the white-clothed young lady replied yes, but yes, she was XuYourong. She was that reincarnated Heavenly Phoenix, the young expert who had thegreatest prospects on the continent of that current day. She was the next HolyMaiden of the south, the junior that the Tianhai Divine Empress loved the most,and Qiushan Juns most beloved and respected junior. However now, she had anadditional identity that was known by the worldthe fiancee of Chen Changsheng,the principal of the Orthodox Academy. Nanke stared at her and sized her up. Her thin brows were slowly raised, andher indifferent face revealed an unhappy and disappointed expression. Thosemediocre and ignorant people often compare you with me. It was hard for me toavoid being somewhat curious towards you, but upon seeing you today, Imdisappointed. Xu Yourong blinked. Her eyes were bright, and she asked somewhat curiously,What is disappointing? Nanke raised her hand and pointed at her. Just like your current expressionof curiosity, it causes people to be just very disappointed. Your mannerism cannot be described as magnanimous at all, like a young wife. You are not talleither I really dont understand exactly why humans admire you, that even mybrother views you as a treasure. A demon prince liked Xu Yourong, even though he had never seen her. This wasnot a secret on the continent at all. What was interesting was that althoughthe humans swore at the demon prince for being wishful, they were not reallyangry at all, and instead felt proud and joyful for some reason. It was alsothis which caused Nanke to be unashamed. To be described as a young wife, Xu Yourong was not angry, and only found itto be very new. Thinking about it again, how did this village girl who cutpigweed every day seem like the cold and terrifying Nanke in the rumors? However, some of what Nanke had said made her very unhappyNanke said that shewas not tall. Her stature indeed was not tall; especially with the large whiterobes on, she seemed even smaller, being loved by the majority. Xu Yourong pondered a little, and then smiled at Nanke, But I am taller thanyou. Although she said this while smiling, her tone was very serious. Hearing that, Nankes expression also grew serious. The dullness in her eyeswas replaced with rage. Especially because Xu Yourong raised her head slightly. She seemed to be veryarrogant. She was indeed worthy of being arrogant. How was she not magnanimous? Nankes gaze shifted downwards from her face, and landed on her chest. Stayingsilent for a while, she said, To not know shame, you are also unafraid totarnish the blood within you. Xu Yourong felt slightly shy but she continued to smile. She did not respond. Nanke grew even madder, and said, You just make me too disappointed. Just whyare you equally as well known as me? When she spoke, her black hair danced crazily in the night, actuallysuppressing the darkness of the night. In the human world, the name Nanke was very unfamiliar. Only great people likethe Pope or the Divine Empress knew who she was, or young people like Zhexiuwho often made contact with the Demon race. However, in the land of demons,this name represented great strength and tyranny. Nanke was one of the youngest daughters of the Demon Lord, however, this wasnot important. In the long life of the Demon Lord, he just had too manypartners. Just the offspring that had their names recorded in books reached anumber of several dozen. The reason her name could be so terrifying in XuelaoCity was mainly because her innate talent was extremely great, and she was theonly disciple of Black Robe. You only broke through to Ethereal Opening this year. I succeeded last year,and I am younger than you. As a result, it is very obvious that I am strongerthan you. Nanke looked at Xu Yourong, and said without an expression, Come,let us fight fairly. Allow me to prove your weakness, to let the entirecontinent know exactly who can fly higher between us. Xu Yourong did not say a word. As the person being challenged, she naturallyrevealed some sort of tolerance and confidence. The zither-playing old man always stood silently to one side as a bystander.He did not dare to turn down the requests of Nanke. Even though he had livedfor several hundreds of years, seeing this, he still felt somewhat astounded.From the beginning to now, the fated battle that was destined to shake theentire continent just seemed to be like the argument of two small girls oversome insignificant affairs. Of course, this could not be the entire battle. The battle relied on fightingto determine life and death, and only afterwards could victory or defeat beseen. At the peak of Sunset Valley, wind suddenly began blowing, bringing chaos tothe night. Borrowing the momentum of the wind, Nanke floated swiftly throughthe air. Her sword was already in her hand, piercing towards Xu Yourong. Although the surface of Nankes sword did not seem to have any specialfeatures, the sword was actually very special. This sword was extremely thin, but it definitely was not elegant. This wasbecause the sword was very longan abnormally exaggerated length. It was evenlonger than those ancient scholar trees beneath the mountain. The sword style that Nanke used also did not seem to have any specialfeatures. It seemed to be just direct thrust forwards, however, because of itssuccinctness, it carried unbelievable strength. The wind immediately began to blow wildly. It blew around the flat peak,producing a terrifying roar. In the air several hundreds of zhang above the peak, a single bright strokesuddenly appeared. In the deep abyss several dozens of zhang below the cliff, a faint, matchingstroke also appeared. That was the border of the space the zither-playing old man had created usingthe sound of the zither. With such a level of subtlety and cleverness, even Xu Yourong could not helpbut temporarily stay within the space. Yet it was directly cut by the swordintent of her simple-looking strike. Just how overbearing was this sword energy! The strike arose from several hundreds of zhang away, but it approached XuYourong head-on. Seeing the strike, Xu Yourong did not reveal any expression of surprise, nordid she carry the implications of any vigilance. Instead, she felt that it wasvery logical. This was because she knew how strong she was herself, and as a result, shealso should have known how strong Nanke was. She was already prepared for thisstrike. In the moment Nanke struck out, she had already removed the longbow from herback, and had it standing in front of her. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the strike was too quick, but she couldnot manage to pull an arrow from her quiver. As a result, the bowstring wasempty. She brought together two of her elegant fingers, and pulled the bowstringgently yet firmly. Then she released. The whole maneuver was smooth like flowing clouds and water. However, it wasalso abnormally succinct and clear, as if every moment of detail could be seen. The zither-playing old man had already stopped his motions of playing thezither, so the sound of the zither between the cliffs had stopped too. At this moment, she drew her bow strongly. As a result, the sound of a zitheremerged again in between the cliffs. It was a clear, yet long sound twang! From hundreds of zhang away, Xu Yourong drew her bow at Nanke. However, there were no arrows on the bowstring, so what was shot? As soon as the sound of the bowstring began, the sound of an arrow resonatedin the night sky. This sound was very clear, and lasted even longer, as if it had alreadyresounded in the night sky for a very long time without being heard, and onlynow could the world hear it. An arrow emerged from the depths of the night, and shot towards the areabetween Nankes eyes like a lightning bolt. Where did the arrow come from? This was the same arrow that Xu Yourong had shot after calculating for a longtime from beside the lone tree. It was believed that because of the obstruction of the space, the arrow haddisappeared between the cliffs. However, it seemed that the arrow was actuallyalways flying in the night sky, and only now could it be seen by the world. The arrow shot from beside the lone tree arose several moments before, andfell at that moment. A loud bang! On the peak of Sunset Valley, gravel rolled quickly and powerful Qi radiatedin all directions. The dark night was unable to cover up the streams of aircreated from the collision. On the surface of the tough cliff face, countless thin cracks appeared. Th cracks all originated from the bottom of Nankes boot. Her feet were very small, and wore two boots made out of dragonskin. Steppingon the cracks that rippled towards the side of the cliff, they made a veryshocking scene. Those cracks represented the clash between incomparably terrifying powers. Nanke did not expect this arrow, however, she was able to block it. Two sword intents that were extremely clear formed a cross in front of her,blocking that arrow that came from within the depths of the night. The end of the arrow vibrated at a great speed. The two sword intents in theshape of a cross also vibrated with it, and in the space above the flat peak,the arrow actually also began to vibrate, with rays of light being refracted byit. Behind the Qi was Nankes face. Her expression was still indifferent, and hergaze was still dull. With a soft pop, Xu Yourongs arrow was shaken into countless pieces. Withthat, the two extremely overbearing sword intents also disappeared. The clear barrier between the two also disappeared. It was unknown whether itwas the space created by the old man, or something else. At this moment, Nankes dress gently swayed before turning into nothing. In the next moment, she appeared on the other side of the flat peak, onlyseveral dozen zhang away from Xu Yourong. She thrust the sword in her handforwards. However, Xu Yourongs speed was even greater. She did not move, and instead raised the longbow in her hand once again,pulling the bowstring. This time, there was an arrow on the bowstring. The sound of the arrow arose from the mountain in the night. Nankes dress swayed again, and turned into nothing again. She immediatelyappeared in another area on the flat cliff. Whoosh! At the same moment that she had appeared again, Xu Yourong shot her thirdarrow. This arrow did not hit Nanke either, and only hit the night wind. Afterwards,it disappeared into the deep night sky. Seeing Nankes extremely weird and unexplainable movement technique, XuYourong finally revealed a cautious expression for the first time. However, this did not impact her speed of drawing and shooting at all. Hermovement was still succinct yet natural, and did not seem like she was in abattle. Nankes movement technique was too fast. Xu Yourongs shooting technique actually had the same level of speed as Nanke. If normal people watched the battle, they would only see Nanke disappear fromher original location, and then appear in the next moment in a different place.Similarly, they would not be able to see what Xu Yourong was doing. In theirvision, they could only roughly see the quiver in the night sky shake slightly,and see countless images of Xu Yourong drawing the bow. However, they would beunable to see what she was doing. Only by putting these images together could the real world be seen. The real world that only belonged to her. However, if Chen Changsheng was shown this battle, he would be able tounderstand it very easily. Xu Yourong treated the Icebreaking Sword of the Holy Maiden Peak as ashooting technique to be used. As for Nanke, what she used was the strangest and most unfathomable techniqueof the entire continent the Yeshi Step. Also, she did not use the simplified version of the Yeshi Step that ChenChangsheng had used his unbelieveable memory and willpower to learnit was thecomplete version of the Yeshi Step. It could even be considered as the perfectversion of the Yeshi Step. Compared to the demon expert who was sent toassassinate Luoluo before, it was unknown how many times better her movementtechnique was. Logically, it was impossible to learn the complete version of the Yeshi Stepif one was not a part of the Yeshi Clan, let alone the perfect version.However, Nanke was a part of the royal family, so she naturally carried thebloodline and talent of the various clans in the land of demons. Speaking fromthis sort of idea, cultivating was never a fair matter. Xu Yourongs cultivation level did not fall below Nankes. Her shootingtechnique that was rarely shown in the world was even more exquisite andunparallelled, conforming to the natural laws. Facing up against Nankesslyfully wonderful and indescribable foot technique, she stayed silent and didnot panic in the slightest bit. With the sounds of the bowstring and the soundsof the arrows shot out, it actually prevented Nanke from advancing. However the arrows in the quiver were limited, and there would also be amoment when it would be emptied. This was reality, and reality meant that it would definitely occur at acertain moment. Perhaps it would be the next moment. In the next moment, Xu Yourongs quiver became empty. She was no longer able to influence Nankes weird movement technique. With a great sound, Nankes figure blurred between real and fake, and arrivedin an area several zhang in front of Xu Yourong. An extremely overbearing and powerful yell exploded out from Nankes petitebody. At the same time, an extremely bright sword ray exploded forth. That sword ray of several inches in length originated from her tightly graspedlong sword. The sword ray drew a circular arc in the night sky, and chopped violently atXu Yourongs body. The sword ray carried sword energy of unparalleled domination, directlysealing off all of the other directions around Xu Yourong. It actually gave thevictim a feeling that even if they wanted to dodge, they could not avoid it. The night wind on the peak of Sunset Valley blew violently, and the sword raywas bright like lightning. Xu Yourongs hair band was invaded by sword intent, and was cut silently. Herblack hair fell onto her shoulders. If she was hit by the sword ray, she would definitely die. How would she receive this strike? She extended her hand towards the sword ray. That hand was very white and very elegant. Compared to the violent and terrifying sword ray, it seemed tiny and weak. However, her expression was still so calm, so confident. Past the bright sword ray, she stared calmly into Nankes eyes. Her hair danced gently in the breeze created by the sword. A shapeless Qi exuded from her hand into the night. The Qi was very warm and did not carry any killing intent. It was as if it wassummoning something. Suddenly hum hum hum hum hum In the night sky surrounding the peak of Sunset Valley, countless shrillsounds of arrows suddenly resounded. Over ten arrows pierced through the night sky, arriving from all directions. These arrows were all the arrows she had shot previously. They seemed to havedisappeared into the night sky, but just like the first arrow she had shot onthe mountain path, they had never flown off, and were only waiting for hersummoning. She extended her hand towards the night sky.
275 Wutong
Over ten shooting stars fell from the sky, faintly illuminating the night. Atthe very head of these stars, the seemingly burning arrows could be seen veryclearly. Nanke''s face remained cold and wooden, but her eyes suddenly contracted. Herhands tightened their grip on the sword, but there was not enough time tostrike at Xu Yourong, so she thrust it at the night. Thrusting at the night sky was one movement, and if she remained still, itwould only be one image. However, her sword thrust countless times at the nightsky, creating a compilation of countless images. Nanke held her sword high, perpendicular to the night sky above her. Her eyeswere fixed several zhang away at Xu Yourong, but countless sword glows circledaround her body, turning into a nigh-perfect sphere of light. The surface of that sphere was covered with countless tiny lines. Every one ofthose lines was a sword. Those arrows-turned-shooting stars exploded upon that sphere of light made ofswords. A series of muffled booms like thunder rang out from the summit of SunsetValley. Nanke''s dragonskin boots created countless cracks on the hard ground of thecliff once again, but this time they were even deeper. Those arrows had all been blocked by her sword and were sent flying back, butthis time they did not disappear into the night. Rather, like spirits, theywhistled and glowed as the arrows once again attacked! Those arrows turned into a rain of arrows, incessantly bursting at Nanke. Bang bang bang bang bang bang. An incomparably dense collection of sounds rangout at the summit. The sound was the crisp sound of metal, the strange and ear-splitting sound ofa sword scraping against a hard surface. The summit was filled with countless sparks, even lines of sparks. Those werewhere the arrows collided with the sword. However, not a single arrow could draw close to Nanke''s body. Not even themomentary and elusive sparks could float into that sphere of light created byswords. The floor of the mountaintop was covered with scars created by those arrows,some deep and some shallow. They densely covered the surface, like the marksleft on the sand by a torrential rain. She continued to stare out of the sword glow at Xu Yourong, holding herlongsword up high, as if she was not even moving. But in every instant, she was producing countless swords. Extending towards Xu Yourong''s location, those slender sword images behindNanke began to turn into a semi-circle. Like a peacock spreading its tail. Seeing those sparks fly about the mountaintop, hearing those clashing sounds,the zither-playing old man was so moved that he was speechless. At the moment, all of Nanke''s energy was on her longsword. Xu Yourong''sspiritual sense was even stronger, controlling that rain of arrows that filledthe sky, and yet even she would find it difficult to block any other attacks.The battle had seemingly come to a deadlock. What truly moved that old man was the spreading tail created by Nanke''slongsword. Only then did he realize that the princess had already reached this step. Sureenough, she was worthy of being called the strongest amongst the youngergeneration of the imperial clan. When cultivators entered the Star Condensation Realm, the greatest differencewas that they each would possess their own domainit could even be called theirown world. This was called the Star Domain. In the Star Domain, no one could injure the cultivator unless they usedoverwhelming power to forcefully shatter the domain. The demons had a similar way of speaking, but the experts of the imperial clanpossessed a domain of their own. However, it was not called the Star Domain. Itwas called the Moon Ring. Because of Nanke''s age, her strength was not yet sufficient to summon thecomplete Moon Ring. But with her nigh-perfect swordplay without any gaps, shecould use that perfection to make up for her lack of strength. That sword tail that was opening at the summit of Sunset Valley was her MoonRing. Now that old man no longer had any worries about this battle. Because no matter how strong Xu Yourong''s innate talent was, it was stillrestricted by her cultivation. As long as she remained in Ethereal Opening, shewould never be able to injure Nanke. This signified that, in the battle, Nanke had entered into an invincibleposition. In his astonishment, the old man thought, the Military Advisor must have knownabout this for him to give the heavy responsibility of killing Xu Yourong toHer Highness. As expected, His Lordship''s plans took everything into account. The zither-playing man no longer worried, but he forgot one thing. To not losedid not mean victory. Confronting Nanke who used swordplay to imitate the Moon Ring, Xu Yourongdisplayed perfection, and this perfection was absolute perfection. Whether it was the frequency at which the arrows rained down or the light thatsuffused each arrow, it was all perfect. Even though Nanke had spread her sword tail, she could only hold one. She hadno opportunity to counterattack. For the prideful Nanke, this was an unacceptable fact. Her purpose in entering the Garden of Zhou was to defeat Xu Yourong, to killXu Yourong. The whistling continued, and the arrows continued to rain down. Sparkscontinued to flash around the summit. From a little further away, all thosestreams of light seemed like scars. At any time they would gradually fade away,then in the next moment many more scars would appear. The unbearable sounds of metal scraping on metal and the terrifying sounds ofpowerful attacks echoed in Nanke''s ears. She stared at Xu Yourong, her expression wooden, but the dullness in her eyesgradually began to sharpen. Suddenly, she closed her eyes. Then with a hint of madness in her voice, shegave a mighty shout! "AH!" Accompanying the shout, the light around her body grew even brighter, and hersword energy suddenly increased by several times. With a set of disorderly bangs, her body suddenly disappeared, thenreappeared. Piercing through her own sword tail, she thrust at Xu Yourong. She cared not for the surrounding rain of arrows. She used her entire body asa sword to strike at Xu Yourong. Even if her sword struck true, the arrows like streams of light would alsopierce through her body. The battle had in this way swiftly reached its mostdangerous moment. The zither-playing old man''s expression suddenly changed, and he quickly stoodup from his zither. Because of her honor as the demon princess, she had heedlessly thrown her allinto this attack. Just how mighty would it be? This attack of Nanke''s had two strands of clear light. Those two sword glows seemed about to intersect at Xu Yourong''s position. The old man''s face paled, and he exclaimed with shock, "Southern Cross Sword!" In the world of humans, it was impossible to see the demon''s moon. In the demon realm, they could see the stars that hung above the heads ofhumans, but because of their location or some other reason, the starry sky thatthe demons saw was not a vast sky of stars. Instead, it was two starry bands,like silver rivers. Those two rivers of stars intersected in the night, just like a cross. Relative to Xuelao City, the starry sky was to the south, so the demons calledit the Southern Cross. The attack that Nanke aimed at Xu Yourong, the two strands of starlight, was atechnique famous in the demon realm, the Southern Cross Sword. The old man even knew that the longsword in Princess Nanke''s hand was thefamous Southern Cross Sword. One sword was the technique. The other sword was the weapon. Nanke used the Southern Cross Sword to execute the Southern Cross Sword. A powerful sword intent pierced through the air, but before it arrived at XuYourong''s body, there was a distant shattering sound in the night sky. The zither-playing old man''s pale face suddenly flashed with pain, and hisbody swayed. That was the sound of the space shattering. Soon after, deep within the plains below Sunset Valley, the bizarre, suspendedlight also began to sparkle. The rays of light that it cast were slightlydeformed, evidence of the fact that space was warping. Nanke''s attack had already reached the maximum limit the Garden of Zhouwould permit, and perhaps was even about to cross that line. The arrows that had become like streams of light pierced swiftly through thenight. To the naked eye, they seemed like a majestic rain of arrows. Nanke released her Moon Ring and turned the sword tail into an attack. Thiswas the equivalent of exposing herself to that fearsome rain of arrows. If Xu Yourong could withstand her terrifying Southern Cross Sword, then itwould be Nanke''s turn to be in grave peril. The problem lay in the fact that the Southern Cross Sword possessed amonstrous power and the Southern Cross Sword in Nanke''s hand was a weapon famedfor its military might in the demon realm. If it had appeared in the humanworld, it would definitely have ranked within the Tier of Legendary Weapons. Xu Yourong only had a wooden bow, so how could she receive it? With a sound like that of the zither, the bowstring snapped. The bowstring had snapped towards the bottom. Like the stamen of a flower, itcurled up and fell on Xu Yourong''s wrist. She took the bow and thrust it into the ground in front of her. There was a muffled bang as the the hard rock suddenly fragmented. The longbowentered the earth, then it seemed to sway in the night wind, as if it hadturned into a tree. Boom! The mighty and fearsome Southern Cross Sword chopped at the longbow. This bow was very long, so it did not give off a very sturdy feeling.Moreover, it was clearly constructed of wood, and yet, it managed to block thatattack! This was a summit with only bare smooth rock, so this tree was inevitablyalone. It was just like that tree she had seen on the mountain path. The mountain path was a fantasy, so the tree that she saw was the tree thatshe wanted to see. The tree that she had seen on the mountain path was a wutong tree. And right now this longbow was also a wutong tree. This bow was a divine weapon on the Tier of Legendary Weapons. The Wutong, Holy Maiden Peak''s powerful magical artifact, was placedthirty-first and thirty-second on the Tier of Legendary Weapons. How could a magical artifact take two places? Because the Wutong was not onemagical artifact, but two. Those arrows that whistled through the night as they attacked were the leavesthat fell from the wutong tree. They were called the Wu Arrows. The longbow in her hands was the Wutong Tree''s firm and upright trunk. It wascalled the Lonely Tong. The Wu Arrows and Lonely Tong. My sword, the Lonely Tong. TL: Play on words. The my sounds like wu in this case. It was a king''s weapon. If one was not a Saint or a king, one could not use it. But Xu Yourong could use it. In fact, it might be only her that had theability to use the magical artifact to its fullest extent. It was for the same reason that she saw that tree on the mountain path as awutong tree. She was a phoenix, which lived on the wutong. She was a natural-born king. The light scattered like a wave smashing against a reef, splashing in alldirections. There two powerful Qi clashed, illuminating the entire summit of SunsetValley, as well as illuminating each other''s eyes. Xu Yourong looked at Nanke with a calm expression, silent and powerful. The Lonely Tong had blocked the Southern Cross Sword, but what of the WuArrows? Whistling through the night sky, a rain of arrows fell towards Nanke. Nanke''s sword was entangled with Xu Yourong''s longbow, so how could she avoidthe rain? Just as was said before, if she could not end the battle with thisattack, then it was her turn to confront this absolute danger. At this moment, an unimaginable scene took place. Nanke''s two hands, which were intertwined around the sword hilt, separated.One sword went to resist Xu Yourong''s longbow, while the other sword recreatedthe sword tail and defended against the Wu Arrows. The Southern Cross Sword was actually two swords! Just like how the Wutong was actually two magical artifacts. Tonight, the summit of Sunset Valley overflowed with light and unceasingwhistles. This was an unimaginable battle. In terms of ferocity, of course it could notcompare to that heaven-shaking ambush occurring outside the Garden of Zhou thatwas rarely seen in a hundred years, but it was more engrossing. Just like the rumors had said, whether it was in terms of cultivation or will,they were both extremely similar. Even their weapons and methods were similar.Just like they had imagined, they had finally met, then battled. Phoenix andPeacock, Wutong and Southern Cross Sword; who would obtain the final victory? If there truly was such a thing as destiny, then the two were predestinedrivals. Anyone that saw this battle tonight would believe this without a doubt. If there had been no one to see this battle, then it would be to the entirecontinent''s regret. It was a good thing that this battle had a spectator. Every wrinkle of the old man''s face seemed to express shock and admiration. It was not only aimed at Nanke, but also at Xu Yourong. He had never witnessed such powerful innate talent and battle prowess. Let alone the fact that they were both so young. The Wu Arrows faced off against the sword tail. The Southern Cross Swordgrappled with the Lonely Tong. Right now, the battle on the cliff had onceagain entered a stalemate. It was just a matter of who could hold out to theend. The zither-playing old man knew this very well, so he stood up in admiration. A fair battle? Just like how demons never believed in a human''s tears, theythought it was a hypocritical phrase, with absolutely no meaning. Yet when Nanke glanced at him, even if it was out of the corner of her eye,her gaze was still cold like the snow. Demons never believed in things like fairness and justice, but she believed inpride. Thus, the old man retreated. The summit of Sunset Valley glowed continuously with light. It came from thesparks created by the clash of the Wu Arrows against the sword. It came fromthe streams of light created by the clashing of Qi from the sword and the bow. Between the sparks and the streams of light, Xu Yourong''s ordinary butdelicate face seemed to grow brighter and calmer. This signified herself-confidence. An impressive Qi arose from her white ceremonial robes, astoundingly bright. Nanke''s eyes were still somewhat dull, but they grew more severe, morefocused, and more frigid. Suddenly, a clear cry emerged from her lips. That sound was young and tender, and yet it was filled with immeasurablepride. It signified her uninhibited arrogance. That was a peacock alone in the depths of a swamp viewing the distant numerousbirds with a glance of contempt. Without a sound, a strand of blood flowed out of her hands, smearing the hiltsof the Southern Cross Swords. The blood she bled was not red, because she was not a human. However, it wasnot the green of a normal demon either. Her blood was a splendorous blue. Her blood was not disgusting. Rather, it possessed a bewitching beauty. That blood seemed to be very cold, like a piece of flowing ice, slowlyenveloping Nanke''s hands and the hilts of her swords. Then the blood began toburn, but the flames were unexpectedly also cold! The icy flames fiercely burned on her two Southern Cross Swords. In a flash, the Wutong Bow was covered with a layer of frost, which in thenext moment gave birth to countless icy thorns. The place where the bow met the ground began to fiercely shudder, creatingseveral cracks, as if signifying that it could not hold on much longer. Is this the true blood of the surpassing bird? Xu Yourong silently thought. Then, her brows slightly creased. It was not wariness or unease, and even less so fear. Rather she waspreemptively fearing pain. Bleeding truly was somewhat painful. She did not like pain, so she did not like this way of battling. But since Nanke had already sent her the invitation, she had no means ofrefusing, because she even less liked to lose and to die. Because of the pain, her brows knit tighter and tighter. It seemed ratherpitiful, but her eyes seemed to grow increasingly bright, and her expressiongrew increasingly calm. A drop of blood slowly flowed out of her finger and fell onto her bow. The blood she bled was red, because she was human, but after the wind touchedit for only an instant, it turned gold. That blood was like liquid gold, supremely dignified and sacred. It seemed tohold a boundless energy and warmth. The Wutong Longbow in this way began to blaze.
276 Blood Battle to the End
The peacock is called nanke, and is also called the surpassing bird. Whendescribing innate talent, the latter is often used. TL: Peacock can be ȸ (kongque, which is often used), Ͽ (nanke) or Խ(yueniao, surpassing bird). The latter two are rarely used to describe peacocks. The blood that flowed within Nankes body was the true blood of the surpassingbird. This kind of blood was cold to the bone, so cold that passing wind wouldturn into frost. When compared to the cultivation methods of the sects in thesnowy mountain in the north-west, it is unknown how many times the blood isnaturally colder by. Other than the blood of the black frost dragons, it isimpossible to find a substance that is colder than it. The even more terrifyingpart of the blood of the surpassing bird is that it is extremely poisonous, sopoisonous that even the strongest monsters are unable to resist against it. The brightly colored blood dripped from Nankes wrist onto the sword hilt, andthen it fell onto the Wutong Longbow. An ordinary person would have diedimmediately at the moment before, however, Xu Yourong did not. She was notfrozen by Nankes blood, and also did not become poisoned by the toxins withinthe blood. This was because she was the reincarnation of a Heavenly Phoenix,and inside her body flowed the true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix. Her bloodcarried inexhaustible heat, able to burn everything. The battle on the peak of Sunset Valley reached the final part, and Xu Yourongand Nanke finally began their contest of innate talent. In the previousclashes, they had already proven that no matter if it was the level ofcultivation, the strength of willpower and spiritual sense or the aspect ofsword and shooting techniques, their abilities were almost completely equal.Now, they could only look at whose blood would burn the world or freeze theworld. In the land of demons, in the world of humans and in the White Emperor City bythe shores of the Red River, there were countless legends that the phoenix wasthe king of all birds. Logically, Xu Yourong almost would definitely be thefinal victor in this contest in innate talent. However, it could not beforgotten that in the countless legends, there was always the peacock thatlooked at the world of birds with a cold and proud gaze. That peacock neverobeyed the orders of the phoenix. If the phoenix really could be victorious over the peacock so easily, howcould the peacock disobey it and have its own cold pride and freedom? Thisexplained a very simple truth, which was that between the peacock and thephoenix, the biggest difference was their temperament and the different choicesthey had made in the world. As for the strength of their bloodline, it wasactually extremely close. Xu Yourong and Nankes blood continued to flow, smearing all over the swordhilt, blade, and bow and discoloring them. Afterwards, it fell on the surfaceof the peak between the two, and those tough rocks also began to burn swiftly. The entire peak of Sunset Valley began to burn. No matter if it was thebright, golden holy fire, or the mottled, dark, icy-cold fire; they were alltrue flames, as if they were even able to burn the spirit. The two incredibly powerful Qi rapidly increased with the clash between thetwo noble yet proud bloodlines. The space created by the zither-playing old mancould no longer withstand it, and with countless sounds of shattering, ittransformed into countless pieces of clear glass, before disappearing into thenight sky. A wave of light rushed out in all directions from between Xu Yourong andNankes bodies, immediately illuminating a radius of several hundreds of li,and lighting the Sunset Valley mountain range like daytime. The wide grasslandin front of the mountain range suddenly brightened up, especially in the outerborders. Those weeds also seemed to begin burning, and those cold, brokenterrifying sounds in the depths of the grassland also immediately disappeared.Countless great monsters hidden within it felt that the wave of light thatoriginated from the peak carried two incomparably noble and powerful auras,deterring them from daring to perform any reckless actions. It really is impressive, Liu Waner said with great surprise, looking in thedirection of the Sunset Valley. The Demon General couple were outside the grasslands to prevent Zhexiu and QiJian from escaping. After eating dinner, they were currently washing thedishes. However, they never thought that on a mountain peak far away, such aterrifying battle was currently happening. Teng Xiaoming put the bowl into the basket, and asked, Should we go help out? With the strength of his spiritual sense, he could clearly feel exactly howintense the battle on the peak of Sunset Valley was. That golden flame thatoriginated from the true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix was just too bright. We wont make it. Liu Waner shook her head. Also, Her Highness does notlike it when we make unnecessary moves. Since the Military Advisor has alreadysaid that Xu Yourong will die, she will definitely die. With the breaking of the space that separated the peak of Sunset Valley andthat lonely mountain path from the world of the Garden of Zhou, the BlackDragon which flew extremely high in the air was able to see what was below forthe first time. Only with this did she know that Xu Yourong had already left,and this fated battle had already begun. At this moment, many people in the Garden of Zhou had already noticed thebattle on the peak of Sunset Valley. Although they could not see the detailsand did not know who was battling whom, the wild flames on the peak and theterrifyingly powerful auras that originated vaguely from the flames were enoughto disturb and shock them. However, the Black Dragon was unperturbed. She looked down on the two girlsbetween the mountain range, and the gaze from her pupil was very cold andindifferent, or even vaguely scornful. If she was not a spiritual soul at thatmoment, and instead in her real body, it would not matter that the battlebetween the two girls was so intense and lively. A casual dragon breath fromher could probably put out all of the flames. A small, small world with two small birds playing with fire. Ants praise howgreat their countries are and discuss how easy it is to shake a big tree. She laughed at them with these words, but in the next moment, she discoveredthat the aura that flowed from the burning blood and flames on the peak of theSunset Valley actually gave her pause as it turned out, those two girls werenot normal small birds. If they had fully awakened their bloodline, they wouldactually be on the same level as her. On the peak of Sunset Valley, the two noble but completely different bloodsmixed together. Two flames that varied between light and dark also mixedtogether. This was the so-called blend of blood and flames. Beyond the layersof flames and above the light of the sword and bow, Xu Yourong and Nankes eyesmet. They were faintly linked mentally. In that moment, Xu Yourong saw many images: the images of inside Xuelao City,the images inside the demons palace and the images of the growth of thepigweed-harvesting girl. Conversely, the images Nanke saw were very few. She only saw the small stonebridge in the Divine General of the Easts estate, the catkin beneath thebridge and the school yard of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. Nanke did not cover up anything. She was cold and proud, not scared of anyone,even if an opponent like Xu Yourong saw her true inner self. For some reason,intentional or not, Xu Yourong, who should have led a brighter life, concealedin her consciousness many of the scenes from her years of cultivation.. The phoenix indeed is a hypocritical organism. You actually lived in such apetty way and still want to become the ruler that sits on the decaying throne?Why dont you just go die instead? Nanke looked into her eyes, and spoke coldly in the world of consciousnessformed from the connection. Xu Yourong did not follow up, and asked calmly, You want to perish with me? Nanke replied with an indifferent expression, I am not afraid of death. Youare afraid of death. So if we perish together, the one who dies first willdefinitely be you. Xu Yourong arched her brow slightly. She disliked this method of battle, andalso disliked the way Nanke spoke. She believed that life and death were thingsworthy of respect, and should not have been spoken of so lightly. Nanke stared at her. You humans always believe that rubbish: great powercomes with great responsibility. Since its like that, you dont want to die,because you still carry a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. Xu Yourong asked levelly, What about you? As a Demon Princess, dont you alsoneed to carry a lot of responsibilities? Nanke replied indifferently again, I have several dozen siblings. Theresponsibilities I carry are extremely few, other than my own aspirations andmy masters hope. Xu Yourong stayed silent for a while, before saying, Does your father knowabout this? If you die today in the Garden of Zhou, wont something occurbetween your master and your father? In this simple conversation, life, death, and responsibilities were discussed.However, no principles were discussed, as they each only wanted to let theiropponent know why they did not fear death, and the reasons why the opponentshould have feared death. The conversation occurred in the linked world of consciousness, and theattacks were also spiritual. It was very obvious that what Xu Yourong had said after thinking did notachieve any of her imagined results. Nankes expression remained indifferent,and she did not care about her own life and death or the future of the demonsat all. My race needs a strong succeeding generation and the glory of victory. Aslong as I can kill you, it will prove that the blood of my race is the mostnoble. How can Father be sad or disappointed? He will only compose a few longpoems happily in front of my gravestone. Saying that, Nanke took a step forwards. Her indifferent gaze was full ofdetermination, and between the hands holding the sword hilt, the rate of bloodflow suddenly increased. With her step forwards, a crack appeared on the mountain several hundred zhangaway. A boulder with a circumference of several zhang fell into the deep abyss. The Southern Cross Sword grew even brighter. One was in front of her, like atrue galaxy, and one was behind her, like a peacock spreading its tail,blocking the arrows flying in from all directions. The cold yet bright blood transformed into numerous flames, burning violentlyon the cliff. Her expression was still just as indifferent, as if she could notfeel pain, nor fear death. She looked into Xu Yourongs eyes, and finally said in the world ofconsciousness, You are indeed very strong. In order to kill you, of course Ihave to bleed so much. Xu Yourongs expression remained calm, with not even a sliver of weariness tobe seen. However, after two days and two nights without sleep, rushing aroundin the wild to use her Sacred Light to save people, she was actually alreadyvery tired. How could she win against the crazed Nanke? Only through blood for blood. A slight thought set fresh blood flowing from her palm that grasped thelongbow, like water from a spring. The holy, golden flames burned fiercely,allowing the freezing peak to warm up again. That holy and powerful aura was rapidly released from within her body. The two powerful auras clashed, rushing into the night sky above Sunset Valley. Only a soft pop could be heard from somewhere far away. In the depths of thenight, there was a surface that seemed to be transparent. Suddenly, a crackappeared, and afterwards, a shooting star descended. This was the Garden of Zhou, so the shooting star could not have been a realmeteor, but it was not a Wu Arrow either. That meteor landed somewhere to theside of Sunset Valley, and only a huge bang could be heard. The entire mountainrange began to shake, and a mountain on the side of the mountain rangecompletely collapsed. Xu Yourong and Nanke looked at each other, and ignored it. Their fresh blood constantly flowed, and their aura constantly increased.
277 Death of the Phoenix
The spatial barrier of the Garden of Zhou began showing signs of collapse. This was an inevitable effect of their battle. The sources of Xu Yourong andNankes bloodlines were just too powerful, and at that moment, they had pushedthe rate of burning their lives to the extreme. The Qi they gave off alreadysurpassed the peak of Ethereal Opening, reaching the maximum that the rules ofthe Garden of Zhou allowed. Of course, the Garden of Zhou would not collapse, as the rules responsible formaintaining the functioning of the world would just directly destroy thethreat, which was the existence of Xu Yourong and Nanke. The weapon that the Garden of Zhou used was the shattered fragments of thespatial barrier. The barrier fragments left the night sky, transformed into meteors and felltowards the peak of Sunset Valley. If Xu Yourong and Nanke did not stop their battle and instead continued toallow their Qi to increase, then they would definitely die. They would becomethe dust created by the countless meteors along with Sunset Valley. They would die. Nanke was very clear on this point. Before, when she used the Southern CrossSword on Xu Yourong, it had already caused the warping of space within theGarden of Zhou. This allowed her to confirm the maximum capacity that theGarden of Zhou could hold. Her plan was to increase her level of strengthbeyond this maximum, forcing Xu Yourong to also increase hers, before alsoexceeding the maximum capacity of the Garden of Zhou. This was her method of battle. This represented her absolute mindset for battle. Why would her teacher, the extremely cautious Military Advisor of the Demonrace, Black Robe, give her such an important mission to kill Xu Yourong? Thiswas because Black Robe understood extremely well that she was willing to diewith Xu Yourong. Her fate was determined because of Xu Yourong. As a result, she invited heropponent to walk towards the end of fate together with great happiness. Thiswas because it meant that she could also determine the fate of Xu Yourong. Thus, Xu Yourong would definitely die this night in the Garden of Zhou.Although the human girl definitely did not want to accept it, she could not doanything. If she continued to burn her true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix,countless meteors would fall on the world of the Garden of Zhou, bringingdeath. If she stopped, then she would be killed even faster by Nanke. This was a fated battle, an unavoidable battle. The end of the battle hadalready been predetermined, just like that, sad and frustrating. It seemed as though nobody could change everything. However, on the peak of Sunset Valley, there was always a bystander. The zither-playing old man was silent. Watching the battle up until now, hefinally could not bear it anymore. He was extremely certain that Nankes method of battle definitely gained therecognition of Black Robe, however, he was even more certain at the same timethat the Demon Lord did not know about this at all. He was unable to watch Nanke die in front of him, because he did not want tosuffer the wrath of the Demon Lord afterwards. Even more than that, he did notwant to see his clan, that had survived through hardships, pushed into the deepabyss by the wrath of the Demon Lord and unable to ever rise up again. As a result, his hand landed on the zither strings, and played a note veryseriously and solemnly. Hearing this note, a sliver of anger flashed across Nankes indifferent gaze.Only a while later did it slowly return back to her indifferenceshe did notallow anyone to interrupt her battle with Xu Yourong. However, at this moment,all of her willpower and energy was spent on Xu Yourong, unable to prevent thezither-playing old man from helping her. A matter that cannot be changed can only be accepted. What calmed her was the matter that could not be changed tonight. That wasdying with Xu Yourong. The sound of the zither hummed. It was very warm, but afterwards, it insteadcarried killing intent. The sound of the zither entered her ear, and Xu Yourongs complexion becameeven paler. Countless frightful billows and terrible waves arose in her sea ofconsciousness, causing her to almost drop the Wutong Longbow, and allowingNanke to chop at her body. The mental attack of the elder who originated from the Shadow Candle Clan wasextremely powerful and scary. But she needed to put her efforts into defendingagainst the even scarier Nanke. She actually suffered a heavy blow from her. A stream of blood dripped slowly from the corner of her lips. It was different from the blood that originated from her finger holding thelongbow. The blood did not originate from her consciousness, and was not due toher purposely burning her life. Instead, it was caused by injury. Her gaze remained calm, and it remained focused. She looked silently at Nanke,without even glancing to the zither-playing old man at all. Her left handpierced through the night wind, falling towards the night. It was not a shapeless, mystery technique that could hurt her opponent withoutcontact. She only swung her hand at the night. There was nothing in the night, so what was she swinging at? In the next moment, a black square plate suddenly appeared in the night sky.The black square plate floated silently beside her shoulder, as if it wasalways there, but nobody had noticed it. This was Xu Yourongs Fated Star Plate. Her left hand landed in the centre of the Fated Star Plate. She did not gently move her finger. At this moment, there was no time tocalculate exactly what her fate was. What she wanted to do, what she could do, was only to attempt to control herown fate. She had accumulated for a long time, ready to give Nanke a mortal strike offorceful true essence. She poured everything into the Fated Star Plate withthis swing. A muffled bang. This bang sounded like a gong, specifically like a broken one. The sound wasnot nice, and it was slightly muffled. However, it was very loud. This was the sound produced by the Fated Star Plate. This was the strong sound produced by fate. The powerful wind of the peak blew wildly. Other than the rapid circulation ofthe trajectory of stars and lines of fate that nobody could understand, theflash of light produced by the Fated Star Plate transformed into countlessdazzling rays of light. The sound of the zither that was like gurgling, flowing water was forciblysmashed by this sound of a broken gong. Several strings on the zither snapped. The complexion of the zither-playing old man became pale, as if he had beenhit by a heavy blow. He vomited blood. To slap fate into chaos and to heavily injure the opponent. Xu Yourongs blowseemed to be understated, but in reality, it had reached an unbelievable levelof strength. However, she also paid a great price for this. Nankes childish voice arose again, and the Southern Cross Sword once moredivided into three. Xu Yourongs hand which held onto the Wutong Longbow began to shake violently.Her gaze was still calm, but it was not as bright as before, and seemedsomewhat gloomy. The change most striking to the eye was that more and more fresh blood flowedfrom the corner of her mouth. The zither-playing old man circulated his extremely powerful spiritual sense,forcefully suppressing the injuries he received in his sea of consciousness. Heimmediately suppressed the wild true essence within his meridians, and with along roar, he acted again. He drifted away from the zither, and his two hands directly landed on XuYourongs head. In the night, he could only see the faint white light radiatingfrom between his fingertips, as if there was no flesh at all, with only whitebone remaining. After creating the powerful sound from slapping the Fated Star Plate with herleft hand, she took the opportunity to grab hold of a corner of the plate. She did not know what abnormality the hands of the elder of the shaman clancarried, and thought that it was definitely extreme poison. Without eventhinking, she flipped her hand and smashed towards the front of the opponentwith the Fated Star Plate in her hand. This smash seemed to be very simple, just like kids fighting. However, it wasactually not simple in the slightest. This was the final move of the Sword of Hithering Light from the Heavenly DaoAcademy. The Sword of Hithering Light was known for its speed and sharpness. The speedof the final move had already reached an unbelievable level. Because of itsspeed, it seemed extremely simple. Xu Yourongs Sword of Hithering Light was better than the Sword of HitheringLight learnt by any student of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Her swing was faster than the final move of the Sword of Hithering Lightperformed by any student of the Heavenly Dao Academy. It was so fast that the zither-playing old man was not even able to avoid it. The muffled sound of collision resounded. The zither-playing old man attemptedto use his hands to block against the Fated Star Plate in her hands. His fingerbones were immediately shattered. He was knocked backwards for over ten zhang,unable to stop vomiting blood. Xu Yourong also felt that effect of the collision, and her gaze became evenmore gloomy. Nankes gaze remained as prudent and indifferent as it was, however, it hadbrightened up like never before. The zither-playing old man suffered heavy defeat from a single blow, but ithad helped her gain the best opportunity in the entirety of that night. A childlike outcry once again reverberated through the entire cliff. Nankes body suddenly turned into nothing, her sword barrier dispersed. Shedid not pay any attention to the dozen or so Wu Arrows, and brought her handstogether. She fused with the Southern Cross Sword, piercing at Xu Yourong. Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh, the Wu Arrows pierced through the night sky. Thunk Thunk Thunk Thunk, the dozen or so arrows penetrated her body. Nankes expression did not change, as if she could not feel pain at all. Two extremely bright sword rays chopped towards the front of Xu Yourong liketwo galaxies. A sound of rubbing resonated. This was the sound of the bottom part of theTong Bow piercing through the rock. In the end, the Tong Bow was unable to block the power of the Southern CrossSword, leaving the ground. The longbow that left the ground was just like a rootless wutong tree. Itimmediately drooped slightly. The bright sword rays pushed the bow down, chopping at the left side of XuYourongs chest. Fresh blood spurted out. Although it had reached such an important moment, Xu Yourongs gaze remainedcalm. With a flip of her wrist, the horizontal longbow knocked away Nankesblow, sweeping backwards urgently in the air. How could Nanke give her the opportunity to leave? Afterwards, she brushedforwards like a shadow. The Tong Bow and the Southern Cross Sword clashed. It created countlessstreams of turbulent wind in the night sky. Nanke was covered in blood, but her eyes were even brighter. Both of her handsleft the hilt of the sword, and extended forwards like lightning. The point of her fingers carried a gloomy green flow. The peacock had one tail feather. It was the most poisonous, sharpest andfastest in the world. This was the Peacock Plume, the true Peacock Plume. Nankes ten fingers pierced into both of Xu Yourongs shoulders, going as deepas the bone. Blood spurted out in all directions. However, many black spots seemed toappear in the golden light. Painful, so painful, it really was very painful. Xu Yourong had never experienced such pain. As a result, she became extremely mad, a madness that had never occurredbefore. With a ripping sound, her white ceremonial dress was torn into myriadfragments. Countless rays of gold light hit Nankes body in the direction of her fingers. Densely-packed sounds of muffled collision began to resound. Innumerable finger holes appeared on Nankes body, and the bright blood flowedrapidly. Peacocks had plumes. Phoenixes had feathers. This was Xu Yourongs feather barrage. All of their cultivation was used. All of their weapons were used. All of their life-saving abilities were used. All of their true essence was consumed. All of their blood had almost bled dry. The battle was this desperate and this absolute. The peak of Sunset Valley fell into silence. The dust between the cliffsslowly settled, but the spilt blood continued to burn. The fierce heat andcoldness fused and disappeared, causing the brightness to reach the limit. Xu Yourong stood on the side of the cliff. Her complexion was slightly paleand her clothes were covered with blood splatters. Nanke seemed even more miserable. She was covered with injuries, and bloodflowed ceaselessly. However, she was victorious. An uninterrupted, clear howl resounded from the peak of Sunset Valley. Her voice was that tender, but it was also that cold. This clear, cold and proud dominance actually gave one a mad feeling in theend. Although it was somewhat regretful, victory was the most important matter. Although experts had helped out, death was the fairest judge. Both Xu Yourong and she were already expended, but in the next moment, XuYourong would die. In this night, she had finally defeated her destined opponent. This meant that she had defeated her own fate. The sound of the surpassing bird slowly decreased in volume until it finallystopped. Nanke returned to the indifferent appearance of how she was before, and saidslowly, My blood is in your body. Behind you is an endless abyss, so you aredefinitely dead. Xu Yourong stood on the side of the cliff. The night wind lightly blew herhair. She lowered her head and did not know what she wanted to say. Just what posture was she supposed to take to face death? Please give me this glory. Nanke looked at her, and said seriously. Xu Yourong raised her head and looked at her. Within her gaze was a sliver ofrelief and the undertone of making fun of something, like understanding theaffairs of light thoroughly. She was like an old person, calmly waiting fordeath, but seemed even more like a mischievous young girl. Why should I let you be happy? After saying that with a smile, she turned around and walked into the nightbeyond the cliff. Looking at the empty cliff, Nankes eyes revealed a sliver of disappointment.She said while staring blankly, Are you an idiot? Do you think that you reallyare a phoenix? Xu Yourong was the reincarnation of a Heavenly Phoenix, and not a real phoenix. She did not have a pair of wings, and never cultivated to Saint Realm.Naturally she could not fly freely. She walked towards the night beyond the cliff. Naturally, she fell into theabyss of death. There was a period of silence, regardless of cliff or elsewhere. Xu Yourong...the reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix. Even in the recentdozen or so years of the blossoming age, the most beautiful flower without aquestion, the girl viewed as the leader of the future by everybody and the girlviewed as the greatest threat by the demons would just die silently like thisin the Garden of Zhou? Nanke walked to the edge of the cliff, and gazed into the pitch-black abyss.She thought silently, even if you had to die, you are not willing to die by myhand? Is this your final pride or is it returning to self-realization? The Black Dragon was silent in the clouds. She disliked humans, with ChenChangsheng as basically the only exception Especially after learning about thelater matters told by the spirit of her father, she was even more hostile tothe human experts, which naturally included Xu Yourong, that person who mayhave become the strongest human girl in the world. Logically, she should nothave felt any sympathy or sadness to Xu Yourongs death, and she had evenremembered very clearly that Chen Changsheng had said many times that he didnot like his fiancee. So why did she feel slightly frustrated, or even slightlydisturbed? If she let Chen Changsheng know that she had personally seen XuYourongs death, but did nothing at all, would he blame her? Xu Yourong fell into the abyss of death. Her eyes were tightly closed, and thesound of wind rushing by her ears was so far away. Blood once again flowed fromthe corner of her lips, burning as it met the night wind. It formed a string ofbright flames that drifted downwards, however, it was only able to illuminate asmall area around her, unable to illuminate the path in front. Was the ground getting closer and closer? Death was also getting closer andcloser, but how was the mountain in the Garden of Zhou so tall? Just how fardid she need to fall before she gained peace at last? No, death was the end. There was no peace. It was not the other side of thesea of stars she had pursued with cultivation. She jumped off the cliff not to send herself to death. It was only that shedid not want to die in the hands of the pigweed-harvesting girl. Just exactly how could she not die? She closed her eyes and thought about this question. Just where was the answer? She fell faster and faster, and the wind blew faster and faster. The more she thought, the colder she felt, frustrated and unable to doanything. Suddenly, she remembered something the Divine Empress had said to her allthose years ago when she left the capital. Young phoenix, one can fear pain, but one cannot fear death especially you.
278 The Cry of a Phoenix
A shadow loomed over both the interior and exterior of the Garden of Zhou. On the snowy plains deep within the night, there were only countlesssnowflakes in the night sky, without a star to be seen. However, what could beclearly seen was the shadow that extended out from Xuelao City. The shadow was even darker than the black night, and even colder than death.It represented the willpower of the Demon Lord. Regardless of how dazzling thesword ray that passed through it was, it was unable to break through it in ashort amount of time. However, the sword ray was already powerful enough, even already possessingthe strength to resist the shadow. Although it was unable to chop the shadow,it could easily chop through a lot of other objects. For example, the arm of the terrifying third Demon General, and the throat ofthe seventh Demon General. The seventh Demon General held onto his throat, and like a mountain, he slowlybegan to fall. The sword ray once again returned, entering the sheath, and dispersing its Qi. However, no matter if it was the seventh Demon General at deaths door, or theother demon experts, their expressions were not affected at all by this scene.This slaughter of certain death was full of the faint feeling of intimidation. Su Li lowered his head. It was not known what he was thinking. He held ontothe hilt with his right hand. His black hair had already fallen onto hisshoulders. In the chilly wind of the night, it gently floated about, like a godor a demon. Black Robes gaze pierced through the deep ocean, landing on his body. Hesaid, Your daughter is about to die, and you are also about to die. How doesit feel? What he said was undoubtedly a psychological attack, and could even beregarded as a very crude and simple psychological attack. However, simplicitydid not mean that it did not carry power. Black Robe used these words inattempt to break his mental state. Su Li raised his head and looked at Black Robe. He said calmly, Since youwant to kill me, why must you let those other guys participate in the battle inturns? Constantly shoving wood into the fire will only result in it constantlybeing burnt to ash. As long as the wood added is enough, there will always be a moment where thefire is extinguished, Black Robe said indifferently. Perhaps this method ofbattle may result in an even greater price, but it can guarantee that you willdefinitely die. Su Li did not say anything, because he knew what Black Robe had said wascorrect. The shadow that originated from Xuelao City cut off his connection with thehuman world, and demons still had a lot of true experts that did not act, suchas the legendary Demon Commander, or Black Robe, who only sat there patiently.In order to kill the Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li, the demons had made verycareful preparations. These preparations had even involved the interior of the Garden of Zhou andthe faraway western continent. No matter what countermeasure the experts of the human world and the expertsin White Emperor City had, it was already too late. The pressure of the DemonLord was ready, and the Council of Elders in Xuelao City was also waiting. This type of killing method was to grind and kill. Black Robe needed enoughdemon experts to forcefully grind away Su Lis sword intent and Qi. It was suchan easy and even slightly dry method to kill the opponent. This was because only this type of method could have no accidents occurring. You are the most dazzling star of the human world after the great war. Youhave already brought too many unforeseen incidents to this continent, and youknow, I dislike unforeseen incidents the most. Black Robe said while looking at him. Su Li stayed silent for a very long time before saying, No, I will not die. Black Robes voice rose slightly, obviously because he was slightlyinterested. He asked, Oh? Why so? Su Li looked at him and said calmly, There is no basis nor reasons, I justbelieve that I will not die. Similarly, I believe the girl, and those childrenthat represent the future of mankind will also not die. Black Robe said, I admire such unreasonable confidence in the face of deathvery much. Su Li began laughing again. His pupils reflected the snowy sky, as if it wasabout to burn. --- One can fear pain, but one cannot fear death, especially you why? Perhapsdeath was even more gruesome than pain? And why was the word especially said?Why could she not fear death? In the process of falling into the abyss of death, Xu Yourong thought aboutthis sentence and the many matters it gave rise to. Suddenly, she understoodsome ideas, and as a result, she opened her eyes. Why was she the last one to fear death? It was because she was the phoenix.Her fate was already destined to constantly forge her own spirit between deathand pain, until a certain moment where she was able to calmly accept death.Only like that could she accept a real, new life again. Was this the meaning of life in death? Empress, was this what you wanted totell me? In that moment, Xu Yourong felt the endless abyss in front of her eyessuddenly begin to glow. At that moment, her body was heavily injured, her true essence was allconsumed and extreme poison currently invaded her body and mind. However, theidea she understood allowed her to calm down to a point which she had neverbefore reached. Constantly falling, the blood from the corner of her lip was blown backwardslike a line of fire by the wind. Countless pearl-like balls of light also arose from her eyes. Falling towards the depths of the abyss, she calmly waited for death to come. Calmness was a dauntless attitude, but it was not unknowing. She felt the coldgloom of death, experienced the true meaning of death and then began to fear itonce again. This type of fear did not mean that she had left the mind state of beingdauntless. It was still a form of awareness, a distinct yet clear awarenessthat was deeply embedded in her consciousness. Only the great fear brought on by death could stimulate the unimaginable powerhidden in the deepest part of her consciousness, the power hidden within herbloodline. This endless power began to burn, causing her to enter a strange state ofclear-headedness and absent-mindedness. As death slowly arrived, a spirit deepwithin her body awakened. This was the spirit of the Heavenly Phoenix, which was also her spirit. That was the her that she had never seen, nor even discovered before. She opened her eyes and looked into the pitch-black abyss and the real,invisible yet cold night wind. It allowed her to truly understand fate. Fate allowed her to leave the Holy Maiden Peak and come to the Garden of Zhou. However, fate did not make her meet Nanke, and instead made her meet herself. To meet the other self, the truest self. The journey was not for nothing. In the process of falling into death, an infinite amount of regret bloomed. In the deathly abyss, in the silent mountain cliff, on the extremely tallSunset Valley, in the vast world of the Garden of Zhou, a clear cry suddenlyresounded. The sound was not mature, and was slightly undeveloped. However, it wasincomparably clear. Compared to this clear cry, Nankes clear roar earlier immediately paled. This clear cry was the cry of the young phoenix. The aura of the king was carried in this phoenix cry without a question. Nanke stood silently by the cliffside, perhaps in memorial for the death ofher fated opponent, or in regret that her life would be lonely from now on. After a while, she turned around and walked towards the flat rock surfacebetween the cliffs. The person had already passed away. Although there was the expecteddisappointment and hollowness, there was even more satisfaction in the end.From this night forwards, there would be no-one able to fly in the same sky asher. This was very worthy of being happy over. Then, the cry of the phoenix pierced through the cliffs. She stopped her steps, and turned around to gaze into the night sky beyond thecliff. She revealed an expression of inconceivability.
279 Wolf Howl
Two wings of fire spread out in the night, flying far off into the distance.They were exceptionally striking, reminiscent of a moving star illuminating itssurroundings. Nanke stood at the edge of the cliff and silently viewed the scene, her faceabnormally pale. She had forcefully suppressed the injuries left behind bythose numerous feathers, but no matter how she tried, she could not suppressthose feelings of anger and unwillingness in her heart. An elegant and yet exceptionally ruthless peacock cry emerged from her lips,resounding into the distance, as if was calling something. Upon hearing this,the zither-playing old man suddenly changed his expression. He wanted to extendhis hand to stop her, but because of his injuries, he could not get up. Hecould only look on helplessly as in the next moment, Nanke leaped off the cliff. The clear cry of the young phoenix rang out through the Garden of Zhou. In thethree gardens at the edge of the Garden of Zhou, many human cultivators hadgathered. Previously when that bloody battle at the peak of Sunset Valley hadbrought about many anomalies in heaven and earth, many people had turned theirgazes towards Sunset Valley. Naturally, they had also not missed the cry of thephoenix. In the quiet and dark mountains, there were still several upper level EtherealOpening human experts searching for treasures in the gloom. Chen Changsheng andXu Yourong had searched for them for two days and nights, and yet had stillbeen unable to find them. The warning fireworks of the Thirteen Divisions ofRadiant Green could not make them reveal their tracks. Amongst the cultivatorswas a three-hundred-year-old loose cultivator from the south. At the moment, hewas by an ancient scholartree. Based on records from the past, he was searchingfor a powerful magical artifact left behind by the southern shaman tribe. Whenhe heard the sudden cry of the phoenix, he turned around in amazement, hiselderly appearance illuminated in the light of those wings of fire. Withinthose turbid eyes of his appeared an expression of shock, which turned intoboundless greed. --- With Qi Jian on his back, Zhexiu continued to walk through the plain. His eyescould no longer see, but his hearing was still effective. When the phoenix cryrang out, he stopped. Qi Jian''s eyes opened with some difficulty and lookedwest. He said with some perplexity, "Is that Senior Xu? She also entered theGarden of Zhou?" "It should be her." Zhexiu''s ears listened to the echoes of that phoenix cryand confirmed. All these things that had happened after the Garden of Zhou opened were a partof the demon plot. Of the targets that the demons had drawn up to kill, XuYourong was definitely amongst them. Qi Jian said weakly, "I don''t know who thedemons sent to oppose her, but it should be okay." Xu Yourong and Qiushan Jun were not ordinary young geniuses. Their innatetalent was overwhelmingly dominant. In this miniature world of the Garden ofZhou where there was an upper limit, logically the demons should be unable toseize Xu Yourong. But when thinking about the assassination attempt at thelakeside and Third Brother''s sudden betrayal, Qi Jian could not help but bevery worried. Zhexiu thought about those two women at the lakeside who had completelydifferent features and yet seemed like they had been born as twins. Perhaps itwas because of their fingertips suffused with green, or because of the poisonthat still restlessly stirred within his eyes, but he knew that those two weredefinitely Nanke''s two wings. He said, "Nanke has come. The one that Xu Yourongis fighting is definitely her. It''s just that I don''t know who won and wholost." In all of the continent, amongst all Ethereal Opening cultivators, human ordemon, the only one that could threaten Xu Yourong was Nanke. Hearing the name Nanke, Qi Jian''s face paled even more. After a long moment ofsilence, Qi Jian said, "So where are we going next?" It was already night, but the sun of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun had notsetif that mystical and indistinct sphere of light suspended over the horizoncould be considered a sun. The powerful Demon General couple stood guard at theedge of the plain, so they could not leave. They could only walk around in thisplain. Then, where should they go? Everyone said that the Plains of theUnsetting Sun concealed many vicious and frightening dangers. At the veryleast, anyone that entered had never come out. Then where were the dangershidden? Zhexiu said, "Take out the Flowing Water Bottle." Qi Jian took out the Flowing Water Bottle and said in disbelief, "We''vealready spent six hours in here?" The warm and red yet indistinct sun hung over the edge of the plain. At theline that divided heaven and earth, it continuously revolved. The light that itemitted did not change, so it was easy to lose track of time. However, whatshocked Qi Jian was not only this. Although Zhexiu was heavily injured, he hadnot yet decreased his speed. In six hours, they could travel at least a hundredli, and yet they could clearly see the fire that arose from the summit ofSunset Valley. The cry of the phoenix was also like it had sounded out right bytheir ears. Now when they turned back, the mountain...was still there. Although they had walked through the plain for six hours, it still seemed likethey had just entered. Hearing what Qi Jian had said, Zhexiu lowered his head in thought for a verylong time. To the two youths, the legendary plain was finally beginning to reveal itsstrange and sinister side. Suddenly, a rustling sound arose from deep within the grass in front of them,as if some beast was just then traveling through. In the next moment, the sound disappeared, but this did not mean the dangerhad passed. Qi Jian was somewhat uneasy, feeling that within the grass, there were alwaysmany things gazing at them. Zhexiu lowered his head and inclined his face, listening to the sounds comingfrom the grass. As he did so, his face grew increasingly grave, as well asunsightly. He had grown up on the snowy plains and hunted monsters for a living. So hecould very clearly tell that these noises were the sounds of monsters walkingor flying low, or the grinding of their fearsomely sharp teeth, and even thedripping of their saliva on the ground. What was even more frightening thingwas that in a short period of time, he had heard at least seven monster soundsthat belonged to powerful monsters rarely seen on the snowy plains. On the snowy plains, he was the hunter, but in the plains of the Garden ofZhou, the monsters had made him and Qi Jian their prey. This caused him anintense discomfort as well as anger. He knew very well that if he remainedstationary like this, it would be very dangerous. He lifted his head towards the depths of the plains. His eyes could not see and his pupils could not focus, so he seemed very cold.Moreover, the bewitchingly strange green had occupied his entire pupil,creating an extremely frightening sight. Qi Jian was leaning against his shoulder, saw his profile, and subconsciouslyfelt cold and fearful. Qi Jian''s body began to tremble. "Don''t be afraid." Zhexiu said expressionlessly. As the words fell, a succession of grinding sounds emanated from his body.This was the sound of his bones and muscles grinding and reassembling. Copiouscoarse wolf hairs sprouted from his cheeks, and his knees once again strangelybent backwards. His teeth gradually grew long and pointed, emerging from hislips......this was his demi-human transformation. Along with the transformation of his body, his Qi also suddenly changed. Acold and cruel aura pervaded the path in front of him. The quiet depths of the grass suddenly erupted with noise. This was closelyfollowed by the stamping of feet as well as a haughty and provocative roar. The monsters of the plains were particularly sensitive to this wolf youth''stransformation, and their response was very fast. After Zhexiu transformed, his pupils turned red, mixing with the PeacockPlume''s poison, once again producing a lemon-like yellow. He could not see a thing, but he calmly aimed his eyes forward, as if he wasstaring into those monsters'' eyes. A cruel, powerful, and ruthless howl burst forth from his lips, spreadingswiftly across the plain. The chilly wind brushed against the grass, and swathes of grass fell flat,allowing the figures of many monsters to faintly be seen. Those monsters heard strength and the resolve to fight to the death withinthat howl. With another set of rustling, they finally scattered. Qi Jian leaned against Zhexiu''s shoulder, somewhat afraid of Zhexiu''s currentappearance, although Zhexiu had said to not be afraid. Thus, he wrapped his arms tight around Zhexiu and pressed his face closer. Hesaid to himself, this way I can''t see it, so I won''t be afraid. Perhaps because of his actions, or because of those greedy gazes the monstersaimed back as they left, Zhexiu''s body grew somewhat stiff. His voice wassomewhat unnatural. "We have to think of a way to leave, or else the trulypowerful monsters, upon hearing my howl, will come over to see." Qi Jian assented, thinking to himself, we''ll do whatever you say. The wolf youth''s wild howl echoed throughout the Plains of the Unsetting Sun,but it did not leave the plains. This miniature world that was the Garden ofZhou had always had many bizarre and inexplicable places. Just like thatphoenix cry that resounded through heaven and earth, not even it had reallybeen transmitted to every nook and cranny of the Garden of Zhou. This wasbecause there were some places that were like a world within a world. At the end of that river, on the other side of that cold pool under thewaterfall was a lake. The lakeshore was another world. The people within that world did not hear the cry of the phoenix. LiangXiaoxiao and Zhuang Huanyu were no longer in the forest, but where they hadgone was a mystery. Deep under the calm surface of the lake, its depths stillseemed to boil. Countless fine bubbles burst forth from between those two wingsof light, then swiftly disappeared. Chen Changsheng had been bound up by the two wings of light of those twobeautiful yet frightening women, so naturally he could not hear the phoenixcry. Even if it had arrived at his ear, he would not have let it affect him inthe slightest. Because at the moment he was quickly being turned by those twowings of light into a very bright yet lifeless pearl. He was like a mosquitocaught in a spider web, about to die at any moment. His heart and soul were allfocused on finding a way to live. Where was his path to live? If there was no way, he would have to use hisdagger to cut a way. The problem was that he currently had no strength to griphis dagger, much less cut through those wings of light. Did his way to live liein that elusive but incomparably real sword intent in the lake? But if hewanted to make the strand of sword intent come to him, how could he do so? Before he was bound up by those wings of light, he had attempted to ignite thewater outside his Ethereal Palace, but it was meaningless. Just like hisinitial struggles and flips, it seemed rather ridiculous. His throat was beingheld by the demon beauty, while his body had been restricted by the dignifiedwoman. Those two wings of light gave a desperately frightening pressure,suppressing the last of his true essence and his every movement. He could noteven move a finger, nor even blink his eyes. He could only feel the chillywater brush against his eyes. It was not a good feeling. These two women,uniting their bodies, finally displayed their terrifying strength andcultivation. His Qi grew increasingly feeble; his mind grew increasingly dim.As he saw the two faces of those women illuminated by the light of the wings,he felt them to be extremely sinister. He thought to himself, is this what thegod of death looks like? At that moment, he who had even his true essence suppressed by those two wingsof light could only move his spiritual sense. Before the moment of death, ChenChangsheng would never surrender. Of course, he would try to use his spiritualsense to escape, but the problem lay in the fact that he had not cultivated tothat masterly realm where he could kill with his mind. No matter how calm andsteady his spiritual sense was, he still could not use it in battle. What could his spiritual sense do? Before he had clearly thought about this,his spiritual sense had already rested on his dagger.
280 The Sword Calls
The boxes were very heavy. The moment they appeared, Chen Changsheng and thosetwo women began to descend even faster to the lake bottom. Astonishment crept into the eyes of the two women. They had no idea how theseboxes appeared or what was in them. The boxes were not locked, so under the pressure of the water, their lids toreopen, illuminating their contents in the gentle and beautiful light of thosewings. At the same time, the items within the boxes began to emit their ownsort of gentle and beautiful light. It was an almost sacred white light, holding an unimaginable amount of magic,at least for humans. If this were not such a tense and perilous moment, perhaps even those twowomen would also think this way. The boxes contained silver, and the light they emitted was called silverlight. It was even more real than starlight, even more enticing, and thus, morebeautiful. The silver came from various places. Some was gifted to Chen Changsheng by hismaster and senior before he left Xining Village for travel and living expenses,some was given to him by Luoluo as when she was paying respects to him as herteacher. There was also some from Tang Thirty-Six''s generous donations, as wellas generous gifts from various priests from the Li Palace. Chen Changsheng hadnever counted up exactly how much silver there was. He just had them convertedinto silver ingots and carried them with him. Now, when his life was at its most perilous moment, he had used up all thesilver in one go. In the space formed by those two wings of light, the rushing of the watercaused those silver taels to roil about. Like stone, they pounded against thefaces and bodies of all three people. However, this was still not enough; it was not sufficient to break throughthose wings of light. He still needed more things. Thus, Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense continued deeper into the hilt of thedagger. The next thing to come out was a Night Pearl. The Night Pearl was very large and very round, even more than the Night Pearlsembedded into the Dew Platform, even more than the Night Pearls that attachedto the roof of the Black Dragon''s underground cavern. The Night Pearl had beenLuoluo''s first gift to him, and it looked very much like a big washing bowl. Ofcourse, for those two women who had grown up in Xuelao City, perhaps they wouldbe willing to use the sacred moon to describe this extraordinary Night Pearl. Only, the two women could not be like ordinary women, being shocked and moved,then fall into a fervor. One reason was because they were engaged in battle.The other reason was that the Night Pearl directly smashed against the demonwoman''s face. Even in the water, the boom could be clearly heard. Soon after,that demon woman''s nose began to bleed a stream of green blood. The demon woman was filled with rage, and also very confused. She simply hadno idea where this Night Pearl had come from, and its impact was not light. But this still was not enough. It was not sufficient to help Chen Changshengescape the constraints of those wings of light. Thus, Chen Changsheng continued deeper into the sword hilt, taking out itemafter item. The next item to appear....was half of a whole roasted lamb. The half a roast lamb, from which steam still seemed to rise, appeared withinthose wings of light, then collided with that dignified woman''s body. It was very obvious that the dignified woman was somewhat of a clean freak, sowhen that half roast lamb caked with oil embraced her, she almost went crazy. But this still was not enough. One roast chicken, two roast chickens, three roast chickens around a dozenroast chickens, like thrown stones, appeared between those wings and smashed ather body. There was Liaobei County''s roast deer tail, Wanzhou County''s roast fish,Wenshui''s spicy thirteen plates, the South Sea''s steamed double fish heads... With the continuous stimulation of Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense,innumerable pieces of food appeared one after the other. In a flash, the spacebetween those wings of light was crammed. These were pieces of food that the Black Dragon had required him to preparewhen they left the capital. Right now, the Black Dragon was merely a spiritualsoul inside a jade ruyi, so she could not eat very much. Thus these foods had been stored away, extremely fresh, very hot and pungent,and still maintaining their original flavors. Within those wings of light, roast chicken took flight with duck wings, redsoup blurred together with persimmons. It was complete confusion, absolute chaos. Countless foods and juices mixed together, producing a revolting mix. "Just what''s going on here?!" That demon woman pushed her head through a Yingou stew jade cabbage andangrily shouted, her eyes expressing bewilderment. The last thing Chen Changsheng took out was that which he possessed the mostofbooks. Nobody knew that the three thousands scriptures of the Daoist Canon were nolonger in Xining Village''s old temple, but rather with Chen Changsheng. He took out the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon so that he coulduse the scriptures to beat the demons. Boom! Countless books filled up that space created by the two wings of light. The two wings of light could no longer stay closed. Accompanied by a cry of shock and even a little absurdity, those two wingsfinally separated. The books and food shot off in all directions like powerful arrows, thengradually slowed down. Regretfully, even though the wings of light had come apart, those two womenstill held Chen Changsheng tightly. He continued to sink towards the bottom ofthe lake. Those books and food, the Night Pearl and the boxes of silver, all sank withhim, creating an exceptionally strange scene. The Night Pearl was not far from him. It illuminated the pitch-black water,letting him see very clearly some of the things that were falling with him. Those books and food, the Night Pearl and the silver, the various herbs: theywere his living, his memories. In other words, they were his life. Seeing the items, he very easily remembered those days more than ten years agoin Xining Village''s old temple where he recited the Daoist Classics with hissenior by the riverside. He remembered the little girl that climbed the wallfrom the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy. As he sunk towards thebottom of the lake, he thought of many things and many people. The rich Tang Thirty-Six, the poor Xuanyuan Po, Jin Yulu drinking tea by thegate of the Orthodox Academy, the Pope, Mei Lisha, master, senior, are youstill doing okay? Then he saw a letter and a little trinket, and this made him think of thewhite crane. As he continued to sink, it grew colder and colder, and death grew closer andcloser. His Qi grew increasingly weak, although judging by his still-open eyes,he seemed very calm. His eyes were so clean that even in the water, they still gave off theimpression of a clear and limpid lake, able to reflect one''s innermost thoughts. This sort of calmness and cleanliness made those two women feel anunprecedented unease. It was like that first day in which they possessed lifeand still saw Nanke''s cold and indifferent appearance. Amongst the items that were sinking to the lake bottom with Chen Changsheng,the brightest was obviously the Night Pearl. They did not notice that behindthe radiance of the Night Pearl was a metal ball. Through the gentle movementsof the water, the metal ball slowly landed in his palm. He subconsciously drewhis fingers together and gripped it tightly. The extremely faint and elusive sword intent was still in the deepest depthsof the lake, seemingly calling him, wanting to him to cut open a path to live.Yet his blood had almost run dry, his Qi was about to disappear. Even if hecould perceive it, what use was it? Even if he could grip that metal ball, hehad no means of taking out the Yellow Paper Umbrella, so what use was it? Suddenly, the metal ball fiercely shuddered in his hand, then began to quicklyspin. With a clamor, the scales on the metal ball split open, then with the clashingand rubbing of metal, an umbrella swiftly bloomed in the water, splashing waterin all directions. The Yellow Paper Umbrella was once more in Chen Changsheng''s hand! Only now did the two women realize, but they were too late. The Yellow Paper Umbrella began to quickly revolve, stirring up the water. Theseemingly dull edge of the umbrella scored countless deep and bloody wounds onthe bodies of those two women. With cries of agony, the two women were jolted apart by that powerful force. The water at the bottom of the lake stirred once more, and once again itseemed like it was boiling. The Yellow Paper Umbrella brought along the finallyunconscious Chen Changsheng as it barreled through the lake like a dragon madeof water, breaking open a path. It hurtled swiftly towards some place severalli away. That elusive sword intent was there.
281 Meeting in the Night Sky
The ice-cold lake water splashed onto his face, just like countless, sharpblades. After an unknown amount of time, Chen Changsheng finally woke up. He attemptedto open his eyes, but his eyes were only hit painfully by the incoming lakewater, so he could only close them once again. He did not know of the currentsituation, and only knew that he was in the water of the lake, travelling atunimaginable speeds. From the feeling in his hand, he confirmed that the YellowPaper Umbrella had saved his life. The Yellow Paper Umbrella was an inanimate object, so how could it act byitself? To him, it was a very hard question to understand. The faint swordintent that was transmitted from somewhere ahead allowed him to vaguely guesssomething. However, he was unable to make a link between the sword intent andthe Yellow Paper Umbrellathat sword intent should have belonged to thelegendary Sword Pool, which should have disappeared for several hundreds ofyears in the Garden of Zhou already. As for the Yellow Paper Umbrella, it was anew object that the Junior Uncle of Mount Li, Su Li, had requested the WenshuiTang Clan to make for him. The two objects had a difference in years, sologically, it was impossible to make any connections. After another period of time, he became even more clear-headed, and fixed hisposture with great difficulty. It allowed him to squint his eyes open, uponwhich he saw the light not far behind him. Only then did he learn that thedangers had never left him. At the same time, the injuries that could not beseen in his body began to ache, clearly sending the feeling of pain into hissea of consciousness, causing him to suffer extreme pain. The front part of the umbrella rotated at high speed without stopping, justlike the corkscrew propellers created by the people of the great westerncontinent for big boats. It dragged him forwards at high speeds. The dark, icycold lake water constantly rammed against his body, bringing even more pain.Just how long did he have to be dragged for? Where did the Yellow PaperUmbrella want to take him? Suddenly, he realized the lake water had disappeared, and at the same time, heheard many sounds. They were the sounds of bursting through the lake water, and the sounds of thebugs within the grass beside the lake. Just why did that clear yet slightlyviolent cry sound so close to his ear, when it should have been very far away? Was the dark image in front of his eyes really the bottom of the lake? No, itwas the night sky, and it was dark because there were no stars in the Garden ofZhou. It was a small lake ten or so li away from Sunset Valley. That night, the small lake had seen the battle of incessant blood and flameson the peak. It had heard the cry of a phoenix, it had been illuminated bywings of fire, and at this moment, it had also heard the cry of a peacock. Justwhen it had experienced peace, it was destroyed again. The Yellow Paper Umbrella rotated, and brought Chen Changsheng out of the lake. Lake water fell off the umbrella and his body, flying in all directions. Itcreated a falling curtain of water. Chen Changsheng became clear-headed, and understood that he had finallyescaped from the cold and scary lake water. He had returned to the world abovethe lake, however, he just did not know whether he was still in the Garden ofZhou, or the other side of the cold lake. In the next moment, he discovered that he had arrived in the night sky. Thesmall lake below his feet had become a mirror, and he was several dozen zhangabove the ground. Any person, to go from the depths of the lake to high up in the night sky sosuddenly, would feel slightly astonished and absent-minded. At that moment, the lake water split open once again, and a pair of wings oflight transformed into flowing radiance. It chased from below him. The tips ofthe wings were brought together, forming a sharp spike and heavily striking hisbody. A muffled sound. Chen Changshengs blood surged, and he almost spat out some blood. Heforcefully swallowed it back down, but that did not mean he was not injured. After being decisively hit again, he who was already heavily injured was nolonger able to last anymore. Holding onto the Yellow Paper Umbrella, he was just like a kite with a brokenstring, flying higher into the night sky dispiritedly. To continue flying to the highest point before falling onto the groundagainwould that be the time of death? Thinking about these matters, he fainted once again. In the final momentbefore he fainted, he suddenly felt the night sky grow slightly lighter. That was not the feeling of impending death, but rather the night sky hadreally been illuminated. What illuminated the night sky was a pair of flaming wings. Not the light wings behind the two girls that chased him, but a pair of flamewings. The flame wings opened up comfortably in the night sky. They were very large,and gave off warm yet holy flames. As a result, the girl in the wings seemed somewhat delicate. The flame wings rushed through the night sky, and just at the moment whereChen Changsheng was about to fall to his death, she grabbed him beforecontinuing to fly towards the far away distance. The two girls that had chased Chen Changsheng until now felt an extremelystrong feeling of dread for some reason. The wings of light rapidly flapped,dodging backwards. Afterwards they thought of the peacock cry they had heard inthe lake before, and the dread within their hearts intensified. Without eventhinking, they flew hurriedly towards the area where the cry originated fromwith unbelievable speed which almost seemed to be a method of burning theirlives. Nanke jumped off the cliff, and fell faster and faster just like a rock. Thewhistling wind blew at her hair, however, it was unable to blow away theindifference in her eyes. Concerning the approaching ground and death, it didnot hold any meaning to her, because she could see very clearly that her twofemale servants had already arrived in front of the Sunset Valley peak, underthe cliff, and were waiting. Without a sound at all, the two females caught Nankes petite body, and thenimmediately transformed into a ball of light. The ball of light then opened upinto wings of light, like clouds in the blue sky. The wings of light suddenlychanged slightly in color as compared to when they chased after ChenChangsheng. The edges of the wings carried a smear of bewitching green, as ifan ethereal body had transformed into a real object. The green wings on Nankes back moved slowly. She gazed at a distance in thenight sky with an indifferent expression. After confirming the location of thewings of fire that had already turned into a spot of light, she beganfluttering her wings without hesitation, chasing in that direction. The greenwings of several zhang in length created two whirlwinds in front of the cliff,and with a terrifying whistle of piercing through the air, she disappeared. The innate blood talent of humans or demons seemed somewhat similar to thetransformations of demi-humans. However, the difference was actually very big.The awakening of innate talent normally had four stages. The initial awakeningwas the blood itself, and the second awakening was the spirit. In simplerwords, after this awakening, the cultivator and her blood would combine intoone body, no longer differentiating between the two. This was also trulyunderstanding what they were. After two days and two nights without rest, being unable to defeat Nanke andthe zither-playing old man working together in the end, peacefully walking intothe abyss of despair, and before the great dread of death, Xu Yourongsuccessfully completed her second awakening. The phoenix spirit deep within herbody also awakened like this. Her blood and her body combined and merged, andthrough use of spiritual sense, a pair of wings of fire unfurled in the nightsky. However, this did not mean that she suddenly gained the power to burn thewhole world. At that moment, she was still heavily injured, and Nankespoisonous blood was still constantly wreaking havoc in her body. This causedher vision to become slightly blurry, so she did not fly back to the peak tofight a life and death battle with Nanke again. Instead, she flew into the faraway distance in the night sky, as she needed treatment and grooming the mostright now.
282 Flying Wing to Wing
No matter who it wasin that brief moment she had been unable to clearly makeout the other person''s appearanceit was definitely one of the humancultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou. This was enough of a reason.It was enough for Xu Yourong who was flying around Sunset Valley to unsparinglyuse up her true essence once more to adjust her direction and fly over to thatheavily injured and unconscious human cultivator''s side. At that critical pointwhere it seemed like she would dash herself to death against the ground, shegrabbed the cultivator and flew off into the distance. She had no experience in flying with wings, but she had a lot of experienceriding the white crane as it soared through the blue sky. As she soared throughthe night sky, she had none of that imagined unease or terror. But she was justa beginner after all, so it was hard to avoid some improficiency andawkwardness. This was especially the case when considering that she was alreadyheavily wounded and very weak, and that she was now carrying an extra person.It was hard to avoid swaying a bit, giving the appearance that she was drunk. It was not too long before Nanke had caught up, only several li behind.Separated by such a distance, she could even feel the killing intent comingfrom her. She did not turn around, instead focused on learning how to fly. Herwings of fire began to sway less, her posture grew more stable, and her speedbegan to quicken. Gradually she began to turn into a streak of fire blazingthrough the night sky. After the awakening of the phoenix soul, she had comprehended many principles,and gained use of much of her innate ability. Solely in terms of speed, she waswithout a doubt the fastest on the continent. Whether it was the Red Falconsused by the Great Zhou army or the Great Western Continent''s Heavenly MessengerBirds, whether it was Nanke or the swift Silver Dragons; none of them couldsurpass her speed. The problem was that she was severely wounded. An even larger problem was thatshe was currently carrying a person. The person was unconscious, and weighedher down like a wet bag of flour. If she dropped this person, even Nanke wouldfind it very hard to catch up to her. She could go back to the gardens wherethe rest of the human cultivators had congregated and develop a counterattackagainst the demon plot. She could also temporarily escape, treat her wounds andthe poison in her body, then return to battle Nanke, and this time she believedshe would definitely obtain victory. But she could not do so, so there was no ''if''. This entire time, she had not glanced at the person in her handsshe made nodistinction of identity, because no matter what, she could not throw them away.It was just like Nanke had said at the peak of Sunset Valley. From beginning toend, she was an existence burdened with the word ''responsibility''. Many choiceshad already become a sort of instinct for her. She did not need to ponder themor weigh the pros and cons, she only needed to carry them out. Two streams of light skimmed over the forests and wetland at the edge of theplain, their colors only slightly different. Wherever they passed, bits ofgrass were sent flying and leaves were shocked into puffs of green. She had never been able to pull away from Nanke and her vision was starting togo fuzzy. This was a sign that the peacock''s poison was beginning to erode hersea of consciousness. She had always been using the Heavenly Phoenix''s trueblood to suppress it, but over the course of this chase, that blood wasgradually being boiled away and was no longer able to suppress the poison.Perhaps she could ignite all the Heavenly Phoenix true blood to go even faster,but then what would she do about the poison? Nanke''s figure grew closer and closer and the darkness of the surroundingplain was newly dyed with green. There was no time to think, but in truth, shedidn''t even think before she made her decision. At this moment, she finallylowered her head to glance at the person in her hands. She helplessly thoughtto herself, everyone here cultivates the Dao, paying attention to dining withthe pure wind and eating the starlight, but just what are you eating every daythat you''re so heavy? Then she ignited the meager remnants of the true blood of the Heavenly Phoenixin her body. With a boom, the surrounding plains began to burn, and glimmers of light fromwater could be vaguely seen under the grass. Xu Yourong turned into a streak of fire, and disappeared into the sky. After a while, Nanke arrived at this place and paused. She stared off into thedistance at that streak of fire, her expression cold, thinking about something. Her green peacock wings slowly flapped, spreading coldness all around. Theburning grasses and reeds were gradually extinguished, leaving behind onlyscorched earth. The speed obtained from burning the true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix was sofast that even she could not catch up. "A woman''s softheartedness, failing to see the big picture, lacking a noblespirit." (TL: All three of these are Chinese idioms.) Nanke''s evaluation of Xu Yourong was cold and disdainful. "Even if you cancontinue to live, how can you continue to be my rival?" She understood very clearly that in this sort of situation, even if theHeavenly Phoenix soul within Xu Yourong''s body had awakened, it would still bevery difficult for her to survive. The green wings slowly retracted, and the light subtly changed. Those twowomen appeared on both sides of her and kneeled down onto the ground. Theirvoices trembling, they said, "These lowly servants pay respects to the master.These lowly servants are incompetent!" Nanke paid no attention to her two maids, not even glancing at their facespale from fear. She pensively asked, "That person was Chen Changsheng?" The two maids hurriedly narrated the events that had occurred on the otherside. For the first time, a smile appeared on Nanke''s face, but it was still avery cold smile. "So originally it wasn''t a woman''s softheartedness, nor was itfailing to grasp the big picture. Instead it was chaos arising from too manyproblems for the two of you to die together would be rather interesting. The wind that blew against her face was originally cold, but because of theboiling and burning of her blood, it became a warm wind. Xu Yourong wanted togo to the Mountainside Whispering Wood, but her Heavenly Phoenix true blood wasalmost exhausted and she could not hold on for much longer. She glanced behindher to confirm that Nanke had not caught up, then turned towards the northeastand flew for several li before landing. She had always followed the edge of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun as sheflew. Her reason was very simple, and Nanke was also very clear on it. It wasonly by this that from the very start, she had been able to persist for solong. When she finally landed, it was also naturally at the edge of the plains.It was a giant stretch of wetland, with reeds growing as far as the eye couldsee. The reeds were like a small isle, the surrounding reeds so high that they hidit away from any outside gazes. It was like a little world sectioned off fromthe rest. There were no stars in the night sky of the Garden of Zhou. The lightreflecting from the water between the reeds came from those wings of fire. Theywere like innumerable mirrors, creating a beautiful scene. With a thought from Xu Yourong, the golden flames slowly faded. The two wingshad originally been a pure snowy white. Her brows slightly creased together; she appeared to be in pain. Deep withinthe clear and limpid water of her eyes, a discomforting green could faintly beseen. Around that green was a golden spark that was incessantly burning, but itwas a very dim flame. At any time, it could go out. Then she turned once moreto that human cultivator that she had saved. For some reason, she felt that this person was somewhat familiar, although hervision was rather fuzzy. She could not even make out the person''s features,only faintly tell that his face was very pale. For some reason, even though theperson was unconscious, he still gave her a calm and amiable impression. Because of this impression, she stared blankly at him. Then she was struck by exhaustion. She sat down cross-legged and then closed her eyes to stabilize her breathing.A pure white wing slowly drew back, then like the warm quilts in the DivineGeneral''s mansion, wrapped around her body. The wings were a pair.
283 Even If They Met, They Would not Recognize Each Other
It was late at night, and the indistinct disk of light in the plains stillhung over the horizon, giving even the reeds at the edge of the plains a littlelight. Xu Yourong opened her eyes as she awoke. The crystals in her hands hadalready become useless powder and the true essence in her body had recoveredsomewhat. However, it was only enough to suppress the poison in her blood, andcould not be used to solve any of her other problems. With a thought, she retracted her pure white wings. Only when her fingersbrushed up against something did she remember that she had rescued a humancultivator. Her finger rested against that human cultivator''s vein, then after a moment,she slightly raised her brow. She seemed rather surprisedthis human cultivatordid not have that much true essence, and it was not a result of any sort ofbattle. There was something wrong with the meridians themselves. To be bornwith such a defect and yet still enter Ethereal Opening and thus obtain thequalifications to enter the Garden of Zhou; one could infer from this just howdiligently he inevitably would have had to cultivate. It was a pity that this person''s luck was simply too disastrous. The Gardenof Zhou was so vast, and yet he somehow managed to encounter Nanke''s two wings.His body was heavily injured, and if he did not receive treatment soon, hewould definitely die. The other reason this person''s luck was just toodisastrous had to do with her current situation. Currently, her true essencewas almost completely exhausted and she had lost a lot of blood. It was simplyimpossible for her to use the Sacred Light technique to treat his wounds. She stood up and looked towards the depths of those plains as she shook herhead, then she turned around and began walking in the opposite direction.Across the pond of reeds, not too far away, was dry land. A little further pastthat was a forest, and past the forest, she could faintly see a cliff. If shefollowed that cliff, she would probably arrive at one of the gardens that thehuman cultivators were gathered in. She even remembered that this particularcliff had many caves. She silently gazed at the dense forest and cliff through the weeds. Yes, sheonly remembered, but she could not see it clearly. Right now, her vision wasstill blurry. She had thought that the person''s situation to be dire, but her situation waseven more disastrous. In order to escape from Nanke with that person in tow,she had ignited far too much of her Heavenly Phoenix true blood, and now thepoison in her blood had begun to spread. Her vision, as well as the rest of herfive senses, had all received serious damage. If she could not promptly makeher way out of the Garden of Zhou, she really would die here. At the summit of Sunset Valley, the phoenix soul had awakened, but so what?Without a fleshly body to inhabit, what did it matter how strong the soul was?Without a lamp wick for the flame, could the flame exist? Would she really diehere? A gentle breeze blew from the plains. As it blew across the water beneath thereeds and weeds, its temperature lowered, and it felt slightly chilly. Herexpression remained serene, but the hands that hung over the edge of her skirtbegan to tremble, as if they wanted to grasp the wind but could not. As shecalmly gazed at the mountains of the Garden of Zhou, slowly ever so slowlyfor some reason, she became angry. Yesterday when she had taken her final leave from the Mountainside WhisperingWood, she had gone to where the senior from Holy Maiden Peak was and learnedthat Chen Changsheng and the wolf youth had quietly departed. It seemed theyhad gone upstream of that river. As the next Holy Maiden of the south, she wasprivy to many secrets. Although she did not know it exactly, she knew that theentrance to the Sword Pool was some place upstream of that river. Chen Changsheng''s original destination had been the Sword Pool. The upper reaches of the river were separated from this patch of reeds andfrom the peak of Sunset Valley by several hundred li. Separated by such a vastdistance, even if Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu could fly, they still would nothave been able to rush over here. This was why she was angry. She had never concealed her thoughts on Chen Changsheng, and she had nevermuch liked the fianc that she had never laid eyes on. However, she and thatperson had a marriage contract between them after all, so she naturally hadsome conjectures, and even hopes. Only with hope can there be disappointment. As she looked at the mountains of the Garden of Zhou, gazing in the directionof the upper reaches of that river, she developed an ineffable fury towardsthat fellow. "He doesn''t have the slightest grasp of the bigger picture, onlyknowing how to treat injuries and save lives. Could it be that he didn''t seethat this was all part of the demons'' plan? His actions are so extremelysmall-minded that it really makes one angry." The chaos within the Garden of Zhou definitely had something to do with thedemons. It was only because she had reached this conclusion that she had walkedthat lonesome mountain path on Sunset Valley. If Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu hadreached the same conclusion and they had pooled their strength, then togetherwith Liang Xiaoxiao and Qi Jian, those two members of the Divine State''s SevenLaws, they would have definitely been able to break through the demons'' plans. But Chen Changsheng had gone to find the Sword Pool, so she had given such anevaluation. She could not have thought that at the peak of Sunset Valley, Nanke had givena similar evaluation of her. "As expected, Shuang''er wasn''t wrong. Normally he''ll appear honest andconsiderate, kind and benevolent, but when push comes to shove, you can see thecold selfishness within. At this time, he still regards the Sword Pool as moreimportant than anything else. Only why was it that he was like me, rushingaround the Garden of Zhou for two nights doing his utmost to save others?" Xu Yourong creased her brows in thought, then finally came to an answerChenChangsheng had done it on purpose and saved all those people for her to see. "Did he use this method so that I would get a good impression of him? Trulya hypocritical scoundrel." Her mood was a little strange, so she no longer thought about it. Turning,she went to look at the cultivator that she had rescued. Because her vision wasstill blurry, she lowered her head and moved very close to get a clearer viewof that person''s appearance. His unconscious appearance, with his brows creasedtightly together, still gave a honest and calm impression, like one would wantto get to know him. His age was around twenty years old. "He seems like a sincere person. For him to be at Ethereal Opening at hisage, perhaps he''s some heavily favored core disciple of some sect, or perhapshe was on one of the Three Banners of this year''s Grand Examination. It''s apity that he''s going end up a corpse in this wilderness." She had confirmed that she could do nothing to save him, so she could not helpbut feel a little regret. She shook her head in pity, then reached out her handand began to search his body, looking for something that could prove hisidentity. Unexpectedly, she found nothing except a very ordinary dagger, whosesurface bore no mark or insignia. She remembered that when she rescued him last night, there had been a strangeweapon in his hands, possessing the shape of an umbrella, but now she could notfind it. She wrinkled her brow, then perhaps because she thought of something,she turned around and began to make her way to the dry land across the pond ofreeds. The water soaked her skirt, causing her to leave marks on the beach atthe edge of the forest. In the very instant Xu Yourong''s figure disappeared into the trees, a thinblack silhouette fell like lightning on that patch of reeds. The reeds swayed with the wind. A strand of Qi suddenly appeared then just asquickly vanished. A little girl wearing a black dress appeared by ChenChangsheng''s side. At her waist was a jade ruyi. The little girl had a cold expression, and her vertical pupils were as blackas her dress. All this made that red birthmark between her eyebrows seem allthe gaudier. She was the Black Dragon. Chen Changsheng called her Zhizhi, or sometimes hewould call her Hongzhuang. As she stared at the unconscious Chen Changsheng, the slightest trace ofconcern and confusion appeared in her cold expression. "Weren''t you on theother side of the cliff? How did you suddenly end up here?" As a noble and powerful Black Frost Dragon, even though she was but a strandof a soul, it only took her a glance to see that Chen Changsheng''s insides wereriddled with injuries. If no-one came to save him, he would most certainly die. "How did you end up together with that woman?" She gazed at the forest across the reeds, and her brows rose up indispleasure, as she thought to herself, "Chen Changsheng, you idiot! Just whatdid she promise you? How could you trust a human female?" For her, the human that had left her the most bitter memories, besides thelong-gone Wang Zhice, was that woman, the Tianhai Divine Empress. Xu Yourong was very much like a young Tianhai Divine Empress. Taken togetherwith that engagement that Chen Changsheng had talked about, it meant that shehad an innate wariness of Xu Yourong. She did not have a single good impressionof her. She saw Xu Yourong save Chen Changsheng, then spent a very long timesearching for the two. When she finally found them, she unexpectedly saw XuYourong leave once more. This only increased the enmity she had towards Xu Yourong. In her view, the reason why Xu Yourong had risked such danger to rescue ChenChangsheng last night was because the demons were watching. Now when Xu Yourongleft Chen Changsheng to die, it was because there was no one there to see. Thereason for all this was because Xu Yourong highly valued her reputation,viewing it as even more important than the lives of others, and even her ownlife as well. This sort of woman was truly very cruel, hypocritical, and frightening. She thought about the letter that Chen Changsheng had once described to herin the underground cave, she thought about those words written in the letter,and an expression of loathing appeared on her face. To leave Chen Changsheng in these reeds as you walk off, letting himhelplessly and slowly wait for his death, is that what you meant in your letterwith ''do your best''? Besides Chen Changsheng, she did not have any good impression about humans,so right now she was very angry. Moreover, she had invested a lot of blood intoChen Changsheng, true blood. She could not permit Chen Changsheng to die likethis, or else that blood would go to waste. Then her first priority was to finda way for Chen Changsheng to survive. How could she heal the wounds in Chen Changsheng''s body? She thought of a method, then an indescribable mixture of shame and rageappeared between her eyebrows, causing that red birthmark to seemingly glow. "Remember, you owe me yet another life," she said angrily to the unconsciousChen Changsheng. With these words, she bent over and embraced Chen Changsheng, then nestledinto his bosom. Then she turned into a black light and entered into his body. A strand of extremely cold and extremely pure Qi emerged from ChenChangsheng''s stomach, then it gradually returned into his body. Chen Changsheng''s internal organs were covered with a host of fine cuts, eachone bleeding incessantly. That cold Qi caused the blood to stagnate and theflow to gradually cease. Simultaneously, both his pulse and his breathing alsobegan to slow. The water between the reeds became covered with a thin layer of frost. Chen Changsheng''s brow also began to develop a layer of frost. At the same time, a jade ruyi appeared on his wrist. After a while, there came the sound of water splashing about. Xu Yourong walked out of the forest, carrying her skirt as she returned tothat patch of reeds. What she had gone to do was a complete mystery. Seeing the layer of frost over Chen Changsheng''s brow and sensing that thesurroundings were a little colder than they had been before, she slightlyraised her brow, thinking that something had happened while she was gone. But there was clearly nothing around this patch of reeds. She took out her Fated Star Plate, her fingers seemingly inadvertently movingacross it a few times. The Fated Star Plate gave no indications. Those lines were extremelydisorderly, in complete chaos. Just like how there were no stars in the nightsky above the Garden of Zhou, she could not see a single thing in this plate. Her injuries were too heavy, making it impossible to walk back to thosegardens where the human cultivators had gathered. Then what should she do next? She stretched out her hand and grabbed Chen Changsheng''s belt, then beganwalking towards that cliff while carrying Chen Changsheng like he was a bundle. Because she was not that tall, Chen Changsheng''s face would occasionally dipinto the water, causing a splash and waking up a few fish. Just what did this person eat every day? He doesn''t look fat, so why is he soheavy?
284 Dirty Face, Frosty Hair
The slightly warm dawn light illuminated the water at the edge of the plains,giving it a dull luster. Nanke stood at the edge of the water, her indifferentgaze looking forward. She lifted up her right hand, bringing fresh water to hermouth to help the medicine go down. Her two maids attended to her, handing hera wet towel with which to wash her face. After a while, she felt her spirit hadsomewhat recovered, and lightly waved her hand in the air in front of her. Although there was nothing but wetland around them, the Garden of Zhou did nothave many mosquitoes. Her actions were not to shoo something away, but ratherto produce a black curtain. On this black curtain was a rough map of the Gardenof Zhou, as well as several flickering points of light. Those lights were thelife lamps that had been lit by Black Robe, indicating the positions of theirtargets. Two of those life lamps were in the plains. At times, they would be in theeast, then they would be in the west, suddenly teleporting dozens of li. It waslike there was some powerful interfering force that prevented their exactlocations from being found. Those two lights should be Zhexiu and Qi Jian. Theywere already deep within the plains, so if all went as expected, they had nopossibility of survival, so Nanke was not worried. Her gaze was more focused onthe other two life lamps. Those two life lamps were Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng. On that blackcurtain, their two points of light were exceptionally eye-catching. They werevery far away from those several gardens that the human cultivators hadgathered in, and in addition, they had not moved for a very long time. Thisseemed to indicate that the pair already had no more strength to run. It seemedthat the task which Black Robe had assigned to her would soon be complete. At some point, the zither-playing old man had come down from the summit ofSunset Valley and met up with Nanke and her two maids. As he looked at thoselife lamps on the black curtain, he was not as confident and easy-going asNanke. With concern in his voice, he said, "Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng areboth heavily injured, so they shouldn''t be able to make it back to thosegardens, but...there are still some human cultivators that have concealedthemselves in the mountains of the Garden of Zhou for all this time, and mostof those human cultivators are at the peak of Ethereal Opening. What will we doif Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng manage to meet those human cultivators whilethey''re escaping?" The plan that Black Robe had personally formulated made full use of the Gardenof Zhou''s special conditions and geography. He was exceedingly thorough in hisunderstanding of the human cultivators'' greed for wealth and merit, and hisgrasp over the human psyche was perfect. All this meant that it was sufficientfor him to sneak only a few demon experts into the Garden of Zhou to throw theentire garden into chaos. If it were not for Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng,then perhaps the Garden of Zhou would have already turned into aslaughterhouse. The problem was that the human cultivators had now caught on tothe demons'' plan and the vast majority of them had gathered together. In ahead-on battle, regardless of how powerful the demon experts were, they stillwould not be able to stand up to several hundred human cultivators. Nanke''s expression was still as cold as ever. Not bothering to explain, sheonly said, "In their situation, if Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng really didmeet up with some other human expert, they might even die a bit sooner." The water that was being splashed around as Xu Yourong made her way from thatpatch of reeds to the cliff gradually calmed down, then became covered with athin layer of ice. Chen Changsheng''s body was soaked by the water, all of which quickly frozeinto ice. His eyebrows and the hair at his temples were dyed with snow, as ifhis hair had grown gray ahead of time. He was already very mature for his age,but now seemed to have grown even more so. Xu Yourong naturally noticed the peculiarities of his body and slightly raisedher brows. She once again took his pulse. She sensed that while the person''strue essence was still as lacking as ever, the wounds on his internal organshad stabilized. It was just that his pulse and breathing were much slower thana normal person''s, and she didn''t know whether this was because of thisperson''s cultivation method or if it was an omen of death. Her vision was still blurred from the poison, so she could only faintly makeout that this person''s face was covered with a layer of frost, making him seemrather mature. After a moment of silence, she suddenly stretched out her handand rubbed the ice off his face, then she just stared, not understanding whyshe had just done what she did. Walking into the forest that was bathed in morning light, she noiselesslywalked over those soft and tender fallen leaves. After advancing dozens ofzhang, she stopped and gazed at the distant cliff in front of her. The people of the past had once treaded a path through this forest, and eventhough it was now covered by the leaves, its traces were still faintlydiscernible. It continued forward, then began to curve its way up the cliff,making a ''Z'' shape. She carefully placed Chen Changsheng down on the leaves, then took out theTong Bow, pulling the bowstring out in a semicircle and silently aiming it atsome place. The morning wind accompanied the morning light into the forest, but while themorning light was blocked by the tree leaves, making the forest dark and quiet,the morning wind was not sliced into pieces by the tree branches. The gentlewind caressed the hair at the side of her face, which would occasionally brushlightly against the bowstring and yet not make a sound. It was like thegentlest finger lightly pressing down on the bowstring, ready in the nextmoment to explode with a powerful music. A leaf was blown off its branch by the wind. It slowly descended through thatblurry world in front her eyes, eventually resting directly in front of herfeet. Her longbow did not move, her eyes did not blink, her expression was calm andfocused. She only stared at the cliff, at that place devoid of any human life. Just as that leaf rested in front of her foot, an elderly voice sounded outfrom the cliff. "Are you a friend?" Along with this voice, a hand appeared, and around that hand''s wrist was agray string. The hand held a wooden plaque, upon which an extremely complexsect insignia was drawn in vermillion red. The insignia was drawn with somesort of strange paint. Even from such a distance, she could clearly feel thedry heat coming off of it. All the human cultivators that entered the Garden of Zhou would possess thegray string. The sect insignia on the wooden plaque was evidence of identity.It was only a simple action, but it contained many meanings and did as much aspossible to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings. From this detail, onecould tell that the owner of this elderly voice was exceedingly cautious. Xu Yourong could barely make out a blurry image and could not see any details,but the calm expression on her face certainly did not show it. She felt anintense vigilance from that voice, then she thought of the usual practice ofthe Garden of Zhou and the bloody battles that would usually take place. Sheremembered that her clothes were stained with blood, and decided that it waseasy for there to be a misunderstanding, so she said, "Not an enemy." At their first meeting, they naturally could not be friends, but that did notmean they were enemies; this was the reasoning for her choice of words. After a moment, a man walked out from the direction of the cliff. With hiswhite hair and elderly face, he must have been at least a hundred years old.While both his expression and pace seemed to be calm, it was not sufficient tohide his wariness. Although he had walked out, the right hand hanging by hiswaist held a magical artifact, ready at any time to take action, and hemaintained what he considered a safe distance between himself and Xu Yourong. The distance had been very carefully chosen so that it would make both him andher feel safe. If he was not a senior who had experienced many years oftribulations in cultivation, he would have definitely not displayed such anexquisite sense of propriety. Xu Yourong felt the aura that the man took no effort to conceal, and yet wasnot purposely emitting. From this aura, she could confirm that this old man wasa peak level Ethereal Opening expert. Her mind grew tense, but the expressionon her face relaxed. She let go of the bowstring and gripped the longbow as she said, "May I askSenior for his distinguished name?" The rules of the Garden of Zhou had always been bloody and violent, andmoreover, the cultivators who were not in the three gardens and remainedconcealed in the mountains were often experts. They were more inclined towardsthe treasures and legacies of the Garden of Zhou. To meet with this sort ofperson, perhaps there might be a fierce battle. It was even highly probablethat the person did not know of the demons presence in the Garden of Zhou! So she very calmly and directly continued. "Demons have infiltrated the Gardenof Zhou. We were injured when they ambushed us." This was still an explanation, but this explanation had an additional meaning. The demons that infiltrated the Garden of Zhou were inevitably strong, butthey needed an ambush to inflict injuries on her, so this meant that she wasalso strong. Whether or not that old man had come to the conclusion she had wanted him tocome to from her seemingly careless explanation was a mystery, because it wasvery obvious that this old man was just as she had guessed. From the time hehad entered the Garden of Zhou, he had hidden himself away in places that wererarely visited, purposely avoiding contact with other cultivators. Up to thispoint, he did not know that demons had entered the Garden of Zhou, so uponhearing her words, he was very shocked. "How did demons get into the Garden of Zhou?" The old man was very surprised, but he did not show any fear. As he looked atthe gray string on his wrist, he sneered, "No wonder so many strange thingshave been happening." It was very obvious that he had already found the treasure he had been lookingfor on his treasure hunt, and so had attempted to light the gray string anddepart, only to be met with failure. Xu Yourong did not explain, because the plan of the demons was toocomplicated, and there was no need to. The old man turned his gaze to Chen Changsheng on the fallen leaves behindher, his entire body covered with frost, and asked with some astonishment, "Isthis person your companion?" Xu Yourong shook her head. "I don''t recognize him. I just happened to see himbeing attacked by the demon experts and luckily rescued him." "At such a time, to still remember to save others. Little girl, you''re notbad." The old man looked upon her with admiration, then said, "Anyways, where didyou two intend to go?" Xu Yourong replied, "The human cultivators are currently gathered at threegardens. I originally intended to take this fellow daoist there, but because myinjuries are too heavy, I can''t go very fast. It would take me at least half aday to get there, and I worry that the demons will catch up. I didn''t imaginethat I would meet up with Senior. I would trouble Senior to let other fellowdaoists know and have them come over to rescue us." The old man evidenced his disapproval on his face and declared, "As a fellowcultivator, I will send you there. How can I leave you here to face such risks?" Xu Yourong replied, "The demon experts that infiltrated the Garden of Zhou arevery strong. With Senior protecting the two of us, I''m afraid.. ." These words had endless meanings, but it had a good intention. The old man smiled. "If this was outside the Garden of Zhou, then I reallymight have to be careful, but within the Garden of Zhou, I don''t think thosedemon experts will be as strong as you think they are." His smile was very free, his expression calm and easy-going. His eyes werewarm and bright, and as he said those words, he seemed extremely confident. Within the Garden of Zhou, a peak level Ethereal Opening expert should be anexistence without rival, so this old man''s self-confidence had a basis. For some reason, Xu Yourong did not tell the old man that the demon expertsthat had entered the Garden of Zhou were even more frightening than the averagepeak level Ethereal Opening cultivatornor of the terrifying presence of Nanke. She looked at him with curiosity and admiration, asking him, "May I ask whoSenior is?" The old man replied, "My last name is Bai, my first name is Hai. I''vecultivated within the Setting Sun Sect for more than two hundred years. It''snot very often that I leave the sect, so you most likely have not heard of me." Xu Yourong seemed somewhat at a loss, as if she was rather perplexed by thisname.
285 I Want Your…
The Setting Sun Sect was a very special sect on the continent. It was not partof the Orthodoxy''s north or south, because this sect''s method of cultivationdid not use purification by starlight as its foundation, but drew its powerfrom earthfire. The sect was located in the remote southwest by a volcano, andthe cultivators of this sect rarely showed themselves to the world. Who wouldhave thought that in this year''s opening of the Garden of Zhou, one of theircultivators had actually come? If it were an average cultivator, then it would have been just like that oldman saidshe would not have even heard the name of the Setting Sun Sect before.But she was no ordinary cultivator. As the next Holy Maiden of the south, eventhough she had been born in the capital, she had still later gone on to theSouth Stream Temple. There, besides cultivating and reading the Heavenly Tomes,she also had to learn about the various sects of the continent, so she knewabout the Setting Sun Sect. She even knew about this old man called Bai Hai. He was an elder of theSetting Sun Sect and possessed a violent and powerful strength. Histemperament cruel and bloodthirsty. "SoSenior is part of the Setting Sun Sect." She paused in the middle, making her seem like an ordinary disciple that didnot know of the Setting Sun Sect, and so repeated it out of respect. Bai Hai, this elder from the Setting Sun Sect, asked her with considerableinterest, "What sect are you a disciple of?" Xu Yourong clasped her hands in respect and solemnly replied, "This Junior isan elf and is not part of any sect." Bai Hai seemed a little surprised, as if he did not expect this young lady tobe an elf. Then he said, "Let''s go." With these words, he began to walk towards Xu Yourong. It was very natural, asif he was prepared to help Xu Yourong by taking up Chen Changsheng from hisplace amongst the fallen leaves. "Very well, Senior." With those words, Xu Yourong lifted Chen Changsheng up from the leaves andbegan walking towards the elder. It was also very natural, as if she were acute girl following the orders of her senior. Neither she nor Bai Hai noticed that Chen Changshengs eyelids were trembling,as if he was about to wake up. But in the end, he did not wake up. The leaves rustled beneath their shoes. With each rustle, the distance betweenthem shrank. Bai Hai suddenly stopped and casually said, "You''ve suffered such heavyinjuries. Why don''t you give that fellow daoist to me?" Xu Yourong calmly replied, "Many thanks to Senior for his loftyrighteousness. My injuries are not too severe, and still bearable, so yourassistance is not needed." At this moment, the two were still separated by a bit more than a dozen zhang. But neither of them took another step forward. The rustling of the leaves ceased, and the forest returned its formerserenity. One could even call it a deathly stillness. After a very long time, a sigh resounded through the forest. His face filled with regret, Bai Hai sighed, "Even now, you haven''t showed anygaps. Truly perfect." Xu Yourong calmly replied, "The same for you." It was obvious that she no longer called that man a senior, and that she haddropped any pretense of formality. Bai Hai slightly raised his brows and said with some confusion, "When we wereseparated by more than a hundred zhang, my lady could have released her bow andshot at me, so why did my lady choose not to do so? Don''t say that my lady hadnot yet seen through me then." He very naturally no longer referred to himself as a senior, and his languagehad become one of respect. Xu Yourong did not explain, because she did not want to reveal to her opponentthat her true essence was exhausted, and so she could not ensure that the WuArrows could fly so far a distance to kill a peak level Ethereal Opening expert. If they were a little bit closer, just like now, except if her opponent tookjust one more step forward, then she would attempt to shoot her opponent todeath. It was a pity that her opponent did not do so. So her mood at this moment was also full of regret. Bai Hai asked, "My lady had already seen through my intentions?" Xu Yourong calmly said nothing, thus tacitly admitting it. Bai Hai asked, "But how? I thought my acting was rather good." Xu Yourong''s answer was very simple. "Feeling." Bai Hai ruefully sighed, "I suppose this is what they call talent." With these words, he slapped his palm at the air in front of Xu Yourong. A dark flame appeared at the edge of his palm. As the energy from his palm shot forward, one palm became dozens of palms,surrounding Xu Yourong from all sides. The sky above the forest grew dark red. Those dark flames seemed heavier than normal flames, as if they possessedtheir own substance. It was like the dark but incomparably hot magma thatflowed under the earth. The tender leaves on the branches suddenly curled up and the bark began tocrack as the temperature suddenly increased. In the next moment, those dark red flames would completely engulf Xu Yourongand Chen Changsheng. As Bai Hai made his move, Xu Yourongs right foot lightly pressed against theground. With a light crunch, the fallen leaves around her and Chen Changshengwere suddenly jolted upwards, dancing about in the air. The fallen leaves were incapable of obstructing those innumerable palms imbuedwith dark flames. With a boom, they were instantly set aflame, creating a seaof fire. It was exactly this sea of flames that obstructed Bai Hai''s line of sight aswell as the killing intent concealed in his innumerable palms. This was to fight fire with fire. Under the cover of the berserk flames of the sea of fire, Xu Yourong liftedChen Changsheng up and turned into an after-image. In a flash, she arrived atthe cliff outside the forest. This was the one place Bai Hais flame palms could not block, and it was alsoa place that she had already taken note of. If the cliff was solid, shenaturally could not enter it, but this part of the cliff had a cave. Before this sinister dialogue had even begun, she had already noticed the caveand made her plans. If she could not seize the decisive moment in the battle,she had already prepared for herself a path of retreat. This cave was her path of retreat, but it was not an escape. Bai Hai pierced through that chaotic sea of fire, and with a grave expression,attacked once more. Those innumerable palm images carrying those dark flames suddenly combinedthemselves into a perfectly straight lance of fire, which rumbled towards XuYourong''s back. This Setting Sun Sect elder knew what sort of person this younglady that he wanted to kill was, so he did not dare to spare any effort, nordid he leave himself any path of retreat. When he attacked, he used his mostpowerful Setting Sun Palm and expressed the sum of his entire life ofcultivation. Xu Yourong turned around and saw that lance of fire which contained aterrifying power, but her expression was as serene as ever. With a flip of herwrist, she thrust the Tong Bow into the ground. The surface of the cave was very sturdy. With a crack, inch by inch, theground gave way. The Tong Bow was thrust deep into the earth, and yet it wasstill taller than her. In a flash, countless branches rose out of the Tong Bow, and numerous leavessprouted from those branches. In that space warped by the heat of that lance offire, it seemed a little ostentatious. It brought a very fresh and clean odorthat permeated the entire cave entrance. The course of events was very hard to describe with words. A long stretch of time was compressed into these few moments. For a hundred-year-old tree, how many years would it take to construct it intoa palace? This was the growth of a lonely wutong tree, and it was also the constructionof a palace. The Tong Bow had become a wutong tree, and it also had become a Tong Palace.Yes, this was the Great Zhou Imperial Palace''s Tong Palace, the palace that hadserved as Chen Changsheng''s jail for one day and one night. The Wutong, as the unique and unmatched pair of divine artifacts on the Tierof Legendary Weapons, had also possessed this sort of wondrous use. Theprevious Holy Maiden of the South Stream Temple had actually attached the TongPalace to the Tong Bow. The Tong Palace was an array of sorts. For imprisoning enemies, it wasextremely powerful. For protecting others, it was incomparably tenacious. There was a boom. This was the sound made as fire rapidly expanded, as well asthe sound made as the wave of fire dashed itself against a stone wall. At the cave entrance, the fire blazed to the heavens, and it seemed like theverdant leaves of the wutong tree were about to burn, yet that lance of firecould not take one step past that wutong tree. This was the wutong in which the Phoenix dwelled. Its blood was fire, its bodywas fire; the Phoenix was fire incarnate. Over the course of tens of thousandsof years, the wutong tree had been imbued with the essence and spirit of fire,so how it could be afraid of flame? The flames of the Setting Sun Palm were nomatch; even if the longbow was directly thrown into the Setting Sun Sect''sravine of earthfire, it still would not be damaged in the slightest. The green branches stretched out, turning the cave and the outside into twoworlds, barring the fierce earthfire and Bai Hai from entering. Separated by the flames, Xu Yourong gazed at Bai Hai, silent and calm. Bai Hai had a very solemn expression, but he had none of the sense of defeatthat should have resulted from the inability of his flames to break through theTong Bow''s defense. He said to her, "My Setting Sun Sect was founded in aremote volcano valley. Besides the terrifyingly hot earthfire, the mostabundant thing there is miasma. The miasma and earthfire feed off each other,so I would very much like to know if this longbow can withstand theircombination." With these words, he withdrew his Setting Sun Palm and stepped in front of thewutong tree, then he unhesitatingly gave it another slap. This time there were no intense flames, only a faint and bizarre Qiaccompanied by countless tiny particles shot out of his palm. They blanketedthe wutong tree''s trunk and leaves. In an instant, that fresh and green wutong tree looked like it had spentseveral years in the blustering sands of the north. It was now covered with athick layer of dust, no longer expressing its former exuberance. The dust was formed of the tiny particles, and each of those particles was theessence of the fiery miasma that Bai Hai had breathed in and out and collectedover his several hundred years in the remote volcano valley. For the outer surface to darken was not important, but what was even morefrightening was that the particles were corroding the body of the Tong Bow atthis very moment. The green leaves of the wutong tree were already beginning toshow many thin specks of grey, and those grey specks were growing larger by thesecond. The bark was similarly beginning to show many horrifying cracks whichwere continuing to deepen. If this was in a normal situation, relying on her boundless true essence, XuYourong could have prevented the Tong Bow from being contaminated with thisdust, to say nothing of the absurdity of her true Phoenix blood beingcontaminated by such a trifling poison. But now, she could only rely on the Tong Bow to protect her body from thisfiery and poisonous miasma that originated from deep in the earth. How longcould the Tong Bow hold on? Separated by the wutong tree''s leaves, she looked at that elder from theSetting Sun Sect and calmly asked, "Why are you doing this?" Bai Hai replied, "All those who enter the Garden of Zhou do so for their ownbenefit, and I am no exception." Xu Yourong said, "You believe that the benefits you will obtain from my bodyexceed the risks that you will face?" Bai Hai smiled. "I believe it with all my heart." Xu Yourong indifferently replied, "I could give you endless benefits, benefitsthat you could not imagine." There were currently numerous sects on the continent, each of them with theirown precious secrets, and for a strange sect like the Setting Sun Sect, thiswas even more the case. But she definitely had the status to say those words,and in addition, her opponent had no choice but to believe her. Bai Hai replied, "To earn the gratitude of both the Holy Maiden Peak and theZhou Dynasty is naturally difficult. Sadly, if I had not forced my lady intosuch desperate straits, how could I have possibly obtained such benefits?" Xu Yourong asked, "Did you know who I was this entire time?" "Yes, venerable Heavenly Maiden did I say it wrong? I heard that all thesects under Holy Maiden Peak, whether it is the Gentle Stream Monastery or theSouth Stream Temple, all refer to you in this manner." Bai Hai smiled at her. "Last night I was at the bottom of the Sunset Valley,and I saw my lady unfurl her wings of fire." Xu Yourong said, "You know who I am, but you dare to show such disrespect?You''ve cultivated for more than two hundred years, but could it be that youcan''t even control your own greed, so much so that you''ve gone mad!?" As she said these words, her expression was still calm, as if she was notangry at all, but possessed a sort of disdain from on high. Bai Hai calmly replied, "Greed does make one go mad, but I have not gone mad.If this were outside the Garden of Zhou, I would definitely be kneeling at mylady''s feet, kissing the ground beneath your shoes, but this is the Garden ofZhou, and my lady has already been heavily injured by the Demon Princess. If Iwere to miss this opportunity, I would definitely incur the wrath of heaven." Xu Yourong gazed at the leaves before her eyes and calmly asked, "What do youplan to gain from me? This divine artifact? Or something else?"
286 Cultivating the Dao Has Always Been Unpleasan
Both the inside and outside of the cave were silent. There was only the softcrackling of the miasma corroding the wutong tree, sounding just like tens ofthousands of silkworms gnawing away at mulberry leaves. It made one''s hairstand on end. Xu Yourong was silent. The demons that had infiltrated the Garden of Zhou wereher true enemies, and anyway, she did not believe that she could obtain victoryover this peak level Ethereal Opening elder of the Setting Sun Sect. This waswhy she had offered to pay an equivalent price so that he would take his leave.If the elder had been worried about a reprisal from the Holy Maiden Peak, shehad even been prepared to swear an oath upon her true Phoenix blood. And yet she had not imagined that what her opponent wanted was her blood. Whether it was the dossiers in the Li Palace or the information gathered bythe Holy Maiden Peak, both the Orthodoxy''s north and south had the sameevaluation of this Setting Sun Sect elder: cruel and bloodthirsty. But the word''bloodthirsty'' here was a description of his temperament, rather than aperversion similar to those demons who enjoyed dining on the blood and flesh ofhumans. If this were the case, then the Li Palace and the Holy Maiden Peakwould have no need to make an appearance. The Mount Li Sword Sect would havekilled this man a long time ago. She was somewhat confused, but when she remembered that the Setting Sun Sect''smethod of cultivation was related to earthfire, she grasped the general idea. If this man wanted her true Phoenix blood, he naturally could not allow her tocontinue to live. "Before I began to cultivate, I was a scholar of the south. My firstaspiration in life was to pass the imperial exam, become an official, makemoney, and marry a beautiful wife. And yet my lady has lived in Holy MaidenPeak for several years, so you should be familiar with those imperial courts ofthe south. In reality, they are nothing but puppets for the sects andaristocratic families. Even if I worked my way up to Prime Minister, I wouldstill be a dog at the beck and call of the cultivators." Bai Hai thought of those events of many years ago and said ruefully, "Onlyafter bobbing about in the bureaucracy for many years did I finally understandthis. Thus, I decided to cultivate, but I was old, and it would be difficultfor me to cultivate the mysterious, orthodox method to its peak. So I decidedto take a gamble and placed myself under the Setting Sun Sect. I could beconsidered to be rather fortunate. With my lofty scholarly erudition, Iexcelled at comprehension of the Dao. In the span of just twenty years, Icultivated my way to Ethereal Opening." As the poisonous miasma slowly corroded the wutong tree, he stood outside thecave while Xu Yourong stood inside. They were close enough to see each other''sfaces, but they could not touch each other. Since he had time, he decided toreminisce about the past, which could also be considered a sort of explanationto his opponent. "But it was only up to here," he said rather sadly. "It was impossible for meto take another step forward. The following hundred years of cultivation wasjust a waste of my life. I was unwilling to accept this. Clearly, I had enoughwisdom and experience, and my diligence was not lacking in comparison toothers, so why was I never able to break past Ethereal Opening? It couldn''t bebecause of some ordinary reason like a lack of talent, right?" Saying this, he looked at Xu Yourong behind the tree, barely concealing theanger and envy in his eyes. "But talent is not something that can be decided byoneself, it''s something carelessly distributed by the heavens. For what reasonare people like you blessed with such fine talent while people like me, nomatter how hard we work, can never catch up to you? And exactly why were youallowed to reach the upper level of Ethereal Opening at just fifteen years oldwhile I took more than a hundred years?" "Later on, I finally found a unique method in the sect that would help mebreak through Ethereal Opening and cross the threshold into the next realm. Itwas just that the method''s requirements were simply too onerous. It requiredfire crystals of the highest purity so that I could purify myself once more byexchanging my blood. But the sect''s earthfire crystals had long ago been takenaway by the martial ancestor and forged into a sword, and then the sworddisappeared together with him. So where could I find these fire crystals? Couldit be that I still had the ability to cross the sea and search those islands inthe Southern Sea for Red Dragons? I bitterly searched the world for more than adecade, but I made no progress. Finally, I thought of a possibility." Bai Hai inclined his body towards that distant plain and said, "The martialancestor had died, and the earthfire crystals had disappeared along with hissword. Back then, he was on the verge of entering the Saint Realm, so who couldkill him? Of course, the greatest possibility was Zhou Dufu. Then perhaps hissword had been left behind in the Garden of Zhou? Perhaps it lay in thelegendary Sword Pool?" "So this year when the Garden of Zhou opened, I entered without hesitation.Speaking truthfully, I saw the fireworks of warning fired by the ThirteenDivisions of Radiant Green, I even saw one of the human cultivators that hadbeen poisoned to death, but so what? Nothing was more important than findingthe martial ancestor''s sword, only I didn''t manage to find even the trace of asword. I couldn''t even feel a hint of Qi from an earthfire crystal. I was indespair." He turned back to Xu Yourong, and his eyes, muddy with age, seemed togradually burn. "Yet in my moment of despair, I saw my lady open her wings offire and fly off the peak of Sunset Valley. I knew that my lady was heavilyinjured, and so I knew that this was my best opportunity to break through,perhaps even my last opportunity!" "What earthfire essence? My lady''s true phoenix blood contains an even moreberserk, even more blazing, even purer strength! If I could take my lady''sblood, then I could definitely use that secret method and easily break pastEthereal Opening! If I''m successful in condensing fire, then I might even havean opportunity to enter the realm of Saints! For people like us, does my ladyknow how alluring it is?" Bai Hai was growing increasingly excited and his voice was growing hoarse. Xu Yourong looked at him and said, "I don''t know." Bai Hai stared blankly at her, then asked, "What did you say?" "Cultivating into the next realm has always been very simple for me, likeeating or drinking. From the moment I was born, it was already determined thatI enter the realm of Saints, so" Xu Yourong calmly said, "It is impossible for me to understand your mind." She said these words very indifferently. So Bai Hai was filled with an incomparable fury, as well as intensedisappointment. If Chen Changsheng were awake at this moment, he would probably haveunderstood the feelings of the Setting Sun Sect elder. It was not because hehad experienced such feelings before, but because he was often like Xu Yourong,causing other people to experience these feelingssincerely stating anobjective fact, causing others to be absolutely baffled and even dumbfounded. Tang Thirty-Six, who had once gone through such an experience, had once giventhe following assessment: You and Xu Yourong are both people that make othersspeechless. Bai Hai truly was speechless. After a moment, he furiously bellowed, "Talent?Heaven is unjust! In a little while when I suck you clean of your blood, yourtalent will be mine! Then I will correct this injustice!" Xu Yourong understood his reason, so she paid him no more attention. She hadno interest in the enraged but cultured bellows of a cold-blooded cultivator. She walked over to Chen Changsheng''s side and sat down. Crossing her legs, shebegan to steady her breathing. At some point, several extremely pure essencecrystals had ended up in her hands. In the Garden of Zhou, it was impossible to communicate with stars in the sky,so she could not sense her own Fated Star. Last night, she had used crystals tovery laboriously gather up some true essence, but once again she was beginningto feel a lack of true essence. This fact made her feel rather unpleasant. It was like how she did not carefor Bai Hai''s treachery and murderous intent; how she, as the next Holy Maiden,had rushed across the Garden of Zhou for two days and nights for the sake ofhumanity''s future; how she had engaged in successive bloody battles with theDemon Princess; and now when she had finally entered into these desperatestraits, she would die at the hands of a human cultivator. These facts togethermade her feel very unpleasant. Separated by the leaves of the wutong tree, Bai Hai saw her brows slightlyrise and guessed at what she was thinking. Teasing her, he said, "Do you thinkit''s unfair?" Xu Yourong was sitting down, her expression serene. Although she did notanswer, it felt like she was saying, could it be that there is actually someonethat would dare to say that this is fair? "I know that you think that a human like me is cruel and selfish, treacherousand deceitful but did you ever think that maybe there isn''t much differencebetween the two of us? Do you really think you''re a phoenix? Do you reallythink you are as pure and stainless as you imagine? Do you really think thatyou''re a symbol of virtue?" Bai Hai''s elderly face carried a sense of contempt and disdain as he pointedat Chen Changsheng behind her. "Last night I saw you fly down from SunsetValley, then I quietly chased after you. Although I didn''t see how you managedto save that person, I''d imagine it was definitely in front of those demonexperts. So then why is it that previously you were prepared to leave himbehind in that patch of reeds? I didn''t see what you were doing in the forest,but I''d imagine it was that oh-so-clich mental struggle. But why did youstruggle? Does the fact that no-one is looking have some sort of influence onyou? Perhaps what you really care about isn''t virtue and righteousness, but theopinions of others!" These words were without a doubt extremely condemning. This Setting Sun Sect elder did not know that not too long ago, the littleBlack Dragon girl had also given a similar evaluation of Xu Yourong. Without a doubt, these words were extremely condemning, and very difficult tooppose. Xu Yourong''s expression was very calm, as if she had not even heard thosewords, as if she disdained to justify herself. This sort of disdain was not a result of pretense from speechlessness, butrather that she really was not affected by those words. She had never really cared about the opinions of others. She did not care whatthose demon experts thought, so she naturally did not care for what thisshameless human cultivator thought either. Contrarily, when she heard Bai Hai''s words, she secretly sighed in relief. Because those words had divulged a new piece of information: this person hadnot seen what she had done in the forest. But in the end, being mocked and shamed by another person was still ratherunpleasant. She gazed behind her at Chen Changsheng, slightly creasing her brow as shethought to herself, if I didn''t need to bring this person, I would have easilybeen able to escape last night. Even back at the cliff with Bai Hai, there wereat least three ways I could have escaped, not at all like right now beingtrapped in this cave. In a little while, this man might even drink my blood From the moment her blood had awakened, she had occupied a very specialposition in the human world. Whether it was the Divine Empress or her teacherthe Holy Maiden, they all doted on her. As for her fellow students of theThirteen Divisions of Radiant Green or her fellow disciples of Holy MaidenPeak, or even all the cultivators of the world, when would they dare to showher the slightest lack of respect? And to actually think of drinking her blood? This was also naturally a rather unpleasant affair. She could not accept it. She took out her Fated Star Plate and her fingers flew across it. Thosecomplex lines incessantly fluctuated, forming even more complex designs. "What''s this? A Fate Plate?" Outside the cave, Bai Hai felt slightly uneasy atthis scene.
287 His Hand which Passed Through Her Black Hair
It was a pity that even until the end, the image on the Fated Star Plateremained a blur, just like the Garden of Zhou before her eyes. She could not see her own fate; not even the smallest direction could be seen.However, in a certain area in the image, she saw a few gray trajectories. Seeing someone elses fate was slightly easier than seeing your own fate afterall. She once again looked at the unconscious Chen Changsheng. Somewhat confused,she wondered what connection she had with this person, just because she hadsaved him. This persons trajectory of fate was so dull, and almost no lifecould be seen, just like how it was confirmed in the patch of reeds before. Ifthere were no accidents, this person would definitely die. As long as you have not died, I will do my best to make you live. But if youare destined to die, is it possible to ask for you to go die a little earlierby yourself, and not pull me down with you? That was what she thought when she looked at Chen Changsheng. Retreating into the mountain cave, she found it to be a dead end. Her trueessence had basically been entirely exhausted, the spirit of the phoenix hadfallen asleep again, and it was impossible for the Tong Bow to last forever. On the verdant wutong tree, more and more gray patches had already begun toappear. Those were all signs of miasma. She lowered her head, and brought the tips of her index fingers together. Shemuttered to herself, Its fine, its fine, Ronger will definitely be fine. At this moment, she was just like an ordinary girl. She felt somewhat wrongedand hurt, and rather worried. Her weakness only lasted for a moment, and so did her feeling of being wronged. A while later, she calmed down. She had never been an ordinary girl. She was Xu Yourong. She raised her head. Her eyes were bright. She decided to take the risk and kill this person. Time continued to flow. Before she had walked too far, the tree grown from theTong Bow, which should have been able to last even longer, suddenly transformedinto glimmers of light. It disappeared from the mouth of the cave. She extended both of her arms out of the cave, and drew two lines of fire inthe air, attacking Bai Hai. Under the circumstance that she was clearly losing, she personally removed herfinal defense and attacked before the opponent could. This was a very brave andunexpected choice, and obviously also extremely sudden. However, Bai Hai, whohad made an almost insane decision the night before to get the phoenix blood,was always in his greatest conditionindeed, even he who was perhaps judged ascold-hearted and bloodthirsty also felt that this matter was very insane. Thisallowed him to feel excitement and nervousness at a level which he had neverfelt before, which caused him to maintain his peak condition at all times. Onlydue to this could he find Xu Yourongs tracks, and also receive his opponentscounterattack very firmly. The wutong tree disappeared, and the miasma coating it turned to dust,dispersing at the mouth of the cave. Bai Hais firm yet powerful palm burst through the dust, directly meeting thetwo lines of fire that carried a sacred feeling. With a bang, even more dust rose into the air both inside and outside thecave. Afterwards, there was an extremely loud shrill sound. The two shadowsconstantly flared with sparks, causing the temperature to rise sharply. The two lines of fire suddenly disappeared, and the gust created from the palmwhistled wildly. A person retreated back into the depths of the cave at greatspeed. The person was unable to keep their footing, and crashed heavily on thestone, giving out a muffled sound of impact. The person who was forced back was Xu Yourong. She did not care about thepain brought from the impact, and extended her hand to the side of her body. How would Bai Hai give her the opportunity to rest and set up her defenseagain? Transforming into a gray shadow, he arrived in front of her, and themagical artifact in his hand suddenly gave out a bright light. It knocked awaythe Tong Bow that she had just grasped again. At the same time, he rushedforwards, and his skinny hand shot out like a lightning bolt, firmly choking XuYourong by the throat. The battle ended very quickly. Xu Yourong no longer made any futile resistance and only furrowed her browsslightly. She did not spit any blood, and her complexion became even paler. Sheseemed very weak. Even during ordinary times, Bai Hai, who had spent over two hundred years ofhard cultivating to reach peak level Ethereal Opening, would have been a matchfor her in a fight for a while, let alone the fact that she was currentlysuffering from heavy injuries, and all of her true essence was already consumed. There were no surprises in the final outcome. However, Bai Hai himself found that it was an unbelievable result. You have lost, he said tremulously, looking at Xu Yourong. His old facerevealed an abnormal flush. That was the product of excitement and agitation, as well as some fear andworry. The reincarnation of a Heavenly Phoenix just lost to him like this? Heactually won so easily? He said with slight disbelief, Just who was it that could injure you soheavily? Naturally, Xu Yourong did not reply to his question. Her expression remainedcalm, as if the opponent was not holding her by the neck and controlling herfate at all. This type of disregard caused Bai Hai to grow mad once again. He yelledloudly, Right now, I just need to move a finger, and you will die like that.Even in such a situation, you refuse to speak to me? Xu Yourong shot a glance at him quietly. She remained silent, and used hersilence to express her feelings. Bai Hai laughed out of anger, and his voice became slightly strange. Dontthink that that is enough to trigger me to kill you. Dont worry, I willdefinitely let you live. Watch as I suck all the blood out of you. Xu Yourong finally revealed an expression that carried a sliver of hatred. It was not dread, nor was it fear. There was only hatred. Bai Hai leaned forwards and looked at her face. With a slightly tremblingvoice, he said emotionally, Your face how do you do it? Its actually sorealistic. Xu Yourong looked at the sinister, old face, and suddenly felt slightlyregretful. I have never thought that there would actually be a day where I am so closeto you. Bai Hai looked at her eyes which were bright like autumn water. He gave out ahorrid laugh. Hahahaha, this really is an honor. After saying that, he leaned in once again, and the distance between the twoof them decreased even more. Xu Yourong looked at him quietly. Although she did not say anything, it gavehim the feeling of a sacred presence that should not be offended. For some unknown reason, Bai Hai suddenly lost all interest in making fun ofhis opponent after gazing into her eyes. It had even made him feel slightlydisturbed. With a slightly agitated voice, he said, Dont worry, I will let mylady die with some dignity so even if my lady has some final attack, I hope mylady will not use it. Otherwise, I really dont know what resentful thing Imight do once all hope has been lost. Xu Yourong turned her head with some difficulty, and no longer looked at him.Afterwards, she closed her eyes. Bai Hai stared blankly at that, before lowering his head to her neck. He had never done something like this, so he was slightly anxious. He becameeven more anxious, especially when thinking about the fact that she was thetrue Holy Maiden, a reincarnation of a Heavenly Phoenix that was holy andshould not be assaulted. As a result, his actions became slightly clumsy. In the next moment, Xu Yourong furrowed her brows again, as if she was in somepain. Bai Hais pupils became extremely constricted. He felt that this was the most delicious nectar he had ever had in his life. But why was there so little? In the next moment, he forgot about that question. The liquid that flowedthrough his mouth seemed to hide a vast and limitless amount of flame, as if itwas the essence of the actual sun. It was countless times purer than theearthfire in the Setting Sun Sect. How could the legendary earthfire crystaleven be compared to it? Although it was just a moment, he felt that there was an infinite amount ofenergy being channeled into his body. With only a mouthful, he became drunk. His white eyebrows rose, and heconstantly blinked. In the throes of intoxication, he presented an extremelybizarre figure. Xu Yourong could not see his face, and he could not see Xu Yourongs face. Asa result, he did not realize that Xu Yourong had opened her eyes. She looked at the walls of the cave quietly. For some reason, although she had already arrived in front of the abyss ofdeath, and currently suffered such humiliation and cruelty, her expressionremained very calm, as if she was thinking of other matters. Time flowed slowly, and yet so steadfastly that it could inspire fear. Suddenly, Xu Yourongs eyebrows were furrowed slightly again, because she haddiscovered that she seemed to have calculated wrongly. Even if she was able to kill that evil old bastard, all of the blood in herbody would also be sucked dry by him. This time, she revealed a real regretfulness in her eyes. Although it was verylittle, it was still some regret. She did not want to die like this, and did not want to die at this moment evenmore. The old bastards torso was still on top of her body. However, just like the trajectories of fate in the starry sky, once it began,it was unstoppable. This was the decision she had made. This was her plan. Once it began, shebecame a component of the plan, no longer able to stop the arrival of the endresult. Was this her fate? She thought silently. Fate was unchangeable. No matter if it was the south or the north of the Orthodoxy, they all believedso. However, some people did not believe that. For example, Wang Zhice, for example, those people who absolutely needed tochange their fates. Xu Yourong believed that her own fate was unchangeable and that she could onlydie together with that old bastard. In the end, she would become a corpse thatwould not be discovered by anyone in the cave. However, she had forgotten thatthere was someone else in the cave. A hand was raised in front of her eyes. With her gaze, it slowly moved towardsher neck. The hand was not big. Its nails were cut very cleanly, and its fingers werelong. Normally, it was very warm, but now it was very cold instead. There waseven some remaining frost between the fingers. That hand seemed somewhat exhausted and powerless, however, it was firm. Itpassed through her black hair, brushed past her ear lobe and landed on herneck...
288 The Black Frost Qi of the Snow Mountain Sect, a Slap on the Face, and Poison in the Blood
Just like how Xu Yourong had forgotten about the unconscious Chen Changsheng,Bai Hai had never paid any attention to that young cultivator whose body wascaked with frost. Moreover, he was currently reveling in the rapturoushappiness induced by the Heavenly Phoenix''s true blood, and so he did not putup any sort of guard. Thus, that hand managed to push him away. In the quiet of the cave, Bai Hai stared at Chen Changsheng with a stunnedexpression. Only after a while did he realize that something had happened, thatthere was something amiss. Right now, there was a still a drop of blood at the corner of his lips. Whenpaired with his rather twisted and elderly face, it created a grotesque image.Just as that drop of blood was about to drip down, he suddenly sobered up, thensomewhat confusedly used his tongue to bring that drop of blood back into hismouth. In order to cultivate the secret method of the Setting Sun Sect andbreak past Ethereal Opening, every drop of Xu Yourong''s blood was exceptionallyprecious for him, but he could not help but make the picture even moregrotesque. For some reason, he felt that while he could taste sweetness at the back ofhis tongue, the tip of his tongue was somewhat numb. He thought to himself, isthis the flavor of the Heavenly Phoenix''s blood? While this was happening, Chen Changsheng used the support of the cave wallto laboriously sit up. He was at present very weak. It seemed like he would beknocked over by a passing gust of wind, so how could he subdue this opponentand obtain victory? Bai Hai felt a dull pain on his face and used his hand to rub it. He realizedthat his face was covered with water, then he looked at Chen Changsheng''s handand realized that it was also covered with frost, and he could not help butsquint his eyes. Without any warning, he pointed his finger at Chen Changsheng, then fired astrand of Qi imbued with terrifying earthfire at him. Chen Changsheng seemingly subconsciously slapped his palm in the air, causinga mirror of ice to instantly form in the air in front of him. When the earthfire Qi collided with the mirror of ice, they both evaporatedwith a hiss. Bai Hai narrowed his eyes even more, then he made a weird smile. "Actually asecret disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect. You think you can use the BlackFrost True Qi to block me?" The Snow Mountain Sect was a sect located in the northwest of the continent.Tradition has it that the founder of the Snow Mountain Sect possessed the bloodof the Black Frost Dragon and created a brand-new method of cultivation, thusfounding his monastery on the frigid lands of the northwest. At its peak, thesect was incredibly powerful. Neither the demons nor the Orthodoxy in theCentral Plains would lightly provoke it. Yet with the passage of time, theblood of the Black Frost Dragon grew increasingly thin, and the power of theSnow Mountain Sect gradually waned. It had already been several hundred yearssince it had been placed under the authority of the Li Palace, and it had alsobeen many years since it had produced a true expert or promising young disciple. No one would underestimate a once-glorious sect. Just as the South StreamTemple was divided into an inner and outer sect, many powerful figures knewthat the Snow Mountain Sect also had a secret sect, only it very rarelyrevealed itself to the world. The Setting Sun Sect cultivated earthfire, sothey were natural enemies of the Snow Mountain Sect which cultivated the cold.In the past, they had clashed with each other many times. As an elder of theSetting Sun Sect, Bai Hai naturally had a deep understanding of the SnowMountain Sect. He saw the frosty aura being released by Chen Changsheng''s bareddagger for him, and with one sentence had seen through his origins.Simultaneously, the killing intent in his heart also suddenly increased severaltimes. As Xu Yourong looked at Chen Changsheng''s face, she thought to herself, so hewas actually a secret disciple of Snow Mountain Sectno wonder his method ofcultivation was so special. Her vision was somewhat blurry, and yet she could clearly see the tranquilityin Chen Changsheng''s eyes. The situation was still clearly desperate and ChenChangsheng was still weak and heavily injured, and yet for some reason, shesuddenly felt that she could relax, that she could hand over all the mattersthat weighed on her to this young cultivator. "I didn''t think that I would actually meet my old friend, the Snow MountainSect, in the Garden of Zhou. Nor did I think that just as I was about toachieve a miracle, I would still have to kill one more person." Bai Hai looked at him and gave a strange chuckle. "It''s a good thing thatthis won''t be too hard to take care of." With these words, he wielded his palm like a blade wreathed in fire andruthlessly chopped at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng seemed to have little chance in his current weak and heavilyinjured condition; even if he was healthy and full of energy, he still wouldnot be any match for this Setting Sun Sect elder. His awakening seemingly had no meaning. One could even say that he woke up atthe worst possible time. The true essence in his body was still exhausted. He did not even have thestrength to hold his dagger, much less summon the Yellow Paper Umbrella. He had no way to block this fire palm. The only thing he could do is lift uphis palm and hit that elder''s face. When he had just woken up, he had no idea what was going on, nor did he knowwho this old man was. He only knew that this old man was doing a verydisgusting and cruel thing. The old man''s face was somewhat stiff and weird,and the sound of his laughter was sinister and terrifying. He could immediatelytell that this was not a good man, so he wanted to hit him. In the very next moment, he could be turned into slag by this old man''s firepalm, but he still wanted to hit him. As long as he could score a hit on thatold man''s sinister and terrible old face, then he would not have woken up fornothing. Chen Changsheng thought this way, so that is what he did. However, he had never imagined that his palm was actually able to strike theold man''s face. A crisp slap echoed through the cave. His palm had struck Bai Hai''s face. Although he waved his palm around like a feather, like there was not a singlestrand of strength in it, the sound it produced was very clear. Slap. Bai Hai was at a loss. He had no idea of what just happened. His palm still hung in the air, separated from Chen Changsheng by one foot.The terrifying earthfire at the edge of the palm was gradually dissipating,seeming rather miserable. How was the palm of this Snow Mountain Sect disciple able to land on hisface? How had his body become so stiff? Why did the true essence in his bodysuddenly vanish? In an instant, endless questions entered his mind, making himconfused and terrified. In the next moment, that fear expressed itself in his eyes. With greatdifficulty, he lowered his neck to look at Xu Yourong, then said his last words. His voice was abnormally hoarse and dry, his words intermittent and hard toform into sentences, full of fear and despair. "Demon demon demoness bloodhas poison!" With these words, he died. Setting Sun Sect elder, peak level Ethereal Opening expert Bai Hai died inthis cave like that. When he died, his body was already completely stiff. His right hand remainedsuspended in the air, and even his eyes could not close. His eyes were suffusedwith a tranquil green. It was just like carving a sculpture made out ofordinary rock and finding jade within. This picture was very bizarre, and very sinister. Soon after, his skin began to fester. This festering did not extend to hisbones and muscles, only his skin. The surface of his skin gradually began toshow a plethora of multi-colored spots. Some of the spots were beautiful, while others were disgusting. Chen Changsheng thought all of them were very disgusting. Only now did he realize that this old man had already been poisoned. He justdid not know what it was that he was poisoned by. The weird smile on the old man''s face was the poison''s doing. At that point,his spiritual sense had already begun to gradually separate from the body. The poison was really too brutal. He then realized that there was still someone else in this cave and turned toher. That young lady''s dress was covered with bloodstains, almost obscuring theoriginal white. Her normally delicate features were also almost covered up byher weakness and exhaustion, and yet her eyes were still clear and cold. He stared blankly at her, then asked, "Are you okay?"
289 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part One
For some reason, Chen Changsheng spoke much slower than usual, as if histongue was tied, making him seem both slow and stupid. Xu Yourong did not answer him. With great effort, she lifted herself off theground to sit up, then feebly leaned against the cave wall. Then she lifted herhead, this simple action causing her face to pale even more, and looked at thealready dead Bai Hai. She examined his elderly face, speckled with a rainbow ofcolors, in silence. The previous moment had been the most danger she had ever been in for herentire life. She had discarded the Tong Bow, faked an attack, then inevitablylost, purposely letting Bai Hai capture her. All this was so that she couldhave this Setting Sun Sect elder suck her blood, because only she knew that hertrue Phoenix blood was mixed with the poison that Nanke had implanted withinher last night. This extremely risky and disgusting plan had really succeeded, but just asshe had thought in that moment of remorse, if Bai Hai had not been pushed awayfrom her neck by that hand at the very last moment, then Bai Hai really couldhave sucked her clean of her last true Phoenix essence blood before dying ofpoison, and then she would really have died. Thinking about this, she finally turned to Chen Changsheng, her right handdrawing the Tong Bow close to her body. She wore a cold expression, giving offan unapproachable feeling. This delicate young lady had a cold expression and a noble air seemed to hangabout her, making her seem exceedingly aloof. If this were any normal youth,they would feel ashamed upon gazing at this strange character, and then wouldsecretly be filled with admiration. But Chen Changsheng felt neither of thesetwo feelings. In the capital, he had met with Mo Yu and Luoluo many times andwas very used to this noble and pure atmosphere, so he appeared very calm. Andyet for some reason, he felt like this young lady gave him a very comfortablefeeling, like a spring forest after a rain. Xu Yourong was somewhat astonished by his calmness, but was also satisfied.Without any movement, her longbow disappeared. Chen Changsheng stared blankly at her, then recalled some of the words thathad faintly entered his ear while he was unconscious. This young lady was actually one of the legendary elves? It was said that countless years ago, there was no vast and boundless oceanbetween the Great Western Continent and the Eastern continent and that theywere connected. Back then, the Great Western Continent was called the GreatWestern Mountain Range. A tribe of spirits once lived in the Great WesternMountain Range, and this tribe married with the demi-humans, leaving behindmany descendants of mixed blood. Later on when the Great Western Continentsplit from the Eastern Continent, these mixed bloods remained on the EasternContinent. Because they had elegant () appearances and swift () movements,they were called the elves (). (TL: The actual name of this race is the Xiuling (), but in terms ofdescription, they are basically elves.) Besides their fresh and elegant appearance, they also inherited a love ofnature from the spirit tribe. The elves were most known for their archery.Every elf was an expert in the bow and arrow. In the war between thedemi-humans and the demons, the elves played an extremely important role, andit was precisely for this reason that they became the demons'' most despisedopponents. Finally, two thousand years ago, because of the Wolf Tribe''sbetrayal, the ancestral mountain of the elves was besieged by the demon army.The demi-humans were not in time to save them and the elves were massacred,their race nearly exterminated. Only a few young elves managed to escape fromthose mountains by way of a narrow underground passage. If the story had ended here, perhaps it would have been for the better, butthe fact was that those elves that had escaped the iron hoof of the demon armysuffered an even more miserable fate. Because of their elegant appearance andenchanting bodies, those elves that could not be brought back to the two banksof the Red River very naturally became the prey for many very powerful figures.Whether it was the nobles of Xuelao City or the human nobles, they all wantedto have the glory of an elf as their slave. Almost one thousand years ago, when the humans allied with the demi-humansagainst the demons, the miserable fate of the elves finally improved. TheTaizong Emperor issued a decree banning the buying and selling of elves, butmany of the mansions of the aristocracy still concealed many elves. Only whenthe chief princess of the Great Western Continent married the White Emperor andthen established a relationship with the Tianhai Divine Empress did theenforcement of this decree incessantly increase in ferocity, finally leading toa true turn for the better. After several of the great families of the southwere completely exterminated by the Divine Empress for raising and killingdozens of elves, this phenomenon finally disappeared from the human world. But after experiencing so many years of slavery and torment, the already fewelves became even rarer. At present, the vast majority of the elves livedwithin White Emperor City, while some had crossed the ocean to the GreatWestern Continent. In the past few decades, whether in the capital or WenshuiCity, the figures of elves were very rarely seen. Knowing that the young lady was an elf, the gaze that Chen Changshengdirected towards her could not help but be filled with sympathy. He thought tohimself, no wonder she, with only a bow and arrows, could enter the Garden ofZhou. At the same time, he felt more relieved at that clear and cold resentmentin her appearance. If he were an elf, he would also not have a good impressionof humans. He had just woken up and there were many things he did not understand. Hedidn''t know how he had ended up in this cave. Last night before he had slippedinto unconsciousness, just what was that light he saw? He asked, "Did you save me?" Xu Yourong calmly replied, "You don''t need to thank me." Chen Changsheng did not quite know how to respond. He thought to himself,didn''t I just save you a few minutes ago? After staring blankly for a while, heasked, "May I ask who you are?" Xu Yourong was somewhat stunned, and only then did she understand that he didnot recognize herit must be known that on a normal day, no matter where shewent, she would always be recognized. This was because her temperament was sounusual, but even more importantly, because she was born beautiful. This had nothing to do with narcissism, it was an objective fact. The entirecontinent regarded her as the number one beauty, and even the demon nobles ofXuelao City had no objection to this. She wanted to ask, could it be that you don''t recognize me? But then sheremembered that before she entered the Garden of Zhou, she had exchangedappearances with one of the priests of the Thirteen Divisions of RadiantGreen...because she did not want to meet that guy. Upon thinking of that guy, she felt even more exhausted, and softly said,"Can you walk?" Chen Changsheng''s injuries had not yet recovered. He had just woken up andhis body was weak all over, but he did not want to be a burden and so he said,"Yes." "Very good, then you''ll carry me." Xu Yourong calmly added, "You are notallowed to abandon me." Chen Changsheng once again stared blankly, thinking to himself, so originallyit had this meaning. He circulated his true Qi to confirm his situation, thennodded his head. He did so very reluctantly. It was not that he was not willing, but thesituation of his body was simply too terrible. Xu Yourong knew very well the current status of his body, but she gave nowords of consolation or encouragement. In her view, those clich encouragementswere meaningless wastes of strength. "I''ve lost a lot of blood. I''m very weak," she added. Chen Changsheng thought to himself, when I woke up, I just happened to seethat old freak sucking your blood, but back then you had a very calm look inyour eyes. Moreover, that old freak soon died from the poison in your blood.It''s very obvious that this was a trap that you laid for him. For you to saythis to me right now, what''s the meaning behind it? Another thing is, just whydid that old freak want your blood anyway? Xu Yourong recognized that he was confused and said somewhat helplessly, "Ithink it''s too disgusting." Puzzled, Chen Changsheng asked, "And then?" Xu Yourong said, "I don''t want to remember that scene, but also I''m ratherweak and I''m about to pass out." With these words, she did not give Chen Changsheng any chance to protest orask questions. She straightforwardly closed her eyes, then leaned against thecave wall and passed out. Chen Changsheng was caught rather unprepared by this unexpected change. Afterthinking it over, he felt that what this young lady had said was tooreasonable, so he had no choice but to accept. He did not immediately take her away, as he still had to steady his breathingand recover his strength. He also had to carefully examine his body. Last nighton the lake at the other side of the cold pool, he had battled with those twodemon women for a long time, and his internal organs had suffered severeinjuries. He did not want to carry this young lady out of the cave and thenimmediately spit up blood and die. When the mind arose from the sea of consciousness to the outside, this wasthe spiritual sense. When it went in the opposite direction, this wasMeditative Introspection. He saw the lake outside his Ethereal Palace, but it was different frombeforethat sphere of water formed by the lake water was mixed with lots of iceand emitted a frigid air. This made the Spirit Mountain upon which the EtherealPalace sat appear unclear. Occasionally, a strong wind would blow across,causing some of the ice to slowly descend. After who knows how long had passed,the wasteland was covered with a shallow layer of white. Last night during his battle, he had burned up nearly all of his true essenceand that mantle of snow over the wasteland had melted into nothing long ago.And he could not sense his Fated Star in the Garden of Zhou, so he worriedabout being unable to recover his true essence. When he saw this scene, itwasn''t sufficient to say that he was pleasantly surprised. Only, why was thelake around his Ethereal Palace so cold? His spiritual sense passed through the icy surface of the lake and proceededdeeper, then he saw something that deeply moved him. A thin Black Dragon was peacefully sleeping in the lake, ceaselesslyreleasing its Qi. The Qi was so cold and so pure. Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that this was just like that first timehe underwent Meditation in the underground space and self-immolated; the BlackDragon had once again saved his life. The coldness emitted from deep within thedragon soul helped him recover his true essence and lower his pulse,simultaneously ceaselessly healing the countless cuts on his internal organs.Compared to back then, though, the Black Dragon now was many times smaller. Itscurled-up body in the lake was just like a snoozing child and was very cute. The Black Dragon was right now a mere spiritual soul. In order to save him,it had inevitably paid an enormous price, causing it to be in such a deep sleep. Without it, he would probably have already died. He looked at the jade ruyithat had appeared on his hands in silence. Afterwards, he looked at the unconscious white-clothed girl leaning againstthe cave wall. He did not know what had happened last night, but he couldroughly guess that if it were not for her, he would also have already beendead. The girl was an elf, and although it was said that humans and demi-humanswalked separate paths, he had always been close to demi-humans. Even if thisgirl had not saved his life, he still would not have abandoned her, not tomention the current situation. Only, how would he carry her away? After he recovered some of his strength,he kneeled down by the white-clothed girl. He extended his hands and tried outa few positions, but he always felt them to be inappropriate. At this tensemoment, he was not like some pedantic old virtuous nobleman, worrying about thedifferences between sexes. It was just that he really did not have muchexperience in this aspectshould he grab her by the belt and carry her out?Support her by the arm and travel together? Carry her horizontally in hisbosom? In the end, the simplest method was the most reliable. He brought her upto his back, and then his two hands grabbed her thighs.
290 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Two
Time seemed to endlessly flow by, but in actuality, it passed very slowly.From the time Xu Yourong carried him into the forest to the conclusion of thatrevolting battle, not much time had passed. The Garden of Zhou''s sun had notrisen much above the horizon. The morning wind and the morning light togetherfell upon the forest. Cut into every size and shape, the morning wind slowlyswept up the fallen leaves, causing them to softly rustle, while the morninglight suffused them with every kind of light. Chen Changsheng gazed off into the distance in silence. He had none of Zhexiu''s natural instinct for danger, nor did he have theability to use Xu Yourong''s Fated Star Plate calculate the dangers ahead. Inthose far off places bathed in the morning light, he saw no figures, nor did hesense any danger, much less see any of his enemies. But he felt that it was tooquiet over there. While silence was not a sufficient reason, he still felt thatsomething was off. Although there were Three Thousand Scriptures of the Great Dao, he onlycultivated the Dao of following his heart. Those two demon beauties were nodoubt still chasing after him, and he could possibly meet a treacherous andterrifying human cultivator like that old freak. And since he had no way ofprotecting himself, he could only rely on his senses, rely on the only Dao hehad cultivated over his more than ten years of life. So without any hesitation, he turned and began walking through the forest tothe other direction. His expression was somewhat hurried, but his feet wereincapable of hurrying. This was because he was still severely injured and wasnow carrying the white-clothed girl on his back. But even more importantly, itwas because his body was much colder than usual. His breathing and heartbeatwere at least a third slower than normal. His eyebrows and the hair around hisforehead were once again covered with frost. The dew which stained his shirthad frozen into flakes of snow, which were blown off his body by the morningwind, only for dew to rapidly freeze on his body once more, and then once againbe blown off by the wind. They fluttered down behind him, leaving behind a veryclear trail through the forest. Not long after he left, heralded by a chilly air, Nanke and the zither-playingold man arrived at that place. Her gaze moved across that trail of frost intothe distance. How sharp was her gaze that she could so casually glance at thistrail and obtain so much information? Chen Changsheng had already awakened andhe was carrying Xu Yourong on his back as they made their escape. His injurieshad clearly not recovered and his steps seemed somewhat slow. A hint of confusion appeared on the slightly wide space between her brows.According to what her maids had told her, Chen Changsheng had been heavilyinjured last night. He should still be hanging on the brink of death, so howdid he so quickly recover? Her spiritual sense had also sensed Bai Hai''s corpsein that cave, but she had no time to find out what had happened there. Shethrust out her arms to both sides of her body. Those two demon beauties transformed into two lights, vanishing without atrace. A pair of green wings appeared behind her back, then with the whistlingof the wind, she disappeared. The zither-playing old man looked out of theforest and confirmed that the mysterious and dangerous plain was not far fromhere. He couldn''t help but crease his brow as he guessed at what might occur.But he had no other choice than to follow. The forest gave way to the shore of a pool of water. Green patches of reedstook up his entire vision like they were about to fill the horizon, but infact, the moment he passed this patch of reeds, he would be in the plains. Thecold Qi had helped Chen Changsheng suppress his wounds, but it had also greatlyslowed his metabolism. Right now, his heartbeat and breathing were far tooslow, so he also walked very slowly. It had taken him a long time before hefinally reached this point. He did not know that not too long ago, Xu Yourong had carried him out of thatpatch of reeds across from him. He only knew that if he continued forward, hemight mistakenly end up in the terrifying plains. And yet he had no otherchoice except to follow his heart. Following the path upon which he had come,he made his way into the wetland. As his body moved through the water, itbrought ice along with it. He walked into the patch of reeds, and just as he was beginning to ponderwhether he should risk going forward or turning to another direction, the soundof the wind on the shore told him that there was no need to think. With a cold and clear wind, the surroundings were suffused with a pure greenlight, robbing all the trees and reeds of their color. A little girl with a cold expression appeared on the shore. She stared at himexpressionlessly as if he were a cricket or an ant. Seeing her disheveled hair and bloodstained clothes, and most importantly ofall, her appearance, Chen Changsheng was startled, like he had seen somethingthat was somewhat surprising. Besides, he was not holding his dagger right nowbecause he knew that the difference in strength between him and this demonexpert was too great. Since battle was meaningless, he chose to be silent, thusgiving off a very calm appearance. He had always been very calm and steady. No matter what big thing occurred, hewould never grow melancholy, nor would he ever lose his head in panic. Thispart of his character allowed him to possess a temperament far surpassing hisage, and also made people feel surprised. Xu Yourong was surprised, and nowNanke was also surprised. She did not believe that this was the youth who hadreceived such deep favor from the Pope, so she asked, "So you are ChenChangsheng?" Chen Changsheng had never met her, nor did he know that she was the DemonLord''s most beloved daughter. However, yesterday on the lakeshore, he had heardZhexiu mention that name. From the look on Zhexiu''s face back then, he was verycertain that this little girl was extremely frightening. Similarly, he did notknow that her target was the white-clothed girl on his back. He thought thatshe had come to kill him, so he was even more vigilant than usual. But he wasalso childishly happyto think that not too long ago, he was just a young andunremarkable Daoist fresh from the countryside of Xining Village, but now hehad already matured into a target worthy of even the attentions of the mostfrightening and powerful demons. As he thought this way, he returned thequestion. "So you are Nanke?" This was the first time that Chen Changsheng would meet Nanke, and this wasalso the first time Nanke would meet Chen Changsheng. In the future, they wouldrepresent the humans and demons and meet many times on the battlefield,engaging in hand-to-hand combat and creating a not at all interesting storythat would only cause one to feel exhausted. More than once, Nanke would thinkback to that morning they first met and would often feel a faint sense ofremorse. She would think to herself, if I had been a bit more decisive that dayand not listened to any of his nonsense, then maybe I really could have killedhim there, and then there would be none of these troubles or stories. But time would always fly like an arrow. The Nanke of the present had no wayof knowing of the future. As expected, her focus was still on Xu Yourong, eventhough she was clearly unconscious. As for Chen Changsheng, he was just aperson she was talking to. "If you put her down, I''ll spare your life." When she said these words, Nanke maintained her cold expression, but the twomaids at her side were rather shocked. They thought to themselves, what''shappened to the master? To actually negotiate with a human, and it seems likeshe''s just going to let Chen Changsheng go like this? The heated battle theyfought by the lakeside yesterday didn''t this mean it would be meaningless? The reason they thought this way was because they did not know that last nightin that battle on the peak of Sunset Valley, Nanke had also been severelyinjured. More importantly, Nanke could clearly see that since Chen Changshengwas standing on that patch of reeds, he could at any time escape into thewater. Within that seemingly clear and empty water, there was actually adividing line, and on the other side of this line was the plains. Nanke did not want Chen Changsheng to think that he had already taken the pathof no return and thus jump into the water, because even she feared thatboundless and mysterious plain. Hearing Nanke''s words, Chen Changsheng was rather shocked. It was only thenthat he realized that her target was not himbut he definitely could not leaveXu Yourong behind and escape with his own life. At this time, he still did notknow that the white-clothed girl on his back was Xu Yourong, nor was heaccustomed to carrying things on his back as he walked like Xu Yourong was. Itwas just that he had promised her that he would not abandon her. "I can''t do that," he said very truthfully to Nanke, then he looked at herappearance and seemed to hesitate. In Nanke''s somewhat dull and indifferent eyes appeared some confusion. She didnot understand where Chen Changsheng''s odd expression came from, so she asked,"What''s wrong?" Chen Changsheng thought it over, then said, "You are ill." At these words, Nanke''s eyebrows suddenly leapt up, just like a little girlwho had gotten up early in the morning to gather a basket of pigweed and wassnatched away by her drunken neighbor. She was very angry and her voicesuddenly got higher. "You''re the one that''s ill! Your entire family is ill!Everyone in the Orthodox Academy is ill!" The furious shouts of this childish yet exceptionally cold little girlresounded throughout the peaceful reeds. The two maids were silent. They didn''t know why their master had suddenlygotten so angry, nor why Chen Changsheng''s words had triggered such a hugeresponse. Hearing the stream of shouts and curses from the shore, Chen Changsheng feltsomewhat helpless. He thought to himself that if she did not insist on asking,he would not have said anything. However, the anger and sensitivity meant that his conclusion was true. ChenChangsheng suddenly thought that perhaps he could use this matter in exchangefor the chance to leave. He waited for Nanke''s sharp and angry voice togradually die down, then very sincerely said, "I don''t know whether the spiesyou demons have placed in the capital have grasped who my teacher was. If youdo know, then you should also know that my medical skills are not bad." Nanke''s eyes were exceptionally cold, like she was looking at a dead man. "Idon''t know what you''re talking about." Chen Changsheng mentally adjusted his choice of words so that even a demoncould understand, then continued, "There''s a problem with your bloodline. If itis not quickly treated, then when the divine soul within you awakens for thesecond time, there is a very high possibility of a backlash. Even if you manageto protect your life, it''s very probable that you will end up as an imbecile." Nanke''s face paled. Perhaps it was from the aftershocks of last night''sbattle, or perhaps it was because of his words. Yet her voice was still coldand indifferent. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." As a Demon Princess and Black Robe''s only disciple, even if the Garden of Zhouwas annihilated before her eyes, her expression would probably not change inthe slightest. But she was still young, so even if she thought she hadconcealed her true emotions superbly, she did not know that Chen Changsheng,her two maids, and even the zither-playing old man had heard a problem in herwords.
291 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Three
Seeing Nanke''s response, Chen Changsheng became even more confident in hisconclusion. As he had already begun speaking, Chen Changsheng wanted to finishhis words. At some point in time, he had even begun to consider himself as adoctor and found himself incapable of accepting a sick persons refusals. Eventhough she was an enemy and he was by far in an inferior position, ChenChangsheng felt obliged to help her. "Im extremely experienced in problems caused by the bloodline. I think thatyou would know as well. If you allow me to treat your disease, I may be able tofind a way to cure it." He looked at Nanke as he spoke. The first time the continent had heard of his name was not due to hisengagement to Xu Yourong, nor was it due to the Ivy Festival, and also was notbecause of the Grand Examination, but because he became Luoluo''s teacher. Thereason why he became Luoluo''s teacher and earned the tacit approval of theSaint couple in the distant White Emperor City, was because he had solved theproblem in Luoluo''s meridians, allowing her to successfully cultivate by humanmethods. Zhexiu had journeyed from the distant snowy plains to the capital andtook part in the Grand Examination, not because he could enter the Mausoleum ofBooks and view the monoliths, but because he had heard rumors of ChenChangsheng''s skills and wanted him to treat his illness. These two facts wereproof that his medical skills were specialized in this area. Nanke''s problem concerned the awakening of her blood. Although it wasdifferent from Zhexiu''s and Luoluo''s problems, there were many similar points.She stared at Chen Changsheng, paying no attention to the thoughts of thesubordinates behind her. After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke, "If Ireally am ill, then if you can treat me, I will let you go." Chen Changsheng thought to himself that even now, she was still unwilling tolet the white-clothed girl go. Just who was she? Of course, Chen Changshengwould never accept such conditions, and said in reply, "If I approach you,youll definitely kill me, so the most feasible way is treating your illnessafter I leave the Garden of Zhou." Nanke replied, "For what reason should I believe you? After you leave theGarden of Zhou, you''ll definitely return to Li Palace, and I certainly won''t beable to find you there." Chen Changsheng did not hesitate as he replied. "If I promise you, I willnaturally respect that promise." In a world of mutual deception, in the face of this bloody enmity betweenhumans and demons in which all methods were acceptable, keeping a promise wasthe most absurd matter. Yet, for some reason, as Nanke glanced at ChenChangsheng''s calm expression, she felt that his words were incomparablysincere; she could not help but believe in Chen Changshengs words. This sort of feeling caused her to feel rather uncomfortable. Nanke questionedunhappily, "For what reason should I believe you?" She once again repeated her words, however, this time, Nanke finally realizedthat something was amiss. A strand of anger appeared in her dull eyes.Attempting to conceal her true emotions, she questioned in a flat manner, "Forwhat reason should I believe you? Are you saying that you would only need aglance to tell see that I am ill!?" This was the third repetition. Chen Changsheng sincerely replied, "Yes, I onlyneeded a glance." Nanke turned blank as the anger in her eyes scattered, leaving behind onlydullness. "How did you see it?" Chen Changsheng pondered for a moment, then said, "Your problem is differentfrom Princess Luoluo''s and Zhexiu''s. Their problems mainly had to do withconflicts between the blood vessels and the meridians, while you Your problemis due to a conflict between the divine soul and the body. From your name, itwould seem the divine soul within your body should be the reincarnation of apeacock? The peacock has always been known for its powerful divine soul, whichis why it is called the Great Brilliant King. Since you inherited its divinesoul and blood, your innate comprehension should be extremely powerful. At ayoung age, its divine soul within you awoke and began to incessantly thrive andgrow, far surpassing the state of your body. Its impossible for the soul andthe body to be in harmony with each other, gradually giving birth to conflict.This is the source of your problem." Nanke was silent for a moment, then asked, "I want to know how you managed tosee it." "The divine soul resides in the sea of consciousness, however, the divine soulof the Great Brilliant King is your body''s second soul, therefore, it residesin a place that we doctors call the ''pine cone''." Chen Changsheng pointed at the space between his eyebrows as he continued,"When the peacock''s divine soul awakened and grew incessantly, it caused yourpine cone to grow larger and larger, however, your body was unable to keep up;it was extremely easy to tell that compared to the normal person or the normaldemon, that your brow is somewhat wider. Moreover, every morning and night youperform meditative self-introspection, at this time your mind will connect withthe peacock soul, causing a very special symptom..." He pondered on how to describe this symptom, and after a long period of time,he recalled a phrase which would accurately describe the situation. He said toNanke on the shore, "The reason why I could tell that you were ill at firstglance is because you are cross-eyed." Cross-eyed? Cross-eyed! It was quiet all around the patch of reeds, especially on the shore, where adeathly silence lingered. Whether it was the two maids or the zither-playingold man, their faces were extremely unsightly. They looked at Chen Changshengas if they were looking at a corpse. Nanke''s expression was still calm, even a little stupefied. However, for someunknown reason, even though there was clearly no wind, the hair that spilledover her shoulders had begun to float in the air. Her eyes began to glow darkgreen. Matched with the childish air that had not yet retreated, her somewhatwide face seemed incomparably strange and horrifying. At the peak of Sunset Valley, when Xu Yourong saw Nanke for the first time,she had also been as astonished as Chen Changsheng. It was not just because thelegendary Nanke was a little girl with a wooden expression, but more becauseher brow was much wider than normal and her eyes were rather dull. She lookedsimilar to a person whose intelligence had yet to fully develop, moreover, hereyes seemed to lean towards the center. Xu Yourong had said nothing, because she considered Nanke to be an opponentworthy of her respect. To comment on the body of your opponent was anincredibly discourteous matter. Chen Changsheng had always been a person that placed an emphasis on manners.Even if he were facing an enemy like the demons which he would possibly engagein battle with, he would never purposefully make fun of his opponent''sdeformities. There were several reasons why he had directly told Nanke she wascross-eyed. The first was that he knew that she was not actually cross-eyed.This was a sign of the conflict between her body and the divine soul. It was asymptom and not a deformity, so he believed it was okay to say. The secondreason was that right now he regarded Nanke as a patient. As a doctor, ofcourse he would be as forthright as possible; he truly had no bad intentions,nor did he realize that the phrase ''cross-eyed'' represented such a humiliationto this little girl. However, it was precisely these honest and sincere wordsthat seemed so trustworthy and believable which caused Nanke to boil with anger. Only when he saw Nanke''s strange green eyes and floating black hair did herealize that he had made a mistake. He hurriedly gestured and tried to explain,"Of course I exaggerated too much, your brow is only a little wider thannormal, and when the eyes are influenced by the divine soul, they will innatelybe drawn closer to the center, making it seem a little dull, but of coursethere is absolutely no problem with your intelligence." Worthy of being the Orthodox Academys honest and reliable little dandy, withthis explanation, he was better off with no explanation. Nanke''s expression was still as cold as ever, but her hair began to dancearound her while her breathing grew increasingly rough. There were several harsh shrieks. Without any warning, she lifted her right hand and pointed it at ChenChangsheng. Five rays of green light pierced through the air, hurtling towardsChen Changsheng''s stomach! Those five rays of light contained the source of her power, carrying the coldand ruthless divine soul which rested between her eyebrows, the incomparablypowerful and terrifying Peacock Plume! After last night''s violent battle, she had been severely lacking in trueessence. Like Xu Yourong, she had also lost a large amount of blood. In thissituation, for her to unsparingly utilize such an attack could only mean thatshe had truly gone crazy with anger. She no longer cared about any illness. Theonly thought in her mind was this to kill abominable human youth in front ofher. Although Nanke had yet to recover from her injuries, this sort of attack wasstill not something that Chen Changsheng could receive, let alone the fact thathe was even worse off than Nanke at the moment. It was a good thing that theBlack Dragon sleeping in the lake outside his Ethereal Palace was constantlyreleasing Black Frost Qi that assisted him in healing the wounds on hisinternal organs. Most importantly, the ice that fell from the lake helped himrecover some of his true essence. The true essence was still rather sparse, insufficient to do battle, however,it enabled him do something else. With a thought, the thin layer of ice overthe wasteland was ignited. Simultaneously, there was a burst of metal clashingsounds. The Yellow Paper Umbrella instantly appeared in his hands, showing offin the wind. Currently, around the quiet patch of reeds, there was not the slightest breathof wind. The wind that the umbrella welcomed naturally came from those fiveterrifying Peacock Plumes. With several terrifying successive bursts, the surrounding reeds were turnedinto a fine dust, scattering to the sky and the shore, seeming just like acloud of exploding snow. The five Peacock Plumes made no distinction between first and last. Theyviolently and simply exploded against the surface of the Yellow Paper Umbrella.Chen Changsheng had simply no way of standing straight. Using the last of histrue essence, he held onto the umbrella for dear life. His feet left the reedsas he was sent into the sky, flying several dozen zhang. At the termination ofthe arc, he heavily fell into that plain. Utilizing the Yellow Paper Umbrella, he was able to somewhat slow his speed ofdescent, however, his fall was still not light. As he fell in the water, heproduced a big splash. Just like the pools of reeds at its perimeter, underneath this boundless plainof weeds were countless concealed pools of water. The moment the chilly water struck his face, he felt as though he had collidedagainst a solid rock. This massive shock almost caused Chen Changsheng to vomitblood, but he managed to force it back down. He laboriously stood up from the water, unable to deal with his newly-openedwounds. Dragging his even heavier legs, he began to run forward. Being struck by Nanke''s tyrannical and terrifying Peacock Plumes and flyinginto the plains, this was something that he had already prepared for. Whetherit was the angle or position, there was not the slightest deviation. In otherwords, he had originally been prepared to escape into these plains. Althougheveryone knew that entering this enigmatic and dangerous plains meant thatthere was no going back, he had no choice but to enter. Because if he did not enter this plain, he would die. If he entered, he wouldbe able to survive for a while longer, even if it was only a few breaths more. The sky would occasionally rumble with a mournful shriek as Nanke''s terrifyingattacks persisted. He did not turn around to glance back at the shore. This had nothing to dowith something like ''true men don''t look back as the building collapses''. Heonly wanted to save time and escape as quickly as possible. The water in the plains was not deep, barely passing his waist. It was justthat walking through it was extremely difficult and exhausting. Even if hewanted to go faster, he could not do so.
292 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Four
As she stood on that patch of reeds and stared into the boundless plain,Nanke''s face did not divulge the slightest emotion. Her eyes were asindifferent, even dull, as was customary for her. Only that pair of tremblinghands hanging by the edge of her skirt indicated how weak she was, as well ashow angry Chen Changsheng''s successful escape had made her. In the space above the plain, dozens of white scars could still be seen. Thesewere the aftermath of those tyrannically powerful Peacock Plumes almost tearingthrough space. In such a short amount of time, she had actually successivelylaunched so many attacks against Chen Changsheng. It was no wonder that herface was so pale, given how much true essence she had expended. If this were a normal situation, Chen Changsheng, separated from her by onlyseveral dozen zhang, would have been turned into finely ground meat long ago.But within the most mysterious plains of the Garden of Zhou, there would surelybe some unpredictable peculiarities. It was very obvious that the empty spacein the area was warped. It was impossible to accurately link what was seen fromoutside the plain with the truth. Her attacks had not even been able to brushagainst Chen Changsheng''s sleeves. The wind blew across that sea of grass and those patches of reeds, making herhair even more disheveled, just like her mind. Her chest rose up and down, herbreathing very rough. Looking at her from behind, it was easy to see that shewas on the verge of exploding, or perhaps in the midst of calming down after anexplosion. The zither-playing old man had nothing to say, while the two maidsdid not even dare to make the slightest sound. "I want to go in." Nanke suddenly said, her childish face indicating that shewould brook no opposition. Of course, this was because she knew that this decision would absolutely bringabout protest, even if these were her most faithful subordinate and mostfearful servants. Just as expected, the old zither-player was greatly alarmed by her words andsaid without any hesitation, "Absolutely not." Nanke raised her brows and asked impatiently, "And why not?" The zither-playing old man turned his gaze to that seemingly delightfully lushand beautiful plain and replied somewhat nervously, "From the day the Garden ofZhou opened, no one has ever been able to emerge from those plains." Nanke impassively replied, "Those are other people, not me." The old man refused to back down and said, "Even Her Highness, in the face ofthese plains, is nothing special." Nanke held up her right hand, brushing at the black curtain in front of her.She stared at those faint life lamps as they leapt about the curtain as shesaid, "If we''re discussing knowledge of the Garden of Zhou, in this entirecontinent, no one surpasses my teacher. With Teacher''s assistance, I have themeans to exit from the plain." At these words, the old man was forced to ponder in silence for a moment. Thisplan of the demons involving the Garden of Zhou primarily relied upon BlackRobe''s understanding of the garden. Before this, who could have imagined thatthere existed another gate into the Garden of Zhou besides the main gate? Andwho would have thought Black Robe controlled that gate? As they followed thelife lamps to locate those youthful human geniuses that were their targets,they understood more and more about the arrangements that Black Robe had made,and the old zither-player''s reverence for him grew ever deeper, and the more hefelt that Black Robe was unpredictable. He found himself unable to refuteNanke''s words, and even began to somewhat believe in them. "Onlywhy must you enter the plains? Xu Yourong and the other three have allalready entered the plains, and it''s impossible for them to come out." "Xu Yourong is together with Chen Changsheng. This makes me feel uneasy. Don''tforget, one of them is the reincarnation of the Heavenly Phoenix, while theother went from not knowing how to cultivate to the upper level of EtherealOpening in only a year''s time. All of mankind regard their existence asmiracles. Who knows? Perhaps if they work together, they really might producesome sort of miracle. I want to go in so that if they really do manage toproduce a new miracle, I will be there to personally stamp it out." Nanke silently thought to herself, especially Chen Changsheng, he must die. Seeing how firm her resolution was, the zither-playing old man said no more.With a sigh, he took down the zither that he had just finished repairing thismorning and began to play a tune. As the song of the zither made its way into the plain, from within those weedswhich were higher than a man, a faint beeping sound could be heard, though whatproduced it was a mystery. This old man had originated from the Candle Shadow Shaman tribe and wasskilled in attacking and controlling spiritual beings. Up to a certain extent,the sound of his zither could even control, or at the very least send away,monsters of a low rank. Although it was impossible for it to have any effect onthose truly powerful monsters, it made walking through this plain much easier.Black Robe naturally had this in mind when he had arranged for him to enter theGarden of Zhou with Nanke. Much of Nanke''s confidence came from this, from her absolute faith in herteacher. She was also fearful of this vast and unfathomable plains, which iswhy in the very beginning, when she had been pursuing Xu Yourong, and even whenshe was confronting Chen Changsheng just now, she had always controlled heremotions. It was all because she did not want her human opponents to believethat they had been pushed to the brink and flee into the plains. However, now,Chen Changsheng had already carried Xu Yourong inside. The tune played by the zither was not only expelling those monsters, it wasalso a summoning. Not long after, with a set of heavy footsteps, Liu Wan''er andTeng Xiaoming with pot and pole arrived. Towards this Demon General couple,Nanke''s expression was clearly much more respectful. She slowly made clear tothem her resolution. The Demon General couple was silent for a while, then they used theircontinued silence to indicate their consent. Accompanied by the gentle tune ofthe zither and the soft parting of the water, the party of demon experts partedthe reeds and entered the plain. This boundless plain was no forest, but withregards to this pursuit and battle, with regards to the hunter and the hunted,they would be facing the same dangers. There were many legends about the vast and unfathomable plains, but bas nobodythat had entered this plain had ever lived to tell the tale, the legends werenaturally taken with a grain of salt. Moreover, the vast majority of thestories were simply too preposterousonly those that had actually walked intothose plains would actually know what lay within, just as how only when onepersonally tasted the pepper would one know that it was not poison and that thefeeling of burning afterwards was not actually fire. Carrying Qi Jian, Zhexiu had already walked through these plains for one dayand one night, but they still did not have a vivid picture of this place. Theyonly knew that in front of their eyes was grass, behind was grass, everywherewas grass. Only when day broke did they realize that the solid ground beneathwas gradually growing sparse and those pools of water under the grass weregradually growing more numerous, the soil likewise growing increasingly soft. The plains were gradually turning into a wetland. Walking through thisenvironment would become increasingly strenuous. Although there were not manymosquitoes, the number of monsters concealed in the grass increased copiously.Just as the morning sun completely illuminated the wetland, a group of monsterscould no longer resist the allure of a fresh-blooded meal. They ignored thepowerful aura exuded by Zhexiu and attacked them. For a moment, bits of grass were sent flying and the pools of water weredashed into countless golden leaves while the blood of monsters wascontinuously spilt. Only after several monster corpses were strewn across theground was that group of monsters finally compelled to turn tail. Zhexiu used his hand to cut down grass, gathering it into a heap atop the wetground. After helping Qi Jian sit down, he sat down cross-legged and began tomeditate and harmonize his breathing. From the beginning of this battle to theend, he had been the only one fighting. It was out of the question to say thatit had exhausted him, but the poison of the Peacock Plume being suppressedunder his eye by his true essence seemed to once again corrode his sea ofconsciousness, so he had to take care of it. Qi Jian leaned against the somewhat stiff grass, his face pale, as he lookedat the pitch-black corpse of a scaleless snake, larger than a house beam. His injuries were severe. Liang Xiaoxiao''s ambush by the lakeshore yesterdayhad been too fierce. Not only had he pierced through his abdomen, he had evenmore treacherously transmitted true essence through his sword and snapped twoof his extremely important meridians, while also leaving behind a wound uponhis internal organs that was far too difficult to heal. Although the bleedinghad lessened, it still continued to bleed. Having suffered such a severe injury, he could not even stand, let aloneengage in battle. He could only be carried by Zhexiu as he walked, only look onas Zhexiu staved off those terrifying monsters, fighting, shouting, silently,painfully. This fact made him feel very uncomfortable. He felt like a piece oftrash. Zhexiu was blind at the moment, and yet he still had to protect him. After who knows how long had passed, Zhexiu woke up. Without opening his eyes,he slowly shifted his body over to Qi Jian''s side. It was obvious that afterone day and one night, he had gotten used to the fact that he could not see. Hegrasped Qi Jian''s wrist and listened to the pulse, subsequently producing apill from his bosom and placing it in Qi Jians mouth. Because he could not see, when he was giving the medicine, his finger brushedagainst Qi Jian''s lips. Qi Jian''s lips were somewhat dry and there were even some cracks in the skincaused by thirst and dryness, but they still felt rather soft. This madeZhexiu''s figure stiffen, and he rather abruptly said, "Everything would be fineif Chen Changsheng was here." This was an attempt to make conversation, but Qi Jian didn''t understand andasked, "Why?" Only then did Zhexiu realize that Qi Jian did not care that Zhexius fingerhad brushed against his lips. After a pause, he replied, "His medical skillsare superb. Even if he couldn''t cure me of the poison within me, he would beable to heal your wound." Qi Jian was rather curious about the Orthodox Academy, but this was clearlynot the time for conversation. After giving his agreement, he said no more.Only by not speaking could he put all his time and energy into recovering hisstrength and true essence. Zhexiu understood his meaning and closed his eyes, returning to hismeditationonly this time he was sitting next to Qi Jian. Qi Jian only neededto open his eyes to see a profile of his face. Over the course of this journey, he had already slept for far too long, evento the extent that he had even forgotten to give Zhexiu directions. Of course,in this boundless plain in which forwards and backwards had no meaning, theretruly wasn''t a need for direction. Nevertheless, he had slept for far too long,so even though he was very weak, he did not want to rest and did not want toclose his eyes. He opened his clear and bright eyes and calmly gazed at Zhexiu''s profile. Whoknew what he was thinking, but the more he looked, the more entranced he became. Zhexiu was born with a very ordinary appearance, and there nothing surprisingabout his face. Besides indifference and a lack of emotions, there was nothingspecial about his face. He seemed just like a thin and weak human youth. Butwho could possibly imagine that his thin and weak body actually concealed aterrifying strength and an unimaginably tenacious will? Especially when hetransformed, he possessed a dread that far surpassed his cultivation.
293 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Five
The entire continent knew that as the last disciple of the Mount Li SwordSect''s Sect Master, Qi Jians cultivation was incredibly high despite hisyouth, and his thin and weak body similarly possessed a powerful strength. Butduring this entire journey, he had clearly realized that in terms of strengthof will and true battle prowess, he was far below this wolf youth. Within this generation of young cultivators, wolf youth Zhexiu''s name was veryfamous, not any weaker than that of the Divine State''s Seven Laws, and evensometimes overshadowing it in radiance. The reason why as proud a person asTang Thirty-Six had placed Zhexiu on par with Xu Yourong as someone that mighttruly surpass her was because he had lived in the snowy plains for so manyyears and directly confronted the demons. In those years when Zhexiu was very young, he still had not broken intoEthereal Opening, nor did he have the protection of any sect or teacher. Andyet under the cover of the wind and snow, he ceaselessly hunted down and killeddemons. That he had survived up to now was because of this fact, and this wassufficient to illustrate just how extraordinary he was. In the Mount Li SwordSect, Qi Jian would often discuss this matter with his seniors, but none ofthem could understand how he had lived for so long. Before Zhexiu appeared in the capital to participate in the Grand Examination,the common people thought of this wolf youth only as cold and good at killing.They believed that these were the most important reasons for why he had beenable to live up until now. Only after entering the Garden of Zhou and escapingalongside him did Qi Jian finally understand how Zhexiu had been able tosurvive in those snowy plains for so long. Because Zhexiu truly lived his lifelike a wolf. Within this world, there were countless powerful monsters, as well as mysticaland lofty beings like dragons. In describing the wolves that lived upon theplains, whether it was in terms of strength or blood, there was nothing specialabout them. However, wolves were the most patient of this world''s creatures,the most persistent, the most cautious, and the most sensitive to danger. Thewolf demi-human tribe possessed the blood of the wolf, so they naturallypossessed these characteristics as well. Zhexiu was a mix of human and wolf demi-human blood. He had been expelled fromhis clan as a child, and so had sadly lost the feared collective fighting powerof the wolf pack. Because of this, he had been forced to push his ability tofight alone to an unimaginable level. His instinct for danger had evensurpassed the calculations the priests of the Orthodoxy made with their FatedStar Plates. As he looked at Zhexiu''s face, Qi Jian''s emotions became increasingly seriousand uncomfortable. He thought to himself that if he did not need to save him,no matter how strong the Demon General couple were, he still probably wouldhave been able to find an opportunity to escape. There was no way he would bein his present predicament, blinded by the Peacock Plume and forced to enterthe plains of death. "I''m sorry..." He withdrew his gaze and looked at the front lapel on his shirtthat had been personally sewn by his master''s wife, then whispered, "It''s allbecause I''ve been such a burden on you." Zhexiu''s eyes were closed in meditation. It was like he was sleeping, as if hehad not heard those words. This made Qi Jian feel even more uncomfortable, and yet it also consoled himsomewhat, because he knew that Zhexiu had definitely heard it. Yet just as he thought Zhexiu would continue his silence, he suddenly heard avoice. "Since you understand this, remember to pay extra when we get out." It really did seem like Zhexiu was sleeping, like he did not say the wordshimself. It was just that the corners of his lips were slightly perked up likehe was smiling. For a battle in those dangerous snowy plains, an expressionless face served asthe best mask, so he rarely ever smiled, and there were few people that hadever seen his smiling face. There was no battle right now and he could not see anything, so not even heknew that he had begun to smile. Seeing his smile, Qi Jian was at a loss for words. He vigorously nodded hishead, made a small noise to signal his assent, then happily smiled as well. Only it was impossible for this smile to persist, because they were still inthe plains. As the sun rose higher and higher over the plains, their moodquickly grew downcast. The Garden of Zhou already had a history of several hundred years. At least adozen groups and countless human Ethereal Opening cultivators had come to thisplace. Enticed by the legacy of the continent''s supreme cultivator, urged on bythe legends of the Sword Pool, who knows how many cultivators had ventured intothese plains? And yet none of them had come out alive. Those previous cultivators were not necessarily weaker than Zhexiu in terms ofcultivation, strength, or will. After they had entered the plains, they had only encountered a few groups ofmonsters. It was very obvious that the true dangers of this plain had not yetrevealed themselves. However, they had already begun to notice many oddities.In these so-called Plains of the Unsetting Sun, the sun truly did not sinkbelow the horizon. When, according to the flowing water bottle, it was night,the sun would turn into a halo of light and slowly make its way around theperimeter of the plain. Moreover, the plains'' space was warped and there seemed to be some specialrules for moving within it, and yet even with careful examination, it had beenimpossible to grasp them. Adding on that green grass that stretched as far asthe eye could see, there was simply no such thing as direction in this place.Since there was no direction, it also naturally meant that there was no exit.Those people that entered this plain would seem to have walked amongst itforever, encountering increasingly numerous and increasingly stronger monsters,until the day finally came where their strength ran out and they died. The problem was compounded by the fact that it was difficult for him to movebecause of his severe injuries, and Zhexiu could not see anything. Just howlong would they be able to hold out? Qi Jian lowered his head to look at that round bloodstain on his abdomen andhis mood grew even more downcast. Depressed, he said, "I still don''t understandwhy." Zhexiu knew that what he did not understand was not the plains, but the humanheart. The disciples of the Inner Sect of the Mount Li Sword Sect were all extremelyclose to each other. Under the guidance of Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi, theywere like a family. Qi Jian, as the youngest of the Divine State''s Seven Laws,was even more cherished. Deep within his heart, he had also regarded hisseniors as if they were his elder brothers. And yet who could possibly imaginethat the Third Brother Liang Xiaoxiao, who looked after him the most back inMount Li Sword Sect, would actually pierce him so fiercely with his sword atthe lakeshore? Liang Xiaoxiao''s attack had thrust through his abdomen and snapped several ofhis meridians, but it had even more broken his heart. From yesterday until now,even when his mind was still in a daze from his injuries, he had always beenthinking about a question. He wanted to ask his Third Brother, just why did youdo all this? In that grass hut in the Mausoleum of Books, Zhexiu had personally seen howclose the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect were, and even how much thosepeople cherished and cared for Qi Jian. So he could understand Qi Jian''scurrent emotions, and clearly empathize with his frustration, confusion, anddiscomfort. But he did not know how to console Qi Jian. After a moment ofsilence, he said, "I don''t know why he wanted to kill you, nor do I understandthe relationship between you and your fellow disciples, because from theearliest moment I could remember, I was alone. I don''t think everything in theworld requires a reason; I care more about the result. So you must remember, hewanted to kill you, which means that he is your enemy. He is no longer yoursenior." Zhexiu was famous and his story had been discussed all across the continent.Many people knew that he was a mix of human and wolf demi-human and that he wasexpelled from his tribe as a child. They knew that he had lived a hard andlonely life in the snowy plains. Qi Jian lifted his head up to him and suddenlyfelt that his figure seemed rather lonely and very pitiful. For a moment, heforgot his own troubles and was filled with sympathy and pity for this wolfyouth. He subconsciously reached out his hand and grabbed Zhexiu''s sleeve. Qi Jian didn''t know why he had done this. He said, "It''s different now." Zhexiu tilted his head slightly, with his eyes closed as he asked, "And what''sdifferent?" Qi Jian thought to himself, right now I''m sitting next to you, so you''re notalone anymore. But because of shame and nerves he couldn''t say it, so insteadhe said, "Because...you''ve entered the Orthodox Academy?" Zhexiu thought to himself, that black bear truly had invited me to enter theOrthodox Academy, but I didn''t respond. The reason he had journeyed from the distant snowy plains, come to thecapital, and attended the Grand Examination was because he had heard that ChenChangsheng had solved Luoluo''s problem of a demi-human attempting to cultivatewith human methods. The problem had some overlap with his problem. As he grewolder and his cultivation got higher, his blood would grow stronger and theTide Rush of Blood would continue to increase in frequency. At any time hecould die, so he needed Chen Changsheng to help cure his illness so that hecould continue to live. If Chen Changsheng really could treat his illness, he would naturally leavethe capital and return to the plains. But those were all matters for thefuture. Right now in front of Qi Jian, he didn''t say that now that they weretrapped in these Plains of the Unsetting Sun, it was highly possible that therewould be no future. Why make this heavily wounded fellow even moreuncomfortable? So he said, "The Orthodox Academy right, it''s just that littleprinceling called Tang is a little annoying, so I haven''t decided yet." "Yeah, I also think Tang Tang is very annoying, but Chen Changsheng isn''t bad.Now that I mention it, in the guest courtyard of the Li Palace, we wouldsometimes discuss howif not for that engagementmaybe our Mount Li Sword Sectcould get along with your Orthodox Academy. We could be friends with ChenChangsheng, and you you could be friends with me." Qi Jian softly said this as he looked at Zhexiu''s face, his voice gettinglower and lower. Yet the sun above the plain continued to rise higher andhigher, and the air gradually began to grow warm. The pools of water began toemanate more steam, making the atmosphere stuffy. Qi Jian''s hands began tosweat, because of anxiety or something else, and then the medicine began totake effect. He began to feel dizzy and drowsy. His mind was dazed and his vision blurred, but he suddenly saw that Zhexiu hadsuddenly gotten closer and grabbed his hands. He did not know what Zhexiuplanned to do, but he subconsciously felt nervous and even a little fearful.Yet for some reason, he did not have the slightest thought of resisting. Zhexiu was prepared to take advantage of the medicine''s effect to spreadmedicine over Qi Jian''s wound. Because his two eyes could not see, he couldonly use his hands to feel. His two steady hands made their way up Qi Jian''sarms, arriving at his shoulders. Then he made his way down to the abdomen, hishands separated by an inch from Qi Jian''s body, not touching it at all. Thenthey went below the abdomen and rested upon Qi Jian''s belt. The apparel of the Mount Li Sword Sect was very concise, even simple. The belthad no complicated design upon it, but the buckle was very sturdy. Under Zhexiu''s steady hands, an even sturdier buckle would not have lasted anylonger. In a flash, the belt had been unbuckled and the clothes were raised. Qi Jian was extremely nervous, but his mind was still in a daze. With thedrowsiness brought on by the medicine, he lacked even the strength to shout.His body began to slightly tremble. Zhexiu opened his lapel, revealing the pure white skin to the azure sky of theGarden of Zhou. He could not see it, but he could feel it. Qi Jian''s body trembled out of shame, anxiety, and anger. His hands also began to tremble, as he had surprisingly felt that the truthhad come to light. Qi Jian was shamed beyond belief. He tightly closed his eyes, his eyelashesincessantly winking as he wished with all his might that he would not fallunconsciousness like this.
294 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Six
After who knows how long had passed, she woke up. When she awoke, she realized that her clothes had already been put back, herbelt fastened once more. The clothes were cleaned up extremely well, with noteven a speck of grass on them. There was not even any evidence of last night''sescape upon them. She could clearly feel bandages underneath her clothes, andshe did not know how the wound had been treated, but the pain had been greatlyalleviated. She even felt that she could perform some small movements. She opened her eyes wide, looking at her bosom, and felt where the bandageswere applied. As she imagined the scene that had occurred previously, herexpression became somewhat blank. After a while, she began to strenuously look around, looking for Zhexiu''sfigure. Zhexiu was squatting at the edge of the grass, the place on this piece ofsolid ground that was the farthest from her. The hem of his clothes had beentorn up, causing his two legs to stick out. His posture was rather ugly, makinghim seem just like a dog. The torn off hem of his clothes had probably become the bandages wrappedaround her abdomen. She once again looked at her bosom, and for some reason, she felt extremelywronged. She thought to herself, "How could you take off someone''s clotheswithout even asking permission first?" It was actually truly amazing. Once she no longer needed to conceal hergender, she seemingly began to think like a young lady. For instance, whenreferring to herself, she used "someone" instead of "I", only it had not become"this one" right away. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt, especially sinceZhexiu had not turned around from beginning to end. This made her extremelyuncomfortable and then she began to cry. Squatting by the edge of the grass and hearing her cry, Zhexiu''s back began totremble. After a while, he realized why the crying had not stopped. Following thesound, he sat down in front of her and said as soothingly as he could, "Don''tcry anymore." Qi Jian temporarily stopped crying, her small face covered in tears. Zhexiu paused, then added on, "...or else it will attract more monsters,which is very troublesome." This was what it meant to have nothing to say but still finding something tosay. Whether adult or youth, in general, men never understood that, in a situationwhere they had nothing to say but still insisted on saying something, it wasthe same as turning nothing into something, and also the equivalent of courtingan early death. Qi Jian stared blankly at him, and then began to cry once more. She made sureto not make any sound, which had her seem even more pitiful. Zhexiu silently pondered on what to do, then explained, "You know that I can''tsee anything right now, so..." Without even waiting for him to finish, Qi Jian began to cry even moregrievously. She thought with deep discomfort, although you didn''t see, thisone''s entire body was touched all over by you, so are you saying you won''tadmit it? Could it be that you aren''t taking responsibility? Zhexiu felt his head hurt very much. He had lived for more than ten years, andwho knew how many terrifying monsters and demons he had encountered on thesnowy plains. He had been through countless life-and-death situations, but hehad never encountered such a situation. He thought to himself, what to do? Ifshe continues to cry like this, what will I do if it affects the wound? Hearing Qi Jian''s sobbing, he was rather restless, and also somewhat confused.He thought to himself, as the last disciple of Mount Li''s sect master, yourcultivation is so high. At such a young age, you''re already at the middle levelof Ethereal Opening. Your swordplay is so strong that perhaps even Guan Feibaiisn''t even your match. Your skills in comprehension are great, such that at theMausoleum of Books, you directly read up to the third monolith. No matter howone looks at it, you''re extraordinary, so how is it that against allexpectations you would cry? He did not know how to solve this, so he just silently sat to the side. Littledid he know that his response happened to luckily coincide with a famous maximon man-woman interactions. The problems of a woman''s mood could only ever be solved by the passage oftime. In many cases, they simply felt aggrieved and sad and want to cry, so itwas for the best to just let them cry. Accompanying them involved offering ahandkerchief when necessary or proffering a shoulder when needed, but itcertainly did not require sitting on the side with an incessant stream ofconsoling words. When they still did not calm down and did not feel liketalking, anything you did was just making more trouble. As expected, the crying finally died down. Like a startled bird, Qi Jianlowered her head, and asked a little ashamedly, "You did you already know?" This question had two meanings and it was exceptionally difficult to answerifhe had known beforehand, then all those times where their bodies touchedafterwards, especially that scene which had just occurred, would incur an evenmore negative interpretation. Fortunately, Zhexiu was not very good with words,so he maintained his silencesilence had many meanings, so Qi Jian could pickthe explanation that made her feel the most comfortable. In truth, Zhexiu really did not know. Over the course of their escape, there were a few times, especially when hewas carrying her over the mountains and listening to her soft interjections,that he had thought this way, but these were just passing fancies that he didnot dwell on much. This was because it was impossible for him to imagine thatthe last disciple of Mount Li''s Sect Master, the most cherished junior of theDivine State''s Seven Laws, the young genius who entered the Proclamation ofAzure Sky at a mere twelve years old was actually a girl. He recalled the scene on the first day in the grass hut back at the Mausoleumof Books, but this time there was naturally a completely different explanationfor it. Back then, it was the seven of them living under the same roof. Zhexiu,Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six stayed in the inner room while the fourdisciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect stayed in the outer room. Every day whenthey slept, Gou Hanshi, Guan Feibai, and Liang Banhu squeezed together while QiJian had a space for herself. Crucially, Qi Jian had a blanket for herself. Atthe time, Zhexiu and Chen Changsheng felt that Gou Hanshi and the rest pamperedQi Jian too much, or that the last disciple of the Sect Master must have hadsome special status. But now he understood that this was a division between menand women. What should be done next? Zhexiu was silent while Qi Jian did not know what tosay. An awkward atmosphere lingered between this young man and young lady. Just at this moment, a rumble came from deep within the plains, closelyfollowed by a thunderous roar. Zhexiu''s expression subtly changed as heinclined his ear to listen, confirming that it was some sort of extremelypowerful and terrifying monster. He decided that it was not something he couldhandle, so he took out a powder that would eradicate their scent and scatteredit all around them, then just like he had done every other day and night, hewent up to Qi Jian then turned around and squatted down. Over the course of that one day and night, they had repeated this sequencemany times. Logically, they should have been very proficient at this, butperhaps because he had learned Qi Jian was a girl, Zhexiu''s movements weresomewhat stiff, the two hands that were thrust back were rather rigid. Heseemed just like a duck that was just about to get cooked. Seeing this picture, Qi Jian''s tears broke into a smile. She lightly pattedhis back, indicating that he needed to squat a little lower. Then she slowlygot on, her two hands very naturally wrapping around his neck. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, but Zhexiu felt that the feelingfrom his back was much softer than usual. A dozen li away, the ground under the grass was constantly bulging andthunderous and terrifying roars came out of it as some strange animal wasswiftly advancing forwards. The sun was blazing hot, and its rays penetratedthrough the grass into those pools of water, revealing the figures of countlessmonsters. It was like a tide, chasing after the two of them. It was anextremely breathtaking sight. At the front of this monster tide, Zhexiu and Qi Jian faced the ever-risingand ever-brightening sun, wading through the water all the way. She was stillhis eyes, and he was still her legs. "Which direction should we go?" "In the southwest, there seems to be a big meadow. The ground seems to behigher there, so why don''t we go and see? That sound seems to be coming fromthe east, so you might have go a bit faster." This conversation''s end was followed by a long period of silence, only brokenby the sound of feet breaking through the water and splashing it around as thegrass gradually grew higher. After who knows how long had passed, Qi Jian whispered, "Were you reallysurprised?" After a moment of silence, Zhexiu replied, "Yes." She drew closer to his neck, leaned against his shoulders, smelled thefamiliar scent, and then whispered once more, "What are you thinking?" Zhexiu did not answer, because he did not know how to answer. Thinking?Thinking about what? About how my fingertips on your slightly shaking bodyalmost slipped once? No, at the moment, that wolf youth''s mind was completelyblank. He was not thinking about anything. She thought to herself did silence mean he''s unhappy? After a while, shewhispered even more softly, and rather nervously, "Then do you think it wasbetter for me to be a boy or a girl?" There was no evil motive behind the question, and it went straight to thepoint. Zhexiu thought to himself, since yesterday all you did was ''mm'' and ''ah'' whiletightly holding onto me all the way. If you were a man, then it truly wouldnthave been very becoming. Thus, he said, "A girl is better." Qi Jian felt slightly ashamed, and whispered as softly as a mosquito, "It''salways a good thing when women are together, this must be what you mean." Zhexiu thought to himself, just because it''s worse than usual, your conduct isno longer as impressive as it was before, how come? In this continent, there was a folktale, a story about how a boar demi-humancarried his wife on his back. Yes, whether it was a story or fact, in the vast majority of cases, it shouldalways be the man carrying the woman. It was very hard to imagine the opposite. So in this vast and boundless plain, Zhexiu carried the young girl Qi Jian onhis back. On the other end of the plains, Chen Changsheng was also carrying agirl on his back. He had waded through the plains for a long time, and yet he was still in thewetland. The blazing sun illuminated the reeds within the water as well as manyunnamed grasses, as if it wanted to turn all plant life into gold and silvercarvings. Yet he did not sweat a single drop as his body continued to emit thatcold qi, dispersing the scorching heat and resisting the sunlight. Her eyes closed, Xu Yourong leaned against his back, her eyelashes unblinking,and occasionally she would purse her lips. It seemed that with Chen Changshengthere to serve as a natural pot of cold water, she was sleeping very soundly. Up until now, there had also been no sign of Nanke''s pursuit. Chen Changshengthought to himself that even the demons would not be willing to adventure intothese plains. They had most likely given up, which made him feel somewhat moreat ease. As his mind relaxed, his wounds and exhaustion suddenly struck himlike a rushing tide. Like sludge, they trapped his two legs, imbuing him withthe desire to not take another step forward. Around him was nothing but grass and wetland with no place to sit down andrest. Chen Changsheng gazed at the grass that was taller than a man as he wasforced to continue walking with Xu Yourong on his back. Only this time, he wasno longer walking forward, but in a circle, stamping down the reeds and grassall around him. Gradually, a piece of flat ground formed from crushed grasstook shape before his eyes. Under the cover of the surrounding reeds and grass, it was very difficult forpeople outside to see within, but if there was someone that flew up into thesky and looked down, they would see a little circle about a zhang wide made ofgrass. Her arms wrapped around her legs, Xu Yourong lay on that pile of crushedgrass. She seemed very weak and pitiful, like a newly-conceived child.
295 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Seven
In the early morning, he had woken up in the cave, and the first thing he sawwas that bloody and horrifying sight, closely followed by an escape, and thenyet another escape. Although they had carried out a few short and simpleconversations, in reality, this was the first time Chen Changsheng had the timeto closely examine this white-clothed girl''s appearance. Perhaps because of thepoison or some other reason, this girl''s cheeks were somewhat swollen, and yeteven this was incapable of obscuring the elegance of her appearance. But evenwithout this swelling, this was only elegance and nothing morefor an ordinarygirl, elegance was an excellent descriptor, but since this girl was an elf,elegance indicated only that she was very average. Like an infant, she hugged her two legs and lied on the grass, on her side.Her long eyelashes were unblinking as though she was in a deep and unwakingsleep, but Chen Changsheng remembered her eyes, remembered the deep impressionleft upon him by those two eyes in the cave. His eyes were incredibly clear,such that Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six had once said that you could even see aperson''s reflection in them. Her eyes were also very clear, but different fromhis. Her eyes were like the clear autumn waters, not like the waters of the lake,but an even fainter and clearer color. Imagine a celadon bowl calmly sitting under the eaves. A fresh spring rainfalls upon the world. The rain travels along the eaves and falls down, dripdrop, drip drop, gradually transforming into a song. Not too long after, thespring rain slowly fades away and the sunlight shines brightly and beautifullyonce more. The bowl sitting under the eaves is the same as ever, except nowthere is a bit of water in it. This water is colorless, and yet it seems to beimbued with the spirit of spring. It has no flavor, and yet it seems to havebeen mixed with fresh tea. Yes, it was like the water in the celadon bowl, clear and light, but not weak. As he gazed at this sleeping girl, Chen Changsheng wanted her to open her eyesso that he could once again see the water that was like fresh rain over thebare mountains. Next, he thought of how when they first met in the cave, he had noticed thatthe limbal rings of her eyes seemed to have been suffused with a strange greenflameif his guess was correct, that was most likely Nanke''s poison. The poisonof the Peacock Plume was incredibly toxic and incredibly hard to remove. It wasno wonder that the elf, who was so close to nature and well-versed in whichplants could serve as antidotes, had actually been so weakened by this poison. Chen Changsheng placed his hand on her wrist to feel her pulse and realizedthat her meridians were empty. Not even the slightest drop of true essenceflowed through them. Even more frightening was that she had clearly lost toomuch Qi and blood. Her pulse was soft and weak. If this situation persisted,then it was highly likely that she would quietly die in her sleep. This realization made him very nervous, so he hurriedly tried to think of away to stop it. It was just that all of the medicine and food that he hadcarried with him had all been thrown away as weapons in his battle yesterday.He thought deep and hard, sending his spiritual sense into the sheath. Aftersilently searching for a long time, he finally found a box in that seeminglyempty space. It was the very last box, and it was very heavy. The moment it appeared on thepile of flattened grass, it caused the ground to sink into the water somewhat. Opening the box, countless bright and eye-catching golden leaves, as well as abox half-full of crystals, appeared before his eyes. On the very top was a thinbooklet. Within that booklet were the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style. This had been the most direct and most extravagant of the gifts Luoluo hadgiven to pay respects to her teacher. If the golden leaves and crystals in the box were used to buy a property, heprobably could have bought the entire Hundred Flowers Lane very easily. If he were to destroy the book of secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style, evenQiushan Jun would come to pay him respects out of gratitude. But within these dangerous plains, the golden leaves and the secrets of theMount Li Sword Style had no use. He pushed the golden leaves to the side, putback the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style, then took out all the crystals inthe box. He piled them all up by her side and he walked over to the edge of thepile of flattened grass and stared blankly into the shallow water. What he wasthinking, what he wanted to do, no one could tell. After a while, his right hand pierced into the water. It was just that his breathing and pulse were already extremely slow, so hisactions were also naturally much slower. The movements of his hand could notmeet the expectations of his mind. There was a tiny splash of water, but hishand landed on nothing. Just as he was feeling helpless, he suddenly realized that the water aroundhis arm had formed a thin layer of ice. In the next moment, he took his hand out of the water. In his fingers, hetightly held a plump water snake. This water snake did not put up the slighteststruggle. It was obvious that it had been frozen stiff. Right now, he did not even have the ability to catch a water snake, but thecold Qi being emitted by his body could help him do some things. He slowly made his way back to her side, then took out his dagger and choppedthe head of the water snake off. He brought its headless body over to her lipsand began to pour its blood into her mouth. Right now, she was not even conscious, so naturally she could not swallow.Inevitably, some of the snake blood flowed out of her lips, creating a ratherbloody scene. After a while, the water snake''s blood ran dry. He placed the body of thesnake on the side and looked at the girl''s face. He took a handkerchief fromhis sleeve and began to carefully clean her face. Even at this time, he still adhered to his everyday lifestyle. The blood of the water snake contained a lot of heat energy, making it themost suitable for enriching one''s blood. Adding on that incomparably luxuriouspile of crystals by her side, and Chen Changsheng knew that this would at thevery least keep her from dying in her sleep. Only now did Chen Changsheng finally sigh in relief. He sat by her side,gazing at the impenetrable grass surrounding them, and truly began to stareblankly. Without any medicine, it was impossible for him to directly enrich her bloodand it was very difficult to cure her. Moreover, his own situation was alsovery terrible. The Black Dragon was sleeping in the lake outside his Ethereal Palace,emitting the coldness of Black Frost, continuously mending the wounds of hisinternal organs. But this was just treating the symptoms. Right now, he was very weak, his breathing and heart beat were extremely slow.His situation was very similar to that of a cold-blooded animal shiveringbefore the advent of winter. This signified that he was about to enter hibernation. The method the Black Dragon used to save him was exactly thathibernation. Hibernation was sleep. Right now, what he required most was sleep, to sleep for a long time, to sleepuntil the sky and earth went dark, until the end of time. But he could not sleep. Because she was still asleep, so he must stay awake. This feeling was extremely painful. Wanting to sleep, but being unable to; how beautiful was this sight? It servedas the most effective of punishments. One could imagine how unbearable it was.In order to prevent his heavy eyelids from closing, Chen Changsheng made allsorts of efforts and attempts. He slapped his face, washed his face, and evenattempted to gather his spirit. At the end, only when his spiritual senserested on the black stone did he instantly and truly wake up. The black stone was placed together with Wang Zhice''s notebook in a veryremote corner of his little world. If not carefully searched for, it was veryeasy to miss. Perhaps because of this reason, or perhaps because even at thepoint of death, he instinctively felt it was too precious. Yesterday, he hadnot thrown out this black stone and the notebook along with the rest of theitems in his bid to escape from the entrapment of those two wings of light. When he journeyed from Xining village to the capital, returning the marriagecontract had never been very important. For him, what was important was theGrand Examination, because only through the examination would he be allowed tomeditate in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist for one night. For this reason, hehad put forth an unimaginable amount of time and effort, eventually reachingthat seemingly inconceivable goal. In comparison to the price he had paid, hisgains from the Pavilion of Ascending Mist were rather pitiful. He had notdirectly found the secret to defy the heavens and change fate. All he hadgotten was the black stone and the notebook. So of course he would place great importance on this black stone and notebook,as he hoped that he would obtain even more things from them. In fact, thisseemed to be the case. In the Mausoleum of Books on that night when he wasviewing the monoliths, they floated in his sea of consciousness, and yet, nomatter how he moved them around, they had been unable to form that piece ofstarry sky. At that time, the black stone played an extremely important role,allowing him to break into the upper level of Ethereal Opening in one move.Then what about the notebook? The positions are relative. This was the sentence Wang Zhice used to open thisbook, and also the sentence which had left the deepest impression on him. He gazed at the dense and green foliage of that impenetrable plain, silentlycomprehending the words. He didn''t have any realizations, but he suddenlydiscovered that yesterday, when he and Zhexiu leapt from that clifftop intothat cold pool, they had emerged on the surface of the lake in the end. When hewas attempting to escape the pursuit of Nanke''s two maids and sank down to thelake bottom, when he had returned to the other side, he had been sent soaringinto the night sky in the end position was relative, and it was also opposite? Could it be that the world of the Garden of Zhou was not a flat surface, buttwo opposite surfaces combined together? With that cliff at the uppermostreaches of that river serving as the boundary, those scenic lakes and mountainswere one world, while the mountains, rivers, and the plain was another,opposite world. The path between those two worlds, was it that cold pool aswell as the pond that was some ten li away from Sunset Valley? Chen Changsheng silently calculated the extent of this world, but soon after,he thought about why he and Zhexiu had gone over to the world on the otherside, and then about how he had come back to the Garden of Zhou''s main worldin both cases, it was because of the strand of sword intent. Initially, theyhad gone in pursuit of the sword intent, but the sword intent was what hadbrought him out in the end. Last night in the depths of the lake, just as he was about to die, in thatfinal moment, he had noticed a strange change. How could he forget it? He lowered his head to look at the metal ball in his hands, lightly strokingit in thought. With a slight movement of spiritual sense and a dense collection of metalrubbing and crashing sounds, the Yellow Paper Umbrella suddenly appeared in hishands. After silently giving it some thought, he stood up and then thrust theumbrella forward. The Yellow Paper Umbrella gave no response. He turned his body, slowly moving the umbrella through the air and stirring upa light breeze. When the umbrella pointed at a direction that he guessed to be the southwest,it suddenly stopped. It was not because he had made the umbrella stop, rather the umbrella did notwant to move anymore. The wind on that pile of grass suddenly disappearedwithout a trace. A light and yet very clear shaking moved from the canopy to the spine to thehandle of the umbrella, and then to his hand, ultimately transmitting over tohis heart. A strand of sword intent had appeared somewhere far away in that direction. The sword intent was very elusive, just like the sword intent he had sensed atthe cold pool yesterday. However, it was much more intense this time, makinghim instinctively feel reverential towards it. This sword intent made no sound. It seemed to have been in that place forcountless years, but its appearance was in itself a sort of summoning. Chen Changsheng thought about how this Yellow Paper Umbrella had violentlycarried him along in its rush last night and mumbled to himself, "Was thissword intent looking for you?"
296 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Eigh
There was not a single moment in which the space within the plains was notincessantly changing. Other than the monsters that lived within them,intelligent beings that came from the outside would find it very hard tounderstand the rules that governed these changes. As the old saying went: therecannot be an exit without an entrance. Just as Chen Changsheng was stressingover exactly this, the Yellow Paper Umbrella suddenly pointed in a certaindirectionperhaps it was not the best choice, much less the correct one, but itwas a path nonetheless. That would always be much better than aimlesslywandering without a destination. It was just like a difficult homeworkquestion. No matter how bitterly you racked your brains over it, it stillremained unsolved. Suddenly, a classmate of yours gives you an answer. You haveno idea of whether he''s deceiving you or consoling you, but besides writingthis answer upon your paper, what other choice did you have? Notwithstandingthe fact that the strand of sword intent truly did exist, for what reason wouldthe Yellow Paper Umbrella hold enmity to him and send him to an early grave? Chen Changsheng finally decided upon the direction he would walk. Although hisbody was still weak and drowsiness wrapped around his body like a snake, hismind had been appeased. He sat down by Xu Yourong, leaning against that pile ofcrystals. He staved off the onset of somnolence as he stared into her eyes,waiting for her to wake up. After who knows how long had passed, Xu Yourong''s eyelashes fluttered and sheroused from her sleep. The two transparent pools of water formed by fresh rainover the bare mountains once again rested on Chen Changsheng''s eyes, renderinghim speechless. Exactly as it had been in the cave when he had woken up, theywere so very close to each other, staring into each others eyes. However, hereyes had no panic, no shyness, no wariness, much less fear now. There was onlycalmness. Her eyes were extraordinarily clear, free of dust and sophistication. Theywere like the eyes of a newly born infant. On the other hand, the ocularserenity also seemed to allude to having beheld the red dust of the mortalworld, to have experienced all worldly things. They seemed like the eyes of anelderly man watching the rain. But these two feelings were not in conflict.When mixed together, they engendered a profound and indescribable charm. Perhaps because he was too tired, or maybe because her eyes were tooenchanting, but Chen Changsheng did not avert his gaze. Lying on a pile of grass, separated by not even a foot, a young man and ayoung lady calmly stared into each other''s eyes. However, they could not look into each other''s eyes forever. Interestingly,the first one to turn away out of shame, or perhaps nerves, was Chen Changsheng. He somewhat uncomfortably shifted his gaze, flitting his eyes towards thegrass not too far away, and said, "You''re awake?" Of course she was awake. He was merely finding something to say in order tospark conversation. Just like Zhexiu at the other end of the plains, ChenChangsheng was also rather unskilled at the art of interaction, especially withmembers of the opposite sex. However, these words truly possessed anothermeaning. Xu Yourong softly acknowledged that she was awake. Chen Changsheng replied, "Let''s switch places then." Xu Yourong slightly raised her brows. "Hm?" Chen Changsheng said, "Youve slept for a long time, so now it''s my turn." When he regained consciousness in the cave, he knew that the girl had savedhim. Soon after, she had left him with a few words before sinking into a deepsleep. This had placed immense pressure on him, as if both of their worlds hadbeen placed on his shoulders. Only now when he confirmed that she was trulyawake did he finally relax. Once he gave their two worlds worth of burdens to the awake her, he wouldfinally be able to rest. As soon as he thought of this, exhaustion swept overhim like a tide, submerging him from head to toe, filling in every pore,sinking into his muscles and bones, and even his spiritual world. Not waitingfor any response from Xu Yourong, he closed his eyes and began to sleep.Perhaps he went as far as to have fainted. Just like Chen Changsheng in the cave, Xu Yourong was caught completelyoff-guard. After staring vacantly at him for a while, she finally broke out ofher stupor. With the flattened grass as support, she laboriously sat herselfup. Only then did she notice the pile of precious crystals by her side. As sheswept her gaze across her surroundings, she realized that she was in theplains. This made her silent for a very long time. In the end, she had still been forced into these plains. Then was there stilla possibility of getting out? Relying upon her illustrious Dao heart, she expelled these disorderly thoughtsfrom her sea of consciousness and entered into Meditative Introspection. Sherealized that although her vision was clearer than it had been this morning,Nanke''s poison still remained within her body, continuously corroding her bodyand sea of consciousness. However, the biggest problem was that her bloodlinewere almost drained. It was not that she was severely lacking in true essence, although this wasalso the case, but that she was almost out of blood. Blood was the basis of all life. Without blood, there was no life. In reality,based on the injuries she had incurred this morning, she should have still beenin the grips of unconsciousness and not awakeher body would require more bloodto be awake and move around. Since she had awoken, it indicated that hersituation had taken a turn for the better. She saw the remnants of the snake corpse on the grass, and then muttered toherself. She could tentatively guess at what had happened, her gaze at ChenChangseng turning soft. Fellow human cultivators being chased by demonsproviding each other supportthis was as it should be. Chen Changsheng hadalready proved through his actions that he was not someone who would abandonhis companion, so of course she would have to do her part. She lightly placedher right hand on his pulse. Chen Changshengs pulse was mysteriously slow, more than three times slowerthan that of the average person, and yet its beat was very steady. Although itseemed somewhat weak and disorderly, it gave a completely different feelingfrom the pulse of a person at their deathbed. Back then, in the early morning, when they were on the patch of reeds, she hadtaken his pulse and even made some calculations with her Fated Star Plate. Ithad been clear that this person was not to live long, so why was he stillalive? She pondered this and decided that it had something to do with the pureyin coldness in his body. She gazed at Chen Changsheng and silently thought toherself, the continent really does have hidden dragons and crouching tigers.Even the Snow Mountain Sect, whose glory days are long behind it, could not beunderestimated. Just as she turned her gaze, the grass began to resound with snoring. Becauseof his heavy injuries and how long he had carried her, and also because he hadresisted the Black Dragon''s hibernation, Chen Changsheng had long ago beencompletely exhausted. Now that he could finally relax, he had entered anincomparably sweet and sound sleep. Let alone his thunderous snoring, even ifthere was actual thunder, it would still be impossible for him to wake up. From time to time, the soundly sleeping Chen Changsheng would smack his lips,as if he was eating something tasty in his dreams. Occasionally, he would alsoball up his fists and stamp his legs, making him seem like a little baby. XuYourong could not help but smile at this scene. However, at this moment, the sound of a zither came from deep within theplains. Xu Yourong''s expression did not change, but a hint of caution appeared in hereyes. She could not forget that the old zither-player was an elder of the CandleShadow Shaman Tribe, and what the shaman tribe was most skilled at wasmanipulating poisons and monsters. Furthermore,the space within the Plains ofthe Unsetting Sun was warped. She had only been awake for a few moments, butthat was all the time needed for her to understand this mystery. Even so, noteven warped space could block sound, and, moreover, the monsters hidden withinthe plains most definitely had some means of moving freely through the plains. Her eyes, shimmering like mountain dew, rested upon the water, growing coldonce the calm surface began to ripple. The shallow ripples seemed likecountless insects crawling along the surface of the water as they fanned out inall directions, but there was, in truth, nothing. They were merely theaftermath of commotion from either afar or deep underground.. A strand of condensed spiritual sense followed her sight and was sent into thedistance, sweeping through the dense grass and the thick mud beneath. Perception had always involved both sides, thus the beings hidden deep withinthe grass and the ooze clearly sensed her Qi. It was a Qi from ancient times, grand and noble beyond comparison. Restless noises arose from far off in the plains, followed by countlessrustling sounds. The sources of some of the underground vibrations were alsoquietly retreating. Xu Yourong''s Qi had in some compacted form been sent allaround the plains. Many of the monsters who had been stimulated by the zitherinto hunting for prey had, one by one, made their escape, but there werenumerous monsters who did not change their direction. Xu Yourong''s Qi was, without question, a most noble and powerful Qi, but inher weakened situation, for these monsters, it was also the most delectable. If at this moment there was someone up in the sky that could look down on theplains, they would see that the grass within the surrounding few dozen licontained the figures of countless monsters. Like a tide, they slowly encircledthe place where she and Chen Changsheng were located. And even more chillingwas the fact that, despite all these monsters roving about, none of them made asound. With a gentle breeze, a pair of snow-white wings appeared behind her back. While she was sleeping, she had recovered some of her true essence andregained some blood, but now she used them all up without hesitation. She turned to Chen Changsheng, preparing to extend her hand and grab his belt,but she stopped halfway for some reason. This circle of several dozen li had already been turned into a battlefield bythose countless monsters, but the true danger had yet to rear its head. It layoutside the battlefield, at an even farther place. The dense grass of the plains cast a dark shadows on the water. The shadowsconcealed several hundred demon vultures. Those demon vultures were covered with gray feathers, and their black beakswere even sharper than the average sword. Even more frightening were the gazes of these demon vultures, cold andmerciless, sharp to the extreme. Whether it was a sword or their pointed beaks,neither of them could compare to their gazes. This species of monster was highly intelligent, its attacks extremely strange,and its flying speed extremely fast. In the outside world, they dwelled in themountains of the northeast. One demon vulture alone could slay the averageMeditation cultivator. Thankfully, the demon vultures were extremely rare onthe Eastern Continent. However, who could have imagined that there would be somany of them in the Garden of Zhou? There were several hundred demon vultures present, but not a single one movedits wings. All of them stared out into the plains at a particular place, theireyes cruel and thirsty for blood, and their demeanor terrifyingly calm. From an even farther place came the faint sound of the zither. Amongst thereeds, the grey silhouettes of the vultures seemed sinister beyond compare. Xu Yourong turned her body, gazing far off into the distance. She did not know what dangers were concealed out there, nor did she take outher Fated Star Plate, but she knew that taking to the air was not a goodchoice. She was still severely injured and was incapable of exhibiting herfastest speed, nor could she properly orient herself in this plain. If shechose to fly, there was a high possibility of dying. The azure sky above the plains seemed vast and limitless, as if she couldfreely stretch her wings. In reality and on the contrary, it was exceptionallydangerous.
297 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Nine
Xu Yourong sat back down and took out the Tong Bow and the Wu Arrows, and thenlowered her head in silence. Chen Changsheng slept behind her while countless crystals encircled her. Time slowly flowed by. The monsters hidden in the grass were slow at theonset, their inborn fear towards her Qi deterring them. The faint tune of the zither did not grow more frantic, and it did not urgethem on. Instead, it grew even calmer, as if placating these monsters. It soothed the hearts and souls of these monsters, telling them to no longerfear, inspiring them with the courage to overcome their fears. The surface of the water between the grass suddenly began to fiercely shake.The previous tiny ripples suddenly converged into one, transforming into atowering wave. The wave rolled across the pile of flattened grass, soaking her knees. She lifted her head and opened her eyes, staring into the depths of the water.Then she bent the bow, nocked an arrow, and then slightly loosened her fingers. Whoosh. The Wu Arrow flew through the air, piercing deeply into the water. There was nothing in the water, so what was this arrow being shot at? It couldnot be the water, could it? In the next moment, the wave of water suddenly dispersed and the ripples onthe surface were becalmed. It was as though one arrow was all it took for her to calm the waters. Xu Yourong''s Wu Arrow naturally was not aimed at the water, nor was it aimedat the wave, but at the monster that had stirred up the wave. The limpid water was slowly dyed red. The corpse of a dragon serpent slowly floated up. Laying across the sea ofgrass, its corpse seemed as massive as a city wall. A Wu Arrow was planted between its eyes, buried all the way up to itsfeathers. In comparison to the massive body of the dragon serpent, the Wu Arrowwas like a thin blade of grass. However, this diminutive arrow had easily struck down the dragon serpent. This was not the end, but rather the beginning. In the next moment, the surface of the water began to fiercely shake.Countless plumes of water arose, and then, accompanied by heart-shaking hissesof anger, dozens of massive figures breached the surface of the water andalighted upon the flattened grass. Each of those massive figures was one dragon serpent! Each dragon serpent''s head seemed larger than that pile of grass that XuYourong and Chen Changsheng were on! Dozens of dragon serpents broke through the surface, obscuring the sky as theydescended with astonishing momentum. The little girl wielding her bow on that pile of grass seemed tiny incomparison. The dragon serpent was an extremely famous monster on the continent, becauseits skin could be used to make the finest armor. From this fact alone, onecould infer how great the dragon serpent''s defensive power was. The seeminglysoft and sleek serpent skin was abnormally tough. Not to mention normalweapons, even the strike of an Ethereal Opening cultivator would find it hardto pierce through such skin. As the humans, demons, the demi-humans, and other such intelligent beingsslowly began to dominate the Eastern continent, the vast majority of dragonserpents slowly began to seclude themselves in the rarely traveled lakes andpools in the wilderness. Despite that, they were still renowned for theirferocity. Who could have possibly imagined that this plain in the Garden ofZhou actually contained so many dragon serpents? Moreover, these dragonserpents made up only a portion of the monsters in these plains. It was no wonder that, in these past several hundred years, all the EtherealOpening cultivators who had entered these plains had never been able to survive. The legends said that the dragon serpents possessed the blood of the dragons,but they suffered from a plight as well. Their souls would never awaken, andthey could only live in the water. Perhaps this was the reason why they heldthe greatest animosity towards the bloodlines of the dragon and the phoenix.This was probably the reason why they had been the first to attack Xu Yourong. As these dragon serpents struck out, their bodies covered the sky and cast ashadow over the area. Xu Yourong''s quiver only contained a bit more than ten Wu Arrows, so how couldthese be enough to account for each one of these powerful monsters? This was a problem, but she swiftly arrived at the solution to this problem.Since there were not enough arrows, then she would not use her arrows. As those massive figures attacked, they gave off terrifying hisses. She calmlygazed at them and once again drew back her bow, but there was no arrow on thebowstring this time. Her actions were still as steady as ever, concise without any unnecessarymovements. She would not waste a single bit of true essence or strength. Each time she drew back her bow, it was an exact duplicate of the first timewithout the slightest difference. Except for the direction the Tong Bow was pointed at. Twangtwangtwangtwang~! The bowstring vibrated like the strings of a zither,and the sound it issued formed a most unyielding and monotonous song. Countless slender white streaks departed from the bowstring and flew throughthe air, landing on the enormous bodies of the dragon serpents. The dragon serpents'' incredibly sturdy skin, so tough that not even EtherealOpening cultivators would be able to split it, when touched by these slenderwhite streaks, began to crack open, piece by piece. The slender white streaks seemed like they could sunder the air, as thoughthey possessed the ability to rend almost everything. In an instant, the bodies of those dozens of dragon serpents were denselygorged with bloody wounds, and their blood spilled down like a majesticdownpour. Within those wounds, one could make out the twisted dragon flesh andeven the dense white bones. It was an incredibly bloody and terrifying sight. The dragon serpents were in immeasurable pain, their upper halves writhingviolently in the air while their lower halves stirred up colossal waves thatwould shock the heavens. Those turbid waves touched the skies, and then were followed soon after by thewounded dragon serpents'' most frenzied attack. Xu Yourong sat amidst the grass, her expression serene, unafraid and unawed,indicating that she would not yield. She simply began to fire her bow evenfaster, the blurring speed of her arms rendering her moves completelyunpredictable. Twangtwangtwangtwang! Several hundred, no, several thousand slender whitestreaks shot forth from the bowstring, scattering out in every direction fromthe pile of grass she stood on. Those dragon serpents could not even approach the pile of grass before theywere cut into boulder-sized chunks. The chunks ricocheted off each other asthey plummeted to the surface of the water, filling the sky like a rain ofmeteors. With continuous booms, the countless pieces of the dragon serpents splashedinto the water, stirring up enormous waves. Only after a long time did thewater gradually grow calm once more. The water had long since been dyed red by the blood of the dragon serpents,but now it began to gradually turn black. It was suffused with an unbearablestench, like a particular cheap and shoddy ink. When those dozens of massive dragon serpents had covered the sky, it appearedthat the heavily injured her had no means to resist, left only with the optionof becoming a meal together with the sleeping Chen Changsheng. However, whowould have thought that the feeble her only casually drawing back her bowstringwould be able to turn those terrifying monsters into a pile of meat chunks? Of course, even though she had seemed to draw back the Tong Bow very casually,it was in reality extremely tiresome. Moreover, it still had not ended. The inky water once more began to shake, creating even more ripples. Theripples crisscrossed everywhere, giving rise to an indescribable design. The countless monsters concealed in the plains, urged on by the tune of thezither, charged out like a tide into the water. Xu Yourong glanced at Chen Changsheng, her calm face expressing a littleconfusion and self-ridicule. What she was confused about was Chen Changsheng. Her calculations with theFated Star Plate clearly indicated that his life force had been exhausted, sowhy was he still alive? It was to the extent that she found it impossible toeasily depart. She was also confused about herself. She clearly knew that theyouth from the Snow Mountain Sect would die, so why could she not abandon him?Since yesterday night, she could have ignored him at any time, but why did shenot? The self-ridicule was obviously aimed at herself. Back when she was small andlived in the palace, the Empress would often tell her that she was toosoft-hearted, stressing that it was no good. Later on, when she moved to theSouth Stream Temple, the Holy Maiden would often tell her that she was toohard-hearted, and that this, too, was no good. Then was her heart too soft ortoo hard? Or did her wavering and uncertainty prove Nankes words of callingher small-minded correct?
298 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Ten
The demon vultures were even more frightening than the dragon serpents. Theywere stronger and moved like lightning, and their attacks were extremelybizarre. In order to survive their attacks from all sides, the best method wasnot to dodge, but to kill them as fast as possible. Then she would simply haveto be even faster than lightning itself, even more abrupt and more berserk thana raging tempest. She silently and indifferently stared at the sky full of vultures, her twowhite wings slowly swaying behind her. Besides dragon serpents and demon vultures, the Plains of the Unsetting Sunmost certainly had even more powerful monsters, but she did not save her mostpowerful attack for that time. Without any hesitation, a bright flame began to burn within the depths of hereyes, even temporarily suppressing the dark-green poison. Swishswishswishswish! Countless white feathers flew out from her wings,transforming into countless sharp arrows that shot towards the sky. The phoenix''s Feather Barrage.. As those several hundred demon vultures sensed the sacred Qi imbued withinthose white feathers, they scattered with cries of alarm, and the sky becameblue once more. However, those demon vultures would never see that same sky again, because thePhoenix feathers were too swift, even faster than lightning. The azure sky was lit up by countless points of holy light. The arrow-like white feathers pierced through the bodies of the demonvultures, slicing through their plumage like sharp knives. For a moment, the sky was filled with severed beaks and shattered wings whilecountless sprays of blood bloomed like fireworks in the air. Xu Yourong cared not, not even sparing another glance towards the sky. At some point, the crystals surrounding her had begun to emit pure and warmrays of light that incessantly poured into her body. She calmly looked around her and once again drew her Tong Bow. The sun of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun would never set, so there was notime of sunset, but there was a dusk. In that period of time, the sun wouldturn into a disc of light and the light that blanketed the land would grow dim. At dusk, the entirety of this sea of grass would be dyed red. No matter howshrill or unyielding the tune from the zither was, the monsters all eventuallyretreated. They had come like a tide, and now they retreated as one as well,disappearing without a trace. At least several thousand monsters had died in the surrounding sea of grass.The vast majority of the corpses had been taken away by other monsters,sometimes even their own companions, to serve as food. Even so, because so manyhad died, many monster corpses were still strewn across the sea of grass. Thefoul blood slowly sank down into the mud, but the bloody foam left behind onthe pile of grass by the waves did not disappear. Murky and slanted rays of light peeked out from the distant horizon of theplains, causing this scene to be even bloodier. Xu Yourong''s face was extremely pale, perhaps because the aftermath of whathad happened had been too repulsive, or because of the damage from her injuries. At the moment, the crystals around her had all turned into fine white dust, nolonger containing even the slightest trace of power. She slowly put down the Tong Bow and dabbed her finger in some of the crystalpowder, covering it.. This could at least dispel some of the ache on her fingerand treat the cuts inflicted by the bowstring. Without these crystals, it would have been impossible for her to push backthis monster tide. In fact, besides the Li Palace, the Imperial Palace, the Holy Maiden Peak, andthe Longevity Sect, she had never before seen so many crystals. This amount of crystals was truly rather ridiculous. She gazed at the sleeping Chen Changsheng and silently thought to herself: asexpected, the Snow Mountain Sect is truly worthy of being known as a sect thathad a ten thousand year legacy of accumulation. Moreover, just like that BlackFrost Dragon that they were descended from, they truly loved to gather crystalsand treasures. This secret disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect was actually ableto bring so many crystals with him. She had already retracted her white wings. It was apparent that she would notbe able to spread her wings again for a long time. Right now, she wasabsolutely exhausted. Her true essence was depleted, and she had lost too muchblood. She had truly reached the point where the oil had run out and the lampguttered. If an enemy appeared, she would die for sure. It seemed like she did not even have the strength to drag herself to themiddle of the pile of grass, nor did she have enough time to untie the longbowfrom her shoulder. Her arms wrapped around her legs, and she sat at thewaterside, allowing that foul-smelling bloody foam to soak the edge of herdress. When she was at her most desolate; when she needed help the most; and when shemost needed to rest, as if there was some invisible connection between them,Chen Changsheng woke up. She did not turn around, but she knew that he had opened his eyes. "You''reawake?" Although these were the plains of the Garden of Zhou and not Xining Village''sold temple or the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng still customarily, evenstubbornly, took five breaths of time to compose himself, and then looked over. However, when he glanced over at her, he began to feel ruefully apologetic. Herealized that he probably should not have wasted the five breaths of time. Xu Yourong sat at the edge of the grass pile, her arms wrapped around her legsas the bloody foam splashed against her dress. Her figure was extremely lonelyand pitiful. "Yes, I''ve woken up." Chen Changsheng stood up and walked over to her. Hewanted to walk even faster, but the coldness of the Black Frost made his bodystiff. Xu Yourong still did not turn her head, because she was so tired that she didnot even have the strength for it. She softly said, "Then let''s switch places." With these words, she slightly leaned her body, holding her two legs andplacing her face on top of her knees. Just like that, she motionlessly fellasleep. Chen Changsheng walked over to her side and gazed at her tightly-shut eyes andpale white face in silence. He lightly unfastened her longbow, and then inserted his right arm into thecrook of her knee while his left hand supported her back. Lifting her up, hepulled her away from the edge of the grass pile that was covered with bloodyfoam. As he did all these things, she did not wake up. Not even her eyelashes moved.When he put her down, she still hugged her legs as she slept. Some people would be strangers forever, whereas others would seem like oldfriends from the onset. Although they were strangers that had not exchangedmany words and hadn''t even exchanged names, they could entrust their lives andpossessions to each other. You only needed to see what sort of person they were, see how much trust theyplaced in you, and then you would be willing to place some trust in them inreturn. Right up until now, they had always been together but had not said much toeach other. However, when he woke up, she was able to relax and fall asleep. Onthe other hand, once she woke up, he could likewise snore away like thethunder. At the very beginning, she had saved him, which made him strive hardto protect her. Over the course of these events, a foundation of trust hadnaturally been formed, and now it grew ever firmer. Chen Changsheng truly treasured this feeling of being trusted. He took out his dagger and tightly grasped it in his hand. Taking a seatbeside her, he stared out into the increasingly murky plains. At this point, he saw the sea of grass dyed black by blood and saw the corpsesof the monsters, and he got a rough picture of what had happened while he wassleeping. He was quiet for a very long time. The archery of the elves was truly marvelous beyond description, but momentsprior, when he had untied the longbow for her, he had noticed that thebowstring was still warm. In this battle that he did not bear witness to, just how many times had shedrawn back the bow? How many arrows had she fired? How had she been able toendure it? Night had finally come, and the sun suspended over the edge of the plains greweven dimmer. Although it did not sink below the horizon, it cast much lesslight over the plains. He sat in front of her, calmly staring at the dark grass, prepared for abattle to erupt at any time. Time slowly passed by and that disc of light suspended at the edge of theplains slowly made its way around the perimeter. For some reason, he could notsee it anymore, but he quickly realized it was because it had been obscured bya black cloud. Perhaps because the killings during the day had been too cruel, the monstersdid not launch another attack. However, it began to rain. The plains'' climate was relatively warm, but the rain that fell from the skywas still rather chilly. With the state that he and Xu Yourong were in, if theywere to get soaked, they really might come down with a severe cold. Without even needing to think, he opened the Yellow Paper Umbrella and held itover Xu Yourong. However, the posture was rather uncomfortable. Even if the Yellow PaperUmbrella were to be even bigger, it still would not be able to block out allthe rain. Seeing the rain wetting her dress, he did not give it any thought andimmediately stood up. The cold rain fell upon the sea of grass, countless tiny ripples interspersingits surface. It fell upon that pile of flattened grass, pervading it with chill. He stood behind her, his left hand holding the umbrella and his right handholding the dagger, as he gazed at the drenched and dark world outside. Throughout the night, he maintained this position. From beginning to end, the monsters did not appear. With the coming of themorning, the black cloud scattered, and the azure sky once more appeared beforehis eyes. That disc of light at the edge of the plains gradually grew moredistinct, its edges becoming sharper as the morning sun took shape. The warmrays of light gradually began to dry both the pile of grass and ChenChangsheng''s clothes that had been soaked through by the rain. Xu Yourong woke up and gazed at his pale face. She was somewhat puzzled as shethought to herself that there had been no battle last night, so why did it seemlike his injuries got even worse? Chen Changsheng did not tell her that he had spent the night holding up anumbrella for her, or that the chilly rain had soaked his back. From the night before, they had always been either escaping or battling, oneperson unconscious and the other awake. This was actually the firstconversation they held while they were both conscious. In the end, theirinteraction in the cave had been too short. Although they already deeplytrusted each other, even to the extent that they faintly had a sort of mutualunderstanding, they realized that they were still strangers when they were bothawake. It was inevitable that they felt a little estranged from each other. Chen Changsheng remembered that scene in the Plum Garden Inn when he first metTang Thirty-Sixthat had been the first time in his entire life that he hadever met a stranger and exchanged greetings. Although in hindsight he seemedrather awkward, he had at the very least understood some basic common sense.For instance, there must always be someone to open their mouth and break thesilence. In these treacherous plains, exchanging greetings was an unacceptable waste oftime, so he went straight to the point. "What do you know about these plains?" The elves were most intimate with nature. The legends said that they couldeven communicate with the grass and trees, so he wanted to hear what she had tosay. Xu Yourong shook her head. "Nobody understands these plains." Chen Changsheng said, "As long as you don''t mind, could you let me choose thedirection?" Xu Yourong was somewhat confused, and asked him, "You know where to go?" Chen Changsheng did not explain very much. "I have a rough indication of whereto go." Just as it seemed Xu Yourong was prepared to say something, she suddenlysensed a Qi that was several hundred zhang away. It was Nanke''s Qi. Time and space in the Plains of the Unsetting Sun were somewhat strange.Although it seemed like they were separated by only several hundred zhang, inreality, they could be even farther away than that. But she had still managed to sense it. She said no more, indicating that she accepted Chen Changsheng''s decision, butshe did not get up. Chen Changsheng understood that she was still weak and herinjuries were severe, so it was very difficult for her to be able to walk onher own in such a short amount of time. However, this made him question,despite obviously being in such a poor situation, how had she managed to killso many monsters yesterday?
299 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Eleven
Xu Yourong said, "Your face is as pale as the snow, how could I not mind?" Chen Changsheng turned around to look at her and replied, "You''re not muchbetter. Your face is as pale as the frost on the grass." Xu Yourong was a little at a loss and looked at her reflection in the water.Only then did she realize that her face was abnormally pale, and her handssubconsciously grabbed her cheeks. In Chen Changsheng''s eyes, the subconscious action was really cute. "Thank you." She awoke from her daze, and then supported herself on hisshoulder and leaned against his back. "Excuse me." He placed a hand in the crook of her knees and slowly lifted herbody upwards. Just like this, they left that pile of grass. They stamped through the bloodysea of grass and left for some other, cleaner place. The water in this sea of grass was not all that deep. At its shallowest, itdid not pass the knees, whereas its deepest parts barely reached the waist. Itwas just that the sludge under the water was too soft. Chen Changsheng wascarrying a person on his back while his left hand had to hold up the umbrella,making walking rather difficult. Fortunately, the morning sun had already risensome time ago, and the temperature of the sea of grass had gradually grownwarmer, making it extremely comfortable. While they walked through the springwater in the spring light, as far as the eye could see was soft and tendergreen grass. Even if it were even more difficult to wade through, it was stillsomewhat consoling. If it were not for those noises, then it would seem evenmore like they were taking a stroll in the spring. Behind them in the plains, they could faintly hear whistling as something flewthrough the air. That whistling came from Nanke''s two wings. Whether it wasChen Changsheng or Xu Yourong, after they had gotten a little understanding ofthese Plains of the Unsetting Sun, neither of them were worried that thosedemon experts would catch up to them quickly. Contrarily, what made them evenmore vigilant was the rustling noises around them. Those noises belonged to thenatives of the sea of grassyesterday, Xu Yourong had slain many monsters, butshe had paid a heavy price. Simultaneously, she had also known that theseplains assuredly had even stronger monsters, even existences that were beyondeven Ethereal Opening cultivators. Chen Changsheng wielded the Yellow Paper Umbrella, sensing the position ofthat strand of sword intent as he continued forward. The sun had almost reachedhigh noon, but the light was not too harsh, rather it was warm and comfortablelike a spring day. Xu Yourong did not understand why he had been holding on tothe shabby umbrella and worriedly thought to herself, is he suffering fromheatstroke? Or maybe that young cultivator''s black frost Qi is in conflict withthe sunlight? If this had something to with Snow Mountain Sect''s secret cultivation method,it would naturally be difficult to talk about, but there was one matter thatshe absolutely had to be clear on. "Just where are we going?" Chen Changsheng replied, "To the Sword Pool." The sword intent pointed to a destination that, to his thinking, had a veryhigh chance of being the legendary Sword Pool. If the Garden of Zhou really did have a Sword Pool which had remainedundiscovered despite the efforts of so many people, then it was very obviousthat its most likely location was within these plains from which no one hadever emerged. Xu Yourong understood this point, but she did not understand how he was ableto be certain of the Sword Pool''s location. Chen Changsheng did not answer this question. It was not because he did notwant to reveal the secrets of the Yellow Paper Umbrella to her, but rather thatin the end, the Sword Pool was no ordinary treasure. Having experienced thesetwo days and one night of escaping together, he could entrust his life to thisgirl and place a sufficient amount of trust in her. However, just because thiswas the case, was there any need to add on this gambling chip to once againtest her character? Character was not something that could be tested. For eachtest, there was a high chance that the relationship would take one stepbackwards. Similarly, trust was not something that could be used. Each use oftrust was to pare away at it. As they continued onward, the water beneath this sea of grass began to lessenand the ground began to grow more solid. Now this place was truly beginning tofeel like a plain. Walking through the dense grass and feeling his steps gradually grow moresteady, Chen Changsheng began to feel much more stable. However, the beeping''sounds coming from the plains around them had also increased in number. It wasclear that there were many more monsters concealed in the grass around themthan there had been on the wetland. These monsters could be even more fearsome. Xu Yourong took out the Tong Bow and calmly observed the surroundings, readyat any time to take action. Yet for some reason, as Chen Changsheng carried herfor dozens of li, none of those monsters ever launched an offensive or evenapproached them. There were even three times where she had clearly sensed theterrifying Qi of monsters that were observing them from the distance. They hadbeen so strong that even if she were at her peak, she would not have been theirmatch. Why did those powerful monsters not come and kill them? If this werebefore, she would have thought that it was the aura emitted by her true bloodof the Heavenly Phoenix directly suppressing these monsters'' greed. But now shehad almost none of this blood left, so what were those monsters afraid of? The two continued to move forward. The ground grew increasingly dry, while thegrass grew shorter and sparser. Ultimately, they arrived at a patch of grass they had never walked across.This grass was ashen white, and yet it was not dead. It seemed just like an oldman''s hair. In the verdant plains, this short and ashen white grass wasextremely striking. Moreover, it extended from under their feet to far off intothe depths of the plains, forming a very obvious path. They did not know where the path formed by the white grass went, nor whatdangers were concealed there. Xu Yourong said, "If that person is really dead, this path most likely leadsto his grave." Chen Changsheng understood why she would make this conjecture. In the "Essay on the Origin of the Dao", in the "Classic on the Afterlife",there was a saying: With the white grass as a path, onwards to the sea of stars. If Zhou Dufu had really died, and his body had really been buried in thisworld, it was highly likely that his grave was in the depths of these plains.The White Grass Path represented a passage for the dead. There was anotherstrong indication for this to be true. Based on the trembling of the YellowPaper Umbrella, the strand of sword intent was far down the White Grass Path.If that sword intent indicated the position of the Sword Pool, it was extremelyin accordance with their logicthe millions of swords which rested in the SwordPool were Zhou Dufu''s spoils of war. Of course, they would also serve as thefinest offerings for him. The Garden of Zhou has no sea of stars, so the Sword Pool acts as the sea ofstars." He agreed with Xu Yourong''s opinion and said, "It seems that we''ll haveto walk to the end of this White Grass Path to know if what''s at the end isdeath or something else." Xu Yourong did not think that he would so quickly recognize the origin of herconclusion, so she gave a him a glance of admiration. Whether going to the sea of stars or to death, they were both very far away,so this White Grass Path was also naturally very long. Chen Changsheng walkedon for a very long time, but it seemed like they had not moved a step. The sun of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun would rise and then fall, but itwould not disappear. It would make its way along the perimeter of the plainsand then rise once more. They walked and walked, and walked some more. When they were thirsty, theywould drink some clear water from some puddle by the road. When they werehungry, Chen Changsheng would prepare some monster meat to eat. When they couldno longer fend off sleep, he would sleep while she calmly sat on the side. Whenshe became exhausted, he would wake up and they would switch places. ChenChangsheng''s injuries improved, but she remained as feeble as ever. On a particular day, when night fell once morenot a real night but just thelight growing gloomierrain suddenly began to fall from the sky. Chen Changsheng carried her as he ran through the rain. At some point, she hadtaken up the umbrella in her hands and used it to block out the wind and rain. The rain that night was too violent. A single umbrella was incapable ofprotecting them. It was just that in this flat grassland, where would they finda place to take shelter from the rain?
300 If Life Could Be Like the Moment When We First Met Part Twelve
It was a run-down and tiny temple, heavily eroded by the wind and rain. Onlyby virtue of the remaining sacrificial beasts statues on the temple eaves couldone faintly make out its original style and use. Standing before this temple cloaked in the rain, neither Chen Changsheng norXu Yourong said anything. It was very quiet. This was a sacrificial temple. With the white grass as a path, onwards to the sea of stars, a sacrifice for athousand li. The run-down sacrificial temple sat on the side of the White Grass Path. Thisindicated that their conjecture was correct. The path truly led to some sort ofgraveafter all, not all graves could be called mausoleums. In the pastthousand years, besides the three emperors of the Great Zhou Dynasty, only oneperson dared to call his tomb a mausoleum and construct it in that style. Tothis, no one dared to object. Of course, that person was Zhou Dufu. "This is the legendary first sacrificial temple?" Chen Changsheng muttered tohimself as he gazed at this run-down temple through the rain. Each of the mausoleums for the three emperors of the Zhou Dynasty were vast,but each one of their first, outermost sacrificial temples, a thousand li fromthe mausoleum, were no more. At the risk of blaspheming the heavens, the DivineEmpress had given the order for all of them to be torn down. This was becausethe Empress felt that these thousand li temples, besides nurturing a fewministers of Rites, had no meaning and were a massive waste. This matter was just resolved as neatly and tidily, just like when she hadsent Zhou Tong to destroy that monolith hut outside of the Mausoleum of Books.It was very reasonable, and very inarguable. The run-down temple should be this entire continent''s only first sacrificialtemple. The rain continued to fall harder and harder. The distant disc of light hadlong since vanished, casting the world into gloom. Chen Changsheng stood amidst the rain while carrying Xu Yourong. For somereason, he did not enter the temple to take shelter from the rain. In the past, there had assuredly been many human cultivators or demon expertspreceding them, following the White Grass Path and finding the temple. Afterwards, those people continued onwards towards that mausoleum. Ultimately, they all died. He asked, "Do you think we can turn back?" "No, this is a path for which there is no going back." Xu Yourong shook herhead. On the previous two occasions in which Chen Changsheng was sleeping, she hadused the Fated Star Plate to perform some calculations, but they presaged anextremely poor result. Although she could not calculate her own fate, his fatewas as gray and dark as ever. Moreover, if they did not continue on this courseand decided to turn back, they would definitely lose themselves amidst theseplains. They could only proceed forward. In that case, would they end up suffering thesame fate as their predecessors? Besides the pitter patter of the rain, there were no other sounds in front ofthe temple. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong''s faces gradually grew calm, their eyes serene.They had regained their calm composures. There was no question, nor was there an answer, and no looking into eachother''s eyes. They did not know what each other was thinking, but they bothfirmly believed that they would not be like their predecessors. The rain dripped down from the eaves, splashing into flowers of water upon theshattered stone steps. Before the liquid flowers had a chance to fully bloom,they were swallowed up by even more downpour. In the temple, a bonfire burned.A wooden idol that had stood in this temple for untold many centuries had beenchopped up into kindling, and as it burned, it gave off a strong, wooden scent.Chen Changsheng crouched by the fire, removing damp wood from the fire while atthe same time using a candlestick holder to move around those several tuberroots in the fire. Xu Yourong leaned against a pile of grass, her face a little pale and seemingextremely feeble. Given her injuries and the loss of her true blood, for her tohold on until now and to even emerge victorious in a few fierce battles wasalready a miracle. Once the tuber roots that came from some unknown sort of grass were cooked,they began to give off a light fragrance. Chen Changsheng picked them out ofthe ashes, peeled off their outer skins, and then walked over to Xu Yourong.She took them and used her hands to slowly tear them apart and eat. ChenChangsheng calmly gazed at her. Even now, he did not know how she had managedto rescue him that night, as she had never made mention of it since. However,over the course of this journey, he had personally experienced how unimaginablypowerful she was. He was always thinking that if it were not for him, thenperhaps at the very beginning, she would have been able to easily escape. Xu Yourong truly did not speak of that matter because she had her own pride.Moreover, she believed that since the youth of the Snow Mountain Sect had alsosaved her, they no longer owed each other a debt. She did not take too long to finish eating. Chen Changsheng handed over a wethandkerchief and began to eat his own meal afterwards. Xu Yourong took the wet handkerchief and lightly wiped her lips. She silentlygazed at him as he sat by the fire. On the journey, for this and that reason, they had very rarely spoken to eachother, but they had done many things for each other. To live and die together, to never leave each other; these most dazzling andmost connected of phrases had been easily and simply accomplished by the two ofthem. May the sacred light be with you. She said in her heart as she gazed at his two eyes that were so clear thatthey reflected the fire. Then she said to him, "You are a good person." She said this very indifferently, but very seriously. Chen Changsheng looked back at her and chuckled. "So are you." Suddenly, he thought of something, and said rather embarrassedly, "I''m sosorry that it took me so long to ask you. May I ask what your name is?" Xu Yourong smiled, "And you?" Truly interesting. These two had up to this point not even known each other''snames, nor who they were. The rain continued to fall with no indication of stopping anytime soon, andthe stars could not be seen in the Garden of Zhou. Yet when he looked into hereyes, it was as if he saw the night sky in Xining Village after rain. There wasnot a single strand of fog or speck of dust, but because of the countless starsin the night sky, they were very bright, so bright as to cause one to beflustered, to the extent that it was simply impossible to tell lies under theirwatch. Xu Yourong gazed into his eyes. The eyes were so clean and bright as to letone clearly make out their own reflection in them. Confronted by these eyes,one felt obligated to give only truthful answers. The eyes were a window to the soul. These famous words, because they hadappeared in the human world far too many times, were rarely spoken except bychildren just starting out on their lessons. In the vast majority of cases,people would not think of these words either, but now as they looked into eachother''s eyes, they both thought of this phrase. In Wenshui City, he had not found the gazes of the encircling crowd to beenjoyable. If she knew that he was Chen Changsheng, she most likely would nothave acted so indifferently and casually to him. Since she was small, she had lived out days of attracting constant attention.Whether it was in the capital or in the south, she was the focus of everyone''sgaze, the target of their admiration. She did not enjoy this lifestyle, so shealso did not hope that once he knew she was Xu Yourong, he would be like theother young men, where his eyes would burn with passion and his words wouldbecome cautious and tasteless. But when they looked into each other''s eyes, they decided to give away theirtrue identities, because this was their way of showing respect to each other. Yet just as their mouths began to move, the moment their names were about toleave their lips, they once more changed their minds. Because they had an engagement that the whole world knew of. If this elven,white-clothed girl was to know that he was Chen Changsheng, she would know thathe had a fiance called Xu Yourong. On the other hand, if this disciple of SnowMountain Sect''s Secret Sect knew that she was Xu Yourong, he would know thatshe had a fianc called Chen Changsheng. They both disliked the engagement, and they both wanted to end it, but neitherone wanted the other to know of it. These emotions were very complicated. These thoughts were very simple. Nomatter how extraordinary they were, when all was said and done, he was a youngman, and she a young woman. So they both made an identical decision. Even after many years had passed,there was still no solution for this matter that occurred on this rain-soakednight in this run-down temple. No one knew the reasons for why they made such adecision, and they never even spoke to each other about what they were thinkingthat night. Xu Yourong''s smiling expression gradually dwindled, making her turn extremelyplacid. Chen Changsheng''s smiling expression gradually grew calm, he too not desiringto give anything away. Their voices simultaneously rang out. "Snow Mountain Sect, Xu Sheng." "Elf race, Chen Chujian." The night was quiet, with only the sound of rain falling. This sound did notvex the heart, but added to the tranquility. In the cave when he was still not fully conscious, Chen Changsheng had faintlyheard the old freak''s voice and knew that he had been mistakenly identified asa secret disciple of Snow Mountain Sect. He also knew that this girl was anelf. He did not want to reveal his identity, so he decided to hide behind thisveil of subterfuge. How could he have known that Xu Yourong would think of thesame thing? Her voice was very soft, and her tongue slightly curled as that final syllabledragged off her tongue. Even if she was saying her own name, it still seemedrather awkward. When it reached his ears, his impression was that it soundedbeautiful. Her voice was beautiful, her name was beautiful, that her last namewas Chen was beautiful and that her name was Chujian() was also beautiful.What was that phrase? If life() could be like the moment we first met()?When he gazed at her somewhat swollen yet still elegant face and thought aboutthat time a few days ago where she cutely covered her cheeks with her hands, hethought to himself that if life really was just like this girl called Chujian,it would truly be good. (TN: means "the moment we first met". The original line ֻ means "Iflife could be like the moment we first met", but it is also used here to playon Xu Yourong''s fake name.) Xu Yourong''s thoughts were somewhat simpler. When she first looked at thisunconscious boy, she had found him to be somewhat familiar and wanted to bringhis identity to light. Now that she knew his last name was Xu, she decided thatit was because of this reason. Now that they had finished exchanging names, what would they do next? Thetemple once again grew quiet. "Play a round?" Xu Yourong had taken out a chessboard from somewhere andinvited him to play. As he gazed at the chessboard, he understood that she was just like him, stillhiding many secrets, so he could not help but smile. Xu Yourong also gave a wordless smile. They knew that neither of them wereordinary. Only, what need was there to discuss such uninteresting and tastelessthings? If they were unable to leave this garden, what meaning did thoseworldly matters have? Yes, outside of life and death, besides enjoying life,nothing else was important, but what was important was... "I don''t know how to play chess," he said rather abashedly. Seeing herdisappointed expression, he added, "Maybe we can play something else?" Xu Yourong thought to herself, if we want to play dominoes, we''re stilllacking two people. If we want to play Yangzhou cards, we''re missing even more.With just two people, other than chess, what else can we do? In the endless night and the cold and dreary rain, it was not a good time tofall asleep, not to mention that she had gotten more than enough sleep on theirway here. Then they could only idly chat, which would let them not use up their strengthand spirit. Only right now, they were in the midst of an escape, nor were they close.Naturally, they could not talk about anything too deep, such as How manypeople are in your family? Are your father and mother doing well? Thisyear, how old are you? How can your eyes look so beautiful? Does your bodyhold the remnants of the Black Frost Dragon''s bloodline? Have you ever beenmarried? This was the first time they had truly held a meaningful conversation. Theywere cultivators and were not too familiar with each other, so they couldnaturally only discuss cultivation. The cultivation here was true cultivation, it had nothing to do with that oldsaying, "Life is just cultivation".
301 The Geniuses’ Conversation at Night and Pursui
The atmosphere of their conversation in the run-down temple during the rainynight was very good. Every cultivator on the long path of cultivation would stumble upondifficulties along the way, left with questions all too difficult for theirpresent selves.. The questions were closely linked to their existences. Eventheir masters would find it exceedingly tough to provide an answer, and thatonly when a long time had been spent contemplating upon it. As for thedifficulty of these questions, it actually represented the level of thecultivator from a certain perspective. In the conversation regarding cultivation, the questions raised by ChenChangsheng were all challenging and quite high up on the totem pole in terms oflevel. Most of the time, Xu Yourong listened quietly, only able to contributewith a few sentences on occasion. However, every sentence was akin to a guidingbonfire at night. It was very enlightening, illuminating the world in front ofhim with radiant light, allowing him to see a completely new path. This made him feel very surprised, followed by admiration shortly thereafter.Her attainment in knowledge in the aspect of cultivation was unfathomable.Although Tang Thirty-Six and Su Moyu both had extremely great talent, hers tookeverything to a whole new level. Amongst all the peers that he had encounteredin his life, only Gou Hanshi could be compared to her, and of course, hissenior Yu Ren who seemed to be incapable of cultivation. Xu Yourong likewise began to feel admiration towards him, because the caliberand ingenuity of his thoughts and the perspective with which he viewed thingswere mirrored in the difficulty of his questions. She thought in her heart thatin all of the cultivators of the younger generation, there was actually nobodywho could compare to her other than senior Qiushan and Gou Hanshi. Even thoughthe Snow Mountain Sect had a legacy of ten thousand years, deep inner secrets,and the fact that it had once experienced unlimited glory, it was still locatedin the northwest after all. It was not like the academies in the capital, norlike the Longevity Sect and the Holy Maiden Peak, which possessed the newestknowledge in the world of cultivation at any time. He actually possessed suchknowledge, experience and capabilities, so he could be said to be exceptionallytalented. The cold rain outside the temple fell harder and harder, the ambient noisemuffling their voices as they conversed, and the hay by the fire became warmerand warmer. The two sat leaning on the wall an inch apart, talking quietly.Once in a while, they would think silently for a moment with their eyebrowsfurrowed. They would be illuminated by the fire in an interesting look.Afterwards, he could articulate a certain conjecture, and she would mentionanother possibility. To be able to go from being unable to cultivate to being the youngestcultivator in history to reach the upper level of Ethereal Opening in a shortyear, of course Chen Changsheng was a genius in cultivation, other than thefact that his master and senior had helped him establish an overly firmfoundation. It must be known that it was definitely impossible to place firstupon the First Banner in the Grand Examination only by relying on extensivereading and memorising of the Daoist Canons. As for Xu Yourong, her talent incultivation was even more self-evident. It must be known that, if viewedclosely, the youngest person to reach the upper level of Ethereal Opening wasnot Chen Changsheng, but rather her, as she was three days younger than him. At this moment, neither of them knew the real identity of the other, but theyboth became more and more certain that the opposing party was a genius incultivation. Geniuses tended to be lonely, as they lacked people of equal levelof intellect to talk to. Although this saying seemed somewhat old, it was verytrue. All geniuses wished that they could meet a companion, a person who couldeasily understand what they were talking about, allowing them to discuss aboutquestions that could not be discussed normally. It was just like an itch onyour back that had itched for many years, and then suddenly, someone helps youscratch your back, scratching the itch just right. How could it not becomfortable? The conversation became more and more enjoyable, and even Xu Yourong, whotended to maintain her calmness, began to grow brighter and brighter in hereyes. Until very late at night, Chen Changsheng mentioned a somewhat contradictoryidea. He mentioned whether the space in the spleen could substitute the secondmeridian. This made Xu Yourong think hard for a very long time, and just whenshe thought of a possibility, she suddenly felt her shoulder become slightlyheavy. Afterwards, she smelt the very faint odor of a body. Looking at Chen Changsheng who slept soundly on her shoulder, she was slightlystartled, and a sliver of slightly shameful annoyance appeared in her eyes. She disliked being so close to men, not to mention being in such a closeposture. On the way here, she was carried by Chen Changsheng, which alreadymade her already feel extremely burdened, not to mention actually being leanedon by him. She extended a finger, and slowly brought it to Chen Changshengs forehead.When she was about to push him away, however, for some reason, she did not useany power. A snore like thunder echoed through the run-down temple, which actuallycovered up the sound of rain outside. Xu Yourong looked at the sleeping Chen Changsheng, and thought about how hewas extremely drowsy all the time. Whenever the opportunity presented itself,he would basically fall asleep as soon as he closed his eyes, which should havebeen the side effects of the technique from the Snow Mountain Sect tonight wasdefinitely not an exception. Earlier, he should have been almost unable to stayawake, but contrary to that, he accompanied her to talk. This made her feel alittle warm. At the same time, she also felt it was somewhat shameful. This was the firsttime she was so close to a male. Of course, she had already been carried on his back for several days, butthat was not on purpose. There was the reason of injury, and it was temporaryin short, she used countless ways to open herself up, to look for excusesbefore, but now, she could not find any excuses at all. He just leaned on hershoulder like that, with his eyes and brows right in front of her eyes,incomparably clear. The ladies in the small town always said stinky men, stinky men. He was notvery stinky, and did not have any particular smell. Alright, looking at the fact that you are so injured, and that I am alsoheavily injured, enough to be unable to move, I will let you be. Xu Yourong thought like that, and then pulled back her finger. Afterwards, sheclosed her eyes, and fell asleep to the sound of the night rain. However, for avery long time, her eyelashes constantly trembled gently. It was unknown whether it was because his snoring was too loud or some otherreason. What a pair of adulterers. The rain stopped at an unknown time, and Nankes cold voice resounded outsidethe run-down temple. With the sounds of footsteps, she walked into the temple accompanied by theDemon General couple, the zither-playing old man, and the two maids. Her gaze shifted from the already-extinguished fire to the pile of hay on theside of the wall. Looking at the messy hay straws and the marks of beingsquashed by a body, it could be deduced very easily that Xu Yourong and ChenChangsheng should have slept in embrace last night. The two maids knew that, from youth, she strictly adhered to the rules ofetiquette, and viewed herself as a virtuous noble. She viewed the wordvirtuous with unbelievable importance, so she did not feel that her currentreaction was weird. The Demon General couple instead could not help but beslightly surprised, before feeling that it was slightly funny. Liu Waner said,They are engaged, so how can it be considered adulterous? Nanke was speechless for a moment. The strength of the Demon General couplewas very great, and they also were not her subordinates, so she could notpunish them as she did when she punished her maids. However, she still repliedconfidently, The male and female are not close. Even if they are engaged,before they marry, they must maintain distance. On the way, she let him carryher. That can be explained as being forced due to no alternative, but how canthis be explained? Liu Waner smiled, but did not continue to say anything. Since Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng had already left, the group of demonexperts naturally did not stop for any longer and left after leaving the temple. On the two sides of the White Grass Path, the grassland was filled with the Qiof monsters everywhere. Some monsters were so strong that even the DemonGeneral couple felt slightly scared. Although it could be said that the zither-playing old man could use his zithersounds to control a few low-level monsters, he did not have the power tocontrol such strong monsters, not to mention the fact that the zither wascurrently being carried on his back and not being played at all. However, forsome reason, the great monsters did not attack them, and even had a behaviourthat seemed to slightly show a feeling of servitude. This was because of the piece of black wood in Nankes hand. It was unknown what this black wood was, but it constantly gave out some typeof message to the surrounding grasslands. The gaze of the zither-playing old man landed on the piece of black wood. Hethought about his shock a few days ago when he first saw Nanke pull out theblack wooda piece of black wood that did not seem mystical in any way couldactually compel the monsters within the Plains of the Unsetting Sun to obey herinstructions. Even the most powerful, and at the same time, the most pridefuland brutal, monster felt slightly unsettled in the beginning, before quicklyshowing its servitude. Very obviously, the piece of black wood was the most powerful tool thatMilitary Advisor Black Robe had left for Nanke. Even Nanke had never thoughtthat this piece of black wood would actually have such unbelievable and magicalpowers. Black Robe began to become more and more mysterious and great in thehearts of these demon experts. Just who was he, why did he understand theGarden of Zhou so much, and even why did he have a magical artifact thatobviously belonged to the Garden of Zhou? There were matters that they were unable to understand, and unable to ask.What the zither-playing old man did not understand was why Nanke did not usethis piece of black wood and order the innumerable monsters in the grasslandsto directly destroy Chen Changsheng, and instead contrarily ordered thosemonsters to not attack on their own accord. Just what was she thinking? For Master to give me this piece of black wood, he must have calculated thatI might walk into this grassland. However, Master has never told me the historyof this piece of black wood, showing that Master has decided in the end for meto finish them off myself. I can use the black wood to kill them, but I canalso pursue a greater dream. Nanke gazed into the distance of the White Grass Path and did not see the twoof them. However, as if she had seen them, she said indifferently, Although Idont understand how they did it, they obviously know where Zhou Dufus tombis. They also know the location of the Sword Pool, so of course they cant die. The zither-playing old man said in a low voice, But we have already found theWhite Grass Path. Why leave them alive? Nanke said, If we did not have them, we would never be able to find thisWhite Grass Path in this vast grassland. At the same time, I wont be able toconfirm what ordeals that must be gone through to enter Zhou Dufus tomb. Iwill never use something that I am unconfident in to gamble for something theopposing has already gained. The zither-playing old man understood, and no longer said anything any more.He returned to one side respectfully and submissively. Teng Xiaoming walked outto a certain area of the path, and squatted down. He closely examined thetracks left behind by Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng. He felt great respecttowards Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng, and thought that, to be able to lastuntil now, no wonder they were the most outstanding male and female in theyounger generation of the humans. Nanke raised her head and confirmed the position of the sun after the rain,before continuing onwards. Her leather boots stepped on the white grass, whichwas like frost, leaving behind a clear footprint. The zither-playing old man,the two demon maids, and the couple, Teng Xiaoming and Liu Waner, followedbehind. Even more behind them, in the vast grassland, there were countlessmonsters that followed behind quietly like the tide sweeping over pools ofwater and wasteland.
302 The Children’s Conversation in the Snow and Argumen
Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were also on the White Grass Path. Throughoutthe entire journey, the Yellow Paper Umbrella was always held open, regardlessof whether it was raining or if the skies were clear.. By now, Xu Yourong hadroughly guessed that the reason he was able to so confidently determine theSword Pools location and why he walked on the path that lead to the mausoleumin the stars was mostly likely related to this umbrella. Only when dancing snowflakes began falling out of the sky did the seeminglyworn-out umbrella display its most primitive function. Extremely thicksnowflakes silently landed on the umbrella. The layers gradually thickened asthe snow accumulated, and the White Grass Path was changing the same way. Theaccumulation of snow slowly rose above their ankles, making it very difficultto see the grass. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong both found it slightly strange. Clearly, it wasjust like spring a while ago, so why had it suddenly begun to snow? The grassy plains in front of the two turned white with a speed observablewith the naked eye. Only at that moment did they realise that the vegetationbeside the path had long already withered, and the pools of water in thevegetation had already frozen into solid ice. A chilly wind blew along with the snow. The Yellow Paper Umbrella could coverthem from snow, but it was unable to protect them from all of the surroundingwinds. The temperature suddenly dropped, and the chill encased all of thesurroundings. Xu Yourong had lost too much blood, so she was unable to resist this kind ofcoldness at all, and her body began to tremble slightly. Chen Changsheng feltthe trembling, and did not dare to continue on forwards. After putting herdown, he took off his outer clothing and helped her put it on, before tightlypulling her cuffs and collar closed. Seeing that he was only wearing a singlepiece of clothing, Xu Yourong was somewhat worried, and was about to declinehis kindly offer. However, afterwards, she remembered that he was a secretdisciple of the Snow Mountain Sect, and he cultivated the true coldness ofBlack Frost. She did not thank him. If they exchanged thanks like this, that would be theonly thing they would have been saying throughout the entire journey. Softly,she said, May the sacred light be with you. Chen Changsheng did not hear it clearly and asked, What did you say? Xu Yourong said, Nothing, how far until the second temple? Chen Changsheng calculated the time and said, If you ignore the difference intime flow, it should be soon. It indeed was soon before they saw the second sacrificial temple in the snow. At the same time, they learnt that there were only nine hundred li left toZhou Dufus tomb. The sacrificial temple in the snow and wind was very run down and abnormallycold. There was white snow everywhere, whether it was on the eaves of the buildingor the stone steps in front of the temple. As a result, the huge bloodstain on the stone steps seemed slightlybreathtaking. Xu Yourong leaned on the pillar and sat quietly with her head down. Her facewas pale and she seemed extremely weak. Chen Changsheng looked at her and stayed silent for a very long time beforesaying, From now on dont be like this. The moment they entered the snowy temple, a ferret snuck in through a pile ofsnow on the side of the temple, and lunged to bite Chen Changshengs neck. Although the word ferret sounds very ordinary, in the world outside theGarden of Zhou, it was a word that could instill dread in even proficientcultivators of the Ethereal Opening realm. This type of monster was extremelyintelligent and extremely cunning, and it also possessed patience that did notlose to a wolfs. The most terrifying part was that its body contained anextreme type of venom; a single drop of it could poison several hundreds ofhumans to death. What was somewhat hard to understand was, although it could be said that ChenChangsheng and Xu Yourong had not recovered from being heavily injured, the Qithey gave off should have been enough for an extremely intelligent monster tounderstand that they were not ordinary Ethereal Opening cultivators. For thatmatter, Nanke had already used the piece of black wood to express her owndetermination to the Plains of the Unsetting Sun. However, the ferret still attacked them without any hesitation at all, as iftheir flesh and blood were irresistibly enticing. Just when the ferret leaptthrough the snow and wind and suddenly appeared, Xu Yourong, who had seemedasleep on Chen Changshengs back, extended her hand, and transformed the ferretinto a wisp of green smoke. For that, the slight amount of true essence that she had spent a greatdifficulty to store up was once again completely depleted. From now on, dont be like what? she looked at Chen Changsheng and asked. Chen Changsheng thought about how to word his thoughts while building up afire, before saying, Dont try to be so brave. Xu Yourong said, You think Im trying to be brave? Chen Changsheng looked at the slowly growing embers. He could tell that thather mood was slightly off, so he avoided the question and said, In brief,dont act however you please in the future. Before the ferret had attacked, he had already drawn his dagger. However, hewas just not as fast as Xu Yourong. Xu Yourong did not say anything. The reason why she had expended her true essence without hesitation and rushedto act was because she felt that it was her own responsibility. It was obvious that the ferret had only gone crazy because it had smelled theremaining true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix in her body. Chen Changsheng did not say anything either. The reason why he said those words to her was because he had a guiltyconscience, and felt that it was his own responsibility. It was obvious that the ferret had only gone crazy because it had smelled theblood in his body. Crackling sounds could be heard from the burning bonfire. The temple was evenmore run-down than the previous one. The image of a god Chen Changsheng had cutfor wood had some snow on it, so it was slightly wet. The temple fell into a deathly silence. For some reason, the two of themstayed quiet for a very long time. Suddenly, Xu Yourong stared at him and asked, You feel that I am trying to bebrave? Chen Changsheng kept his head down and answered, If you feel that thatwording is unpleasant, I can change it. Xu Yourong stayed silent for a while before saying, Whatever, Ive heardthose words countless times since I was young, so Ive already gotten used toit. Chen Changsheng passed the roasted ferret meat to her and said while lookingat her pale face, If youre tired, close your eyes and rest a little. Xu Yourong accepted the ferret meat, but did not eat immediately. The words tired and trying to be brave made her remember a lot of things. In such a weak condition, the memories were not too nice, and really had madeher feel rather tired. Since she was very young, when the blood of the Heavenly Phoenix had awoken,she had bore the weight of countless peoples hopes, and the three wordsfamily, country and race all rested on her shoulders. How could it not be tiring? However, how could she let it go? She placed the ferret meat down on the grass in front of her and said quietlywith her head down, Some matters just cannot be let go of. Even if Im justpretending to be brave, I have to keep going. Chen Changsheng looked at her, and some pity bloomed in his heart. The girl had extremely great talent in cultivation, and she must have carriedall of the hopes of the Elf race. However, the Elf race had suffered so manyhardships in the past thousands of years, almost becoming extinct severaltimes. Now, their homeland had already been occupied by the demons, and many ofthe powerful forces of the continent only indifferently watched from the side.Reviving the elves was easier said than done. She carried the future of the entire race. How tiring was that? He consoled, Great power comes with great responsibility. Some matters indeedcannot just be put down when you dont want to do it anymore. Actually, was he not living like that the whole time? That was the shadow ofdeath, and it was heavier than any other pressure. Also, it was not related tocapability at all, only related to fate. Xu Yourong stayed silent for a long time before saying, Actually, I only knowhow to cultivate. Im not good at anything else, nor do I wish to do them.Every time I think of the ardent hopes of the older generation and thoseextremely complicated affairs, not only do I have no confidence, I truly feelthat I am useless and gutless. I have even begun to feel inferior. She had never told anyone this before, not to the Divine Empress or herteacher, the Holy Maiden, not to those close teenagers from the Mount Li SwordSect or the juniors of the outer sect of the South Stream Temple, not to thefellow students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, let alone herparents in the estate of the Divine General of the East. However, at thismoment, she had told Chen Changsheng. If it were not for the fact that she was overly weak from heavy injury, if shewere not in this grassland that nobody had ever walked out of, if she were notin front of death, her pride and extraordinary will would have prevented herfrom saying such things. As soon as she stopped speaking, faint feelings ofregret bloomed in her heart. However, the words had already left her mouth, soshe did not pay any more attention to it. Chen Changsheng thought perhaps the members of the older generation of the Elfrace had treated her and raised her as the next leader, so she naturally had tounderstand the matters within the race. It was just that she was sointelligent, and her talent was so astonishing. Thinking about it, hercapabilities must have been extremely great, so why did she feel inferiorbecause of these matters? Seeing his expression, Xu Yourong was slightly puzzled and asked, Have younever felt inferiority because of something? She had already begun to talk about these things; since he did not know whoshe was and still believed that she was Lady Chujian from the Elf race, whatharm was there in asking a few extra questions? Chen Changsheng contemplated this seriously, thinking about the past fifteenyears and searching for a similar feeling. However, in the end, he could notfind it at all. He really had never felt inferior. Even when he thought about the humiliationhe had gone through when he was about to withdraw the marriage contract at theDivine General of the Easts estate, he had only felt some helplessness andirritation. I never thought you were actually such a narcissist. Xu Yourong looked at him with a smile and asked, But do you feel that youreally are that perfect? Chen Changsheng thought how Tang Thirty-Six was the true narcissist andreplied, There is no one in the world who is perfect in every aspect. At that moment, he suddenly thought of someone he had never met but had heardof countless timesQiushan Jun. He shook his head, threw that name out of his mind and continued speaking,However, not being perfect does not mean that you should feel inferior. Xu Yourong was unable to understand and said, If you work so hard, but arestill unable to win against the opponent, wont you feel shame? Chen Changsheng asked in confusion, Why would you feel shame? Xu Yourong said, Doesnt that mean you dont know shame? Chen Changsheng was slightly taken aback; he had never thought that this ladywas actually such a person. He asked, Are you crazy? The crackling of the bonfire had already stopped. It was very quiet in thetemple, and only the sound of the snow and wind outside could be heard, as wellas the sound of Xu Yourongs breathing gradually growing heavier. She was slightly angry. She had enough reason to be angry. Since she was young, from the capital to the Holy Maiden Peak, no one had everdared to speak loudly to her, let alone use such criticizing words to teach hera lesson, including the Divine Empress and her teacher, the Holy Maiden. Thatwas until this moment, in this run-down temple in the wind and snow, when thisyoung man had said: Are you crazy? She even doubted whether she had heard it correctly or not, but she knew shehad not misheard. As a result, she looked at Chen Changsheng. She asked while struggling to keepher composure, Do you want to die?
303 Questions in the Breeze
Right now, Xu Yourong had already exhausted all of her blood and true essence,and was extremely weak. Right now, she would be unable to battle or even walk.As a result, not only did her challenge of Do you want to die? lack theintended feeling of pride, nobility and dominance, it instead was somewhatridiculous. Indeed, Chen Changsheng even found this kind of ridiculousnesssomewhat endearing. He laughed, If you arent crazy, how would you have such absurd thoughts? Xu Yourong used great effort to control her mood and said, How is it absurd? Chen Changsheng said, As I said, there is no perfect being in the world atall. Just being imperfect and being worse than others can cause a feeling ofinferiorityis that not absurd? The Popes ability in maintaining bonsais isnot as good as the gardeners in the Hundred Herb Garden, so should he feelashamed? The Divine Empresss needlework is not as great as the needlework ofthe female workers in Wenshui City, so should she also feel ashamed? Xu Yourong slightly raised an eyebrow and said, What I was talking about wasthe attitude towards life. Only with such an attitude can you become even moreperfect. Chen Changsheng shook his head. I am not saying that you should not adoptthis type of attitude. It is just that, if you really think this way, have younever considered that nobody can be perfect before reaching the final moment oftheir lives, even if they constantly try their best? Since victory or defeathas not even been determined, why must we feel ashamed beforehand? As for inferiority, that is even more impossible. He pulled out ajust-cooked tuber from the fire and passed it to her, exchanging for her ferretmeat that had gone slightly cold. He continued, Not being able to do it nowdoes not mean that you are unable to do it in the future, and even if it is notdone, what of it? Working hard should be caused by your inner desire, andshould not come from the disparity from comparing yourself with others. As longas you really try hard, it is enough. Xu Yourong stayed silent. It was not known what she was thinking of. Chen Changsheng spoke again, I think that you should think it through. Thehopes of other people on us are not important at all; what is actuallyimportant is what we hope ourselves to do. Arent people supposed to live forthemselves? Xu Yourong raised her head and glanced at him. Chen Changsheng understood what she meant and said, The responsibilities weshould shoulder obviously should be shouldered, but when living, we should livefor ourselves. Also, the latter should occur before the former. Xu Yourong thought about it and said, I am unable to understand. Chen Changsheng thought a little and said while laughing, I am only speakingcasually. Through this conversation, he discovered that this girl was like a hedgehog inthe forest, defending against something at all times. It was easy to injure theflowers and plants, as well as the helping hands, and it was also easy toinjure herself. Under her calm, unhurried, indifferent and strong outwardappearance, she was actually so sensitive and tenuous. Before when he mentioned perfection, he was just speaking in her words. Inreality, he had never even thought about it. He felt that her way of thinkingwas very weird, which was why he felt that she had an illnessjust whatordinary person would set perfection as the aim of existence? Once realisingthat it was impossible to reach complete perfection, would they not fall intodepression and self-deprecation? What you say sounds somewhat reasonable, which perhaps can cause life tobecome slightly less complicated, but Xu Yourong hesitated a little, and then asked for guidance, The educationthat I have received since childhood makes me unable to accept your point ofview. How should I face up against this type of pressure? Chen Changsheng pointed towards the tuber in her hand, and said, Eat firstwhile its warm. We can talk casually. Xu Yourong listened to what he said and tore open the slightly burnt outerskin of the tuber. A faint fragrance spread out. Chen Changsheng said, Firstly, we need to know what we want to do the most;the reason why we live. Looking at her expression, he said hurriedly, Dont say the word perfectionagainusing perfection to describe the level is not concrete. Xu Yourong thought about it and said, What I want to do most is cultivate. Then cultivate, he said. Xu Yourong felt slightly unhappy, thinking, was he not fooling with people? Chen Changsheng explained, Other than cultivate, you dont want to doanything else. Xu Yourong said, But those things still exist. Chen Changsheng said, Close your eyes and the sky goes dark. If you cant seethe world, the world doesnt exist. Xu Yourong said, That is only speaking idealistically. How can it persuadepeople? Also, cultivation is only a method, and not a purpose. Chen Changsheng looked and her, and thought about everything he saw and heardon the journey. He said, If I am not wrong, your purpose for cultivationshould be in order to become stronger? Xu Yourong said, Only with enough strength can you shoulder theresponsibilities you should shoulder. Chen Changsheng said somewhat impatiently, Can we forget the wordresponsibility for a moment? Xu Yourong said sternly, I wouldnt possibly dare to overlook this for even amoment. Chen Changsheng thought seriously and then said, Then I recommend that beforeyou become the strongest person, temporarily forget this goal, and put all yourenergy into the method, cultivation. Xu Yourong said, Without an objective, how am I able to advance withoutworry? Chen Changsheng said, This proves that your objective is not resolute enough.It should be immovable. If that objective has already been deeply embedded inyour will and blood, is there a need to constantly remind yourself? Xu Yourong thought and said, Reasonable then what is your objective incultivation? Have you perhaps already forgotten it? Of course I havent forgotten it. Chen Changsheng went silent for a whilebefore saying, I pursue longevity. His cultivation was following his heart, and he pursued the Dao of longevity. What are the benefits in doing so? Xu Yourong asked. Chen Changsheng understood that her meaning was different from what she hadasked. She was not asking for the benefits of longevity. Towards such a way of handling things, only he in the world could understandwhere the specific benefits were the best, because the objective he pursueditself was a type of great pressurethe shadow of death always loomed over theend of his path of cultivation, waiting for him, and getting closer and closer.If he did not learn to forget about this, perhaps he would have become a madmanfrom this type of extremely terrifying pressure long ago. Why did he always follow his heart even from the old temple in Xining Village?It was because if he did not follow his heart, he was unable to live normallyat all. How could he follow his heart so smoothly and unhindered in such aterrifying pressure? Only by forgetting it. However, he remembered his originalthought, which was to live instinctively. Only this way could there be peaceand happiness. He constantly spoke, speaking very peacefully. He did not speak hurriedly, andwhat he meant was very clear. No matter how wild the snow and wind outside thetemple was, it was unable to suppress him. The door of the run-down temple was long broken, and the cold wind mixed withbits of snow drifting in. Some of it landed on his face, just as the firelightwas doing. The cold wind and the warm firelight fused together and formed a breeze. Xu Yourong listened very diligently while looking at his face. Her eyes grewbrighter and brighter.
304 Passing Through the Four Seasons, Thus Seeing the Mausoleum
Xu Yourong did not understand. She thought to herself, youre in your twentiesat most. You can''t be older than me by much. So how is it that you canunderstand life so well? Moreover for you to actually use such simple words toclearly explain such complex subjects, just how did the Snow Mountain Sectteach you? Just what was your everyday life like? She said, "I''ve never met anyone as good with words as you." Chen Changsheng was a little startled by these words. He had never imaginedthat he would ever receive such an evaluation. Since he was small, he had livedtogether with Senior Yu Ren and rarely spoke. For the most part, they had usedhand signs to communicate. In the capital, he had been regarded by many peopleas silent and reticent. So when did he begin to talk so much? When he had togive Luoluo and Xuanyuan Po lessons in the Orthodox Academy? Or was it becauseTang Thirty-Six, that wealthy princeling who made his head hurt, spent everyday over the past year prattling on and on by his ear? Or perhaps it hadsomething to do with the person across from him? As he gazed at this girl''s elegant face by the light of the fire, for somereason, he began to feel flustered, and then he said somewhat distractedly,"It''s all just random musings." Xu Yourong sincerely asked him, "How do you understand all these matters?" Chen Changsheng thought to himself, that''s because ever since you were achild, you grew up in the grasslands, separated from the world, so there was noone tell you these things. Xu Yourong said, "To explain so clearly about responsibility and pressure andlife, I could waste a day and night in self-reflection and not do this. You aretruly amazing." Chen Changsheng honestly replied, "It''s really not much. It''s just thatsomething like pressure often brings on negative emotions. That''s not good foryour health, so I don''t like it." Once the snowstorm stopped, the two departed the sacrificial temple andcontinued onward. Suddenly, they walked into a torrential downpour. Before they even had time to think about getting away from the rain, itstopped. The sun once again blazed over the plains, causing the rainwater to instantlyevaporate. In the humid atmosphere, it seemed as if it was now summer. As they continued forward, the grass yellowed and became covered with whitefrost. The White Grass Path gradually began to blend into the surroundingplain. It was a bleak scene, as if it was autumn. The plains of the Garden of Zhou were as enigmatic as expected. Maybe it wasbecause space was twisted, or perhaps it was because time flowed strangely, butthe four seasons alternated with each other rapidly, catching them unaware. Atthe most ridiculous point, they had walked through spring into summer and fromautumn into winter in the short span of only dozen or so li! Although the surroundings were harsh, they could at the very least determineone thing. The thing that most comforted them and simultaneously most set themon edge was that they had not encountered a single monster. Running out of a cloudy and rainy summer, Chen Changsheng placed Xu Yourongdown on a brilliant patch of spring flowers. Then he took out a big piece ofpure white snow that he had taken from the winter as well as some implementsthat he had taken from the last two temples. He began to thaw the snow and boilit into water. At the same time, he began to pluck and disembowel the autumngoose he had caught this morning and began to prepare a water chestnut stewwith goose meat. The stew''s aroma gradually began to pervade the air, but the plains on bothsides of the path were quiet and without sound. This sort of strange and deathly silence had once made them extremelyvigilant, but now they had learned to ignore it. He was even more concerned about the time. Based on the scale of the flowingwater bottle, they had already been in the Garden of Zhou for over twenty days.The Garden of Zhou would only remain open for one hundred days. When it closed,the rules of the miniature world within would undergo a single change. Themonsters and fish living within would have no problems, but the cultivatorspossessing seas of consciousness would be struck dead by heavenly lightning. He did not know what the situation was outside the Garden of Zhou. Logically,the garden gate''s closing should have drawn the attention of the peopleoutside. Archbishop Mei Lisha and the Solitary Drunk under the Moon should havehad some sort of response. It was just he did not know if they had managed toopen the gate. As for those several hundred human cultivators that had beengathered together, would they leave those gardens and search the wilderness fortheir companions? Of course, he had not much faith in the latter occurring. The deeper we go into the plain, the slower time gets. At our location, oneday is roughly equivalent to fifteen minutes on the outside, so for the moment,you don''t have to worry about the closing of the Garden of Zhou." In the pastfew days, whenever Xu Yourong was awake, she was performing calculations withher Fated Star Plate. Using the minute differences between their two flowingwater bottles, and the speed of that sun that wanted to set but never ended updoing so, she had found a relatively accurate answer. When she said these words, she was on Chen Changsheng''s back, one hand holdinga flowing water bottle as she examined it, while the other held onto hisshoulder. Naturally, she was lying completely against Chen Changsheng''s back. By now, they had grown very familiar with each other, and their interactionshad also grown much more casual. Her hugging his body had already becomeextremely natural, not as it was initially. Even when she was weak and withoutthe strength to support herself, her two hands would still be holding onto hisshoulders. She kept her body extremely close to his. It was truly exhausting. Chen Changsheng was also no longer as cautious and prudent as he was at thebeginning. He used whatever position he found most comfortable to hold up herlegs and no longer worried about whether he had gone too high. At the same time, her casualness made him feel even more comfortable. To feelher soft body on his back on this endless and seemingly never-ending journeygave him much more strength. Although he felt the soft touch of her body, it would be embarrassing for himto imagine her body, so he naturally came to a conclusion: the legends wereright, elven girls truly are enchanting. When he thought about how her injuries had not yet recovered while he wasthinking about such things, he felt rather ashamed. Perhaps because he wantedto dispel his shame, he asked, "Later on...is it okay to call you Ruanruan?" (TN: Ruan() means soft) This was still to not have anything so finding something to say. Moreover,this was a most idiotic and disastrous example. The moment the words left hislips, he immediately felt regret. Throughout this journey, he had known perfectly well that she was a pure andcold young lady, carrying a dignified air about her. She would definitely notfind this sort of teasing very amusing. Of course, Xu Yourong did not like it. If this were a normal day, she wouldhave gotten furious, and then beat Chen Changsheng into such a state that noteven Luoluo would recognize him. Yet for some reason, although right now her face was filled with anger, shedid not say or do anything. Through spring flowers, summer rains, autumn fruits, and winter snows; theypassed through the four seasons and continued onwards. Occasionally, they wouldrest, killing a monster for a meal, reorienting their minds, and then theywould always be able to find another old temple. They grew increasinglyfamiliar with each other. Even when they were not talking and just calmlygazing at each other, they did not find it awkward. There were even times wherehe would make a funny face, causing the weak her to chuckle. Of course, when they were resting and waiting for the meat to cook, they wouldoften engage in conversation. In addition, Xu Yourong would often take theinitiative by requesting that he talk about some topic. Since she was small,she had become the famous person on the continent, the focus of countlessgazes. Whenever she went out, she would be guarded by countless experts. Butshe was alone. In Xining Village, he only had his senior as a companion. Afterhe came to the capital, he had grown used to the tranquility of the OrthodoxAcademy, but he was never alone. He could feel her loneliness, so every timeshe wanted to hear something, he would always talk about it, digressing on avast number of random topics. For instance, he would say that a certain type offish was tasty and not poisonous. Or that, when the stream water is clearest,you can see more than a dozen zhang down to the bottom of the pool. Or he wouldtalk about how over there is a type of pigfish that was extremely delicious ifyou took out its toxic sac. Or even that those pine trees on the mountainreally look similar to monsters. Occasionally, she would also talk. She would describe which auntie in thatsmall village loved to curse in the street, or which restaurant made the bestfood. He did not quite understand, but he guessed that it was most likely theplace she grew up in. Only because she was getting weaker, and because she feltthat no matter how dazzling her life was in the eyes of others, it could onlyseem dry and tedious in comparison to Chen Changsheng''s life, she began feelinginferior and did not like to talk about it too much. She was really thankful that Chen Changsheng was willing to talk with such adull person as her. On a certain day in which a snowstorm was once again raging, they were restingin the seventh old temple on the White Grass Path. By the bonfire, Chen Changsheng concluded his reminiscing of his childhoodmemories. She looked at him sincerely and said, "You really are a good person." Chen Changsheng thought to himself that this evaluation wasnt bad. She whispered her blessing, "May the sacred light be with you." Since that rainy night in the old temple where they held their first actualconversation, dozens of days had passed. May the sacred light be with you. Every day, she would say this prayer. They were getting ever closer to Zhou Dufu''s mausoleum, and she was gettingever weaker. Relying on the Black Dragon''s Black Frost coldness, Chen Changsheng''s injurieshad been slowly recovering, but there was no such good turn of things for her.The Peacock Plume continued to spread through her body and gradually began towreak havoc upon it. She had lost too much of her Heavenly Phoenix true bloodand was powerless to stop the poison. Several times, Chen Changsheng hadventured into the plains and hunted down several monsters, but the blood ofthose monsters, whether it had a fiery or cold nature, had not done a singlething to ameliorate her situation. Her hands held tightly onto his clothes, and she calmly leaned against thepile of grass, watching the flames leap about the fire while saying no more. The snowy temple was silent. Even the wind had stopped. Gazing at her pale face, at those eyes in which that emblematic water hadgradually begun to dry up, Chen Changsheng felt very sad. It was a sadness that he had begun to feel ahead of time. He wanted to say something, to shatter this oppressive and deathly silence,but he did not know what to say. Seeing his bowed head, Xu Yourong knew what he was thinking about. She calmlysaid, "It has nothing to do with you." Chen Changsheng lifted his head and looked at her. "Although, even until now,you''ve never been willing to tell me what happened on that first night, Idefinitely know that it was you who saved me. Moreover, you''ve never oncethrown me away." Xu Yourong gazed calmly at him and replied, "You were the same. Chen Changsheng said, "I suddenly understand those words you spoke of thatnight. If I was strong enough, as strong as you were before you were injured,when faced by those demon experts, I could still have brought you away. Iwouldn''t have been forced by circumstance into these plains and walked thispath of no return." Xu Yourong said, "Contrarily, I believe that it was the words you said on thatnight that make sense. If I wasn''t trying to be brave, then perhaps I wouldn''thave even been injured." This was what she truly thought about this matter. When she had first caughtonto the trail of the demons, if she had not traversed that mountain path alonedue to her pride, maybe things would be different. If she had chosen instead tojoin hands with the other human cultivators, like the youths of the Mount LiSword Sect with whom she was acquainted, or even that fool called ChenChangsheng, maybe none of this would have happened. The snowy temple once more grew quiet, so quiet as to stir unease within theheart. Chen Changsheng did not like this sort of silence. When she thought of thatprayer she recited, he asked, "Is this the practice of your people?" Xu Yourong thought to herself that the Snow Mountain Sect isn''t that remote,and he''s so well-versed in the Daoist scriptures, but somehow he doesn''t evenknow this. "Yes, it means to wish you a peaceful life." "Thank you." "I also thank you." Xu Yourong grew weaker by the day, but she had never forgotten to say thosewords. Those were her heartfelt blessings and hopes. She knew that it would probably be very difficult for them to leave theseplains. Then if there was still a possibility of living, she wanted to give itall to this good-hearted disciple from the Snow Mountain Sect. Just when it seemed like her fifteen years of life were about reach their end,the White Grass Path ended. Just when her eyes were about to close, she finally saw that mausoleum. She was on Chen Changsheng''s back and was a bit higher up than he was, so shesaw it an instant before he did. From a distance, the mausoleum seemed like a mountain. There were no cliffsand few trees on this mountain, making it so that those straight lines that ranfrom the peak to the foot of the mausoleum could be clearly seen. Chen Changsheng thought they felt rather familiar. When he got even closer, herealized that they seemed very similar to the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. They had walked through the plains for dozens of days, and now they hadfinally found the legendary Mausoleum of Zhou. However, he and Xu Yourong wereextremely exhausted, so they could not show any happiness or anxiety. Following the White Grass Path, it still took a long time for them to walk thedozen or so li and finally arrive before the gray mausoleum. They could finally estimate just how tall and just how large this mausoleumtruly was. Now that they were up close, they could more clearly make out the details ofthe mausoleum, and its loftiness seemed more real. For instance, the severalthousand zhang divine path which led straight down the center towards the wallof the mausoleum, or the massive stones that it was made of. Compared to seeingit from a distance, its grandeur suddenly seemed many times more imposing, andthey were struck head-on by a dignified and solemn sensation. Chen Changsheng noticed that around the mausoleum were ten stone pillars.These stone pillars were about a zhang tall, their carvings long eroded intoblurry drawings by several hundred years of wind and rain. They seemed veryshabby. Compared to the grandiose mausoleum, these stone pillars were ratherstrange. It was not for any other reason except that they were too short. Theydid not match with the mausoleum. "You may not know, but the Li Palace also has a lot of stone pillars outsideit. The first time I saw them, I thought they were very strange. I didn''t thinkthat there would also be some here." He continued, "I don''t know why, but I also think that this mausoleum is verystrange. It seems just like a Heavenly Tome Monolith, but there''s somethingdifferent." Xu Yourong weakly chuckled as she thought to herself, when I was three yearsold, I would climb those pillars every day for fun. Resting against his shoulder, she strenuously lifted her head to glance at themausoleum. A little perplexed, she said, "The style of the mausoleum hall isvery similar to the Longevity Sect''s Golden Hall." "Right, that''s the problem," Chen Changsheng said. "This mausoleum seems verysimilar to a lot of the famous buildings outside of the Garden of Zhou, butwhen put all together in one place, it feels a little..." Xu Yourong said at the same as he did, "...inappropriate." After they said this word, they looked into each other''s eyes and laughed. To the legendary and supreme figure that was Zhou Dufu, there was no one thatwould not be incomparably reverential. In front of his mausoleum, presumablythey wouldn''t even dare to speak loudly, much less deliver such a commentary. If it were any other cultivator that came before Zhou Dufu''s mausoleum, not tomention being so excited that they could not control themselves, they wouldeven cry tears of joy. They would be shocked into silence, and maybe onlyshouting and screaming could give vent to the excitement in their hearts. But Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong did not. They were very calm, as thoughthey could not care less.
305 That Man’s Mausoleum
Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng were purposely irreverent. This did not mean that they were actually calm. It was actually that theamount of indifference they showed was the only way for them to calm down inthe shortest amount of time. On Xu Yourongs face was a smile of satisfaction and peace. She had finallyseen the legendary mausoleum before her death, approaching the true secret ofthe Garden of Zhou. Of course she would be happy. Chen Changsheng glanced at the Yellow Paper Umbrella several times, andconfirmed that there was no more activity. The sword intent had alreadydisappeared when he saw the mausoleum. He did not know what it meant. Did that sword intent already finish its job of leading the way? Was the SwordPool close to the mausoleum? The surroundings of the mausoleum were endlessplain of white, and over ten li away in the opposite direction, a few oldtemples could be seen. They were not sacrificial temples, and should have beenmatching temples. There were no lakes or pools, so where was the Sword Pool? Chen Changsheng did not think for too long, and walked towards the mausoleumwith Xu Yourong on his back. Not long after, they arrived in front of the longpath made out of stone that seemed like a path to heaven. When he stepped onto the stone path, some dust arose from the bottom of hisshoes. For some reason, he slowly began to increase in speed, until the endwhere he actually began to run. Xu Yourong hung onto his neck and thought with a smile. After all, he was ayoung man in his twenties, so no matter how calm and unhurried he seemed, itwas always an act. Fair enough, the Snow Mountain Sect was known for thebloodline of the Black Frost Dragon, and such dragons were renowned for lovingtreasure. This mausoleum must definitely have countless treasures, so why wouldhe not hurry? Chen Changshengs injuries had slowly healed. Although he was still tired, hisspeed was very fast. Not long after, he reached the end of the divine path ofseveral thousand zhang in length with Xu Yourong on his back, arriving in thecenter of the huge mausoleum. Looking at the heavy stone door of over ten zhangin front of him, he exhaled, and then pushed forwards with both his hands. Hediscovered that it was easier than he had thought. Without a sound, the door of the mausoleum opened. Soft dust and gravel flewout from the crack that grew wider and wider, Chen Changsheng pulled out the dagger, and wielded it in front of him. Hewalked into the mausoleum, remaining very alert. Xu Yourong leaned on his shoulder, and her expression was also solemn. Herfingers constantly extended and retracted, silently making calculations. This mausoleum could be called the most mysterious place in the EasternContinent. Buried inside was the man that once caused the entire world to fear. Now, they naturally already knew that the mysterious Plains of the UnsettingSun was only the garden of this mausoleum. Even the mausoleum garden was so vast and dangerous; the mausoleum itselfwould undoubtedly be more so. Nobody knew what was inside the mausoleum. As soon as he walked in, after just a few steps, a smear of light suddenlyglowed in the distant darkness. It was like someone had lit a bonfire in thewilderness on a starless night. Chen Changsheng stared into the distance. He was ready to fight or run away atany time. In the next moment, a second smear of light flared in the depths of themausoleum. More and more radiance continued to appear, spreading towards them.It transformed into two bright lines of light. Finally, the radiance arrived in front of him. As it turned out, the luminouspearls mounted on the walls of the passageway had turned on. The luminous pearls were perfectly round, translucent and transparent. Eachone was the size of a bowl. The luminous pearls were not as pretty as the one he had received from Luoluo,but they definitely were not smaller than the ones on the Dew Platform. Also,this passageway was very long, leading into the depths of the mausoleum. Thenumber of luminous pearls on the wall would have reached at least in thethousands, which really was hard to believe. Back then, when Zhou Dufu builtthe mausoleum for himself, where did he find so many luminous pearls that werealmost completely the same? Under the soft light of the luminous pearls, Chen Changsheng carried XuYourong into the depths of the mausoleum. The passageway that led into the depths of the mausoleum should have been thenether path specially built for emperors, which symbolized the meaning ofleading into the Netherworld. Of course, in the Daoist Canons of the Orthodoxy,the passageway was commonly known as the path of radiance, which symbolised themeaning of leading into the Divine Kingdom of Infinite Radiance within the seaof stars. Just like how the pointless stone path of several thousand zhang inlength outside the mausoleum was known as the divine path. They carried similarmeanings. Walking in the long passageway, only the echoes of footsteps could be heard.Although the luminous pearls illuminated the way, it still seemed rather gloomyand scary. Chen Changsheng suddenly felt a vague chill spread from within his heart.Sending in a sliver of spiritual sense, he discovered that in the cold lakewithin the Ethereal Palace, the Black Dragon seemed to show signs of waking up.He could not help but stare blankly for a moment, curling the corner of hismouth for a smile. He thought it no wonder, as it was the legendary Black FrostDragon that loved treasureseven in sleep, it could feel the existence of theseluminous pearls. Xu Yourong saw his face suddenly reveal a smile. She was very confused, andfelt that it was slightly weird, so she asked softly. Chen Changsheng did not know how to explain, so he could only smile. He seemeda little dumb. Surpassing both of their expectations, there were no traps in the passageway,nor did they meet any fierce beasts that guarded the mausoleum. Very soon, theyreached the deepest part of the mausoleum, with nothing occurring at all. At the end of the path of radiance was another stone door. When Chen Changsheng placed his hand onto it, he very naturally thought ofwhen he was first trapped within the Tong Palace on the night of the IvyFestival. He thought of the image when he reached the bottom of Black DragonPond, and when he pushed open the stone door. At that time, he carried athought that he would definitely die when he opened the stone door, but he hadnever thought that behind the stone door, he would meet the Black Dragon, whichhad already saved his life several times since they had met. What would he meet this time upon pushing open the stone door? With an extremely soft grinding sound, the stone door was slowly pushed open. The stone door had not been opened for several hundreds of years. Behind the door was a world where no one had visited for hundreds of years. Stone pillars of several dozen zhang in height held up the dome. The space seemed incomparably huge. As it turned out, in the depths of the mausoleum, there was not a coffinchamber, but rather a palace. In the deepest part of the palace was a black stone coffin. Chen Changsheng approached the black stone coffin with Xu Yourong on his back.Only then did he discover that the black stone coffin was extremely huge, likea black mountain. Standing in front of the black coffin, the two of them seemed veryinsignificant. The stone coffin was made out of obsidian. Its surface was dull and withoutlustre, giving out a deep and solemn feeling. There were no visible cracks orsigns of being pieced together, making it extremely possible that it wasentirely made of a single piece of obsidian. Chen Changsheng thought silently, was this perhaps really a black mountain? There was no patterning on the surface of the obsidian coffin, and it did nothave any words that identified the owner. However, because of that, it seemedeven more solemn. The man who currently laid within the obsidian coffin quietly did not need anysort of patterning to add splendour, and did not need any words to sing thepraise of his deeds. When this man was a teenager, he was once known as the supreme expert of RiverLuo. Later, when he dealt Emperor Taizong a heavy defeat outside of Luoyang City,he was known as the supreme expert of the Central Plains. Next, he travelled to the south, successively defeating countless experts fromthe Longevity Sect and the Scholartree Manor. He flattened the mountain gate ofthe South Stream Temple, and ripped off the veil of the current Holy Maiden.After that, he was known as the supreme expert of the Human race. Afterwards, he stood amidst the countless demon experts, heavily injured theDemon Lord and then travelled far away. As a result, he was known as thesupreme expert of the continent. The supreme expert of the continent mentioned here did not even have alimitation of time. It was not limited to that age, and instead, whetherlooking forwards five hundred years or looking back five hundred years, he wasalways the strongest without equal. As a result, he gained another title, the Thousand Year Supreme Expert. He had peerless strength within the universe. Perhaps it was this type ofloneliness that had caused him to disappear, leaving behind an irreplicablelegend. In the end, he was known by the people as the supreme expert under the stars. He used an entire obsidian mountain to make a coffin. He used a grassland thathad a sun that did not set as his mausoleum garden. He used a world as a moundto bury himself. How would he need a gravestone, or engrave his name on agravestone? He was Zhou Dufu. He could only be Zhou Dufu. Standing before the huge coffin of obsidian, Chen Changsheng stayed silent fora while, and gave a plain bow. Afterwards, he continued onwards carrying XuYourong on his back, and did not stay for any longer. Xu Yourong was unable to understand why he was so calm and said, You shouldknow who is inside the black stone coffin. Chen Changsheng spoke as if he was reciting from memory, The supreme expertunder the stars, the undefeatable legend, the person who swore brotherhood withEmperor Taizong of the Zhou Dynasty. If it is only power, it is not enough for him to be remembered by the peoplefor so long. Xu Yourong said, For the Human race to be victorious over the Demon race,there is actually a reason of utmost importance, which is always forgottenpurposely by the annals of history and the people. That is, Zhou Dufu defeatedand heavily injured the Demon Lord. Chen Changsheng did not stop his footsteps, and instead walked faster. Hesaid, I know that, and also understand the importance of it. So, other than that he is a legend, he is even more a hero, Xu Yourong said.An overwhelming majority of the cultivators of the younger generation that Ihave met view him as an idol, feverishly admiring him. If they could arrivebefore the coffin of Zhou Dufu, they will definitely earnestly kneel andworship, unlike how indifferent you were. If it were some other time, I would probably also do so. Chen Changshengsaid, But right now, we have no time to dwell on the past. After all, he isalready dead. Xu Yourong asked, So? Chen Changsheng said, No matter how heroic, no matter how legendary, it isimpossible to wake up after being dead, unable to tell us how to continueliving. Our current situation is very bad, and if we grieve for the senior atthis time, then we will very soon become the target of grieving. Of course, itis even more possible that we will be forgotten by people very quickly. Saying that, he had already arrived before the steps at the back of thepalace. In front of him was a door. The ground in front of the door was coveredby a thin layer of dust, and it did not seem to have any marks at all, not eventhe marks of wind. Judging by it, the mausoleum truly had not been openedbefore, let alone had people enter it. They were its first visitors. Just like the main door of the mausoleum, the doors of this stone room did nothave locks. Upon entering into the first stone room, they were assaulted by a putrid gustof a rotting smell, causing them to hold their breath, squint their eyes anduse the light that spilled from behind them to gaze into the room. They onlysaw that within the stone room, there were many rotting shelves made of wood,and on the shelves were at least a hundred magical artifacts. They werescattered messily everywhere, and judging by their shape, the\ magicalartifacts were definitely out of the ordinary. It was just that they were leftlying idle for too long, and the Qi of the magical artifacts had alreadyscattered. They were no different from scrap metal. Suddenly, Xu Yourong called out quietly in surprise.
306 The Treasures Which He Searched Through
Zhou Dufu''s mausoleum naturally did not use any ordinary materials. The woodenracks that displayed magical artifacts should have been made of the extremelyexpensive Five Flowers Pearwood. Only it was very obvious that the number oneexpert under the stars was not knowledgeable in antiques. He only knew that theFive Flowers Pearwood was extremely precious and rare and was highly durableagainst moths and worms. Yet he did not know that this hardwood required amoist environment to preserve its properties. In the cold and dry environmentof this mausoleum chamber, it only required a few decades for it to rot. Inperfect condition, the rotted logs in the corner of the stone chamber couldhave been sold at a sky-high price, but now they were only a worthless pile ofrotten logs. What could cause such a knowledgeable and experienced young genius like XuYourong to give a cry of surprise was obviously not those rotten pieces ofwood, but the items buried within them. Chen Changsheng walked over and used a ruler-like magical artifact to pryapart that pile of wood. He realized that buried within was yet another magicalartifact. That magical artifact had a black color, and he couldn''t tell what itwas made of. When he felt it, it seemed incomparably sleek. It seemed verysimilar to a fossil of some type of peculiar tree found on the western seaside. "What''s this?" he asked, handing that black magical artifact to Xu Yourong. Xu Yourong took it and carefully examined it for a long time, slowly tracingher fingers over it. Finally, she said, "If I''m not wrong, this should be WhiteEmperor City''s Soul Pivot." Chen Changsheng was somewhat surprised. He had never encountered this name inany of the three thousand Daoist scriptures, so he asked, "Soul Pivot?" Xu Yourong gave back that black magical artifact, using her eyes to indicatethat he should take good care of it. "Yes, this Soul Pivot possesses anunimaginable magic power, the ability to command monsters. Even those legendaryand outrageous monsters who are on the verge of stepping into the Saint realmhave no means of resisting the Soul Pivot''s command. The reason the WhiteEmperor clan has been able to rule over the monster realm for so many years isfor the most part because of this. Of course, this is also their greatestsecret. Besides the White Emperor''s bloodline, very few outsiders know of it.If I hadn''t seen a picture of it at my predecessor''s place, even I would nothave recognized it." After a pausing for a moment, she continued, "I didn''t think that thisprecious treasure of the demi-humans had actually been snatched away from WhiteEmperor City by Zhou Dufu and then put to use in this Garden of Zhou. Thereason why those monsters in the plain are unwilling to approach this mausoleumand instead have silently protected it for several hundred years is most likelybecause of this Soul Pivot." Chen Changsheng had not imagined that this magical artifact would be soimportant. He resolutely stored it away. Logically and in accordance with his normal temperament, he would havediscussed with Xu Yourong how to divide the treasures they found in thismausoleum, but he was in a rush to find certain items and had no time for suchmatters. Moreover, the important point was that since the Soul Pivot originallybelonged to the White Emperor clan, he believed that it was only right toreturn it to Luoluo. Xu Yourong took in all his actions with her eyes, but she did nothing. Themutual understanding and trust they had built up over the course of thisjourney had made it very difficult for any misunderstanding to come up betweenthem. On the contrary, she even gave a him a word of advice. "According to thatpainting, the Soul Pivot requires the Soul Wood to display its full power, butthe Soul Wood isn''t here." Chen Changsheng took that old iron ruler magical artifact and rummaged throughthe pile of wood. Xu Yourong would give an explanation of the magical artifactshe found, and only then did Chen Changsheng realize that these magicalartifacts that seemed like a pile of scrap metal were all famous. There wereeven three magical artifacts that had been placed on the Pavilion ofDivination''s Tier of Legendary Weapons. The magical artifacts did not cause his footsteps to pause. Seeing that thestone chamber did not have the things he was looking for, he immediately turnedand left. He went to the second stone chamber on his right. Only as he moveddid he finally find the time to say to Xu Yourong, "Everything that we find, wecan divide evenly." Leaning on his shoulder, Xu Yourong lightly chuckled and said, "If we can getout, that is." The items in the second stone chamber had not rotted away. Although the itemswere not the most precious things in the world, they were something that wasloved by everyone in the world. Even if some refined scholars would oftencriticize these things as being vulgar, even describing them as mud or dirt,upon being confronted with this scene, they would also shake all over withexcitement, barely restraining themselves. It was a room filled with gold. Even after several hundred years, it stillsparkled with a dazzling light, causing anyone that looked at it to squinttheir eyes, as if this was the only way to avoid being burned by the light. Xu Yourong was stunned into silence. She thought to herself, when Zhou Dufucrisscrossed the continent, just how many clans did he rob and how manyfamilies did he destroy? Chen Changsheng was much calmernot because hiscultivation had reached such heights that he could regard wealth as transientclouds, but because in the Imperial Palace of Zhou, in that cold undergroundspace, he had seen much more gold. Once people have experienced something, people would naturally find it hard toget excited when experiencing it once more, but this did not mean that ChenChangsheng was not interested in this chamber filled with gold. Previously when he had determined that this mausoleum held no dangers, he hadreturned his dagger to its sheath. Now he removed the dagger along with itssheath from his belt, and began to point. The noble scholars say that even the unbending stone must bow its head, but hewas not pointing at the gold to open his mind and comprehend the Dao. Stonecould be turned into gold, but he was not planning to turn this gold back intostone. He was unconcerned with allowing those who came later to comprehend thetruth of the myriad things returning to one, letting them embrace this simpleand unchanging principle. What he wanted to do was take all this gold withoutmissing a single bar. If that Black Dragon were to wake up and realize that he had left even asingle bar of gold behind, it would inevitably pester him to no end. With the movement of his sheath, the gold within the chamber vanished beforetheir eyes. Ultimately, all the gold had been transported to some unknown place. Xu Yourong had realized that his dagger was odd long ago. It was most likelysome sort of spatial magical artifact. She also had a similar magical artifacton her person. The Wu Arrows and Tong Bow as well as some underclothes were allstored within. So she was not amazed by this sight, but her curiosity waspiqued. The space within this dagger seemed a bit too large. Throughout thisjourney, she had already seen him squeeze far too many things into that space. Moving that room full of gold into that space did not take up too much time.Chen Changsheng very quickly brought her away into the third stone chamber. The chamber was filled with crystals. With the passage of time, the powerwithin these crystals had gradually scattered. Most likely, they contained onlya third of their original strength, but they were still good items. Without anyprompting from Xu Yourong, he repeated the scene from the second stone chamberand very quickly wiped it clean. The fourth stone chamber was filled with various treasures. This time Chen Changsheng worked even faster. Xu Yourong only had time toblink her eyes, not even to say anything, and those night pearls, coral,jadeite, white jade and other similar treasures had all been stored away in hissheath. It was so fast that she felt that her eyes were seeing things, thatmaybe this stone chamber originally did not even have anything? The fifth stone chamber was filled with all sorts of secret cultivationmanuals. Xu Yourong had originally thought that he would be more cautious sothat in the course of transporting those cultivation manuals, they would not bedamaged. These secret cultivation manuals once belonged to countless experts ofthe past, and represented Zhou Dufu''s innumerable battles. They were thecultivation world''s history, and their importance was beyond questioning. YetChen Changsheng still very quickly left the stone chamber, not pausing for amoment longer. Wherever his dagger pointed, that place became empty. In hiseyes, those secret cultivation manuals were no different from worthless scrappaper. Xu Yourong did not understand. When he entered the sixth chamber, gave it aquick glance, then turned and left, this cause her perplexity to reach its peak. She recalled that whether he was confronted by gold, or magical artifacts, orcrystals, his eyes remained clear and bright. There was no greed or even any ofthe happiness that anyone would feel upon seeing such a sight. As he took awaythe gold, crystals and magical artifacts, it was like he did not careas if hetook it away only because he saw it. So then just what was he looking for? "In this mausoleum, just what exactly is it that you need to find?" she asked. Chen Changsheng did not answer, because there was no time to answer. He rushedfrom chamber to chamber, going faster and faster. When they arrived at the ninth stone chamber, Xu Yourong noticed that his eyesfinally lit up, that a strand of joy finally appeared within them. This stone chamber had no shelves. There were many bottles and jars laid outhaphazardly on the floor. Some of the bottles were made of celadon, while someof the jars seemed very similar to those used to simmer chicken stock. It was agood thing that those bottle and jars were not on shelves, or else they wouldall have been shattered on the floor. Chen Changsheng paced in front of these bottles and jars, his fingers slowlymoving across of them, his gaze extremely focused. Suddenly, his fingers stopped, and he took up a jade box. There were nomarkings on this box, so she did not know what was inside of it. When the lidof the jade box was opened, an extremely light fragrance floated up. He movedhis nose closer and took a sniff, and after considering for a few moments,decided that he was not wrong. The joy in his eyes traveled to the rest of hisface, and his body finally relaxed. Leaning on his back, Xu Yourong very clearly felt his two shoulders suddenlyrelax, no longer as tense and hard as they were before. "What''s this?" she asked. "This is a fireflow pill." Chen Changsheng took a pill from out of the box and explained, "The primaryingredient is the juice of the fire thorn, which has an extremely powerful firecharacteristic, ranked third in the world. It''s miraculously effective forproducing blood, especially for you." Hearing these words, Xu Yourong was at a loss. For a very long time, she didnot say anything. Only now did she realize why he was so tense, his steps so rushed, why hecould ignore all those crystals and treasures. He was in a hurry to find medicine for her. This deeply moved her. She cultivated the Dao of the external world, mixing herself with worldlyaffairs. So that her Dao heart would be brightly lit, she could not bedelighted by things or grieve for her fellow man. Thus in the eyes of thecommon people, she was very haughty and cold, a phoenix that soared high in thesky. She also viewed herself in this way. She believed that she would neversuffer such an emotion that would harm her Dao heart, that she would never bedeeply moved by anything. In these plains, from that patch of reeds to this mausoleum, there wereseveral times where she had almost been truly moved by his actions, but everytime, she had used her unimaginable mental willpower to suppress it. Forsomeone like her, to suppress love and hate was relatively easy. To suppressanger was also very easy. But to be moved was a very special emotion and verydifficult to suppress. The emotion would never suddenly appear. It required a very long time togradually appear, but the moment it truly made itself known, it certainly wasrather sudden. It required a certain point. To gather and then explode thesewords could be used to talk about cultivation, but it could also be used todescribe this emotion. At this moment, that emotion had finally broken throughthat unyielding wall, and in the cool breeze, it began to sway and grow.
307 Waiting for the Arrival of Fate
Chen Changsheng did not know what Xu Yourong was thinking at this moment, muchless the fact that her emotions underwent such great change in such a shorttime. He removed the fireflow pill from the jade box, and directly placed it toher lips. Afterwards, almost instantly, or even somewhat roughly, he shoved itin. Xu Yourongs lips opened slightly. She was about to say something, toexpress her gratitude and her moved feeling to him. However, she did notspeak. It was directly blocked by the pill. An hour before and after consumption, you cannot drink water, otherwise itwill decrease the essence of fire within the pill. Chen Changsheng stared ather, who was currently red-faced from being choked off, and spoke seriously.However, some worry bloomed in his heart. The fireflow pill was very large. Xu Yourong was unable to speak at all, andonly swallowed after a very long time. It was very tiring, and afterwards, shebegan to cough. A while later, when she recovered slightly, she looked at himand said in an irritated manner, Even if I cant drink water, give me areminder. Dont you know that coughs are uncomfortable? Although she spoke irritatedly, her voice was instead slightly peaceful. Itwas a grumble, but it slightly seemed similar to a spoiled child throwing atantrum. Chen Changsheng was unable to tell and said with his eyebrows slightlyfurrowed, Sorry, I was slightly anxious. However, there is nothing to fearabout coughing. It is not choking. It should be a common sign of expellingpoison. Even Xu Yourong herself did not realise that she had revealed a spoilt lookjust before. However, she felt slightly embarrassed, and said quietly, I dontknow whether it is the effects of the medicine, but I feel slightly sleepy. How could it be a common sign of expelling poison? She was just looking for anopportunity to speak. How could the medicinal effects kick in so quickly, itwas only because he did not how to respond to it. In the end, it was still likewhat Tang Thirty-Six had said in the Plum Garden Inn, he and she were reallytwo people that caused others to be speechless. Whether it was because of the medicinal effects, or for some other reason, XuYourong did feel slightly sleepy. Chen Changsheng carried her out of the stone room and into the corridor totake shelter from the wind. He removed some cloth from the seventh stone roomand covered her. All of the most valuable silks and satins in the mausoleum,including the extremely rare silk created by the snow silkworm, had all turnedinto broken fragments. Interestingly, the most worthless sackcloth remained asit was before. What he lay on her was the curtain screening made out ofsackcloth. Gazing at the sleeping girl, he secretly prayed that the fireflow pill stillcontained enough efficacy. Afterwards, he walked into the stone room again, andopened that jade box again, carefully sniffing it. The worry in his heart didnot disappear, instead, it grew stronger and stronger. Only after discovering and collecting the different types of spirit medicinesthat had not completely deteriorated did he finally have time to have a look atthe harvest from the stone rooms. Using his spiritual sense to scan over itslightly, the items he inspected first were the secret manuals and techniques. He read through the Daoist Canons since childhood. After arriving in thecapital, he had also read all of the several tens of thousands of books withinthe Orthodoxy Academy library diligently. As a result of this, when he readthrough the secret manuals and techniques, he only needed to see the name toknow which school or sect it belonged to. Contrary to what ordinary people imagined, the secret manuals and techniqueswere not rare in the slightest, and he was naturally unable to master all thesetechniques in a night. Speaking of which, the experts that had thequalifications to be Zhou Dufus opponent had all originated from famousschools and sects. They had all become ghosts under Zhou Dufus blade, but thelegacy of the schools and sects were not broken. Similar to how Mount Li remained strong even though the secrets of the MountLi Sword Style were taken by the White Emperor Clan. However it was just likethe secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style; thee secret manuals and techniquesnaturally were extremely valuable, or at least to those schools and sects, asthese were all the original copies. Afterwards, he began inspecting the magical artifacts. Over time, anoverwhelming majority of the magical artifacts had decreased in power. Underthe directions of Xu Yourong, he collected a few artifacts that still had somepower, but they were still far from as they were years ago, and could not becompared with the divine weaponry on the Tier of Legendary Weapons at all. Onlythe black Soul Pivot was an exception. Time was indeed the greatest magical artifact in the world. Chen Changsheng suddenly had a theory. Zhou Dufu was the true legend of thecontinent, an unrivalled existence. The Garden of Zhou was his world, and thiswas his mausoleum. Logically, there should have been some objects of evenbetter quality, that had the qualifications of being picked to be buried withhim. Were these objects taken by someone? In the long corridor before the nine stone rooms, there was a thin layer ofdust which had many disorderly footprints. However, these footprints were allleft by him, and all the magical artifacts, treasure and secret manuals stillremained. This was proof that nobody had entered before. In the past several hundreds of years, there were countless cultivators whowanted to locate Zhou Dufus mausoleum, and wanted to receive his legacy aswell as the the treasures from it. These cultivators were either brimming withtalent, or they had made extremely sufficient preparations. These people wereall at least peak level Ethereal Opening before they dared to enter themysterious Plains of the Unsetting Sun, yet, they never arrived there, andinstead died on the journey. For him to be able to enter this grassland, andarrive at this mausoleum, it was not because he was more outstanding andstronger than these seniors, it was due to the fact he had the Yellow PaperUmbrella. After a moment of pondering, he gazed at the Yellow Paper Umbrella in hishands once again. After entering the mausoleum, he did not put the umbrella away. If he did not have this umbrella, or if he had not chased after the faintlydiscernable sword intent which led their way, it would be impossible for themto arrive here in the first place. There was a higher possibility that theywould have already become lost in this dangerous grassland, becoming the foodof the groups of monsters. However, how would they leave afterwards? Would theystill have to rely on the Yellow Paper Umbrella? Or would they have to look forthe strand of sword intent? He had always felt that the Yellow Paper Umbrella bringing him here was thebeckoning of fate. Yes, he believed in fate. This seemed extremely preposterous, because when he came to the capital fromthe old temple in Xining Village, he objective was to change his own fate.However, in the deepest region within his consciousness, he truly believed inthe existence of fate, and even believed in it more than anyone else. There must be a mountain in front of him for him to climb the large mountain. There must be a large, rough river for him to cross the river. There must be an objective for him to strive towards the objective. There must be fate for him to change fate. The final words of Wang Zhices diary had said, There is no fate. These four words could shake the world, but to him, it was just a new view. His view was different from Wang Zhices. It had to be different. He wanted tosee his own fate clearly before changing it. If fate allowed him to meet so many people, to do so many things in thecapital before finally bringing him to the Garden of Zhou, then in the Gardenof Zhou, what kind of fate was awaiting him? The Yellow Paper Umbrella hadsensed that strand of sword intent and brought him to this mausoleum. There wasdefinitely some deep meaning hidden behind it. If he wanted to leave the Gardenof Zhou, did it mean that he needed to find the strand of sword intent? Was the sword intent in the Sword Pool? Where was the Sword Pool? Walkingthrough the long passageway and arriving outside the mausoleum, he stood on thetall platform. Chen Changsheng used his left hand to support his back while hisright hand held onto the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and gazed at the grasslandbefore his eyes. It was already sunset. The distant sun had already arrived in its fixedposition for every nightthe edge of the grassland, above the horizon. Underthe warm and red light, the endless grassland seemed to be burning. The pondshidden within the grasslands were similar to countless small rivers, reflectingthe appearance of the sky. Behind him was the mausoleum of Zhou Dufu. If the person who saw this scene at this moment was a gifted scholar who hasgrieved for the changing seasons, he would probably feel even more sorrow, andsigh sorrowfully because everything in the world could not win against time.However, he did not. The setting sun remained at the distant edge of the grasslands, however, thesurroundings of the mausoleum suddenly began to rain. Chen Changsheng raised the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Drops of rain pitter-pattered on the surface of the umbrella. The dropletstransformed into countless small splashes, constantly leaping up before fallingdown. He released his spiritual sense, extending it from the shaft of the umbrella,all the way up to the canopy of the umbrella. Finally, like the leaping smallsplashes of water, the spiritual sense left, dispersing into the surroundinggrassland of the mausoleum. He was well-versed in the Daoist Canons, and was confident about the fact thatthe sword intent could not gain an individuality. Since it did not have anindividuality, it was impossible for it to change its own state of its ownaccord. At the very beginning, he could feel its existence beside the coldpool, because the sword intent had always existed, waiting to be discovered. Inthis case, the sword intent should not have been able to disappear on its ownaccord. If an object could not disappear on its own accord but was unable to be found,then it must have been hidden by someone. Chen Changsheng stood in the rain, and released his spiritual sense into thegrassland. He searched for the target, and at the same time, he began to combout the changes that occurred when he approached this mausoleumin the instantXu Yourong laid eyes on the mausoleum, the sword intent disappeared. At thattime, he thought that the sword intent had already completed its orders ofleading the Yellow Paper Umbrella, so it naturally disappeared. After he hadcalmed down, and arrived at the same conclusion, he had naturally confirmedthat this was not the case; the strand of sword intent should have been hiddenaway by a certain person. And that person should have been the mausoleum. He turned around and gazed at the mausoleum behind him. The mausoleum formed from piles of huge rocks grew steeper the higher it was.It was unbelievably tall. Chen Changsheng stood at the centre of the mausoleum; the mausoleum seemedeven taller, as if it pierced the layer of clouds in the sky. His gaze followed the upper component of the mausoleum and landed on the greyand dull clouds. He only saw the dark clouds surge, and in the depths were thefaint but constant flashes of lightning, they seemed especially terrifying.Even though they were separated by thousands of zhang, he could clearly feelthat there was a great Qi within the clouds that was capable of destroying theworldthe mausoleum was the core of the Garden of Zhou. This Qi should havebeen the tangible form of the rules of the Garden of Zhou. The rain gradually fell heavier and heavier, and most of the huge rocks withinthe mausoleum were wet. Between every layer of rock, there would be countlessthin streams of waterfalls flowing. If one were to look at it from outside themausoleum, he would definitely feel that this scene was very spectacular, witha hair-raising beauty. However, for he who stood within the mausoleum, he couldonly feel his hair rise and naturally could not feel the beauty. If there is time, I must leave the area of pressure from the mausoleum, andsee if that sword intent will appear once again or not. He thought silently, and then heard a vague sound of someone calling for him.Holding the Yellow Paper Umbrella, he once again walked into the mausoleum. Xu Yourong had awoken. Her complexion remained pale, but she appeared slightlybetter, and seemed to have recovered some energy. He asked, Were you calling for me? The rain outside the mausoleum was extremely heavy, and even though he had theumbrella, he was still wet. He appeared to be in a rather sorry condition. However, Xu Yourong did not laugh at him and shook her head. She said quietly,You heard wrong. Chen Changsheng thought that it was probably due to the fact that he was fartoo worried about her injuries and had really misheard it. Xu Yourong looked at him silently. Her two hand beneath the sackcloth wereslightly clenched. When Xu Yourong first woke up, she could not see him by her side. Thesurroundings were gloomy, actually causing her to feel scared, or moreaccurately, flustered. Ever since her bloodline had awakened by itself, she had never felt flustered. She knew, that this was unrelated to her dependence on Chen Changsheng, andwas also unrelated to other things. This was the manifestation of the low spirits of will. She had become weakerand weaker, even her bright lit will of Dao slowly began to grow gloomy. This was a sign of death. Chen Changsheng crouched down beside her, and extended his hand to feel herpulse. He stayed silent for a long time, before saying with a smile, Yes, themedicinal effects are currently dispersing. The poison can be considered to benot completely gone, but there should be no more major problems. The art of lying paid particular attention to ninety percent real and tenpercent false. Not a single word he had said was real. Xu Yourong looked at his eyes and said indifferently, Do you know that yoursmile is really fake? Chen Changshengs body became slightly rigid and laughed, How can smiles befake? Xu Yourong smiled slightly, It indeed is not fake. Its idiotic. Chen Changsheng acted as though he was slightly annoyed and replied, I justhate your cold and arrogant way of speaking. I will notice it at least, on your face. Xu Yourong said something that hedid not expect. Chen Changsheng stared blankly. Xu Yourong smiled and continued, Your smilejust a moment ago looked as if you were crying. It is indeed very idiotic, andanyone can tell its fake. Chen Changsheng was speechless. He lowered his head, and extended his hand topull the edge of the sackcloth, helping her cover her legs. The medicine was useless, right?
308 I May be Your Fate
Time indeed was an unimaginable beast. It could cause the strongest man underthe stars to die, as well as cause the most valuable medicines to turn towaste. Perhaps Zhou Dufu did not understand medicine, but of the medicines thathe had collected, they had all been stored exquisitely, no matter theenvironment or equipment used for storage. However, even so, there was still nomethod to maintain the medicinal effects after hundreds of years. Xu Yourong confirmed it from Chen Changshengs silence, and thought a little.Afterwards, she said, Since it will be like this, let me sleep a little more. She no longer coughed, and slept very peacefully. If she was about to enter the eternal sleep, it would be impossible for anormal person in her situation to fall asleep. Chen Changsheng looked at thegirl who was sleeping soundly, and an endless amount of admiration and respectbloomed in his heart. Just how strong of a willpower and mental power wasneeded for someone to sleep comfortably in such conditions? The fireflow pill failed. How could he save her? He hesitated a while, and resolved to use the method that had caused him tohesitate for a dozen or so days in the grasslandforceful stimulation of bloodthrough acupuncture. Forceful stimulation of blood through acupuncture was a method that ignitedthe vitality and the strength of ones bloodline. It would cause extremelygreat harm to the subject. Before it had been successfully improved by hismaster Daoist Ji, the acupuncture technique basically belonged to the eviltechniques in the Orthodoxy, with its use being strictly prohibited. Even now,the acupuncture technique was unable to completely avoid its severe sideeffects, so normally, it could only be used on a patient right before death. From a certain perspective, forceful stimulation of blood through acupuncturewas like the final gulp of old ginseng soup. Since he made the decision, he no longer hesitated. He sat in front of XuYourong, and removed the golden silk on the ring finger of his right hand. Witha slight control of his spiritual sense, the golden silk became straight like aneedle, piercing the back of her neck like lightning. Forceful stimulation of blood through acupuncture was very difficult. The mostdifficult part was entering the diseased vein with a single stroke. At themoment, she was asleep, so it was very suitable. Xu Yourong furrowed her brows slightly, and was slightly in pain. She woke up. Dont moveI am treating you. Chen Changsheng knew that she was not old, but to face change without beingalarmed and to face matters calmly, he only need to speak clearly, and shewould co-operate. Just as expected, Xu Yourong calmed down very quickly. Histrue essence slowly carried a coldness into her body through the golden needle,travelling along her meridians and blood vessels like a tide. It dispersed allthe poison that had deposited in her diaphragm, and at the same time, itdispersed her doubts from before. Sweat beads the size of soybeans constantly appeared on Chen Changshengsforehead, before being frozen into ice droplets, rolling and landing on theground. It gave out a sharp and clear sound. As time flowed, the ground aroundthe two of them was covered with frozen beads of sweat, which seemed like afragment of a pearl sea. Some ice droplets even rolled far along the stonesteps, only stopping after coming directly in contact with the huge obsidiancoffin. After a very long amount of time, the golden needle was removed from the backof Xu Yourongs neck, once again wrapping around Chen Changshengs finger. Even after another very long period, he did not speak, nor did Xu Yourong. He lowered his head, and looked at the ice droplets on the ground. He feltslightly sad, and even more unwilling to resignforcefully stimulating theblood through acupuncture was the last method he could think of. It wasextremely dangerous and violent, but even so, it did not have any effects. This type of acupuncture technique could ignite the vitality and bloodline ofhumans. Even an old man who was on his sickbed and on his last breath couldhave some of his energy revived, or even have an opportunity to live stolenback from the netherworld. However, it did not have any effects on Xu Yourong,because her bloodline was already completely exhausted. Her vitality had longbeen exhausted by the constant battles and the journey. Without wood, no matter how hotly and fiercely the fire burnt, how could it beignited? Apologies. The person who said that was not Chen Changsheng, but rather Xu Yourong. Shelooked at him and said with a smile, Although I dont understand medicalexpertise, I know that the acupuncture technique you used earlier was veryimpressive. It is just a pity that I, the patient, am just too disappointing. This was true. She used the Sacred Light Technique to save many people in theGarden of Zhou, but this and medical expertise were matters of two differentareas. Chen Changsheng raised his head, and looked at her slightly swollen, but stillelegant appearance. His mood was very gloomy. Your essence blood has already been exhausted. Other than enriching theblood, there are no other methods. However, I have already attempted to do soseveral times over the past few days. Your bloodline is slightly special, sothe blood of monsters has no effect on you. I even believe that other than yourown blood, there are no other types of blood that can have an effect on you.Then, even if we leave the Garden of Zhou, there may be no method of treatingyou. He explained the current situation to her very honestly. To describe to a girlhow her imminent death would come about, it had nothing to do with theadmiration of her great willpower. Rather, it was a great, or even obstinate,attitude he had towards death. People did not know how they came to this world,but when leaving the world, they should have been clear-headed. Only like thiscould the journey of coming to this world be considered not to be wasted. He did not explain his thoughts to Xu Yourong. Xu Yourong did not grieve, muchless vent her anger at him, as if she understood what he meant. She said with asmile, But if we are able to leave the Garden of Zhou, at least you will beable to survive. After arriving in this mausoleum, Xu Yourong often smiled, but the smilesactually were very weak. Chen Changsheng could not even bear to keep looking. I have not found the method of leaving the Garden of Zhou. I dont know ifthis will make you slightly happier. He looked at her and smiled. He knew thatit was impossible for her to be happy because of this, but wished that anunfunny joke could cheer her up. Xu Yourong did not cheer up, and the smile on her face instead slowlydisappeared. Looking at him, she said peacefully, Looks like I will die. Despite hearing this sentence before, Chen Changsheng suddenly felt his chestbeing ruthlessly smashed by a rock, feeling horrible to the extreme. He recalled that night when she had said that she was only fifteen, the sameage as him. For life to end in the middle of youth, this really was the mostsorrowful thing in the world. It was a sorrow that he had felt in advance oncountless nights. Towards death, he had already prepared for a very long time. No one was moreprepared than him, but now that she was just about to die in front of him, hestill did not have any methods. I dont want to die, Xu Yourong looked at him and said seriously. When she said that, she did not feel sad, and her expression likewise remainedcalm. This was because she did not want to cordially invite his pity, and onlywanted to tell him her thoughts at the final moment. You will not die, Chen Changsheng said. Xu Yourong said, You know that I am unable to accept this kind ofunpersuasive comforting. Chen Changsheng suddenly thought of something and was slightly entranced. Hesaid with a slightly trembling voice, You wont die. Xu Yourongs expression changed slightly. She did not understand why his moodhad suddenly become slightly abnormal. You wont die. Chen Changsheng said it for the third time. But this time, his voice wasabnormally calm and resolute, and his clear eyes were incomparably bright. Xu Yourong thought that he had grown slightly foolish and said, For my death,you do not need to shoulder any responsibilities. Chen Changsheng said, But I dont want you to die. Xu Yourong used a tired voice to make fun of him, Perhaps you are a god, ableto let people live as long as you want to. Yes. Chen Changshengs clear voice echoed in the spacious mausoleum. Itcarried such determination. Xu Yourong stared at him blankly. He began laughing. He did not know why fate brought him into the Garden of Zhou, or why it hadbrought him to this mausoleum. Perhaps it was due to the sword intent, perhapsit was something else, but he knew one thing: he could perhaps change the fateof this girl.
309 I Offer My Blood To This Girl
The reason why Chen Changsheng thought this way was because he had thought ofa method to save her. The method was not mentioned in the three thousand scriptures of the Dao.There was no record of it in the medical arts. No one had ever used this methodbefore. Upon hearing it, it seemed crazy, completely bereft of logic. But themore he thought about it, the more ardently he believed this method to be ofsome use. If his guess was correct, it was just as Xu Yourong had said as longas he did not want anyone to die, it would be very difficult for them to do so. However, it was not a given that it would work, and his senior woulddefinitely be against it were he present. He did not spend much time thinking it through before explaining to her in agrave tone of voice, "In a little while, I will be using a certain method. I''mtelling you in advance so that, hopefully, when the time comes, you won''t betoo shocked." Seeing his clear and bright eyes, Xu Yourong also grew more serious and asked,"What method?" She was not afraid of death, which was why she could express suchindifference. In spite of this, when seeing a glimmer of hope in the depths ofdespair, anyone would feel antsy. It could no longer be treated as a triflingmatter, but she remained cautious. "Do you know how to cure a dead horse?" Chen Changsheng smiled at her and said. This was a famous proverb. She thought that he was using it here as a joke, soshe helplessly looked back at him and thought to herself, I already told you somany times. You''re not good at making jokes. Why bother embarrassing yourselflike this? "You cure a dead horse by treating it as you would a living horse. You have noblood, so I just have to give you my blood." (TN: , "treat a dead horse as a live horse", is a Chinese proverb thatmeans "to do everything that is possible".) Chen Changsheng began to roll up his sleeve. Rolling it up halfway, herealized that the rolled-up cuffs were a hindrance, so he decided it would bebetter to just take his shirt off. Many days ago, because he was afraid that Xu Yourong would get cold, his outergarment had been draped over her body this entire time. He was only wearing atight-fitting shirt, which was very easy to take off. He immediately took itoff and proceeded to grip his dagger, preparing to cut at his wrist. A hand grabbed onto his left wrist, blocking the dagger edge from proceeding. "You want to give me your blood?" She stared into his eyes and sternly said, "Although I''ve never told you thatmy blood is different from a normal person''s, you also know that the blood ofthose monsters we caught on the way were of no use, so what need is there tokeep trying?" Chen Changsheng looked back at her. "It''s exactly because I got too caught upin this line of thinking that I forgot about something." "Forgot what?" she asked. Chen Changsheng replied, "I''m not a monster, and my blood is not of monsters." The edges of Xu Yourong''s lips perked up in a mocking smileshe was not makingfun of Chen Changsheng''s wishful thinking, but she was mocking herself. Thetrue blood of the Heavenly Phoenix that flowed within her veins was the sourceof all her power and glory, yet now that she had lost almost all of it, sherealized that it had transformed from her pride into the reason for herimminent death! Chen Changsheng''s blood was naturally not the same as a monster''s, but howcould the blood of a normal human being be a substitute for the true blood ofthe Heavenly Phoenix? A cry of surprise rang out through the mausoleum. Chen Changsheng cared not for her desires. He threw her hand aside and slithis wrist with the dagger. In the cold world within the well by the New North Bridge, he had bathed indragon blood, a bath more flawless than even the most flawless purification.From this, he obtained unimaginable strength and speed and an even moreunimaginably powerful body. It was only by relying on these properties that hewas able to defeat so many young geniuses in the continuous duels of the GrandExamination and finally obtain the first rank of the first banner. If it was a normal weapon, or even some of the divine weapons on the Tier ofLegendary Weapons, even if in his hands, they would find it very difficult tobreak through his skin. In the ambush by the lakeshore, the two powerful demonbeauties had at the final moment almost shattered his internal organs, but theyhad still been unable to leave a single wound on his body. This was all becauseof his powerful body. However, the dagger in his hands could. The dagger was gifted to him by Senior Yu Ren when he was leaving XiningVillage''s old temple. It seemed exceptionally ordinary and unremarkable. It wasnot famous in the world, much less on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, but ChenChangsheng had never seen a sharper blade. Whether it was Tang Thirty-Six''sWenshui Sword or the Mount Li Relic Sword on Qi Jian''s waist, none of them wereas sharp as this dagger. With a soft swish, a straight red line appeared on his wrist, and then thatline began to split apart before his eyes. Blood rushed out of the wound andseemed almost about to spill onto the floor. He had already placed the sheath below it. Without a sound, his blood slowly flowed into the sheath. "Just what are you planning to do?" Xu Yourong was very angry because he wasnot listening to her. Because he was so stubborn. Then, she smelled a very faint scent. It was a very strange scent, lighter than the lightest fragrance of a flowerand denser than the strongest perfume. After the initial whiff of that scent, it went through countless changes.Dense, then light. Clear, then rich. Sometimes, it was the fragrance of a flower, and then sometimes it was likehoney. Sometimes it was like unripe fruit freshly picked from the gardenalready possessing its own odor. Just what was that smell? She looked at Chen Changsheng''s wrist and confirmed that the smell was comingfrom his blood. The more Chen Changsheng bled, the stronger that scent grew. As time passed, she could feel it all the more. It was the most sinister allure, and also the purest sweetness. The most ancient and the most new. Wondrous beyond compare. It was the extremely complex and vivid odor of life. It was an unimaginably powerful vitality. Xu Yourong stared at Chen Changsheng, so shocked that she could not get thewords out of her mouth. Not even Zhou Dufu''s mausoleum could give her such amassive shock Just what is this blood? Just what sort of person are you? Areyou human? As she was thinking about these things, she fell unconscious. It was not that this scene before her and the smell of the blood was too muchto cope with, but that Chen Changsheng had quietly thrust a needle into herHegu point prior to this. (TN: The Hegu point is an acupuncture point located on the hand.) When he explained the method he was going to use to save her, it was just totell her. It did not mean that he wanted her to see him do it. In order to lether maintain a calm state of mind, making her fall unconscious was the bestchoice. In the same vein, this also ensured that she would not disturb theproceedings. It must be known that every drop of his blood was extremelyprecious. Most importantly, he did not know how she would react once she smelled hisblood. Time slowly passed and the blood flowing from his wrist gradually stagnated,and the wound slowly closed up. He had never done this sort of thing before,nor did he know if the blood in the sheath was enough. In order to ensure thathe would have enough for this purpose, he resolutely took up his dagger andopened up the wound once more, even going a bit deeper it hurt a little, butit was not so much that he could not bear it. He repeated this scene four times. Blood unendingly flowed from his wrist into the sheath. After a very long time, he thought to himself, this should be enough right? Suddenly, the scene before his eyes blurred. Could it be that he was sickened by the sight of blood? This had neverhappened before. After a while, his mind cleared somewhat, and he understoodthat this was not getting sick from the sight of blood, nor was it anxietybrought about by hunger. The reason for this situation was because he had losttoo much blood. The next task was to infuse this blood into her body. He tied a piece of cloth tightly over the wound on his wrist to ensure that itwould not get in the way, and also to prevent any more blood from tricklingout. Then he walked over to Xu Yourong''s side, untied the front lapel of herclothes, and exposed her pure white neck and smooth shoulder. The fingers ofhis left hand lightly stroked her skin while the dagger in his right handslowly followed. An abnormally feeble vibration that could not be described as clear, much lessrobust, was transmitted from her skin to his fingers. This was the place.
310 Mine are yours, and yours are still mine
The edge of the dagger penetrated her skin, cutting open her blood vessel. No blood spurted out. Blood had not flowed out at all, because there wasalmost no blood left in her body. Chen Changsheng grabbed his dagger sheath, and placed the opening of thesheath to the wound on her neck. With a slight movement of spiritual sense, a thin flow of blood appeared outof the sheath, seeming like it had come out of nothing. The flow of blood was extremely thin, as if it were thinner than hair. It wasslowly poured into her blood vessel. In the entire process, he was extremely careful and alert, and refined hisspiritual sense to the limit. There were no sounds. There was only a smell. The smell of his blood slowly diffused into the spacious mausoleum. After an unknown amount of time, he collected the sheath again. A coldnessappeared on the index finger of his right hand, and he used it to press onto XuYourongs neck. After a while, only after confirming that her blood vessel andwound had already been sealed by the extremely thin piece of ice, did he beginto treat his own wound. The distinct wound on his wrist, which was so deep that bone could be vaguelyseen, slowly healed, or in other words, was sealed with ice. There were some remaining blood stains on the side of the wound. He thoughtabout the explanation his senior personally had given him years ago, andhesitated a while. He then brought the wrist to his lips, and began to lickcarefully, like a young animal drinking milk. Back then, his senior had once said to him that if he was injured, and beganto bleed, he had to use this method. Only this method of consuming the bloodinto his stomach could stop the smell of the blood from continuing to pervade.Otherwise, being washed with water, being buried by sand, or even being burntby great flames, would still be unable to cause this smell to disappear. This was the first time Chen Changsheng had tasted his own blood. In theprevious battles, he came dangerously close to spitting blood many times, butit was then forcefully swallowed back down. However, before, the blood had onlyreached his throat. This time, it was on his tongue. As it turned out, his blood was sweet. That was what he thought. The taste indeed was very nice. It seemed to be delicious. It really was delicious. He wanted to eat some more. Suddenly, he woke up. He was covered in sweat, which was then frozen intofrost. He had actually been licking faster and faster and using more and morepower, like a young animal drenched in blood, greedily licking the milk of itsmother who had already died. If he did not wake up fast enough, he probably would have even licked open thewound on his wrist. The mausoleum fell into a deathly silence. Only after a very long time was there a breeze. The frozen droplets of sweat slowly began to roll, giving out sounds ofrolling. He leaned on the stone pillar tiredly. His face was abnormally pale. Because he had bled too much, and also because of dread. That year when he was ten, his spirit was expelled along with his sweat, outof his body, causing a worldly phenomenon. In the great mountain shrouded inclouds behind Xining Village, they received the attention of unknown,terrifying existences. From that night onwards, he knew that his body wasabnormal. This was not to say that he was ill, but rather, to many existences,his spirit was the most delicious fruit, and contained an irresistibleenticement. If ordinary people discover your blood is different, you will die, and youwill definitely invite an end that is even more tragic than death. When his senior had said that to him, it was on the second night after turningten. At that time, his senior took a very long time before being able toclearly express the meaning of it, because both of his arms were very sore andpowerless, always making mistakes when making hand signs. He asked his senior why was it like that. His senior stayed silent for a verylong time before telling him that it was because the night before, when he wasalways fanning, he wanted to quickly fan away the smell that issued from hisbody. He asked his senior why was it like that. His senior stayed silent for a verylong time again, before telling him that the night before, after he had smeltthat smell for a long time, he suddenly really wanted to suck his blood dry andeat him. In Chen Changshengs eyes, his senior Yu Ren was the bravest person in theworld, and the person who was the nicest to him. If his senior wanted him todie, he could die, but if his senior wanted to eat him... He thought about it for a very long time, but still thought that this matterwas too horrifying. The blood that flowed in his body was delicious to all lives. As the personinvolved, it was obviously detrimental to him. That was why he disliked his ownblood, or even loathed or feared it. Because of this type of mentality, henever thought about it, and even sometimes subconsciously forgot that his bloodwas special in some areas. At dawn, after the night had passed, the pervading spirit disappeared into hisbody, entering his blood. Not even a sliver of it was emitted. However, thistype of loathing and fear continued to linger in the deepest part of his mind. After arriving in the capital, he thought he had already escaped far away fromthis horrifying memory. He could feel as if the taste of his blood had slowlyweakened. However, at the dawn of the day when he comprehended all of the frontmausoleum of the Mausoleum of Books in one day, when he absorbed starlightduring the day for Purification for the first time, he discovered shockinglythat everything seemed to return to what it was like on the night when he wasten. He did not want to go through a night like that again, and did not want toattract the unknown attention within the clouds. As a result, he became even more careful and cautious. When he was heavilyinjured during battle, and wanted to spit blood, even if he had to take risks,he would swallow it back down at the first moment. No matter how strong theopponent he faced, he no longer dared to burn all of the lake water outside hisEthereal Opening, because he worried that it would become like that timeunderground, where he was exploded by true essence into a bloody mess. To not bleed, and not let anyone smell his blood. This was a matter that hedid not need to think about, but at the same time, it was the matter that hadthe greatest importance. So much that it was even more important that his life. Because he always remembered his seniors warning. However, today, in this mausoleum, he did not heed his seniors warning. Because he wanted to save someone. He looked at the sleeping Xu Yourong, and revealed a satisfied smile. Due toher poisoning, her face was always slightly swollen, but at that moment, theswelling clearly subsided a lot. Her elegant appearance became even clearer. Most importantly, on her face that was pale like snow, the color of bloodslowly appeared. At an area very far away from Zhou Dufus mausoleum, there was a run-downtemple. If counted from the first sacrificial temple that was one thousand liaway, this temple was the ninth. This also meant that they were only twohundred li away from Zhou Dufus mausoleum. This was a matter that even children at the first stages of learning couldcalculate clearly, so Nanke and the others naturally did not get it wrong. Thezither-playing old man sighed with emotion, Who thought that there wouldactually be a day in my life where I would actually see the Mausoleum of Zhou? Teng Xiaoming carried a pole, and gazed into the distance. He could vaguelysee the towering black mass under the sky. Despite being renowned for beingslow and silent, his expression seemed slightly moved at that moment. As forhis wife, Liu Waner, and the two demon beauties, they were even more so. After journeying for over ten days, even the experts of the Demon race feltslightly exhausted. However, thinking that Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng werein front of them, awaiting death, and even more importantly, that the WhiteGrass Path may have ended at the legendary Mausoleum of Zhou, what could thisexhaustion be compared to? Suddenly, the White Grass Path began to tremble slightly. The tremblingoriginated from the depths of the vast grassland behind them. The zither-playing old man felt slightly flabbergasted, and turned around tolook at the plains. He said with a solemn expression, The monsters seem tohave become slightly agitated. Suddenly, his expression changed immensely. He opened his mouth, but was soshocked that he could not say anything. The Demon General couple also saw thephenomena in the sky, and the Qi in their bodies suddenly rose to the limitthat the Garden of Zhou allowed. A shadow appeared in the sky above the grassland. The shadow was so big thatit seemed to almost cover up half of the sky. The shadow currently movedslowly, and from a distance, it seemed like a pair of massive wings. Nanke looked at the shadow in the sky and said with her brows slightlyfurrowed, Even the great peng is displaying some mad behavior. What exactly ishappening? She did not know that the agitation of the monsters of the plains came fromthe depths of the mausoleum two hundred li away. In the depths of themausoleum, a teenager had cut open his wrist, causing fresh blood to come incontact with the air. The smell of the blood dispersed in the grassland, andwas already extremely thin. However, it was still enough to cause an extremelycrazy thirst to bloom in the monsters of this world. The surroundings of the mausoleum had an extremely ingenious design ofventilation and windows. Rainwater could not flow through these paths, but theyallowed fresh air and light in. Why Zhou Dufu designed his mausoleum this waywas a complete mystery. Did the dead still need fresh air, or need to enjoy thebeautiful radiance of spring? Chen Changsheng could not understand why. It was just that through the changein light and the change in the humidity of the air, he confirmed that it shouldhave been the early morning of the second day, and also that the rain outsidethe mausoleum should have stopped. Just at that moment, Xu Yourong finally woke up. Chen Changsheng saw her and smiled. She did not smile, and stared blankly at him. She asked, You transfused yourblood into my body? Chen Changsheng said, More correctly, I transfused my blood into your bloodvessels. Xu Yourong felt a little helpless, a little emotional and a little tired. Shesaid, I dont know what method you used to do all this, but do you think thiswill work? I said before, my blood Yes, this will work. Without waiting for her to finish speaking, he cut her off with a smile. Hisface was slightly pale and his expression was slightly weary, but his gaze wasvery bright, very clean, and very confident, as if it was facing the sun forthe first time. Although it was covered up by clouds, it did not lack insplendor. Looking at his expression, a feeling of disbelief bloomed in Xu Yourong. Shemumbled, Even this works? It seems to indeed work. Chen Changsheng walked to her side, and checked the mark on her neck.Afterwards, he said, Feel it yourself. Xu Yourong was slightly at a loss. Subconsciously, she followed hisinstructions, and discovered that her blood was actually not exhausted likewhen she had first fainted. Although it was not as full as normal, and wasslightly thin, at least it could guarantee that she could live. Just how important and how great was living? It was the most important, andthe best. Just that, why was she able to live? What was this about?
311 Two Kids, in Desperate Straits Again
She thought about the scene before she fainted and that unforgettable smell.Countless conjectures appeared in her mind, stunning her into silence. His blood was very pure, so it could conform with her body? However, rightnow, the blood that flowed in her body carried a clear spiritual imprint, andwas clearly her blood. How did his blood turn into her own true blood of theHeavenly Phoenix? She gazed at Chen Changsheng with her eyes wide. She was very much at a lossand felt a little helpless, so she seemed innocent. In the fifteen years she had been alive, it was the first time that she hadbeen so muddleheaded and dainty. Chen Changsheng did not know how to explain it to her, but had decided againstit regardless. He was just worried that she had just left the edge of death, soshe was actually still extremely weak. Because the mental shock was too great,a few new questions appeared in her. But she needed a good rest, so he decidedto make up some excuse. However, as soon as his words left his mouth, they werecovered up by sounds of thunder. Rumble! The oppressive and loud sound of thunder originated from far away and directlypierced through the main entrance of the mausoleum, echoing into their ears. Chen Changsheng was a little confused. He thought, since the rain had juststopped before dawn, why is there still thunder? He supported Xu Yourong to thestone pillar and got her to sit down by leaning on the stone pillar. Heprepared some fresh water and food, and served it in front of her. After sayinga few words, he rushed out of the mausoleum. Through the long passageway, he arrived outside the mausoleum. Gazing towardsthe origin of the thunder, his complexion immediately became even paler. There was no rain where the thunder came from, nor even any clouds. However,the blue sky could not be seen, because that faraway area of the sky was takenup by a huge shadow. Underneath that shadow was a black streak that was like the tide. Although he could not see it clearly, his spiritual sense told him the coldand merciless truth. The black streak was a monster tide composed of countlessmonsters, two hundred li away. If it maintained its current speed, it wouldneed roughly a day before arriving at the mausoleum. Without time to ponder over why the monsters of the grassland would suddenlyattack, as well as forming something like an army, or whether if there wassomeone in command, he turned around and walked into the mausoleum. He rushedback to Xu Yourong and picked her up horizontally. He then said, We need toleave. Along the way, the two of them already had many moments of bodily contact, butthis way of carrying was naturally different. Before Xu Yourong had even awokenfrom her blank state, she began to feel bashful, and before her bashfulnessturned into annoyance, she was surprised by his words. What happened? There is a monster tide which should be heading towards the mausoleum. Itmight be commanded by someone, most likely the demons. Should be the Soul Wood. With these two simple sentences, the two exchanged enough information, andmade their own judgements. Chen Changsheng ran out of the mausoleum while carrying her. At that time, theblack line formed by the monster tide seemed to still be far away, near thehorizon, and did not move. However, he knew that these terrifying monsters hadgotten closer. Xu Yourong also finally saw that sight that could be consideredspectacular. She did not lose her head out of fear, and instead directly askedthe most important question: Where are we going? With such a terrifying monster tide appearing, not to mention that theycurrently were heavily injured and exhausted, even if they were in their peakconditions with their magical artifacts, they still could not do anything tosuch a situation. Just as Chen Changsheng had said, an immediate departure wascrucial. However, where would they go? The grassland was so mysterious and dangerous.If it were not for the directions of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, he could nothave reached the mausoleum at all. The directions of the Yellow Paper Umbrellaoriginated from that sword intent. Although Xu Yourong did not know the inside story, she had already pinpointedlong ago that only the umbrella could give them the directions to the mausoleum. If they left the mausoleum and entered the grassland right now, the YellowPaper Umbrella definitely would not have been able to give them a secondtargeted location. Then, they would definitely become lost in this grassland,and die like the expert seniors in the past. Fortunately, the next sight they saw freed them from the trouble in thisaspect. Of course, using positive words here seemed to be extremelyinappropriatethey could see the black streak of the monster tide in thesurrounding grasslands of the mausoleum, so all their directions of escape werealready cut off. Chen Changsheng had not spoken for a very long time. Originally, he still hadmany questions. How was this monster tide formed? Was it because they hadentered Zhou Dufus mausoleum and activated some sort of mechanism? Along theway, why were they not attacked by monsters? Why did these monsters seem to beunder the command of someone? However, these questions were already answered byXu Yourong. Nanke prevented those monsters from attacking us because she wanted to followus to find Zhou Dufus mausoleum. The Soul Pivot in the mausoleum originated from White Emperor City and couldcontrol monsters. However, the critically-important Soul Wood was not in thestone room. That piece of Soul Wood must have been in Nankes hands. As forwhy, it was something that they did not need to worry about at that moment. There were an innumerable amount of monsters in the black line. Many of themonsters possessed unimaginable strength. Even though they were separated by adistance of two hundred li, they could still feel that the Qi that somemonsters gave off were comparable to the human experts at the Star Condensationrealm. Let alone the true, horrifying body of that shadow in the sky. He asked, Since she can control the monsters, she could have completelyrelied on the monsters to lead the way. Why did she follow us? Xu Yourong said. The Soul Wood must be together with the Soul Pivot toactivate all of its uses. Perhaps because of this, she is unable to communicatewith those monsters. These monsters will only battle with her, but will not doanything else. After saying that, the two of them fell silent again. With the black line formed from the monster tide in the surroundings of themausoleum, even if they were peak level Star Condensation experts, it would bevery difficult to break out. At that moment, doing some analysis was completelypointless. The grassland after rain was a little cold. The green trees that grew out fromthe cracks of the mausoleum were very short and unable to block the wind. Withhis face being caressed slightly by the cold, Chen Changsheng looked at her andsaid, Lets go back inside. Since they were unable to leave, guarding the mausoleum was the best, and theonly, choice. Xu Yourong said, I dont want to die in another persons grave. Chen Changsheng considered things more practically and said, But its alittle cold outside. Xu Yourong pulled out the Tong Bow from nowhere, and inserted it into a crackin the rock. With a series of rustles, countless green leaves appeared out ofthe longbow. It fluttered in the breeze, but it blocked out most of thecoldness. When Chen Changsheng woke up in the mountain cave, he did not see that theTong Bow had changed into a green tree. This was the first time he had seen it,and felt the great defensive Qi within. With surprise, he said, This isactually the Tong Palace? Xu Yourong changed slightly in expression, and thought, was he really a secretdisciple of the Snow Mountain Sect? Why does he have so many secrets on him?Actually able to tell that this is the Tong Palace with a single glance? When Chen Changsheng carried her out, he did not forget the sackcloth wrapthat was on top of her. At this moment, he spread it on the floor, andsupported her to sit down. He then said, Since you dont want to go inside,watching from here works too. Unable to escape into the sky, they still had only one path death. XuYourong, who had come back from a journey to the edge of death, had seen itstrue character. Her mental state was unprecedentedly calm. She did not thinkabout the secrets hidden on Chen Changshengs body, and stayed calm butindifferent. I knew this already. Why did you do those things earlier? It was a waste. Chen Changsheng disagreed with her view and said, Being able to live an extramoment is always good. Not even a day, perhaps only an hour, a breath, or evena moment, it is all good. Xu Yourong felt his honesty, and thought he was such a person who loved andlonged for life. Could only these types of people be so kind? He really was agood person. Thank you for your blood. Thinking about the scene and the smell from before, even if she had returnedto her original state and peak mental condition, her feelings would still havea slight but wonderful change. As a result, her gaze on him became slightlycomplicated. I know what you are thinking about. Chen Changsheng stayed silent for a while and then said, There are problemswith my blood. I dont know what the problems are, but in short, people orother organisms that smell my blood will all want to eat me. No one is able toresist this type of enticement. Other than the broken meridians, and that his future prospects were dismal dueto being doomed to die at the age of twenty, this was his greatest secret. Hehad not told Luoluo or Tang Thirty-Six, but right now, in front of Xu Yourong,he said it very calmly. This did not mean that he trusted this girl more thanLuoluo or Tang Thirty-Six, but rather because the current environment andsituation was very special. It was just like the first time he had seen theBlack Dragon. Under the pressure of death, people were always willing to sayanything. Hearing his words, Xu Yourong said, I did not think like that. Chen Changsheng began to laugh. He said, What a girl who likes to excel overothers. To not want to drink my blood or eat my flesh is nothing to be proudof, and also, dont forget that I made you faint. He had said exactly what Xu Yourong was thinking. She did not get mad, andsaid with a smile, Then just why dont you believe in what I said? You should have felt it before. Chen Changsheng thought about himselfbefore, how he came dangerously close to losing his senses, wanting to drinkall of his own blood. He thought he had felt it himself after all. Afterwards,he said seriously, Also, this is what my senior had said. I believe him. Xu Yourong was slightly surprised. You have a senior? Chen Changsheng was very helpless and said, I also have a master. Xu Yourong disliked the way he spoke, and was slightly displeased. She said,Smooth-talker. Chen Changsheng admitted it without a hitch. I was influenced by a friend. Even you, such a boring person, has friends? Xu Yourong made fun of him. Chen Changsheng said, If you, a cold and arrogant girl, can have friends, whycant I? When did I tell you I have friends? When she said that, her elegant eyebrows seemed to almost fly away, and sheseemed very proud of herself. This was acting out of spite, or perhapschildishness, or perhaps venting. In any case, Chen Changsheng could notunderstand what there was to be proud of about having no friends. He once againfelt that this genius girl of the Elf race was a little lonely and pitiable,and said while smiling, ...Then do I count as one?
312 A Conversation Before the Abyss, a Person Whose Heart is Moved
Hearing the answer, Chen Changsheng felt slightly happy for some unknownreason, and then he felt slightly proud. He said, Thank you. She replied, No worries. Anyway, I have a senior. I believe anything he says. Chen Changsheng changedthe topic again. Xu Yourong asked seriously, Regarding your blood, what did your senior say? Chen Changsheng said, Senior said that only a Saint could resist theenticement of my blood. Xu Yourong thought, why was he so stubborn? As a result, she continued theconversation. Since your blood has not been completely drained, it means that no one hasever gone through the experience of the enticement. There is. Who? Senior. ... You are still alive, proving that he did not drink your blood. But didnthe say that only Saints could resist that sort of enticement? Yes, my senior is a Saint. Up to that moment, it finally became silent. Chen Changsheng and Xu Youronggazed at each other, and they did not know how to continue the conversation.Actually, they were both people bad at interacting with others. At this moment,right before death, they purposely wanted to have a joyful conversation, butnot only did they not reach their objective, instead, it seemed slightly forcedand awkward. Both of them sighed in their hearts at the same time, before turning theirheads and looking away from each other. Xu Yourong looked at the real world bythe green leaves, and looked at the black line formed by the monster tide faraway in the grassland. She asked, Around when will it arrive? Chen Changsheng said, Should be before sunset. Xu Yourong went silent for a while before saying, Then that means this is ourlast day. Chen Changsheng was very sensitive to time and corrected her, Its the lastdaytime. Xu Yourong laughed and did not go on to begin a pointless argument with him. Chen Changsheng felt her current feelings and said after staying silent for awhile, Senior said, even if you try your best till the end and end up findingout that it was still impossible to change fate, then you can only appreciateand enjoy everything life has brought you. Only now did Xu Yourong understand where the words he had said that night inthe temple to himself originated from. After quietly comprehending it for amoment, she felt that this simple sentence was not simple at all. Herevaluation of Chen Changsheng was very high. Hearing how much he respected hissenior, she began to feel more and more that this senior was not an ordinarypersonthe world of cultivation believed that the Snow Mountain Sect hadalready fallen into decay, but who knew that it still had so many impressiveyoung disciples? Thinking about this, she very naturally connected it to her own sect. Herstudy at the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green had already ended long ago,and she was the only disciple of the South Stream Temple. Instead, she wasslightly more familiar with the disciples of the Longevity Sect and especiallythe Mount Li Sword Sect. Moreover, she was in the same system as them, so theywere martial brothers or sisters by name. I also have a martial brother. Qiushan Jun was naturally who she mentioned. Afterwards, she did not say anything for a very long time. In the years thatshe spent in the south cultivating, Qiushan Jun was always very nice to her, sonice that it even caused her to not realise, much less feel uncomfortable inany areas. People all said that they were a match made in heaven, and she alsoknew that Qiushan Jun was deeply in love with her. She could not help but thinkthat if she died in the Garden of Zhou, how heartbroken would he be? And then? Chen Changsheng did not understand why she suddenly went quiet andasked. Xu Yourong said, When we were in that temple discussing the word perfection,you said that it was impossible to have a perfect person in the world. I admitthat is reasonable, but senior is the person closest to perfection I have seenin my life. Chen Changsheng thought that he also believed his one senior was very perfect.However, in the eyes of ordinary people, he was just an irregular extra. And my senior is very nice to me. Xu Yourong said while looking into hiseyes. It was unknown as to why she added this sentence. Chen Changsheng did not know either and was even more lost as to why he feltslightly sour after hearing that. Even the sentence that he followed up withwas slightly sour. This type of sourness was not reflected in the words, butrather in the intonation. It carried a sort of purposeful indifference anddisregard. So you like him? He looked back into her eyes quietly and asked. At this moment, he felt thathe was very strong. If it was another time, or another young man who had asked this question, XuYourong obviously would not have replied. However, they were currently in themausoleum of Zhou Dufu, and the person asking her that question was himperhaps she was waiting for him to ask this question from the beginning,wanting to borrow the pressure of death and his words to see her truest innerself clearly. She asked herself a question very seriously and attentively at heart, and thengave out an answer. She did not say anything and only shook her head. Chen Changshengs extremely disregarding feeling of sourness did notdisappear, as she still needed to think about ithe had never experiencedmatters between opposite genders, so he did not understand that, because shegave out the answer after serious consideration, he should have been even morehappy about it. He thought about it and asked, He likes you? This time, Xu Yourong did not think for too long and directly nodded. She had never thought that such behavior seemed slightly arrogant, as what shesaid was an objective truth. Chen Changsheng let himself calm down and appeared to be slightly confused.Actually, all he wanted to do was make himself feel slightly happier. Hecontinued to question, Since he is so perfect, and he also likes you, whydont you accept him? Very clearly, Xu Yourong had replied to questions like this before. It was notknown whether it was Shuanger, the Holy Maiden, or herself who had raised thisquestion, but either way, her answer was very calm and smooth. Firstly, no matter how strong he is, he is only as strong as me. Before she even finished, it had already caused Chen Changsheng to object. Atthat moment, he had completely forgotten his current situation, just like thatday in the temple. He felt that this girl had extremely large issues with herphilosophies. He wanted to change her philosophies, to let her lead an evenhappier life. How could he still remember that the monster tide was about toreach them? Your mentality is wrong. It is making friends, not fighting. What has it gotto do with who is strong and who is weak? Xu Yourong did not know what he was thinking about. She thought and said,What you say is reasonable. To become cultivation partners, his strength isalready enough. It can even be said that, of the people in a similar age group,it is difficult for me to find an even more suitable partner. However, the pathof cultivation is so long, and since we have to see each other all the timeafterwards, I will follow my heart and find a partner who I like. Following your heart were three very good words. Chen Changsheng looked intoher bright eyes and said seriously, I support you. Xu Yourong only laughed and did not say anything. She thought, why wouldmatters like this require the support of other peoplethose were all very good,but she just did not like it. Senior was great in every aspect, but she wasjust unable to be emotionally moved by him. That was the only reason. The poison slowly subsided, but she was still weak at that moment. Hercomplexion was very pale and could not be called pretty. However, the happinessin her eyes instead was very beautiful in Chen Changshengs eyes, directlyfeeling that his heart had been moved. To have the heart moved was a very vague phrase. The heart of people beat atevery moment, so how could it be referred to as being moved? Was an increase inheart beat rate having ones heart moved? Zhexius heartbeat increased atintermittent intervals of time, but that was an illness. Chen Changsheng also did not know.
313 The Unwantable Woman, the Shameless Man
The distant sun sat very low on the edge of the plains. In that black linethat was the monster tide, there were many monsters that could fly. Theyblocked out the rays of light, causing the world to go dark. On the high platform of the mausoleum, the green leaves of the wutong treecast their mottled shadow over their figures like the night had come early. The night had always signified death and the end, but it also often signifiedsafety and peace. Under the cover of the night, people dared to do things theynormally did not do, dared to feel emotions they normally did not feel, daredto talk about matters they normally did not talk about. Those words were often true words, spoken from the heart. At the moment, they could no longer clearly make out each other''s faces,only the eyes. Fortunately, both of their eyes were very clear and bright. ChenChangsheng silently stared into her eyes for a long time, then abruptly said,"Truthfully, I''ve deceived you on something." Xu Yourong was shocked, and said softly, "What thing?" Chen Changsheng did not directly answer the question. "The reason why I choseto deceive you back then is because I''m engaged." Once he said these words, he felt much more relaxed. Moreover, he knewexactly why he was so much more relaxed. Upon hearing these words, Xu Yourong was very quiet for a long time. She felta faint sense of disappointment, and she did not even know why she wasdisappointed. Whenever such valorous matters were taken out of the bag, they would bloomwith countless rays of light and thorns. It was very difficult to put thesematters back in the bag, and also very difficult to make them go dark once more. Chen Changsheng continued to gaze into her eyes as he spoke. "But I don''t wantto marry her, I want to end the engagement." This was a supplement, an explanation, a declaration, a promise. Althoughnothing had happened between the two of themhe did not even know what she wasthinking at the momentsince he was the first to have his heart moved, it wasup to him to make a clean slate of everything. Just like his senior had oncesaid, only by making a clean slate of things could one obtain a beautifulresult. Xu Yourong felt that his eyes were far too bright, so she lowered her head.She somewhat angrily thought to herself, why is he telling this to me? Then, very curiously, she began to think of her fianc. That man had usedevery method possible to get her to marry him Yes, even now, she had no choicebut to admit that her fianc was truly outstanding, far more outstanding thanshe had imagined. Only that man''s scheming was too deep, too hypocritical, notat all like this honest and reliable Snow Mountain Sect disciple. Why would she compare him to that guy? When she suddenly thought about this, she felt a little flustered. "Why doyou not want to marry her?" She asked this question to conceal her own fluctuating emotions, to preventherself from thinking about such embarrassing things, but it was also becauseshe really wanted to know just what sort of girl he liked and what sort of girlhe did no like. Chen Changsheng silently considered what to say, then said, "My fiance isextremely famous in my world." Xu Yourong thought to herself, in the bitter cold lands of the northeast, thearistocratic families have all already declined, and in the end, they were justprovincial powers. They were only famous in the northeast, so she could notunderstand. "She is very proud." Chen Changsheng seriously pondered this. Although he found that girl quitedisagreeable, he did not think it was right to badmouth her too much in frontof another girl. After considering a few phrases, he continued, "Perhaps it wasbecause of her family background, growing up in an unsuitable environment,which caused her to be very proud. That''s not to say that she walked aroundwith her foot raised high and a noble air, ordering people around by pointingher chin; it''s just that she''s gotten used to handling all matters by gazingdown upon them from up high including me." Xu Yourong had never liked those arrogant and cold noble young ladies, so shesaid, "Your meaning is that she viewed you with contempt?" Chen Changsheng nodded. Xu Yourong thought to herself, his talent is so outstanding, his knowledge soextensive, his nature so honest; if that fiance looked down on him, how proudand stupid was she, how terrible was her vision? He said, "But what I hate about her the most is her feigned aloofness. Shegrew up on the Five Grains like everyone else, it''s not like she''s someimmortal who dines on the wind and dew." (TN: The five grains are rice, wheat,beans, and two types of millet.) Xu Yourong highly approved of his words. Every day she would see thosedevoted seniors and juniors of the South Stream Temple''s outer sect, theirfaces masked in white cloth as they noiselessly walked, their robes unswaying.Their concealed, almost transcendent appearances made her feel uneasy, sooftentimes she would sit alone on the cliff, then after a while leave for thesmall village to play a few rounds of cards, to once again find a little joyfor life. "But later on for some reason, she once again agreed to that engagement." Chen Changsheng continued, "In fact, I understand what she''s thinking. Shejust wants to use me." Xu Yourong thought to herself, this was probably after he entered SnowMountain Sect''s Secret Sect and began to display his talent. Only by seeing hislimitless prospects would his fiance change her mind. With just this singlethought, her opinion of this woman had dropped even lower, to the point ofshame. Proud, stupid, terrible vision; all those could still be saved, butthis was a problem of virtue. "It''s better to not have this sort of woman. Ending the engagement is the bestchoice." She soothingly said to Chen Changsheng, somewhat sympathizing with hisencounter. "Yes, I was also thinking this way. Especially now, I am more and moreconvinced that ending the engagement is the best choice. Chen Changsheng gazed at her as he said this. These words were meant for her. As Xu Yourong stared into his increasingly bright eyes and listened to hisslightly trembling voice, she could not help but be stunned. She was anincomparably intelligent woman, so how could she not understand what thissignified? She once again felt a little flustered, and was getting more so bythe second. She thought about how she also had an engagement and that she had not eventold him, and she thought that this fact was why she was flustered, but she didnot know that at certain moments, the quickened beating of the heart could alsoeasily make one flustered. The sky was dark. The leaves of the wutong gently swayed in the breeze. Therough wood of the trunk gradually grew warm. The high platform of the mausoleumwas like night. For a very long time, there was no sound. "Truthfully I also have an engagement." The darkness enveloped the highplatform and Xu Yourong''s voice was very soft. If one was not carefullylistening, it would be easy for her voice to be obscured by the gentle rustlingof the leaves of the wutong tree. "Ah?" Chen Changsheng''s voice seemed very surprised, as if he could not havepossibly imagined it. Then it swiftly became as dull as water. "Is that so? So it was originally like that." Perhaps because the emotions in his voice were too obvious, anybody could hearhis sadness and disappointment, so when Xu Yourong''s second sentence followed,she said it somewhat quickly. Her words were rushed, but the meaning in herwords was very definite with no wavering. "But I don''t want to marry him, moreover, I definitely won''t marry him." Similarly, this was an explanation, a supplemental, a declaration, then wasit a promise? The high platform enveloped in darkness once again grew quiet. After a while,Chen Changsheng began to laugh. Xu Yourong was somewhat angry and ashamed. "What are you giggling about?" Chen Changsheng replied, "Nothing." If Tang Thirty-Six were here, he would almost certainly say something at thistime: Who would believe that there was nothing between the two of you! Chen Changsheng very quickly returned to his senses as he thought to himself,her situation is not at all like mine. Maybe I''m just overthinking things.Curious and also uneasy, he asked her, "Your your fianc, what sort of personis he?" Xu Yourong softly said, "We''ve known each other for many years. Although lateron, I would almost forget that he existed, I really did know him when we wereboth young. I remember very clearly that back then, he was a very annoyingchild." Chen Changsheng pretended to defend him, "Little boys often cause others tofeel very annoyed I''m no exception." Xu Yourong said, "Anyhow, because of a certain matter, I determined to havenothing more to do with him. I didn''t imagine that after several years, hewould come back to pester me again." Chen Changsheng thought to himself, to conduct oneself in such a manner wastruly lacking in self-respect and self-esteem. "Over there the engagement is a very important matter. In addition, thatengagement was decided by our elders, so it''s very difficult to end theengagement." Xu Yourong thought he was a disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect in thenortheast, so the ''over there'' naturally indicated the Central Plains.Meanwhile, Chen Changsheng heard it as the place in the demi-human domain inwhich the elves had settled. He thought to himself, the elves have suffered so many tribulations throughouttheir history and now very few of them remain. To reproduce and flourish wastheir first priority, so they could only permit marriage amongst fellow elves.This policy is inevitably somewhat harsh, but to a young woman that yearns fortrue love, it truly seems rather cruel. "Since so many years have passed could it be your fianc hasn''t gotten alittle bit better?" "He has not. That fool''s nature has not improved one bit, or has even gottenworse." Xu Yourong thought of those matters Shuang''er had brought up in her lettersand she grew increasingly downcast. "I must admit that that fool is reallyoutstanding in some areas, but he has many unacceptable shortcomings." This was the first time Chen Changsheng had heard such bitterness in hervoice. He thought to himself, it seems that she really hates her fianc. "He gives the appearance that he doesn''t care about worldly matters, that he''shonest and benevolent, but in reality, he is a deep schemer and abuses moneyand power to meet his ends." As she said these words, Xu Yourong was thinking about when that man firstentered the capital. He had somehow managed to get in the good graces of theBureau of Ecclesiastic Education and become a student of the Orthodox Academy.Then by making use of the conflict between the old Imperial Clan and the DivineEmpress, and stirring up countless storms, he managed to stand firm in thecapital and obtain massive benefits. How could such a person be some unworldlyyoung boy from the countryside? Chen Changsheng thought about it, then said, "To act in such a hypocriticalmanner is truly unbecoming." Xu Yourong said mockingly, "And it doesn''t stop there. This person is also asocial climber. I don''t know what methods he used, but he managed to get inthe good graces of some noble. As for further details, not even I am willing tospeak more about it." These words were obviously speaking of that person''s relationship with Luoluo.Chen Changsheng sincerely said, "Logically, an acquaintance shouldn''t sowdiscord amongst intimate friends, so I shouldn''t say anything, but this sortof man is truly unacceptable." As he was saying these words, he was rather interested. These so-calledmethods, what exactly were they? In his view, her fianc was an even more dangerous enemy than that seniorbrother of hers. She angrily complained and criticized him, but it is said thatonly with hope can there be disappointment. Didn''t her complaints and critiquesindicate that deep within her heart, she still faintly held some sort ofexpectation for her fianc? He naturally wanted to know more. Xu Yourong did not immediately answer to what he said, choosing to remainsilent. Chen Changsheng thought to himself, don''t tell me that those methods are soshameless that they are even hard to talk about? Xu Yourong was thinking about those letters that had come from the capital. Those letters came from her dearly-trusted Shuang''er as well as Mo Yu. In Shuang''er''s letter, she had described a certain scene. Under the lovely spring sunshine in the Orthodox Academy''s library, he andthat young demi-human princess were embracing each other. In Mo Yu''s letter, she had described a certain scene. In that dragon cave below the well at New North Bridge, he and the BlackDragon turned into a girl were embracing each other. Yes, even if he had even more faults, they could all be explained. At most,she would just end the engagement and they would become strangers to eachother, but there would be no need for such a rejection. Only due to theseevents was she unable to accept it. If she could accept such a thing, it wouldinflict the greatest humiliation upon herself. "He likes to pick the flowers and trample the grass." (TN: womanize with others.) She tried as much as possible to calmly and objectively state, "Moreover, heonly does so with uncomprehending young girls." The dark mausoleum platform was quiet. After some time had passed, there was a sudden heavy strike, and then ChenChangsheng''s angry voice rang out.
314 The Key of the Black Coffin
Very mad? That was a must. For such a kind, quiet girl who had eyes like fresh rain over a bare mountainto actually be engaged to such a shameless man, any person would feel that itwas a reckless waste, casting pearls before swine, and they would becomeextremely angry. However, to Chen Changsheng this was actually a good thing.Because of the battle against the demons, the human world was actually the sameas the Elf race, all caring very much about marriage. There were many youngengaged people like her, and just as she had said before, an engagement was anagreement that was most respected. If there were no special circumstances, itwas very difficult to breakluckily, they were both ill-matched in marriage. This sentence seemed rather weird, but it was very reasonable. Exactly becausetheir partners in marriage were so terrible, they had the motivation and reasonto break the engagement. A problem that seemed very difficult was just solvedin such an easy way. Chen Changsheng immediately felt much more at ease. Hedecided to follow up victory with hot pursuit by also settling the finalquestion. He looked into her eyes and said, As matters stand, I will also not hide itfrom you anymore. Actually, I The black streak seemed far away, close to the horizon, but it would arrive atthe mausoleum before long. The monster tide would bring death. There wasalready very little time that the world had left for them. In the final momentsof life, being suddenly moved at heart was a very sad as well as lucky thing.He prepared to tell her that he was Chen Changsheng. He believed that the entire continent knew his name, that even the far awayland of demi-humans and elves should know of it. Xu Yourong did not know that he was prepared to say his true name. She thoughthe was a disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect and was called Xu Sheng. Seeing howhe was about to speak but suddenly stopped, as well as his slightly nervousappearance, she also began to feel nervous. She thought he was going to confess. She subconsciously did not want to hear it and mentally prepared herself toturn him down if he said it out loud. It was just that she did not want to turn him down. If he said he liked her,just exactly what could she do? Her thoughts were slightly messy, and shortlyafterward, she felt very baffled. She clearly devoted herself to cultivation,so why did she think about these trivial matters right before death? Afterward,these baffled thoughts suddenly disappeared, only leaving behind peace. There were many reasons and objectives to becoming a cultivator. Some did soto become strong, some did so to explore even more of the unknown and pursuedspiritual peace, but most cultivators did so because of the two words of lifeand death. To not fear life or death, and as a result, escape from life anddeath. Why? Because between life and death, there were great fears; in thehundreds of years of loneliness, it was possible to sink away forever. However,not long ago, she who was in the years of her youth just had a stroll betweenlife and death. Right now, she was at her most peaceful moment, able to see the faint worldlyaffairs the clearest and able to understand her inner self the most. With apure heart of Dao, brightly lit, she looked at Chen Changsheng and waited forhim to speak. Her expression was calm, but there was an extremely vague smearof bashfulness and happiness swirling in her eyes. The bashfulness was notannoyance, but only peaceful joy, because that was the Dao she pursued andwanted to cultivate. At this moment, she was still weak, but her eyes were extremely delicate andpretty, as well as extremely firm. All of the responsibilities in the worldthehistoric significance of the north and south combining, fighting against thedemons, her seniors truthful love, her masters hopes, the shadow that wasleft by that personas long as she was with him, all of them would be blownaway by a soft breeze. She did not need to care about anything or answer toanything. Indeed, through their journey in the Garden of Zhou, they had conversed a lot.Most of the times, it was about cultivation, books and natural landscape, andvery little did they talk about the loads on their minds. They did notunderstand it too well, but she was already extremely confident that he was theclose friend she had always searched for, and that he was the companion sheneeded. When she was on the edge of the cliff at the Holy Maiden Peak, she hadsaid to the white crane that no matter if it was a gentleman or an enlightenedmaster, none of them were the ideal partner she wanted to spend her long pathof cultivation with. Right now, she could confirm that the partner she waswilling to spend her long path of cultivation with had already appeared. Yes, this was the Dao she pursued and wanted to cultivate the most: Together.(TN: һ can mean both "One path/Dao" and it can also mean "together" or "sideby side".) Underneath the starry sky, advancing together, cultivating together, all theway until the end of life. Yes, the monster tide grew closer and closer, and death also grew closer andcloser. Perhaps life was almost at its end, but only because of this, andexactly because of this, she did not want to deceive her conscience even more. The wutong tree transformed by the longbow grew in the incoming wind by thestone platform. The green leaves swayed softly in the leaves, causing thegloomy light to turn into an even softer light akin to cotton balls, as ifsomeone had lit a candle. Looking at her eyes, Chen Changsheng vaguely understood and opened his mouthslightly, about to speak. Just at this moment, a green leaf suddenly fell off the tip of a branch byitself, slowly landing on his shoulder. It interrupted everything. The reason why the green leaf on the wutong tree fell in the wind naturallywas not because it was autumn, but rather because of the trembling from thestone platform underneath. The trembling stone platform seemed to originate from the far away depths ofthe grassland at first, but actually, it originated from Chen Changshengs body. For some unknown reason, his body began to tremble violently. His teethchattered audibly, as if he was a patient who had suffered wind chill. Xu Yourong was slightly alarmed and asked, Whats happening? Chen Changsheng could not answer her and used his right hand to quicklyinvestigate the origin of the trembling. He held tightly onto his dagger hilt. The violent trembling originated from the dagger at his waist. He held tightly onto the dagger, but it continued to constantly tremble. Itbecame faster and more frequent, all the way until the extremely simplepatterning on the dagger sheath had turned into blurry lines, unable to be seenclearly. He used more and more strength in his hand, but he was still unable to makethe dagger stop. He was a little disturbed, unable to comprehend what washappening. This was the first time he had met such a situation after Yu Ren had giftedhim the dagger. His spiritual sense landed on the dagger hilt and attempted to regain control.However, he failed. His spiritual sense went deeper across the hilt, arrivingin the space within before finally finding the origin of the trembling. Amidst the drifting bottles of medicine, secret manuals and treasures, a blackmagical artifact moved at high speeds, grinding everything of what it came incontact with into fine powder. As its speed of movement increased, the blackmagical artifact grew hotter and hotter, as well as brighter and brighter,giving off a powerful Qi and radiance in all directions, as if it was about toturn into a sun. This black magical artifact was the Soul Pivot from White Emperor city, and itwas also the core of Zhou Dufus mausoleum. At this moment, it seemed to have detected something in the outside world andwent berserk all of a sudden. If Chen Changshengs current level of cultivation had been slightly higher andhis spiritual sense slightly stronger, perhaps he could attempt to use his allof his authority over the space to forcefully suppress the berserk Soul Pivot.However, right now, he did not have that sort of power and could not even makeit settle down a little. If he continued to try, no matter how much time therewas, he would not succeed, and this even made it highly possible for the spaceto suffer severely heavy damages. Without any other ideas, he could only give up. Channeling his spiritualsense, he released that black Soul Pivot from inside. With a quaking drone, the black soul pivot appeared on the stone platform. Itgave off great radiance, illuminating every vein of the leaves on the wutongtree. It emitted an unimaginable pressure, causing Xu Yourong and ChenChangsheng to even struggle to breathe. Especially since Xu Yourong had notfully recovered from her injuries, her complexion became even paler and weaker. Fortunately, the Soul Pivot did not stay on the stone platform for too long,and neither did it begin to attack the two of them. Even more fortunately, andincomprehensibly, the Soul Pivot clearly only became so berserk after feelingsomething that was currently approaching the Mausoleum of Zhou, but it did notattempt to break open the green leaves of the wutong tree and unite with it.Instead, it transformed into a ball of light, and shot into the depths of theMausoleum of Zhou. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong glanced at each other and came to a tacitunderstanding from the looks in their eyes. He carried her on his back, andthey once again entered the tomb in pursuit of the ball of light. In the spacious and gloomy depths of the mausoleum, the huge obsidian coffinstood as quiet as a mountain in the center of the hall. The black Soul Pivot floated in the air before the obsidian coffin and did notmove at all. It gave out a dim light, reminiscent of a life lamp. When Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong went back into the mausoleum, this was thescene they saw. Vaguely, they heard some sounds. The sounds were very faintly discernible andvery remote, as if they originated from within an abyss or the sea of stars. Itwas like the whisperings of a person, and also like a deep dirge. Clearly, the sound that originated from the remote space was extremelyunclear. The music was not continuous, and they could not hear its clear melodyor content. However, they could feel the content that the music wanted toexpress. May the spirit of the deceased return to us. Chen Changsheng looked at the Soul Pivot in front of the obsidian coffin andasked her after staying silent for a while, Did you hear it? Xu Yourong gave a soft sound of agreement and said, It is not ahallucination. It should be some sort of leftover Qi from a formation. What exactly has it sensed? I vaguely feel that it is related to the monstertide. Chen Changsheng asked. Before they had discovered the black Soul Pivot, as well as the time followingits discovery, it was always very quiet. However, it suddenly became soberserk, forcefully leaving Chen Changshengs dagger, and flew in front of theblack coffin and gave off some leftover Qi of an old formation. It definitelyhad its special reason. For an isolated object to suddenly undergo change wouldalways be related to external factors. Xu Yourong thought silently and said, I have always suspected that the SoulWood is in Nankes hands. Looks like its true, and she is getting closer andcloser to the mausoleum. Previously, Chen Changsheng found it very odd. The dagger could separate thereal world and the world in the sheath. Instead, this Soul Pivot could feel theQi of the outside world from inside, so what exactly was the connection thatactually allowed it to penetrate the walls of space? Now, hearing her words andalso thinking about the three words artifact, soul, unseparated from theNanhua Records of the Daoist Canons, he finally had a reason of cause. The lost piece of Soul Wood was indeed in Nankes hands. She brought themonster tide from every direction with her towards the mausoleum, growingcloser and closer until the Soul Pivot to sensed it. Artifact, soul, unseparated could be applied to the Soul Pivot, a magicalartifact that could oversee the White Emperor City, which was better known as adivine artifact. It could be imagined how intense the connection between theartifact and soul was. After an unknown about of time, the Soul Pivot finallysensed the return of the Soul Wood, so it naturally had an extremely greatreaction. However, why did the Soul Pivot return before the obsidian coffin andnot fly off?
315 Secret of the Black Coffin
He had read the Daoist Canon since childhood, and within the books, there wereiron rules. After entering the Mausoleum of Zhou, Chen Changsheng could plunderall the treasures and magical artifacts in the nine stone rooms, however, hehad never thought of opening the black stone coffin. It was extremely possiblefor Zhou Dufus most precious property to be hidden inside, but due to XuYourongs respect for the person within the coffin, he did not even considerthe idea. At this moment, only after hearing what Xu Yourong had said did he understandthat even if he wanted to open the obsidian coffin earlier, it was not possible. Only a key could open a lock. If Zhou Dufu did not want any person to disturbhis long slumber, then the mountain-like obsidian coffin would naturally bevery hard to open. Xu Yourong said, The Soul Wood should have been brought out of the Garden ofZhou very long ago, and for some unknown reason, it ended up in the hands ofthe demons. Thinking about it now, for them to be able to avoid the main gateof the Garden of Zhou and enter it through another path should have somethingto do with this. The Soul Wood has returned to the garden of Zhou, and thisalso means that it is finally the moment for the obsidian coffin to open. You say before Zhou Dufu died Chen Changsheng thought about how to say it,and continued, ...he already made the preparations to make it clear to theworld of his property and secrets that were hidden in the black coffin, whichwas why he let someone take away the key? But if it was like that, why didnthe do so directly himself? You said something before which was actually very reasonable. Time isactually the greatest magical artifact. Xu Yourong looked at the obsidiancoffin and said, As known by everybody, Zhou Dufu did not have a successor.This meant that before death, he did not find a junior who he believed had thecapabilities of inheriting his legacy. He left the key outside the Garden ofZhou perhaps to invite time to help him choose a successor. He was slightly shocked and asked, Are you saying that blade really is insidethe obsidian coffin? Xu Yourong stayed silent for a while before saying, There is anotherpossibility. Like you had said, Zhou Dufus legacy is not in the black stonecoffin, but his secret is. Chen Changsheng was confused. Im only asking casually, but is there reallysome secret? Xu Yourong looked into his eyes and said, Whether Zhou Dufu has actually diedor notthis itself is the most important secret of the world in the pastthousand years. Chen Changsheng thought about those deeds of Zhou Dufu that had long becomestories, legends or even myths, and his gaze on the obsidian coffin grewheavier. There was only heaviness, seriousness and some nervousness, but there was noworry. Towards matters like treasure and the legacies of previous experts, heand Xu Yourong both seemed rather calm. This type of calmness could not evendescribed as steadiness beyond their age. No matter how old the cultivator was,if they found out that they could obtain Zhou Dufus legacy, they woulddefinitely become unbelievably fanatical, just like the elder from the SettingSun Sect who drank Xu Yourongs blood in the cave. If he had appeared beforethe obsidian coffin at this moment, how could he stay calm? The reason why Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong could remain calm was becausethey were geniuses in cultivation, and cultivation itself was the greatestDaoist skill. Without a doubt, it was Zhou Dufus most special treasure, butthey themselves were also special. They were filled with confidence andprideif they could inherit the legacy, it was admittedly extremely good. Ifthey could not inherit it, it had nothing to do with fate, as their fate alwayslay between their hands. However, thinking that it was extremely possible forthem to see the most shocking scene in the past thousand years, it wasunavoidable for them to feel slightly nervous. Chen Changshengs voicesubconsciously became extremely quiet, as if he did not want to disturb thegreat spirit within the black coffin. When will this obsidian coffin open? Xu Yourong observed the radiance produced by the Soul Pivot grow dimmer anddimmer, and spent a while estimating. She then said, Should be soon. Outside the mausoleum, the monster tide slowly surged forwards like a blackline. The key to the obsidian coffin, the Soul Wood, had roused the Soul Pivot,and the opening of the coffin was about to occur right before their eyes. Before them, the upper half of the obsidian coffin began to slowly slide. In the gloomy, spacious mausoleum, a great wind whipped up. The radiance emitted from the Soul Pivot became even dimmer, as if it was acandle flame that could be put out at any moment. Chen Changsheng moved forwards to the side, and put himself between Xu Yourongand the coffin. His dagger had already left the sheath, and he held it tightlyin his hand. The huge obsidian coffin slowly opened with a rumble. A terrifying sound ofgrinding emitted from the heavy coffin lid and the coffin itself. It really wasjust like the rumble of thunder. The mountainous black coffin slowly separated into an upper piece and a lowerpiece. It seemed like lightning splitting the black mountain in half. Seeing this scene, Xu Yourongs pupil restricted slightly, and she mumbledquietly, Halved The upper part of the obsidian coffin continued to slide. It only stoppedafter a very long time. The wind continued to whistle in the mausoleum, curling around thesurroundings of the obsidian coffin. Because of the change in the coffin, thewind became even more mournful in sound, even sharper. It seemed extremelygloomy, as if someone was constantly weeping in the dusky netherworld. Theconstant sobbing sound merged with the vague music from before, and the idea ofthe wish for the spirits of the deceased to return slowly subsided. However,the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier. All of the light from the Soul Pivot was finally extinguished. The mausoleumonce again returned to its gloom. Standing on the ground, they could not seethe scene above, but they could imagine that the obsidian coffin had alreadyopened. If the great man lay quietly in the coffin, perhaps he would be staringat the roof of the hall. Of course, it was even more possible that his eyeswere closed, or that he had already turned into a pile of bones. However, the person in the obsidian coffin was called Zhou Dufu. No matter howunimaginable something was, it all seemed inevitable and right for it to occurto him. The sound of the wind slowly stopped, as did the music. The spirits of thedead had already returned, or perhaps they were not there. The interior of the mausoleum fell into a deathly silence. Xu Yourong lookedat the obsidian coffin that was like a broken mountain. Her expression wasrather complicated, and she did not speak for a very long time. Chen Changshengs right hand that held onto the hilt of the dagger did notsweat. However, for some reason, he felt that it was sticky. This was hisnervous mental state. If the person was dead, then all was well. What if he was still alive? Orspeaking more correctly, waking up from his long slumber and reviving. Orperhaps, he was unwilling to leave this world, so traveled by himself to thelonely sea of stars, and used a certain secret technique to turn himself intoan immortal but extremely evil existence before death. What would happen next? Chen Changshengs expression remained calm, but inside, he was nervous to theextreme. Logically, whether Zhou Dufu revived or was transformed by a secret technique,as long as he maintained his intelligence, he would help them with the demonexperts and the terrifying monster tide that was getting closer and closer tothe mausoleum. This was because Zhou Dufu was a human expert, an unparalleledhero who defeated the Demon Lord. This was also Xu Yourongs and his onlychance at leaving the Garden of Zhou and staying alive. However, for somereason he did not know, he had a strong feeling that if Zhou Dufu really didnot die, all of the people in the Garden of Zhou would die. It could eveninvite a storm of blood to the entire continent. I want to go up and see. Xu Yourongs voice broke the silence of themausoleum. She looked at the obsidian coffin. Her eyes, which were slightly gloomy due toher wounds, became extremely bright. Chen Changsheng supported her to the obsidian coffin. Raising his head for awhile, he confirmed a path to climb, and carried her on his back. A while later, he stood on the cliff of the black mountain that was brokenopen, and gazed inside. The space within the obsidian coffin was extremely large. Rather than a singleperson, even a party could be held inside, inviting a dozen ladies to sing. However, right now, there was not even a single person within the obsidiancoffin. Not a single person. That person was not there. The Garden of Zhou was Zhou Dufus world. The mausoleum was his palace for death. The dangerous and mysterious Plains of the Unsetting Sun that surrounded themausoleum was the mausoleum garden, and those unbelievably strong monsters weremausoleum guards. Very obviously, he did not want anyone to come and disturb his long slumber.The only evidence to the contrary was the key outside the Garden of Zhou, whichhelped the garden choose a new owner given time. However, he was not sleeping in this obsidian coffin. There was still no one who had seen his corpse. Whether he was dead or alive remained unknown. It was extremely possible that he was still alive. This was the true secret of the Garden of Zhou. This was the true secret that the Plains of the Unsetting Sun wanted to guard. The obsidian coffin did not have the remains of the great man, but that didnot mean the stone coffin was empty. It was full of tree leaves carved out of crystal, green grass sculpted fromthe best quality jade, and the rouge stones refined from the Earthen EssenceFire, scattered very casually. There were countless treasures in the obsidian coffin. Xu Yourong could enter the royal palace and Li Palace as she wished sincechildhood, and then went to the Holy Maiden Peak to study, so it was unknownhow many treasures she had already seen. Although Chen Changsheng lived plainlysince childhood, he has also once entered the Palace of Great Brilliance andthe Li Palace, and had also seen the golden coral trees and starry sky that wasmade from luminous pearls in the Black Dragons lair. As a result, when theysaw the treasures in the previous nine stone rooms, they did not feel moved. However, at this moment, they were really rather surprised. It was because there was too many treasures within the obsidian coffin, and itwas too wasteful. The tree leaves carved from crystals only maintained lessthan a tenth of their original usefulness. The best quality jade that couldclearly be used to make countless pieces of beautiful artworks was insteadsculpted into grass. Even worse were the rouge stones refined from EarthenEssence Fire if this was not recklessly wasting things, what was it? What caused them the most amazement was how these tree leaves, green grassesand stones did not even possess the slightest aesthetic value. The treasures that were piled full in the obsidian coffin gave off a glow inthe gloomy mausoleum. However, it made one feel that it was tacky. It was definitely enough for these treasures buried with the deceased to beworn by royal families no matter how great in authority and cultivators nomatter how strong. However, how could it be worn by the owner of this obsidian coffin? In the imaginations of ordinary people, Zhou Dufu should have been a perfectperson, especially in the aspect of manner. He was definitely able to despisethe mountains and rivers, and disregard the sea of stars. The Garden of Zhou, the Plains of the Unsetting Sun, and this grand mausoleumwere all evidence. How could such a person fill his own rock tomb with these expensive butextremely coarse treasures? Standing on the side of the obsidian tomb andseeing these golden leaves, jade leaves and blood-red rouge stones, ChenChangsheng could not help but shake his head. He squinted his eyes from thedazzling gleam of the treasure and said, Why do I feel the air of wealth is sofierce? Air of wealth was a slang term from Wenshui. Tang Thirty-Six often usedthese three words to describe the old people in the Tianhai Clan and in thehalls of the Imperial Court. Chen Changsheng heard it a lot, so he naturallyremembered it. Xu Yourong cared about the important matters, and very clearly was notimpressed by the treasures in the coffin. She looked at the black coffin devoidof anyone and said after staying quiet for a while, The place that all thecultivators that enter the Garden of Zhou want to find the most is theMausoleum of Zhou. We are not excluded, but I have thought about it many times.If I enter the Mausoleum of Zhou, the thing I want to do the most is to confirmwhether he has died. Because of this, she remembered a lot. She remembered the tasks entrusted toher by her elders, and her shoulders became heavy once again. Before on the stone platform, because of Chen Changshengs bright eyes, shetemporarily forgot this matter. It was the obsidian coffin that causedeverything to return to her. The inheritance of the Orthodoxy, the north and south combining, fightingagainst the demons these matters were not limited to just her, but at thismoment, this new discovery spurred her to action. If you are able to leave the Garden of Zhou alive She looked at Chen Changsheng, and requested extremely seriously, Please tellthe people about the news that he might still be alive. When she spoke, her face was extremely pale. This had nothing to do with herunhealed injuries, but rather that she had received a shock on a mental level. Before the obsidian coffin had opened, Chen Changsheng also had anindescribable feeling of dread of unknown origins. At this moment, when heheard her serious request about a matter, and when he saw her pale face, hisconfusion grew heavier and heavier. He thought that Zhou Dufu was a heroicfigure, so why was she, someone who did not display admiration even to herelders, feel inexplicably very alarmed? He is a hero, as well as a devil. Xu Yourong looked at him and said, Back then when he traveled to the northand heavily injured the Demon Lord with a single strike, he was a hero at thatmoment. However, he only pursued cultivation, so he killed countless humancultivators. He is cold-blooded, heartless and ruthless to the extreme. At thatmoment, he was a devil, and calling him an ambitious and ruthless person ismore suitable. If he is still alive, and really does reappear, perhaps thecontinent will fall into great chaos and unrest. Although Chen Changsheng was familiar with the Daoist Canons, he did not havetoo great of an understanding of that eras history, and understood thecharacter of Zhou Dufu even less. Seeing that her expression was full ofconcern, he explained, Not seeing his remains does not mean he is still alive.For such a legendary person, returning to the sea of stars and not leavingbehind a body is possible. But his blade is also not in this obsidian coffin, Xu Yourong said. Chen Changsheng stayed quiet after hearing that. Indeed, the blade was alsomissing. Zhou Dufu relied on this blade to defeat everyone in the world and becomeinvincible. The blade was called Halving. One blade, two halves. Before the blade, no matter how strong the opponent was, no matter how toughthe weapon was, even if the target was the boundless earth, it would be choppedinto two halves. Just like the obsidian coffin, like a small mountain, that slowly separatedbefore their eyes. The Halving Blade was second on the Tier of Legendary Weapons. It was beneaththe Frost God Spear that was first. However, to the belief of everyone on the continent, if the Frost God Spearwas not the weapon that Emperor Taizong carried with him, if it did not leavebehind so many miraculous scenes in the war between humans and demons, itdefinitely would not have been able to suppress the Halving Blade on the Tierof Legendary Weapons. In other words, in the hearts of ordinary people, theHalving Blade was the true weapon that occupied first place on the Tier ofLegendary Weapons. This was because outside Luoyang City, Taizongs Frost God Spear had suffereddefeat under Zhou Dufus Halving Blade. If Zhou Dufu had really died, transformed into a wisp of azure smoke andreturned to the sea of stars without leaving behind remains, his blade shouldhave been left in this obsidian coffin. Since the blade was not in the obsidian coffin, it should have been by hisside. Was it the most important evidence that he was alive? Xu Yourong did not continue to think about this matter, and began to face themonster tide that would soon arrive, as well as making preparations for futurematters. She looked at him and said, Nanke is the disciple of Black Robe, andalso has the key to the Mausoleum of Zhou. That piece of Soul Wood is in herhands. Black Robe and Zhou Dufu are people of the same period, so it isimpossible for him to be surnamed Zhou. However, it is very obvious that BlackRobe and Zhou Dufu should have some sort of relationship. Chen Changsheng was slightly confused as to why she said these things to him. Xu Yourong looked into his eyes and said, If you are able to leave the Gardenof Zhou alive, remember that you must tell this discovery to the entire world.This will be a great help to finding the true identity of Black Robe, and tothe battle of humans against the demons. It may even hold some importance indeciding the victor. This was her second request to him. To request that if he lived, he had to do that. Then firstly, she was requesting him to live. Even if he had to ignore her, hehad to live, and take this news out of the Garden of Zhou. The phoenix was about to die. Its cry was also loud. If this was a normal situation, Chen Changsheng would be moved by her calmnessand resoluteness, or agree to her request without any hesitation at all, andthen use all he could to leave the Garden of Zhou alive. However, this time,after spending so much time together running, and after the conversation theyhad on the stone platform, in the green wutong tree, he was unable to accepther request. Even if I leave you behind in the mausoleum and try to break through themonster tide and leave alive, it is basically impossible. Looking into XuYourongs eyes, he said,Impossible, and I have to betray my nature. I amunwilling, because I cultivate the Dao of following my heart. Under the shadow of death brought by the monster tide, what could he do tofollow his heart at this moment? He wanted to accompany her, either to escape,or to die here. Xu Yourongs complexion was slightly pale. She was unable to accept hisdecision, but her gaze was still very warm, happy for the decision he made. Chen Changsheng did not give her any more opportunities to persuade him, andreturned the dagger to the sheath. He began to pack away those golden leaves,jade grass and blood-red rouge stones in the obsidian coffin. These treasures indeed were overly tacky. Although the sculpting work wasgood, their aesthetics were sub-par. However, they were all made of material ofthe best quality and were extremely valuable. Since Zhou Dufu was not dead,this could not be considered as grave-robbingthus he avoided the iron rules inthe three thousand Daoist Canons. Of course, the reason he was willing to avoid them like so was because hecould feel that the Black Dragon in the lake water outside his Ethereal Palacehad already showed signs of waking. He did not want to be severely reprimandedby the ill-tempered uncle. The feeling of being cursed and berated could notfeel good, and the feeling of being covered in dragon spittle was surely alsovery bad. The dagger entered the sheath and its blade was hidden, however, it was stillable to sweep everything. At the end of the sheath, the gold leaves, jadegrasses and blood-red rouge stones all disappeared one by one, being collectedwithout a sound. After finishing these things, he carried Xu Yourong and was about to come downfrom the obsidian coffin. Suddenly, Xu Yourong saw something, and gave out asurprised cry. He turned around and followed her gaze. He only saw that the obsidian coffinwas empty of treasure and had nothing in it. On a certain wall within the obsidian coffin, there were some vague linescarved in. These lines were not patterns, and seemed like words.
316 The Birth of a Miracle
The piece of black wood in Nanke''s hand suddenly began to glow. She lowered her head and gazed at that black wood that now seemed like apiece of jade for a very long time, her expression abnormally focused butindifferent as usual. Even her somewhat dull eyes gradually began to growbrighter. Through this black piece of wood, she clearly perceived that a connection hadbeen formed between her and that tall and distant mausoleum. There was something within the mausoleum that was incessantly calling out tothe Soul Wood, and at the same time inviting her. Before she entered these Plains of the Unsetting Sun, she did not know whatthis black wood her teacher had given her was made of, but now she kneweverything. This was the core of the Mausoleum of Zhou, or a part of its core. The otherpart lay within the Mausoleum of Zhou. She could not use this black wood to control the Mausoleum of Zhou, but shecould use it control that tide of monsters behind her. The connection sent out by that distant mausoleum made her feel certain thatit was the Mausoleum of Zhou. Simultaneously, if her expectations were not off,Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng were also in that mausoleum. At this moment, she felt some gratitude towards Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong. If Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were not in front of them leading the way,she would have never found the Mausoleum of Zhou, and she would never have beenable to get close to it and thus form a connection between the Soul Wood andthe Soul Pivot. It must be known that not even her teacher could overcome these densegrasslands and find the location of the Mausoleum of Zhou. Nanke''s eyes shone brighter and brighter. They no longer possessed theirnormal dullness. It was as though a flame had been lit within them. The mausoleum contained Zhou Dufu''s legacy. Only she herself could know just how important Zhou Dufu''s legacy was to hermaster. From her standpoint, the legacy within that mausoleum, even the mausoleumitself, these Plains of the Unsetting Sun, and the entire Garden of Zhou shouldall belong to her teacher. The world that had been accidentally left behind by her teacher. Today, shewould finally take it all back. Different from Nanke, the Demon General couple of Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wanerfelt even more sorrowful that Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were able to findthis mausoleum. It must be known that ever since the Garden of Zhou had first appeared,several hundred years had passed. Countless human and demon cultivators,brimming with talent and possessing staunch wills, had come to this place insearch of the Mausoleum of Zhou, but not a single one had succeeded. The Military Advisor''s understanding of the Garden of Zhou far surpassed thatof the human Saints, yet even he could not do it. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had done it. Indeed, they were truly worthy of being the future of humanity. For the Military Advisor to plan so far ahead, to consume so many resourcesand expend so much effort, all to kill these young humans in the Garden ofZhou, it really was very reasonable. At a certain place in the Plains of the Unsetting Sun, the reeds and grass hadbeen cut down by some sort of sharp implement and had been thickly spread outto form an extremely large island. It seemed like resting upon its surfacewould be very comfortable. Qi Jian leaned against a pile of grass, her pale small face filled with terroras she stared at a certain direction in the sky. Her eyes, which were alreadyrather gloomy from her severe injuries, grew even darker. At the moment, it was almost twilight. Logically, the sky should have beenfilled with a warm and red glow, but it was dark and gloomy at present. It was not dark and gloomy due to clouds bespeaking rain, but because therewas a massive shadow that blocked out the entire sky. In the strong winds of the high heavens, the massive shadow seemed to slowlymove up and down just like a pair of wings. Only how in the world could there possibly be such a massive bird that itswingspan alone could obstruct ten thousand li of the sky? How could the worldpossibly contain this sort of being? Could it be that this was the legendary no, the mythological great peng? It was said in the far west, past the Great Western Continent, upon theboundless sea, there lived a strange beast called the great peng. It was saidthat when it opened its wings, they stretched out for ten thousand li. It was said that the great peng was incredibly powerful, already half a stepinto the Saint realm. Even the powerful Saint experts of the human world wouldfind it very difficult to prevail against it. How did this terrifying great peng end up living in the Garden of Zhou? Wheredid it normally conceal itself? Why did it not break out of the Garden of Zhouand leave? If it could not, what sort of strength within these plains forbadeit from doing so? The more Qi Jian thought about it, the more she was shocked and the paler hersmall face became. Over these successive dozens of days of continuous flight, the wound on herabdomen had already healed, but her internal injuries had not improved and evengradually worsened. Her mind received such a shock that she began tolaboriously cough. At some point, Zhexiu had come over with a bowl of herbal soup, which he nowput in front of her and said, "Drink." Still as concise and straightforward as ever. It was easy to see that in journeying together over these weeks, Qi Jian hadgrown very familiar and dependent on him. Coupled with her weakness from herinjuries, and she very naturally began to give off the appearance of a daughterat home. Like the whining of a spoiled child, she said, "So bitter, and it''snot like it does anything." Zhexiu had said before that if Chen Changsheng were here, he would assuredlybe able to treat his poison and cure her injuries; but in fact, he lived outhis childhood in the snowy plains, battling for a living, so whether it wasinjury or sickness, he had always had to find medicinal herbs on his own. Ifthis was outside the Garden of Zhou, even if Qi Jian had suffered an even worsesword wound, he was still certain that he could have cured her. The problem wasthat they were in the Plains of the Unsetting Sun. The variety of plants thatgrew between the pools of water and dry land was not diverse. The vast majoritywere weeds or reeds, and it was difficult to find appropriate herbs. The herbalsoup that Zhexiu had made for these past few days was made from kudzu leavesand tubers, which he worked very hard to find. The taste was truly awful andthe medicinal strength was average, but drinking was always better than notdrinking. So upon hearing Qi Jian''s grumbling and whining, he answered very simply anddirectly. "If you don''t drink, I''ll spank you." Qi Jian''s small face blushed and her left hand subconsciously reached behindher back. It was obvious that this dialoguethe whining and complaining, the short andconcise answerhad already taken place many times over the past few days. There was an even a chance that he really had spanked her, just like spankinga small child. Zhexiu''s way was very useful, and in addition, Qi Jian did not seem to have abad reaction to it. She seemed to like him lecturing her with a few cold words. Like a small animal, she drew close to his hand and began to drink the soup.For some reason, she felt that there was a hint of sweetness in that medicinalbrew. After finishing the medicinal soup, her wounds were aggravated by the medicineand she began to cough once more. On her pale face appeared two ominous patchesof red. It seemed extremely painful. Zhexiu moved behind her and used his right hand to grasp her neck. Inaccordance with the method Chen Changsheng had described to him in theMausoleum of Books, he began to slowly insert true essence into her body. He had already done this many times and was very practiced with it. The island formed of reeds and weeds was silent. Qi Jian''s eyes were closed as her body trembled, her face pale. Zhexiu would occasionally open his eyes and gaze into the distance. He could not see anything, but he was used to being vigilant. In addition, it was only when Qi Jian closed her eyes that he could open his. Because deep within his eyes, the dark green flame indicating the poison hadgrown even deeper occupied nearly the entirety of his irides. It was sogorgeous a sight that it would make one''s heart beat faster. If he could not leave these plains and could not leave the Garden of Zhou,perhaps his eyes would never recover. He did not tell Qi Jian about this. After some time, Zhexiu removed his hand from Qi Jian''s back. Qi Jian gave two light coughs and sensed that the true essence was flowing alittle more smoothly through her body and not as aggravating as it was before. "What do we do next?" She softly asked Zhexiu, her expression rather sheepish,as though she was worried that this question would affect his emotions. Zhexiu turned his eyes to that terrifying shadow that hung over the distanthorizon but said nothing. In the past few days, they had not met a singlemonster, and the plains had been abnormally quiet. He knew that it definitelyhad something to do with that massive shadow in the sky, but he just did notknow what was happening in the distance. "There must definitely have been other human cultivators that came in." QiJian said, "Perhaps that shadow is part of the demons'' plan. Should we headover there to help out?" "No." Zhexiu said, "Regardless of it being a ploy by the demons, it hasnothing to do with us." Qi Jian opened her eyes wide and said in confusion, "But there might be humancultivators that are being attacked at this very moment." Zhexiu replied, "First of all, that place is too far away, so we wouldn''t makeit in time. Secondly, we can''t beat that great peng. Thirdly, I am not a humancultivator, so I have no obligation to help those people. Lastly, if I''m notwrong, this matter is possibly our only opportunity to escape from theseplains." Qi Jian gazed at his profile, wanting to say something, but in the end shechose to keep silent. She had been raised in the Mount Li Sword Sect since she was a child, and theteachings that had been passed on to her made it impossible for her to ignoreseeing humans attacked by demons. However, Zhexiu''s words were far tooreasonable. Moreover, the most crucial point was that she knew very well thatin fleeing through these plains, she had been his burden, so she had not theslightest qualification to request that he take on even more risks. "The most important thing is that your injuries are too severe. If we don''tthink of a way, you will die very quickly." Zhexiu said impassively to her. Seeing his face, Qi Jian was suddenly very aggrieved. She thought to herself,I''m about to die, so how can you remain so calm? Zhexiu had no idea what she was thinking as he continued, "I just smelled uponthe water that two li ahead of us should be several stalks of Drunken SourGrass. Qi Jian''s expression was a little strange. "What''s that?" Zhexiu replied, "A sort of weed. If a monster or warhorse mistakenly eats itas food, they''ll fall unconscious." An unpleasant idea suddenly popped up in Qi Jian''s mind. "You who are youplanning on feeding that to?" "Of course it''s for you to eat." Zhexiu felt that this question of hers was extraordinarily stupid and slightlycreased his brow. "Right now, youre consuming too much of your mentalstrength. For some reason, you''ve really enjoyed talking these past few days.It''s very obvious that it''s because your injuries are gradually worsening. Justeat the Drunken Sour Grass and sleep for a while. Although it won''t do anythingfor your wound, it will at the very least allow you to hold on for a bitlonger." Qi Jian was quiet for a while and then very carefully asked, "This weed haveyou eaten it before?" Zhexiu expressionlessly said, "After eating this weed, you''ll fall into astate of deep unconsciousness. Even a little earth mouse could eat you, so ofcourse I wouldn''t have eaten it before." Qi Jian was a little angry. "But you want me to eat it." Zhexiu said, "I won''t be sleeping, so you will naturally be safe." This was a simple and objective explanation, but in the ears of afourteen-year-old girl, it seemed just like a promise. This made her feel verywarm. After I eat that grass, how long will I sleep?" She asked. After a moment of silence, Zhexiu replied, "I''ve never seen a human eat itbefore, so I don''t know." Qi Jian was also quiet for a while and then faintly said, "But you want me toeat it?" These were the same words, their meaning was the same, but the emotion behindthem had subtly changed. "There''s no poison, so there won''t be any problem." "I don''t want to eat it." "If my predictions are correct, eating that grass will let you hold on foranother ten days." "But I might sleep for a hundred days or a thousand days." "Do all humans like to exaggerate so much?" "Anyway, I don''t want to eat it." Qi Jian firmly said. Zhexiu did not know why she was so stubborn. After silently pondering on thismatter, he once again used his tried and true method. "If you don''t eat it,I''ll spank you." In the past few weeks, there were many occasions, such as when eating bitterherbs, or her insisting on holding him before she would sleep; or herstubbornly insisting on washing his face every morning and then at night justas stubbornly insisting that he did not need to help wash her feet; the momentwhere their opinions diverged and were incapable of meeting together. At thevery end, he would always use this method. Over the course of their journey, he had long ago realized that this lastdisciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect''s sect master, the most junior lady of theDivine State''s Seven Laws, was not at all like the cute and spoiled girl thathe had imagined. She had a stubborn nature, firm and persistent, evenpigheaded. Let alone hitting her, even threatening to abandon her would notchange her mind. She was only afraid of getting spanked. Zhexiu did not know why this was the case. He clearly knew that it was theplace where the flesh was most abundant and thus beating it was the leastpainful. Perhaps it was because she was a girl. He had read human books before and knew about these sort of things, but hestill could not understand. Recalling Qi Jian''s attitude on this journey, he felt that humans were trulyvexing, especially women. Why did she insist on washing his face every day? On the snowy plains, onecould never find this much water. Isn''t it fine to just randomly pick up achunk of snow and rub it over your face? And if not, then so what? It''s notgood for your facial skin? You''ve suffered such severe injuries that you''re onthe verge of death, so what does worrying about such things matter? Why is itthat she won''t let me wash her feet every night? Could it be that she doesn''tknow that on a long and difficult trek, the most important thing is to ensurethat your feet are clean and dry, and that only this way can you walk evenfarther? Fine, this entire time it had been him carrying her, so she didn''tneed to walk, but then there was really no reason for why she should care somuch about this feet-washing business. It was a good thing that women would always be afraid of something. Like spanking. Hearing Zhexiu''s words, Qi Jian''s small face blushed in shame. Yet beyondexpectations, she continued to insist on being unwilling. In a huff, shereplied, "Don''t want to eat is don''t want to eat." Hearing her clear and young, but unhappy, voice, Zhexiu was a littlesurprised. He thought to himself, what''s happened, today you aren''t even afraidof getting spanked anymore? He thought about how, a few days ago, on the first and only occasion he hadspanked her, he was somewhat dazed, so his right hand had subconsciouslybrushed against her legs. Seeing his action, Qi Jian ashamedly and angrily threw a fist at his shoulder. However, she was simply too enervated, so this fist naturally had no power,nor did it seem like she was throwing a tantrum. "Don''t be afraid." Zhexiu thought he had guessed at the reason for her unwillingness andattempted to make his voice as soothing as possible. "As long as I''m alive, Iwill absolutely carry you out of here." Qi Jian stretched out her hand and grabbed at the hem of his clothes; she thenopened her eyes wide and gave him a miserable look. "But who will give youdirections?" Zhexiu couldn''t see her appearance. "The shadow is over there, so we travel inthe opposite direction." Having said that, he stood up, put her on his back, and walked out of thatisland formed of reeds and weeds towards those stalks of Drunken Sour Grass. Qi Jian hugged him, her small face leaning on his shoulders. She said nothing,making her thoughts a mystery. Right now, she was very feeble and would often get tired. In the past fewdays, when on his back, she would very quickly fall asleep. He was not very tall and his shoulders were not very broad, but they gave hera very steady feeling, just like a boat that would never capsize in the ocean. But today she did not want to sleep. She resisted the exhaustion and theweakness and calmly gazed at the sky. Zhexiu sensed it and stopped walking. After a moment of silence, he asked,"You really don''t want to sleep?" Qi Jian tacitly approved of his thoughts. She always felt that if she ate those stalks of grass and fell unconscious,then she would only wake up after a very, very long time. Who would give you directions? When I wake up, will I be able to see you? If we don''t leave these plains, could it be that I will die in my sleep? I don''t want to. If she had to die, it would be best to do so while awake. Only in this waycould she be certain that they were together. Because of her silence, Zhexiu was also silent. He did not know what she was thinking, but he knew that she was definitelythinking about a lot of meaningless things. Humans were truly vexing, especially women. No matter the age. It was now the time when the twilight should be dying the sky a bloody red,but the distant sky was dark and gloomy like a cloudy day. He lifted his head and gazed into the distance, sensing and confirming thedirection. After doing these preparation, he lifted his right hand, wielded his palm likea knife, and chopped down on Qi Jian''s neck. With a light slap, Qi Jian fell unconscious. The entire world was quiet. In the Garden of Zhou, there was a plain. The plain''s sun did not set, but ithad been covered up by a terrifying shadow. Outside of the Garden of Zhou was asnowy plain. The sun did not rise over this snowy plain, and a shadow similarlyhung over the night sky. Compared to that terrifying shadow in the plains, thisshadow covered an even larger area. It did not seem angry, but it was even morefrightening in terms of its cold presence. It faintly emitted an unequaled Qi. The shadow was the Demon Lord''s will. Under this shadow, the already awesomestrength of the Demon General grew even stronger. This shadow turned arrayspread several dozens li out to those normal demon soldiers, inspiring themwith incredible bravery. Regardless of how dazzling those sword glows in thesnowstorm were, they would not feel the slightest fear. The only people who could remain completely uninfluenced by this shadow weretwo people. One of them was Su Li, while the other was the demon MilitaryAdvisor whose entire body was cloaked in a black robe. Black Robe sat cross-legged on a snowy hill. In front of his knees was an ironplate. In this plate were mountains, plains, and rivers, a cold pool and awetland, and even a setting sun, but there were no stars. It was the Garden ofZhou. Suspended above the iron plate were four life lamps. Those four life lampswere already extremely weak, the two life lamps in the middle were especiallyso, their life flames like thin threads. At any time, they could be blown out. More than ten li away in the snowstorm, a magnificent sword glow shuttled backand forth between heaven and earth, but it could never escape. The mountainous figures of several Demon Generals towered in the snowstorm.They led tens of thousands of demon troops in pursuit of the sword glow, inpursuit of that human at the head of that sword glow. Su Li was not very old, but he was actually the Mount Li Sword Sect''s martialgranduncle. His seniority was unusually high, but what was even higher was hisswordplay and cultivation. He was not a Saint. He was a wastrel, wandering the four seas, occasionallyrevealing himself to the world. He was not ranked in the Storms of the Eight Directions because no one knewwhere his desires lay. Yet everyone knew that his cultivation was ranked at the very top of the humanworld, at eye-level with the Saints, on par with the Storms. It could even be said that because of his temperament, solely based on hisbattle power, killing ability, and his menace towards the Demon race, he wassecond only to Zhou Dufu. In order to kill Su Li, the demons had prepared for a very long time and hadmentally prepared to sacrifice countless experts. In fact, right now, one DemonGeneral had already been killed, while three Demon Generals were heavilywounded. Even the Demon Lord spared no expense in exerting his black night,transforming his will into a shadow that enveloped the sky. Yet Black Robe seemed very calm. From beginning to end, he had satcross-legged on the snowy hill. Only when Su Li would express killing intenttowards him would he take action. The reason he was so calm was because he believed in himself. The assassination using the Garden of Zhou had been personally planned by him.There were no gaps and he had calculated everything precisely. No matter how strong Su Li was, he was still a man and not a god. He was notZhou Dufu. Only if in his desperate straits, the fear and pressure brought on by beingbetween life and death causing him to have a breakthrough, was there a chance.Otherwise, there was no way for him to escape alive. Yet Black Robe did not give him even this chance. Black Robe had prepared a pot of warm water for Su Li, a slowly movinggrindstone. Of course, he logically would have to always keep his full attention on thisassassination in the snowstorm. After all, the person he wanted to kill was SuLi. Yet, a few moments ago, a change had suddenly occurred in the square plate infront of him. In the dense grassland in that place that was impossible to search or infer,which from beginning to end had been a place of nothingness and mirages,something suddenly exploded with brilliant light. This light illuminated Black Robe''s face, penetrating through his pale skinand making the green color hidden within grow even richer before revealing twosmears of red. The intersection of these three colors was very pretty and very strange. Those two eyes that were as deep as the netherworld were also illuminated bythe light. The blood on his face, the light in his eyes; all of this signified hisexcitement. What sort of thing would cause a person like Black Robe to grow excited? Previously, when he saw Chen Changsheng''s life lamp and Xu Yourong''s life lamphead into the plains together, his expression had become solemn. But now, he had already forgotten about that matter. Even if Xuelao City were to abruptly collapse, even if Su Li was to suddenlypierce through the snowy sky and escape, he would not be the slightest bitmoved. There was nothing new under the night sky. No matter how outlandish a thingwas, they were all just the result of small probabilities, but this light wasdifferent. He gazed for a very long time in silence at that ball of light in the ironplate. He had already given up any hope he had for this miniature world, which waswhy he could look at it all so indifferently. Yet he had already waited for this light to appear for many years. The plot involving the Garden of Zhou was obviously not the best plan BlackRobe had ever created. Several hundred years ago, the combined forces of the humans and demi-humanshad successively broken through five of the demons'' defensive lines and wereonly five hundred li from Xuelao City. Hermit Qilian died in battle, and HermitHelan also died in battle. The situation was exceptionally grave. He developed an extremely enjoyable plan. This plan was him playing with the human heart. He used the relationshipbetween Emperor Taizong and Wang Zhice. The entire continent knew what he aimed to do. Emperor Taizong and Wang Zhicewere even more clear on it, and yet they could not stop him. Because problems of the human heart, once they appeared, could never be wipedaway. Wang Zhice sadly resigned from his post. Xuelao City was safe and sound. Compared to that plan, whether it was in terms of structure or ideas, the plotin the Garden of Zhou could not even hope to match up. But to Black Robe, the plot in the Garden of Zhou was even more meaningfulthan the one from prior. To lose, and then to bring back. This had always been the most meaningfulmatter. All the things he had done over the countless years was for this. The light in the iron plate was not in his plans. It was the greatest variablein this plan and also the most welcomed variable. Because it meant that the Garden of Zhou''s most precious object was about tosee the light of day once more. Killing Su Li. Killing off the greater part of humanity''s future. Retrieving his lost past. What could be more perfect than this conclusion? Deep within the mausoleum, on the obsidian coffin. The Soul Pivot shone no more and the precious jewels had all been stored away.The obsidian coffin was pitch black like a dark night. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong walked into this darkness and came before themarks. The characters comprised letters and pictures. Each one was matched with a corresponding picture. Other than a child''s mostbeloved picture-book, there was another most commonly seen possibility. These characters and words were a secret technique. Yes. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong glanced into each other''s eyes. Because oftheir shock, they did not know what to say. The secret technique engraved into the coffin was a blade style. This blade style had the same name as that blade. Halving.
317 Learning the Blade
The sword was the most commonly seen weapon, as well as the weapon that heldthe greatest status. To countless sects and schools, their greatest Daoistskills were sword techniques. The reason why the Longevity Sect could controlcountless other sects, and why it truly had the confidence in allowing thissouthern sect to become important enough to contend against the Li Palace, wasstill because of the Mount Li Sword Sect, perhaps because of this reason. The blade was normally only used in the army, to kill the enemy on thebattlefield. It was always unqualified to take a place in the higher circles,until a thousand years ago, when Zhou came into being. Only after he had usedthe blade to defeat all the experts in the world did a change in this situationoccur. However, after Zhou Dufu, there were still very few famous people thatused the blade. Why was it like that? It was because Zhou Dufus blade was too sharp, and alsobecause he had created his own universally shocking blade technique. This blade technique was named the same as his blade: Halving. This was the legendary Halving Blade Technique. Looking at those words and images on the wall of the obsidian coffin, ChenChangsheng and Xu Yourong were both dumbstruck. There was always the rumor thatZhou Dufus legacy was in the Garden of Zhou. Only after seeing it with theirown eyes did they confirm that this rumor turned out to be real. Compared to this blade technique, the secret manuals of martial arts, valuablepills and treasures from the nine stone rooms were not worthy of beingmentioned at all. Time indeed was very strong. It could cause pills to loseeffectiveness and treasures to dull, but it could not cause intelligence andknowledge to depreciate. Without a question, the Halving Blade Technique wasthe first-rate intelligence and knowledge in the world of cultivation. They were willing to hear the truth even if they had to die for it. Themonster tide was currently approaching the mausoleum, and the huge shadow inthe sky that represented death was about to envelop them. Chen Changsheng andXu Yourong had completely forgotten about these matters, and began to read andview the words and images on the wall of the coffin. They wished that theycould learn even more in their final moments. Their gazes landed at the beginning of the text. This was the entire outlineof the Halving Blade Technique. The words were extremely clear and easy tounderstand, however, the ideas they presented were actually extremely profound.In the images created from the words, there was the perspective of a simpleblade, an edge connecting with the world. It was a hitherto unimagined way oflooking at things. This was truly a uniquely and finely written article. The Halving Blade Technique had a total of one hundred and eight blade moves,forming three parts. The entire outline called them sections, and each sectionhad thirty-six blade moves. The first section was named Rise, and it detailed the one word. How to raisethe blade, how to raise the edge, how to create wind, and how to begin thetechnique were all the most basic parts in the section. It was also the sectionthat had the most on manner. The second section was called Endure, and mainlyfocused on defense. If trained to the limit, it could endure the changes of theworld, but the thirty-six styles did not only focus on defense. The edge of theblade was hidden within it, like a dragon in the clouds, able to reach out andeat people at any moment. As a result, it was the steadiest and most dangeroussection. The third section was called Fall. This word, fall, could easilydescribe the fall of the blade, but actually, it carried the definition ofextracting from the heavens. Wherever the edge of the blade went, it possessedthe vast image of an azure sky, able to envelop the world and cut througheverything before the eye. (TL: The first section is Rise , which can hold a lot of differentmeanings. Basically, the author is doing some wordplay for the how to xxx part.They all contain the word . In the third section, Fall (), basically it issaying that the is referring to , which means heavens, and has nothing todo with actually falling.) After reading the entire outline of the Halving Blade Technique, ChenChangsheng and Xu Yourong did not stop at all, and began to look at an imageand the words on it closely afterward. That was the first move from the sectionRise. This was also the first move of the Halving Sword Technique. It had anespecially simple name: Origin. (TL: Again, more word play. The Chinese name is Ե, which again has (Rise), but has nothing to do with actually rising.) The image did not have a blade, nor did it have someone using the blade. Therewere only several simple lines. Chen Changsheng had the experience from comprehending monoliths in theMausoleum of Books, and Xu Yourong had the homework of studying andcomprehending monoliths every day at the Holy Maiden Peak. They each had theirown perspectives, and understood that these lines were pathways that trueessence could travel in, and at the same time, blade intent. However, exactlybecause it was simple, it was difficult to comprehend. The images of very fewlines on the coffin walls caused them to be immersed, and they actually slowlyforgot the flow of time. This lasted all the way until a certain moment whenthe two of them finally comprehended this blade move, and woke up at almost thesame time. They subconsciously looked at each other, and saw the astonishmentin each others hearts. When the metal blade left the sheath and was raised into the vast sky, nomatter how they looked at it, it was a very simple action, so how could therebe so many complicated changes? How could these complicated changes beremembered and used in battle? This blade technique was just like Zhou Dufu,extremely overbearing but also profound and confusing. To their knowledge andexperience, it felt outrageous. Other than the fact that Zhou Dufu was an expert who possessed theintelligence that exceeded normal people, there were no other reasonableexplanations. This seemingly simple first move of the Rise section actually caused them tospend a lot of effort before finally grasping it. Of course, once they hadcomprehended the move, they were suddenly overcome by an onrush of fiercedelight, like water bursting from a silver vase, or horsemen charging forward.It caused them to feel a period of carefreeness, and they actually wanted toyell loudly a few times to release their wonderful feelings. Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng only looked at each other quietly, and theshock in their eyes slowly turned into uneasiness. They had used this much timeonly on the first move, so just how much more time did they need to comprehendthe entirety of the one hundred and eight blade moves to the level that theycould use it smoothly and fluently? Currently, their biggest problem was thatthey did not have time. If it was just not enough time, they could just try to remember as many movesas they could. However, as mentioned before, the Halving Blade Technique was aunique, finely-written article and its most special area was that although theone hundred and eight moves seemed separate, they were actually one wholeentity. Only after all of the blade moves were completely comprehended couldthe idea of the article be known. Even when they seemed to grasp the first move, this type of fluency was farfrom enough, and could not even be considered as a true fluency. Memorize first. Chen Changsheng looked at her and said, Make use of all thetime we have and remember all of these words and images. Even if it was not comprehending, and only copying this blade technique intotheir minds, it was still an extremely difficult matter. Xu Yourong calculated the amount of time the monster tide would take to arriveand the amount of time she needed to memorize all of it, and confirmed that itwas not enough. She said, Memorize separately. Okay. Chen Changsheng looked at her slightly pale face, and paused a littlebefore saying, Ill memorize from the end, you memorize from the beginning. If the blade technique was said to be an article, reading from the beginningto the end was naturally easier than the opposite. Memorizing was even more so. Xu Yourong knew that he thought about how she had not recovered from herinjuries, and intentionally did this. She did not decline, and walked beforethe images and words of the second move. She began recording it in her head. Chen Changsheng glanced at her and confirmed that she could stand by herselffor a little while now. He walked to the left side of the obsidian coffin,before the last image. This was the last move of the Fall section. It had an especially overbearingname: The World Ablaze. His gaze landed on the lines of the image, and at the same time, those wordsentered his eyes. With only a moment, the images and words disappeared. The image of a dusky skyappeared before him. There were falling stars everywhere with long, fierytails, as if the world was about to be destroyed... In the next moment, he discovered that the paths of the falling stars wereactually somewhat familiar. He remembered that these paths were actually theenergy of the first move of the Halving Blade Technique, Origin. As it turnedout, the very end and the very beginning were indeed connected. He finallyconfirmed the content of the entire outline. This blade technique actuallyrequired the mastery of all blade moves to grasp it. The blade technique was a whole entity that could not be divided. In otherwords, the one hundred and eight blade moves in the Halving Blade Techniquewere actually one blade. As it should be.
318 Facing It Together
The obsidian coffin was colossal, similar to a small mountain. Chen Changshengand Xu Yourong stood within the coffin, as though they were standing within amountain. They were unsure of how much time had passed. Xu Yourong followed the normal order, and viewed the images one by one. Herfootsteps moved slowly, from left to right. Chen Changshengs order was theopposite of hers, and slowly moved from right to left. Memorizing was mucheasier than comprehending and grasping it, but to memorize such profound andindescribable sword moves was not an easy task. After an unknown period of time, Chen Changshengs left arm touched hershoulder. Only then did the two return to her senses and realize that they hadalready met again. If it was Tang Thirty-Six, he would probably frivolously and cockily comment,What a coincidence, actually meeting you here. However, Chen Changsheng did not speak in this manner, and Xu Yourong also didnot speak. The two of them glanced at each other and smiled, before continuingto look at the final two images. This was Chen Changshengs sixty-ninth image. This meant that he had alreadymemorized sixty-nine images. Due to her injuries, Xu Yourong was rather weak,and saw fewer images than him. Altogether, she had memorized thirty-seven blademoves. After another period of time, the pair had finally memorized the final twoimages, and once again woke up at almost the same time. They once again lookedat each other and smiled. However, in the next moment, their smiles vanished and were replaced withshock and bewilderment. The images and words on the obsidian coffin were currently disappearing! Obsidian was the hardest type of rock in the world, and these lines of imagesand texts should have been carved onto it by Zhou Dufu with his legendarydivine blade. It was deeply carved into the rock to some degree, and even afterundergoing the rubbings of hundreds of years, it did not grow faint, much lesseroded. However, at this moment, the edge of these lines seemed to grow softerby a lot. With a soft brushing of the gloomy breeze in the mausoleum, theobsidian at the edge of these lines was blown into grains of sand and fell ontothe ground with a rustle. At that moment, Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were not able to react at all.All of the words and images of the obsidian coffin wall were completely erased,turning into one hundred and nine depressions which varied slightly in depth. What was this about? This magical scene caused both of them to be shockedspeechless. Did this mean that the Halving Blade Technique would disappear byitself after it was memorized? Just how did Zhou Dufu do such a magical thing? The Halving Blade Technique had already transformed into the black sand at thebottom of the coffin and had completely vanished. The interior of the obsidiancoffin had become completely empty, so they naturally did not stay any longer. Chen Changsheng carried her out of the obsidian coffin, and returned to thestone floor of the mausoleum. They were still unable to calm down as theythought about the previous events. Luckily it was memorized. Xu Yourong said, After we leave, we can recordthese moves, and it will be complete. Due to living in the old temple in Xining Village since childhood, ChenChangsheng, a fifteen-year-old teenager, naturally could not avoid beingslow-witted on matters between males and females. However, for some reason, atthis moment, he understood what she said correctly. The earth-shatteringHalving Blade Technique had now belonged to the two of them, and it was notseparately belonging to each of them. Just like the blade technique, theentirety of it belonged to both of them. If they did not have enough trust and did not treat each other with sincerity,there was no point to this blade technique. Yes, we can practice together, Chen Changsheng said. If we cant leave the Garden of Zhou, what should we do? asked Xu Yourong asgazed at his clear eyes, seemingly slightly sad. Perhaps this blade techniquewill leave the world with us? Chen Changsheng replied, Dont feel pressured. If Zhou Dufu really is stillalive, the Halving Blade Technique naturally wont be lost in inheritance. Xu Yourong stayed silent for a moment and then said, I have a differenttheory. If Zhou Dufu did not die, why would he leave these sword moves in hisown mausoleum? Chen Changsheng pondered , then guessed, Perhaps he wanted to go do somethingthat he did not have certainty in and left these sword moves behind. He alsodoes not want to let his most impressive creation in his life to fade intooblivion. Xu Yourong gazed into his eyes and said, Anyway, you must do your best tolive. Chen Changsheng gazed back into her eyes, and thought that if it was fate,then the requirements fate had provided should have been extremely clear.Whether if it was for the Halving Blade Technique, or to remember these lovelymemories, only when the pair had lived and met again would there be any meaning. May the sacred light be with you. Xu Yourong sincerely wished him well. Chen Changsheng leaned forward, and awkwardly hugged her. He replied, Be withus. The ground began to tremble once again. This time, it was not the opening ofthe obsidian coffin, nor did it originate from his dagger. Instead, it wasbecause the monster tide had finally arrived. Chen Changsheng remembered whatXu Yourong had said not too long ago, she did not want to die in anotherpersons tomb, so he naturally supported her and walked towards the exterior ofthe mausoleum. When he passed the long passageway, he did not forget to collectall the luminous pearls embedded in the walls. Xu Yourong felt intrigued as she watched this scene, and also felt even moreadmiration; to be so calm before life and death was not something that anyonecould do. It was also very obvious that he really did not fear death. Such amental state was close to those of sages. Chen Changsheng actually did not think too much about matters of life ordeath, and instead, thought more about the sleeping black dragon in the lakewater outside his Ethereal Palace. At this moment, he did not know, and wasalso worried over that if he died in the Garden of Zhou, what would happen tothe Black Dragon? Would it follow him into a long slumber, or would it continueto live even though it was unable to wake? After all, at present, it was only aspiritual soul. They left the mausoleum and arrived at the great platform at the end of thedivine path. Previously, they were able to gaze at the grassland beneath them,Chen Changsheng looked at the wutong tree which owned the countless jade-greenleaves that swayed in the incoming breeze. He said to Xu Yourong, No matterhow great your magical artifact is, it is still unable to constantly protectus. Why dont you put it away? Xu Yourong said, It can help us buy some time. Unlike those cultivators whoviewed magical artifacts and the level of cultivation as more important thantheir lives, she had always believed that these were mere worldly possessions.If it could be used to earn some valuable time or opportunities, not to mentionheavy damage, even directly being destroyed would be nothing to feel pity about. Chen Changsheng replied, Right now, what we need the least is time. Before they memorized the Halving Blade Technique, time was imperative, butafterward, it had no significance to them at all. Although Xu Yourong had beenplucked out of the abyss of death by his blood, she was still severely injuredand weak, and the longer she took, the more dangerous it was. Most importantly,the flow of time in the Plains of Unsetting Sun was different from the realworld. The closer to the Mausoleum of Zhou, the slower time flowed. Even ifthey could last for a few extra days by relying on the wutong tree, perhaps itwas only a split second in the real world outside the Garden of Zhou, so whatopportunities were there? Reasonable. Xu Yourong extended her hand and transformed the wutong backinto a longbow and carried it on her shoulder. The green leaves suddenly disappeared, and the surroundings of the stoneplatform became empty. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong began to face thepowerful opponents and unknown end head-on. Although what came directly at themhead-on was not a rain of blood, it was still a foul wind.
319 The Chilling First Move
In the dark twilight, the monster tide was like a black ocean. Standing infront of the black ocean were the five demon experts. Above them in the sky wasan even more massive shadow. It seemed just like this black ocean''s reflection. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong stood on the stone platform in front of themain gate of the mausoleum. Separated by the several thousand zhang long divinepath, they viewed this magnificent yet terrifying spectacle. They gazed at theblack piece of wood in Nankes hand as it emitted countless rays of light andknew that their initial conjecture was correct. The Soul Pivot was in front ofthat obsidian coffin, but the Soul Wood was in the hands of the demons. Xu Yourong said rather regretfully, "I''ve cultivated the Dao since I was achild, but it seems that what I believed to be the Dao was not the Dao. Allthose so-called calculations only allowed to me understand mortal affairs. Itseems to me that you and I can only rely on heaven now." Chen Changsheng gazed at the black ocean in front of them and the shadow inthe sky above and said, "I believe that there is such a thing as fate, but Idon''t believe that it decides all things." As he said these words, he was very calm and serious. It was only that lastword, ''things'', which caused his voice to softly tremble, indicating that hewas a little nervous. He pulled himself together and then continued, "Asexpected, the Soul Wood was in the hands of the demons. No wonder we were ableto get to the Mausoleum of Zhou without meeting a single monster, but...thosedemons could have commanded those monsters to come kill us a long time ago, butwhy did they not do it and instead gave us a clear path?" Xu Yourong said, "We already discussed this in that patch of autumn reeds. Themost likely possibility was that they needed us to guide the way." Viewing it in this way, in the eyes of the demons, the location of theMausoleum of Zhou was far more important than the life and death of those two.Why were the demons looking for the Mausoleum of Zhou? Was there somethinginside they absolutely needed to obtain? No matter how they thought about it,they felt that it all had to do with the Halving Blade Technique engraved onthe obsidian coffin. As they thought about this idea, Chen Changsheng and XuYourong glanced into each other''s eyes. Now that the Halving Blade Technique was destroyed, only by combining thecharacters and pictures memorized in their two minds would that blade techniquereappear. Using this to threaten the demons and exchange it for a way out? He used hiseyes to ask this question. "It''s no use." Xu Yourong gazed down the divine path at that little girl''scold eyes and shook her head. The phoenix and the peacock were predestined rivals. The meeting of these twogeniuses from different races would lead to many stories in the future. In that determined, even desperate, battle at the peak of Sunset Valley, nomatter what terrifying strength Nanke had displayed, she had calmly responded.Just as she was about to cross the line of victory, the zither-playing old manentered the fray, causing her to suffer severe injuries. She plunged into theabyss, and then the moment she was at her most desperate straits, her bloodwent through its second awakening, causing a pair of pure white wings to emergefrom her back and allow her to fly through the night sky. If it had not been for the fact that she had to save Chen Changsheng, she wasabsolutely the victor of that battle. She only needed to leave the Garden ofZhou. Yet the current her, although her life had temporarily been saved, wasstill weak and exhausted, no longer able to engage in combat. Moreover, Nankehad clearly recovered her strength to its peak and was just as strong as shehad been on the peak of Sunset Valley and appeared to be even more tyrannical. Should she regret it? She should, she thought to herself as she calmly andsilently gazed at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng did not know that she was looking at him because he wasstaring at that black ocean in front of the mausoleum. That black ocean was made up of thousands upon thousands of monsters. Theirpowerful and bloody Qi soared to the heavens, as if they wanted to tear the skyapart. The monster tide had gray dragon serpents, demon vultures, and even moremonsters with such powerful Qi that not even his spiritual sense could perceivethem, let alone that terrifying shadow which hung in the air behind them. If all those monsters surrounding them began to attack, the black ocean coulddirectly drown the mausoleum. Let alone him, even those Divine Generals whowere at the peak of Star Condensation, perhaps even the Saints, could only stayfar away. Besides Zhou Dufu coming back to life, who could possibly have thestrength to resist this monster tide alone? The monster tide was somewhat restless, especially those gray dragon serpentsand demon vultures whose many companions had been killed by Xu Yourong. Themonster tide incessantly sounded with shrill cries, and yet, perhaps becausesome of Zhou Dufu''s Qi still remained about the mausoleum, or perhaps becausethat glowing piece of black wood was controlling them, they remained ten lifrom the mausoleum, not taking a single step closer. The black ocean was a curtain, and a gorgeous stream of light was drawing uponit. Seeing this picture, Chen Changsheng thought about that unforgettableencounter at the lake all those dozens of days ago. His pupils contracted andhe subconsciously tightened the grip on the hilt of his dagger. The stream of light needed only an instant to travel along that seeminglyendless divine path and arrived by the several hundred zhang high mausoleum atthe space in front of Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong. The beautiful and ethereal wings of light gently flapped in the gloomy light.In between those wings of light were two beautiful women who seemed to havebecome as one. Their appearances were both extremely beautiful, but their facial features andtemperaments were very different, one could even say complete opposites. Onewas dignified, the other charming. One had a fluid gaze, her bearing like tenthousand flowers. The other had calm and gentle eyes, so pure that it madepeople presume she was an aristocrat''s daughter. When they stood shoulder toshoulder, it gave people an intense sensation that brutally assaulted theirminds. If Chen Changsheng was a little older, perhaps he would have a little moreexperience to understand this sort of allure, but he was only fifteen yearsold. Moreover, his entire mind was put into cultivating the Dao to seek alonger life, so he had never thought about those sorts of things. In his eyes,those two women were still those frightening demon women that had attempted tokill him in the lake. Xu Yourong said, "They are Nanke''s two wings, or her two maids. One is calledHua Cui, the other is called Ning Qiu." This was the first time Chen Changsheng had heard their names. He was a littlestartled, and the gaze he turned towards them now held other emotions. From his chats with Xu Yourong on their journey, he knew that Nanke''s twowings had through some ceremony of the Candle Shadow Shamans obtained spiritualbodies. They possessed spiritual sense and self-awareness, but they wouldalways have to obey the orders of their master. Life and death were not intheir own hands. Their master only needed to think about it, and they wouldvanish into a puff of smoke and thus die. When he heard those names, he did not like them. Hua Cui? Ning Qiu? These werevery common names for slave girls. It gave one the impression of someone timidand humble, never able to live a happy life. Of course, he knew that these twonames had not been chosen by those two maids. The person he disliked was theone who had conferred these names upon them and who even held their lives inher hands, the Demon Princess. Nanke''s two maids had attended to their master every day, so it was very easyfor them to understand the meaning in his eyes. Hua Cui was that charming beauty with the extremely soft waist and fluidglaze. Her watery eyes gazed at Chen Changsheng, and she said with soft andsticky voice, "Truly a child that loves others." Ning Qiu was that aristocratic daughter with an elegant complexion anddignified bearing, but she loathed the empathy and more so the pity in hiseyes. She thought to herself, that day you almost died at our hands, but nowyou pity us because our master holds our lives in her hands? How absurd! Howdisrespectful! With a hint of anger, she rushed up to the stone platform. "Hey! What are you rushing for? I still haven''t spoken with him!" Hua Cui was carried along with her as she flew up to the stone platform. Shespoke rather frantically, seeming very confused. Yet her fingers were alreadyinfused with a dark green light, sinister to the extreme. With a swish, the space in front of the high platform of the mausoleum wasfilled with countless green specks of light, dense like stars in the sky. All of those green lights were the poison of the Peacock Plume. If they wereto enter the flesh and blood, death was a certainty. At the battle by the lakeshore, they had thought of every method possible, andyet still had been unable to pierce Chen Changsheng''s skin. For them to stilluse this attack, then presumably they had definitely concealed some othermethod within. Xu Yourong calmly gazed at this scene, her right hand gripping the longbow asher fingers tapped out a light tempo on the smooth and ancient bow. At anytime, she was prepared to take action should Chen Changshengs vigilance let up. At the moment, she truly had no strength to battle, but she could still usethe Tong Bow to block one attack from the enemy. Chen Changsheng did not giveher this chance. His right foot took a step forward, and his shoes splashedwater on the ground. His strength went from his waist to his shoulders to hiswrist, and the dagger in his hand transformed into a straight line and thrustout towards the edge of the stone platform. With a snap, it seemed like the air around the edges of the stone platform hadbeen directly shattered by his attack. Even more ethereal was that pure white snowflakes began to form in the airaround the straight line drawn by his dagger. These snowflakes were ten timesas large as naturally formed snowflakes and were both beautiful and tangible. The snowflakes gently fell down. Evidently, they enveloped those two wings oflight. The two maids within the wings of light would individually have the strengthof the upper level of Ethereal Opening, which was on par with his alone. Whenthey combined, their power would abruptly increase severalfold, thus on thatday when they battled on the lakeshore, Chen Changsheng had no chance. Today,because they were in front of their master, they had secretly concealed anothermethod. Yet, they had not imagined that they would not be able to fully use anyof their follow-up attacks before Chen Changsheng''s single attack had brokentheir momentum. This move performed by Chen Changsheng had not been seen on the continent forat least ten or so years. It had only appeared once in the Grand Examinationtwo months ago, so no one could recognize it. He used the Orthodox Academy''s Toppling Mountain Staff. In terms of sword speed, the Orthodox Academy''s Toppling Mountain Staff was nomatch for the Heavenly Dao Academy''s Sword of Hithering Light. In terms ofsword energy, the Orthodox Academy''s Toppling Mountain Staff was not up to theThree Forms of Wenshui, nor was it better than the great sword techniques fromthe Mount Li Sword Sect. However, the Toppling Mountain Staff was the stafftechnique used in the Orthodox Academy of the past to teach and disciplinestudents, so what was most important for it was the word ''reason''. This move seemed to not be reasonable, but it was actually very reasonable.The reason lay in the Black Frost cold Qi attached to the dagger, and it lay inthe ten thousand snowflakes slowly falling down in the air above the stoneplatform. Nanke''s two maids were too fast, so fast that it was even meaningless for himto use the Yeshi Step. In addition, the stone platform was too small, making itdifficult to put the Yeshi Step to its full use. He was even less able tobattle in the air with those two maids, so he had to limit their speed andcontain this battle into a relatively narrower space. At the same time, the Toppling Mountain Staff of the Orthodox Academy alsorested upon the word ''strict''. ''Strict'' meant that there was no flexibility, you cannot avoid! Those two words were the heart of Chen Changsheng''s sword. Adding on the Black Frost cold Qi, this move could be said to be extremelychilling. The snowflakes fell, touching those dark green lights. In a flash, the colorof those green lights suddenly grew much dimmer. The chilling sword move took advantage of the opportunity and pierced at thetwo women between the wings of light. The mausoleum''s stone platform suddenly sounded out with a strange yell, fullof anger and unwillingness. The wings of light swiftly moved, scattering the snowflakes. In an instant,they had retreated dozens of zhang. Hua Cui and Ning Qiu''s faces were pale. A stream of blood slowly seeped from their two bodies.
320 Exchanging Intentions by Brushing Away Snow
That day by the lake, when Nankes two maids came together, Chen Changshenglost all chances at winning and could not stand up to them at all. Just when hewas about to be shaken to death, he completely relied on those silver boxes androast lambs to find a chance to live, and then borrowed the Yellow PaperUmbrella to escape. Now, if calculated using the time in the Plains of theUnsetting Sun, the bloody and dangerous battle only occurred several dozen daysago, yet he was actually now able to able to force back the combined attack ofthe two maids that had been stored up for a long time, and even injure them.How could a cultivator improve so greatly in such a short amount of time? Whatexactly happened to him? It could be clearly seen from this one strike that Chen Changshengs level ofcultivation had not undergone any change, and still remained at the upper levelof Ethereal Opening. At the same time, the amount of true essence he had wasstill much lesser than cultivators at a similar level. This sword strike wasadmittedly exquisite, but the greatest difference was still that his trueessence had turned abnormally cold for some reason, and just using the swordenergy, he formed a huge snowflake. Even so it was not the greatest change. The most important part was thechange of his sword intent. His sword intent became incomparably refined, andhad already turned into substance. It must be known that he followed his heart, so he did not practice the sword.How could his heart of the sword become so perfectly fluent and bright in ashort, several dozen days? The shock was only momentary, and in the battle, they could not think about itdeeply. With the loud sound from the high speed fluttering of the wings oflight, the two maids transformed into a streak of light, once again rushing thestone platform. On the side of the stone platform, a bright sword ray illuminated thesurrounds. The sword ray appeared so suddenly, causing the area to become whitehot, as if it was a bolt of lightning. There was a screech as the edge of the dagger pierced through the air. The streak of light stopped in a flash, and then flew backwards at greatspeeds. It transformed into countless glimmers of light several dozen zhang inthe air before dispersing. It was still the Toppling Mountain Staff from the Orthodox Academy. The swordenergy was still desolate, the sword intent was still refined, and the heart ofthe sword was still so perfectly fluent and bright, unbelievably clear. Chen Changsheng held the dagger in front of him, and he did not reveal anyexpressions of joy. He did not become complacent because the wings of lightsuddenly disappearedinstead, he became even more alert. This was because he knew very clearly that although his sword intent hadimproved greatly, and the initial strike could unexpectedly injure the twomaids, the second strike should not have been able to have such a perfecteffect. The sword ray that was like electricity only injured the left shoulderof the lady called Ning Qiu, and did not heavily injure her. Naturally, it wasimpossible to cause the opponents wings of light to disperse. The reason why the wings of light had dispersed into countless glimmers oflight was because someone had confirmed that the two maids were not hisopponent, and did not want them to continue wasting their time. His gaze followed the floating glimmers of light and landed at the end of thedivine path that was several thousand zhang long, on the ground in front of themausoleum. He saw a small girl in her teens. The glimmers of light floated and landed on her body, and were all absorbed.There were no changes in her expression, but she never had any expression sincethe beginning. Nanke looked to the end of the divine path several thousand zhang away, at theyoung human male and female on the stone platform. She did not say anything. According to her calculations and estimations, Xu Yourong would flee for theentire way, and after killing those monsters from before, her blood of the truephoenix should have been consumed. Right now, only the poisonous blood shouldremain in her body. Logically, even if she made it to this mausoleum, sheshould have been dead already at this moment, so why was she still alive?However, this did not matter. It was very obvious that she was incredibly weak,and had no strength to continue to battle. Although Nanke could not claim shehad won in this predestined confrontation, the god of death would act as thefairest judge. Xu Yourong was about to die, and Nanke was going to live. Thiswas enough, but the problem was the teenager called Chen Changsheng. Her master Black Robe did not tell her the entire plans of the Garden of Zhou,so she naturally did not know. Because of this Yellow Paper Umbrella and someother reasons, Black Robe could not tell her his final decision. She alwaysbelieved that Chen Changsheng, Qi Jian and Zhexiu were the same, all targetsthat had to die. However, from her current perspective, he did not seem to beas easy to kill as she had imagined. She was not unfamiliar with the name Chen Changshengnot because he placedfirst upon the First Banner in the Grand Examination, not because hecomprehended all of the monoliths of the front mausoleum in a night, and alsonot because he was the youngest principal of the Orthodoxy Academy in all ofhistory, but rather because he was Xu Yourongs fianc. She had not thoughtthat this human teenager would actually be able to heal his own injuries whilefleeing through the grassland. She could not have predicted that even thoughhis cultivation level had not risen, his sword intent and fighting strength hada clear qualitative leap when compared to his performance in the battle severaldozen days ago that was once narrated in detail to her by her two maids. What happened in the grassland? Alternatively, did these changes occur onlyafter they had entered the mausoleum? When she thought this, her mood became even worse. Of course, no matter howmagical the encounter that Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had, all she neededto do right now was to command the monster tide to attack via the Soul Wood tokill them very easily. However, she did not do so, because the monster tidestill maintained some sort of natural reverence towards this mausoleum. If shewanted to forcefully command them to attack, it would require too much effort.More importantly, she did not want this mighty and sacred mausoleum to be madeinto a mess by the extremely filthy, stinky and dumb monsters. If it waspossible, she would not allow any other organism to approach the mausoleum,much less step inside it. Since she could not change what had happened already,she could begrudgingly accept Xu Yourong and the current Chen Changshengstanding on the high platform in front of the mausoleum. This was becausealthough she viewed them as enemies, they had enough bloodline talent, andcould not be regarded as dirtying this mausoleum. Indeed, in her eyes, this was a mighty and sacred mausoleum. This was because the mausoleum buried the human, the person that was sheworshipped the most in her entire life. It even exceeded her master, much lessher father. She had never expressed these thoughts, and even sometimes purposely expressedan opposite opinion in Xuelao City. Because even if the demons believed inrespecting the strong, even though there were many demons that admired or wereeven crazy about that human, she was a noble Demon Princess; how could sheworship a human? However, she had never tricked her inner feelings. She worshipped the human man buried in the mausoleum to no limit. In Xuelao City, in the land of the demons, her father was strong like thenight sky, but only that man had once torn a piece off the night sky. Looking into the past and future, looking at the continent and oceans, as longas it was beneath the starry sky, this man was always the strongest entity. Toher, such an expert deserved the admiration of all life. Besides, her masterand that man had countless secret connections. These connections had long beenthe greatest honor in the depths of her heart. Today, she finally arrived before the mausoleum. Compared to this matter, anything like the dignity of the Demon Princess, orher fathers cold attitude, was unimportant. With such a mood, Nanke began to approach the mausoleum along the divine path. The divine path was several thousands of zhang long. With her level ofcultivation, she could cross it in only a moment, but in order to express herrespect for the person in the mausoleum, she did not do so. Her steps were verysoft, and her manner was extremely careful. She walked very slowly and herexpression was very solemn, as if she was worshipping. Between the steps, hundreds of moss-green tail feathers slowly grew out of herbody, and then suddenly opened in the incoming wind. It was indescribablybeautiful and pretty. The sun at the edge of the grassland had already become ablurry ball of light. The colour of the sky did not stop at being dark andgloomy, and grew even more so. She who walked on the divine path was lit up bythe final rays of setting light, actually becoming brighter and brighter, as ifshe was on fire. Seeing this image, Xu Yourongs eyes also brightened, before growing slightlygloomy. This was because no matter how much she wanted to fight Nanke who wasunder such a state, she had no more power to battle. Chen Changshengs eyes didnot become any brighter, because his eyes were always so brightjust like howNankes expression did not change, because she never wore any expression. In Tang Thirty-Sixs words, his eyes were like two mirrors, very bright anddazzling, and often causing people to feel nervous. He was the same as Xu Yourong, and could clearly feel that Nanke, who walkedalong the divine path so carefully as if she was worshipping, had alreadyraised her state to an almost perfect level, displaying an unimaginablestrength. However, unlike Xu Yourong, no feelings for battle appeared in him.He did not want to battle Nanke in this state at all. This was his greatest difference with Xu Yourong and Nanke, these peerlessgeniuses. He never battled for battle, and did not win in order to bevictorious. When he did things, it was often for one reason: to live. Hebelieved that this was the most sacred reason, or importance. As a result, hedid not need to adjust, he did not need to enter tranquil contemplation, and hedid not need to worship, much less need to be bathed in incense and fast forthree days. When he had to battle, he needed to be already prepared. It was just that today, his state was not too perfect. It was extremely possible that this was the final battle in his life. He didnot have any confidence, but that was not the problem, as he had already wontoo many battles that had no reason for him to be victorious. The problem wasthat, when he should have been focusing on welcoming this battle, he wasinstead slightly distracted, and always felt that some things were not done. At this moment, Nanke had already reached the final part of the divine path,only a hundred zhang away from him. He finally could not endure it any longer, and turned around to Xu Yourong. Whats wrong? Xu Yourong asked. Chen Changsheng looked at her face. He wanted to extend his hand and touch it,but he did not dare. Xu Yourong raised her heavily injured and powerless hand, and gently pattedhis shoulder, as if she wanted to dust off the snow on his clothes. Those bits of snow were already long-melted. Chen Changsheng was satisfied. He looked into her eyes, and said extremelyseriously, If we are able to leave the Garden of Zhou alive, I will definitelycome and find you. Xu Yourong looked into his eyes, forcefully resisted the shyness and purposelysaid calmly, No need, I will find you. Sure. Chen Changsheng had never replied so quickly. If Nanke had given up her attitude that seemed like worshipping at thatmoment, and launched her attacks, perhaps he and she would already be dead. Fortunately, Nanke did not do so. After finishing off this thing, he finally had no more matters that coulddistract him. He looked at the small girl on the divine path that walked over slowly. He wascalm and focused. Just as countless people had once said, cultivation was never a fair matter.Although he had studied the Daoist Canon since he was a child, although hisphysique was also different from a normal persons, and although he had reachedthe upper realm of Ethereal Opening at just fifteen, the difference ofbloodline talent could not be made up for so easily. Besides, there was stillthe monster tide that had transformed the surroundings of the mausoleum into ablack ocean. This was a battle that only held death. However, he was still so calm, displaying steadiness and calmness beyond hisage. If looked upon from behind, at this moment, he would have the demeanor ofa great sword cultivator. Before, when he was able to force back a strong opponent with one strike, thatwas because his heart of the sword was already different from before. In thelong abscond that occurred in the grasslands for several dozen days, he and XuYourong had conversations on many matters. What they conversed most about wascultivation. From the raining temple to the snowing temple, from the reeds inautumn to the island of grass in summer, they always talked about this. He hadtalent in cultivation, but no experience in battle. Xu Yourong taught him manythings. Much more importantly, her attitude towards cultivation and life, thistype of tranquility, serenity and calmness affected him a lot. This was the heart of the Dao. The heart of the sword was actually a type of Dao heart. In terms of the brightness of the heart of the Dao, just who was greater thanXu Yourong in the younger generation of the entire world of cultivation? From the clashing of swords, the edge became sharper. The same could be saidfor the heart of the sword. Right now, his heart of the sword was already brightly lit, so his swordintent was naturally strong and pure. Xu Yourong did not know that he was only fifteen this year. However, lookingat him from behind, her slightly gloomy eyes once again brightened up, as ifnew rain had finally arrived to the dried-up mountain. She left his side, and returned to the main entrance of the mausoleum. Shelooked for a corner where she could avoid the storm, and sat down cross-legged,wrapping herself up in the insulating sackcloth. Just how had his attitude towards life already influenced her so much?
321 Hitting the Wris
Nanke arrived in an area several dozen zhang away from the stone platformalong the divine path. She looked towards the main entrance of the mausoleum,and her emotions changed slightly. Xu Yourong had her eyes closed and displayeda serene expression on her pale face, as if what was about to happen hadnothing to do with her. This kind of attitude displayed her absolute confidencein someone. That someone was naturally Chen Changsheng, who stood at the edgeof the stone platform. Nanke looked at Chen Changsheng and was slightly confused. Even if he was XuYourongs fianc, why did it make her so confident? Chen Changsheng also lookedat her. At the dawn of that day, on the side of the lake that was full ofreeds, he and Nanke met face-to-face, before continuing their chase-down intothe plains. Only after several dozens of days did he meet this terrifying demongirl once again. Describing her as a teenager was incorrect. She did not seem to be a day pasther early teens based on her youthful appearance. Her eyes were slightly farapart, and as for her forehead, it also seemed to be slightly wide. Theindifference, or in other words lifelessness, in her eyes gave one a numbingfeeling. It was exactly because the spirit of the peacock in the space betweenher eyebrows was overly powerful that allowed him to confirm that he did notoriginally make a mistake. This young girl was indeed ill. He thought about itbut said nothing. After fleeing for so long in the grassland, he had long madeit clear to himself that cross-eyed was not a term that sounded nice. Also,at this moment, he was very nervous. The hand that grasped the sword hilt didnot sweat, but his knuckles were rather white. Now that he already knew that Nanke was a Demon Princess and that she wassaid to be the one with the greatest bloodline talents out of all the daughtersof the Demon Lord, what was even more terrifying was that she was the onlydisciple of the mysterious yet powerful military advisor of the demons. Before,when he was beside the lake, he could not even defeat Nankes two maids. Evenif his sword technique had now seen great improvement, how could he be heropponent? A true battle never had a plain start. This battle that was about to occur onthe stone platform of the mausoleum would determine to whom the possession ofthe Mausoleum of Zhou went, as well as determine the final success or failureof the great plot of the demons. Naturally, it would not have any long-windedscripts or probing attacks. Without any delays, and also without any sign, thebattle began with the wind that originated from the surroundings of themausoleum. The pair of moss-green wings spread open behind Nanke in the incoming wind.With a soft hum, the sound represented the extremely fast changes that occurredin the air and the air being shaken up. Her petite body immediately disappearedfrom where she was and reappeared before Chen Changsheng in the next moment.She extended her thin index finger and pierced it towards his forehead with astrand of terrifying Qi on the tip. She arrived too quickly, and her actions were even quicker. As for ChenChangsheng, who had already long stored up energy and had already long raisedthe sword energy to the extreme... he was actually unable to strike in time.Her speed with her two wings was just too fast, so unimaginably fast that sheroughly had a spot among the highest ranked in the entire continent. Other thanpeople like Jin Yulu, who could follow up? At this moment, any of Chen Changshengs reactions, such as drawing the sword,blocking with the sword, piercing, cutting, chopping or lifting, were alreadytoo late. He was unable to follow Nankes speed and rhythm. If he attempted to dosomething, he would definitely be pierced in the forehead by the tip of herfinger before he could. Her finger was very tender and seemed very ordinary. However, the Qi that thefinger carried with it was very terrifying. Anyone could imagine what theeffects would be if they were struck by that finger. As a result, he could only do nothing. He quickly retreated backwards, andthen retreated into nothingness. A soft hum came from Nankes fingertip. The terrifying power was concentrated,but it was not sent out. It did not come in contact with Chen Changshengsforehead and instead made the space at the edge of the stone platform almostseem to be ripped open. Chen Changsheng suddenly disappeared before her very eyes. This caused herwooden expression to finally undergo some change. This was a matter that was very hard to understand, but actually, it did notmake her think too much, much less cause her to become alert. This was becauseshe understood why but did not care at all. Just when Chen Changsheng appeared in a certain area on the stone platform,she appeared almost at the same time and continued to pierce her finger towardshis forehead. This instead caused Chen Changsheng to be surprised as to how theopponent was actually able to follow his footwork. It had to be known that thisdid not have any great connection with speed. He had used the most unfathomableYeshi Step that was the fastest in close-range dodging. He once again disappeared, and Nanke also disappeared with him. In the nextmoment, he appeared before the main entrance of the mausoleum and was closelyfollowed by Nanke, who also appeared there. On the high platform in front ofthe mausoleum, there were no great gusts and only soft breezes. As the twodisappeared and reappeared, they did not produce any sounds, which seemedextremely strange. Chen Changsheng was not able to break away from her at all, and he was unableto break away from that thin finger that grew closer and closer to hisforehead. He was unable to break away from the terrifying Qi and the feeling ofimpending death. Wherever he trod, he left behind a mark of snow, attempting to avoid thatfinger. Only when he appeared again did he realise that he was already forcedto the edge of the tall platform. During the Grand Examination, when he was by the lake, the Yeshi Step that heonce used countless times to turn the tide clearly held no significance toNanke. However, at least it helped him earn some time. During the extremely silent, weird and forceful advance that occurred in thisvery short amount of time, he was still able to gain some distance in the end,providing him with an opportunity to strike. Past the thin finger, his gaze landed on her forehead, and his expression wasextremely concentrated. With a swish, an extremely bright sword ray appeared at the edge of the tallplatform, as if it had even illuminated the dusky sky. It was still the Toppling Mountain Staff of the Orthodox Academy. This was a staff techniqueor should it be called a sword technique?that heliked the most and was most familiar with. As a result, it was also his fastest. However it was still not as fast as Nanke. In other words, Nanke was toostrong, so strong that she could very casually break through his strike. To strike with the sword needed at least the movement of the wrist. To bend the finger only needed the movement of fingers. Nankes finger that pierced towards his forehead bent slightly, and thefingertip struck the body of his dagger with extreme precision. With a clear clang, it was a like a newly-cast bell that had been struck by ablack rock brought by a sparrow. Chen Changshengs dagger was knocked away. A power that could be regarded asboundless and a load that he could not personally bear travelled from the bodyof the dagger into his shoulder. If it was a normal sword, Nanke would have shattered it with her finger attack. If it was a normal human at the upper level of the Ethereal Opening Realm,Nanke would have crippled their shoulder with the finger. Fortunately, this dagger was not a normal sword, and Chen Changshengs bodythat had been bathed in dragon blood was even more perfect than a perfectPurification. When Nankes fingertip continued to travel towards his forehead, the dagger inhis hand flew back like a reed. It was still the Toppling Mountain Staff of the Orthodox Academy. However,this time, it was not piercing but rather smashing. The dagger in his hand smashed towards Nankes wrist. He did not attack Nankes forehead, because he had already confirmed thatpower was what determined speed, and his speed could not exceed Nankes. He could only choose a method of attack that had the shortest range. The action was very acute. It only needed the twist of a wrist and seemed verycasual. At this moment, the dagger was no longer a sword but instead a staff ofdiscipline, or truthfully speaking, a whip of discipline. What he used was furthermore not a sword technique, but rather the trueToppling Mountain Staff Technique. He wanted to hit Nankes wrist, like a teacher disciplining a naughty student. Smack.
322 There is a Rainbow Rising Over the Plains
With a smack, the dagger in Chen Changsheng''s hand accurately struck Nanke''swrist. If Nanke''s previous finger had not been so wondrous, and caused the edgeof the dagger to float like a catkin, even if in the short amount of time inwhich the dagger struck her wrist he could only go with the flow, he wouldstill have been able to use the rotation of the wrist to slice off her wristwith the dagger. Even if he could not do this, his seemingly thin dagger fell with anextremely powerful force, such that even a mature Demon General would not beable to turn a blind eye to. Yet Nanke''s expression did not change. Althoughthe razor-sharp finger which seemed like a peacock''s plume had diverged fromits original direction, it still continued forward unyieldingly, targetedprecisely at his abdomen. A thunderclap resounded above the high platform in front of the mausoleum.Chen Changsheng''s body turned into a stream of light as he flew backwards. Witha muffled boom, he fell heavily against the stone doors of the mausoleum. Dustsprayed out from the cracks in the door and the ground, filling the air of thestone platform and causing the entire scene to become unclear. Amidst the sound of his clothes scraping against the stone, Chen Changshengslid down from the door onto the floor. His knees were a little bent and hisface was pale. The blood which had rushed up his throat was forcefullyswallowed back down. His sea of consciousness had suffered an intense shock,and he found it impossible to rid himself of the ensuing pain. Even morefrightening was the spirit mountain upon which his Ethereal Palace rested wasshedding countless small chunks of stone. Nanke''s seemingly casual attacks hadalmost injured him so severely to the point where it would be difficult forhim to stand. His slightly bent knees slowly turned straight. His rushing blood and trueessence gradually calmed down. He stood up and stared into Nanke''s eyes,awaiting the the next attack. Nanke did not immediately make her second attack, but instead, gazed at hisleft hand. Chen Changsheng''s right hand held the dagger while his left hand held thatYellow Paper Umbrella. Ever since he had walked out of the mausoleum, theumbrella had been in his hand. Previously, Nanke''s finger had not been able to pierce his abdomen, andinstead, struck the surface of that umbrella. Her eyebrows were very thin and somewhat faint, like those of a little girl''s.At this moment when she gazed at this umbrella, her eyebrows leapt up in whatseemed like surprise. She had heard Hua Cui and Ning Qiu''s report on theirbattle with Chen Changsheng, so she knew that this human youth possessed an oldumbrella. That umbrella seemed somewhat strange. Yet, only when her fingerimbued with such terrifying power and killing intent was completely blocked bythat umbrella, did she understand just how strange it was. However, the thingthat had really caused her to be surprised was the fact that Chen Changshenghad not actually been knocked out, and that Chen Changsheng had actuallymanaged to stand back up. Even if he had the old umbrella which had defensive capabilities thatsurpassed her imagination to separate the two of them, the vast majority of herattack''s power had still inevitably fallen upon Chen Changsheng''s body. He wasnot Xu Yourong, nor was he that demi-human princess named Luoluo. He lackedinnate talent, so even if he had undergone a perfect Purification, he logicallystill should not have been able to endure that attack. Just what did he possesswhich let him stand back up? However, Nanke did not think too much about it. The occasional mishap wasincapable of changing the general situation. This vast mausoleum was hers to inherit, so Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng,this pair of adulterers, also had to die by her hand. "Your Yeshi Step is wrong," she told Chen Changsheng. Behind her, in the plains, was the monster like an ocean and the shadow in thesky like the night. As she said these words, she slightly raised her chin and carried anindifferent expression on her face. She was clearly much shorter than ChenChangsheng, yet she seemed to look down on him. She was clearly younger thanChen Changsheng, but her tone was like that of a teacher instructing her pupil.She was clearly just a petite and seemingly delicate little girl, but sheseemed like the esteemed scholar of the generation. Chen Changsheng understood that her words were correct. His Yeshi Step hadbeen inspired by the assassin from the Yeshi tribe who had attempted killLuoluo as well as from his discoveries in the Daoist Canons. His Yeshi Step wasonly a simplified version. To be even more accurate, this version of the YeshiStep was an imitation developed countless years ago by some predecessor in theOrthodoxy after many attempts. Nanke was not a member of the Yeshi tribe, but she was a member of the tribeamongst the demons which possessed the most pure and noble bloodline, theimperial clan. Her bloodline allowed her to grasp the Yeshi Step, and this wasthe complete Yeshi Step. When he had used the Yeshi Step against her just now, it must be said that itwas a most idiotic course of action. The reason Nanke said these words was because the Toppling Mountain Staff ofthe Orthodox Academy used by Chen Changsheng obviously had an reprimanding airabout it. This made her very displeased. She wanted to set straight just whohad the qualifications to reprimand who in this place. With these words, her objective had been accomplished. She naturally wouldnot waste anymore time on idle chatter. Her figure disappeared from the edge of the stone platform and in an instant,she appeared in front of Chen Changsheng with her finger thrusting forward,once again aimed at his forehead. Several dozen days ago, at the wetland at the edge of the plains, ChenChangsheng had seen her and told her that she was sick, that she wascross-eyed, and that the pinecone between her eyebrows was afflicted by thepowerful divine soul within her. Today, she wanted to gouge out a bloody holebetween his eyebrows to see if there were any problems within. At the sametime, she also wanted to see between three eyes and cross-eyed, which one wasuglier. She was a Demon Princess possessing a shocking bloodline talent, but she wasstill just a ten year old girl after all. It was natural for her to inevitablythrow a tantrum, however, her attacks were absolutely not child''s play. Theywere extremely terrifying. In that previous round which resulted in a crushing defeat, Chen Changshenghad sensed that there was no way he could be faster than her, whether it was interms of movement techniques or sword drawing, so there was no way he couldrush at her with attacks. The only thing he could do is defend. A gust of cold wind abruptly sprung up in front of the mausoleum as if itsuddenly became midwinter. Countless sword glows appeared around his body andthen disappeared. They were like snowflakes illuminated by the first rays ofthe sun as it rose over a village. The Black Frost chill accompanied the sword energy, forming several hundredicy mirrors in front of the mausoleum. The shape and texture of those mirrorswere incomparably harmonious and each one of those mirrors were formed of hissword intent. With a crack, the icy mirrors transformed into countless pieces of ice andflew out in all directions. In the dusky sky, they transformed into a sphere ofsnow, which then shattered. At practically the same moment, the dozens of icy mirrors in front of his eyesalso shattered. Strange snow begun to fall before the main door of the mausoleum. The snow wasvery hard, even containing shards of ice, and the cold wind grew even moreblustery. Amidst the snowstorm appeared an extremely clear cavity. Anyone could tellthat this had been formed by a petite figure. The cold wind brushed against Chen Changsheng''s face, causing his thineyelashes to tremble incessantly. Nanke''s figure appeared. It was still that slender finger thrusting towardshis forehead. With a clamor, Chen Changsheng opened the Yellow Paper Umbrella in his lefthand while the dagger in his right hand swung down using the Orthodox Academy''sTrue Sword! Nanke''s fingertip landed on the umbrella. It was like a tree branch jabbinginto a wet and heavy blanket, creating a ''whoomph'' sound. She then floated backwards, avoiding the extremely pure sword energy. Shestood back at the edge of the stone platform, her two wings slowly flutteringin the falling snow. Her finger was not a tree branch, but a mountain. Chen Changsheng''s body was blasted backwards, smashing heavily against thestone doors of the mausoleum once again. He had been standing very close to the door, so the impact was much heavier.Even the rainwater and snow amassed on the floor were jolted upwards by theimpact of his collision. Dust once again filled the air as he once again slid down from the mausoleum''sstone doors. This time, he took even longer to painfully stand back up. At thispoint, the dust had already settled. Seeing Nanke standing at the edge of the stone platform, his eyes wereunwavering, and yet, there was a sense of helplessness within them. This Demon Princess was truly too powerful, powerful to an extremelyterrifying level. Whether it was in terms of amount and vigor of true essence, level ofcultivation, sense of battle, or even the most fundamental and most important,strength and speed; he was definitely no match for her. Today, his sword heart was brightly lit. His sword intent was clear and calm,without dust. It could be described as perfect, just like those mirrors of icehe had formed with his sword. Yet, this said to be perfect sword intent formed into perfect mirrors of ice,when confronting this demon princess unexpectedly... could not even take asingle blow. She was a great mountain. No matter how beautifully arranged and excellently constructed the garden was,how harmonious and seamless the mind was, how powerful the body was, or howchilling the sword intent was, it would all be crushed into a fine powder bythis massive mountain. How could he defeat her? Unless he possessed the same bloodline talent as hers or the same amount oftrue essence. However, he did not have that. The severed meridians in his body had determined that it would be verydifficult for him to live beyond twenty. It has also determined that his pathof cultivation, in certain aspects, would be much more difficult than it wasfor normal cultivators. Even if he attracted more starlight, stored up evenmore lake water outside his Ethereal Palace, accumulated an even thicker layerof snow over his wasteland, then without a thought for his life franticallyignited it all, he would still be impossible for him to put out enough trueessence. There was only one method: to make his sword grow even stronger. The three thousand scripture of the Dao, ten thousand sword styles. In thatplace, he had read them and then cultivated. Even though he had memorized themfrom back to front, they were still the three thousand scriptures of the Dao,ten thousand sword styles. To have his sword grow stronger in such a short time had nothing to do withsword styles and moves. He could only make his sword intent grow stronger. In other words, he had to find an even stronger sword intent. Where could he find such a strong sword intent? After everything that had happened, was it finally coming to an end? No. Chen Changsheng did not think this way, it was only because of a strand ofsword intent that he had managed to cross these endless plains and arrive atthis mausoleum. Over the past few days, he had always been thinking about what that strand ofsword intent which had summoned him to this place meant. Did that sword intentneed him to do something? Right now, it did not seem like that speculation wasnecessarily wrong, but at the very least in this moment, it wasn''t the swordintent that needed him, but instead, he that needed the sword intent. The strand of sword intent was somewhere around this grandiose mausoleum, butfor some reason, it had concealed itself. The sword intent was definitely waiting for him. The dusky Plains of the Unsetting Sun were gloomy. The distant sky had beenobscured by that dreadful shadow. The black ocean of the monster tideincessantly sent their cold and bloody odor skywards. Perhaps for this reason,rain clouds gradually formed in the sky above the mausoleum and the air grewcold and wet. Without any warning, cold rain began to fall. It fell upon the massive stonesof the mausoleum, smearing the world in a darker color. Wrapped in a sackcloth and leaning against a corner of the mausoleum''s maindoor, Xu Yourong had unexpectedly been soaked by this cold rain. Holding the Yellow Paper Umbrella, Chen Changsheng stood in the chilly rainand gazed at Nanke who was standing at the edge of the platform, seeminglypondering. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. It was not because of the light emitted by Nanke, nor was it because he hadthought of something. It was because his gaze had moved past Nanke and restedon the rainbow in the distant plains. In truth, that rainbow should be called a light rainbow, because it did nothave seven colors. It was only a dazzling white. The light in his eyes was a reflection of the rainbow of light. The Yellow Paper Umbrella in his hands began to shudder. The rainbow of light rose up several dozen li away northwest. It was not raining in that area. Everywhere amidst the reeds and weeds werepools of water, making it seem just like a sea. In that area, there was a stalk of grass which was abruptly cut into pieces. The mirror-like surface of the water also suddenly shattered. The grass was broken into bits and the water was broken into patterns.
323 The Appearance of a Sword Inten
The surface of the water began to ripple faster and faster, more and morefrequently. The ripples that spread in all directions were slowly pushedtogether, knocking and tearing at each other. In the end, they transformed intocountless drops of water and were knocked from the surface of the water,combining with the bits of grass that were ground into dust. It formed a faintgreen mist which was slightly transparent. In the light from far away, anextremely faint shadow could be vaguely seen. The shadow was very thin and straight, like a straight stroke that had notbeen finished. It was as if an infinite amount of lake water had been pouredinto the ink that drew the line, giving one a feeling that although the thinshadow was in the mist, it seemed to be elsewhere. Although it was clearlybefore their eyes, it was as if it did not exist. Even if it seemed to exist inanother world, it was only the shadow of a real object in the Garden of Zhou. The green mist was the boundary between the real world and other worlds.Logically, this barrier that separated space should have been extremely stable.However, in the next moment after it had appeared, the green mist dispersed.The speed at which it dispersed was so fast that even the surrounding spacecould not react in time. As a result, a terrifying hurricane formed in thegrassland. In an extremely short amount of time, the thing expanded rapidly. Actually,it was an explosion. To describe the scene at that moment in simpler words, itshould be said that the green mist exploded. However, this explosion did notcreate any sounds, other than the whistling of the wind; the silence wasabnormally terrifying. Being silent did not mean it was soft and powerless. Countless terrifying Qisand an unimaginable, shapeless cutting edge dispersed with the green mist,expanding into the surroundings of the grasslands. They easily caught up withand surpassed the hurricane caused by the distortion of space, and came incontact with the living and non-living things in the grassland first. No matter if it was the wild reeds or special golden bells in the southernswamps, countless bushes were cut into shreds, transforming into a wave offluttering green rain. It fell everywhere with swishing sounds. Even the rockswithin the bushes were cut, turning into pebbles the size of fingernails. Theywere blown into the water of the wetlands like arrows, knocking the frogs andfish hidden in the mud unconscious. Closely following, those frogs and fishwere also torn into pieces. No matter if it was scales or fish fins, they wereall ground into dust. The ground of the wetlands were also broken into pieces,as if it had been plowed seventy-two times by a hard-working but dumb farmer.In the end, the water broke, transforming into countless droplets of water. Theair also broke, transforming into countless soft breezes. The green mist dispersed, and the thin shadow finally revealed its trueappearance. In a range of over ten li in the grassland, everything was chopped intopieces. It was a piece of flat wilderness, with everything ground into finedust. The true appearance of the shadow was still a shadow. It seemed extremelyblurry, and could not be clearly seen, but it could be roughly seen. It was asword. This thin shadow was not the sword itself, but the shadow of a sword. In otherwords, it was a strand of sword intent. When the sword intent appeared and chopped everything, the entire Plains ofthe Unsetting Sun, or even the entire Garden of Zhou could feel it. Anextremely profound tremble spread out from the depths under the Mausoleum ofZhou. In the black ocean formed by the monster tide, it caused countless wildswells. This was the reaction of the countless monsters to the sword intent.The terrifying shadow in the sky grew even lower, as if it was going to envelopthe entire grassland. Before the main entrance of the Mausoleum of Zhou, Nankesuddenly turned around and gazed into the depths of the grassland. She squintedher eyes, and her normal indifferent or even lifeless expression becameextremely sharp. Afterwards, no matter if it was the innumerable monsters orher, or even the shadow in the sky, all could see the flat wilderness that hada circumference of ten li. However, they could not see the sword. It was because before this, a breeze arose from the area of grassland. The sword intent travelled with the wind and disappeared with the wind. It wasquiet without a sound, and could disappear without a trace, so naturally, itcould not be seen. No one had felt the strand of sword intent traverse the dusky grasslands withthe soft and long breeze. It entered the dark clouds, ignored the rain thatfell from the sky and arrived before Zhou Dufus mausoleum. Afterwards, like astamen of winter sweets, it fell onto the ground that was covered in a thicklayer of snow, andjust like the first flow of water from upstream that flowedinto a riverbed that had been dry for thousands of yearsit disappeared intothe mausoleum. Naturally, no one had discovered where the sword intent went. Chen Changsheng raised the umbrella with his left hand at an angle. He did notblock the rain, and was only preparing to block Nankes attack. His whole bodyhad already become wet from the rain. The rain slowly turned into a shower, and the pearl-sized water dropletsconstantly hit the surface of the umbrella, creating sounds like a drum beating. The Yellow Paper Umbrella began to tremble slightly. The tremble spread intothe handle of the umbrella from the surface and ribs, and then clearly spreadinto his hand, into his body and into his heart. The sound of rain slowly grew louder, but the tall platform before themausoleum seemed extremely silent. Nanke turned around, and looked at him with no expression. For some reason,she felt that the teenager that was wet all over and in a sorry shape wasslightly different from before. She did not know where this feeling came from,or that it was somewhat related to the abnormalities that occurred in thegrassland before. However, she knew that something was about to happen. She didnot accept any changes that would have stopped her from entering this greatmausoleum, so she decided to end this battle before the changes arrived. It wasjust that she was unaware the changes had already occurred. The swish was not the sound of the torrential rain, but the sound of two wingsunfurling in the rain. The green wings of over ten zhang in width unfurled behind her, accompanied bytwo streams of rainwater. They reflected the dusky light, causing the dropletsof water to seem like droplets of blood. It was beautiful but also hair-raising. The green wings suddenly flapped, causing crazy gusts of wind to rise on thestone platform before the main entrance. The droplets of water that fell fromthe sky were all shot away consecutively. A powerful Qi knocked all the rainback into the sky. Nanke disappeared from the edge of the stone platform, andin the next moment, she attacked Chen Changsheng with a few droplets ofremaining blood and an extremely cold killing intent. Chen Changshengs gaze passed through these droplets of rain and the coldwinds, and met with the small girls gaze. He only saw her cold and resolutedetermination to kill. In that moment, his eyelashes stopped trembling from thecold wind due to the killing intent. The terrifying, full-powered strike of thesmall Demon Princess actually caused him to fear that he could not resist it. Although he thought like this, he did not give up, because he wanted tocontinue living. As a result, he grasped the dagger, and chopped towards therain and cold wind before his eyes. Afterwards, in the moment when he swung the dagger, he felt an extremelydifferent feeling, so much that even his arm became stiff. He did not have confidence that this strike could block Nankes full-poweredblow. However, for some reason, he felt that he seemed to be very confident in thedagger in his hand. The dagger pierced into the cold wind and rain. The cold wind suddenly dispersed, and the cold rain suddenly stopped. Only for a moment, the edge of the dagger broke through this storm, andarrived before Nankes forehead. The sword energy of this strike was not stable, his heart of the sword was notcalm, and nor did he use any sword move.
324 The High, Spirited Second Move
The strike really could not be considered a sword technique. The sword energywas also very unstable, and his heart of the sword was even more abominable.However, Chen Changsheng discovered a difference from his previous strike,suddenly and with some confusion. Just what change could cause someone as level-headed as him to find it hard tomaintain his mental state? In the moment he struck, he suddenly discovered thatthe dagger that had been with him for a very long time no longer belonged tohim. The dagger had begun acting by itself, cutting through the wind and raintowards Nanke behind it. It seemed as though he had used the dagger to executea complete sword move, but actually, it had nothing to do with him. In hisoriginal thoughts when facing up against Nankes full-powered strike, he wasprepared to use the move that had the greatest power in the True Sword of theOrthodoxy, but... The dagger did not heed to his will and use the sword technique. Instead, itjust pierced straight out like so. This pierce was executed extremely recklessly and negligently. If there werebystanders to the battle who saw Chen Changsheng use this sword move, theywould definitely believe he was looking to die. Just what was this about? There was a power in his bodyno, not power, nor Qi.Instead, it was a feeling that was very hard to describe with words, causinghim to directly pierce at the wind and rain in front of him with the dagger hegrasped. His actions completely followed this feeling; the entire movement wasextremely natural. The strike that pierced through the cold wind and rain was not completelystraight. The path that the edge travelled was crooked, and looked like a linethat was carelessly left behind by a child who had just learnt to write. Thestyle could not be seen at all, and it did not possess some kind of profoundidea. However, the feeling instead originated directly from the depths of hisheart, and he felt it very vividly. Like sword energy, this feeling was the excitement of leaving an abyss. It wasthe ecstasy of being able to see the blue skies; it was elated and excited andit was in extremely high spirits. For some reason, some unfathomable mystery, the dagger trembled excitedly. How could such a sword pierce through the cold wind and rain, and blockNankes full-forced blow head-on? How could it be victorious over theterrifyingly strong Demon Princess? However, only for that moment, the dagger pierced forwards crookedly, easilypiercing the wind and rain before him, before arriving in front of Nankes eyes. On the stone platform in front of the main entrance of the mausoleum, therewas a very light stab, as if something had been pierced. Closely following it, there was a thunderous hum, as if a huge bell had beenrung by countless strong men carrying huge wooden hammers. A strong tremble appeared, spreading in all directions in the air, creatingfloods of dust, rain and snow. Amidst the dust, rain and snow, Nankes angry roar reverberated just like inthe battle at the peak of Sunset Valley. Her roar was still clear, but comparedto that night, her current roar was no longer as steady, strong and confident.Instead, it was filled with pain, confusion and shock. The powerful Qi immediately knocked all of the dust, rain and snow off theplatform, creating a clear area. Nanke quickly retreated. Her feet landed on the boundary between the stoneplatform and divine path, which gave a muffled bang. Several cracks immediatelyappeared at the gray rocks there. A green plume around half a foot long slowly fell on the stone platform with acharming and beautiful feeling. The gaze on Chen Changsheng from Nankes small, pale face was filled with theflames of anger and a sliver of perplexity. A while later, she retracted hergaze, and looked at a certain area on her left moss-green wing. She only sawthat there was a cut, slowly bleeding. The slightly dim light of the sky fromthe distant horizon shone through there. Before the main entrance of the mausoleum, all fell into silence. Probably because of the pain in her clear roar, Xu Yourong also woke up andsaw this scene in front of her. She was slightly startled and speechless. Nankeonce again stared at Chen Changsheng. Her gaze landed on the dagger held in hisright hand, and her pupils constricted slightly. She did not understandjustwhy was the dagger so sharp? What was this sword technique? How did the swordintent become so strong? Chen Changsheng also looked at the dagger in his hand. His expression was alsoslightly perplexed. It had already been over a year since his senior had givenhim this dagger, but just why did the dagger now give him a feeling ofunfamiliarity? He knew this dagger possessed a sharpness rivalling the weaponsof the Tier of Legendary Weapons, but why did this dagger have such a strongsword intent? Yes, he had already confirmed it by now. The powerful feeling from before wassword intent. The dagger followed the feeling and pursued the feeling. The pathit travelled in seemed ugly and crooked, but actually, it was extremelynatural, like traversing between the clouds, like flowing in the water. Thisfeeling obviously was sword intent. It could only be sword intent. It was just that this sword intent did not belong to him, because althoughthe current him could already reach a brightly lit heart of the sword, hislevel of cultivation was still not enough to nurture such a great sword intent.Just where did the sword intent come from? If the dagger itself did not possesssword intent, just when did it enter his body? The knuckles of the hand he used to hold onto the hilt were rather white. Hethought through feelings of perplexity and shock. Perhaps this was the swordintent that the Yellow Paper Umbrella had always searched for? Was this thestrand of sword intent that had led him through the thick grasslands to theMausoleum of Zhou? Had this sword intent not really disappeared? When did itcome? Why did it come? Because he understood even more about the sword intent, he thought even more.Nanke did not need to think this much, so she recovered much faster than him.Most of the shock and anger disappeared from her eyes, and recovered theindifference and lifelessness from before. Without any hesitation, she began toattack him once again. She had vaguely guessed something, and was prepared toconfirm her guess through battle. As for whether it would injure her, she had never cared about such matters. The cold rain fell again, and the pair of wings that were over ten zhang inlength created a hurricane. The wild wind blew again, turning the droplets ofrain into gravel and using it to hit Chen Changshengs face and body. A cry of the peacock. There was a clang. Nanke appeared before him once again, and used the Southern Cross Sword in herleft hand to chop at his forehead. This was the first time she used the sword. In other words, the current ChenChangsheng in her eyes finally had become an opponent at the same level as XuYourong. If this were any other timea few days ago, or even just a few momentsagoChen Changsheng would have found it very difficult to receive this strike.to receive this strike. Although his heart of the sword was brightly lit, andhis sword intent was flawless, compared to the terrifying sword intent thatNanke had poured into the Southern Cross Sword, it was much weaker. However,just at this moment, before he had even thought at all, he swung his dagger. Actually, this was something that did not even require his thought. The feeling once again appeared in his heart. He swung the dagger in his hand,completely following this feeling. It seemed to be simple, but actually, it was mysterious and indescribable. With a loud bang, several extremely deep cracks appeared on the gray stoneground before the main entrance of the mausoleum. Nankes Southern Cross Sword had been blocked by the dagger in his hand. Before she could even completely use all of the power of her Southern CrossSword Technique, it had already been stopped by the dagger in his hand. A sword ray burst out from the edge of the dagger. It was around three zhangin length, and seemed to illuminate the entire mausoleum. The green wings retracted inwards, blocking in front of Nanke. With a painful,smothered grunt, she once again retreated rapidly backwards. Her two feetlanded at the edge of the stone platform, and another crack appeared on thegray stone from her treading. However, this was not all. The extremely sharp sword ray directly piercedthrough her pair of wings, and shot towards her forehead. With a flap of the two wings that blew away rain, Nanke leapt, and landed onthe divine path. However, this was still not enough. She leapt up once again, and retreated rapidly into the rainy space behind her. Still not enough. She needed to retreat, to constantly retreat. The only sound was a series of cracks from the gray stone. Her two feet were like plows. They dragged out two clear marks in the toughgray stone on the divine path. Only after she had travelled several hundredzhang backwards did she finally stop. Silence. The gray clouds in the sky constantly showered the ground with cold rain. Theentire Mausoleum of Zhou was enveloped in it. No matter if it was the stoneplatform or the divine path, all had been drenched by it. The sound of falling rain seemed to disappear. A trail of fresh blood slowly flowed from the corner of Nankes lips.Afterwards, it was quickly washed away by the cold rain that became heavier andheavier. Chen Changsheng looked at the dagger in his hand and felt that extremelypowerful sword intent. He did not know what he should think about. Actually, that sword intent was not in the Yellow Paper Umbrella, nor was itin the dagger. It was in his body. It was because the person that the sword intent wanted to help was him. He raised his head and arrived at the boundary between the stone platform andthe divine path. Looking at Nanke who was hundreds of zhang away and in therain, he said, Now, I seem to be able to win against you. Rainwater flowed from Nankes pale, small face. It dripped down from her wetblack hair, and seemed rather miserable. However, her expression remained socold, arrogant and condescending, that her defeat in the previous two strikesfrom just before could not be seen at all. Even without any leeway of beingable to counterattack, her voice remained cold. This is not your sword intentat all. Chen Changsheng went silent for a while and then said, So? Nanke said without an expression, Even if I am defeated, I will be defeatedby that sword intent. What has it got to do with you? Yes, this sword intent could not belong to Chen Changsheng. No matter if itwas her who battled against Chen Changsheng, the great Demon Generals thatwatched the battle on the divine path from below, the zither-playing old man,or Xu Yourong, who had just opened her eyes and witnessed this scene, they wereall extremely clear on this point. The sword intent was too sharp, and did not match up with the Dao ChenChangsheng cultivated at all. Most importantly, this sword intent was toostrong, a strength that could even make up for the difference in true essence.It could not be trained through time. If he wanted to train such a swordintent, he needed at least several hundred years of pursuing the path of thesword. He was only fifteen. No matter how talented he was in the path of thesword, he could not do this. No one could do it, not even the demons. Even if Zhou Dufu revived once again, he could not do that. Yes, this is not my sword intent. Chen Changsheng looked at the endlessgrassland behind the monster tide that was like a black ocean, and then lookedat Nanke. He said, However, this sword intent came to find me, and is willingto be used by me. That is evidence that I have enough qualifications to use it.Then, it is my sword intent. Nanke asked, This sword intent just where did it come from? Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes, and said honestly, You should haveguessed it. The surroundings of the mausoleum, on and above the divine path, fell into aperiod of shocked silence. Although Nanke had already guessed the truth of this matter as Chen Changshenghad said, she was still unable to believe it, and felt very unwilling.
325 Return Part One
The Sword Pool was in the Garden of Zhou. This was the legend and had at thesame time been the speculation of many people over the years. From one thousand years ago when Zhou Dufu first appeared and shocked theworld up until several hundred years ago when he silently disappeared, thewarlike and peerless expert had issued numerous challenges to the experts ofthe entire continent. His outrageous strength and cultivation had beencontinuously honed through these myriad battles. On his path to obtaining thetitle of supreme expert under the starry sky, countless people fell under hisHalving Blade. In Luoyang, he faced off against the hero of the realm and countless expertsof the Great Zhou and defeated Emperor Taizong. Outside Xuelao City, he facedoff against innumerable demon experts and defeated the Demon Lord. In theMausoleum of Books, he defeated the Pope. At the source of the Red River, hedefeated the White Emperor. And there were still many more it could even besaid that if one looked over those several hundred years of history and lookedup all the true experts, one would see that they had all once been defeated athis hands. In reality, besides those legendary battles mentioned above, many of theseso-called earthshaking battles did not occur in the human world but in theGarden of Zhou. The Garden of Zhou was Zhou Dufu''s miniature world. In thesebattles, he could have access to many conveniences and even rig the battles.This seemed very unfair, but his opponent had no objection to this, because hewas Zhou Dufu. He disdained these types of actions, much less required them. Hejust did not want any mediocre people to see his battle. His opponents werenaturally even more unwilling to have the common people see them lose. Thus,those battles that occurred in the Garden of Zhou had no spectators, and alsono recorders. As for the specific details of the battle, besides those present,no one else knew. The only thing the people on the outside knew was theunsurprising outcome. Countless experts fell under his blade. Some died, some lived, but theirswords were all left behind in the Garden of Zhou, forced by that divineHalving Blade, which was ranked second on the Tier of Legendary Weapons, to beleft behind. The swords were absolutely not ordinary. Many were even divine weapons rankedon the Tier of Legendary Weapons. These included the Dragoncry Sword that hadbeen worn on the waist of some prince of the Imperial clan, and the swordcalled Heaven Shrouding owned by that generation''s Mount Li Sword Sect sectmaster, which was even in the top ten of the Tier of Legendary Weapons. It wassaid that these famous swords abandoned in the Garden of Zhou had all beenthrown into a mountain pool by Zhou Dufu. That mountain pool was the legendarySword Pool. If the Sword Pool really did exist, it was a monument that ZhouDufu had set up for himself. Those exceptional swords in the pool were hisachievements and glory. The one thing that all the cultivators who could enter the Garden of Zhouwanted to do was find the Sword Pool. Zhou Dufu''s legacy might possibly be verydifficult to find, but those swords in the Sword Pool, any one of them was adivine weapon capable of significantly increasing the battle power of anycultivator. Let alone that, if one could inherit the legacy of those experts ofthe past through their sword, just what kind of significance would that have?How could it not cause people to go mad? And yet, no one had ever found theSword Pool. No one had even found a sword in the Garden of Zhou. Contrarily,this fact was an affirmation of the rumors of the Sword Pool. Those famousswords that had faded away must be hidden somewhere in the Garden of Zhou. As time passed, the Sword Pool grew more and more enigmatic, and its placewithin the hearts of cultivators grew increasingly majestic. It had evensurpassed the Garden of Zhou itself, turning into the true legend of thecultivation world. But was it true that no one had ever found a sword in theGarden of Zhou? Then why was it that Qi Jian and Liang Xiaoxiao, once they hadentered the Garden of Zhou, had proceeded without hesitation up that river? Whydid Zhuang Huanyu go there? Why was Chen Changsheng able to sense that strandof sword intent in the cold pool, and why were the demons waiting toassassinate them on the other side? Whether it was within the human world or the demon realm, there were alreadymany powers that had faintly discovered some news pertaining to the Sword Pool.Perhaps it was because someone had picked up an ancient sword sheath in aforest by that river many years ago? No, the real reason was that a peerlessgenius of the Mount Li Sword Sect had once gone up to the cold pool at the endof that river and picked up a sword several hundred years ago. That peerless genius of the Mount Li Sword Sect was called Su Li. However, just where was the Sword Pool then? The cold pool passed through thecliff to the large lake on the other side. That lake was connected to the smalllake in the plains in front of Sunset Valley. However, between the pool and thelake, there were no swords. If one were simply and crudely to gather up all theclues and draw a line between these points, they would be able to see that thisline pointed towards the depths of the plains. Then did this indicate that thelegendary Sword Pool was in the plains? In reality, this was the conclusion of the vast majority of cultivators. Humancultivators and demons had tracked their footsteps all across the Garden ofZhou, and yet after the passage of several hundred years, they still had notmanaged to find the Sword Pool. Then the most likely possibility was that itwas hidden within the plains, because only they had not been investigated. Itwas a pity that these conclusions could never be confirmed. Everyone whoentered the Plains of the Unsetting Sun had never returned. Those people whohad never entered the Plains of the Unsetting Sun would never be able to seethe true scene inside. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had enteredthese plains, and they could see the truth, although they could not relay thesetrue facts to the human world outside the Garden of Zhou. That strand of swordintent had guided them deeper into the plains, as though it wanted to guidethem towards finding the truth. Yet when they saw Zhou Dufu''s mausoleum, theystill did not see any trace of the Sword Pool. Now that the sword intent was within his body, he was sure that it had itsorigins from the Sword Pool. He just did not know which famous sword fromseveral hundred years ago this sword intent belonged to, and which famousperson owned that sword. The rain began to pour down harder and harder, causing the wind around themausoleum to gradually grow more violent. A few leaves from Xu Yourong''s wutongtree had previously been shaken down to the ground by Qi and then stucktogether by the rain and snow. Now they were rolled up by the massive winds.The leaves were rolled up by the wind and dragged along the floor. They driftedto Chen Changsheng''s feet and then floated up and touched a corner of hisclothes. Ching. There was a sharp sound in that instant that even covered up the soundof the wind and rain. Those leaves had been sliced into countless tiny strands by the shapelesssword intent. Just as they began to dance in the air, they were beaten down bythe wind and rain. Several hundred li out on the divine path, Nanke''s small face, which wasdrenched by the rainwater, seemed to grow paler. This scene made her even more wary and uneasy because she had never seen suchpowerful sword intent before. Yes, she silently thought of the word ''never''.Her teacher Black Robe did not use a sword. Her royal father the Demon Lord didnot use a sword. The demon advisor also did not use a sword. Still, the demonexperts that could use a sword were too many too count, but she still hadnot...ever...seen such a powerful sword intent. This was just a strand of swordintent showing off its abilities. If the actual sword was still here, just howterrifying would it be? Several hundred years ago, just which peerless expertwas the owner of that sword intent to have cultivated the sword to such astage!? The rain fell upon the dagger, splashing against the blade and wiping it cleanof blood. It shined brightly like a mirror. As Chen Changsheng gazed at the dagger, his eyes were also bright like amirror. In the three thousand scriptures of the Dao, there were many explanations onwhat sword intent was, but only one explanation was accepted by the Orthodoxyas the traditional definitionsword intent was a sword insight. A sword insight was not a sword''s spiritual sense, nor was it a sword''swisdom, and it was even less so a living soul. Rather, it was the remnants of amessage that consisted of a swordsman''s combat sense and experience which,after a long time, amassed and became attached to the sword. To use a moreunderstandable but less accurate explanation: a sword insight was a sword''sknowledge and experience. The sword insight was the remnants of a message, andit could also be described as the essence of that message. It was thecrystallization of combat sense, but it was not something that had a concreteand objective existence. It was impossible to calculate, and even moreimpossible to imitate. The sensation transmitted back to the spiritual world ofa human being was only a feeling. At the moment, he was feeling exactly this type of feeling. From this sword intent, he sensed an absolute self-confidence, a supremeability, and a contempt for heaven and earth. He sensed this sword intent''sconflict and even loathing for these plains. He sensed its intense desire forfreedom. Of course, the most intense feeling was joy, jumping for joy. At the very beginning, the person who used the sword was no more, but thesword was still there. Later on, the sword was no more, leaving behind only thesword intent. This strand of sword intent was incapable of leaving theseplains. It was trapped, or even imprisoned, within these plains for ages. Forseveral hundred years, it had never thought about escaping. However, it nowrealized that there was a chance to escape, thus when it met Chen Changsheng,it was like a bird about to leave its cage. It was just that he did not know that this sword intent''s ecstasy did not justcome from the possibility of leaving, but also had to do with the joy of seeingan old friend. That massive and dreadful shadow took up half the sky. The other half of thesky was filled with dark rain clouds. It was already night, and that disc oflight at the edge of the plains was dim and lightless. In the midst of thetorrential rain, the Mausoleum of Zhou grew even more pitch-black, like amassive black mountain. If Chen Changsheng was not on top of this blackmountain at the moment, he would definitely have associated it with the hugeobsidian coffin in the mausoleum. Let''s leave together then. Chen Changsheng turned back to glance at Xu Yourong, then said these words tothe sword intent. She gazed at the rain-soaked divine path, gazed at Nanke. Nanke was looking at the Southern Cross Sword in her hands. There was a veryclear nick on the edge of the sword, a result of their two swords crossing.This sword was certainly not ordinary, as it was a famous sword from thisgeneration''s Tier of Legendary Weapons, and yet it was not as good as thatunremarkable and ordinary dagger in Chen Changsheng''s hands. Did every sword have an environment in which it was strongest? She woke upfrom the stupor brought about by the sword intent and the new informationrelated to the Sword Pool with an understanding of many more things. She liftedher head towards the end of the divine path where Chen Changsheng was, herexpression once more callous and indifferent. "So what? That sword intent really is very strong, but in the end, it stillended up the loser against the Halving Blade. You think that you can rely onthis sword intent to defeat me? Or do you have some absurd hope that this swordintent can help you leave the Garden of Zhou?" She said these words to Chen Changsheng and then spread out her arms. A clearlight illuminated the rain-soaked mausoleum, and her two wings transformed intostreams of light. Her two maids, Hua Cui and Ning Qiu, kneeled down behind herin the rain, not daring to say a word as they lowered their heads. One couldfaintly see that their faces were pale. The injuries inflicted by that swordintent previously had most likely not been light. "The sword that this sword intent belongs to has probably already become apiece of scrap metal or even mere dust. This is the only reason why it was ableto leave the Sword Pool. As a sword intent with no host, incapable ofreplenishing itself, just how long could it hold on? Not to mention the factthat sword intent is equivalent to sword insight, and with your cultivation,there''s simply no way for you comprehend the sword insight. Without anunderstanding of swordplay, I''m afraid you won''t be able to display evenone-thousandth of the full power of that sword intent. Since this is the case,just what makes you believe you can defeat me?" In the downpour, along with the continuous sound of her still childish voice,Nanke''s sword energy slowly but steadily increased, and her Qi gradually grewmore berserk. Chen Changsheng knew that she was not bluffing. If the swordsman''s cultivationwas strong enough, whether they were meditating in cultivation or fighting,they would be refining their sword intent at every moment. However, if thelevel of the sword intent was higher than that of the swordsman, then battlingwould constantly use up the sword intent with no way of replenishing it. "The most important part is that since I''m no match for you in terms of swordintent, then why do I need to keep competing with you in sword intent?" Sayingthese words, Nanke lifted up the Southern Cross Sword. She still stood a hundred zhang away, very far away from Chen Changsheng. Shehad already put away her two wings, and it seemed that she did not intend toclose the distance between the two of them. The most important change was thatshe lifted her sword with both hands. Her figure was very petite, even slim,while the Southern Cross Sword was broad and long. When she lifted it up withher two hands into the air, it produced a very strange scene. It was just likea small child preparing to play with a giant iron hammer. They struck a clearcontrast. Seeing this scene, Chen Changsheng instantly guessed at how she was going toattack and understood that he had committed a huge oversight. Since his greatest advantage was the powerful sword intent at his disposal, heshould not have let her get too far away. Different swords had different strengths. One sword had many different sides.Sword intent was only a part of the sword. Besides this, there was also swordenergy as well as the amount of true essence attached to the sword. They wereboth components of the sword that were no less important than sword intent.Nanke''s attack intended to take advantage of the influence that distance had onsword intent and force him to fight with sword energy and strength. A sword glow illuminated the gloomy sky and the rain-soaked mausoleum. A dark blue sword ray shot out from the Southern Cross Sword. Like ameteorite, it trailed a tail of fire as it slashed towards the end of thedivine path at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng gripped the hilt of his dagger; his fingers were a littlewhite and his lips a little pale, perhaps because of his injuries or becausethe rain was too cold. A weak, yet abnormally firm voice came from behind him. "Use the umbrella." This voice did not come from the sword intent, as sword intents do not speak.The voice came from Xu Yourong. He did not know why she said this, but over thecourse of their journey, he had realized that her cultivation and especiallyher foresight far surpassed his. He trusted her invariably. So without anyhesitation, not even pausing for thought, he lifted up the Yellow PaperUmbrella. With his actions, the sword intent entered the Yellow Paper Umbrella. It was not entering. It was returning.
326 Return Part Two
The sword intent entered the Yellow Paper Umbrella. The world surrounding themausoleum was affected, but the first to undergo changes was obviously theYellow Paper Umbrella itself. The Yellow Paper Umbrella remained as it was normally, old-fashioned andslightly dirty. No changes occurred to its appearance, but the Qi exuding fromit instead changed drastically. Despite being an umbrella-shaped magicalartifact with extremely great defensive capabilities, it had suddenly acquiredthe semblance of an inordinately sharp sword. In Chen Changshengs eyes, itclearly was still an umbrella, but he could feel the clear feeling of a swordin his hand. The blue sword ray arrived. With it, it carried Nankes resolute killingintent and an extremely powerful true essence. Chen Changsheng raised the Yellow Paper Umbrella to receive it. Like a roundshield, it attempted to block the enemys long spear. Several dozen days ago, by the lake on the other side of the cliff in theGarden of Zhou, when he battled against the two maids, he had also used thismethod a lot. However, very obviously, the Yellow Paper Umbrella today alreadyhad a huge difference to the Yellow Paper Umbrella of that day. Was it becauseof the sword intent? However, it was also completely different from the swordintent emitted by the dagger previously. They were two different concepts. The difference was that the Yellow Paper Umbrella now infused with the swordintent became extremely powerful, even somewhat scary. On the stone platform in front of the main entrance of the mausoleum,countless sharp cutting sounds suddenly resounded. The sounds were reminiscentof the cracks in space and also like the rush of air. They seemed brief andoccurred in close tandem one after another, but they also seemed to go onwithout end. Countless blades of winds that seemed thin and small shot out fromthe surface of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, twisting around the surroundings ofhis body. It spun at great speeds, cutting everything that it came into contactwith. The rain, the snow, the platform and the path, as well as the blue sword ray. The droplets of rain from the sky were cut into vapor, and the leftover snowthat gathered on the ground was chopped into strands. On the tough ground, thestone walls and even the main entrance of the mausoleum, countless deep streaksappeared. As for the blue sword ray that travelled through the air, before itcould even radiate with the two streaks of stars that formed a Southern Cross,it was chopped into countless rays of star brilliance and dispersed with thewind. The sharp sounds of cutting slowly grew softer before disappearing. The thin blades of wind slowly entered the stone precipices of the mausoleum,not appearing again. The torrential rain continued, but compared to before, it seemed to haveweakened a lot, especially the rain that landed on the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Silence. In the grassland below the mausoleum, it instead slowly began to grow noisy,like waves formed in the monster tide that was like a black ocean. There weresigns of restlessness. Before, when the sword intent entered Chen Changshengs body and was put touse in his dagger, the monster tide was still able to remain peaceful. However,when the sword intent entered the Yellow Paper Umbrella and then easilyshattered Nankes sword energy, and proved something, the countless monsters inthe grassland were unable to control themselves. Some monsters attempted to flee in fear, and even more monsters roared angrilyat the mausoleum. Countless roars fused together, and like the sound ofthunder, it was about to lift up the sky. If it were not for Nankes forcefulsuppression with the Soul Wood, perhaps at this moment, the black ocean formedfrom the monster tide would have already surged towards the mausoleum. Nanke did not know why the monsters reacted so dramatically. Was it becausethe appearance of the sword intent heralded the emergence of the Sword Pool?Then why was the monster tide not as turbulent as when the sword intentappeared in the beginning? She was slightly confused. Her gaze passed throughthe rain and landed on Xu Yourong. Earlier, it was her who made Chen Changshengput away the dagger and use the umbrella. The people present today were all powerful experts. Xu Yourong had notrecovered from her heavy injuries and was extremely weak. She spent most of thetime with her eyes closed and did not spectate this battle, but she actuallyunderstood something. This caused Nanke to feel slightly angry and unwilling,just like when the sword intent was used by Chen Changsheng. Here, Tang Thirty-Sixs famous judgement still should have been used. XuYourong and Chen Changsheng really were two people who specialised in renderingpeople speechless. Xu Yourong maintained her focus and looked at the agitated monster tidebeneath the mausoleum. She said weakly, Close the umbrella. Chen Changsheng listened to her and closed the Yellow Paper Umbrella. After the umbrella was closed, it was very much like a sword. Most people haveprobably had a similar experience of stabbing the tip of an umbrella into thedirt or at the walls for fun once the rain let up. Why? Because after an umbrella was closed, it was very much like a sword. At this moment, the Yellow Paper Umbrella in Chen Changshengs left hand wasvery much like a sword. The monster tide surrounding the mausoleum immediately fell silent. The roars of anger also disappeared. The agitated monsters that attempted to surge towards the mausoleum becamerather terrified, as if something major was about to happen. In the depths ofthe monster tide, the great monsters at the level of Star Condensation thatwere like mountains and rivers began to exude their ruthless Qi that reeked ofblood. The huge shadow in the sky drooped slightly lower than before. The Sword Pool was the greatest secret of the Garden of Zhou. The sword wasthe greatest taboo of the grassland. Just what connection did the sword intent and the Sword Pool it representedhave with the countless monsters that ran amok in the Plains of the UnsettingSun? Xu Yourong silently calculated and deduced, which rapidly consumed herenergy. Her complexion became paler and paler. In the end, her gaze landed onthe umbrella in Chen Changshengs hand and thought, looks like that was thelegendary Yellow Paper Umbrella. In the world outside the Garden of Zhou, it snowed as usual. The huge shadow in the sky drooped even lower than before. Far away in thesnowy plains, a dozen or so Demon Generals towered like mountains, exudinggreat Qi that reeked of blood. As of that moment, there was already one DemonGeneral dead and seven Demon Generals heavily injured, with three of the sevenmissing limbs. The demons had already paid a heavy enough price. The snowflakes that landed on Su Lis shoulder were immediately cut intocountless shreds. There was blood on his sword, but no blood on his body. He seemed as though hewas uninjured, but he had actually already expended a great amount. He wasunable to contain the sword intent inside himself well enough, which caused itto seep outwards. Black Robe sat on a snowy hill with his legs crossed. Looking at him, he saidcalmly, Although you are called Su Li, you are unable to leave today. (TL: Play on words. Su Li is , and leave is .) Su Li looked at that shadow in the sky and said nothing. What you like eating the most, what you dislike eating the most; how manypeople you killed in the Great Western Continent, whether you like mountains orthe sea; how often you send your daughter letters, how long it took you tomaster your first sword technique after you entered the Mount Li Sword Sect;how many times youve argued with your master, how many days youve cried forafter your master died in the Garden of Zhou Black Robe used his slender fingers to stroke the square plate that was placedbefore his legs and said, I have used all the information that I have gatheredabout you in this plot. How can you leave? Su Li retracted his gaze and looked at him. He laughed at him, I hate peoplelike you the most. Obviously, in the end, you still rely on power to kill andslaughter, yet you also like to talk reason, talk chance. Even if you were atyour last breath and almost dead, you will not forget to act as if you can copewith all matters using schemes and strategies. Who are you acting for? A soft laugh resounded from the black robes, Naturally for someone like youwho has been schemed to death by me. Su Li smiled coldly, Do you really believe that everything can be calculated? Black Robe said, Why not? You obviously know that the stars can be moved. Since the stars can be moved,where does it say that fate cannot change? With change, how can you calculate? Su Li gazed at the night sky. He did not see the convergence of those tworivers of stars in the south, and only saw the snowflakes that constantly fellbefore the shadow. With a soft voice, he said, Everything in the world isconstantly changing. After a long time of snowing, accumulating more and more,there will always be a moment where an avalanche occurs. How do you calculatethat? The path of the sword is not snow, and cultivation is not snowing. I dontsee how quantity affects quality. You are also unable to break out of thisdesperate strait. Black Robe knew of what matter was being implied with the statement regardingthe snow, and said calmly, Because you are a peerless genius in the path ofthe sword. This phrase was a compliment, and it came from the mouth of the militaryadvisor of the demons who was the most mysterious in the whole continent. EvenSu Li should have felt proud, but this phrase was more-so a devastatingcriticism. A peerless genius in the path of the sword. If he could break though, he wouldhave long since broken through, regardless if that was due to the great terrorbetween life and death or some other methods. Black Robe continued, You are unable to reach completion in the path of thesword, but thats not because of fundamental reasons such as talent,comprehension, resolution, or even the most crucial, luck. You never lackedthose, and because of that, youve lacked a very important thing. Somethingintegral to the path of the sword. Su Li obviously understood what he was saying. The path of the sword is to cultivate the sword.
327 The Outstandingness of a Renowned Sword
The path of the sword obviously was about cultivating the sword. The sword wasnaturally important. But was it really that important? Other than impactingthe strength in battle, could it really influence the level of cultivation ofthe user? Currently, the sword in Su Lis hand originated from a smithy in a small townunder Mount Li. It was personally forged by the obscure blacksmith in thesmithy, Luo Dagen, after spending a few silvers and half a day. It had alreadybeen with him for over twenty years. With this ordinary longsword that couldnot be regarded as divine weaponry no matter how it was looked at, he remainedas the strongest person in the path of the sword in the world. Before thesword, those who blocked it were easily split open. Just before, it had justkilled a Demon General. Also because of his ordinary sword, the idea of returning to the simplest formfor the sword was commonly practiced in the Mount Li Sword Sect. The DivineStates Seven Laws and other young disciples admired the junior martial uncle,all trying to copy him. Qiushan Jun possessed the extremely famous DragonscaleSword, yet when he traversed the continent, or even during that battle where hefought for the key to the Garden of Zhou against the demon experts, he was onlywilling to use an ordinary sword. The sword also originated from the small townbeneath Mount Li, also originated from the same smithy and also was bought witha few silvers. Guan Feibai was also like that. However, it did not influencethe status of Qiushan Jun and Guan Feibai amongst the experts of the youngergeneration. They carried ordinary steel swords, and were also a part of theDivine States Laws. Some stupid people probably wont understand this. Black Robe gently wipedaway the snowflakes on the square plate. He looked at Su Li quietly and said,But I understand that as long as you dont find that sword, all swords are thesame to you, no matter if its that Killing Autumn from Scholartree Manor orthe inferior sword from that smithy. Yes. Su Li stayed quiet for a while, and then said, I indeed lack a sword.I have always been looking for that sword. Many years ago, when he was brought to Mount Li by his master from his hometown, he walked through a mountain path of several dozen li in length andentered the sect. He became an inner sect disciple in the Mount Li Sword Sect,and used a very short amount of time to grasp the secrets of the Mount Li SwordStyle. His talent in the path of the sword was slowly revealed, and he gainedthe dear love of his seniors and the admiration of his juniors. However, henever had his own sword. When they were giving out swords in the sword hall of Red Rock Peak, he didnot choose. When he practiced every day and when he sparred with his seniors,he always used a wooden sword. When his seniors asked why he was unwilling tochoose a sword, he said that he did not like the swords in the sword hall.Actually, in his heart, there was always a feeling that those swords alsodisliked him, and avoided him. After an entire year, he completed the study of the basic sword style. Hebegan to pry into the truths of the path of the sword, and finally gained theseniority to enter the main peak to enter his masters dwelling. His master wasthe sect master of the Mount Li Sword Sect, a peerless expert in the path ofthe sword recognised by the entire continent. However, he did not listen towhat his master was saying at all, and only looked at the sword that hungbehind his master. The sheath of the sword was pitch-black, and made of some material that he didnot know. The sword was in the sheath, and he could not see its trueappearance, but for some reason, he began to like the sword as he looked at it.He became happy and wanted to dance in joy, to grab it, to hug it, to sleepwith it and even bathe with it. What caused him to be even happier was that thesword resonated with a soft, pleasant sound in the sheath, as if it wasresponding to his fondness, and also displaying its own benevolence. Back then, Su Li naturally did not know that this was the sword of the sectmaster of the Mount Li Sword Sect. It was the famous Heaven Shrouding Swordthat was in the top ten on the Tier of Legendary Weapons. The sect master of the Mount Li Sword Sect felt slightly astonished. His swordwas a peerless, fearful sword. It was the sharpest in the world and extremelycold, able to sever emotions and light. Why did it give off such a soft swordresonance today, and why was it so gentle to the little boy? What did it mean?Afterwards, he began to laugh. Because Su Li was his only disciple, the swordclearly had to be passed down, and looking at it then, they did not seem todislike each other, which was very fortunate. That day, Su Li received the promise of his master to pass the sword to him inthe future. This made him extremely happy. It was also the reason why, when hismaster hit his bottom and made him copy out the sword manual five hundred timesfor him breaking the rules of the sect thirty-seven times in the entire year,he did not even talk back, which was extremely rare. Afterwards his master entered the Garden of Zhou. After that, there was noafterwards. His master never returned. That sword also never returned. Su Licried for three days and three nights at the main peak, and then sat in astupor for seven days and seven nights before returning to his senses. He threwhimself into the cultivation of the path of the sword once again, but thistime, his seniors discovered that there was a sword at his waist. The sword came from a small town under Mount Li, from an unremarkable smithy.It came from an obscure blacksmith at that time, who was the grandfather of thecurrent blacksmith Luo Dagen. With the change of seasons, time slowly passed. Su Li reached an initialsuccess in his path of the sword, and left Mount Li to go to the Garden of Zhou. In the several decades following, he entered the Garden of Zhou every tenyears. This naturally also meant that in those several decades, the control ofthe Garden of Zhou always remained in the hands of humans, so the demons couldnever even lay a finger on it. The reason for this was because he wanted toenter the Garden of Zhou. Who could steal the key to the Garden of Zhou underhis sword? He had two objectives for entering the Garden of Zhou. First of all, he wantedto confirm the death of Zhou Dufu. If the greatest expert under the stars wasalready dead, it was naturally the end of the matter. If he was still alive, SuLi wanted to know just exactly how great of a difference there was between himand Zhou Dufu, and how much more time he needed to defeat him, given that Su Liwas at the upper level of Ethereal Opening at that time. Actually, he wanted to find the sword that was forgotten in the Garden ofZhou. Perhaps the stars never betrayed the hopes of people, or perhaps theHeaven Shrouding Sword could feel his longing: last time he entered the Gardenof Zhou, Su Li actually found it by the stream in the forest. At the same time,the sword became the first and only sword that had been brought out by someonefrom the Garden of Zhou. However, the sword intent of the sword had completely disappeared, onlyleaving behind the sword body. Although the materials that made the sword wererare and valuable treasures, it was no longer the sword from years ago. The renowned sword was the same as before, but it was no longer outstanding. Only after staying silent by the stream for a very long time did Su Li finallyaccept this matter. The sword was still there, but the sword intent was not. As it turned out, hismaster truly was not there anymore. Carrying the sword that had already lost its spirit, Su Li left the Garden ofZhou and travelled to the Tang Clan in Wenshui City to look for the Old Masterof the Tang Clan who was still willing to forge once in a while. He wished thatthe Old Master could think of a method to revive the sword. Just what statusdid the Old Master have? Why would he have paid any attention to the almostidiotic request of a second generation disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect? Hedid not pay any attention to him at all. Su Li only did one thing. He stood ina stone embankment of the Wenshui Tang Clan hidden deep within the mountains,and used a night to undergo several breakthroughs from the upper level of theEthereal Opening Realm, arriving at the peak level of the Star CondensationRealm. As the richest person on the continent, the thing that the Old Master of theTang Clan was most skilled at was judging value. He knew that Su Li wasdisplaying his value to him, and admitted that Su Li definitely did have thatvalue. As a result, he changed his mind without any hesitation at all,beginning to collect and buy valuable materials from all over the place,attempting to do as Su Li had requested: to revive the renowned sword. Unfortunately, even the Wenshui Tang Clan was unable to completely satisfy SuLis request. The memory stopped there. This was because what happened afterwards made evenhim, who was the most unrestrained and uninhibited, or in other words, the mostthick-skinned, to feel slightly awkward. He looked at the patch of shadow in the night sky, and could feel the DemonLords unfathomable will. He thought with some ridicule that if that sword wasable to be revived and was in his hand at the current moment, even the DemonLord would be unlikely to warrant his attention. The shadow in the sky drooped lower and lower, as if it was going to come incontact with the grassland far away. Chen Changsheng held onto the Yellow Paper Umbrella and looked at this scene.He did not know exactly why the gazes of the terrifying monsters in the monstertide held coldness and a deathly stillness. He did not know that the shadow in the sky was the shadow of a great peng. Hedid not know that this great peng, which already had half a step into the realmof Saints, was the mount of Zhou Dufu years ago. Crucially, he did not knowthat when the sword intent returned to the Yellow Paper Umbrella, it meant thatthe Sword Pool could appear at any time. Towards that terrifying great peng, hedid not know how great of a provocation it was. Nankes black hair was scattered on her shoulders. It was wet due to the rain,and seemed extremely messy. Her small face was pale, and the indifference inher eyes was already long replaced by rage. Before, when they clashed, eventhough they were separated by a distance of over one hundred zhang, the swiftand fierce sword intent had still injured her. She did not understand why thesword intent would actually become so terrifying after entering the YellowPaper Umbrella. No matter how strong the sword intent is, so what? You dont know the swordstyle, so just how long can you last just by relying on sword intent? Hearing the voice of the small demon girl, Chen Changsheng originally wantedto say something, but in the end, he did not say it. Even if he were able touse the sword intent without limit, he would still be unable to solve theproblem of the monster tide that was like an ocean around the mausoleum. With an angry and clear whoosh, the cold wind on the divine path began blowingagain. With the ruffling of her heavy dress in the wind and the slight movementof rainwater, Nanke raised her sword to swing again. Two sword rays erupted from the edge of the Southern Cross Sword. Like twostreaks of starlight they chopped towards Chen Changsheng along the straightdivine path. Chen Changsheng raised the Yellow Paper Umbrella to receive it. Hundreds oftiny wind blades burst out from the surface of the umbrella, and withclosely-packed cutting sounds, the unbelievably swift and fierce sword intentdirectly cut through the two streaks of starlight, before shattering them intocountless pieces. The stone platform in front of the main entrance of themausoleum was covered with specks of starlight, floating like a sea offireflies. Just at this moment, there was the sound of a zither. The ground below the divine path had long been wet due to the torrential rain.The old man sat cross-legged in the rain with the zither on his knees. Helowered his head and played a tune with concentration. The old man was an elder of the Candle Shadow Shamans, and specialised most inmental attacks. It was unknown how much danger was hidden in the sound of thezither that was like the noise of water. The rain that fell from the sky struckthe zither string at the same time as his finger. Afterwards, it was shakeninto mist by the trembling of the zither string, and with the metallic orbreezy sound of the zither, the mist vaguely appeared to be substance.
328 A Very Heavy Sword
The wind was somewhat cold and hurt a little as it jabbed against his face.However, it was only a cold wind, not a mental assault from the oldzither-player. Those mountain ghosts and those misty shaman tigers seemed tohave avoided the Yellow Paper Umbrella, but how could they ever have reallyavoided it? The Yellow Paper Umbrella in Chen Changsheng''s hand required countlessprecious materials used by the Tang Clan in its construction, necessitating theOld Master of the Tang clan to forge it personally. If the holder of thisumbrella possessed a high enough cultivation, this umbrella could disperse allspiritual attacks. Even if his current cultivation was not enough, it wassufficient to sever Black Robe''s observations from outside the Garden of Zhou,so what did the mental attacks from zither-playing old man amount to? Yet thezither-playing old man taking action was a dangerous signal. It indicated thatNanke had ceased to stubbornly hold onto her pride. The demon experts werehighly likely to attack as one,from all sides. This truthfully made Chen Changsheng very vigilant. Teng Xiaoming and LiuWan''er, the Demon General couple, had been silently standing down the divinepath, just as inconspicuous as their names, but he had never once forgottenthem. At the lakeshore on the other side of that cliff, this Demon Generalcouple had exhibited a terrifying strength. In truth, this Demon General couplewere already true experts at the upper level of Star Condensation. Besides theFive Saints, the Eight Storms, experts like Su LI, who could easily defeatthem? Even after they entered the Garden of Zhou and forcefully suppressedtheir strength down to the upper level of Ethereal Opening, they still kepttheir combat experience and awareness. If comparing solely in terms of battleprowess, they would most likely be even stronger than Nanke. Nanke''s sword energy had still not been completely slashed to pieces by hissword intent. Like a cloud of fireflies, the starlight danced on the surface ofhis umbrella. His gaze looked over the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, overNanke''s shoulder, and landed at the end of the divine path. His expressionabruptly turned cold. In the middle of the rainstorm, Liu Wan''er smiled at him,her expression warm and serene. She was like a mother leaning on a door,waiting for her child to come home. But that middle-aged man with the honestexpression was no longer by her side. Just where did he go? Suddenly the space above the divine path exploded with a thunderclap! The coldwind around the mausoleum seemed to freeze at this thunderclap, but the fallingrain seemed to grow even more frenzied. Chen Changsheng lifted his head upwards, but all he saw in the gloomy sky wasa black speck. The black speck fell along with the boundless torrent of rain, falling fasterand faster. In a short period of time, it had grown many times larger,gradually appearing to be a mountain before his eyes. The twenty-fourth Demon General Teng Xiaoming had transformed into a heavymountain peak, his hands holding an unremarkable carrying pole. With a shrillwhistle that pierced through the air, he fell from the sky with the wind andrain, with an unequaled berserk power! Seeing this scene, Chen Changsheng''s face suddenly paled, but his eyes werestill as calm as before. Without any fear, the dagger in his right hand piercedthrough the curtain of rain and came to meet Teng Xiaoming. The Yellow Paper Umbrella in his left hand was currently occupied withblocking Nanke''s two streams of starlight and the zither-playing old man''spouncing shaman tigers, so it could not move. If he wanted to use the umbrellato block Teng Xiaoming''s heavy blow, he could only move closer to the umbrella.Yet to do this would leave him with no retreat. He would only be able topassively defend, so he chose to forgo this option and instead chose to attack.In this tense moment, he did not forget to split up the sword intent in theYellow Paper Umbrella and send some into the dagger. With a massive boom, the stone platform violently shuddered. The pools ofrainwater on the ground were like a pack of frightened ghosts, tearingthemselves apart in transformation in an attempt to escape. This rainwaterturned into a cloud of mist. In the back of the mist in a corner, Xu Yourongalso suffered from the vibrations. Her face instantly turned pale and she couldno longer endure her injuries. In extreme pain, she closed her eyes and beganto adjust her breathing to resist. The mist settled. Chen Changsheng stood in the same place, but was somewhatshorter than he used to be. Upon close examination, it was apparent that histwo legs had actually buried themselves into the firm gray stone, making itseem like he did not have knees! The heavy strike of Teng Xiaoming falling from the rain like a mountain hadtruly been too frightening. Chen Changsheng had relied on the dagger and thatsplit-off strand of sword intent to firmly receive it. Even though his body hadbeen washed in the true blood of the Black Dragon, it still felt like it wouldshatter. From his brow to his collarbone, down his spine and to his ankles,every bone in his body was wracked with an unbearable pain. His right handincessantly trembled, just like a sickened old mans. If he did not know thathe would be dead without this dagger, his right hand would have already let goof the hilt. Teng Xiaoming stood in the rain, expressionless. His right hand held that carrying pole, but it was really an iron staff,thicker than an average person''s arm. It was constructed from an alloy of theDemon Mountain''s Secret Iron and two taels of the True Metal of Meteorites. Itwas incredibly firm. On the battlefield in the snowy plains, who knew how manyexperts of the Great Zhou army it had smashed to death? Now, this iron staffwas covered with several dozen deep sword marks. The upper end of the staff wasespecially affected, a chunk of it having been shorn off. The iron staff had only collided with Chen Changsheng''s dagger for an instant,but it had suffered so many sword scars. It had to be said that this dagger''ssharpness had already reached an unimaginable level. That sword intent was evenmore powerful, so quick and forceful that it would cause the heart to turncold. But Teng Xiaoming had no reaction to this. He silently gazed at ChenChangsheng, just like an actual mountain. No matter how fierce the storm, itstill did not rock his body in the slightest. He exuded a particularly solemnand serene aura. This was a true expert. Chen Changsheng naturally thought this as he gazed atthis demon man standing in the rain, then he began to think about even morethings. Just as Nanke had said before, he could barely express one-thousandthof the true power of this sword intent; how could it be enough to defeat such apowerful opponent? Most importantly, with his current level of strength andcultivation, if he wanted to block and even defeat this iron staff, thecombination of this sword intent and dagger was far from enough. He needed asword that could better display the power of that sword intent. He needed a heavier sword. As he was thinking about these things, Teng Xiaoming once again lifted hisiron staff. That staff scored with sword scars seemed even more frighteningthan it was before. The rain falling around the staff suddenly parted. Athunderous sound erupted from above the divine path. The iron staff whistledthrough the air, the wind and rain making way for it. At this moment, Nanke''s sword energy had finally been completely sliced apartby the sword intent emitted by the Yellow Paper Umbrella and the oldzither-player''s mental attack had also been blocked. Chen Changsheng could nowtry to use the Yellow Paper Umbrella to receive that iron pole. His face wasstill pale, but it was no longer because he was tense. Rather, it was becausehe was too cold, and also because his heart was uneasy about the last idea thathad come up in his mind. He could use the Yellow Paper Umbrella to receive this iron staff, but he didnot want to. This was because he faintly sensed that the sword intent attachedto the Yellow Paper Umbrella, although strong without compare, was not the bestmethod to block the iron staff at his level of cultivation. He still felt thathe needed a heavier sword. In reality, this umbrella was his only resort, because he did not have aheavier sword. And yet he felt that he should have a heavier sword. Just as Chen Changsheng thought of this, a change occurred at some place inthe plains south of the mausoleum. In this faraway place, the rain was much lighter than the rain around themausoleum. The surface of the water below the underbrush was lightly beat uponby the drizzle. Suddenly, for some reason, the ground began to sink. The poolsof water in the seemingly descending plains suddenly fused together with therain falling from the sky, transforming into a ball of water. They clumpedtogether, as if there was something extremely heavy in the ground that wassucking in everything around it. From deep within the dusky sky came a furious cry. This cry came from thegreat peng. Just what was about to emerge that could provoke its fury so, suchthat one could even hear its wariness and unease? The heavy iron staff split the wind and rain on the divine path and came tothe front door of the mausoleum. It was only a bit more than ten zhang awayfrom Chen Changsheng, yet he did not lift the Yellow Paper Umbrella. With aclear cry, he had even returned the dagger to its sheath. He did not know why he was doing this. Why did he need to sheath his dagger? Just at this moment, a massive rumbling came from outside the mausoleum, liketrue thunder had reached the ground. Compared to this thunder, the thunderingof the iron staff seemed like firecrackers lit by a small child for the newyear. A pitch-black object burst through the rain and arrived in front of ChenChangsheng, then sat in front of him, unmoving. It was a sword, black and cast from some unknown metal. There was no design onthe blade, and it was not very smooth. It seemed especially rough and coarse,even like it did not have an edge. It was just like a sword that had not beencompletely cast. In short, this metal sword did not have a single specialcharacteristic and emitted no Qi that would cause someone to raise theireyebrows. It was just very broad and very long, very thick and very black, soit seemed very heavy. Chen Changsheng had wanted a heavier sword. Thus a heavy sword had appeared before him, calmly floating in the rain. The metal sword''s hilt was inclined downwards. He only needed to stretch outhis hand and he would be able to very easily grasp it. The metal sword''sposture was extremely comfortable, so comfortable that without a thought, hehad lifted up his hand. His right hand passed through several seemingly unmoving curtains of rain andgrasped the hilt. The hilt of this metal sword was very rough, very thick, and very crude. Whenit seemed like his hands had completely gripped the hilt, he clearly felt asense of weight. At this moment, he also realized something else. That swordintent attached to the Yellow Paper Umbrella did not heed the commands of hisspiritual sense and use his body to enter that metal sword. Because the metalsword originally had its own sword intent, the sword intent in the Yellow PaperUmbrella felt it unworthy or did not want to compete with that powerful swordintent. With Chen Changsheng''s current strength and cultivation of the sword,he could not accurately perceive the strength of that metal sword''s swordintent, but he could clearly sense that the sword intent was just like thatmetal sword, incomparably heavy. He drew back his hand, taking the metal sword out of the rain. In order to remove this metal sword from the rain, he required an incredibleamount of strength. Simultaneously, this weighty sword gifted him with anincredible strength. He brandished the metal sword and chopped down at the ironstaff that was flying through the rain. The metal sword met with the iron staff in the midst of the downpour. There was an extremely brief moment of silence, then a continuous explosion ofthunderclaps. The rain was shattered into pieces, transforming into myriadwater arrows, and shooting out in a sphere at every direction. The wall of themausoleum became filled with countless deep caves and was riddled with holes. Aclear light emerged from the Tong Bow behind Xu Yourong. It protected her, butit could not protect Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng''s clothes were riddled with tiny holes, just like a leaf thathad been snacked on by a worm. The clothes floated in the rain and his face wasdeathly pale, but his two legs were still on the firm stone. The surroundingstone was covered with a spider web of cracks, and he seemed somewhat miserable. However, he did not retreat a single step. The powerful Demon General had retreated. He had been directly pushed a bitmore than a hundred zhang away and heavily fell amidst the rain. He incessantlyspat out blood and the iron staff in his hands had been bent to a ridiculousextent.
329 Mountain Sea Sword
The torrential rain continued to fall. Teng Xiaoming stood up with greatdifficulty and wiped away the blood from the corner of his lips. He looked atthe metal sword in Chen Changshengs hand and was shocked speechless. Hethought, just what sword is that to actually possess such terrifying weight,such thunder-like power, and such an unimaginably thick sword intent? Where didthe metal sword come from? Why did it appear before the mausoleum? Chen Changsheng knew the metal sword came from the Sword Pool, but he did notknow of its exact location despite having known of its existence inside thegrassland of pouring, torrential rain. At the same time, he came to know of themetal swords history the moment he grabbed ahold of it. In the history of the path of the sword, this metal sword had widespreadrenown. It was called the Mountain Sea Sword. Countless years ago, the Heavenly Tomes transformed into countless meteors anddescended in rolling flames, falling into the centre of the continent, andformed the current-day Mausoleum of Books. Other than the stone monoliths,there were also countless pieces of meteorite shrapnel. People of the pastcollected the meteorite shrapnel and used all methods at their disposal tosmelt it. In the end, they smelted meteorite metal, which was also known as theTrue Metal of Meteorites. The meteorite metal was different from the metals onthe continent. It was extremely heavy, extremely dense, extremely strong, andextremely tough; it could be said to be the best material for forging swords.Actually, most of the meteorite metal of the continent was used to make asingle sword. This was also the black and heavy metal sword currently in Chen Changshengshand. It was heavy like a mountain and mighty like the sea, so it was given the nameMountain Sea Sword. The metal pole in Teng Xiaomings hand only contained two taels of the TrueMetal of Meteorites, and already it was as heavy as a mountain. Besides, theentire sword was made out of meteorite metal, so just how heavy and just howterrifying was it? The Mountain Sea Sword was very well known in history. No matter in thebattlefield or outside the Tong Palace, the sword and its appointed successorsacted out scenes of partings and reunions as magnificent as life and death.Before the metal sword, it was not known how many experts and famous people hadbeen crushed. However, the person who really made the Mountain Sea Sword seemthe most splendid was its last recorded owner. Thousands of years ago, an expert called Xike appeared. He carried thebloodline of the White Emperor and was said to cultivate the methods of thelong extinct Buddhism. Coupled with his innate divine strength, just by powerand bearing, he could be ranked within the top three in all of history. When helifted the heavy metal sword, he could even fight armies numbering in the tensof thousands. Only such an expert had the qualifications to use the Mountain Sea Sword andto display the entirety of its power. Furthermore, only the Mountain Sea Swordcould match up to such a peerless expert. No one knew whether it was Xike whohad allowed the Mountain Sea Sword to gain its ageless fame of fighting prowessor if it was the Mountain Sea Sword that had allowed him to create countlessstorms on the continent in his time. In short, the metal sword and a matchingexpert in unison gave rise to a legend of countless victories. Xike carried the Mountain Sea Sword and consecutively defeated the experts ofthe continent. The Head Instructor of the Scholartree Manor and the Grand Elderof the Longevity Sect of that time were all people vanquished by him. He wastyrannical without equal, and some people even believed he had already enteredthe Saint Realm. In the end just like many peerless experts before him, heentered the Garden of Zhou full of arrogance and ultimately left it in adownhearted state as though he had lost his soul. The Mountain Sea Sword neverappeared by his side again. Afterwards, after three years, in a very randomconflict in the Yunyang City, he died at the hands of a junior who had justbegun to rise in fame This question seemed to have finally reached an answer. Without the MountainSea Sword, he was just an ordinary expert. However, the Pope had a completelydifferent perspective on this. He believed above all that the most importantthing Xike had lost, after being bested in melee against Zhou Dufu, was not thesword but his proud and overbearing heart of the sword. This was the Mountain Sea Sword. If it was placed among a pile of the ten mostfamous swords in the world, regardless of who it was, they would all definitelychoose this metal sword. The Mountain Sea Sword was made out of the mostvaluable meteorite metal and had required the longest time to forge, so it wasthe most valuable. No matter who was in possession of this metal sword, theywould all become so excited that they were unable to control themselves, unableto believe their own luck. Chen Changsheng was also beside himself with joy. Hethought that if he could bring this metal sword out of the Garden of Zhou, itwas the most suitable in Xuanyuan Pos hands. Also, Zhexiu had always said thathe wanted a sword, so shouldnt he also get a sword for him? Only at this moment did he realise that, originally, the upper part of themetal sword was not naturally straight. The rumor that the Mountain Sea Swordwas definitely edgeless was wrong. Speaking of which, such a divine weapondefinitely had an edge hidden to its bluntness, but it was chopped off justwhat blade chopped it off? To actually be able to chop off a part of theMountain Sea Sword, just how powerful was the blade? And just how powerful wasthe person? The Mountain Sea Sword had already disappeared from the world for almost athousand years, leaving behind nothing but hearsay and myths. That was also whyTeng Xiaoming was unable to recognise it from the onset. However, after lookingat it a few times, and thinking about the huge power that was like a mountainand boundless as the sea exuding from the metal sword, he very naturallyguessed the origin of the metal sword. As a result, he was even more shocked.He did not say anything and only slightly furrowed his brows. It was unknownwhat he was thinking about. Nanke also recognised the origin of the metal sword. Her clear voice piercedthrough the curtain of rain, and she spoke with a voice that was filled withanger and confusion, This is impossible, why would the Mountain Sea Swordappear for you?! Chen Changsheng did not say anything. He lifted the metal sword and pointed itat her from far away, through the wind and rain. Actions were much morepowerful than words. If the Mountain Sea blade did not appear for him, why wasit currently in his hands? Also, you dont understand the Mountain Sea Swords sword style at all! Justwhy are you able to use it to such a great extent? Nanke asked a veryimportant question. Just as how it was before, even if the Mountain Sea Bladehad retained its sword intent, without the matching sword style and consideringChen Changshengs cultivation level of upper level Ethereal Opening, just howcould he defeat a Demon General so easily and effortlessly? Chen Changsheng did not hide anything and said to her, I have read relativelymany books. This was what Gou Hanshi had said to him at the Ivy Festival the year before,and also what he had said to Gou Hanshi. Also, only he and Gou Hanshi had theright to say that to each other. Anyone else could not, because nobody had readmore books than he and Gou Hanshi. In the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon, stars were connected toeverything. There were beautiful colors like jade, as well as thousands ofmethods. These methods were the gate to enlightenment. After saying that, Chen Changsheng suddenly began to feel that he rathermissed the Ivy Festival, missed the capital, and missed the Orthodox Academy.The disputes during those times were all disputes over will and spirit. It wasnot related to life and death. It did not separate humans and demons. It didnot have shameless assassinations, ambushes, and betrayal. Thinking of it now,he could not help but find the disputes to be ridiculous, but they were alsocute. Compared to the bloody scenes in the Garden of Zhou, how could he notmiss those times? The surroundings of the mausoleum fell silent again. It was because thelegendary Mountain Sea Sword had appeared, because Chen Changsheng actuallyknew how to use the Mountain Sea Sword, and most importantly, because it wasnot sword intent but a real sword. Not many people knew that a sword had alsoappeared in the Garden of Zhou once before, which was then taken away by Su Li.To Nanke and the other demon experts, the metal sword that Chen Changsheng heldwas the first sword to appear in the Garden of Zhou. What did this mean? Thiswas unprecedented, and the unprecedented often came along with the sound ofthunder and great changes. Just where did this heavy, black, metal sword appear from? Did its appearanceout of nowhere mean the Sword Pool was also about to appear? Would thoselegendary famous swords also appear soon after? What made Nanke most confused,or even angry, was that she did not understand why the Sword Pool wanted tohelp Chen Changsheng. She looked at the dusky plains that surrounded themausoleum. She let the rain wash down her pale small face and looked on for avery long time with her eyes squinted. However, she still could not find anyclues to the Sword Pool. This caused her to grow more and more silent. Will there still be more swords that appear? Will those swords continue tohelp you? Just like the peerless sword intent and overbearing metal sword? Evenif they do, do you know all the sword styles? I dont believe it. Nanke thought about these matters and then extended her two hands towards thetorrential rain. With her action, the complexion of the two maids that always stood behind herin the rain suddenly turned pale. Especially in Hua Cuis charming eyes wasrevealed an extreme pain, which was followed by blood spraying from her mouth. Nankes petite body trembled slightly, as if she was about to keel over in therain, but in the end, she did not. An extremely cold Qi exuded from her bodyand mixed with the trail of blood that Hua Cui had spat out. Hua Cuis blood was green. The trail of green blood was not diluted by the torrential rain. After itmixed with Nankes cold Qi, it instead became more concentrated. It wasextremely demonic. When it was about to be concentrated, the edges vaguelymoved up and down. That was a Peacock Plume. With a whoosh, the Peacock Plume that at the same time seemed fake and realpierced through countless curtains of heavy rain and shot towards him. The Peacock Plume contained Nankes true blood and burnt with flame as it cameinto contact with the rain. It burnt fiercely along the way, and even the heavyrain could not weaken the flames by a little. Instead, it caused the flames tobecome more and more berserk. Since escaping into the grassland, Chen Changsheng had treated Xu Yourongalong the way, so he understood extremely well the terrifying aspects of thePeacock Plume. He did not know whether the Yellow Paper Umbrella could receivethe burning of the peacock true blood, and as for the poisons in the peacocktrue blood, it caused even him to be fully alert. He could not help but admit that Nankes will in battle and resolution wereformidable to a terrifying degree, far exceeding the maturity and grimness ofthose of the same age. She did not hesitate to waste her most valuable trueblood to counter Chen Changshengs sword and umbrella. The strength of theheavy, black metal sword was without equal, and it was overbearing like amountain and the sea. However, it lost its flexibility in some situations,especially in Chen Changshengs hands. The Yellow Paper Umbrella became evenswifter and more powerful with the sword intent, but it was unable to chopthings like poisons and true blood into fragments. Chen Changsheng did notreally care if he was poisoned, but he did not want to come in contact witheven a sliver of the poisonous blood. In the blink of an eye, he thoughtthrough countless methods on how he could use the sword, the dagger, and theumbrella in response to the Peacock Plume, but he discovered that there were nomethods that were perfect. However, if he had that sword, perhaps he couldovercome this hurdle.
330 Old Swords and the Teenager Part One
The sword Chen Changsheng wanted naturally was in the Garden of Zhou, or moreaccurately, in the Sword Pool. Although he did not know where the sword hewanted was even now, it was without question a sword of equal renown to theMountain Sea Sword currently in his hand. Actually, the sword he wanted had a ranking on the Tier of Legendary Weaponsfar below the Mountain Sea Sword, However, in some aspects, its fame eclipsedthe Mountain Sea Sword because it was rarely seen and was a sword that had beenbrought into the Garden of Zhou by Zhou Dufu himself. What was even moreimportant was that the sword was the temple sword of the South Stream Temple.In other words, it was the Holy Maiden Sword. Chen Changsheng did not know that the girl behind him was Xu Yourong. Evenuntil now, he still did not have any favorable impressions of that name. Atthis moment, he naturally did not want the sword to be used as the dowry forhis fiance. On the contrary, as is spoken in the legends, the temple sword ofSouth Stream Temple possessed sacred light that could purge all poisons and hada natural ability of suppressing the blood arts of the demons. This thought indeed was very absurd, but it turned into reality. Right when hethought of the idea, in a certain area in the plains directly south of themausoleum, an extremely fresh and clean feeling appeared. The wild grasses thatwere bent in the rain and seemed extremely tired straightened up again.Droplets of rain slid down the veins of the blades of grass, and they seemed tobe extremely exuberant. An extremely soft sword intent appeared in the vitality of the countlessgrasses and subsequently suddenly disappeared without a trace. In the next moment, the sword intent arrived at the stone platform in front ofthe mausoleum, and at the same time, a sword appeared. The sword seemed verysimple and neat, without any additional decorations. It gave off a faint,sacred feeling, causing the gloominess that was cast upon the world by the rainto be illuminated by a lot. This was the temple sword that Chen Changsheng wanted. He extended his hand to grab the temple sword in the rain and proceeded toswing it at the incoming Peacock Plume. Only an angry cry of a peacock could be heard from the violent flames.Afterwards, with a swish, the flames on the surface of the Peacock Plume turnedinto green smoke. The terrifying toxins in the blood flames were immediatelyand completely purified by the sacred light that was emitted by the templesword. Silence. Absolute Silence. Nankes small face grew even paler. Her two maidsbehind her gazed at it wide-eyed, their faces rife with disbelief. Thezither-playing old man revealed a terrified expression in his gaze, and TengXiaomings expression turned exceedingly solemn. Suddenly, the sound of rain stopped. Liu Waner, who had not yet acted, ranover at great speed along the divine path. The huge metal pot in her handtransformed into the whole night sky and fast approached the temple swordradiating sacred light from all sides. Chen Changsheng let go of the hilt of the temple sword and grabbed the hilt ofthe Mountain Sea Sword in the rain once again. He flicked it upwards at themetal pot. With a metallic bang, Qi sprayed out violently and the black pot wasflung directly into the air. A hole appeared in the night. Behind the night was not the blue sky, but rather Liu Waners two hands. She held a wire with her two hands. It was extremely soft and flexible andwrapped itself around the Mountain Sea Sword, actually immobilizing the heavymetal sword. Then, at that moment, Teng Xiaoming, who was mentally connected toher, grabbed the metal pole. It fell from the rainy sky once again, smashingtowards his head. Simultaneously with all that, there was another abnormal disturbance in thedepths of the grassland. A sword that was thin like a ray of light traversedthe several dozens of li of torrential rain and arrived in front of the maingate of the mausoleum. It was as if it shoved itself into Chen Changshengsright hand, which had just let go of the hilt of the Mountain Sea Sword. The sword was so thin as to be graceful, making people feel that it was justlike a needle. Chen Changsheng grasped the sword and thrust it towards Liu Waner. Thegraceful body of the sword constantly shook as if it struggled to bear with thebaptism of the torrential rain. The edge of the blade travelled like lightning,as if it was sewing something in the rain. He did not know what sword it was,so he did not know what sword style he used. He only felt that it was extremelysoft, and the sword move was like all the colors of spring, a grand view thatwas very beautiful. In the swishing sounds, the graceful sword did not sew a beautiful image inthe rain, but instead cut the wire that trapped the Mountain Sea Sword. Thegraceful sword continued to pierce through the rain, arriving before Liu Wanerin the end. It pierced her earlobe. If Teng Xiaomings deformed metal pole didnot come smashing down, perhaps the graceful sword would have directly piercedLiu Waners neck. The metal pole rushed through the air. Chen Changsheng released the gracefulsword and grabbed the Mountain Sea Sword in the rain again, lifting it upwards.It was still flicking upwards, and there was only an earsplitting sound ofcollision. The metal pole whistled through the air, landing somewhere unknown.Teng Xiaoming unhesitantly grabbed Liu Waners shoulder and retreatedviolently. They dangerously avoided Chen Changshengs next strike. No matter whether it was the graceful sword or the Mountain Sea Sword, forthree consecutive strikes, Chen Changsheng used flicking motions, from pickingthe thread from the cloth to raising a lamp in the night. He picked verycleanly and nimbly, and he raised very unrestrainedly. (TL: The text is using the Chinese word as a theme for the three attacks.Basically, that includes picking, as in picking out a thread, raising, as inraising a lamp and flicking, which is the motion of the sword.) The three swords were suspended quietly in the surrounding rain, depicting ascene of halting beauty. Looking at the temple sword that radiated soft sacred light, Nanke was nolonger able to suppress the shock in her heart. She was not even willing towonder why the legendary Holy Maiden Sword had appeared and said angrily, Whydo you also know the sword style of the South Stream Temple? Perhaps that is the Yue Maiden Sword? Liu Waner looked at the gracefulsword that was beside him in the rain, feeling deeply shocked. She did not evenrealise that a drop of dark red blood oozed out of her earlobe. In the south-eastern corner of the continent, there once was a great swordsect. Many of the disciples in the sect were female, and it was in the Land ofYue, so it was called the Yue Maiden Sect. It produced many experts in the pathof the sword, and until several centuries ago, it was equal to the South StreamTemple before slowly dwindling into obscurity. As for the South Stream Temple,even less needed to be discussed. It was the holy land of the southern religionand received the faith and worship of countless civilians. Nanke and Liu Waner were naturally shocked by the appearance of the twoswords. What they did not understand even more was why Chen Changsheng evenknew the sword styles of the South Stream Temple and the Yue Maiden Sect. Itmust be known that these two sword styles focused on sacred purification andvery sensitive concepts. There were very few males who would practice it. Chen Changsheng did not explain. He was without a doubt able to grasp thesword styles of the South Stream Temple and the Yue Maiden Sect, at leastgrasping most of the moves and sword forms of the styles. Other than, himhaving memorized the Daoist Canon, the most important reason was that he washard-working. When he came to the capital from Xining Village, in that firstyear of his time in the Orthodox Academy the things he did the most werereading, cultivating and studying all of the ways to cultivate on the path toenlightenment. Other than the teenagers in the Divine States Seven Laws of theMount Li Sword Sect, it was impossible to find another person who was ashard-working as him amongst his peers. Looking at Chen Changsheng, who stood tall on the stone platform in the windand rain, no matter if it was Nanke or Liu Waner, they all felt extremelyuneasy. Within the demon experts that had entered the Garden of Zhou, Teng Xiaomingwas the quietest. Speaking of status, he was the twenty-fourth Demon General.Not to mention the fact that he was not even above Nanke, he was not even asgreat as his wife, but all of the aristocratic clans in Xuelao City knew thatit was because he loved his wife. In terms of true battle prowess and insight,he was the strongest one present. As a result, he did not let the shocking scene before his eyes disturb his ownemotions. He extended his hand towards a certain area to recall his metal pole.Creating ripples on the divine path with his feet, he attacked Chen Changshengonce again with the whistling wind. The other experts also came back to their senses. They knew they could not letthe battle continue to develop like so. They had just seen Chen Changsheng, whowas just about to enter desperate straits, suddenly gain the support of threedivine swords! Just who knew what would happen next? Loud sounds reverberated consecutively, and the wind on the divine path blewpowerfully. The torrential rain was blown diagonally like a weak willow. Anextremely clear sound of a zither attacked towards Chen Changsheng who was onthe side of the stone platform along with the powerful gusts of wind, carryingwith it an unconcealed killing intent. Just at this moment, a clear sound resonated in the rainy sky. It was theresonance of a sword, which was extremely sharp, able to resound through theworld. It was also abnormally deep, like the ancient roar of a dragon. The shadow of the great peng in the faraway sky slowly drooped. Suddenly, itwas paused by the dragon roar for a while. The complexion of the zither-playing old man was pale. His fingers thatstroked the zither string began to tremble violently, and with several snaps,the zither string broke. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and the zitheron his knees was immediately dyed red. Just exactly what was it that gave off the roaring resonance, which wasactually so mighty? Just at this moment, a sword pierced through the rainy sky and arrived beforeChen Changsheng. The sword intent was extremely proud and overbearing without equal. Dragoncry Sword! Liu Waner exclaimed in surprise. Chen Changsheng grabbed the Dragoncry Sword from the rainy sky and swung ittowards Teng Xiaoming. The mausoleum suddenly began to glow, as if a phantom dragon had burst out ofthe sword. It heavily struck Teng Xiaomings abdomen, and leaving behind only aterrifying, muffled sound,, Teng Xiaoming was knocked flying for hundreds ofzhang beneath the divine path. It was unknown in how many places his sternumhad broken. Nanke approached, and the true blood burned violently in her eyes. Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes and suddenly released the hilt of theDragoncry Sword. He extended his hand into the rainy air again. Another extremely bright sword flew in from far away, landing in his hand. He grabbed the sword and advanced forwards. The surface of the blade had thesemblance of water, directly chopping at Nanke. There was another exclamation of surprise on the Divine Path, Autumn WaterSword! This was not the end. This was only the beginning. The sounds of swords piercing through the rain constantly resounded. Shocked voices constantly exclaimed aloud. Jade Lake Sword! Ten Feet Eight God Sword!
331 Old Swords and the Teenager Part Two
Swords flew out from all over the grassland without end and arrived in therainy sky before the mausoleum. Over ten swords floated around Chen Changsheng. Countless Qis arrived in an earth-shaking manner. However, no matter if it wasTeng Xiaomings overbearing demon techniques or Nankes burning true blood, heonly needed to extend his hand and grasp a sword, breaking everything in hisway with a swing. Hua Cui and Ning Qiu looked at this scene. Their faces were pale, and theyfelt their two legs go slightly soft, nearly rendered unable to stand anymore. Some of the swords were long and some were short. Some were wide and some werethin. Some were very overbearing, and some were very low-profile. Some glowedwith sacred light, and some emanated demonic Qi. However, they all had onespecial aspect. These swords were all very well known. The Mountain Sea Sword, the Holy Maiden Sword; the Yue Maiden Sword, theAutumn Water Sword; the Jade Lake Sword, the Ten Feet Eight God Sword; theDemon Commanders Banner Sword, the Dragoncry Sword after hundreds of years,these exceptional, well-renowned swords that had disappeared for a very longtime finally appeared for all to see once again. At present, the swords hovered silently in the rain. Chen Changsheng stood in the rain, surrounded by the swords. In the end, time was still the greatest magical artifact. The swords that wereonce renowned had already fallen into a horrible condition. The one maintainedthe best was the temple sword of the South Stream Temple followed by theMountain Sea Sword. The remaining swords were more or less in a rather dreadfulstate. Some of the swords had the soil of the grassland on them. When the soilwas slowly washed away by the rain, it revealed rust marks. They were no longeras elegant as they were before, causing people to feel sorrow. However, in the torrential rain, the swords still exuded their cold, proud Qi. Nanke was unable to understand and even more-so unable to accept it. Just whywould these exceptional swords that were once proud without equal obey ChenChangshengs will? No matter how she thought about it, she was unable to findan answer.Chen Changsheng did not even know himself. He only knew that the onceexceptional swords wanted to leave the Garden of Zhou. However, for the pastcenturies, there were many human and demon cultivators that had entered thePlains of the Unsetting Sun, so just why did these swords choose him? The most important reason was the sword intent currently in the Yellow PaperUmbrella. The sword intent separated from the body of the sword hundreds of years ago,and from that day onwards, it became the only sword spirit that had freedom. Itrepresented the renowned swords that were unable to leave the Sword Pool andreleased its Qi to the outside of the plains incessantly. Chen Changsheng held the Yellow Paper Umbrella, so he could clearly feel thesword intent. When he let the sword intent enter the Yellow Paper Umbrella, it meant thereturn of an old friend that had once left the Sword Pool. He proved hiscapacity to the proud, renowned swords. However, this was not enough. Theseswords were already unused for many years, and their great ambitions hadalready slowly dwindled away. If they did not have enough certainty in leaving,they would have rather continued to sleep at the bottom of the Sword Pool. Atleast, they could last for slightly longer, otherwise, if they rose vigorouslyon their remaining sword intent for a battle and did not succeed, it wasextremely possible for the sword to break and their intent to perish. Chen Changsheng needed to prove that he had enough perseverance and power totake them out of the Garden of Zhou. The former was not a problem. He was a teenager in the middle of his youth,and his eyes were full of the thirst for freedom and life. Originally, thelatter was a great problem, but when the Black Dragons spiritual soul began tosleep in his body, it was no longer an issue. The jade ruyi that held the Black Dragons spiritual soul was currently tiedto his wrist, glistening as the rain washed over its surface. It grew brighterand brighter. The jade ruyi was a magical artifact that the Tianhai Divine Empress carriedby her side, so it possessed her powerful Qi. Chen Changshengs perseverance and kindness, as well as this powerful Qi, werespread widely across the entire grassland through the sword intent and theYellow Paper Umbrella like a signal. Although the exceptional, renowned swordswere in a horrible condition, their sword intent still remained. They had seencountless experts with their masters, and they had seen and experienced anunimaginable amount of things. However, when they felt the powerful Qi from thejade ruyi, they were all startled to their core. Even if Zhou Dufu was stillalive, the owner of this powerful Qi could still take them out of the Garden ofZhou. Why would they not oblige at this point? As a result, they travelled through the rain and wind and arrived by ChenChangshengs side. However, where exactly were these swords located previously? Just where wasthe Sword Pool? The rain that pelted the old and renowned swords also ran down Nankes smallface in rivulets. Her face turned paler and paler and took on a snow-like hue akin to the templesword. The flames in her eyes were slowly extinguished, but there still was nofear to be seenher shock and anger were an interplay of her respect to thehistories these swords represented and her disdain for Chen Changsheng.Moreover, the interaction between the two made her feel mortified, which led toa strong emotional response and nothing more. Looking at the dozen or so swords that floated silently by Chen Changsheng inthe rainy sky, she stayed silent for a while and then said, You all were oncethe defeated by the Halving Blade. Perhaps you want to revolt today? The swords could not understand what she said and continued to float silentlyin the rain. Cold rain dripped from the miserable broken edge of the DemonCommanders Banner Sword, falling onto the flat portion of the upper half ofthe Mountain Sea Sword. It did not respond to her. Nanke raised the Soul Wood in her hand. The color of the Soul Wood after beingwet by the rain took on a darker shade by the minute. The monster tide surrounding the mausoleum had been growing restless for along time already, and at this moment, in the aftermath of her action, itslipped further into its berserk state. Countless mournful cries from themonsters resounded, traveling up from the surface of the grassland into the thecurtain of rain like a shockwave. She did not want to do it like this, but Chen Changsheng and those swordsforced her hand. At that moment, she could not care anymore, even if theMausoleum of Zhou would be contaminated by countless inferior monsters. The Soul Wood suddenly began to glow brightly. With the countless, terrifying roars of anger, a veritable host of waves beganto rise from the black ocean that comprised the monster tide. The grasslandbegan to tremble, soon including the mausoleum. Droves of monsters began tolaunch their attacks. Nanke looked at him and yelled, Chen Changsheng, do you think that you canrely on some old, broken swords to survive? Chen Changsheng looked on at the endless monster sea surrounding the mausoleumand said nothing.
332 Old Swords and the Teenager Part Three
When that sword intent had first appeared, and when the metal sword had cometo Chen Changsheng''s side, the ocean of monsters surrounding the mausoleum hadresponded. Whether it was with fear or anger, they had grown restless, albeitsuppressed by Nanke shortly after. Now, along with the dazzling radiance of theSoul Wood, this restriction suddenly disappeared. The myriad monsters in theplains could no longer endure. One by one, they began to madly rush towards themausoleum. The earth shook for a moment, and then the torrential downpour thatfell from the gloomy lightless sky seemed to carry a bloody and foul smell. Only that dreadful shadow maintained its silence. Although it had descendedslightly, it neither revealed its divine might nor acted upon this impetus.Perhaps because of the great peng''s actions, the high-class monsters deepwithin the plains at the peak of Star Condensation had not joined the monstertide in surrounding the mausoleum. It was not that they were opposing thesummons of the Soul Wood, nor were they resisting Nanke''s will, but it wassimply that they were highly intelligent and could faintly sense that somethingvery serious lay in store, growing extremely wary as a result. Of course, thisserious matter had something to do with the Garden of Zhou. Countless monsters transformed into black waves that, one after the other,rushed towards the mausoleum. The sky above the usually silent Plains of theUnsetting Sun had long turned into an unbearable cacophony. The pools of waterbeneath the weeds parted as they were sliced into countless pieces by sharpmonster claws, subsequently crushed flat by scaly stomachs. The mud wasconstantly sent flying, and the clear water turned incomparably turbid. Suchgrandeur and forcefulness was truly terrifying to behold. Just as was saidbefore, even if a Saint was present, they would still be unable to completelykill off that unending stream of monsters rushing towards the mausoleum. Theycould only escape. As Chen Changsheng stood in the downpour and saw this scene,he naturally wanted to run away, but he had no avenue of escape from them. Around his body, a bit more than ten famous swords calmly floated around himin the rain. These swords had caused a great many changes in the human world,yet now they were subject to the same such change, marked by spots ofintermittent rust on their bodies of metal. When they first emerged, they didso with great fanfare and astounding power, but in the end, they could nolonger recover their past grandeur and magnificence. Crucially, those peerlessexperts who once wielded these swords had passed away long ago. With just these swords, it was impossible to oppose the attacks of thesemonsters. If he wanted to become an unyielding boulder in the face of thisocean, he required even more swords. Through those heavy curtains of rain, Chen Changsheng''s gaze looked all aroundhim to the plains around the mausoleum, examining that terrifying monster tidewhile unyieldingly searching for even more swords. Those swords should be inthe Sword Pool. For some reason or another, they did not appear like theMountain Sea Sword. They were still waiting for his summons, or perhaps theywanted to be persuaded. However, where was the Sword Pool? "If you are here, please come out and approach me, because I need you." These were his thoughts, which he imbued into the handle of the tremblingYellow Paper Umbrella. Through the canvas of the umbrella, it spread outtowards that boundless plain. He looked at the distant plains that were dreary and blurred from the rain;then he looked at the nearby groaning plains that had been diced apart by themonster claws and crushed flat by the dragon serpents. In his heart, hesilently called out to the Sword Pool somewhere out there, "I will take you outof this abandoned old garden. Perhaps you might continue to sleep, but atleast it won''t be in these plains in which there is never night and in whichyou can never sleep peacefully." The monster tide grew closer and closer. They were already on the divine pathin front of the mausoleum, only several li away. Standing at the edge of thestone platform, Chen Changsheng could even clearly make out that foremostPurple Lightning Leopard''s blood-red mouth and the saliva dripping from thecorner of its lips, catching a whiff of the stink being emitted by that saliva. At this moment, he abruptly felt a vibration. This vibration had nothing to do with the monster tide, nor anything to dowith the torrential rain. This vibration came from deep within the sea of grass. It was deep within theearth, extremely subtle and somewhat weak, yet it was just that clear. The Purple Lightning Leopard was like a real bolt of purple lightning,breaking through the dense grass and lunging at the mausoleum. Its blood-redeyes were filled with a bloodthirsty, frenzied Qi. Suddenly, a hint of wariness appeared in its eyes, and then they split open. Soon after, the corner of its mouth also split open, its dripping salivamixing with the blood and turning the area into a smear of bloody red. It sensed danger and madly increased its speed, attempting to escape thatvibration. The vibration was truly very feeble. Its movement through the earth seemedunhurried. Yet the bolt of lightning that was the Purple Lightning Leopard could notthrow off that vibration. In the falling rain, there was a light tearing sound. Rip! The Purple Lightning Leopard''s body was torn into pieces, turning into morethan a dozen bloody chunks, splitting apart as it ran. Yet each chunk stillmaintained velocity, falling to the ground only after several dozen zhang. This picture was extremely strange and terrifying. In a pawprint left behind by the Purple Lightning Leopard, the soft mud wasincessantly roiling. A sword slowly appeared. This was only half a sword, its hilt deeply scored with rust, the half-bladecovered in mud. It presented an extremely miserable sight, not much differentfrom a piece of scrap metal. This half blade calmly rested amidst the mud and stirred up the grass. The rain continued to fall. In the shower of rain, the mud on the swords bodywas slowly washed off, but it could not wipe away the rust. It remained as drabas ever without a single semblance of a shining edge. Yet it was still a littlecleaner in the end. This half sword incessantly trembled, struggling,attempting to leave the ground it was like a heavily wounded soldier supportedby crutches that still wanted to stand up once more and slay the enemy. After some time, the broken sword took off from the ground and crookedly flewtowards the mausoleum. It seemed like it could fall back to the ground at anytime. In the Plains of the Unsetting Sun, the monster with a speed that was onlysecond to the Purple Lightning Leopard was the Wind Wolf. These monsters wereborn from a cross between the wolf packs of the snowy plains and the DemonWolves of the Great Western Continent. They innately possessed an unimaginablespeed. It was said that they were the only monsters capable of successfullycatching a Red Falcon. Of course, this was mostly attributable to thecollective battle power and persevering patience of the Wind Wolves. The bizarre death of the Purple Lightning Leopard in front of them did notcause that pack of Wind Wolves to slow down in the slightest. As the mostdevoted and most bloodthirsty guardian of the Mausoleum of Zhou, when the headof the pack received the orders from the Soul Wood, it wanted to rip to shredsthose intruders that had dared to enter the mausoleum. Most importantly, evenif several of the Wind Wolves that made up this pack of several hundred were tofall at the hands of that shabby sword, there would always be more Wind Wolvesready to rush on over and assault the enemy. The wolf pack was extremely intelligent in terms of hunting. Previously, whenthey had been waiting, the head of the pack had taken his subordinates andnoiselessly pushed through the crowd of monsters, arriving on the White GrassPath. This was because the ground here was the firmest and the distance to themausoleum''s front door was closest. It was the ground best suited for charging. The cold white grass on the White Grass Path was smashed to bits and the wolfpack plunged across like the wind. Because their speed was too fast and theirnumbers too great, they brought with them an ear-piercing whistle. Yet in thenext moment, that wind-shattering whistle was supplanted by anotherwind-shattering sound. That sound was even more shrill, or so to say, even moresharp. That was the sound of sword intent tearing through the air. The strand of white hair at the tip of the Wind Wolf pack leader''s head wassevered by the wind. This strand of white hair was the defining characteristic of the Wind Wolvesthat separated them from all other wolves. It was also this strand of whitehair that contained the divine soul of the Wind Wolf, allowing them to travelwith the speed of the wind. Now, this white hair had been severed. The Wind Wolf pack leader gave a furious and unwilling howl, but before thishowl had completely come out of its mouth, it stopped, as if it had been cutdown by a sword. Countless cracks appeared on the White Grass Path, each of them parallel tothe direction of the mausoleum. They were like countless straight linesobstructing the charge of the Wind Wolves. As long as a Wind Wolf crossed one of these straight lines, they would besliced open by an unseen force. The wolf claws that treaded on the firm ground were severed. The wolf shoulders that carried bits of white grass were severed. The wolf tail was severed, and the wolf waist was severed. The several hundred Wind Wolves that made up the wolf pack, in the instantthose cracks appeared, were all severed. As if someone had dumped a big basket of rocks on the floor, the White Grasspath resounded with rumbling and tumbling. The countless corpses of the Wind Wolves were chopped into chunks and rolledaround the White Grass Path. Some of them rolled right off into the pools ofwater by the side of the path, while others were chopped into an even finerpowder by the sword intent. The path to the mausoleum was filled with severed limbs and dissected corpses.Filthy blood spurted all over the place, turning the White Grass Path into abloody path. The scent of blood assaulted the nostrils to the extreme. As the scent of blood drifted into the sky, those cracks of sword intent alsowent against the rain and soared up into the sky. Several thousand demon vultures were flying high up in the sky in craftysilence. These monsters were powerful and sinister. At the beginning, even XuYourong had to burn up the last of her Heavenly Phoenix true blood to kill thatflock of demon vultures. Unlike the other monsters, they didn''t crazily cryout, instead stealthily flying towards the mausoleum. It seemed like all that separated them from the mausoleum was empty sky. Therewas nothing obstructing their path, making it all the easier to launch a sneakattack. Yet those lines of sword intent had also arrived in the sky. The cracks of the plain seemed as though they wanted to tear asunder the sky. With a sudden burst of countless wretched cries, their severed wings slowlydrifted down to the ground in equal quantity to the rain. What fell even fasterdown to the plains was their beautiful blood. The several thousand demon vultures fell one by one. For a moment, they seemedto fall even more densely than the torrential rain. Those countless monsters that charged the mausoleum were all chopped topieces, turning into indistinct chunks of blood and flesh. The surface of the plains was covered with countless cracks. The weeds werechopped into bits and the mud was chopped into tiny chunks. Countless lines ofsword intent horizontally ascended upwards into the sky. Even that rain cloud high up in the sky was sliced apart, transforming intocountless puffs that could only float off in frustration. The downpour, just like this, ended. The setting sun that was not at all like a sun at the edge of the plainsfinally had the opportunity to spill its warm light onto the mausoleum. Monster corpses were strewn across every inch of the ground. Occasionally,there would be a heavily injured monster that had not yet died, constantlygiving off mournful and miserable cries in its death throes. The monster tide that was initially rushing towards the mausoleum paused. Theyno longer dared to continue forward and slowly bobbed up and down. This was a blood-red world. The black monster tide was also gradually turning into a calm red sea. After that mausoleum in the center of the monster tide had been soaked in therain, its color had become extremely dark. Right now, it looked just like ablack boulder in the middle of a red sea. No matter how swift the wind and waves or how violent the rainstorm, it couldnot be moved in the slightest. Compared to this blood-red world and the black mausoleum, the truly shockingscene could be found in the plains around the mausoleum. A broken sword strenuously flew into the sky, brightly whistling. An old sword broke through the water, carrying with it the sound of muddywater spattering off. An ancient sword split through a rock, grinding against the stone. Several dozen swords. Several hundred swords. Several thousand swords. Perhaps strenuously, perhaps hesitantly, perhaps joyously breaking through theswamp and once again appearing in this world. Countless swords appeared in the sky around the mausoleum. These plains were covered with pools of water. It seemed very much like awetland, or even a swamp. For several hundred years, countless people had sought out the Sword Pool, yetnone of them had found it. They had not even found the slightest clue on theSword Pool. Because no one had ever thought that the Sword Pool was actually this big. The Sword Pool was not a mountain pool, nor was it a cold pool. Those swords had always been in these plains. These boundless and incomparably vast plains themselves were the Sword Pool. No, how could this be a pool? This was obviously a sea. A Sword Sea. The plains were deathly silent. Chen Changsheng silently stood at the edge of the stone platform and gazed atthis scene before him. Previously, he had already faintly guessed at the Sword Pool''s trueappearance, but now that he personally saw these myriad swords appear, he wasstill shocked to the extreme. Nanke stood on the divine path and viewed this scene, her face expressionlessas she thought about something. Ning Qiu held her mouth shut so that she wouldnot give any cries of alarm while her companion Hua Cui had collapsed onto thewet ground. The zither-playing old man''s face was exceptionally pale, thezither in front of him covered in blood. It seemed like he did not even dare toglance behind him. Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wan''er withdrew their gazes and glanced into eachother''s eyes and saw each other''s apology and determination. No one said anything, and nobody moved. Even that monster tide in the plains had also slowly calmed down. Because those swords were flying towards the mausoleum. Countless swords flew through the warm light of the sun, seeming to obscurethe sky. As they got close to the mausoleum, those countless swords that had beenwashed in the rain began to reflect a glorious light, making them seem like asky full of stars. This scene was truly very beautiful. But those swords flew very slowly, not at all like just a few moments ago whenthey had burst forth with pride and power. The innumerable swords flew towards the mausoleum and slowly dispersed, as ifthey were soldiers getting into formation. The space between heaven and earth was filled with sword intent. The sword intents were once incomparably strong, but they were now weak. Whenthey interweaved with each other, it was somewhat chaotic. The sword intents did not have intelligence, but they had emotions, each andevery sort of complex emotion. To this mausoleum, the sword intents were cold and aggressive. To that youth standing on the mausoleum, it was like they were seeing an oldfriend, as though they were saying, he has called us to take us away from thisplace. That blade had been very heartless in their time, but the passage of time waseven more heartless. Some swords had slept within the sea of grass for centuries and had long beendamaged to an irrevocable extent. In the instant they were about to leave the plains, these swords had alreadyexploded with their greatest power. Yes, these swords were already old, covered in rust, and about to rot away. These swords were heavily injured soldiers, elderly men who could only walkforward with walking sticks. They should have long left the battlefield and returned to their fields. Itwas a pity that the fields here were no good, and this was not their home. Itwas just a cage. For several hundred years, they had never thought about leaving these plains.Ultimately, one of their companions succeeded and carried with it their desires. Yet this companion never returned. Until today, just as those swords were about to lose all hope, their oldfriend had finally returned. A youth had come back to these plains with their desires. These swords were old, but this youth was in his spring. Chen Changsheng''s thirst for freedom, his adoration for life; it was so pureand resolute. It was like a clear wind that stirred them awake. They had heard his call, believed in his will, and thus heroically appearedonce more. An old sword still had some power, a broken edge could still kill the enemy. Their will subsumed these thousand li. They wanted to go further than those thousand li.
333 A Monster Like a Mountain
Looking back over a thousand years ago, centuries before Zhou had disappeared,countless experts were defeated at his hands in those hundreds of years.Countless renowned swords were broken under his blade and were buried in thisgrassland in the Garden of Zhou. This grassland was the Sword Pool, or perhapsmore-so the Sword Sea. The proudest and strongest blade within madepreparations for a long time and subsequently began to attempt to leave thisgrassland to see the light again. It broke the restriction at the edge of thegrassland and quickly entered the small lake nearby until it reached the worldthrough the mountain range. It was like a fish swimming in a great lake andreturned to the cold lake where the stream started by going through the bottomof it. It borrowed the complicated structure of the Garden of Zhou to avoid therules within it and finally succeeded. Unfortunately, the sword was unable to reach complete success. When it leftthe grassland, in order to resist against the restrictions that had been setdown by Zhou Dufu, the sword intent remained in the grassland and foughtagainst the Qi that exuded from the stone pillars. Only the body of the swordhad arrived in the forest by the lake, which was then slowly covered up byfallen leaves. The sword and the intent were separated. One day, a Mount Li disciple called Su Li came to the Garden of Zhou. Hewalked into the quiet forest, and stepped past the rotting leaves. He lifted upthe sword body that had already begun to rust and was no longer as it wasbefore, and then he took it out of the Garden of Zhou. The sword intent wasstill trapped inside the grassland, waiting silently and alone. After anotherseveral centuries, a student of the Orthodox Academy called Chen Changshengcame to the Garden of Zhou. He carried a Yellow Paper Umbrella in hand, and thesword and intent finally met again. Only because of that did the ten thousandswords soaring in the sky exist. The histories full of unyielding resistance belonged to the sword and the tenthousand swords. Chen Changsheng was unable to understand the recollection, sohe naturally was unable to understand these details. However, he held theYellow Paper Umbrella and stood between the ten thousand broken swords andgained an even deeper understanding to the emotions given off by their swordintents. The swords wanted to leave the Garden of Zhou. Other than that, they had noother requests. Then, they should leave together. Just as he had said to the sword intent before, and as he had said to XuYourong, at this moment, he made a promise to the countless swords surroundingthe mausoleum. It was dusk around the mausoleum. The red, warm light turned slightly cold,and there was the smell of dirt and rust everywhere. Ten thousand old swords inhorrible conditions burst out with the hatred and power they had saved up forcenturies as soon as they appeared, and at least a third of all the monsterwere killed. The black monster tide was thus temporarily suppressed. However, the monster tide only grew silent temporarily. It was impossible forthe ten thousand swords in horrible conditions to continue to release such apowerful sword intent. With the flow of time, the monster tide began to rushforth once again, giving angry howls at the swords in the sky. It was not knownwhether it was because of the blood on the grassland, but the howls seemed evenmore terrifying and bloody. The Sword Pool finally appeared. Ten thousand swords floated high in the sky. Looking at the scene, no matter if it was the zither-playing old man or themaids, they all paled and almost fell into despair. The powerful demon generalcouple also displayed an abnormally serious expression, and even some ominoussigns could be seen in their eyes. Nankes small face instead did not revealany fear, and she only stayed silent for a while. Through the countless swords, she looked at Chen Changsheng who stood beforethe main entrance of the mausoleum. Her voice was as cold and as hard asthousand-year-old ice, Do you think you can change the ending of the storylike this? Before, when the Mountain Sea Sword arrived through the air, she saidsomething similar to Chen Changsheng. At that time, Chen Changsheng did notreply and only pointed at her from afar with the heavy metal sword.Concurrently, he also did not reply. With his gaze, the hundreds of sworddirectly in front of the mausoleum slowly turned to point at her. Actions were always more powerful than words. They could be used to persuadepeople, and they could also be used to kill people. Looking at this scene, the corner of Nankes lips curled slightly. Looking atthe swords, she said in disdain, A bunch of defeated swordshow can you try toact brave? These swords were swords that once had great reputations in the continent, andtheir owners were true experts. However, in the end, they still suffered defeatunder the Halving Blade and were inevitably buried by Zhou Dufu in thisgrassland. They suffered under the wind, rain and the endless sun for hundredsof years. They were either broken or in a horrible condition, covered inintermittent stains of rust. Nanke believed that she was the successor of the Garden of Zhou. How could shelet these swords leave? She raised the black Soul Wood in her hand and gazed at the swords in thesurrounding sky of the mausoleum expressionlessly. The black piece of Soul Wood suddenly began to glow brightly again in responseto her action, except it was even more concentrated than before, reminiscent ofa luminous pearl that began to shine thousands of times brighter. At the sametime, her indifferent voice resounded once again, Defeat is defeat. Centuriesago, you suffered defeat, and centuries later, you will still suffer defeat. When her voice faded away, her feet left the divine path, and she slowlyfloated up into the sky. The horrible rain fell. Her dress floated slightly, and her black hair dancedin the air. The feeling of immaturity in her eyes slowly disappeared, and onlya coldness that was rich in demonic malice remained. A powerful Qi dispersedinto the surroundings from her small body. Dozens of black streams of airfluttered around her akin to ribbons. Chen Changsheng had never underestimated this powerful, and even terrifying,Demon Princess. Not to mention the fact that she was the only disciple of BlackRobe, it was obvious that she had some relationship with the Garden of Zhou, sowho knew what other techniques she still had up her sleeve? Hearing herdisdainful and confident words, he knew that he could not allow the situationto continue. With the slight control of his spiritual sense, a sword flewthrough the wind. The heavy Mountain Sea Sword chopped towards Nanke, who was above the divinepath, with a huge gust of wind. The Teng Xiaoming and Liu Waner couple were already long prepared. Leaping upexplosively, they forcefully blocked the sword with their powerful level ofcultivation. The Mountain Sea Sword was very wide and big. Behind it hid a graceful sword. Between life and death, Chen Changsheng had also learnt such cold, craftymethods. The graceful Yue Maiden Sword borrowed the gust of wind created by theMountain Sea Sword to hide in and soundlessly broke through the obstructions ofthe Demon General couple. It arrived in front of Nanke, and with a soft swish,it was thrust towards her forehead. At this moment, Nanke had already closed her eyes. Her forehead that seemed alittle wide was snow white. She did not have any emotions and also did not seethe arrival of the graceful sword. The broken zither string made no sound and floated gently. The zither-playingold man, who seemed already be at the brink of death, yelled loudly, pushingoff the floating zither string with his feet. He took a few strides in the airand arrived before Nanke. He used his own body to block the graceful sword.With a squelch, the graceful sword pierced through the throat of thezither-playing old man, fresh blood squirting out. In the gust of wind, the metal sword that was heavy like a mountain suppressedthe Demon General couple. The dead body of the old man fell towards the ground.Although he blocked the Yue Maiden Sword for a moment, Nanke still had notreturned to her senses. How could Chen Changsheng lose such an opportunity? Heextended his hand and grabbed the broken Demon Commanders Banner Sword. From adistance hundreds of zhang away, he chopped at Nanke. Above the divine path, which the rain fell on, there was a sudden flappingwind susurrus, as if an invisible flag was floating in the wind. The army banner flapped, and the sword intent burst forth. The DemonCommanders Banner Sword, which already had the front portion broken, produceda bitter, cold sword ray. Chen Changsheng did not know the banner sword style, but he wanted to try andsee whether he could use the sword style of demons to break the defence of thedemon princess. Unfortunately, he was unable to see the result of the strike,because he suddenly felt a sign of danger in the sea of consciousness. It madehim forcefully pull back the Demon Commanders Banner Sword, holding ithorizontally before his eyes. Clang~! The Demon Commanders Banner Sword that only had half of it remaining trembledviolently in the air by the edge of the stone platform, producing a ratherunwilling resonance. Chen Changsheng felt a wave of great pain in his wrist. If it was not for hisastonishing willpower, perhaps the Demon Commanders Banner Sword would havealready left his hand. Where did the arrow come from? In the surroundings of the main entrance of the mausoleum in front of him, hedid not see any arrows and only saw a fine strand of hair that floated gentlyabove the divine path. Was the thing the Demon Commanders Banner Sword had blocked not an arrow butrather a fine hair? He gazed at the grassland below the mausoleum.
334 Ten Thousand Swords Form an Army
As the Soul Wood in Nanke''s hand glowed once more, that monster tide which hadbeen somewhat pacified by the shocking appearance of those innumerable swordsonce again flew into a frenzy. Yet that enormous figure standing in the depths of the monster tide remainedas stable as a mountain. It was a Monster Bull, the legendary Monster Bull. The reason it was called ''legendary'' was because, as recorded in the Daoistscriptures, tens of thousands of years ago, the humans and demons had paid anenormous price to render these monsters extinct. It was also because thesemonsters possessed an extraordinary strength, which had become its own sort oflegend. The Monster Bull possessed a fighting power similar to that of the upper levelof Star Condensation. Although their souls had not been enlightened and theydid not possess true intelligence, thus falling short of a human upper levelStar Condensation expert, in the mountains and wastelands in which they lived,they were absolutely on par with those human upper level Star Condensationexperts, and perhaps even more powerful than them in terms of destructivepower. The reason for this was that the Monster Bull was the rarely seen typeof monster that was skilled at long-range attacks. The Monster Bull''s body was as massive as a mountain, its surface covered witha natural layer of solid armor. The tip of its solitary horn could piercethrough rock. Its most special characteristic was also the one which spawned the most fearand unease. It was that slender tail on its behind, covered in black hair. Whenit was sitting down, its slender tail would curl up in a pile. When itencountered an enemy, or prey, the slender tail would straighten itself andthen wrap itself around the horn at the top of the head. The final result wasthat the tail became a bowstring while its body turned into an enormous bow. This was a truly mystical matter, but what was even more incomprehensible wasthat the arrows used by this massive mountainous bow were actually those finehairs on its tail. What those black hairs were made of was a mystery. On theMonster Bull''s body, they were as soft as silk, yet when they were launchedfrom the tailstring, they became as firm as iron, as fast as lightning, andimpossible to avoid! With the strength of the upper level of Star Condensation coupled with such astrange and unstoppable method of attack, this terrifying monster slew manyexperts even as the humans and demons conquered the continent. The tales of theMonster Bull''s might spread far and wide to the extent that some people evensuspected it to possess the bloodline of the Unicorn. Of course, this sort ofconjecture was not very widely accepted. Who knew how many single-hornedmonsters existed in the misty mountains and abysses of the continent? TheUnicorn was such a pure divine beasthow could it leave behind such murderousdescendants? Seeing that massive figure in the monster tide that was slowly straighteningitself, that Monster Bull like a mountain peak rising from the ground, ChenChangsheng felt that the hand holding the Demon Commander''s Banner Sword wassomewhat cold. Even separated by several dozen li, he felt like he could seeits eyes. They were two tiny eyes, as small as a grain of rice, emitting a dulldusky light. They were a pair of abnormally frightening eyes. It was just a feeling, but he firmly believed that this monster could see intohis own eyeselse how could he feel threatened from so far away? Chen Changsheng knew that this horrifying monster would soon launch anunending stream of long-distance attacks at him, but before he could respond tothose arrows of hair filled with boundless power, he had many other problems toresolvefor instance, the grumbling that he could faintly hear rising up fromthe front of the divine path, or those thunderous earth-shattering booms comingfrom the middle of the monster tide. That grumbling sound was very weak. If he did not know how terrifying theowner of that sound was, he might have even thought it was somewhat cute. Chen Changsheng clearly remembered that in the Four Seas Scroll of the DaoistCanon, there was a monster recorded that called out just like this. That monster was called the Earth Monkey. It had a thin and small body and itsfur was the color of yellow earth. Its fierce teeth and neck were bothextremely long. It could stand up like a human, but it would run on all fours.It was incomparably swift, and moreover, its claws and teeth were both verysharp, such that it could be said that there was nothing it could not breakthrough. Its temperament was cruel and bloodthirsty, and its favorite meal washuman flesh. The most frightening thing was that this monster was highlyskilled at traveling stealthily, its movements so miraculous that it seemed totravel underground. It was incredibly difficult to track it down. Even anopponent that was many times stronger than it would often be caught off guard.They would be ambushed and then be eaten alive and thus die. It was anextremely horrifying picture. Yet what made him the most wary was that thundering coming from the ocean thatwas the monster tide. The thunder was the sound of the ground cracking apart. This was not caused bysword intent rising upwards but by some monster with boundless strength tearingapart the earth as it angrily roared. He saw the dreadful figure which was like a mountain amidst the monster tide,and he knew that it had not completely stood up. Rather, it was bending itswaist as it searched for a weapon. This weapon could be a mountain, or it couldalso be those solid rocks that lay underneath the soft mud. The bigger andheavier the rock, the easier it would be to use. This monster was called the Mountain-toppling Fiend. It had a long mouth andcoiled horns, and possessed an unimaginably brutish strength. Its strength wassuch that it could push down mountains, then use the hills as weapons and throwcrushed stones that they seemed like stars. The gales that were its roars werelike knives. It was fearless beyond compare, and the Pavilion of Divination hadranked it third on its ranking of monsters. The Monster Bull, the Earth Monkey, and the Mountain-toppling Fiendthey wereall monsters that had the qualifications for their names to be entered in theDaoist Canon, and they were terrifyingly strong. They had become legends, orperhaps been forgotten, but who would think that in this day and age in whichhumans and demons had long reigned over the continent, their figures would befound in these plains of the Garden of Zhou? The restrictive rules of the Garden of Zhou that governed what level ofcultivation humans needed to be to enter seemed to have no effect on thesemonsters. It was no wonder that over these past few centuries, all the humancultivators and demons that had entered these Plains of the Unsetting Sun hadnever come out. It seemed that they had already become food for thesehorrifying monsters. A black hair soared across from the horizon, almost causing Chen Changsheng tolose his grip on the Demon Commander''s Banner Sword. The grumbling soundnearing the mausoleum and the thunderous noises from the distant plains enteredhis ear and made his face go deathly pale. For an instant, he had felt theshadow of death upon him. Previously, because of that massive shadow, these high-ranked monsters hadremained silent. Now that the ten thousand swords had ascended to the sky andNanke danced amidst the remnants of the rain, they no longer remained silent.Thus, three unimaginably powerful Qis began to spread out in front of themausoleum, then they began to grow increasingly berserk. Chen Changsheng was only at the upper level of Ethereal Opening. Even withthese countless swords by his side, he could not change this fact. These threeupper level Star Condensation monsters, whether it was in cultivation orstrength, were capable of crushing him. He even found it hard to resist thepressure of these three monsters, so what could he do? Suddenly he recalled that on their way to the Mausoleum of Zhou, Nanke hadwanted to shadow them and thus used the Soul Wood to forbid those monsters fromattacking. If she had not, then perhaps they would have already died. As forwhy Nanke did not have those monsters lead the way, they had their speculations. "These monsters don''t necessarily listen to your orders." Chen Changsheng gazed upwards at that colossal shadow in the sky and thoughtabout the legendary monster, half a step into the Saint realm, that lay behindthat shadow. After a moment of silence, he turned to Nanke and said those words. The remnants of rain fell from those scattered clouds in the sky: drip dropdrip drop. Nanke''s eyes were closed while her black hair madly danced behindher small body. The Soul Wood floated in front of her, growing ever brighter,like it was about to turn transparent. She paid no attention to his words, orperhaps she did not even hear them. The monster tide continued to sweep towards the mausoleum. The nearby plainsthat had just been dyed blood-red were quickly covered up by the black ocean. The sinister grumbling sound was growing weaker and weaker, but this did notmean that the terrifying Earth Monkey was leaving. On the contrary, itsignified that it was preparing to launch its attack! The Mountain-toppling Fiend was in the waters of the plain. It had finallyfound a several zhang long stone beam and stood straight up. Thus, a hillappeared in the middle of the monster tide. Behind the black ocean, the Monster Bull silently gazed at the mausoleum. Itseyes the size of grains of rice emitted a dusky light as they rested on ChenChangsheng''s body. Its slender tail curled around the horn on its head, andthen stretched tight, with several thousand black hairs densely arranged on itssurface. It was impossible for Chen Changsheng to defeat these three high-rankedmonsters, but he did not fear them. His eyes were still bright, just like thebrightest lights of those countless damaged swords that surrounded themausoleum. Around the mausoleum, the cold wind gently blew and the ten thousand swordssoftly cried. The distant monster tide was like an ocean, the great monsters like mountains. The Mountain Sea Sword flew back in front of him, slightly trembling. To move and to not move were two incompatible actions. The swords and themonsters would inevitably clash in battle. If these damaged swords were to go off on their own and battle with themonster tide, then in their disorganized action, they would most likely fallone by one and thus perish. But now, he was here. The ten thousand swords were an army. Perhaps some would be soldiers, orperhaps the vanguard, or perhaps the center of the army, but he was the general. How should he command these countless swords in this battle? He did not know. Even though he had studied the Daoist Canon since he was achild, even though he had completely memorized every book the Orthodox Academyhad on cultivation, he still could not have not learned all these ten thousandsword styles. No one could do this. Then how could he command these innumerableswords so that they could express their full might? He grasped the Yellow Paper Umbrella and sensed the message transmitted bythat sword intent. Entering the plains, finding the Mausoleum of Zhou, and the appearance of theSword Poolall of these things had to do with this strand of sword intent. Perhaps that was the answer. He sensed that sword intent''s pride and calmness. Pride and calmness were two entirely different emotions, even slightlycontradictory. For the most part, they would not appear together at the sametime, whether it was with a sword intent or a person. Strangely, Chen Changsheng felt this mixture of pride and steadiness to bevery familiar. It was not the sort of familiarity he had with the Daoist Canonwhich he could memorize back to front, but a true familiarity. It was the sortof familiarity he had seen with his eyes, sensed with his soul, and evenbattled with. The answer came very simply. This was the sword intent of Mount Li. He hadonce felt it on the bodies of those young geniuses from Mount Li Guan Feibaiwas arrogant and conceited, thus cold; Gou Hanshi was calm and warm, thus kind;Liang Banhu was silent and taciturn, thus trustworthy; and Qi Jian possessedall three of their traits. Originally this sword intent had come from Mount Li. He observed the YellowPaper Umbrella in silence. At this moment, he still did not know that this strand of sword intentbelonged to the legendary Heaven Shrouding Sword, but he knew what he should donow. Even if Zhou Dufu was reborn, he would not be able to use ten thousand swordintents to command ten thousand damaged swords to display ten thousand swordstyles, so there was no hope for him to do so. Yet he could use this swordintent from Mount Li to command the ten thousand swords to use the ten thousandsword styles of Mount Li. The only question he had to address was how tosimultaneously control a legion of spiritual senses. When there is only one problem to solve, that question would often be the mostdifficult to resolve. Even the philosopher of metaphysics in the Li Palacewhich thought of strange things every day would not believe that there wassomeone who could split their spiritual sense into countless strands. There wasnot even a need to try, but Chen Changsheng wanted to attempt it. His left hand gripped the handle of the Yellow Paper Umbrella. His spiritualsense swiftly moved, commanding the sword intent in the umbrella to scatteraround the mausoleum. In an instant, it made contact with those damaged swords.He clearly sensed the remnants of sword intent within those damaged swords.Those sword intents were already exhausted and weak, and some of them were sofaint that he could barely sense them. He respectfully and firmly requested those sword intents to yield and handover their control. The tyrannical Mountain Sea Sword agreed. The aloof temple sword agreed.
335 The Swords Flying in the Grassland were like Mount Li
All of the swords were in consensus, including the sword that was in the airin front of the main entrance of the mausoleum. It was the sword that flew thehighest, glowed the brightest to the point that it was blinding, and was at thesame time the proudest. It also did not disagree. However, the sword trembledslightly and resonated and seemed slightly in disdain towards the sword intentthat entered it, ignoring its origin completely. Now, the Mount Li sword intent already connected to the ten thousand swords.What he needed to do was to let the ten thousand swords use sword moves throughthe sword intent, and the move used obviously should have been from the MountLi Sword Stylebecause of his engagement with Xu Yourong and the many mattersthat happened in the capital, between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount LiSword Sect, between him and the Divine States Seven Laws that was representedby Qiushan Jun, there was an almost irresolvable hatred. However,interestingly, what he knew the most was the Mount Li Sword Style. It was because the secrets of the Mount Li Sword Style had always been withhim, and also because, ever since he started cultivating, all of the geniusopponents he fought against came from Mount Li. The Mount Li Sword Sect was the sword of the main mountain of the southernsects. They cultivated in the path of the sword every generation, and it wasunknown as to how many sword styles they had created since the ancient times.There were over thirty thousand moves that were eligible of entering thesecrets of the Mount Li Sword Style, and they had all been firmly remembered byhim. Of course, it was impossible for him to use a short year to completelygrasp all of the sword intents that were needed in all the different swordmoves, but right now, with the help of the Mount Li sword intent in the YellowPaper Umbrella, he did not have any difficulties in using the Mount Li SwordStyle. The greatest problem was still his spiritual sense. Just how many times could he split his spiritual sense? Just how many swordscould he control to use the Mount Li Sword Style? In the initial sunny sky right after the rain, Nankes eyes were closed. Hersmall face was pale, and her black hair danced. The Soul Wood glowed brightly,and she commanded the monsters to attack the mausoleum. At the same time, sheprepared for a final strike. Looking at her and the black sea formed by themonster tide behind her, as well as the two terrifying and huge monsters thatwere like mountains, Chen Changsheng also closed his eyes. There were over thirty thousand sword moves in the secrets of the Mount LiSword Style. At an unimaginable speed, they all transformed into images thatseemed real and rushed past him in his sea of consciousness without end. In the surroundings of the mausoleum, there was a series of quiet grindingsounds. Afterwards, vague squeaking sounds could be heard, sometimes from theeast and sometimes from the west. They travelled several li in a moment, makingit completely impossible to clearly locate where they came from. Naturally, itwas even more impossible to attack. The treacherous and huge Earth Monkeyarrived. Chen Changsheng kept his eyes closed and then suddenly raised his right arm,pointing at a certain direction in front of the divine path. As he pointed, a concentrated yet extremely sharp series of swords resonatedin the air before the mausoleum. A hundred swords pierced through the sky. By the willow leaves, through the eighteen twists of the mountain path andbefore the ravine of Horse Mountain. The sword moves were all the Mountain Gate Style of the Mount Li Sword Sect. From the first move to the last move, the hundred swords all performed onehundred moves. This was equal to one hundred Mount Li Sword Sect disciples performing swordmoves at the same time. Logically, it was impossible for Chen Changsheng to be so plentiful in trueessence. However, it cannot be forgotten that these swords were currentlyburning their own lives. This was their final battle. With his current level ofcultivation and the extremely powerful Heaven Shrouding Sword intent, the powerthat the one hundred swords burst forth with could not be compared to the movesperformed by normal Mount Li Sword Sect disciples. Instead, it was at the levelof inner sect disciples, or even the Divine States Seven Laws. One hundred Liang Banhus, one hundred Qi Jians, or even one hundred GuanFeibais performing sword moves at the same time. Just how powerful would thisbe? Even if it was an expert at peak Star Condensation realm, he would be unableto receive the sword ray head-on. What about upper level Star Condensationrealm monsters? The sword rays crisscrossed before the divine path and rushed forth swiftlyand fiercely, completely purging the front portion of the divine path. Amountain gate formed by sword rays stood before the divine path in a grandfashion. The mountain gate stood towering and grandiose, solemn and sacred, asif it came from Mount Li. A roar of anger and frustration reverberated from underground, and closelyfollowing it, the ground opened up. The Earth Monkey transformed into a streaktrailing a strand of black blood and rushed towards the outer area of themausoleum for dear life. It was actually heavily injured with one strike. The one hundred swords did not chase and instead slowly bobbed up and down inthe air in front of the divine path. The mountain gate became misty, as if it was in the clouds. With the clouds, it seemed moist. The dark clouds that were sliced by thesword intents, in accordance with natural laws, slowly began to draw togetheronce more. It began to rain once again, only that it was lighter by a lot. Nankes eyes remained closed, and the drizzle drenched her pale face. The zither-playing old man fell on the divine path, covered in blood. He wasalready dead. Ning Qiu had fainted, and so had Hua Cui. Only the powerful DemonGeneral couple remained standing. They held onto the bent metal pole and themetal pot with the broken bottom and stood under Nanke, protecting her. Looking at the mountain gate formed by the one hundred swords, the expressionsof the couple both became seriouswith one hundred swords actingsimultaneously, terrifying monsters at the upper level of Star Condensationwere immediately injured, so it was needless to mention the two of them withtheir suppressed cultivation level at the upper realm of Ethereal Opening. Evenif they could recover their powerful battle capabilities from outside theGarden of Zhou, could they receive the violent attacks from the swords? What caused them to be most shocked and confused was why Chen Changshengsspiritual sense had reached such a level; that he was actually able to split itinto one hundred portions and use one hundred swords to perform one hundredsword moves. In the continent, had something like this ever occurred before? The Soul Wood before Nanke grew brighter and brighter, and the shadow in thesky dropped lower and lower, almost reaching right above her. The monster tide with the semblance of a black ocean finally arrived in thesurroundings of the mausoleum. It spread out and then rushed forwards,beginning its attacks. Countless monsters leapt onto the great stones of themausoleum while howling and roaring, quickly climbing upwards. In a very shortamount of time, the lower half of the mausoleum was swallowed by the monstertide, becoming a mess. The monsters that were pressed together surgedincessantly, and it seemed slightly disgusting. The mausoleum was just too huge, and there were just too many monsters. Theywere everywhere. The one hundred swords on the divine path chopped and killedcontinually, like a true mountain gate, but they were not able to stop thepower of the monster tides advance. Chen Changsheng needed even more swords.The swords hovered in the sky above the mausoleum. Standing on the edge of the stone platform, his complexion turned slightlypale. He tightly closed his two eyes, causing his eyelashes to tremble slightly. Countless moves of the Mount Li Sword Style constantly flashed through his seaof consciousness. His spiritual sense and the sword intent landed on all of theswords through the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Ten thousand spiritual senses; ten thousand swords. Ten thousand sword rays; ten thousand swishes. Countless swift but fierce sword swishes echoed in the surroundings of themausoleum and immediately overtook the roars of the brutal monsters, claimingthe entire Plains of the Unsetting Sun. Countless swords flew through the air, flying and killing the monster tide. The drizzle could not cover up the setting sun at the edge of the grassland.The red light from the ball of light that did not seem to have any temperaturelanded on the swords. The swords were as if they had been set ablaze. The swords flew around thesurroundings of the mausoleum, travelling through the sky like golden crows. Golden Crow Returns to Mount Li. This was a sword move. An extremely powerful sword move. Swish swish swish swish! Countless concentrated sounds of slicing resonated. The several hundreds ofmonsters in the southwest of the mausoleum were sliced into pieces by thegolden sword rain. Several dozen swords dispersed in the northern skies of the mausoleum. Thesword energy brought out a tail that seemed like flowers blooming at a crazyrate. Many Flowers like Embroidery. This was also a sword move. On the ground of the grassland, countless deep sword slashes appearedinstantly. The ten or so dragon serpents that surged towards the mausoleum were cut intopieces, and the pieces of flesh constantly twitched in the blood. There were even more countless swords that flew through the sky violently,clashing with the sharp claws and teeth of the monsters. The fresh blood of the monsters and the glow of the swords mixed and dyed theworld. Under the remaining light of the setting sun, in the light drizzle, the swordsresonated above the sea of grass. The mausoleum was like a huge fishing boat. Three Chants of the Fishermans Song. It was still a sword move of Mount Li. Chen Changshengs face turned paler and paler, and the trembling of his bodybecame stronger and stronger. However, he grasped the Yellow Paper Umbrella and stood in the drizzle withoutfalling over in the end. As a result, the swords continued to fight. Hundreds of swords arrived before the Mountain-toppling Fiend that was like amountain. The Mountain-toppling Fiend gave out an angry roar, and the stone pillar inhis hand smashed towards the rain of swords with unbelievable power. An explosive resonance reverberated through the grassland. The rain of swords fell apart for a second before reforming once again, flyingto kill the Mountain-toppling Fiend. Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff. Pulling Stars Across the Day. Dew Droplet Falls from the Wutong Leaf. These were the three moves that were used successively in the battle betweenQi Jian and Tang Thirty-Six under Gou Hanshis guidance at the Ivy Festival ina previous instance. Today, it had been used by Chen Changsheng to handle this terrifying monster. On the body of the Mountain-toppling Fiend that stood like a mountain, severalhundreds of clear sword slashes appeared. Seeing this scene and seeing the countless scenes of gore around themausoleum, the solemn expression on the couple, Teng Xiaoming and Liu Waner,had already disappeared, leaving only pale complexions behind. It was unknownhow many experts of the human army they had seen on the snowy plains, and nomatter how shocking the scenes had been, they had seen it all. They also sawtoo many magical things today before the mausoleum. However, at this moment, they remained so shocked that they were speechless.
336 The Golden, Winged Great Peng Appears
To simultaneously control ten thousand swords required ten thousand strands ofspiritual sense. Who could possess such powerful spiritual sense? Even if ZhouDufu was reborn, even he would not be able to do it, and yet Chen Changshenghad done precisely this. For this reason, besides shock, Teng Xiaoming was evenmore perplexed. He did not understand how he was able to do such a thing. Back then in the library of the Orthodox Academy when Chen Changsheng wasfixing his Fated Star, his spiritual sense had spread out over the night sky ofthe capital. As the Divine Empress was observing the stars, she made thefollowing evaluation: "This person''s spiritual sense is so strong, his mind soserene. Such a person is very rare in this world. Perhaps this is some oldscholar who bitterly studied for a hundred years and then in one daycomprehended the principles of heaven and earth. Only in this way could thisperson have such good fortune. Just like Wang Zhice all those years ago, thisperson accumulated their strength and then rose up. Naturally, this is noordinary person." In this evaluation, the Divine Empress had compared ChenChangsheng to Wang Zhice, who had comprehended the Dao in a single night andcaused the night sky to shine with the radiance of the stars. From this, onecould imagine how powerful Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense was. Yet if itwere even stronger, it still would not have surpassed Zhou Dufu''s. The reasonwhy he could separate his spiritual sense into countless strands cruciallyrested on the second trait the Divine Empress had mentioned in her evaluation. The number of strands a spiritual sense could be divided into had nothing todo with a spiritual sense''s inherent strength, only with how stable it was. Zhou Dufu, this peerless expert, naturally possessed a spiritual sense manytimes more powerful than Chen Changsheng. That spiritual sense was like a solidand massive rock. It could be divided in two or even into several dozenstrands, but it could not be divided forever. At some point, they would benothing but tiny bits of gravel that could no longer be divided into anythingsmaller. Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense was incomparably serene. Although he couldnot have a spiritual sense as impregnable as an expert at Zhou Dufu''s level, hecould make it even softer and more yielding. Not like solid rock, but likewater. It could be divided into countless drops, then countless droplets, andthen mist. It was as if he could continue dividing it without end. Countless swords flew around the mausoleum, occasionally landing in themonster tide and subsequently erupting in a shower of blood. Sometimes, theywould encounter unyielding resistance that immediately broke some of thedamaged and old swords, making for a rather tragic sight. When the ten thousandswords had just begun their battle with the monster tide, several dozen of thefastest and most intact swords were led by the Mountain Sea Sword and commandedby Chen Changsheng''s spiritual sense to fly with focus and resolve deep intothe plains. With this, they finally arrived at the Monster Bull''s position. The Monster Bull''s grainy eyes emitted a ruthless, dusky light. The slendertail linked to its horn was stretched tight. The grass around it had long beensquashed flat by the berserk Qi it was emitting. The only sound to be heard wascountless densely packed soft swishes. The several thousand black hairs on itstail transformed into nearly invisible and sharp arrows that shot towards themausoleum. ''Dongdongdongdong!'' A series of successive strikes resounded out from thedepths of the plain. Those sounds were so packed together they seemed like onelong sound. Several dozen sword rays appeared in the air several li in front of theMonster Bull. They danced about in the air like lightning, accompanied by swordenergy that formed countless dense halos of light in the air. The severalthousand black hairs that had been shot out by the Monster Bull were completelyblocked by the sword rays. In the blink of an eye, the air was filled withseveral thousand tiny white vortexes. That was the result of sword energycolliding with those black hairs. The surface of the plains became covered withthousands of tiny thread-like cracks. The catfish and loaches that had luckilymanaged to survive for the time being did not even have time to burrow into themud before they were sliced into bits. The Mountain Sea Sword did not go to block those black hairs that wereshooting towards the mausoleum. It burst out of that ring of swords with theintent to kill. The heavy black sword body pierced through the air, giving offan ear-aching screech. From up high, it directly chopped at the horn on theMonster Bull''s head, using the Burning Heaven move that Su Li had personallycreated. The plain was filled with the sounds of swords cutting at tough monster skin.Chunks of meat flew everywhere as countless sword glows gradually dimmed.Innumerable monsters lay collapsed at either the feet of the mausoleum oramongst the weeds. The drizzle around the mausoleum was still falling, but whenwould this rain of swords over the plains cease? Nanke''s eyes were still closed, and the Soul Wood in front continued to shinebrighter and brighter. In that milky white light, her small face seemed evenmore pale. Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wan''er acted as protectors, emitting apowerful and determined Qi. Not a single sword approached her body. After who knows how long had passed, she finally opened her eyes. Thedrizzling rain fell upon her face, but that dark-green flame burning within hercold and emotionless pupils was not at all extinguished by the cold rain.Instead, for some reason, a sacred golden light floated around her pupils.Furthermore, that golden light was eroding away that green color. Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and gazed at her as she floated in front ofthe mausoleum''s main entrance. The two calmly gazed at each other, saying nothing. Nanke viewed herself as the successor to the Garden of Zhou. Her methodsoriginated from the restrictions that Zhou Dufu had left behind. Therestrictions had maintained the ten thousand damaged swords in the Garden ofZhou for several hundred years. Today, Chen Changsheng wanted to rely on thosecountless damaged swords and take them away. This would inevitably lead to thedestruction of the fundamental basis of the Garden of Zhou. It was somethingshe could not allow. So even if she had to risk the danger of being beheaded bythose swords, she had chosen to send her soul out of her body. Through this,she was able to make use of the most powerful method at her disposal to killChen Changsheng, return the ten thousand swords to their proper place, andrestore the plain to tranquility. Of course, Chen Changsheng would not accept this arrangement, regardless of itbeing the arrangements of fate or the arrangements made by Zhou Dufu prior tohis death. The battle between the ten thousand swords and the monster tide continued. Inthat short moment in which their gazes met, who knew how many horrifying andbloody scenes occurred? The two sides of this battle were swords and monsters,so there was naturally nobody talking. There was only the whistling of swordsand the howls of monsters. There were no killing cries, yet the killing intenton the plain soared to the heavens. After a short while, the monster tide gradually calmed and shortly afterslowly retreated to the outer perimeter of the mausoleum. Perhaps it wasbecause they realized it was impossible for them to break through those tenthousand damaged swords, or perhaps it was because Nanke had sent her commandthrough the Soul Wood, or perhaps it was because they had sensed something else. Chen Changsheng raised his right hand. As rain dripped upon it, the countlessswords in the plain returned. Several tens of thousands of lower-ranked monsters had died. The sinister andcrafty Earth Monkey had attempted a sneak attack on Chen Changsheng in the verybeginning. In the end, Chen Changsheng had successfully counterattacked, whichhad it suffer heavy injuries from the temple sword. With one hind leg choppedoff and one hind leg crippled, it could no longer stand up straight like ahuman. Hugging the thigh of the Mountain-toppling Fiend, it resentfully staredat the mausoleum, giving off angry grumbling sounds as if it was complaining. The Mountain-toppling Fiends massive body was extremely striking in themiddle of that ocean of a monster tide, but its tenacious body was covered withat least several thousand sword scars, both deep and small. Some swords hadsucceeded in breaking through its terrifying defense and striking at the flesh.Its body was drenched with blood that flowed down the broken stone beam in itshand, dripping down to the ground. The Monster Bull deep within the plains seemed to have suffered the lightestinjuries. It was just that the vast majority of the black hairs on its tail hadall been fired off, leaving only a few tufts. It was like it had been burned ina fire, leaving behind a mottled pattern. It was very sorry-looking and dismal,and also rather ridiculous. It was no longer as terrifying as it used to be. Countless swords flew back to the mausoleum. Some of the swords had beenbroken once more, leaving only a small section of the blade. They weresimilarly as dismal-looking as that Monster Bull, their state rather sorrowful.Some of the swords had been attacked by monster poison. The rust had beeneroded away, letting them shine once more, yet it was still hard for them tobear such an attack, and they tottered back to the mausoleum on the verge ofcollapse. Not a single sword had fallen into the plain, but now they fell. Because itcould see whenever one of those swords was about to fall, another sword wouldrush over and support it from below. Even those swords that had been shatteredin battle by the monsters and stamped into the mud were picked out by otherswords. In this way, several swords supporting each other flew to the mausoleum. This scene was very easy to associate with a real battle. Under a bloody sun,hearing the sound of the gong calling the victorious soldiers back to camp, theinjured and exhausted soldiers simply did not have the strength to cheer.Supporting each other, they slowly made their way back to the camp. Thosesoldiers who did not have the strength to walk would be helped up by theircompanions through the aid of crude tree branches. Chen Changsheng did not leave a single sword behind in the plain. This mightcause some people to be moved, but Nanke was not the sort of person to feelsuch trivial passion. From this scene, Nanke saw Chen Changsheng''s strength. Hecould spread out his mind to countless places and persist until now. This was asight seldom seen such that even she was filled with admiration. But the more admirable he was, the more he needed to die. That dark-green flame in Nanke''s pupils had already become divine gold. Asacred Qi that was hard to describe in words emerged from her petite body. Atthis moment, it was hard to tell that she was the Demon Princess. She seemedmore similar to the South Stream Temple''s Holy Maiden. That dreadful shadow had already completely landed behind her. Behind her were the Plains of the Unsetting Sun. That shadow had once obscured half the sky. Now that it had landed, it coveredup the entire plain. The dusky rays of light sent by that distant setting sunlanded upon that shadow and seemed to be sucked up right away. There was noreflection. Just like that, they disappeared without a trace. The present plain was covered with blood. The shadow seemed to slightly riseup and down, as if that blood was bringing it to life. The light of the setting sun was no longer swallowed up. As the light mixedwith the blood, it turned it into a golden color, identical to the color of theflame that burned in Nanke''s eyes. A golden color appeared on the edge of the shadow. Gradually, a shape began tobe traced out. With the slow dance of the golden light, this form became moredistinct. It was a pair of wings. A pair of golden wings. These golden wings were colossal. Who knew how many thousands of li they were,but they spanned across the horizon. The Golden-Winged Great Peng finally revealed its true appearance. Along with its appearance, the world changed color. Those dark clouds that hadjust gathered themselves anew above the mausoleum instantly dispersed. All the monsters fearfully lowered their heads. One by one, they each adoptedthe most servile posture and lowered themselves into the blood and chaotic mixof grass and mud. Wave after wave, the monster tide bowed down. Even that mostarrogant and tyrannical Mountain-toppling Fiend humbly bowed before the shadowof the Great Peng. Behind the Great Peng was the setting sun. Countless rays of light overflowedover the edge of the Great Peng''s wings, creating countless threads of light inthe sky. This scene was so beautiful that it seemed surreal. It was just like the scenedescribed in the myth contained in the Orthodoxy''s Daoist Canon. In truth, there was a mural in the Great Hall of Light in the Li Palace.Depicted on that mural was a scene from ancient times, the scene of the strangephenomena occurring on heaven and earth as the Golden-winged Great Peng wasborn from a cloud of light. The very moment the Golden-winged Great Peng was born into the world, it hadtouched upon the cusp of the Saint realm. Whether it was myth or legend or truth, the Golden-winged Great Peng was adivine beast on the same level as the Unicorn and the Divine Bird, sitting onlybelow the Dragon and the Phoenix. Chen Changsheng silently gazed at the Golden-winged Great Peng as it envelopedthe sky. When he first laid eyes on that shadow, he had been waiting for this moment tocome. Yet just like death, no matter how many preparations you make, when it finallymakes its appearance, you realize that you still aren''t prepared. Right now, he was experiencing exactly this sort of feeling.
337 The Brightest Star in the Night Sky
Divine beasts at levels like the Golden-winged Great Peng were capable ofshaking both the heavens and the earth. Before, in the time that had alreadypassed when Chen Changsheng did not have the ten thousand swords, he would nothave been able to block a casual flap of its wings, and would definitely die.However, for some reason, it remained as a shadow and floated quietly as ashadow in the sky, never attacking the mausoleum. Only now, when Nanke used asecret technique to send her spiritual sense into the shadow, did the scenebefore Chen Changshengs eyes occur. Perhaps it was just like the conclusion Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng hadreached: Nanke who only had the Soul Wood, and not the Soul Pivot, was unableto completely control the monsters in the grasslandat least, it was not enoughto control a divine beast like the Golden-winged Great Peng. As a result, Nankeneeded such a long amount of time to invite the Great Peng to appear. Just how could he face up against this terrifying divine beast? For ChenChangshengs upper level Ethereal Opening cultivation to accomplish such a deedwould be the same as a myth. The Black Dragon continued to sleep in the lakeoutside his Ethereal Palace. Even if it woke up at this moment, what enteredthe Garden of Zhou was just a spiritual soul of the Black Dragon, and wasunable to face up against a Golden-winged Great Peng that actually existed. Even with the help of the ten thousand broken swords, there was not anypossibility of success. After all, he was not as strong as the owners of theswords from before. At this moment, the pressure and light of the Golden-wingedGreat Peng stilled the swords. Although there was no fear, this silence alreadyindicated that they could not be an opponent of the Golden-winged Great Peng. Only the first ten or so swords that had appearedthe Mountain Sea Sword, thetemple sword and so onlifted up their pommels slightly. They raised in powersilently, as if they were prepared to attack at any moment. In the ten thousandswords, the strongest and proudest sword of them all trembled at great speeds,giving out a continuous hum. The sword trembled, not out of fear, but out of excitement. Seeing the Golden-winged Great Peng glide towards the mausoleum with countlessrays of light, the sword was very excited, and was rushing to fight it inclose quarters. Before, Chen Changsheng had already noticed the sword. It was because this sword was the highest and proudest sword of the tenthousand swords. It did not even have any intention of backing down to thesword intent of the Yellow Paper Umbrella. At the same time, it was thebrightest sword, shining back at the light that scattered from the edge of theplains, just like the brightest star in the night sky. It had its own air ofnobility. Looking at the sword, Chen Changsheng associated it very easily with thatscene at the Ivy Festival when Luoluo announced to the crowd that she was thedaughter of the White Emperor. This type of pride did not originate from theexterior. The nobility originated from the bloodline. Even if the opponent wasa Golden-winged Great Peng, just how could it feel fear? The sword was currently high up in the sky above the mausoleum, and extremelyfar from the ground. Chen Changsheng extended his hand into the air, andthrough the Yellow Paper Umbrella, he conveyed his idea. Afterwards, the swordintent that had been separated returned to the Yellow Paper Umbrella, returningfreedom back to the sword itself. With a whoosh, the sword transformed into an extremely bright sword ray. Itreturned to the stone platform in front of the mausoleum from high up in thesky, and fell into Chen Changshengs hand. Holding onto the sword hilt, Chen Changsheng thought about the history of thesword. Afterwards, when he gazed at the Golden-Winged Great Peng covered by anaura tens of thousands of zhang across, his gaze became more resolute. The sword was called the Dragoncry Sword. It was very powerful. Before, whenit was in his hand, a strike from it heavily injured Teng Xiaoming. However, even more importantly, the Dragoncry Sword once belonged to a princeof the imperial family of Great Zhou. The prince was called Chen Xuanba, and he was Emperor Taizongs youngestbrother. He was endowed with exceptional talent since youth, and cultivated topeak level Star Condensation at a very young age. Even though it was in a greatage of blossoming flowers and the birth of geniuses, he was still regarded as apeerless genius, because what flowed in him was the blood of the true dragon. In other words, he was that generations Qiushan Jun. Chen Xuanba died when he was very young. When he died, the great army that originated from the Tianliang County hadjust taken the capital. This was before the government had been changed and theZhou Dynasty founded. His title as Prince had also been conferred posthumously.However, nobody questioned this, and it had nothing to do with his surname. Itwas because the entire continent understood what sort of role he played whenthe great army of Tianliang County swept across the continent. In the imperial family of the Zhou Dynasty, this mighty youth who had diedyoung was publicly renowned as the greatest expert. Although he did not fightagainst his second brother Emperor Taizong before he died, no one questionedthis, because he had only died after fighting Zhou Dufu for a night and a dayin the Garden of Zhou. Until now, because of some complicated reasons, there were already very fewpeople who still remembered Chen Xuanba, the name that was once overbearingwithout equal. There were also very few records in the official dynastichistory regarding him. However, whenever the people who still remembered thehistory from before heard the name Chen Xuanba or the Dragoncry Sword whichonce belonged to his waist, they would feel a lot of complicated feelings ofsorrow. Because Chen Xuanba had died early, he did not compete in the bloody battlebetween Emperor Taizong and his brothers for the imperial throne. To the mightyyouth who had died young, it could be regarded as some sort of happiness, butto the imperial family of Chen, it was instead an extremely great misfortune.This was because if he was still alive, under his great battle prowess, it wasextremely possible that the battle would not happen at all. Even if theconflicting views had lasted for a long time, perhaps it would not have been sobitter and bloody, causing hundreds of members of the imperial family to bekilled and the capital to turn into a river of blood in the end. Of course, there was an even more widespread rumor that if Chen Xuanba couldhave lived until afterwards, Emperor Taizong would not have been able to takethe title of Emperor at allthe records of Tianliang County and the unofficialhistories recorded it very clearly, that Chen Xuanba was clearly much closer tohis eldest brother, who was the Prince of Jian. If he also participated in thebattle for the title of emperor, how could Emperor Taizongwho was in his nightclothesavoid the assassination in the Hundred Herb Garden? As a result, a chilling conspiracy theory appeared. Seeing that the army of Tianliang County was about to conquer the capital,that the Zhou Dynasty was about to be founded, that he was about to become aprince set up high, and that he had an extremely splendid future, just why didChen Xuanba take the initiative to enter the Garden of Zhou and battle ZhouDufu? Yes, not much of it was recorded in the currently-existing records.However, all of those who were once involved said extremely clearly that it wasChen Xuanba who had proposed the battle between peerless experts himself. Why?According to the official history, it was exactly because Chen Xuanba saw thatthe Zhou Dynasty was about to be founded, and he did not need to shoulder theheavy responsibilities of the clan, so he continued his pursuit of the HeavenlyDao. It was just that this type of explanation lacked some cogency. Mostimportantly, on the verge of defeat, why did he have to die? Even if Zhou Dufudid not care about the anger of the imperial family of the Great Zhou, did henot care about how Emperor Taizong felt? It must be known that Emperor Taizongwas Chen Xuanbas direct second brother, and also Zhou Dufus sworn brother. It was no longer possible to clear up the past history. Chen Xuanba was dead.Emperor Taizong was also dead. Looking at the mausoleum now, it could basicallybe confirmed that Zhou Dufu was also dead. Heroic figures always left withhardships, and what was left was the Dragoncry Sword in the Garden of Zhou,carrying the glory that it once had and the pride it had from before. Young member of the Imperial Family, peerless war god, true dragonbloodlinethis was Chen Xuanba. The Dragoncry Sword he used was noble without equal and extremely proud. Howcould it fear the Great Peng? Chen Changsheng looked at the Dragoncry sword, and felt that remaining pridein the sword. For some reason, he felt that it was extremely familiar. This type of familiarity was hard to describe and extremely strong. Itactually cause his mind to become agitated, and it was hard for him to remainhimself.
338 True Inheritance
The Golden-winged Great Peng''s shadow had paused in the air several hundred liin front of the mausoleum. The edges of its wings exuded a golden light, yet itonly brought darkness to the mausoleum. As it proceeded towards that darkness,its two eyes were like two balls of blazing divine fire. Nanke''s black hairdanced around her, her petite body calmly suspended between those two balls ofdivine fire. Although she seemed relatively insignificant, she gave off thefeeling that she had already formed a link with the Golden-winged Great Pengthat was almost impossible to sever. In other words, right now, she was theGolden-winged Great Peng''s divine soul. In the middle of that shining golden light, an unimaginably terrifyingpressure pressed down on the plain. Along with this pressure came a gale ofwind. Even the most frenzied winds of the South Sea were not as powerful asthis wind. The shredded grass crazily danced in the air and the foul water onthe ground was shocked into drops. There was not a single monster that couldcontinue to stand firm. One by one, they all fell down to the ground. The tenthousand broken swords around the mausoleum were buffeted up and down by thewind, just like countless boats on the expanse of the ocean, at any time atrisk of being swallowed up by a heaven-shocking wave. With a cold and arrogant cry, the Golden-winged Great Peng flapped its wingsand began to fly even faster towards the mausoleum. It felt like the sky itselfwas pressing down upon the mausoleum. The golden light at the edge of its wingsscattered and then gathered together again, just like a leaping fire, almost asif it were alive. Thus, the entire plain began to burn. Whether it was blood orwater, it all began to fiercely blaze. Atop this burning plain were the countless monsters that formed a black ocean.This black ocean also began to burn, turning into a sea of fire. From thehighest-ranked monster to a vole that had been born in the plain, they allstood in the sea of fire, filled with reverence and piety towards that pair ofwings that spanned several hundred li in the sky, and howling with an almostcrazed devotion. As the Golden-winged Great Peng approached, the blazing plains shone withlight, but the mausoleum sitting in the center of the plain grew even darker.The many swords did their utmost to resist the strong winds brought about bythose two massive wings. In quick succession, they all flew to the front of themausoleum. The densely packed damaged swords formed into a semi-circular sword array infront of the mausoleum. Chen Changsheng stood in the middle of this vast swordarray, also looking relatively insignificant; yet he was also the divine soulof this sword array. His left hand still gripped the Yellow Paper Umbrella, notletting that sword intent return from those ten thousand broken swords. Thiswas because he knew very well that after those broken swords had engaged inthat bitter battle with the monster tide, there were many swords that werealmost about to give out. If he were to withdraw that Mount Li sword intent,the Golden-winged Great Peng would not even need to do anything for the swordsto perish. Right now, he could only use the sword intent of the Dragoncry Sword. However,several hundred years had passed. Would this sword''s sword intent still bestrong enough? As the Golden-winged Great Peng approached, he silently sensedthe Dragoncry Sword''s pride and amiability. Yes, it was a very familiar andeven amiable sense of pride, like he had been born to use this sword. This indescribable sense of familiarity fiercely shook his mind. Just likewhenever Zhexiu fell ill, his heart began to suddenly beat several times fasterand his true essence began to move through his meridians at a much faster pace.The hand gripping the sword incessantly trembled. The trembling grewincreasingly serious until his entire body began to tremble. Even the snowy plains in his body began to tremble. That thick mantle of snow which once rested upon this snowy plain had been thefruit of several hundred nights of bitter cultivation in the Orthodox Academy.It was the purest radiance of the stars. In the Grand Examination and in thoseseveral dozen days of battle, this mantle of snow had been burned up. Now, onlya shallow layer remained. The shallow snow was easily shaken. The external shock jolted the snow intothe air and tossed it into a collision with those rays of light that werereflecting off that spherical lake. With a boom, the snow began to burn. Thestar radiance instantly melted into clear water, which turned into a mist,which transformed into the purest true essence. This true essence flooded intohis body, then it began to flow through those dry meridians of his that wereruptured like cliffs and incessantly moved forward for Chen Changsheng, thiswas an extremely painful course of events, but he did not give off theslightest sound. He only stared at the approaching Golden-winged Great Peng,continuing to hold on. He allowed that shock to continue burning up his snowyplain and allowed that true essence to continue its progress through his body. At some point, that true essence finally arrived at his wrist. The shock thatoriginated from his heart met with the shock that came from the sword hilt,then they melded together and transformed into an indescribable battle intent! The Dragoncry Sword was damaged, its sword intent no longer like it was inthe past, but its battle intent still existed! Carrying a proud and unyielding sword intent, Chen Changsheng''s hand wieldedthe Dragoncry Sword and stabbed it at the Golden-winged Great Peng! A bright and ancient dragon cry, its meaning difficult to understand, roaredout before the stone platform! A magnificent and shining sword glow carried along an almost real dragon''sbreath and flew dozens of li through the air. In the middle of the air, itchopped at the space between those two sacred balls of fire that were theGolden-winged Great Peng''s eyes! Nanke was there... Compared to the sword glow of the Dragoncry Sword, she was so insignificant,just a little black dot. Yet her expression was unchanging. To that extremelybright sword light, she extended a finger. Through the Soul Wood, she and the Golden-winged Great Peng were one. She wasthe Golden-winged Great Peng, possessing the strength and spirit of the Saintrealm. She required only a finger to block the sword glow of the Dragoncry Sword. As it gazed from the plain to the mausoleum, a strange ball of black Qiappeared between the two eyes of the Golden-winged Great Peng. The ball of Qi was at Nanke''s fingertip, the result of a collision between twoextremely powerful forces. In the next moment, that black ball of Qi instantly disappeared. In the air,many faint and tiny cracks appeared, indicating that even the true space wasbreaking up. Simultaneously, an enormous sound resounded above the plain, likea clap of thunder. A berserk wind instantly came down from the sky to the ground, then swept offto a thousand li out. The stubborn grass on the face of the mausoleum was allpulled out and blown off to some place. Even the moss attached to the stones atthe bottom had been peeled off, and even the stone layer of the mausoleum wassomewhat flaky. A massive tide swept through that black ocean atop the burningplain. Under those divine flames that were the Golden-winged Great Peng''s eyes,at least several hundred lower-ranked monsters had been shaken to death. As forthat sword array in front of the monster, there were also several dozen swordsthat were wavering. Chen Changsheng did not hear that thunderclap and did not pay any attention tothose previous scenes. He stared at the Dragoncry Sword, because in thatprevious moment, the Dragoncry Sword had given off an extremely light sound. It was the sound of cracking. The Dragoncry Sword was broken, the upper half of its blade falling into thepool of water before him and plopping against the floor. In Chen Changsheng''s ears, this plop was truly thunder. A thunderclap exploded from the stone platform. Boom! In the middle of the frenzied wind, Chen Changsheng retreated several dozenzhang and heavily fell against the stone gate, stirring up dust. His face was pale and blood rushed up his throat, but he swallowed it backdown. He felt like all his bones were broken, but he stood back up. Becausealthough the Dragoncry Sword had been broken, its battle intent still remained.Only Even if this battle intent was so berserk, even if it had the encouragement ofthese ten thousand swords, was it still not an opponent for the Golden-wingedGreat Peng? Chen Changsheng gazed at the broken sword and noticed that the breakpoint wasvery neat and smooth, yet it did not seem new. Then he remembered that when hehad been holding the Dragoncry Sword, he had faintly noticed a barelydiscernible line on the blade. Now he understood that the line was a blade scar. Countless years ago, Chen Xuanba had brought this sword to the Garden of Zhouand lost to Zhou Dufu''s blade. Although he died, he was unwilling to fall down.This sword had clearly already been broken, but it stubbornly insisted on notletting its opponent see. Only after countless years had passed and this proudsword had once again confronted a similarly powerful opponent was it finally nolonger able to hold on. He held the broken sword and then silently and slowly walked back to the edgeof the stone platform, once more gazing at the dark sky. For some reason, that Golden-winged Great Peng needed to combine with Nanke,but it had already proved its power. Nanke had already disappeared. She had truly become one with the Great Peng.Those two divine flames were still holy and violent. They coldly looked at hisinsignificant self standing in the middle of the mausoleum as the Great Penggot closer and closer. The sky changed color as the dark clouds roiled. Countless bolts of lightningflashed like snakes, lighting up the air above the mausoleum. The Dragoncry sword was broken, so what sword should he use next? The MountainSea Sword or the temple sword? Or should all the swords attack together? Just at this moment, he suddenly felt a strand of heat from the place on hisright hand between his thumb and index finger. He still had not put down the Dragoncry Sword. That strand of heat had comefrom the remaining half of the Dragoncry Sword. It was the Dragoncry Sword''ssword intentthis proud sword intent, with a sense of broken-heartedness, leftthe body of the Dragoncry Sword. It took only an instant for that remaininghalf of the Dragoncry Sword that was still proud and unbending and incomparablybright to turn dim and lightless, as if it had died. That sword intent entered Chen Changsheng''s body, then went inside the daggerat his waist. Although the heart of his sword had been perfected, he was limited by hiscultivation and his sword intent could never become complete. Thus, it was onlyby using the Yellow Paper Umbrella that he could borrow that Mount Li swordintent to command the ten thousand swords to attack the monster tide. It wasalso for this reason that his sword intent had never truly fused with hisdagger. In other words, this seemingly ordinary dagger felt that his swordintent did not match with it. Now, the sword intent of the Dragoncry Sword had arrived. The dagger was still in its sheath, but it began to hum. Chen Changsheng understood the Dragoncry Sword''s meaning. This was aninheritance. He was somewhat melancholy. The Dragoncry Sword had passed the sword intent into the dagger, and then itdied, while the dagger came to life. Right now, he could only hope that this method of the Dragoncry Sword couldcontinue his own life, or perhaps his pride. Then, he had to win. He gently placed the broken Dragoncry Sword on the ground and then stood backup. Grasping the hilt of the dagger, he pulled it out. With his actions, a sun appeared in front of the main entrance of themausoleum. This sun followed the blade of the dagger. It rose up from the sheath andilluminated the gloomy mausoleum and plain. It was countless rays of golden light. It was an incomparably brilliant sword. A powerful Qi rose up with the dagger, shocking all life around the mausoleum. Silence. The sword intent of the Dragoncry Sword had perfectly fused with the dagger.It was just like when Chen Changsheng had first held that sword, like they hadbeen made for each other. But this was still not enough.
339 Ten Thousand Swords Form a Dragon
Burn. Chen Changsheng spoke to himself. He was very calm. As the words echoed in his heart, the open plains that held the snow began toburn quickly. The power of the flames was countless times stronger than before,and with just a moment, the snow was completely burned away. At the same time,beautiful blue flames also appeared on the surface of the clear lakesurrounding the Spirit Mountain. The snow melted into water, which transformed into mist. Perhaps it condensedinto water again, or perhaps it dispersed as mist. These were all true essence.It swiftly and violently wreaked havoc in his body, forcefully rushing throughhis blocked meridians. In the dry riverbed, it rushed past rock piles andchasms from the start till the end. The violent true essence set his blood alight, burning his internal organs andmeridians. It brought an unimaginable pain, which caused his face to becomeextremely pale. However, it also caused his eyes to glow brighter and brighter. Chen Changsheng raised his own level of cultivation to the peak without theslightest worry. He stood at the doorstep between life and death, and used hisown life to fight. He only did so in order to provide enough true essence tothe dagger in his hand, to awaken its soul. The huge Golden-winged Great Peng in the sky before the mausoleum looked athim indifferently. Strong winds and streams of air merged with the light at theedge of its wings, which seemed extremely magnificent. The sacred flames in itseyes became even colder, actually displaying a vague sense of respect. Chen Changshengs body, after bathing in dragon blood, had a defensive abilitythat was close to perfection. However, with the violent burning of the snowyplains all the way to the lake water, an unimaginable amount of true essenceexploded in him. His body was finally unable to bear it any longer, and beganto rupture. The part that ruptured first was the corner of his eyes, and then hiseardrums. Several streams of blood flowed from his facial features, and closelyfollowing it, the skin on his face also began to crack open. Streams of freshblood flowed out, and the scene seemed extremely horrifying. In the cracks ofblood, bone could be seen, as well as flames that were vaguely like glimmers ofstars. The blood flowed from his face and flowed from his hands, causing hisclothes to become wet. It also wet the sword hilt and landed on the surface ofthe stone platform, before continuing to burn. An indescribable fragrance dispersed into the surroundings of the mausoleumwith his blood. As his blood burned, the fragrance became heavier by countlesstimes. It was dispersed even further, all the way to the edge of the grassland. Those most sensitive to this fragrance were naturally monsters. The blackocean surrounding the mausoleum became violent once again, and the monstersthat were suppressed so much by the might of the Golden-winged Great Peng thatthey were unable to raise their heads could not resist this smell. It was likethe enticement that came from the deepest parts of life, and they all raisedtheir heads one by one to gaze towards the air above the mausoleum. Theirbreathing sped up, and they panted loudly. They dripped with saliva, and theireyes became bloodshot. They were excited and insatiable. The Golden-winged Great Peng had also smelled the fragrance. In the shadowthat enveloped the sky, its eyes were like two floating balls of sacred flame.At this moment, the two flames began to burn violently, and some emotionsfinally appeared in its indifferent, sacred Qi. The emotions were admiration for life, the yearning of life, the thirst forlife and the craving of life. This was the emotion Chen Changsheng feared the most, and it was the matterthat he once feared the most. However, now, he was not scared, because he wasonly a thin line away from death. His foot was already on the doorstep, and ifhe could only burn himself to awaken the soul, why did he have to care aboutthese gazes? The shadow of the Golden-winged Great Peng landed on the mausoleum. It spreadopen its wings, and enveloped a portion of the grassland with a circumferenceof thousands of li. Both the sky and ground became dark. All of the lightfalling on the mausoleum was covered up. It was pitch-black like the true nightthat the grassland had never seen. The ten thousand swords trembled slightly,and almost could not withstand it. Some swords slowly fell down like leaves. An extremely powerful pressure that had no equal mixed in with the insatiablecraving. It seemed to become something that was actually material, and landedon Chen Changshengs body in front of the main entrance of the mausoleum. Immediately, the fresh blood that flowed on his body coagulated. The burningflames were extinguished. The pressure dispersed the black hair that wastightly tied behind him, and afterwards, the black hair began to shrivel andturn yellow from the end, slowly turning into dust and trailing down. Awaken. He looked at the dagger in his hand and said in his heart. Awaken. He was speaking to his heart quietly. What was the heart? It was the Ethereal Palace. Where was the Ethereal Palace?It was on top of the Spirit Mountain. Chen Changshengs door of the EtherealPalace had long already been open. There was not a fallen leaf on the SpiritMountain, and it was surrounded by the lake water that seemed real and fake atthe same time. The mountain was in the lake. The lake that floated in the air was very clear and extremely transparent. Onthe surface of it burned blue flames. In the deepest parts of it, the spiritualsoul of the Black Dragon floated silently. With Chen Changshengs calling, anextremely light tremble travelled from the Ethereal Palace to the mountain pathof the Spirit Mountain. Afterwards, it spread into the lake, and the lake waterbegan to ripple. It gently washed the body of the Black Dragon, like a warmrubbing, like her father waking her up in the morning every day before he hadleft home. The Black Dragon slowly opened its eyes. A sliver of disappointment appearedin her slit-like pupils, and she looked at the pieces of ice in the surroundinglake water. She took a while before realising what had happened since she fellasleep, and then felt the tremble at the bottom of the lake from the EtherealPalace. She heard Chen Changshengs voice, and took only a moment to understandwhat was happening outside. She had even seen the Golden-winged Great Peng inthe sky. A cold Qi exuded from her eyes. It was arrogance and disdain. Even though atthis very moment she was only a spiritual soul, she was unable to withstand thechallenge of the Great Peng. The arrogance and disdain turned into explosiveanger. A clear and angry dragon roar reverberated from the depths of the lake. It didnot travel far, but it caused the lake water to surge constantly. The surfaceof the lake burned even more violently, and with a very loud bang, the BlackDragon burst through the lake water. She left the Ethereal Palace, and flewover the open plains that already had all of its snow incinerated. She followedthe mist and the flow of true essence formed by the clear water, and flew overthe river beds that were no longer dry. Following Chen Changshengsconsciousness, she entered his arm, and then entered a completely new world. The spiritual soul of the Black Dragon entered the dagger, but to her, it wasa completely unfamiliar world. It was full of golden light, and what made herineffably feel familiarity was that she could feel two extremely familiar Qi inthe world. The two Qi were so strong that they even caused her to feel slightlyuneasy, but contradicting ideas did not form for her, because these two Qiswere those of seniors. No-one, not even Chen Changsheng himself, knew just how closely related thedagger was with the Dragon race. In the run-down temple at Xining Village, Yu Ren gifted him the dagger. Heused the dagger to participate in many fights. The sharpness of the daggerbrought many shocks to the world, but actually, the true power of the daggerwas not used at all. It was because his level of cultivation was too ordinary, and was unable torefine a sword intent that matched up to the dagger. It was also becausefifteen years ago, when the dagger was successfully smelted, it was always in astate of unwillingness, unwilling to awaken. Until now, when the dragon soul had entered the dagger, and met the swordintent of the Dragoncry Sword. This cause the dagger to awaken. To truly awaken. Chen Changsheng did not know what change occurred to the dagger, but he knewthat it was awakened. The soul of the sword had awakened. He raised his head and looked at the Golden-winged Great Peng in the sky abovethe mausoleum. His expression was calm, his eyes bright and full of intent tobattle. The ten thousand swords in the surroundings of the mausoleum slowlycorrected their position and pointed towards the Great Peng under his gaze,ready to fight. Go, he said to the dagger through his heart. However, he did not know that hehad actually yelled the word out with his mouth. Go! He threw the dagger in his hand towards the sky. The dagger turned into a streak of golden light and left the stone platformbefore the main entrance of the mausoleum. It flew towards the Golden-wingedGreat Peng. With a trembling of the world, countless rays of gold light arosefrom before the mausoleum. The ten thousand swords resonated simultaneously,giving out a clear or rough sword resonance. Ten thousand swords pierced through the air with whooshes and followed behindthe dagger. They glowed brightly. The Yellow Paper Umbrella in his left hand swayed gently, as if it wascheering or giving blessings. The dagger drew a perfectly straight line in the gloomy sky. Ten thousand swords followed closely behind it, and turned into a thin bandaround ten li in length. The ten thousand swords arrived high in the sky. Rays of light poured out fromthe edge of the wings of the Golden-winged Great Peng, and landed on them. The ten thousand swords reflected the light, and constantly flickered withradiance, as if they were scales. The ten thousand swords were ten thousand scales, and connected in the sky.Directly in front of them was the dagger. The dagger gave off an unimaginable pressure and radiance. Faintly, in the sacred light, it seemed as though a golden dragon head hadappeared.
340 Fusing as One
A golden dragon appeared in the night sky. A dragon roar burst through thenight sky. A dragon breath crushed the entire grassland flat. Countless monsters lay on the ground submissively, trembling but not daring tomove. Even the strongest and proudest Mountain-toppling Fiend was as such. Anyof the monsters that attempted to raise their heads and look were turned into asmear of blood in the next moment. As for the dragon serpents that werefortunate enough to survive the battle, they spasmed across their body, as ifthey would commit suicide by twisting themselves into segments to expressdevotion. This was because it was a dragon. It was an existence that was greater thanthe Golden-winged Great Peng. It was an existence at the apex, that approachedgodhood. The two sacred flames in the eyes of the Golden-winged Great Peng remainedviolent and abnormally solitary. It looked at the Golden Dragon that flew fromthe mausoleum and exploded with a powerful intent to battle. In its eyesappeared a defiance of the dazzling light. Its life was given for challengingthe authority of dragons and phoenixes, so how could it be afraid of thepressure from the golden dragon? Also for ten thousand swords to form adragon, was it really a true dragon? With a brutal whoosh that sliced through the sky, the Golden-Winged Great Pengpierced through the sky towards the mausoleum. The sky across the entiregrassland had been shaken to the point that it slightly distorted. With its twoclaws extended, several dozens of li of the ground of the grassland seemed tohave been picked up by it. It wanted to use the two claws that ripped throughthe sky and earth to pierce the head of the golden dragon. The Golden Dragon formed by the ten thousand swords rushed through the sky.The eyes of the dragon were indifferent. They were prideful and cold. Thedragon whiskers danced, shattering the lightning high up in the sky intocountless pieces. It had an extreme, unrivalled pressure and light, but whatwas very mystical was that the dragon breath actually contained an extremelyfrigid coldness. With just a moment, it began to snow heavily around thesurroundings of the mausoleum. In that moment, the sacred flames in the Gold-winged Great Pengs eyessuddenly began to flicker, because of the extremely frigid coldness from thedragon breath. However, it was also because it had suddenly discovered ashocking truththe dragon formed from the ten thousand swords was actually atrue dragon, and even more frighteningly, the dragon actually contained twodragon auras, the Golden Dragon and the Black Frost Dragon. They were the twostrongest, proudest, most sacred huge dragons, and at the same time, they werethe two existences least able to coexist amongst the dragon race. They hadactually perfectly fused as one in the sword dragon. At this moment, the dragon formed from the ten thousand swords was actuallyeven stronger than the Golden Dragon and the Black Frost Dragon. The Golden Dragon and the Golden-winged Great Peng met at an high altitude, inthe snow storm. An angry and unwilling sound of lament and a roar that carried some painresounded in the sky. The right claw of the Gold-winged Great Peng was immediately crushed. A riftwas forcefully cut into the huge shadow cast into the sky by the dragon formedfrom the ten thousand swords. An extremely terrifying wound was also ripped open by the claws of the greatpeng on the body of the golden dragon. The countless rays of light swayed restlessly. Fresh blood flowed violentlyout of the Golden-winged Great Peng, which transformed into golden nectar thatburned violently as it fell on the grassland. It burned thousands of monstersto death, and closely afterwards, it transformed into great gusts of wind,wreaking havoc everywhere. It lifted up a massive amount of soil. The snowstorm and the streaking fire danced and interwove violently betweenthe sky and the earth. The Golden Dragon roared, and continue to rush at the Golden-winged GreatPeng. Its mouth was wide open, as if it could swallow the whole world. Bang! A golden light flashed in the sky, and the color of the night suddenlydisappeared. The grassland in front of the mausoleum collapsed. It formed an area with aperimeter of several dozen li, and was one thousand feet in depth. Countless monsters died within it. Grass and rocks shattered. Even the few boulders at the highest point in the mausoleum fell. With arumble that was like thunder, they rolled into the grassland. From everywherecame the sounds of the ripping of airflow, the creaking of the space barelyholding up, the violent clashing of divine auras, and the miserable howls ofmonsters. This lasted until the final, violent dragon roar. The dragon roar was so clear and distant that it seemed to originate from theancient times, but it also seemed to be extremely new. It was incomparablyprideful and overbearing. The dragon formed from the ten thousand swords swallowed the world, and atethe Golden-winged Great Peng. After an unknown amount of time, the snowstorm slowly subsided, and snowflakesfell slowly. The violent and confusing sounds also slowly disappeared, and thegrassland finally recovered some peace. The tens of thousands of monsters thatsurvived raised their heads with fear and worry. They only saw that the sky wascompletely clear. Although there was falling snow, there were no clouds for thesnow. The shadow that had covered the sky for a very long time had alsodisappeared from sight. A very small black dot drifted down from high altitude, like a leaf. Onlyafter a very long time did the black dot hit the ground. It gave off a verysoft plop, and was extremely hard to detect when compared to the violent soundsfrom the great battle before. The thing that fell from the sky was Nanke. She landed heavily on the ground,and spat out a lot of fresh blood. The area where she landed was directly infront of the mausoleum, at the start of the divine path. Chen Changsheng looked at her. It was not done purposely, but it was naturallylooking at her from above. He knew that after defeating the Golden-winged Great Peng, the ten thousandswords were extremely beaten and in a bad condition, but there were always afew matters that needed to be finished. He raised his arm, and pointed at Nanke on the divine path below. He said afew words silently in his heart. The sky above the mausoleum suddenly began to glow bright again. With thedagger as the lead, the ten thousand swords twisted downwards, and were thrusttowards Nanke. It was still a dragon, but its color was slightly duller than before. The Demon General couple stood in front of Nanke. They looked at each other,and saw the apology and determination in each others eyes. Actually, when theSword Pool had appeared before, when the ten thousand swords hovered aroundChen Changsheng, they had already glanced at each other in the eyes. At thattime, there was only apology and determination in their eyes. At that moment,they already vaguely knew that the Military Advisor''s plan for the Garden ofZhou had completely failed. No matter how the Military Advisor calculated, nomatter how strong Nanke was, or if there were any hidden strategies, they wereall unable to handle the endless fortuitous encounters of this human teenager. An existence that could not be fought. This was fate. They felt that Chen Changshengs fate was too good. The reason why they had determination in their eyes was that at this moment,they needed to break through. Only by returning to their true strength couldthey obtain a chance. However, in the Garden of Zhou, once they regained theirlevel of cultivation, it would mean death. The ten thousand swords that formed a dragon arrived on the ground from thesky. They stood in front of Nanke, and their Qi suddenly increased. It immediatelybecame extremely terrifying, like a true mountain peak. This was the strength of the peak level of the Star Condensation realm,although it was not called such in Xuelao City. Black armor covered their body. From this moment, they were no longer anordinary, middle-aged couple. They were no longer Teng Xiaoming and Liu Waner,but the twenty-third and twenty-fourth Demon Generals. The ten thousand swords had arrived, and chopped at Nanke. The Demon General couple stood in front of Nanke. The dragon head breathed dragon breath, which brought an endless light. In the light, nothing could be seen. Only sounds could be heard. There were countless, concentrated screeches. They were the sounds of theswords grinding and cutting into the armor, the metal pole and the metal pot. The so-called dragon breath was the edge of the sword. After an unknown amount of time, the Golden Dragon gave out a long roar thatcarried an almost unknown meaning. It had completed its attack, and turnedaround to return to the mausoleum. Teng Xiaoming and Liu Waner stood in front of Nanke and looked at each otherquietly. Their black armor was already broken, and their bodies which were tough likestone were covered in sword wounds. Tang Xiaoming looked at her, and said serenely, Sorry, I wont be able to goback to your homeland to farm and see the sun set. Liu Waner said, I should be the one apologizing. If it wasnt me who had towant to go home, then we should still be at the front line at the moment, andwe wouldnt be killed by a dragon for some reason. Teng Xiaoming did not say anything. Liu Waner said, The sunset at the hometown is much better looking than thesun here. But after looking at it too much, anyone will get tired of it. Teng Xiaoming said, Yes, the scene where the ten thousand swords formed thedragon earlier was very nice. As soon as they finished talking, several streaks of lightning descended fromthe sky. To help Nanke block the violent blow of the dragon formed from the tenthousand swords, the Demon General couple simultaneously raised theircultivations to the peak level of Star Condensation. The rules of the Garden ofZhou sensed it, and naturally it began its attack. They did not avoid it,because they were already dead. In order to block the dragon, they had used theGreat Art of Body Release. They were destined to die. The lightning fell senselessly and without stopping. The ten thousand swords returned to the mausoleum. In the streak of light,Chen Changsheng extended his hand and grasped the dagger. However, the ten thousand swords did not disperse. They continued to surgetowards him, as if bent on killing him. The countless swords whistled as they arrived. He subconsciously closed his eyes. In the next moment, the whistling of the swords disappeared, and silencedescended. He opened his eyes again, and the ten thousand swords had already disappeared.
341 The Blue Sky
The wretched howls of the monsters gradually died down and a calm returned tothe Plains of the Unsetting Sun. However, occasionally a thunderclap wouldresound from high in the sky. This thunder held an energy that didn''t knowwhere to land. Fortunately, this energy dissipated in the sky, constantlyshaking the clouds and causing them to incessantly scatter. Holding the dagger, Chen Changsheng walked upon the divine path, With eachstep he took, he would create a splash around his feet and a dense network ofsword scars would appear on the gray stone, an indication of sword intentaccidently flowing out. He gazed down the divine path and saw that Nanke wasalready awake. Her two maids were unconscious behind her, but still alive. Nanke was covered all over with blood. Sitting in the water, her face wasabnormally pale; her slightly wide forehead especially was so deathly pale thatit seemed transparent. Her divine soul had been fused with the Great Peng andsuffered severe injury from those ten thousand swords-turned-dragon. She gazedat Chen Changsheng, her expression mystified. She simply could not make anysense of this. Why did the Sword Pool help this human youth? And what was upwith that dragon? How could it possess the dragon aura of both the GoldenDragon and the Black Frost Dragon? If it were Xu Yourong, she might have beenable to accept this defeat. Xu Yourong was a phoenix after all. The phoenixnaturally held a sort of advantage over the Golden-winged Great Peng. Yet howcould Chen Changsheng do so? The dragon shouldnt it be Qiushan Jun? Her perplexity only lasted for a moment. She very quickly cleared her mind andsomewhat strenuously lifted her hand. With the back of her hand, she wiped offthe blood at the corner of her lips, then said to him impassively, "You thinkthat this means you can just leave the Garden of Zhou? This sort of thinking isa disrespect to the grand spirit of this mausoleum." Chen Changsheng thought, the plain has already been destroyed to this extentand the Sword Pool no longer exists, and you want to talk about respect? He didnot answer this question because he was not skilled at conversation. In today''sbattle, twice when he had been asked a similar question, he did not use wordsto answer, but rather used his swords to reply. "You will still die in this plain," Nanke said. "We will all die here." Chen Changsheng did not understand why she said these sorts of words. Was shehoping to fight for a little time before the moment of death and hope that amiracle occurred? Nanke saw through his expression that he didn''t understandwhy she was doing this. She asked derisively, "Could it be that you neverthought about why the Sword Pool existed in the Garden of Zhou?" He stood on the divine path and gazed at the vast and boundless plain. Ofcourse he had thought about this question. Many people thought of the SwordPool as a burial offering to Zhou Dufu, a silent monument that he hadestablished himself. However, after walking through this plain and experiencingthis battle that had shaken him to his core, how could he still think aboutthis matter so simply? Ever since he was born, Zhou Dufu had engaged in countless battles, so manythat the common people even said that he was so addicted to battle that he hadgone mad. But maybe he was not a madman. If he was pursuing the Heavenly Dao,then opponents like the Demon Lord, Chen Xuanba, and the sect master of theMount Li Sword Sect were fine, but it was very obvious that many of hisopponents were not worthy of being his opponents. Moreover, why did he requirethat every defeated adversary needed to leave their swords behind in theplains? And these swords were unable to leave the plains, so just what waskeeping them there? "Without knowing a thing, you went ahead and did this. In addition youactually managed to succeed. I don''t know whether to say that your fate is goodor that you''re stupid." Nanke looked at him, her expression complex and hard tounderstand whether it was one of pity or ridicule. Before that Demon General couple had resigned themselves to death, they hadonce felt a similar sorrow. They felt that Chen Changsheng''s fate was too good.Yet Chen Changsheng knew very clearly that his fate was bad. Then if what Nankesaid was true, what he had done was stupid? He did not know what to say. Ever since she had entered the Garden of Zhou, Nanke had never laughed once.Even in Xuelao City, she very rarely laughed. Now she began to happily laugh,her smiling expression innocent and guiltless, but her eyes were extremelyvicious. She was just like a small child that had succeeded at some mischief."After doing so many things, after striving for so long, even burning up yourown life to open up a path to survival, in the end you''re still going to die.Everything that you''ve done is meaningless. Tell me, are you really depressedright now?" Chen Changsheng had faintly sensed that what she said was true. There wouldmost likely be something happening soonalthough he did not understand whatthis was all about, he took the time to think about his answer before replying."Although in a short time, we might all die in these plains, that''s alwaysbetter than us dying and you living. Since it''s like this, our effortsobviously have meaning." His voice was somewhat exhausted and very calm, but it was capable of makingpeople speechless. However, in his heart there was a constant sound, as if it was urging him toleave. In this assault on the mausoleum, countless monsters had died. Yet to thisocean-like monster tide, it was only a small portion. One could imagine fromthis the numbers and battle strength the monsters possessed, but thesemonsters were not meant to suppress the Sword Pool, but to guard the mausoleum. Everything had its purpose, and in the Garden of Zhou, this was even more so.The monsters were Zhou Dufu''s method of keeping humans and demons away from hismausoleum. Then why did he need to leave these ten thousand broken swords inthe Garden of Zhou and bury them in those pools of water? And what was he usingto keep those swords around the mausoleum? Chen Changsheng had no answer, and neither did Nanke. Before she had entered the Garden of Zhou, her teacher had warned her thatthere was a mysterious force in the plain that was restricting the Sword Pool.Simultaneously, the Sword Pool was restricting that mysterious force. The twohad reached an equilibrium of sorts, thus ensuring the continued existence ofthe plain. So her teacher had warned her that after she entered the Garden ofZhou, she should not try to find the Sword Pool, and even if she did find it,she should not do anything about it. So once she had entered the Garden of Zhou, she had not hesitated to let ChenChangsheng and Xu Yourong flee for such a long time so that she could find theMausoleum of Zhou, and did not display the slightest interest towards the SwordPool. Yet the Sword Pool had still been discovered. Originally, the plains werea Sword Sea. Then the ten thousand swords had been summoned out of the SwordPool by Chen Changsheng. From that moment on, she understood that the balanceof the Plains of the Unsetting Sun had been disrupted, that something big wouldhappen in the Garden of Zhou, that it might even be destroyed. To stop all thisfrom happening, she had expended an enormous effort. Sadly, she had still lostin the end. But just what was that mysterious force? Chen Changsheng gazed deep into the plain. He didn''t see anything, so heturned around instead of continuing down the divine path. Nanke and her twomaids were already crippled, unable to stop him from leaving. The previousscene of the Demon General couple dying to the ten thousand sword glows as theygazed into each other''s eyes made him feel rather tired. Moreover, he had tomake the best use of his time. Walking to the corner of the main entrance, he extended his hand to support XuYourong, preparing to take her away. Yet just when his hand was only a fewinches from her shoulder, it suddenly went stiff in the chilly wind. After amoment, he slowly stood back up and turned around to gaze at the plain. From the plain came the bitter sound of weeping, just like the leaf flutes theelves used to play. It was the weeping of that heavily injured Earth Monkey. Amidst the foulwater, bits of grass, and monster corpses, it hugged the thick leg of theMountain-toppling Fiend as it cried in sorrow. Just what was this sinister,crafty, and even frightening high-ranked monster weeping about? The previousbattle between the ten thousand swords-turned-dragon and the Golden-wingedGreat Peng had spread out to the surrounding plain. The body of theMountain-toppling Fiend had incurred even more gruesome wounds, but it wasstill ranked third on the Ranking of Earthly Beasts. It could clearly hold onand was not going to die, so what was the Earth Monkey crying about? Was itmourning its own severed leg? Chen Changsheng did not know why, but he felt his body get a little colder.Because the Earth Monkey''s weeping was very miserable, hearing it made one feelheartbroken and want to cry as well. It was extremely terrifying. As the EarthMonkey''s weeping resounded through the plains, more and more monsters began tohowl in pain. These low-ranked monsters did not know how to cry. Theirsorrowful howls and moist eyes were their way of crying. Nanke closed her eyes. She was waiting for death. She was not waiting for ChenChangsheng to come kill her, but for the Garden of Zhou to be destroyed. Chen Changsheng silently gazed at the plains. The sky had once again grownclear. It was early morning and the sky was blue. The thunder had graduallydied down and everything was serene. Only the sorrowful cries of the monsters insistently reminded him thatdestruction was coming. It was too late now. There was nothing strange about the plains, but in his eyes, they seemed tohave grown lighter. He could faintly sense that there had occurred some sort ofchange that he could not comprehend. The sort of feeling might have come from the fact that he had taken away allthe swords in this plain. The plains grew lighter, the sky turned blue, and the light grew clearer. A clear light rose up from some place in the front of the mausoleum andcrossed countless li before finally resting on the blue sky. It did so without a sound, as if nothing had happened at all. It was like adrop of ink landing in a bowl of clear water. As ink enters the water, it seems very warm and gentle. In reality, in thenext moment, that entire bowl of clear water will all have turned black. The blue sky suddenly became dull, or perhaps became clearer. As time passed, the color of the sky grew increasingly dull. This dullness wasactually transparencyit was brightness. In that place where the clear light disappeared, in that bright andtransparent sky, a piece suddenly dropped down. It was a piece of sky. The piece of sky slowly drifted down to the ground. Chen Changsheng stared at it, his face growing increasingly pale. All the monsters lifted their heads and gazed at the piece of sky. They hadstopped their mournful howls, leaving only a deathly silence. The piece of sky floated down very slowly, just like an actual fallen leaf. Itseemed like it could be avoided, but the monster ocean on the surface of theplain did not seem like they were going to move. The Garden of Zhou was their entire world. Now, their entire world was headedtowards destruction. Just where would they flee to? All around the mausoleum was silence. Only the Earth Monkey continued itsmournful sobbing. No matter how that Mountain-toppling Fiend gently stroked its head, nothingcould stop its moaning. It and its companions had lived in this plain for countless years. Now, thisplain was finally about to meet its end. It and its companions had guarded thismausoleum for several hundred years, but still they had failed to protect it.How could this not make them angry, make them fearful, make them despair, makethem suffer?
342 The Genuine Relics of the Garden of Zhou
The so-called sky was the edge of the space. It did not have weight, so itsfragments were naturally lighter than the lightest leaf. The fragment fellgently towards the grassland, sometimes in the east, and sometimes appearing inthe west hundreds of li away. It was impossible to estimate its trajectory atall. After an unknown amount of time, under the attention of countless terrifiedgazes of despair, the fragment of the sky finally landed. It may have been onpurpose, or it may have been accidental, but it landed perfectly on themountainous Monster Bull. Immediately, the fragment transformed into extremelydazzling white flames, which gave off an endless amount of light and heat. TheMonster Bull gave out a moo of grief and indignation, and disappeared into thewhite flames. Nothing remained of it, not even ash or smoke. The grassland shook violently. In a radius of several li, the monsters allfell onto the ground one after another. The monsters that stuck to the ground,like the dragon serpents, were shaken even more, shaken to the point where theyvomited blood and died. The shaking spread to the area around the mausoleum,and the cracks between the huge rocks and gray stones spat out a lot of dust. The two maids, Ning Qiu and Hua Cui, were shaken awake. They could feel theterrifying explosion of energy in the distance. Their terrified faces werepale, and they did not know what was happening. Nanke closed her eyes, and feltthe crack in the blue sky. She vaguely understood something, and mumbled, Soit was like that. Things that were already happening could not be changed. What had to be donewas to find the cause of the matter. Chen Changsheng quickly retracted hisgaze, and looked at the origin of the clear light that had shot into the sky.He discovered that the clear light had been emitted by a stone pillar in frontof the mausoleum. In the surroundings of the mausoleum, there were ten stone pillars that weresimilar in shape. Yesterday, when he and Xu Yourong had arrived in themausoleum, they noticed the stone pillarsthe stone pillars were around severaldozen feet in height, and some patterns with unclear meanings were carved onthe surface. With the erosion of time, wind and rain, the patterns had becomevery blurry, making it even more impossible to understand their meanings. He had noticed the ten unremarkable stone pillars because they made him thinkof the stone pillars outside the Li Palace. It was also because when the stonepillars were compared to the grand mausoleum, they seemed overly shabby andunpresentable, giving off a very strong feeling of dissonance. They seemed tonot be qualified for the mausoleum, and were not an integral whole with it atall. Looking at it now, the ten stone pillars that seemed to be unremarkablewere indeed unusual. Such terrifying power was actually hidden within a stonepillar, and the clear light that it had given off was able to shatter and pulloff a fragment of the sky. The fragment of the sky transformed the strong Monster Bull into nothing, andat the same time, it disappeared. The grassland became peaceful again, or inother words, deathly silent. No matter if it was Chen Changsheng, the two maidsor the countless monsters, they could only stare at the stone pillar. There wasan indescribable sense of nervousness and restlessness. Suddenly, a layer of rock fell from the surface of the stone pillar. The layerof rock was around several fingers thick and several inches wide. It shatteredinto many pieces when it landed on the gray stone ground, giving off a softsmash. The sound was very soft, but it seemed very hair-raising in the deathlysilent grassland. The monster tide began to surge, and it was unknown how manymonsters had been frightened and had fallen into the water plants. A while later, another Qi pierced through the surface of the stone pillar. Ittransformed into a clear light, and left the mausoleum without a sound. At that moment, Chen Changsheng felt it. It was an extremely ancient Qi thatwas paramount without equal. The Qi was even older than the continent. Just what were the stone pillars? This time, the clear light did not fly towards the blue sky, and insteadfloated in a tilted and very casual manner towards the edge of the grassland.It was not known where it would fly to before stopping. Countless terrifiedgazes focused on the clear light, as if they were following it with their eyes.They saw the clear light fly over a thousand li away, and were no longer ableto see where it was clearly. After a very long time, there was a muffled sound of collision and a clearrumble. It had originated from the edge of the grassland over a thousand liaway, and spread to the surroundings of the mausoleum. Because of the greatdistance, the muffled sound was not clear. However, the tremble remained asviolent, causing countless water plants to fly up, and the mausoleum to becloaked in dusk once again. The powerful tremble caused Chen Changsheng to stumble. However, his gaze wassteady, and remained focused on the stone pillar. He noticed that another layerof rock had fallen. The stone pillar had experienced the effects of wind and rain, so its surfacewas extremely rough. The color was dark gray, and it seemed like ordinarystone. After the two layers of rock fell off from in front and behind it, theinner part of the stone pillar was revealed. Under the bright sunlight, itcould be seen extremely clearly that it was black. The Qi from inside the stone pillar continued to pass through the surface anddisperse outwards. It turned into rays of clear light, and danced above thegrassland. It would sometimes land on the sky high up, sometimes on the farawayedge of the grassland, or sometimes on the ground not far away from themausoleum. It would rip the sky, flip the earth and bring terrifying explosions. The rays of clear light contained an extremely terrifying power. It wasunblockable, even if Chen Changsheng had ten thousand swords with him. This wasbecause the Qi that came out of the stone pillars had already far exceeded whathe could understand. It was a power that was not recorded in the Daoist Canon. The world shook. The violent energy exploded and enveloped the entire Plainsof the Unsetting Sun. Although it could not be seen, it could be imagined thatthe rest of the Garden of Zhou was also in such a situation. With the appearance of the rays of clear light, the layers of rock on thestone pillar constantly fell off, shattering under the stone pillar. Itrevealed more and more of the true appearance of the pillar. It was still stoneinside the pillar, but the color was black. It seemed like a patch of mottling,like a book of rubbings that were not done well. Looking at the mottled surface of the stone pillar and the black stone thatwas revealed underneath, Chen Changsheng felt that it was rather familiar forsome reason. Thinking of a certain possibility, the knuckles of his hand that held onto thedagger hilt paled slightly. His body trembled gently, and his lips wereabnormally dry. Before, when he faced up against the Golden-winged Great Peng,he was daring enough to fight it with the dagger in hand, but now, seeing thestone pillars, he seemed to have even lost the courage to draw his dagger. Full of shock, he thought in his heart impossible. The stone pillar continued to give off clear light. The layers of rockcontinued to fall off without stopping, revealing more and more of the blackthat was inside. The explosions of the violent energies finally met, which turned intocountless terrifying whirlwinds. They began to blow violently and wreak havocin the grassland. Most of the shaking from the surrounding Garden of Zhou traveled to themausoleum, and reached his feet. What was even more terrifying was that the remaining nine stone pillarssurrounding the mausoleum also began to tremble slightly. Layers of rock felloff the stone pillars with cracking sounds, and the terrifying Qi was about toappear. Chen Changsheng held onto the dagger hilt. He knew what he should do, but hedid not know how he could do it. He felt slightly absent-minded. The hilt trembled gently. As it turned out, the ten thousand broken swords were used to suppress thestone pillars. More correctly, they were used to temporarily seal the Qi in thestone pillars. Now, the Sword Sea had been taken by him, so the objects hidden in the tenstone pillars were about to appear. Just what were the stone pillars? Chen Changsheng already guessed it, but he did not dare to believe it. He didnot want to believe it. However, it had already truly happened. A large portion of the layer of rock had already fallen off the stone pillars. A square-shaped black stone slowly appeared before the world. It stood tall and upright between the heavens and the earth. Although there were still a lot of leftover layers of rock on the surface ofthe black stones, complicated lines that were barely comprehensible couldalready be seen. Chen Changsheng obviously felt that it was familiar. It was impossible for anyperson who had stared at it for so many days to not find it familiar. In a mausoleum in the south of the capital, he had once seen many objects thatwere similar to the black stones. There were countless lines on the surface of the black stone. The lines werepatterning and texts. With texts carved onto the square stone, it was naturallya monolith. As it turned out, the black stones were monoliths. Black stone monoliths.
343 The Lost Stone Monoliths and the Powerless Girl
Countless years ago, when the Heavenly Tomes descended in rolling flames, theylanded in the current south of the capital. There, the mausoleum mound formed,and it became the Mausoleum of Books. Countless stone monoliths were scatteredon it, and joined with the earth. It could not be separated at all, and couldnot be moved. Neither the Daoist Canon nor the books of history held anyrecordings of the stone monoliths leaving the Mausoleum of Books. As a result,when Chen Changsheng took one day to comprehend all seventeen Heavenly TomeMonoliths of the front mausoleum and saw the broken monolith in the finalmonolith hut, he thought with shock, just who was it that was actually able tobreak the monolith and take it away? Now, only after seeing the stone pillar outside the mausoleum that gave offclear light and constantly shed layers of rock did he understand that themonolith that had left the Mausoleum of Books was in the stone pillar. If so,then the person who had broken the monolith and taken it away was Zhou Dufu.Fair enoughother than Zhou Dufu, who else in the world could do such thingsthat could offend the entire world? He looked at the other nine stone pillarsaround the mausoleum, and his body became stiffer and stiffer. If those stonepillars were also Heavenly Tome Monoliths, did that not mean that Zhou Dufu hadtaken ten monoliths out of the Mausoleum of Books at that time? As it turned out, this was the greatest secret of the Garden of Zhou. No matter if it was the legacies that were left behind by experts of previousgenerations, or even the Sword Pool or Zhou Dufus Halving Blade Technique, noother secret could be compared to the secret in the stone pillars. Just when he thought about the matter in shock, the other nine stone pillarsalso began to exude the Qi that seemed to originate from ancient times, andclear light began shining out of them. The clear light landed on the sky, and it shattered the sky into fragments.The fragments landed on the grassland, and exploded into storms of unimaginableenergy. It caused the world to change color, and the whirlwinds that wreakedhavoc on the grassland to become more and more terrifying. They had even liftedup the monsters that were heavy like mountains and the boulders beneath the wetmud. The shaking of the earth became more and more powerful, and there were nolonger any more monsters that could stand. They all fell on the ground insuccession. The Monster Birds that had some resistance by flying in the skywere unable to leave the grassland in time at all. They were blown away bycountless streams of air. Whether they had died or were still alive could notbe known. The grassland and the world of the Garden of Zhou which was slightly furtherout fell into complete disorder, and was about to be destroyed. Even the grandmausoleum began to tremble, and some boulders were completely smashed by thestorm of energy. They turned into heavy rocks, which began to roll down fromhigh above. The rockslide gave off a rumbling like thunder, and squashed manymonsters that were unable to avoid it to death. The whirlwinds arrived at the mausoleum. Nankes eyes were closed, and shewaited for death in the violent wind. She was immediately swept away, anddrifted towards the grassland behind her. The two maids, Ning Qiu and Hua Cui,gave out calls of lamentation, and burned their spiritual bodies as if theirlives depended on it. They transformed into two spiritual lights and arrived byher side, immediately transformed into wings of light, which attached toNankes body. The whistling, violent wind swept Nanke into the distance. The wings of lightquickly turned into smears of light, and disappeared with the blink of an eye.Seeing this, Chen Changsheng calmed down, and used the Yeshi Step to breakthrough the tearing of the violent wind. He returned to the main entrance ofthe mausoleum. He used the dagger in his left hand to pierce into the heavystone door, and used his right hand to reach towards Xu Yourong. He was prepared to untie Xu Yourongs waist band, and bind her to himself. Xu Yourong woke up. She looked at the frenetic grassland, and her expressionbecame slightly perplexed. However, when she saw the clear light that came outof the ten stone pillars before the mausoleum, she worked out everything veryquickly. Her complexion became abnormally pale, and she murmured, It indeed ishim who put it in the Garden of Zhou. A ray of clear light landed at a location not far away from the main entranceof the mausoleum. The divine path crumbled, and brought with it a series ofviolent quakes. Chen Changsheng was jolted and hit the stone wall. His right hand grasped thedagger hilt tightly, which was why he did not get blown away by the whirlwinds.However, he was unable to grab her. The Tong Bow in Xu Yourongs hand swayed in the incoming wind, and turned intoa wutong tree that was covered in verdant, green leaves. The tree roots wereattached tightly to the stone wall, which helped her stabilise herself. In the wild, whistling wind, the green leaves fell one by one. Her black hairfloated past her pale face and slightly absent-minded eyes. Chen Changsheng looked at her and shouted, How can I make it stop? Ever since entering the grassland, he was used to listening to her opinions.He knew what kind of intelligence and knowledge she had, and he had alsovaguely heard the words she had just spoken. Although, he did not understandwhy she understood this matter so well that she only needed a glance to knowwhat was happening. At the Holy Maiden Peak, Xu Yourong had spent all her time studying theHeavenly Tomes. She was also extremely close with the Divine Empress, which waswhy she knew the secret that almost no-one knew. Looking at the ten stonepillars, she was as shocked as she possibly could be, and only returned to hersenses a while later. She muttered to herself, ...theres still two missing. Back then, Zhou Dufu broke off twelve Heavenly Tome Monoliths in the Mausoleumof Books. There were only ten monoliths surrounding the mausoleum, so wherewere the other two? Even at such an intense moment, she who spent all her timewith the meaning of the Heavenly Tomes subconsciously thought of this questionfirst, before finally hearing Chen Changshengs voice. Her finger quickly drew on the floor, calculating the relative position of theten pillars in the surroundings of the mausoleum and deducing the connectionsbetween the stone pillars. Originally, she was already extremely weak and spentall the time sleeping. As soon as she woke up, she began to do such complicatedcalculations, so she expended an extremely great amount of energy. In just amoment, her complexion became pale like snow. The violent wind blew the pieces of rock that landed on the mausoleum, whichgave out an extremely terrifying sound. Countless holes immediately formed inthe tough rock, and even the wutong tree transformed from the Tong Bow began tototter. The green leaves constantly fell, and it seemed about to collapse.Seeing this, Chen Changsheng did not think at all, and took the risk of drawingthe dagger from the wall. With difficulty, he moved to Xu Yourongs side, andopened up the Yellow Paper Umbrella, helping her to block the rock shrapnelthat was like arrows. The Yellow Paper Umbrella constantly gave out thick and disorderly sounds ofbeing hit. In the next moment when the Yellow Paper Umbrella became quiet, ChenChangsheng did not say anything. He did not want to interrupt her calculations. After an unknown amount of time, Xu Yourong shook her head and said, Cantcalculate it. Chen Changsheng peered over the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and hisgaze landed on the stone pillar in front of the mausoleum. He said, Therealways should be a method. It was not blind hope, but stubborn belief. Since Zhou Dufu could suppress theHeavenly Tome Monoliths before, they definitely could also do it. Their currentlevel of cultivation obviously could not be compared to Zhou Dufu from beforein the slightest, but the method should have been there, waiting to bediscovered by them. The relative positions and mutual relations of the ten stone pillars arerather subtle. It should be a type of formation that can equalise the surge ofQi between the stone pillars and form a type of balance. Logically, it shouldnot be as violent as it is now. I cant calculate what has gone wrong. At the moment, Xu Yourong was very weak. However, when she said that, sheactually revealed a glimpse of frustration that was rarely ever seen. Chen Changsheng said, Before, it should have been the Sword Pool that wasresponsible for suppressing and balancing, but now, I have taken away the SwordPool. If I return the ten thousand swords right now, will it still be of anyuse? Without too much exact detail, Xu Yourong understood what had happened whenshe was asleep before through his few, simple sentences. Before she could feelthe astonishment, she began to deduce and calculate once again. However, evenafter adding in the variable of the Sword Pool, she realised that the matterstill did not make sense. If they wanted the stone pillars to settle down, the great formation to regainits function and allow the world to be balanced again they needed even moreHeavenly Tome Monoliths. However, where could she find Heavenly Tome Monoliths? Who knew where theremaining two monoliths of the twelve that Zhou Dufu had taken out of theMausoleum of Books back then were? Also, even if the two Heavenly TomeMonoliths were found, the world of the Garden of Zhou was currently fallingapart, so just who could stop the sky from falling down? As a result, it was useless. No matter if the Sword Pool appeared again, or if the stone pillars settleddown once again, it was already useless. The Garden of Zhou was about to be destroyed, and the humans, demons andmonsters within it would be turned to ashes, or sucked into void space. Xu Yourong lowered her head and looked at her finger that trembled slightly.Her lips were tightly pursed. She seemed a staunch and unyielding girl who wascurrently grieving. She felt that she was very useless. Chen Changsheng understood it, and did not say any more. At this moment, heheld the dagger in one hand and the umbrella in the other, and could not pather shoulder to comfort her, much less hug her to give her warmth. As a result,he could only move slightly towards her, and sit closer to her. His shoulderleaned on hers gently, hoping that it could give her something to rely on. The whirlwind sucked up countless rock fragments which rained on the surfaceof the Yellow Paper Umbrella. It brought an extremely terrifying vibration ofsound, like that of a giant beating a battle drum. If the defensivecapabilities of the Yellow Paper Umbrella were not so great, they would alreadybe dead at that moment. It was very quiet in the umbrella.
344 Where Does the Rainbow Come From?
The monster tide was like an ocean and that shadow obscured the sky, butZhexiu carried Qi Jian and continuously ran off in the exact oppositedirection. Qi Jian maintained her weak consciousness and pointed the way,correcting him on occasion when he began straying from the right direction.However, both time and space in this plain were problematic. No matter how fastZhexiu ran, he still could not escape this plain. For this reason, after he hadmade a little distance between them and that shadow, he stopped and took asmall rest. At the same time, he began to consider what he should do next. Itwas just at this moment that countless sword glows appeared in the skyjustlike this, the Sword Sea appeared in the plain behind them. When Qi Jian, who was resting on his shoulder, saw this scene, she was stunnedinto silence and her body became extremely rigid. "What happened?" Zhexiu asked. Qi Jian''s voice was somewhat shaky as she replied, "It seems it seems likethe Sword Pool has appeared." Zhexiu was quiet, then said, "Continue." The battle on the plain between the monster tide and the myriad swords did notaffect they who were so far away. That magnificent and momentous battle,through Qi Jian''s monotonous voice, became much more tedious, but Zhexiu stilllistened attentively, because he knew that this strange activity might be thelast chance the pair had to escape this plain. Finally, when Qi Jian describedhow those myriad swords had flown up into the sky for the final time andtransformed into a golden dragon and engulfed the Golden-winged Great Peng, heaccurately grasped an important fact. "The sword at the very frontwas a dagger?" Qi Jian''s injuries had not yet recovered. In the course of these many days offlight through this plain, she had grown extremely weak. If it were not for thefact that she needed to give Zhexiu directions, she would have droppedunconscious at any time. However, ever since she was a child, she hadcultivated in the path of the sword, so her eyes were like two intelligentswords, able to get a crystal-clear view of things that were far away anddescribe them very definitively. Hearing her words, Zhexiu immediately put her on his back and once again beganto make his way in the opposite direction of that battle. Qi Jian asked, "Did you recognize that sword?" Zhexiu replied, "That was Chen Changsheng''s dagger." Qi Jian was confused. She asked in surprise, "It was Chen Changsheng? Thenshouldn''t we go and help him?" Previously, she had seen very clearly that although that dagger had led thatlegion of swords in victory over the Golden-winged Great Peng, it was veryobviously on its last legs. If it really was Chen Changsheng that was battlingwith the demons in the plains, how could Zhexiu, as his companion, just leavehim be? Hearing her question, Zhexiu''s feet actually began to move even faster as heanswered. "If he can resolve that problem, he doesn''t require our help. If hecan''t resolve it, it can only buy us some time. If this is the case, if we wereto turn around, we would just be wasting the opportunity to survive that hefound for us." Qi Jian had grown up in the Mount Li Sword Sect and had grown accustomed tothe mutual affection and assistance her fellow disciples provided to eachother, never leaving each other behind, so she was unable to understandZhexiu''s way of thinking. Just as she was thinking of a rebuttal, Zhexiu flatlyand emotionlessly continued, "If it was me fighting the demons and ChenChangsheng carrying Xu Yourong away, I am confident that he would also not turnback." Qi Jian was still somewhat unwilling to accept these words, but she finallydecided to remain silent. Because Zhexiu had said that Chen Changsheng wouldmake the same choice and then had also compared himself and her to ChenChangsheng and Xu Yourong, she did not know how to respond. Zhexiu continued to run forward through the surrounding plain. Just at thismoment, a clear light landed in the sky. Soon after, a piece of the sky felldown on the plains, followed by an explosion. They were suddenly assailed by aberserk gale, and then a fierce shaking knocked them over into the grass. Zhexiu laboriously stood up in the water and asked, "What''s the situation?" Qi Jian stared at the distant sky, her face pale as she said, "It seems thatthe sky is falling." Zhexiu quietly stood for a few moments, then carried her out of the grass andcontinued to run to the edge of the plain. The sky truly was about to fall. Countless streams of frenzied energy engulfedthe entire plain in a storm, then easily tore through the restrictions at theedge of the plain. As one got closer to the edge of the plain to access otherareas of the Garden of Zhou, all around could be seen monstrous tears. Itseemed like the edge of this world''s destruction. Zhexiu and Qi Jian were very fortunate. As they ran, none of those stormsbrought about by the clear light struck them. Even more fortunate was that theappearance of the Heavenly Tome Monolith had sent heaven and earth into chaos,dashing to pieces the restrictions around the plains. The different regions nolonger ran on different times and the segmentation of space also disappeared. Just like that, they ran. They ran out of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun andarrived below Sunset Valley. It was still night in the Garden of Zhou. The sphere of light that distantlyshined at Sunset Valley was no longer as calm and beautiful as it once was. Thestorms brought about by the appearance of the Heavenly Tomes had alreadyreached this place. Massive rocks were falling from the cliffs of SunsetValley, as if it had just been struck by a fearsome earthquake. And thisearthquake was still going. Suffering the pain from the wound on her abdomen and the effects of themedicine, Qi Jian fiercely clung to consciousness. Through the mountainsscattered with fallen stones, she guided Zhexiu. Zhexiu once again transformed,his sharp claws digging into the earth, soaring, leaping, running, and plungingthrough the cliffs, time and time again narrowly avoiding a landslide. Finally,he arrived at one of the gardens at the edge of the Garden of Zhou. As soon as Qi Jian saw a girl dressed in the ceremonial garb of the ThirteenDivisions of Radiant Green, that breath she had been holding for this entiretime instantly was all let out. She could hold on no longer and instantly fellunconscious. This was the Mountainside Whispering Wood, a place where the human cultivatorshad gathered. To Zhexiu, Chen Changsheng, and the others that had entered thePlains of the Unsetting Sun, several dozen days had passed. To these humancultivators, not that much time had passed. Of course, to them, the time thathad gone by was already long enough. Because of the demons plot, the Garden of Zhou was thrown into completemayhem. They wanted to leave, but they could not leave. This time had beenextremely unbearable for them. Now, that terrifying shaking coming from theplain and those even more frightening storms of energy had made them all feelthat they were in mortal danger. The gardens in which they had gathered werethrown into disorder. Everywhere there were anxious and inquiring voices, andalso many desperate cries. They did not know when the gate to the Garden ofZhou would open, nor did they know if the Garden of Zhou was about to beannihilated. The Garden of Zhou was a miniature world with an extraordinarily complexconstruction. On the other side of the cliff was a very large region. The largelake in that place had already returned to its former serenity. The blood bledby Nanke''s two maids had been washed away by the waters of the lake. The bloodspilled by that treacherous sword that had pierced Qi Jian''s abdomen had alsobeen covered up by the sand. Liang Xiaoxiao and Zhuang Huanyu stood at the lake shore. They did not lookinto each other''s eyes nor speak to each other. They both had no expression ontheir faces, but they represented two completely different emotions. Gazing atthe ominous red sky and feeling the vibrations from deep in the lake, LiangXiaoxiao glanced at Zhuang Huanyu and said, "First live and get out, then wecan talk about other things." Outside Hanqiu City, the fog was still thick. Although it was night, therainbow that came from far away was still as striking as ever. That last strandof disorder had long since disappeared, yet this occurrence had no means ofgoing back in time and affecting what had caused that rainbow to disappear inthe first place. The formless gate to the Garden of Zhou in the fog was stillclosed and it was unknown when it would open again. Zhu Luo stood in the dark forest at the very front of the fog, staring at therainbow in the fog. His expression was grave and stern as he thought aboutsomething. As one of humanity''s strongest experts, one of the Storms of the EightDirections, not even he knew how many storms he had experienced. Whether it wascold winds and bitter rains or foul winds and bloody rains, an affair like thiswhere the demons infiltrated the Garden of Zhou and cut off its connection tothe outside world, while it could shock him somewhat, was truthfully not toobig of a deal. Under his leadership, many of the priests of the Orthodoxy andexperts of the Tianliang County were using various spells to repair the gate tothe Garden of Zhou. Examining the degree to which the space within the fog waswarped, he could tell that it would not be long until they met with success.And yet just a moment ago, he had sensed that something terrible had occurred,that something had happened in the Garden of Zhou and that the garden was nowon the verge of collapse. An expert of his caliber possessed an extremely profound understanding of thelaws of space and could tell when any miniature world was about to collapse orslide into oblivion. Even the Central Continent would disappear after tens ofthousands of years, but to construct and moreover use a miniature worldinevitably required a relatively stable and firm space. The Pope''s Green Leafworld was like this, and so was Zhou Dufu''s world. In his view, the Garden ofZhou should have been able to stably exist for at least several tens ofthousands of years. So why were there suddenly signs of its coming collapse? No one could say that their strength was enough to destroy a world, even aminiature one. He could not, the Pope could not, and the Zhou Dufu of the pastalso could not. A power that could destroy a world could only come from theworld itself. If the Garden of Zhou was about to collapse, then the reasoninevitably lay within the Garden of Zhou itself, or else some sort of powerthat surpassed space. Zhu Luo thought of those rumors and his expression grew ever more grave, likea sheet of ice. At some point, Mei Lisha had arrived at his side. The archbishop''s elderlyface was usually tired, but now there was only concern visible on his face. Hiseyes were still squinted, but only those people close by could clearly sensethe chill exuded by his gaze. With his hoarse voice, Mei Lisha asked, "How long until we can open the gateto the Garden of Zhou?" Zhu Luo sent out his spiritual sense, using some profound method to sense thetwisting of space within the fog. He then gave a relatively accurate estimate."We should be able to open it before morning." Mei Lisha squinted his eyes even harder. "No good, it''s too slow." Even in the face of this peerless expert of the Storms of the EightDirections, his tone was still this direct, even oppressive. Zhu Luo gazed at that rainbow that arose from somewhere in the south. "We''vedone everything that we can do. For it to be faster, we can only look at MountLi." Mei Lisha understood his meaning and gazed silently in the direction of thatprecipitous peak in the south. No one noticed that his robed hands were lightlytrembling, and naturally no one could hear that virtuous and prestigious eldersilently saying to himself: Chen Changsheng, you cannot die. That rainbow that had arisen from the distance was not the key to the Gardenof Zhou. To provide a more accurate description, that rainbow was an actiontaken by the key to open the Garden of Zhou. Black Robe was able to use thesquare plate to influence the rainbow and temporarily close the Garden of Zhoubecause in that instant when the key was about to enter the lock, he hadinserted something extra into the lock.
345 The Pheasant in Dire Straits
Before the Garden of Zhou had opened, before the rainbow had appeared, MountLi was already in a condition of absolute vigilance. Xiao Songgong and threeelders of the Discipline Hall sat at various places along the mountain path,and the Myriad Sword Array of Mount Li was hidden in the depths of the clouds,ready to kill any enemies that appeared at any time. However, they were stillunable to create absolute safety. Only when the Sect Master of Mount Li createda long whistle with his sword did the rainbow stabilize, as well as purge theother Qi from within the rainbow. Unfortunately, it could not stop the Demonrace from closing the gate of the Garden of Zhou in time. If they wanted to open the gate of the Garden of Zhou again and let theseveral hundred human cultivators out, other than the formations deployed bythe many experts outside Hanqiu City, what was most important was still therainbow that originated from Mount Li. After all, the key was there. In thetime that had passed, Mount Li remained in silence. Everyone focused theirattention on the activity on the main peak. At that moment when they saw thesect master finally exit the dwelling, all the people that had waited for avery long time surged forwards, bowing and saluting. Xiao Songgong asked with aserious expression, Senior, how is it? The Mount Li Sect Master gazed into the eastern night sky, and looked at thestar that remained bright. He said, At dawn, the Garden of Zhou will reopen. Hearing that, Xiao Songgong relaxed a little. However, he discovered that theSect Master remained stern in expression, especially in the silent lake in hiseyes, and his sword intent seemed to move slightly. Xiao Songgong could nothelp but feel extremely uneasy and asked, Perhaps there are other changes? The Mount Li Sect Master retracted his gaze to the east, and followed therainbow until it landed on the position of Hanqiu City in the north. He said,There are great matters currently occurring in the Garden of Zhou, and thereare already signs of collapsing. I dont know if the people inside are stillable to last till dawn. The Mount Li Sword Sect Disciples present heard what he said, and feltshocked. However, they did not dare to create a hubbub. After a while, an elderof the Discipline Hall asked in concern, Are there any other methods? The Sect Master did not say anything, and the people naturally understood whathe meant. A disciple asked, How is Eldest Brother? With his question, many disciples shot their gaze towards the tightly-shutdoor of the dwelling. To the younger generation of Mount Li disciples, itseemed that nothing could pose a problem to their Eldest Brother. Although theyknew that his level of cultivation definitely was not as great as their martialuncles, they still subconsciously placed hope on him. The Sect Master looked at all the disciples and said, In order to quicklyreopen the gate of the Garden of Zhou, your Eldest Brother has basically burntall of the blood of the True Dragon in his body, and you want it to open evenfaster? Perhaps you wish for him to completely cripple his cultivation? Or isit that you want him to just die under this rainbow? Hearing this, the disciples were all surprised, and did not dare to say anymore. Just at this moment, a voice resounded from inside the dwelling, Master,disciple still wants to try again. The voice was very exhausted, and seemed extremely weak. However, it remainedas clear as it was normally and extremely pleasant to the ear. The emotions inthe voice was still very calm, unhurried, confident and resolute. Moreimportantly, the voice was just like how it was normally; no matter whatsituation it was in, it would not sound depressed, and carried a feeling ofbeing free and at ease, or even being carefree and unrestrained. Hearing the voice, all the disciples felt slightly relieved for some reason,just like how it was normally. The Sect Master looked at the dwelling and said with a deep voice, If youwant to try again, perhaps there is only death. The voice disappeared for a while, and then resounded once again. It remainedcalm and extremely resolute. Junior Sister is still in the Garden of Zhou. This was an excuse. This was a reason. It was an excuse and reason thateverybody in the world was willing to know and believe. When the Sect Masterheard the seemingly calm voice of the Eldest Disciple who he loved the mostdearly give off a truly worried feeling for the first time, how could he havethe heart to stop him? In the depths of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun that was covered in energystorms, the mausoleum was surrounded by violent whirlwinds. The pools of waterin the grassland were already almost completely evaporated, and the mud alsoturned into dry dirt. With the wind that blew violently in the world, some dustfloated in from the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, which blocked some light. Xu Yourong leaned on Chen Changshengs shoulder and said quietly, Will wedie? At this moment, she who was just shy of the edge of death was extremely weak,whether physically or mentally. Chen Changshengs gaze bypassed the edge of theYellow Paper Umbrella, and stared at the ten stone pillars in the wind and dustin the surroundings of the mausoleum. He thought about the outcome she hadcalculated before, and was currently doing some type of comparison. Suddenly,he heard her speak, and said after thinking a little, Perhaps but I wont letyou die. Xu Yourong said with a gentle voice, Before, if you did not give me yourblood, I would already be dead. However, before, I did not fear death, but nowI do. I dont know why. Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes and said, Perhaps its because you havea reason to live for? Xu Yourong thought a little and said, Perhaps. Chen Changsheng gave a smile that originated from the bottom of his heart andsaid, I am very happy. Xu Yourong looked at his smile and said, I am also very happy. But the more Iam like this, the more I dont want to die. Chen Changsheng said seriously, Yes, so I am thinking how we can continue tolive. Xu Yourong made fun of him, Are you very good at coming up with solutions? No, but matters regarding how to continue living I have often thought aboutit. After saying that, he continued to observe the wind and dust in thesurroundings of the mausoleum and the images in the wind and dust, especiallythe area that was covered in white grass before, and was now covered by monstercorpses and dust. Many monsters had already died, and even more monsters foughtagainst the whirlwinds, or were perhaps being blown everywhere by thewhirlwinds. Death would always arrive, whether early or late. Other than theYellow Paper Umbrella in front of the main entrance of the mausoleum, therewere no other places that could give the beings that were once powerful andfierce any coverage. Just at this moment, a black shadow passed through the violent flows of energyand the whistling wind and dust, and arrived in front of the main entrance ofthe mausoleum like lightning. It passed through an extremely small crack at theedge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and landed heavily on the heavy stone doorof the mausoleum. It gave off a muffled sound as it collided with the stonedoor, and several cracks formed on the door. To be able to evade the storms of energy released by the Heavenly TomeMonoliths, disregard the sky full of wind and sand, and almost knock over themain entrance of the mausoleum it was a bird. The bird was covered in messyfeathers and did not seem pretty at all. Its right foot was already destroyed,and it was covered in marks of blood. It seemed just like a pheasant that hadescaped with its life under the arrows of a hunter. The pheasant rolled out from the center of the crack in the stone door, andlanded on the ground. It used a leg to stand up with great difficulty, andmoved its neck. It flapped a wing, dislodging most of the dust and water fromit, and seemed slightly satisfied. Afterwards, it gazed at the sky full of windand sand at the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and gave out a few angrypheasant cries. The space under the Yellow Paper Umbrella was very small, somost of the dust and grit that it had flapped off landed on Chen Changsheng andXu Yourongs faces. The two could not help but begin coughing.
346 The Missing Black Rock
An elegant hand extended towards the pheasant, and gently rubbed its head. Thepheasant was slightly unhappy, but it did not dare to show any signs ofunhappiness. It extended its neck in a clever and sincere manner, and allowedthe hand to rub it. It seemed just like a quail. It was Xu Yourongs handthe pheasant knew very well what kind of blood flowedin the girls body. It disliked it very much; it had to admit that the bloodwas its bane. Chen Changsheng also extended his hand towards it, as if he also wanted totouch it. The pheasant also knew very well just how strong the teenager was.Most importantly, he was the owner of the Yellow Paper Umbrella. If it wantedto survive the terrifying storms of energy, it could not offend him. Beingrubbed a few times should be a small price to payeven if it was shedding allits feathers, it could endure it. However for some reason, the pheasant gaveout a sharp screech, and like lightning, it pecked down on the back of ChenChangshengs hand. A clear sound that was like the collision of gold and jade resounded. The pheasant stared blankly. It did not know why it had behaved so violently.Chen Changsheng also stared blankly, and then remembered that although theinjuries on his body had already basically healed and that the smell of theblood that flowed out had already become extremely faint, animals and monsterswere still unable to reject the enticement. Although a great peng in dire straits is not as great as a pheasant, it isstill a great peng afterall. It has its own pride, Xu Yourong said whilelooking at him. This was not the original common saying. The original sayingwas a phoenix in dire straits is not as great as a hen, but she woulddefinitely not say it like that. Just like she had said, the messy bird that seemed like a pheasant was theGolden-winged Great Peng that had enveloped the entire sky before, but nolonger so mighty. In the first moment that it had taken shelter behind theYellow Paper Umbrella, Chen Changsheng knew that it was the Golden-winged GreatPeng, because of its Qi and because of the violent sacred flames in the deepestparts of its pupils. No matter how well it had disguised itself, to be able topass through the storm of energy and whirlwinds, as well as know that theYellow Paper Umbrella could protect it, it definitely was that Great Peng. The original body of the Golden-winged Great Peng had perhaps left and diedwith Zhou Dufus death. Only when Nanke arrived in the Garden of Zhou with theSoul Wood did its spirit that always slept in the shadow of the grasslandawaken once again. Right now, the Golden-winged Great Peng was only afledgling, and did not have the power and level of when it was at its peak. Nowonder it could only form a shadow in the sky, and had only recovered themajority of its divine aura after Nanke had used the power of her soul and theSoul Wood to fuse with the Great Peng. Chen Changsheng did not attempt to touch the baby peng again. The baby pengslowly became quiet, and was no longer as nervous and alert as before. Thefeeling of violence in two smears of sacred flame disappeared, and it wasreplaced by some sort of complicated emotions. Chen Changsheng understood what it wanted to convey, and could not help butstare blankly. The message the baby peng conveyed was all in its eyes. It wasbeseechment, request and imploration. It was sorrow, pain, sadness anddespairthe countless monsters in the Garden of Zhou were all its companionsand subordinates. The monsters had lived in the grassland for centuries,separated from the outside world and without any conflict between each other.The grassland was their home town, and right now, their home town was about tobe destroyed. Chen Changsheng said in his heart that it did not need to request him to doanything. He would try his best to preserve the world. The baby peng seemed tohear what he had said in his heart, and became even more quiet. It seemedextremely lovable. However, what was interesting was that it was stillunwilling to approach him, and instead seemed to be willing to take a few stepstowards Xu Yourong who was supposed to be even more feared and disliked. Itleaned against her body in a well-behaved manner. Chen Changshengs remaining attention was always focused on the wind and sandin the surroundings of the mausoleum. When he conversed with Xu Yourong andcommunicated heart-to-heart with the Great Peng, he was always doingcalculations in his heart. According to what Xu Yourong had said before, therelationship between the ten monoliths belonged to some change in someformation. Now, because the Sword Pool had been removed, the balance in theformation had been broken, and could not be recovered ever again, unless hecould find the empty spot that had been filled in with the Sword Pool. Yes, in the formation, the Sword Pool was only a replacement object. What wasthe Sword Pool replacing? Xu Yourong said that Zhou Dufu had taken twelveHeavenly Tome Monoliths, but there were only ten stone pillars here. So wherewere the other two? From the very start, Chen Changsheng always felt that he had forgottensomething. It was the blank memory in his final moment of comprehending themonoliths in the Mausoleum of Books. Afterwards, he remembered somethingvaguely so an unrestrained idea appeared in his head. In order to prove the idea, he always focused on the surroundings of themausoleum, to find the evidence that could prove his ideahe needed to getenough confirmation before following along with the idea, because it was anextremely dangerous act. People only had one life, so it was the last chance. Sand and wind covered the skies. From time to time, sand dunes that were likesmall mountains formed on the ground in the surroundings of mausoleum, andother times, even the tough gray stone ground would be flipped. He alwaysfocused on that area, which was also the area that Xu Yourong had calculated.It was the area that was once covered in white grass, and now covered in sandand monster corpses. It finally revealed its true appearance after hundreds ofyears. There was a ruined stone wall. It seemed like a basea base for a monolith. There should have been a Heavenly Tome Monolith thereChen Changshengconfirmed the fact, and with a slight movement of spiritual sense, he took outan object and held it in his hand. He then looked at the baby peng. The babypeng originally felt uneasy, and wanted to look at something else. It did notwant to meet gazes with him, but it discovered that because it was too nervous,its neck actually became stiff. A human and a peng gazed at each other. The atmosphere was slightly weird. Thebaby peng thought in his head, just why is it me? Chen Changsheng spoke in hisheart: its because youre an impressive Golden-winged Great Peng. Only you canwithstand the havoc of the storms of energy, at least for a moment. The babypeng thought with resentment, why cant you do it? Chen Changsheng squeezed thehandle of the umbrella and said in his heart: even if I am correct, the Gardenof Zhou will still collapse. I have even more important things to do. Theconsciousness of the baby peng became quiet, and then it accepted hisexplanation. Chen Changsheng opened his palm. In the centre of it was a black rock. The black rock was around half a finger long, and its shape was slender. Itwas entirely inky black, and the surface of the rock seemed to be hidden by alayer of faint fog. It was like a night sky that did not have stars, but hadstarlight. It caused people who had seen it to become intoxicated, and trulywant to sink into it. It obviously was not an ordinary object. It was the blackrock that he had found in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, behind Wang Zhicesportrait. When the baby peng saw the black rock, a feeling of dread flashed past itspupils. Only after a while did it calm down, and it opened its beak to pick upthe black rock. Chen Changsheng turned the Yellow Paper Umbrella towards the side, providing apath for the baby peng. When he did that, he always used his body to block Xu Yourongs line ofvision. It was not because he did not want her to learn his secrets, nor was itbecause she was preventing him from doing what he soon needed to do. A breeze formed, and the baby peng transformed into a black shadow. It flewout from the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and passed through the violent winds thatwreaked havoc and the terrifying cracks in space. It followed the guide of ChenChangshengs gaze from before, and arrived at the very inconspicuous base for amonolith in the sky full of wind and sand. It loosened its beak, and closelyafterwards the black rock landed accurately on the monolith base. It was as if the starry sky had arrived in the Garden of Zhou that never had astarry sky. It was very dark, but it was also very tranquil. A great but tranquil Qi arose from the monolith base. In the next moment, a black Heavenly Tome Monolith appeared on the brokenmonolith base.
347 The Past of Monoliths and Swords
As the black rock landed on the monolith base, it turned into a black HeavenlyTome Monolith. A distant and ancient Qi exuded from the monolith, and slowlyfused into one with the Qi from the ten other monoliths. The formation that washidden in a relative position to it seemed to undergo some subtle butdefinitely important changes with the arrival of the Qi. The surroundings of the mausoleum quieted down slightly, and layers of rock nolonger fell from the surface of the stone pillars. On the surface of the blackstone monoliths that were already revealed, a gloomy, cold light glowed. Atleast several hundred thin dimensional cracks flowed between the stone pillars. The line-like dimensional cracks that floated between the stone pillars wereactually extremely terrifying. They were like dark abysses, and would rip aparteverything that approached them. Once something was swallowed by the cracks, itwould be sent to void space, and endure an eternal and endless drift ofloneliness. Fortunately, the cracks were currently bound by some sort of power,and no longer drifted about. In the whistling, violent wind, the clear cry of the baby peng resounded. Thecry was so happy that it was full of the delight of a successful revenge. Inits past life, it was Zhou Dufus mount, and it had once seen its powerfulowner suppress the proud stone monoliths with its own eyes. Now it seemed likedj vu, so how could it not be proud of itself? Chen Changshengs gaze retracted from the dimension cracks, and looked at theeleven stone pillars in the surroundings of the mausoleum. Using Xu Yourongsmethod of deduction that she had mentioned before, he did the calculationagain, and confirmed that the formation could control the storms of energybrought upon by the appearance of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths. At the sametime, it confirmed that his memory and the idea that seemed mystical were notwrong. When he viewed the monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books at night before, theseventeen monoliths formed a star chart. However, it was always incomplete, sohe was unable to break through the threshold, until the last moment, when theblack rock that he had obtained from the Pavilion of Ascending Mist gave off abright light, and filled in the star chart. Only then did he truly comprehendthe true meaning of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, and break through to the upperrealm of Ethereal Opening. An immeasurable amount of starlight washed over the mausoleum. At that time,he was in a condition where he was in a mental journey, and did not know whathad happened in his own consciousness at all. After what had happened, heforgot about the usage of the black rock even more, and only had an extremelyvague and blurry impression. Fortunately, he still managed to remember it inthe end, and receive verification. The black rock in the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, behind Wang Zhicesportrait was a Heavenly Tome Monolith. With this, the greatest secret of the Mausoleum of Books, as well as thegreatest secret of the Garden of Zhou, which could even be considered as thegreatest secret of the continent in the past thousand years, finally revealed amajority of its truths before his eyes. Although the stories that occurredbetween the once-peerless experts were already forgotten and buried inoblivion, he had already managed to see some truths. Many years ago, Zhou Dufu took twelve monoliths from the Mausoleum of Books.The matter itself was already extremely universally shockingno one understoodhow he did it, nor how he could preserve the monoliths outside of the Mausoleumof Books. It was also an extremely outrageous matter. The Heavenly Tome Monoliths were the sacred objects of the Heavenly Dao.Within the monoliths hid something that did not belong to this world, whichcould be called violent energy. The Qi and energy originated from anotherworld. To this world, it was like countless sparks, while the mountains,rivers, oceans, trees, beasts, and humansall the existences of the worldwerejust a pile of dry firewood. As soon as dry firewood and fire met, countless flames would definitely form.Fortunately, when the Heavenly Tomes descended many years ago, a type ofrestriction formed naturally, which connected them with the earth as one,allowing them to rest quietly using the energy of the thick earth. As a result,in the Mausoleum of Books, the energy could be kept calmly within the stonemonoliths. Once it left the Mausoleum of Books, the Qi that was incompatiblewith the world would naturally come out of the monoliths, and set everything inthe world alight. The distant, ancient Qi seemed peaceful, but to this world,it represented destruction. As a result, the monoliths could not leave the Mausoleum of Books. Zhou Dufu instead did exactly the opposite, and he even succeeded. A HeavenlyTome Monolith was lost outside for some reason, and he brought the remainingeleven monoliths into the Garden of Zhou. Even though the Garden of Zhou wasseparated from the world, even though his powers were close to miracles, he wasstill unable to conceal the Qi of the eleven monoliths, to prevent their Qifrom coming in contact with the real world. As a result, he used astonishingmethods and his genius-level intelligence and came up with an extremelyfantastic methodhe created a formation with the eleven monoliths. The formation was a type of subtle and clever imitation of the Mausoleum ofBooks, or put straightforwardly, a shrunken version of the Mausoleum of Books.Xu Yourong could use such a short time to understand the connection between thestone pillars, to understand the wondrous method Zhou Dufu had used before,because she had studied the Mausoleum of Books and the Heavenly Tome Monolithssince childhood. Relying on such a formation, Zhou Dufu let the Qi of the eleven monoliths thathad left the Mausoleum of Books forcefully restrain each other without end. Hecreated his own independent world, and used the seemingly weak balance to stopdestruction from occurring. In order to protect the balance from beingdestroyed by people, he left countless terrifying monsters in the Plains of theUnsetting Sun. If matters really did continue as such, perhaps after Zhou Dufus death, withthe flow of time, the Garden of Zhous rules may have slowly collapsed, and themausoleum may have crumbled. However, the Heavenly Tome Monoliths hidden in theeleven stone pillars would remain undiscovered, quietly enduring the wind andthe rain for all of eternity. Yet, there were no matters that were eternal in the world. In fact, just a fewyears after Zhou Dufu had entered the Mausoleum of Books to steal monoliths, aman secretly entered the Garden of Zhou with the intention of stealing thestone pillars. Just based on level of cultivation and battle prowess, the manobviously was not as great as Zhou Dufu, but in other aspects, he was moreoutstanding than Zhou Dufu in the hearts of everybody. The man was Wang Zhice. Perhaps because of Emperor Taizongs order to discover the whereabouts of themonoliths, or perhaps because he wanted to prove some idea he had, Wang Zhiceentered the Garden of Zhou. Through some unknown method, he retrieved one ofthe Heavenly Tome Monoliths from a stone pillar, and turned it into a blackrock mystically. Zhou Dufu naturally discovered this, and then problems occurred. Of the eleven monoliths, one was missing. This meant that the formation thathe had spent all his efforts on was destroyed. It could be imagined that the Garden of Zhou back then was the same as thepresent time, full of storms of energy and whistling whirlwinds that wreakedhavoc. Zhou Dufu obviously could use his peerless strength to forcefully suppress theeruption of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, but it was the same as the very start.He could not stay between the monoliths forever, so he needed to fix theformation, or in other words, he needed to find another Heavenly Tome Monolith. Very obviously, the imperial family of Great Zhou and the Orthodoxy that hadalready experienced it once would not give him another opportunity. Perhapswhen he sat on the mausoleum and contemplated, he saw that there was still asword that was unwilling to yield in the sea of grass. Perhaps it was ChenXuanbas Dragoncry Sword, or perhaps it was the Holy Maiden Sword from SouthStream Temple. Anyway, it allowed him to think of a method. Since it was very difficult to find another Heavenly Tome Monolith, he couldonly find a replacement object. Of course, the replacement object needed to be powerful, and needed the powerthat was equal to the Heavenly Tome Monolith. The replacement object Zhou Dufu chose was sword intent. He used ten thousand swords to replace the Heavenly Tome Monolith. With that, the Garden of Zhou slowly recovered its peace. The Plains of the Unsetting Sun became peaceful once again. There were no more people that had found the mausoleum, much less any persondiscovering the secrets in the stone pillars. Until a certain year later on, the soul of a sword separated from its body,and its body drifted out of the grassland along the pools of water. It passedthrough the small lake, and arrived in the Garden of Zhous other side. Itdrifted along the cold lake, and was washed into the forest next to the riverby the water. It was taken by Su Li. As a result, an additional umbrellaappeared in Wenshui, and the umbrella was currently in Chen Changshengs hand. Chen Changsheng took the umbrella into the Garden of Zhou again. To the tenthousand sword intents in the grassland, it was a return. Without thesuppression of the ten thousand sword intents, the formation was destroyed. TheHeavenly Tome Monoliths appeared, and began to destroy the world. However, whowould have thought that he also brought back the Heavenly Tome Monolith thatwas lost outside? To the Garden of Zhou, it was a true return. It was possible that it was a story from years ago. Of course, it was onlyChen Changshengs conjecture. At that moment, he did not know about the truesecret of the Yellow Paper Umbrella. There were still many details that werenot clear enough in the story he had imagined. Why did Wang Zhice only takeaway one monolith all those years ago? Was taking away one monolith the limitof his ability, or did it mean that his original intention of taking away themonolith was not for searching, but to destroy the formation and as a result,to destroy the Garden of Zhou? Or perhaps, he even wanted to use such a methodto deal with Zhou Dufu? No one knew what Wang Zhice was thinking all those years ago, and there wasalso no one who knew whether a world-shaking battle had occurred in the Gardenof Zhou all those years ago. According to the records of history, Wang Zhiceand Zhou Dufu never battled. According to rumors among the people, they weresworn brothers. However, who knew? Those experts that had once crisscrossed thecontinent, that virtuous predecessor who once blanketed the capital in theradiance of the starshow they had met and how they had battled was beyond ChenChangshengs understanding, and even beyond his imagination. The baby peng passed through the terrifying dimension cracks, and flew back infront of the main entrance of the mausoleum. Chen Changsheng stared into its eyes and did not say anything. It understood,its eyes became gloomy and it thought, this is a transaction. Since I havealready completed my part, just why should I continue to help you? Also, theway you look at her is lifeless. If I cant fly out in time, what will happen? Yes, it was still a little too late. The stone pillars no longer flaked rocks, and the Heavenly Tome Monoliths nolonger gave off clear light. The distant and ancient Qi had been retracted backinto the black rock once again, but the world of the Garden of Zhou was alreadyriddled with gaping wounds. The countless storms of energy continued to ripapart the sea of grass and mountain ranges. Most terrifyingly, the skycontinued to collapse without stopping. The monsters in the grassland seemed tofeel a sliver of a chance to survive, and currently ran wildly in the directionaway from the mausoleum as if their life depended on it. However, the mountainranges far away had also already collapsed. Who knew whether they could escapebefore the world was destroyed? Chen Changsheng turned around and looked at Xu Yourong. Xu Yourong already felt the changes that occurred outside, and her gaze on himwas full of shock. Zhou Dufu arranging eleven Heavenly Tome Monoliths into a formation wassomething she could understand. She had told Chen Changsheng how the problemcould be solved, but she had not thought that Chen Changsheng would actually beable to solve the problem. It caused her to be very shocked, and even slightlyat a losswhy would he have a Heavenly Tome Monolith? It was just that she could not say that in time, so she did not say anything. The Heavenly Tome Monoliths quieted down. They needed to seize the moment andleave, leave together.
348 If the Sky is Collapsing, Someone Must Hold it Up
Why? Xu Yourongs complexion was slightly pale. The gate of the Garden of Zhou is about to open. Chen Changsheng glanced atthe baby peng, but what he said instead was a different topic. The reopening of the Garden of Zhou was obviously good news, but in his voice,there were no feelings of happiness, because the collapse continued. Hefollowed Xu Yourongs method and let the black rock turn into a Heavenly TomeMonolith, which stopped the arrival of destruction. However, it was notenoughthe snowy mountain had already begun to collapse. The initial greatpower of the world that caused the collapse had calmed down again, but whowould stop the avalanche once it grew out of control? A storm of energy arrived before the mausoleum. With a dozen or so terrifyingripping sounds, the mausoleum began to shake violently. Several boulders abovethe south-western wall began to fall. Because of the cracks, the azure blue skybecame dark and gloomy. Many fragments of the sky had landed on the grasslandwithout their notice and were now being blown around in the violent wind. Therewere countless flowing flames in the distance in the Garden of Zhou, and therewas black smoke and fire everywhere. Monsters ran in a panic, and manymiserable howls and sad sounds could be vaguely heard. The world was currentlybeing destroyed. Xu Yourong looked into his eyesshe did not have the power to raise her arm tograb his collar, but that was what she implied. Before, she had indeed saidthat even if the balance between the Heavenly Tome Monoliths was regained, itwould be useless. The Garden of Zhou was already undergoing the process ofdestruction. However, if the gate of the Garden of Zhou really was about toopen, why could they not leave together? Why did she have to leave first? The sky is falling, he looked into her eyes and said very seriously. And then? she looked into his eyes and asked very seriously. If there is no one to hold it up, no one will make it out. Chen Changsheng raised the Yellow Paper Umbrella and stood up. He turnedaround, looked at her and said, I need to stay behind and find a method tomake it last a little longer. Xu Yourongs trembling voice was like drizzle disturbing the lake water. You?How will you do it? How will you do it? What will happen to you? It was unknown which question wascloser to what she was asking. Chen Changsheng looked at her and said very sincerely, I will see. The Heavenly Tome Monoliths had returned to the Garden of Zhou and theformation had regained stability. It helped the interior of the Garden of Zhougain the most valuable period of time. The gate of the Garden of Zhou wascurrently opening, but with its current speed, it was extremely possible thatit would not make it. If the people outside could not open the Garden of Zhouin time, the sky would collapse, and the monsters that lived inside, as well asthe hundreds of human cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou would alldie in the sky full of flowing flames. The Garden of Zhou would be destroyed. So many lives might die. The mostdirect reason was because he had removed all the swords from the SwordPoolthere was no need to care about any demon scheme or Black Robes sinisterarrangements. He did not pay attention to the fact that they had arrived in thedepths of the grasslands to save each other, or discuss the summoning of thesword intent and the Yellow Paper Umbrella. In short, all the matters happenedbecause of him, so naturally they were to be all solved by him. He had once thought that if he could not stop the destruction of the Garden ofZhou, perhaps he could attempt to use the dagger to take away all the humancultivators and some monsters from the Garden of Zhou. However, the problem wasthat the space of the dagger had a limit. At the moment, it already stored tenthousand broken swords, and was unable to store anything more. He believed thatXu Yourongs spatial artifact was the same. Right now, the only thing he could do was slow the collapse of the Garden ofZhou, and give the people in the Garden of Zhou enough time to leave. It wasalso because of the imploration of the baby peng to help the countless monstersin the grassland to seize a chance of living. As a result, he needed to stay,and wished that he could last a little longer, to seize a little more time. However why? Xu Yourong could not ask the question in time. Her shoulderswere grabbed by the baby peng, and she was lifted into the sky outside themausoleum. The Great Peng had said that it could only carry one person. Chen Changshengalso could not make the final explanation in time, and watched as the baby pengtook her away, flying into the distance. The wind in the surroundings of the mausoleum blew violently. Xu Yourong wasextremely weak, and was unable to say anything at all. She could only stareblankly at him who stood on the mausoleum. She looked at him very seriously, asif she wanted to remember all of his face. Looking at the person on themausoleum that became smaller and smaller, she shouted, Xu Sheng, you idiot. The wind really was very strong. By the time her voice had traveled to themausoleum, it was already very soft. However, Chen Changsheng heard it. Heyelled a sentence loudly back at her, but this time, the wind was too strong,and she did not hear it. Im not called Xu Sheng, Im called Chen Changsheng. After saying that, he turned around and ran up the mausoleum. The mausoleumwas very big. From the end of the divine path to the highest point, it was adistance of several thousand zhang. Also, the mausoleum was formed from hugeboulders, and was extremely difficult to climb. Fortunately, he possessedstrength and speed far beyond an ordinary persons. In a short time, he arrivedat the highest point of the mausoleum. He stood on the peak boulder of the mausoleum, and looked at the flowingflames that constantly rained down in the distance. He looked at the blacksmoke and burning forests, and the shattered blue dome of the sky that seemedto be right in front of him. He grasped the dagger in his hand tightlythe skyreally was collapsing. Luoluo had once said something to him full of emotions. It was what the White Emperor had said to her: If the sky collapses, therewill be someone tall who holds it up for you. Right now, he was at the highest point in the mausoleum, as well as thehighest point in the entire Garden of Zhou. It was higher than the peak of theSunset Valley. It was the closest point to the sky, the furthest point from theground and the point where he could see the furthest. As a result, he wascurrently the tallest person in the Garden of Zhou. The sky was collapsing, so he obviously had to hold it up. This had nothing todo with the quote Great power comes with great responsibilities, because hebelieved this originally was his responsibility. Also, he just happened to havecapabilities in this areawho just happened to be on the mausoleum, holding anumbrella in his hand with ten thousand swords in his scabbard? He switched the dagger and the Yellow Paper Umbrella between his hands. With ascreech, the sharp dagger was deeply embedded in the rock, which helped himstabilize himself in the violent winds. Afterwards, he extended the YellowPaper Umbrella in his right hand towards the sky on the verge of collapse. Witha whoosh, the Yellow Paper Umbrella was opened in the violent wind, turninginto a cowering, small, yellow flower, as if it could be ripped into shreds bythe whirlwinds at any time. It could be said that the Yellow Paper Umbrella was the magical artifact thatpossessed the greatest defense in the world. With the prideful and powerfulsword intent of the Heaven Shrouding Sword, if it fell into the hands of apeerless expert, it could be imagined that it could produce a fame that wasextremely dazzling. However he still could not rely on just the umbrella tohold up a sky, even though it was just the sky of the miniature world of theGarden of Zhou. Not to mention that the Yellow Paper Umbrella was currently inhis hands. He who was at the upper realm of Ethereal Opening was obviously veryoutstanding in the younger generation, but in front of the sky, he wasinsignificant. Please come out and help me, Chen Changsheng muttered in his heart. This was his responsibility, so he had to endure it. This also seemed to bethe responsibility of the swords, but the swords were originally kept in theGarden of Zhou against their will, so he used the word please. Without a pause, with his thought, countless shrill sword resonances appearedin the surroundings of the giant boulder that was at the peak of the mausoleum.They created a great many powerful gusts of wind, and for just an instant, theyactually suppressed all the whirlwinds that wreaked havoc in the Garden of Zhou. Countless swords surged out from the scabbard by his waist! Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh! The swords brushed past the side of the YellowPaper Umbrella, and then quickly dispersed, like fireworks. The ten thousand swords turned into ten lines formed by swords and rose fromthe peak of the mausoleum. They fell through the sky, just like the skeleton ofan umbrella. It was a huge umbrella that covered thousands of li. It was opened by Chen Changsheng, and held up the sky that was on the brink ofcollapse.
349 From the Garden of Zhou to the Snowy Plains
The huge umbrella formed from swords covered the sky of the Garden of Zhou. Itblocked the flowing flames that fell from the sky and held up the dimensionalfragments that cracked and fell. The fragments of the sky originally should nothave had any weight, but on the shapeless umbrella surface, they seemed to havean infinite weight. With only a soft bang, Chen Changshengs legs were deeplyembedded in the tough rock. Around them, countless tiny cracks formed, and hispants were immediately ripped to countless shreds. In the next moment, his body began to tremble violently. The unimaginableweight and pressure of the sky were directly passed through the ten thousandswords into his body. Every bone in his body seemed to creak, as if they couldbreak at any moment. The terrifying sounds of cracking continued to resound, and his two feetcontinued in breaking open the boulder. He could not endure it anymore, and hisright knee went soft, kneeling down. His knee heavily landed on the boulder,which crushed the rock into countless pieces of gravel and dust. With a muffled rumble from below that was like thunder, a great amount of dustrose into the air, and slowly enveloped the surrounding grassland and the WhiteGrass Path that was no longer as it was before. The entire mausoleum began totremble, and then actually sank by a few inches in an extremely short amount oftime. This was the weight of the sky. Chen Changsheng knelt on one knee on the peak of the mausoleum. Underneath thesky, his complexion became paler and paler, and his expression became more andmore painful. His body that had bathed in the blood of a true dragon could besaid to be tough like steel, so that even Nankes Peacock Plume could notpenetrate. However, under the pure and terrifying weight, even though his bodywas like true steel, it was as if it was going to be crushed into scrap metal. Fortunately, it was not the real sky in the end, and only fragments of the skywere ripped off by the storms of energy. Although it was extremely painful andhe was almost directly crushed to the point where his mind would be shattered,he still endured it in the end. His body slowly stopped trembling. The eleven stone pillars in the surroundings of the mausoleum had also trulycalmed down, and there was some sort of Qi that flowed out from the black stonemonoliths. If it were not for the black rock Wang Zhice had left behind,neither he, Xu Yourong, the human cultivators, nor the monsters in the Gardenof Zhou could have managed this. At least there was still a chance of survivingnow. He knelt on the highest point of the mausoleum with his left hand holding theYellow Paper Umbrella, and his right hand holding the dagger that was embeddedin the boulder. He raised his head with great difficulty and gazed into thedistance. He hoped that the chance of surviving had already arrived. The shattered sky itself was very gloomy, and at this moment, it was coveredup by countless swords, so the world of the Garden of Zhou became even darker.The collapse of the world was temporarily stopped, but the wind continued toblow violently on the grassland. He could see many monsters that had alreadyrun to the edge of the grassland, and could also see the burning forest in thedistance. He could vaguely feel Qi leaving at high speeds. Did someone alreadyleave? Afterwards, his line of vision passed through the violent wind and sand andlanded in the distance. He could vaguely see that the girl that was grabbed bythe Great Peng had already left the grassland and disappeared into the mountainranges close to the horizon. You must live. You must live well. He thought quietly in his heart. The gate of the Garden of Zhou may have already opened. The people thatparticipated in the trials were currently leaving, and monsters may haveescaped. However, he could not leave. As soon as he removed the ten thousandswords, the sky would immediately collapse, and both he and the Garden of Zhouwould turn into gray smoke. The whirlwinds on the grassland remained violent. His knee was deeply embeddedin the boulder at the highest point in the mausoleum, and he lowered his headtiredly. He felt that his current situation was just like the famous tragichero in the legends of the Orthodoxy. If the hero on the precipitous mountain path that used all his strength tostop the rolling boulder gave way slightly, he would be squashed by theboulder. He could only expend all his life in the process of resisting againstthe boulder for all of eternity. Chen Changsheng had never thought that he would be in such despairing straits.He did not want to be a tragic hero, and also did not have the thought ofgiving up his life for his principles. He was not that great. It was just thathe wanted to live, and also wished for many people to live. For example, the people he knew and the people he cared for. Zhexiu, if you are still alive, then live. Qi Jian, you also should still bealive. And the elven girl that had just disappeared into the mountain range,and had the same surname as him but a beautiful name Young lady Chujian, livewell. What should he do next? He had said before to Xu Yourong that he would see.The three words of he would see actually also had the meaning that he did notknow what to do, but he really wanted to see whether the change that he waitedfor would occur or not. In the legend of the Orthodoxy, the reason the famous tragic hero spent allhis time and life resisting against the boulder, before turning into a stonesculpture in despair, was that in the endless days, no one came to help him. Noone was willing to help him because he was once very arrogant, and never helpedthe lowly common people. Although Chen Changsheng often made people speechless, it did not make anyperson feel that he was arrogant. Confidence and arrogance were never synonyms,and he was very willing to help other people, such as the human cultivatorsthat currently fled towards the outside world. A just cause always receives abundant support. Great people of the Orthodoxy, like archbishop Mei Lisha, and experts like theSolitary Drunk Under the Moon, Zhu Luo, were all outside the Garden of Zhou. Ifhe could last a little longer, these people would definitely come and save him. That was how Chen Changsheng thought. But until when would he have to hold on? How much longer did he have to endure? The terrifying weight of the sky caused pain to every point in his body. Withthe flow of time, his right hand which held up the umbrella became heavier andheavier, until his arm slowly became numb, as if it was crippled. After an unknown amount of time, from the dagger that was embedded in theboulder at the peak of the mausoleum, the Black Dragons voice resounded, Areyou still well? Chen Changsheng lowered his head and asked, Are you still well? He cared more about how it was currently. Before, in order to battle againstthe Golden-winged Great Peng, the spiritual soul of the Black Dragon had awokenin the lake water outside his Ethereal Palace, and then entered the dagger.Afterwards, there was actually no time for them to communicate at all. The Black Dragon stayed silent for a while and then said, Still well. Chen Changsheng said, Im still well too. I still can last a little longer. The Black Dragon said, I understand it. This is the so-called play on wordsin your human language, but do you know, compared to the dragon language, thistype of technique, or level of complexity, is just so outrageously pitiable. (TL: Pun lost in translation) Chen Changsheng said tiredly, Can we talk about other things? The Black Dragon said, Yes, you still dont seem to know something. I amthinking whether I should tell you or not Chen Changsheng said, Whatever. The Black Dragons voice became slightly cautious. You wont die? No. Chen Changsheng directly answered without even thinking. The Black Dragon stayed silent for a very long time, and said, Looks like youreally will die. Chen Changsheng was slightly helpless and said, Why do you say so? I alreadysaid I wont die. The Black Dragon said, Just now, you replied too quickly you arent mindful. Chen Changsheng felt disinclined to continue to pay any attention to it, buthe also felt that something was wrong. The Black Dragon could speak the humantongue. This did not cause him any surprise, but it was just that its voice wassoft, like a girls He did not ask, because at that moment, he truly did feel very tired, veryexhausted and very pained. He almost could not endure it anymore. This was the weight of the sky. How long could mortals hold it up for? He did not sweat, but he felt that all the muscles in his body had alreadyripped apart, and was about to lose strength. His mind had become ratherdistracted, and his true essence was already completely consumed. Even hisvision became blurry. The ten thousand swords became silent together, and he also became silent. Heeven entered a state of forgetfulness, forgetting everything. After an unknown amount of time, the whistling wind slowly weakened, and thepressure brought on by the violent streams of energy slowly disappeared. Theweight that pressed on the Yellow Paper Umbrella also slowly disappeared. Thesky became peaceful. Chen Changsheng opened his eyes. He was extremely tired, and he looked aroundat his surroundings. At that moment, a snowflake fell, and landed on the Yellow Paper Umbrella.Such a soft flake of snow actually caused a huge amount of pain on his wrist.He almost could not hold onto the umbrella anymore. The Garden of Zhou wassnowing? No. This was not the Garden of Zhou. This was a plain of snow. He looked into the distance, and only vaguely saw a grand city under theshadow in the sky. Where was this? He was very confused and did not know what had happened. Shockand exhaustion stole his mobility, and he remained in the position he was inbeforehe knelt on one knee in the snow with the dagger in his left hand andthe Yellow Paper Umbrella held up in the right hand. The sky there did not break. The plain of snow was very pretty, and heobviously seemed rather ridiculous in such a position. With the sound of steps, a person walked to his side and gave a softexpression of surprise. He said, Theres a sword. Afterwards, the person extended his hand, and grabbed the Yellow PaperUmbrella from Chen Changshengs hands.
350 Journeying Thousands of Li to Deliver a Sword
The snowy plains in the morning were very quiet. Perhaps because of thatshadow or because the cloud layer had still not dispersed, the morning lightwas very faint. The snow that fell in the morning light was also very sparse,and when it landed, it made not a single sound. This murderous scheme whichwould inevitably be recorded in the annals of history, this assassination whichwould inevitably alter the course of the continent''s history, had already goneon for a long time. Although a victor had not been decided, the conclusionseemed evident. All around, the mountainous figures of the Demon Generals weresilent and austere and that shadow still hung high up in the sky. Black Robewas calmly seated at the snowy hill some ten li out. The human in the middle oftheir encirclement still stood tall and firm, but he seemed lonely and desolate. Suddenly, a wind gusted through the snowy plain, swirling the snow about. Thedeathly stillness over the scene had just been shattered by the whistling windand then was soon after completely ripped apart by a fierce explosion. With theemergence of countless powerful Qi from the snowy hill upon which Black Robesat, innumerable flakes of snow shot outwards and into the sky. Those severallife lamps that hung in the air were instantly extinguished and several silkythreads were torn out of the front of Black Robe''s gown. Even more frighteningwas that the seemingly invulnerable square plate had been rendered into a pileof scrap. Before countless pairs of eyes could make their way over to the snowy hillwhere Black Robe was located, they were cast towards a certain place on thesnowy plain. In the snowy plain, an extra person had suddenly appeared. In the present continent, who could break through that shadow and the layersof layers of defense consisting of tens of thousands of demon soldiers andnoiselessly arrive at this place? It was a youth, his right hand holding up an old umbrella and his left handgripping a dagger. His eyes were tightly shut and his clear and youthfulcountenance displayed an unswerving determination that could only be seen atthe brink of life and death. One could also make out on his face a boundlessexhaustion. After who knows how long had passed, that youth opened his eyes. This youth was naturally Chen Changsheng. He blankly looked around, seeingnothing but white snow. He simply had no clue to what had occurred, onlyvaguely understanding that he had somehow departed the Garden of Zhou. But justwhere was this? How could the sky here also have a shadow? How could the willof this shadow be even more terrifying than the great peng''s shadow over thePlains of the Unsetting Sun? And what were those over ten mountainous figuresall around him? How could they emit a Qi that was just like the Qi emitted bythe Demon General couple of Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wan''er? It couldn''t be thatall of these black and mountainous figures were Demon Generals? And a bit morethan ten li away on that snowy hill, just who was that man cloaked in thatblack robe? Why was the Qi that he emitted so sinister? Why was he wearing ablack robe? Chen Changsheng gazed into the distant snowy plain at the faintly discerniblesilhouette of that imposing city and thought of a certain description recordedin the Daoist Canon. His body became stiff as a board and his mouth gaped open,but no sound emerged. He thought to himself, it can''t be. Could it be that thecity was the legendary Xuelao City? That he was in the snowy plains in theterritory of demons? Those mountainous and dark figures really were all DemonGenerals? That black-robed and menacing man was Black Robe? Then what about theshadow? Just a moment ago, he was in the Garden of Zhou at the peak of the mausoleum,resisting against the descent of the sky. In the next moment, he had beentransported more than ten thousand li to the snowy plains in the kingdom ofdemons and saw the legendary Xuelao City, saw the figures of the demon expertsthat previously only existed in his books and imagination. If his mind had beenjust a little weaker, his will a little more fragile, perhaps he would havebeen shocked into unconsciousness or even frightened to death, all because thisscene was truly too inconceivable. Chen Changsheng possessed an astounding willpower, so he did not faint, butthis was not necessarily a good thing. He necessarily had to soberly bear themental assault of all that he saw before him. He even felt like his spiritualworld was on the verge of collapse and his body had grown so rigid that hecould not even move a finger. An ant suddenly found itself in the world of giants, a mortal had mistakenlywandered into the Divine Kingdom of gods in the sea of stars; that was the sortof feeling he had. The countless snowflakes which had been sent flying into the sky rustled downto the ground, and then the meager snow falling from the clouds slowly drifteddown onto the canopy of the umbrella. A deathly stillness still pervaded thesnowy plain. Countless gazes separated by several li, several dozen li, andeven several thousand li, stared at Chen Changsheng, not making a single sound. To those experts, Chen Changshengs appearance was also extremely bizarre. If some ordinary mortal had appeared in the realm of gods, presumably thosegods up high would also be very astonished, wondering how this mere mortal hadturned up here. The snowy plain had sunk into an incredibly odd silence. Chen Changsheng''s body became stiff beyond compare. At the same time as thatunimaginably enormous mental shock brought his spiritual world close tocollapse, it also caused his thoughts to swiftly work. In that very short moment of time, he thought of many things. Why he had gonefrom the Garden of Zhou to this snowy plain in the demon kingdom was obviouslynot something he could understand in such a brief span of time, so he did notponder that. Then, why could he see so many legendary demon experts? Were thesedemon experts here to assassinate him? This was impossible. Although his status as Principal of the Orthodox Academyseemed sufficient, in truth, for powerful figures such as these, an upper levelEthereal Opening youth was like an ant. There was no need for such animpressive display of force. Not even that most narcissistic Tang Thirty-Sixwould dare to claim this. The target of these demon experts should be someone else. Who was this person? That middle-aged man who had been besieged by tens of thousands of demonsoldiers for several days was already heavily injured. Confronting this plan inwhich he was certain to die, the expression on his face was still unruly asever, as if he did not care. Yet when he saw the umbrella in Chen Changsheng''shand, his expression grew solemn. As if to confirm his conjecture, he walked over to Chen Changsheng. In thesnowy plain, he was the closest to Chen Changsheng, with only a dozen or sosteps needed to arrive at his side. "Oh, there''s a sword." That man extended his left hand and took the umbrella. Chen Changsheng only heard the sound of footsteps. Without any time to evenlook, he realized that the Yellow Paper Umbrella had been taken away. He looked at the man. The man was dressed in a long gown, but not too long, unlike a scholar. At hiswaist was a sword, but he did not seem like a swordsman. His overall appearancewas rather incongruous. The man''s body emitted a clear and cold Qi, like a sword revealing its edge,making it impossible to look at him straight on. This was Chen Changsheng''s first meeting with Su Li. He only saw Su Li''s backand he felt a stabbing pain in his eyes. Only after a very long time had passed would he be able to look directly atthis man. The past him did not know that this man was Mount Li''s legendaryJunior Martial Uncle, Su Li. After a while, he came to his senses and strenuously stood up. Hesubconsciously tightened his right hand, but the handle of the umbrella was notthere. That sort of empty feeling made him feel somewhat out of sorts. The Yellow Paper Umbrella was in the hands of that middle-aged man. For somereason, they seemed to be in harmony with each other, as if the umbrella hadoriginally been his. Seeing this scene, Chen Changsheng once again fell into confusion. All of asudden, he felt that everything that had happened in the Garden of Zhou was alla dream. Leaving the Mausoleum of Books and then going from the capital toWenshui to pick up this umbrella, then entering the plain and then miraculouslyappearing in these snowy plains; these tens of thousands of li of enduringthrough hardship was allto deliver this umbrella into the hands of this man. To return the Yellow Paper Umbrella to this man. Su Li''s left hand gripped the shaft of the Yellow Paper Umbrella and calmlystared at it. After staring at it for a long time, a smile peeked out of hislips. Then, the smile broke into unrestrained laughter, a long laughter. He laughed so happily that his face was beaming. He gazed at the distant dark mountains that were the Demon Generals, at BlackRobe sitting cross-legged amidst the scattered snow, at that shadow in the sky,and said, "You said that I was lacking a sword. Yes, I really was lacking asword, but now I have a sword. Isn''t it time for you to be afraid?" Chen Changsheng did not understand. This was clearly an umbrella. Even ifthere was a strand of sword intent within, how could it be described as a sword? He did not know that this Yellow Paper Umbrella was a peerlessly famous swordcalled Heaven Shrouding. Several hundred years ago, that generation''s Sect Master of the Mount Li SwordSect brought this sword and entered the Garden of Zhou. He battled for threehundred rounds with Zhou Dufu before dying, but his sword remained unbroken. This sword was the most powerful sword in the Sword Pool, and also the mostunwilling, the most desirous of recovering its freedom. This sword was originally supposed to be inherited by Su Li. This was hissword. The body of this sword had left the plain and been picked up by Su Li. It hadbeen sent to Wenshui and thus been crafted into an umbrella of a thousandmechanisms and a hundred transformations. However, there was no sword intent, so it was not the sword he wanted. The sword intent had always been in the plains, waiting for the body of thesword to return and reunite. Several hundred years later, Chen Changsheng passed through Wenshui andobtained the umbrella from the Tang clan as a gift. He carried the umbrellainto the Garden of Zhou, then into the plains. The sword body and the swordintent met, allowing him to summon the ten thousand swords to soar into the sky. It seemed that up to here, the story had finally welcomed its perfect ending,but it was not so. Only when he came to this snowy plain and handed over this umbrella to Su Licould this ending truly be perfect. Su Li grasped the Yellow Paper Umbrella as he thought about all thosecenturies ago when he first walked into that cave at the peak of Mount Li andsaw that sword hung up on the wall behind his master. He thought of the lateryears, when he intentionally suppressed his cultivation to Ethereal Opening andentered the Garden of Zhou multiple times to search for that sword, and then hesighed with emotion. This was Mount Li''s sword. This was his master''s sword. This was Su Li''s sword. Several hundred years. It really was a long time apart. How could he not be pleased? How could he not laugh to his heart''s content? As he laughed, the Yellow Paper Umbrella also seemed to laugh. But this elated laughter still contained a hint of frustration, a strand ofregret. Master, I am holding this sword once more. But Zhou Dufu is already dead. I no longer have the chance to slay him withmy sword and avenge you. The clear and unbridled, yet frustrated and regretful laughter echoed throughthe silent snowy plain, as if it could be heard from a thousand li away. The meaning behind the laughter was clearly transmitted to the entire world,such that even Chen Changsheng could understand it. Frustration that Zhou Dufu was dead, regret that he could not fall under thissword. This was a self-confident, even arrogant way of thinking. But no one displayed any ridicule or disdain. Even Black Robe maintained hissilence. Because Su Li had already found his sword. Who knew where on the path of thesword he would end up? The clear laughter gradually died down and the sword ray on Su Li''s bodygradually faded away. It looked like he had returned to being an averagemiddle-aged man. He lifted up his head and gazed all around him at those black mountains thatwere the enormous figures of the Demon Generals. His expression was calm as heextended his hand and gripped the umbrella handle. His left hand gripped the shaft of the Yellow Paper Umbrella like it was asheath. His right hand gripped the handle of the Yellow Paper Umbrella like he wasabout to pull out a sword. Chen Changsheng noticed that his fingers were long and slender, very suitablefor playing the zither. Of course, they were even more suitable for holding asword. The handle of the umbrella was the hilt of the sword. The instant that hishand landed on the handle of the umbrella, a swift and fierce sword intentenveloped the entirety of this part of the snowy plains. Several dozens of li away, one of the mountainous figures of the DemonGenerals lightly swayed, then heavily fell upon the snow-covered earth.
351 Ten Thousand Li with One Sword
Su Lis hand grasped the handle of the umbrella. He did not perform any otheractions, but the sword intent already reached areas that were several dozen ofli away. There were no sword rays, nor was there any sword wind. The thin snowflakesfloated down slowly, but in the surroundings of the snowy plains, countlessshrill sounds appeared. Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh! It was the sound of theedge of the sword cutting through space and through armor. It was the sound ofthe edge of the blade cutting through the powerful bodies of the Demon Generals. Around the dozen or so mountainous black shadows of the Demon Generals,countless thin white slashes appeared. The cold wind suddenly separated, theheavy armor suddenly shattered and fresh blood spurted out. Some mountainousshadows fell in the snowy plains with a groan, while other mountainous shadowsretreated backwards with a roar. There was actually not a single Demon Generalthat remained where they were originally. Su Li gazed at the snowy hill over ten li away, and looked at Black Robe whocurrently sat there cross-legged. The square plate before Black Robes body had already become a piece of scrapmetal, and on it were densely packed depressions. It did not seem anything likethe projection of the Garden of Zhou from before. It was because the squareplate had been destroyed that the terrifying explosion occurred before. Eventhough he was a peerless expert at such a great level, the injuries he receivedwere not light. His clothes were tattered, and he actually seemed to be in arather sorry shape. The square plate of the Garden of Zhou was destroyed for some reason, whichcaused him injury. Feeling that the arrangements in the Garden of Zhou hadfailed, it made him very hurt. However, what made him feel the most alert anduneasy was the umbrella currently in Su Lis hands. He had spent a very longtime in the arrangements to kill him, for which the demons had sent outcountless experts. However, it seemed that problems were about to occur. If Su Li wanted to stop the assassination the demons had planned, he needed tomake another breakthrough in the path of the sword. However, just like he hadonce said, for an expert of the path of the sword at Su Lis level, even thegreat dread of life and death would not be able to help him break through theobstacle that he had not broken through in hundreds of years, unless hereceived that sword. Now, that sword had come. How was this possible? Black Robe looked at the teenager behind Su Li andthought silently. As it turned out, all the changes originated from him. He recognized the Yellow Paper Umbrella and knew the history of it. Herecognized Chen Changsheng and knew the history of him. He was the demonMilitary Advisor who specialized in schemes the most out of the entirecontinent, and only needed the control of spiritual sense to deduce the storyin the Garden of Zhou, as well as the story after the Garden of Zhou clearly,without a single mistake. However, no matter how well he deduced it, he was unable to change things thathad already happened. He was also unable to make the Yellow Paper Umbrellaleave Su Lis side. Black Robe stood up, and his slightly blue hands were drawn from his sleeves.It seemed as though he was about to crush all the cold gusts of wind in thesnowy plains with his hands. Su Li looked at him silently. The two were separated by a dozen li or so. Su Lu grasped onto the handle of the umbrella, and used a little bit ofstrength through his fingers. Only the clear resonance of a sword being drawn could be heard. A bright sword was drawn from the Yellow Paper Umbrella. As it turned out, this was the true sword of the Yellow Paper Umbrella. A sword was always hidden in the Yellow Paper Umbrella. The sword was not completely drawn. Only half of the sword appeared before the world. The wind on the snowy plains suddenly hastened, and the thin snowflakes becamecountless shapeless swords. They rushed forwards with a whistle, andimmediately arrived at the snowy hill over ten li away. Black Robe lowered his head, and brought his hands together. His blue handsfloated slightly, as if he was performing a salute. It guarded his face, andwith the black robe that had fallen onto the snow, everything was covered up.An extremely frigid Qi received the snowflakes that were like swords. Swish swish swish swish! The sound of severing repeatedly resounded on thesnowy hill. Countless distinct sword rays appeared in the space around BlackRobe. In the next moment, Black Robes legs left the snow. He began to float, andhis clothes and body seemed to become weightless. With the windy snow and swordrays, he floated backwards, and disappeared into nothingness. The sword rays slowly dispersed, the sword resonance slowly grew quiet and thesnowy wind slowed down. A black cloth slowly landed on the snowy plains, and at the same time, astreak of blackish red blood appeared. From over ten li away, Su Li injured Black Robe with one strike. Although theinjuries Black Robe had received from the destruction of the square plate couldnot be considered light, and although he was not in his peak condition, itcould not be forgotten that the sword in Su Lis hand was not completely drawnfrom the sheath. There was still half of it hidden in the Yellow PaperUmbrella. Then just how powerful was the strike? Su Li did not pay any attention to the retreating Black Robe. He looked at theoutline of the demon city that could be vaguely seen in the depths of the snowyplains, and looked at the shadow that contained an unlimited amount of pressureand terrifying willpower. The expression on his face become more and moresolemn, but his gaze became more and more fanatical. He yelled, Come battle! With a sudden yell that was like a sword resonance, a true sword resonatedthrough the entire snowy plains. Su Lis right hand which grasped the handle of the umbrella drew outwards. Thesword that gave off cold light appeared. After hundreds of years, the Heaven Shrouding Sword finally saw light again.The first opponent that it met was the Demon Lord. With such a return, just how overbearing and unbridled was it? No matter how wide the sky was, as long as the Heaven Shrouding Sword wasplaced before the eyes, not even the sky could be seen. No matter how terrifying the shadow in the sky was, if he did not want to seeit, he would not see it. Su Lis left hand held onto the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and his right handcasually lifted the Heaven Shrouding Sword. Looking at the shadow in the sky,he had a presence that was able to surprise and overwhelm the world. Just how powerful and heroic was the person? Looking at Su Lis back, Chen Changsheng was emotionally moved and speechless. He knew that he was about to witness firsthand a battle of the highest levelin the past few centuries of the continent. Perhaps he would die very quickly,die from the clashing of the Qi from the battle, or perhaps the two thatparticipated in the battle would not even notice his death at all. However, hedid not feel cold, and even felt rather warm. The warmth originated from his heart, from his blood. There were always hot-blooded times in a persons life. Even though he had just left the Garden of Zhou and was suddenly pulled into abattle that was close to a divine level where he would likely die, he did notcare. The journey of the Garden of Zhou indeed was not made in vain. For him tobe able to witness such heroic figures, to witness such a peerless sword regainits edge, was life or death really worth mentioning? At this moment, Chen Changsheng already could vaguely guess who the impressivehuman expert who stood in front of him was. When he grasped the sword, several powerful Demon Generals fell. When he drew half of the sword, Black Robe was heavily injured and retreatedfar away. Now, his sword had completely left the sheath. He himself had alreadycompletely left the sheath as well, and displayed his edge as much as he likedtowards the snow and wind, and the shadow in the sky. Just what kind of power would the third strike have? Would it sever the sky,and directly cut down the shadow before the sword? With only a moment, Chen Changsheng thought of many things. He felt that hismind was completely and utterly washed by the sword intent that enveloped theentire snowy plains, and he gained unprecedented courage and battle prowess. Ifhe could live, he believed that these gains would definitely make him evenstronger. However, just at this moment, a voice suddenly appeared in his ears. Hold onto the umbrella. Chen Changsheng looked at the back of the middle-aged man, and knew that thevoice came from him. He just did not know what it meant, and was rather at aloss. Still not grabbing it? Otherwise, Ill retreat first then. Su Li looked at the shadow in the sky. His expression was firm and persistent,and his bearing exceeded the ordinary. Who would have thought that he was secretly whispering such words that lackedin bearing? Chen Changsheng stared blankly. He did not know what it was exactly about andsaid, Senior Su Li did not turn around. His sword pointed towards the sky, signifying thathe was unhurried. However, his voice was just so urgent, and seemed extremely worried. Also, in order to prevent the demons from discovering it, he did not move hislips, so when he spoke, it had the feeling that he was biting his tongue. Senior your face, why dont you hurry up and grab it, pighead?! Chen Changsheng really did stare blankly, and he even began to doubt life. Senior arent you a legendary expert? Didnt you traverse the continentunrestrained with a sword? Dont you want to battle the shadow? Dont you wantto battle an opponent? So you never wanted to battle since the start, and onlywanted to flee? You at this moment, your heroic spirit is all acting? This perhaps it is fake fighting? Chen Changsheng was unable to describe his current feelings. The surface of the senior was full of ferociousness and was full of the air ofcourage and magnanimity, but who would have thought, he was actually like this He could not find a suitable phrase. He wanted to say that this was verydespicable, and also felt that it was rather disrespectful. The idol that had stood straight like a tree in his heart for several momentsof time just suddenly collapsed with a loud rumble like this. However, he did not have any choice. Even the senior wanted to run; did hestill want to stay behind and battle against the terrifying shadow? Chen Changshengs gaze landed on the Yellow Paper Umbrella. He was slightly ata loss, and extended his hand to grab it. Su Li looked at the shadow in the sky with an indifferent expression and hadthe air of an expert. Only Chen Changsheng could hear the voice that originatedfrom between his teeth, You pighead, grab tight, otherwise if you fall offhalfway, Im not stopping to grab you. Chen Changsheng grabbed the front of the Yellow Paper Umbrella obediently, andeven used his other hand. A clear and bright, but arrogant, laugh resounded, and echoed in the snowyplains. Su Li looked at the great demon army in the snowy wind and looked at theshadow. After pausing for a while, he said loudly, Look at the strike! This was the first true strike since the Heaven Shrouding Sword had reappearedin the world. It was also the most powerful strike of the several days being surrounded bythe demons. In the snowy wind, the mountainous bodies of the Demon Generals becameextremely serious. The tens of thousands of demon soldiers even further outbecame silent. The shadow that originated from Xuelao City and covered half the sky becamemuch more serious. The strike inevitably contained the cultivation of Su Lis entire life. Even the Demon Lord felt fear. The violent wind suddenly swept through the flying snow, and the sword intentthat enveloped the snowy plains was suddenly compressed. It turned into swordenergy with an unimaginable power, which chopped at the world. Su Li struck out. He struck at the sky. However, it was not at the shadow in the sky, but half the sky that wasopposite of the shadow. The sky of the south. There was only a soft screech. Of the several thousand Essence Qi Locks that the Demon race had set down inthe snowy air, all were shattered by the sword intent. In the snow and wind that suddenly became violent, an extremely clear pathformed from a sword suddenly appeared to lead a way out of the snowy plains. Su Li, with an unimaginable speed, transformed into a streak of light, andflew into the path formed from a sword. His left hand grasped the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and Chen Changsheng wassuspended on the front part of the umbrella. His body was already floating. With a whistling sound, Su Li and Chen Changsheng turned into a black smear,slowly traveling further and further away.
352 The Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li that Makes Others Speechless
The snowstorm gradually calmed and the snowy plains were peaceful and silent.However, not too much time passed before the ground began to shake and themantle of snow began to loosen. Countless demon soldiers swept through thearea, headed south in pursuit. The shadow in the sky slowly returned to XuelaoCity. At some point, Black Robe had returned to the scene, with several DemonGenerals standing silently behind him. Silence once again reigned over thefield, with not a single sound to be heard for a very long time. The powerfuldemons seemed as if they had no idea what they should say. Who could havethought that the most powerful expert of the continent''s south was actuallythis sort of person? "For a true expert to suddenly act so shamelessly is truly rather annoying." Black Robe''s voice was as emotionless as ever. A random gust of cold wind blewpast and lifted up a corner of his hood, revealing his green-tinged lower jaw.The Demon Generals agreed with Black Robe deep down. For someone as strong asSu Li to actually use such a lowly trick, it truly would have surpassed theirexpectations. Perhaps this was the principle that the lowliest individual hadno enemies? Black Robe gazed at the trail Su Li had left behind in the snow. After a longperiod of silence, he continued to indifferently say, "He is already heavilywounded. Although he managed to conceal himself from His Majesty''s eyes, thatfinal sword strike of his has by necessity used up his heart''s blood. He hasnothing left to support himself. One sword could not actually travel ten thousand li, but it was enough tocleave a sword path several hundred li long through the layers upon layers offormations set up by the demon experts. One could also imagine just howpowerful this sword was. It was just as Black Robe had concluded: even withsomeone as powerful as Su Li wielding the sword, an appropriately enormousprice still had to be paid. Six hundred li southwest of Xuelao City was a snow-covered mountain ridge. Thefrigid climate was not able to freeze everything. This mountain ridge waspervaded with white steam, as it contained many hot springs. A squall of snowsuddenly erupted by one of the hot springs. As the snowflakes gently drifteddown, the figures of Su Li and Chen Changsheng gradually emerged. Su Li had already returned the sword into the Yellow Paper Umbrella. His righthand lightly brushed off the snow that had fallen on the surface of theumbrella, his manner casual and indifferent. In comparison, Chen Changshengseemed much more miserable. His hands still tightly clutched the front portionof the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Sitting in the snow, he looked just like a beggarasking for alms. "Demons are clearly rather intelligent, but for some reason, they always actso stupidly. Those Demon Generals will definitely bring their soldiers duesouth in pursuit." Su Li turned his head and glanced at the path he had takenhere. His gaze, as sharp as a sword ray, pierced through the layers of wind andsnow, resting at some place in the distance. The corners of his lips perked upin an expression of ridicule. These words were not meant for Chen Changsheng. He was talking to himself, orperhaps consoling himself. But Chen Changsheng did not know this, so hesomewhat laboriously clambered up from the snow and said, "Senior, this placeis still within the demon territory. We should leave as soon as possible." Su Li seemed like he had just noticed the existence of this youth. He shot hima glance, but did not say anything, nor did he seem in a rush to leave. On thecontrary, he walked towards the hot spring beside them. Chen Changsheng loosened his grip on the Yellow Paper Umbrella and stared atthe man that had just walked into the hot spring, not understanding what wasgoing on. Suddenly, a cacophony of noise burst out around the hot spring. Some of thesounds were extremely shrill, like sharp sword rays slicing through the air.Other sounds were extremely loud and clear, like the booms of iron hammersfalling on stone. And some of the sounds were extremely muffled, like the soundof someone talking heard through several thousand zhang of deep water. With the clattering of sounds, countless powerful Qis floated out of Su Li''sbody. These were the sword intents from the metal swords of the Demon Generals,the storming intent of the metal staff, and the sinister intent of Black Robe.The rocks all around the hot spring were frozen solid by the cold, then one byone, they shattered. The snowy mountain ridge resounded with the whistling of swords and peals ofthunder. Even the gurgling hot springs enveloped in white steam were coveredwith countless cracks. Only after a long time was calm restored to the mountainridge. Su Li stood in the hot spring that did not even reach up to his knees,his long gown in tatters and his body covered in countless wounds while bloodincessantly flowed out. In the place close to Xuelao City, besieged by tens of thousands of demonsoldiers, attacked by over ten Demon Generals, calmly observed by the demonMilitary Advisor Black Robe, and with the will of the Demon Lord enveloping thesky as a shadowthis was the greatest assassination in the past several hundredyears. Moreover, Su Li had persevered for several days. His clothes had no tears and not even a speck of snow. He simply did not seemlike someone who had been heavily injured. However, the truth was that he hadalready suffered many severe injuries. The Demon Generals that he had beheaded,his exchange with Black Robe, and even the will of the Demon Lord had leftnumerous injuries and killing intents within his body. It was just that he had used his valiant will and superb cultivation toforcefully suppress these injuries and killing intents. It was only when heobtained the Yellow Paper Umbrella, took out the Heaven Shrouding Sword, cut apath through the snow, arrived at this place several hundred li away, andconfirmed that he would be safe for the moment, that he was finally unwillingto consume his true essence to suppress it all. Thus, the injuries and killing intents all exploded out in that instant. The vast majority of the killing intent had been forcefully gifted by him tothe snow-covered ridge, letting the world bear them all in his place, but theinjuries still remained on his body. His face was snow-white, his expression wearied. But his appearance was stillas unruly as ever. Hearing the whistling of swords and the rolling thunder, feeling theoverflowing of that terrifying and cold killing intent, and seeing Su Licovered in blood and the hot spring gradually being dyed red, Chen Changshengwas so shocked that his face lost color. His voice slightly trembling, heasked, "Senior is Senior okay?" Su Li did not answer his question, but instead asked his own. "Are the MountLi disciples that were inside the Garden of Zhou okay?" Chen Changsheng shook his head. "I don''t know." Su Li silently gazed at the pale sun that was so far from the snowy mountainridge, thinking about something or the other. Chen Changsheng was extremely concerned and asked once more, "Is Senior okay?" Su Li turned his body to look at him and asked, "Do you know who I am?" Chen Changsheng had previously thought he had guessed at the identity of thissenior, but later on, the actions displayed by this senior were a far cry fromwhat had been said about him. At that moment, he directly began to doubt hisown life, so naturally, he also began to suspect that he had guessed wrong. Hehesitantly asked, "May I ask Senior for his distinguished name?" Su Li replied, "I am Su Li." Chen Changsheng was extraordinarily astonished, not imagining that he hadguessed directly, that he truly had guessed right. Because he had never imagined that the legendary Junior Martial Uncle of MountLi was actually this sort of person. "And then?" he asked. Su Li was somewhat displeased and said reprovingly, "This order isn''t correct.Let''s go again." Chen Changsheng was at a loss. "Ah?" Su Li stared into his eyes and asked once more, "Who am I?" Chen Changsheng gazed vacantly back and said, "Senior is the Junior MartialUncle of Mount Li, Su Li." Su Li asked, "In the tales, what sort of person am I?" Chen Changsheng did not understand why this senior covered in blood andfatigued to the extreme would ask these sorts of questions. After thinkingabout it, he still sincerely answered, "Senior is a rarely-seen genius of thepath of the sword. Senior has cultivated to the height of perfection since longago and could be considered a legend." On the face of it, this evaluation could very easily be taken as flattery, butChen Changsheng said it very sincerely because what he said was the truth. As aconsequence, the words that emerged from his lips seemed especially honest andtrustworthy, causing Su Li to feel incredibly satisfied. He looked at Chen Changsheng and said happily, "Junior, although your strengthis absolutely terrible, you can still be considered to have some experience." At this point, Chen Changsheng really did not know what to say. Seeing thatmore and more blood was flowing out of the wounds, he could not help but askonce more, "Senior, is Senior really okay!?" Su Li smiled and said, "You just said, I''m a rarely-seen genius of the path ofthe sword, I cultivated to the height of perfection since long ago and could beconsidered a legend." Chen Changsheng thought to himself, for him to remember every last word Isaid, it seems like there''s nothing too serious. "So for a person like me, how could I not be okay?" Su Li said these words with a jubilant air. Then, like a stone pillar being chopped down, he fell forward, splashing intothe hot spring. Water splashed everywhere. The hot spring dyed red rippled while Su Li''s bodybobbed up and down in the water. It took a moment for Chen Changsheng to understand that this senior had fallenunconscious. He hurriedly rushed into the hot spring and picked him up, thenplaced him on the ground by the edge of the hot spring. At practically the same moment his body hit the ground, Su Li began to snore.To hold on until now had truly made him very tired. Chen Changsheng did not know about this point. Looking at this senior, hereally did not know how to think. The words he had previously spoken were true. In the minds of the current generation of young cultivators, although Su Liwas not ranked amongst the Storms of the Eight Directions nor did he carry thetitle of Saint, he was their idol. Not even someone as egotistical as TangThirty-Six had any objection. This was because in comparison to the solemn anddivine Saints like the Divine Empress and the Pope, or in comparison to theinflexible Eight Storms like the Divination Elder and the Solitary Drunk Underthe Moon, the Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li wandered the four seas, hissword singing everywhere. To these youths, he represented their yearning forfreedom and living as they pleased. And yet the Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li was actually such a person. Chen Changsheng could not keep track of how many times he had been afflictedby this emotion. He felt that the shock brought about by this senior was even greater than theones delivered by the Sword Pool and the Heavenly Tome Monoliths in the Gardenof Zhou. Seeing the carefree expression on Su Li''s face and hearing his thunderousroars, he suddenly felt that Su Li was very similar to Tang Thirty-Six. Then, he thought about that evaluation Tang Thirty-Six once gave about him,that he and Xu Yourong were both people that made others speechless.
353 The God and Human by the Hot Spring
Perhaps because of his heavy injuries, or because he had bathed in the hotspring, Su Lis face was slightly swollen. His eyes were tightly closed, andhis heroic spirit dispersed. The sharp sword glow that had always made ChenChangsheng unable to directly stare at him disappeared somewhere, and he seemedlike an ordinary person. Just at that moment, the spiritual soul of the Black Dragon left the dagger,and returned to the jade ruyi that was tied to his wrist. It turned into ablack dragon that seemed real and flew to Chen Changshengs shoulder. It lookedat the surrounding snowy mountains and said blankly, Where is this place? Havewe left the Garden of Zhou? Chen Changsheng shook his head, I also dont know what happened. As soon as Icame out, I was met with such a great situation. When the Black Dragon was in the dagger, it could only sense the outside worldthrough Chen Changshengs spiritual sense, so it did not know what hadhappened. It was confused and asked, What situation? The Yellow Paper Umbrella was taken by the senior, and was actually a swordof course, thats not important. Before on the snowy plains, the demon man thatwas wrapped in black robes may have been the demon Military Advisor from therumors. And the dozen or so Demon Generals were each as strong as Teng Xiaomingand Liu Waner. And the shadow, I really suspect that it was the Demon Lord. Chen Changsheng gave a simple description of the situation on the snowyplains. Hearing it, the Black Dragon was shocked speechless. Not to mentionthat it was currently a weak spiritual soul, even if it had returned to itsreal bodythe Black Frost Dragon that was under the New North Bridgemeetinggreat figures at the level of Black Robe and the Demon Lord meant only death. It looked towards the sleeping, middle-aged man by the hot spring and asked,Then who is this human? Actually able to live, and escape with you? Chen Changsheng said, He is the Junior Martial Uncle of Mount Li, Su Li. Hearing the name, the body of the Black Dragon began to tremble. It gave out aclear cry, and the jade ruyi seemed like it was about to shatter. Chen Changsheng was confused and asked, Whats wrong? The Black Dragon looked at Su Li, and its bewitching, vertical pupilsretracted slightly. It seemed extremely afraid and said, He is very strong. Chen Changsheng thought about the snowy plains. When Su Lis hand landed onthe sword hilt, it killed a Demon General. When half of the sword left thesheath, it heavily injured Black Robe. He thought that although the way thesenior did things was rather wretched and absurd, his level in the path of thesword and his level of cultivation were indeed extremely great. It was justthat the Black Dragon also was an extremely prideful, overbearing and divineexistence, so why did it become so scared after hearing his name? I have never seen him, but I know he had killed many dragons. The Black Dragon looked at the Yellow Paper Umbrella in Su Lis hands, andbecame a spiritual soul again with any hesitation. It hid itself in the dagger,and no matter how Chen Changsheng called for it, it was unwilling to come out. Chen Changsheng was very confused, and felt rather helpless. He looked at SuLi, and discovered that even though he was deep asleep, the senior continued tograsp the Yellow Paper Umbrella tightly, unwilling to let go. Afterwards, he thought about what Su Li had said before he fell asleep. He didnot know the current situation of the Garden of Zhou, whether the people hadescaped properly. He did not know whether Zhexiu and Qi Jian were still alive,or if the Mount Li Sword Sect disciple Liang Xiaoxiao who had betrayed thehumans and worked with the demons was dead or alive. Also how was she rightnow? Was she fine? He worried very much about it, and was also very impatient about it. He wantedto quickly return to Hanqiu City or the capital, and confirm how the people hecared for were. At the same time, he wanted to tell the people that cared forhim that he was safe and sound without any problems. Otherwise once Luoluolearned about what happened in the Garden of Zhou, just how worried would shebe? However, how could he leave right now? Hearing that snoring that was like thunder, he shook his head ratherhelplessly. He squatted down next to Su Li, and began to observe hisinjuriesno matter how impatient he was to leave, he could not just leave thesenior behind. Even though he was also very tired, and all his true essence hadalready been consumed, he still needed to continue enduring it, because thesenior was obviously dying. Su Lis clothes were in tatters. The injuries and sword intent that had burstforth before revealed his body. He was covered in injuries, injuries that wereleft by the burning of extremely pure energy. Burns were Chen Changshengsspecialty in his medical expertise, and he was very experienced. However, for amoment, he still did not know how to treat them. Also, he currently did not have any medicine or medical equipment, not even acloth to wrap the wounds. The only thing he could use was the golden needlethat was wrapped around his finger. The golden needle passed through the thick mist and was about to pierce intoSu Lis neck. It penetrated his skin slowly but firmly. What comforted Chen Changsheng slightly was that not long after he used theneedle, Su Li woke up. It seemed the cultivation level of the senior indeed wasdifferent from normal cultivators, and such heavy injuries did not meananything to him. If this was the case, perhaps they could leave soon... Su Li glanced at him. His expression was cold, and it was indifferent andalienating, like a stranger. Chen Changsheng could accept this; he and thesenior were originally strangers. It was just that the condescension in thedepths of his pupils gave the feeling of a god looking at an ant, which stillmade him rather uncomfortable. In the next moment, Su Lis cold and alienating expression slowly disappeared.Perhaps it was because Chen Changsheng had not left while he was asleep, andwanted to think of an idea to treat him. It made him rather satisfied. Who are you? he looked at Chen Changsheng and said. Before he fell asleep, Su Li had asked it many times: Who am I? He obviouslyknew the answer, and only wanted to use the question to make Chen Changshengjudge that he was arrogant: I am a peerless expert, how can I have problems?This was the first time he had thought of asking for the name of the teenager. Chen Changsheng thought about it, and decided to reply honestly. However,before he had said anything, Su Li followed, Who you are is not important.What I want to say is that although the sword is mine without saying, since youdelivered it to me, I have decided to pass a sword technique to you to expressmy gratitude. Su Li stood up and looked at the Yellow Paper Umbrella. Chen Changsheng didnot know what he was thinking about. Chen Changsheng stood up behind him, and seemed rather hesitant. Su Li did not turn around, and he said coldly, You dont need to shed tearsof gratitude, nor do you need to tell me what sect or school you come from.Dont try to get a connection with me and try to get even more benefits. The moment he finished speaking, Chen Changsheng said without hesitating,Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng. He knew about the relationship of the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li SwordSect very clearly, or to be more exact, his relationship with the Mount LiSword Sect was not that great. It could even be called extremely terrible.However, he did not want to lie, but the way the senior from Mount Li didthings made him rather unhappy. As a result, he said it, and even said itextremely loudly. It was slightly cold in the snowy mountains, and extremely quiet by the hotsprings. Su Li stood on the rock by the springs and said expressionlessly, I give youone more chance. Chen Changsheng looked at his back, and felt slightly cold. However, hereceived energy from somewhere, which made him say it again, Orthodox Academy,Chen Changsheng. This time, his voice was even louder, but his tone was much calmer. Su Li slowly turned around and stared into his eyes as if from high above. Hesaid, Looks like you are a person who does not value his opportunities.
354 A Senior and Junior in the Snow
Before even reaching the age of sixteen years old, he had already managed toenter the upper level of Ethereal Opening, thus setting a record together withXu Yourong. In this generation, Chen Changsheng was undoubtedly a genius. Evenwhen compared to those peerless experts throughout history in their similarperiods of youth, he was not one bit inferior. However, he was still merely ayouth. The distance between him and Su Li was incomparably far, like a vast ocean. Ifone were to take Wang Po of Tianliang, Painted Armor Xiao Zhang, LiangWangsunthe experts on the Proclamation of Liberationand throw them into thisocean, they still would fail to bridge the gap. In the world of cultivation, SuLi was a god, and he was but a mere mortal before a god. To be lectured on high from such a godlike senior, any other young juniorwould have long ago bowed down and admitted their wrongs, or perhaps dared notspeak out of anxiety. At this time, Chen Changsheng was also very nervous andhis body was slightly shaking, but his voice was calm and firm. "I don''tunderstand Senior''s meaning." He treasured his life and his time and felt that speaking lies was anexceedingly uneconomical means of communication, so he had always desired tospeak to the truth. The words that he spoke were true. He did not know what"chance" Su Li was speaking of. That sword technique that he had been preparingto pass down to him? Or the chance to leave here alive? Su Li looked at him and impassively asked, "Who am I?" This time, Chen Changsheng had learned his lesson, so he naturally would notmake the same mistake he had at the start. However, his mood was currently nottoo good, so he obstinately kept his mouth shut, unwilling to answer. Su Li had clearly encountered this situation many times before. Without a hintof awkwardness on his face, he very naturally pointed at his own face andanswered his own question, "I am Mount Li''s Su Li." His voice suddenly got louder and grew incredibly harsh and cold. "I only needa glance to see through Black Robe''s methods, so how can I not see that you areChen Changsheng! It''s because I saw that you were Chen Changsheng that I didnot want you to say that you were Chen Changsheng. I let you try again, so whydid you insist on saying it! Just what is your meaning!" In the face of this explosive shout that was like a sword, Chen Changshengfelt his entire body turn cold.Senior, just what exactly do you mean? Su Li''s eyes slightly squinted as he looked at him. "If you were not ChenChangsheng of the Orthodox Academy, or if you did not say that you were ChenChangsheng of the Orthodox Academy, then I could pretend that you were not ChenChangsheng of the Orthodox Academy. Then for the act of delivering me thisumbrella, I could pass down a sword technique to you without worry.Regretfully, you''ve missed this opportunity." Only after hearing these repetitious words did Chen Changsheng finallyunderstand what this senior was thinking about. After a moment of silence, hereplied, "I am Orthodox Academy''s Chen Changsheng. Why can''t I admit that I amOrthodox Academy''s Chen Changsheng? This is more important than thatopportunity Senior is talking about." "Impossible!" Su Li swept his sleeves in rage. It was just that his sleeveswere already in tatters, and moreover soaked by the waters of the hot spring,so they moved in a manner that was not at all free and easy, and actuallyseemed very pathetic. But Su Li cared not. He locked his eyes on ChenChangsheng and said, "To be personally instructed in a sword technique by SuLi, no matter what school''s student, which sect''s disciple, they would all beboth surprised and elated, moved to tears, and bowing at my reverence! Whowould be willing to pass on such a chance? That would be to spurn the starrysky itself!" Chen Changsheng was truly without words. He thought to himself that thisperson''s ego was such that even if Tang Thirty-Six were to live another fivehundred years, he still would not be able to catch up. Abruptly, Su Li calmed down, and his expression gradually grew icy. Gazing atChen Changsheng expressionlessly, he said, "I get it." Chen Changsheng continued to be speechless. I don''t even get it myself, sowhat are you getting? Su Li said to him scornfully, "Everyone says that amongst the presentgeneration of juniors, your talent is exemplary and your experience is vast.How could you not know how difficult it is to have the chance to learn thesword with me? You purposefully admitted your identity so as to make it so Icould not teach you my sword technique, thus making me owe you a favor?" Chen Changsheng thought to himself, and just what does that mean? This seniorreally does like to monologue too much. In addition, he''s far toonarcissisticcould it be that his one favor is so important? "It''s well known that Qiushan is my most favored junior. For you to make meowe you a favor today, when you and Qiushan kick up a fuss over that girlYourong in the future, you want to use this favor to make me not say anything,or at least not take action?" Su Li smiled at him, "A youth like you is veryprecocious, and very treacherous!" It was a very cold smile, derisive and arrogant, as if it understoodeverything. Chen Changsheng was silent and felt rather uncomfortable. He knew that hecould not continue his speechless ways and explained, "Senior is overthinkingit." "Am I? So, you gave your name because you''re noble and virtuous, not wantingto take advantage of my Mount Li? Or is it that you value your honor far morehighly than learning a few sword techniques from me? If it really is this way,then there is nothing between us, so why are you still standing there?" Su Li looked at Chen Changsheng with a false smile and an indescribable senseof ridicule. "You snatched away the first rank on the first banner from myMount Li disciples, and then you want to snatch away my family''s Qiushan''swife? If you don''t want a favor from the act of delivering the sword, then whatare you still waiting for? Are you waiting for my mood to turn sour so that Imight behead you with one blow?" These words were so harsh, so cold. Su Li''s behavior, while it could not be said to be like a dog that bites thehand of the man that feeds it, was still extremely overbearing and rude. ChenChangsheng''s breathing grew a little rougher as he thought to suppress hisanger. He wanted to say a few more words of explanation, but in the end saidnothing more. After thinking in silence for a few moments, he wrapped his metalneedles back around his fingers and turned and began walking away. The snowstorm gradually stirred to life, in not much time obscuring hissolitary figure. "Yeah, beat it! If you manage to leave the demon territory alive, your luckisn''t too bad." Su Li looked in the direction that he disappeared and said mockingly, "Actingso lofty and stubborn, who is it for?" For some reason, after saying these words, he suddenly grew quiet. He turnednorth and sighed into the snowy sky. When that boy left the Garden of Zhou, he also did not mention if he made anyinquiries about how that girl was doing. She was probably dead. He took off his tattered clothes, leaving him with only a pair of underpants.He entered into the hot spring. He slowly sat down, then reclined his body. Whether removing his clothes, walking, or even lying down, his actions wereall very slow, as if even moving a fingertip was an arduous endeavor. He leaned against the white rocks on the side of the hot spring. He extendedhis hand and plucked a sprig of jasmine that was growing out of a crack in therocks, then brought it to his nose and gently sniffed it. Who could have known that in this world ravaged by the wind and snow, therewould actually grow a fresh flower? Even if this was a hot spring, just why wasit precisely a jasmine flower? He was a bit tired and could not be bothered to think about this question.Placing the Yellow Paper Umbrella on the side, he proceeded to close his eyes. At this very moment, the tens of thousands of soldiers of the demon army, aswell as those terrifying experts, were searching everywhere for his tracks. Yet he was like a tourist on holiday, peacefully sleeping in the hot spring. Crunch crunch. That was the sound of shoes stepping on the snow. Su Li opened his eyes. From the time Chen Changsheng had left and he had reclined in the hot spring,not much time had passed. Chen Changsheng had returned. Su Li turned his head and said emotionlessly, "Got scared?" Chen Changsheng did not answer. He walked to his side and squatted, once againtaking the metal needles from his fingers. Su Li said derisively, "And what of your loftiness and stubbornness? How couldthe junior most admired by old man Yin suddenly become so spineless? The windgusts and the snow is cold, the forward path is hard to walk; now do you knowthe meaning of fear? You''d go so far as to ignore the distinction between northand south and request that my Mount Li Sword Sect take you under its arm, andonly then continue forward?" Chen Changsheng continued to pay him no mind. He pinched the needles and stuckthem once more into Su Li''s neck. The first time he had used needles on Su Li, he had sensed that it had beenvery easy to stick the needles into the neck. He had not encountered a singleobstruction. However, this time, he did not control his needlework, so naturally, Su Lifelt some pain. In pain, Su Li indignantly bellowed, "Just what is a bastard like you up to?!" Chen Changsheng continued to ignore him. He took out a few medicinal herbs hehad dug out from the mountain ridge and ground them into a powder. He spreadthe powder over the wound, then looked around. Picking up the long gown that SuLi had taken off, he ripped off a piece and then seriously and carefully beganto bind Su Li''s wounds. "Just what are you doing?" Su Li was very angry and raged, "Could it be that a little bastard like youbelieves that I''ve suffered injury and can''t walk and so need your care?" Chen Changsheng continued to take no notice of him, lowering his head anddoing his own things. Su Li felt this matter was far too absurd. In a wrathful mood, he laughed, "Doyou know who I am? And just who are you? I need the care of a cripple likeyou!?" Chen Changsheng said something, but it was not an answer. He gazed at thedreadful wounds on Su Li''s body and wrinkled his brow. Somewhat annoyed, hesaid to himself, "If I had not lost so many things in the Garden of Zhou, yourinjuries would be much easier to treat." Su Li was truly impatient now. He was just about to launch into an abusiverant when Chen Changsheng directly stuffed a medicinal herb into his mouth,pushing those profane words back down. "Grrggaahhggrrrgh" With great difficulty, Su Li managed to choke the herb down, then said in afury, "You! If this father could move, I would definitely cleave you down inone blow! Not even old man Yin would show me such disrespect! I can joketogether with Tianhai! And you dare act like this to me!?" Chen Changsheng was truly angry. "Senior, how can you not understand? I amtreating your wounds; can you please be quieter?" Thereby, Su Li grew quiet. He gazed at the snowflakes as they unhurriedly fell down to the ground. Aftera long period of silence, he suddenly asked, "My was my acting no good?" Originally, everything before had been fake, an act. Su Li knew that he was so heavily injured that it would be hard for him towalk. With the demon army behind them in pursuit, he did not want to be aburden to Chen Changsheng. Thus, he had used these methods to purposelyinfuriate him so that Chen Changsheng would leave before him. Chen Changsheng''s body somewhat stiffened. After a long pause, he finallyreplied, "it was pretty good." Su Li laughed at himself, then said tiredly, "Then how did you see through it?" "I in truth, I didn''t see through it at all." After a moment''s hesitation, Chen Changsheng sincerely said, "I don''t likebeing wronged by others, so back then I was actually very angry. I felt thatSenior was too overbearing, too unreasonable, too" Su Li coughed twice, then said with a chuckle, "Too lowly." Chen Changsheng did not dare to repeat that word, so he said in a low voice,"There was always a sense of an elder having no self-respect." Su Li''s smile gradually dissipated. He asked, "Then why did you come back?" Chen Changsheng replied, "Because, Senior, your injuries really are toosevere." He said these words in a very ordinary manner, because to him, this truly wasa rather ordinary situation. But to Su Li, it was extremely unordinary. "In other words, you found me very annoying, and with your pride hurt, youhurriedly took your leave, but because you found even more annoying theseverity of my injuries, you came back to treat me?" Chen Changsheng said nothing. At this moment, he already knew that Su Li''s loathsome words and bearing wereon purpose, so he was naturally no longer angry. He was just moved. What was the mark of a worthy senior? It was not a transcendent character, nota hero without equal, nor was it someone who would battle the heavens andstruggle with the earth. This was the mark of a worthy senior. Even if he appeared to be so lowly. Chen Changsheng once again carried Su Li out of the hot spring. He put him onhis back, not forgetting to pick up the Yellow Paper Umbrella. On his back, Su Li sighed regretfully. "Ah, Chen Changsheng, if you continueto be so good, I don''t know if that girl Yourong will find things difficult,but it will definitely be very difficult for me." Just as he had said before, it was well-known that Qiushan Jun was his mostcherished junior. Thus, those words indubitably indicated the admiration Su Li held for ChenChangsheng. Chen Changsheng felt somewhat embarrassed and felt the situation to be ratherawkward. He wanted to find some words to dispel some of this atmosphere whensuddenly he looked at the Yellow Paper Umbrella in his hand. He said, "Thereason I came back, besides the fact that Senior''s wounds were too heavy, wasalso because I remembered that this umbrella was still here." Su Li was displeased. "This is my umbrella, so how could you forget about it?" Chen Changsheng earnestly replied, "Senior, this umbrella was gifted to me bythe Old Master of the Tang clan." Su Li was very angry now. "This is my umbrella!" Chen Changsheng chuckled but didn''t continue to argue. "We''ll talk about itafter we leave the demons territory." With these words, he carried Su Li out of the snowy mountain ridge. Not much later, the wind and the snow obscured their figures.
355 Waiting for a Person
Senior, if you wanted me to leave, you can completely say so directly. Whymust you do so many things, purposefully provoking and tricking me? When I, Su Li, do things, I have my reasons. Perhaps I still have to explainit to you? Okay then Senior, who is the old man Yin you spoke about before? The Pope. Ah is His Reverence the Pope surnamed Yin? Dont you feel that its very? Senior thats not how I thought. Then you mean to blame me. Senior, before on the snowy plains, I thought you really would continuebattling. The Demon Lord, more than ten Demon Generals, Black Robe and the DemonCommander, that mutant, was hiding somewhere in wait Continue battling? Youthink Im stupid huh? But before you struck, you really were very heroic. I really didnt thinkyou would run. Methods of attack should have countless changes and should be unexpected.Then what is the spirit of the path of the sword? I dont know. The spirit of the path of the sword is in the word sword. Chen Changsheng carried Su Li on his back, traversing mountains in the windand snow. The conversation lasted until it was finally impossible to continue.At that moment, he felt very tired, and also very gloomy. Because of thegloominess, he felt even more tired. He thought that even though it was thesame thing, carrying someone and running, just why did it have such a bigdifference to when he was carrying Lady Chujian in the grassland of the Gardenof Zhou? Tens of thousands of demon soldiers formed countless streams of flowing metal,advancing towards the wasteland south of Xuelao City. With enough time, thedemon army definitely could search the entire snowy mountain range that had acircumference of several hundred li. However, as Black Robe looked at the greatdemon army that was disappearing into the wind and snow, he did not relax atall. Just at that moment, the ground and the snowy plains began to tremble. Thelayer of snow that had been crushed extremely densely by the pressure andterrifying sword intent of the experts for several nights immediately becamemuch softer. With a deep sound, a huge monster slowly walked out of the snowand wind. With a long jaw and curled horns, it seemed extremely devilish. Itwas the Mountain-toppling Fiend that placed third in the Ranking of EarthlyBeasts. The body of this Mountain-toppling Fiend was extremely huge, and seemed muchmore majestic than the one in the Garden of Zhou. It was over forty zhang inheight. Between the curled horns of the Mountain-toppling Fiend sat a demon. The demonwas very small, even smaller than ordinary, human children. Compared to thehuge Mountain-toppling Fiend, he seemed even more insignificant, but for somereason, the Mountain-toppling Fiend below him was extremely obedient. The demon wore armor which covered his entire body, including his face. On thearmor were complicated images formed from golden lines, like sunflowers, butalso like the most popular shape paintings in Xuelao City. On the sides of thegolden images, there were many dark green objects, indistinguishable betweengems or rusted bronze. A terrifyingly overbearing Qi exuded from the cracks of the demons armor. Apair of eyes that were like ice picks passed through the helmet, which landedon the snowy plains several dozen zhang below. The gaze landed on Black Robesbody, and what also fell was his voice. His voice was like a perfectly straightmetal wire. There were no undulations in the voice, but it seemed as thoughthere were countless broken gongs that were threaded onto the wire. Every wordhe spat out was like the sound of a broken gong being hit, which was extremelyear-piercing. According to your calculations, the assassination was flawless,which was why His Majesty agreed to your plans. Now, my race has paid suchgreat prices. My little Hai Di has lost an arm, but that person has fled. Ireally want to know, just where exactly is the flawless you are speakingabout? Just how do you plan to explain it to His Majesty and me? In the eyes of that demon, the terrifyingly powerful second Demon General, HaiDi, was his little Hai Di. He was naturally the commander of the demon army, the strongest under theDemon Lord in the land of demons, the Demon Commander. Black Robe had an extremely sublime and special position in the Demon race.Although he was not a demon, he received the deep trust of the Demon Lord, andonce helped the demons achieve meritorious deeds that were eternal in nature.It was even more because the entire continent knew exactly how terrifying hismeans for success were. Whether he was faced with humans or demons, he seemedto be able to clearly understand all secrets and grasp all emotions. As a result, the great personages of the Demon race that had once tried toirritate his relationship with the Demon Lord all died by his hand, when heseemed to casually deal with them. At this point, it had been a long time sincethere had been anybody who dared to question Black Robes existence. Even moreimportantly, for some reason, Black Robe seemed to be very patient with theDemon Commander. However, today, Black Robe did not have that much patience andignored him. He looked at the snow and wind in the south silently. The cold wind lifted up a corner of his black robe, which revealed a slightlyblue lower jaw. For hundreds of years, it was the first time that Black Robehad designed an assassination specially for a single human expert. He simulateda whole thirty-seven times that Su Li definitely would die. However, as itturned out, Su Li actually escaped successfully. He had never failed in ascheme, so it seemed to be the first time his scheme had collapsed. The person who collapsed the killing scheme was not the Pope, not the DivineEmpress, nor was it the White Emperor couple. It was a teenager called ChenChangshengBlack Robe or the Demon Generals would only need the movement of afinger to crush him to death. However, it was exactly because of thisunremarkable child that the course of history was changed. Black Robe understood the origin of Chen Changsheng very well, so in thescheme of the Garden of Zhou, he had never planned to kill Chen Changsheng. Itwas just that Su Li appeared too early, and Chen Changsheng carried thatumbrella with him, which was why he was unable to send his will to the demonsthat infiltrated the Garden of Zhou. What was most important was that he hadnot anticipated that Chen Changsheng matured even faster than everyone hadimagined. The scheme of the Garden of Zhou just ended with Black Robes failure? No,Black Robe did not think like that. As long as Su Li did not return to thehuman world, or speaking more accurately with his current condition of heavyinjury, as long as he did not return to Mount Li, then the scheme was still inprogress. Just like he had once said to Su Li, in the continent, there were just toomany people that wanted Su Li to die. For various different reasons, countlesspeople wished that he could die slightly earlier. The demons felt like that,and so did many humans in the human world. It was just that Su Li was just toostrong, and no one dared to attempt to kill him. However, now, Su Li wasalready heavily injured by the demons. The powers in the human world had nowgained their opportunitythe reasoned conclusion seemed rather unbelievable, asif the demons were working with the humans, but Black Robe knew very well thatthis was a matter that was extremely likely to occur. It was because many years ago, something similar had already happened once. Black Robe gazed quietly at the southwest of the snowy plains. He slightlysquinted his eyes, which were slender and delicate. However, they carried coldand complicated emotions. He thought about the disciple of Mount Li, and could not help but feel someregret. Revenge was the most interesting thing in the world. It could change awell-raised young lady with a pair of pampered hands into a demon with a pairof blood-soaked hands, and it could also turn the descendant of a famous familyinto a genius schemer. He did not know what other pleasant surprises the MountLi disciple would bring. Thinking like that, even if Su Li could return to Mount Li successfully, thestory of the Garden of Zhou would not end yet. He extended a hand towards a glacier that was over ten li away, and grasped atthe distance. With only a crack, the glacier immediately broke open. Countlesspieces of sharp ice flew around in the sky that was dark blue. At the sametime, a small person flew out. It was Nanke who had her eyes tightly shut andwas on her last breath. Her faint green feathered wings wrapped tightly aroundher body. Black Robe grabbed her and ignored the mountainous Mountain-topplingFiend and the Demon Commander behind him. Carrying her, he walked towards thedepths of the wind and snow. It was still spring in Hanqiu City, so it naturally did not snow. However, themorning that day was extremely cold, and there was frost in the forest outsidethe city. The dew that formed on the green leaves froze into ice beads withoutmuch time, and rolled down from the leaves. They produced sounds, one afteranother. The reason for such an abnormality with the weather was that the Qi of theworld behind the forest was extremely chaotic. In the mist could be seen themain entrance of the Garden of Zhou, which remained tightly shut. The rainbowthat originated from Mount Li, tens of thousands of li away, constantlyattempted to open the gate with the help of the formation put down by theOrthodoxy. A response actually occurred. Inside and outside the forest, there were cultivators everywhere. Some werepriests that came from the Li Palace, while others were the teachers of varioussects and academies. Naturally, there were also the city guards of Hanqiu City,and the aristocratic families of the Tianliang County that were represented byZhu Luo. They formed a dense mass, but no one made a sound. The expression onall of their faces was extremely serious. Time passed slowly, and as the sunlight broke through the clouds near thehorizon, Hanqiu City was illuminated. The rainbow also seemed to become severaltimes brighter. It opened! From the deepest parts of the forest, before the thick mist, apriest of the Li Palace exclaimed in surprise. With the exclamation, the crowd immediately became bustling. Many peoplesurged towards the slowly opening gate. Between all of them, most of them wereunable to enter the Garden of Zhou, but getting slightly closer would help themprovide support when they needed to a short while later. Now, all the peoplealready knew that the closing of the Garden of Zhou was a scheme of the demons,so were the disciples that entered the garden to undergo trials still okay? Not long after, a cultivator ran out from the Garden of Zhou hurriedly. Heseemed extremely panicked, and only upon seeing his master did he relax, andactually almost cried. Closely afterwards, more and more people walked out ofthe Garden of Zhou. They all seemed to be in rather miserable and sorry shapes,but in the end, they had survived. The priests of the Li Palace and the officials of the imperial court stood toone side, carefully recording the number of people that exited the Garden ofZhou. There were even more personnel that disregarded that the youngcultivators had not calmed down yet, and directly went up to ask for theirschool and names, before calculating how many people had not left the Garden ofZhou. There were sounds of alarm and confusion everywhere in the forest. Zhu Luo and Mei Lisha stood outside the forest and listened to the reports ofthe priests and officials. Their expressions became more and more serious. Fromthe descriptions of the cultivators that had left the Garden of Zhou, itconfirmed their previous conjecture, which was one of the most horribleconjecturesthe Garden of Zhou was about to be destroyed. Time continued to pass by, and more and more people escaped from the Garden ofZhou. However, according to the records of the priests from the Li Palace and theofficials, there were still some people that had not come out. Mei Lisha looked at the gate that grew dimmer and dimmer in the mist, andcould feel the Qi that became more and more chaotic. His gaze became colder andcolder. Chen Changsheng still had not come out. Zhu Luo looked at the carriage that was on the road outside the forest, andhis gaze became slightly relaxed. The carriage belonged to the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. The windowof the carriage was covered up with azure blinds, and the interior could not beseen. Xu Yourong sat by the window silently.
356 For Reasons of Sorrow
Xu Yourong gazed out the window, not saying a word, waiting for that person tocome out of the Garden of Zhou. Even though the azure curtain of the carriagewindow was let down, it could not obstruct her sight. Time continued to pitilessly march on and the sun slowly rose up. The light inthe sky gradually shifted, moving from the walls of Hanqiu City to the officialroad, until finally illuminating the entire world. The light pierced throughthe curtain, shining into the carriage and resting upon her face, making herface grow paler and paler. After she came out of the Garden of Zhou, she immediately told archbishop MeiLisha and Zhu Luo what had happened in the Garden of Zhou. The Garden of Zhou''ssky was collapsing. There was enough time for others to escape because in theplains at the top of the Mausoleum of Zhou, a youth was using an umbrella tohold up the sky, so they should use every method to save him as soon aspossible. If she were not Xu Yourong, Mei Lisha and Zhu Luo would definitely think shehad gone crazy. Yet even if she was Xu Yourong and Mei Lisha and Zhu Luo didbelieve her, there truly was no means of saving that solitary youth that washolding up the sky atop the Mausoleum of Zhouonly those at Ethereal Openingcould enter the Garden of Zhou, and if it was as she had described, someonethat could save that youth needed to be an expert at an even higher level ofcultivation. Perhaps Zhu Luo had the ability, but the Garden of Zhou was in themidst of collapse and was exceptionally unstable. He would only need to take asingle step into the Garden of Zhou and the entire miniature world might beinstantly annihilated. No one could save that youth; only the youth himself could do so. Thus, XuYourong could do nothing else, only wait. At this moment, a senior sister fromthe Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green hurried over to the window and reportedto her, "There''s no one called Xu Sheng. In addition, I''ve checked and foundthat no disciples came from the Snow Mountain Sect." After a moment of silence, Xu Yourong asked, "How many people have yet to comeout?" "There are still a bit more than forty people." After a moment''s hesitation,the senior from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green also softly said,"Orthodox Academy''s Chen Changsheng also has not come out." Once she said these words, the senior grew very concerned about Xu Yourong''ssituation. She thought Xu Yourong was worried about the safety of her fianc,which is why she had asked to make these inquiries. Yet Xu Yourong had noreaction, making the senior somewhat surprised. The person Xu Yourong was waiting for was not Chen Changshengamongst thecultivators that had registered their names, there was no Snow Mountain Sectdisciple called Xu Sheng, but she knew very well that the Snow Mountain Sectdisciple called Xu Sheng was still in the Garden of Zhou. Moreover, he was atthis very moment at the summit of the Mausoleum of Zhou, wielding the tenthousand swords as a massive umbrella. Entering the Garden of Zhou under a false name, even changing one''s sect underthe tacit approval of the Li Palace, was a very common occurrence. In her view,since Xu Sheng was the secret sect genius disciple upon which the Snow MountainSect placed its hopes of revitalization, then he would be like her and use someother identity to enter the Garden of Zhou. That his name could not be found onthe register was highly likely. In reality, she had no hopes that the youth''s name would be found on theregister. After she had gotten out of the Garden of Zhou, she had silently satin the carriage by the window, staring into the foggy depths of the forest ateach person that walked out or was carried out. She firmly believed that shehad not missed a single one, because her eyes had never once blinked. She had seen many of her senior and junior brothers from the Longevity Sect aswell as some of her fellows from the South Stream Temple, saw those injuredcultivators that she had saved in those nights, saw that wolf youth carrying QiJian that ran into four trees before finally reaching the roadside, but shenever saw him. At the end, several figures walked out of the fog supporting each other, thenan unimaginably terrifying Qi erupted from the dense fog. That rainbow whichlanded in the fog instantly began to falter, as if it could snap at any moment.That magnificent courtyard faintly discernible through the fog abruptly twistedinto countless images, like it was about to vanish. Seeing this scene, Mei Lisha seemed to grow even older. Zhu Luo flew up,rushing into the air above the clouds. When the rainbow finally fractured, abright and beauteous sword light emerged from his hands and chopped at theearth, creating an incredibly powerful protective screen, separating the worldin the fog from the true world. There was a massive boom which could be heard even several hundred li fromHanqiu City. Even Zhu Luo, one of the Eight Storms and one of the most powerful cultivatorson the continent, putting his full strength behind this slash, failed tocompletely seal off the explosion of this powerful Qi. A hurricane gathered upthe leaves and earth and rolled them into the forest, shrieking all the while.In an instant, the hurricane engulfed the official road. Only when it collidedagainst the sturdy walls of Hanqiu City did it finally cease. As the wind died down and the dust settled, the world became clear and brightonce more. The forest was filled with coughs and groans. As the crowd lookedinto the forest, they saw that the dense fog had already completely scattered.As for the green hill that should have been behind that fog...it had alreadydisappeared without a trace. The gate to the Garden of Zhou had disappeared, and the Garden of Zhou itselfhad also vanished. It was a mystery whether there would be anyone else who inthe future would be able to open the gate to the Garden of Zhou. Even if itcould be opened, there would be no meaning. The energy that the Garden of Zhoureleased before its collapse had disintegrated a real green hill, so how couldthe Garden of Zhou itself still exist? The forest was silent. Those birds that had taken flight in alarm had beenstruck dead by the Qi shot out by the destruction of the Garden of Zhou, theirstiff corpses dropping down amidst the leaves and dirt. Breaking the silence were the sounds of mournful weeping. Many teachers fromthe sects and schools adopted expressions of grief while there were also manyyoung cultivators who bitterly wept without end by the corpses of their fellowdisciples. The priests of the Li Palace and the government officials put awaytheir emotions and once again began to take count. They determined that out ofthe human cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou, twenty-seven had notcome out. But they did not know if these people had been killed in the courseof the demons'' schemes or if they had lost their lives in the destruction ofthe Garden of Zhou. In addition, in the forest, there were more than tencorpses. The curtain was covered by a thick layer of dust, blocking out the light, andalso blocking her sight. It also caused Xu Yourong''s face to become ratherdarker. She closed her eyes, her long lashes gently blinking. She said nothing, her right hand trembling as it softly caressed the pheasantat her side. "Let''s go," she whispered. The carriage of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, following theofficial road, rolled off into the distance. The wind on the road blew off the dust on the curtains, letting her see thescene on the side of the road of the wounded groaning on their stretchers. This made her feel somewhat aggrieved. In that first night in the Garden of Zhou, she and Chen Changsheng, withoutonce meeting, had continuously saved lives. These wounded people were peoplethat they had saved together. And Chen Changsheng had also not come out of the Garden of Zhou. Only then did she understand that the young Daoist boy she had exchangedletters with several years ago was also dead. She originally felt that she would not grieve over his death, but now she feltrather upset. If it were not for that engagement, he would not have come to the capital,would not have participated in the Grand Examination, would not have enteredthe Orthodox Academy, and would not have entered the Garden of Zhou. Naturally,he also would not have died. Presumably, he would still be in that old templein Xining village reading through those three thousand scriptures of the Dao. She had originally long forgotten about those letters, but for some reason,she suddenly began to recall them. She remembered that Chen Changsheng used towrite to her that every day, he had to recite Daoist scriptures, something hefound very laborious, and yet no matter how laborious it was, it must bebetter than death, right? The wheels of the carriage rolled across the official road, rumbling along asthey went. This was to leave. Every person had to learn about leaving. Leaving was always a most sorrowful and grievous affair. Even if she was XuYourong, she was still just a fifteen-year-old girl. What made her sad most of all was that the person she was waiting for did notcome out in the end. Were you really called Xu Sheng? Were you really a disciple of the SnowMountain Sect? Did you still not know that I was Xu Yourong? Does anyone knowthat in those plains, we shouldered responsibilities together, overcamelife-or-death situations together, and calmly faced crises together? Yourrelatives and teachers might mourn for you, but I...I don''t even have thequalifications to mourn for you. Ah, this is a truly sorrowful affair. Not long after the carriage of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green hadtaken its leave, another sorrowful affair occurred. A person was about to die. In this year''s opening of the Garden of Zhou, because of the demons'' schemes,the human cultivators had suffered disastrous casualties. By all reason, deathshould be a very normal affair. However, the person that was about to die was the Mount Li Sword Sect''s LiangXiaoxiao. This affair was no longer normal and was very grievous. Then, this grief very quickly transformed into anger.
357 One Dies Part One
The carriage for the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green left, but the femaledisciples stayed behind. They and the disciples of the South Stream Temple, aswell as the priests from Li Palace, were all healing the injured people in theforest. At that time, it was currently an age of blossoming flowers for the world ofcultivation. Even more so, it was a great year for the Grand Examination, andwith the starlight in the Mausoleum of Books, there were actually several dozenyoung cultivators under the age of twenty that surpassed the barrier of lifeand death to successfully enter Ethereal Opening. The future of the human worldseemed to be extremely bright, however, nobody had expected such a great matterto occur in the visit to the Garden of Zhou. No matter if it was the Orthodoxy,the imperial court or the southern sects, they were all naturally extremelyanxious. Fortunately, the injuries of the injured were not too heavy. Most of them hadbeen struck by the falling mountain rocks when they fled from the Garden ofZhou, so after a simple treatment, there were no great problems. Also, theseveral dozen cultivators from all over the empire who were heavily injured bythe ambushes of the first two nights from the demons had already receivedtreatment from Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng, so they also did not have anygreat problems. Amongst these individuals, Qi Jian suffered the greatest injury. Thetreacherous sword had directly pierced through her lower abdomen, which severedseveral of her meridians. With the pain from fleeing for several dozen days andthe effects of medicine, she was currently unconscious. No one knew when shewould awaken. The expression of the elder from Mount Li who watched over her onone side was extremely ugly. With a teacher from Mount Li looking after her, Zhexiu naturally could notapproach too closely to her. However, he was not too far away either. He stoodunder a scholar tree not far away, and his eyes were closed. Compared to thechaotic activity in the forest, he seemed rather lonely. Actually, he was also extremely heavily injured, especially due to the factthat the poison from Nanke had already inundated his body. However, he did notrequest the priests of Li Palace to treat his injuries. He did not show anyexpression on his slightly pale face. Ignoring the fact that he may have beendenying the people, other human cultivators were also hindered by the relativerumors of him, and did not want to take the initiative to go up and ask him. The elder from Mount Li turned around and glanced at Zhexiu. There werequestioning and alertness in his gaze. He wanted to ask something, but he couldnot turn his head again in the end. He put his mind on the heavily injured andunconscious Qi Jian. Qi Jian was the final disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect master. Her identityand status were naturally different. As soon as she had left the Garden ofZhou, there were already two cardinals of the Orthodoxy that carefully attendedto her wounds. They confirmed that her life was no longer under threat, but theinjury was extremely heavy. Especially due to the fact of the severed meridiansand that she was unconscious, they could not think of any good methods to helpher, and she needed to be taken to the capital or Mount Li as soon as possible. The elder of Mount Li knew Qi Jians background. What made him even moreuneasy was that if she really did fall into a coma, just who knew how crazy hismartial uncle would become? However, what made him feel the most uneasy andeven vaguely fearful, was the sword injury in her lower abdomen. Swords had sword intent, and there would often be traces of sword intent ininjuries caused by swords. What Mount Li focused on was the sword, so the elderonly needed a glance to understand just where the sword that heavily injured QiJian came from. Just when he felt uneasy, there were a few cries of surprise from the depthsof the forest, Someone come quick! The elder of Mount Li turned around to see what was going on there. Hisexpression suddenly changed, and he no longer could care for Qi Jian anymore.He ordered disciples to watch over her carefully, and personally rushed over.He waved his hands and made through the crowd, yelling angrily, Just what ishappening!? In the center of the crowd was a stretcher. The person who lay on thestretcher was Liang Xiaoxiao. Liang Xiaoxiao was suffering from heavy injury for some reason, and there werea dozen or so sword slashes on his body. Two female disciples from the SouthStream Temple helped bandage him on the side, but they were unable to stop thefresh blood from flowing out from under the bandage. The scene seemed extremelybrutal. His face was pale like paper, his lips were blue, his gaze was gloomy and hisQi was rather weak. The teenage genius who was once valiant and heroic-lookingwas now only an inch away from death. The two female disciples of South StreamTemple squatted down on the two sides of the stretcher, and constantly usedbandages to attempt to stop his bleeding. However, they were unable to stop theblood, so they could not help but become panicked. The slightly younger femaledisciple even cried, and said tearfully, Senior Liang, you cant die! The forest fell into a deathly silence. The crowd was stunned. Liang Xiaoxiaowas not an ordinary cultivator. He was an inner disciple of the Mount Li SwordSect, and a member of the Divine States Seven Laws. He was the first place onthe first banner in the Grand Examination last year, but now, he was actuallyalmost dead. Just what happened? Who injured him? A cardinal from Li Palace hurried over. He looked at the scene and could nothelp but be extremely shocked. He used the Sacred Light Technique without theslightest hesitation, which caused clear light to land on Liang Xiaoxiaos bodywithout stint. There was silence, and the people waited anxiously. A while later, LiangXiaoxiaos bleeding stopped, but his face remained pale and his gaze remainedgloomy. The cardinal slowly shook his head. Seeing the expression of the cardinal, the body of the Mount Li elder swayed afew times, before forcefully withstanding it. Through the description of somepeople present, he learned that Liang Xiaoxiao was carried out by Zhuang Huanyuin the end. His glanced over coldly. Just what happened? Zhuang Huanyu also had several sword slashes on his body, except not assevere. His face was also very pale, but not because of the injury. Rather, itwas because his state of mind was in a flurry. Hearing the loud question of theMount Li elder, he looked at Liang Xiaoxiao on the stretcher, and slightlyhesitated. Liang Xiaoxiao lay on the stretcher. His vigor was a little better thanbefore, and his Qi had increased slightly. However, when the sunlight hit him,objects that seemed like small fragments of colored glass could be seen on thesurface of his clothes. This was the sign of dispersion. The Third Law of the Divine State was dying. The forest became even more deathly silent. The feeling of depressionincreased slowly, and the girl from the South Stream Temple began crying again. The Mount Li elder looked at Zhuang Huanyu and yelled angrily, Speak! With the angry yell, a sword intent burst forth. It enveloped Zhuang Hanyu, asif Zhuang Huanyu had taken a little longer, the sword intent would havedirectly chopped him into pieces. Zhuang Huanyu was also not an ordinary cultivator. He was a student of theHeavenly Dao Academy. However, even with that, the Mount Li elder actuallyignored it completely. It displayed just how angry he was at that moment. As the main person who presided over the opening of the Garden of Zhou thistime, Zhu Luo was also at the scene. He naturally could not just let ZhuangHuanyu die like this, and said while looking at the Mount Li elder, Calm downa little. Just at that moment, a weak voice could be heard from the stretcher. Martial Uncle, it had nothing to do with young master Huanyu. The Mount Li elder looked at Liang Xiaoxiao, and said with a slightlytrembling voice, Who was it that injured you so badly? At that moment, most of the people in the forest believed that it was thedemon experts that had infiltrated the Garden of Zhou who injured LiangXiaoxiao so heavily. After all, Liang Xiaoxiao held the first place upon thefirst banner of the Grand Examination from the previous year, and also hadspent a whole year in the Mausoleum of Books, comprehending monoliths. Hislevel of cultivation was extremely profound, so logically, only the demonexperts could injure him so badly. However, the Mount Li elder knew very well that Liang Xiaoxiao was not injuredby the demons. It was because he knew that the sword slashes on his body werethe same as the injury in Qi Jians lower abdomen. They were all of the MountLi Sword Style. The only Mount Li Sword Sect disciples that had entered the Garden of Zhouwere Qi Jian and Liang Xiaoxiao. The Mount Li elder had a vague conjecture, but he was unable to believe it. Asa result, his voice trembled very heavily. Liang Xiaoxiao looked at his martial uncle, and shook his head slowly butfirmly. The Mount Li elder understood what he meant. An expression of disbeliefappeared on his face. Liang Xiaoxiao was in the state of momentary recovery right before death. Hewas slightly more energetic than before, and his gaze moved slowly. When he sawQi Jian in the distance, he paused slightly in a fashion that was hard todetect, before continuing his movement. The Mount Li elder and Zhu Luo sensedthat, and even saw that in Liang Xiaoxiaos gaze towards Qi Jian, there wasself-blame, frustration, distress and sorrow. The gazes of the people followed his gaze, and vaguely understood what he waslooking for. In the end, Liang Xiaoxiaos gaze landed under a scholar tree. The one under the scholar tree was the wolf tribe teenager. Countless gazes also landed on his body. Zhexius eyes remained closed, as if he could not sense it. Its him. Zhuang Huanyus voice seemed a little dry. He said, Wofu Zhexiuis the demon traitor. He ambushed us in the Garden of Zhou. Senior Liang wastaken advantage of in order to save me.
358 One Dies Part Two
It was silent in the forest. Countless gazes landed on Zhexius body, and theyall varied from one another. Zhu Luo squinted his eyes slightly, and seemed towant to say something. Mei Lisha was not there at all, but where the greenmountain had disappeared. He looked at the Garden of Zhou that had alreadydisappeared, and his old face revealed an indescribable expression. So its like that. The Mount Li elder looked at Zhexiu expressionlessly. The sound of footsteps and wind appeared in the forest. It belonged to thevarious cultivators of the southern Longevity Sect and Holy Maiden Peak.Without any orders, they all dispersed, and slightly blocked the directionsthat Zhexiu could leave in. Seeing the situation, they were about to act in thenext moment. Logically, it was not because Zhuang Huanyu had pointed out thatZhexiu was the demon traitor that everyone believed it without a doubt, it wasthat Liang Xiaoxiao who lay on the stretcher always stared at Zhexiu, staringat him with undisguised hatred and vigilance. Also, Zhexiu did not speak upagainst it. Liang Xiaoxiao was a member of the Divine States Seven Laws, and ZhuangHuanyu was a proud, brilliant student of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Thetestimony of the two was extremely powerful. Most importantly, Liang Xiaoxiaowas currently heavily injured, and his true essence was dispersing brightly. Hewas about to die. No one would doubt what he said. Who could lie in the finalmoment before death? Zhexiu was not a human cultivator, and did not have any association with thevarious cultivating sects of the Central Plains. However, he killed demons onthe snowy plains and coordinated with the army of Great Zhou. He had committeda lot of meritorious deeds in the military, and many aristocrats in the capitaladmired him very much; in essence, an exchange and consideration of interest.However, that did not stop some people siding with him. The status of Li Palace was relatively higher. The cardinal who had helpedheal Liang Xiaoxiao furrowed his eyebrows slightly, and thought in his heartthat the sword slashes on Liang Xiaoxiaos body did not seem like the killingmethod that Zhexiu was good at. He said hesitantly, I think what was mostfatal should be the sword wounds. A lecturer from Star Seizer Academy looked at Zhuang Huanyu and said with acold expression, Indeed, how do you explain it? Zhexiu has performedmeritorious military service time after time, and who knows how many demons hehas killed on the snowy plains. You actually say that he worked with the demonsto enter the Garden of Zhou to kill people. How would people believe you? It was indeed like that. Especially with the sword wounds on Liang Xiaoxiaosbody, it clearly was not done by Zhexiu. This deepened the doubt even more.Many people looked at Zhuang Huanyu once again, wanting to hear how he wouldexplain it. Zhuang Huanyu hesitated slightly before saying, Perhaps, he hasalways been hiding it the years before, just to gain our trust from themeritorious deeds. Pointing at people for working with the demons cannot be said with the wordperhaps, the lecturer from the Star Seizer Academy said without any respect,as if he did not care about his identity at all. Both of Zhuang Huanyus eyes were slightly blood-shot, perhaps due to worry oranger. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he did not doit in the end, and seemed to subconsciously glance at the stretcher. Liang Xiaoxiao shooked his head with difficulty and said, Speak no more. The Mount Li elder saw what happened, and vaguely understood that hisconjecture had turned into the truth. His complexion became extremely pale, andhis body became slightly cold. Listening to Liang Xiaoxiaos weak voice, ZhuangHuanyu tightly closed his mouth. His complexion also paled and his body becameslightly cold, except his coldness and the coldness of the elder from Mount Liwere different. Looking at Liang Xiaoxiao who lay on the stretcher, covered in blood, hethought about the conversation he had in the Garden of Zhou before and theseveral dozen mournful sword rays. He could not help but feel cold inside. At that time, outside the Mountainside Whispering Wood, Liang Xiaoxiao saw thescene of Zhexiu carrying Qi Jian out of the Garden of Zhou. He briefed ZhuangHuanyu over some things very calmly, before pulling out his sword from thesheath without the slightest sign of hesitation. He then used an extremelypowerful sword move. The sword move was the final move of the Mount Li Sword Style, the most heroicand absolute move. Using the sword move could bring great harm to the opponent,but the user himself would definitely die under the sword. Before, in the GrandExamination, the reason Gou Hanshi conceded in the end was that he saw thatChen Changsheng had decided to use the sword move. Liang Xiaoxiao used such a grim and tragic move on himself. Zhuang Huanyu was shocked to the point where he only stared blankly. He hadnever seen such a grim person who was so grim and so fierce to himself, so whatabout to other people? Yes, this was an immediate scheme Liang Xiaoxiao had come up with. He useddeath and his sword wounds to denounce Zhexiu and Qi Jian as working with thedemons, making both sides suffer. He did not say Qi Jians name in front of so many people, because he loved heras a friend, and deeply believed that the name of the sect was more importantthan the life of a Mount Li disciple. Even if he was about to die, he did notwish for Mount Lis great reputation to suffer any damage, still taking pity onhis youngest junior. It was also exactly because that he was like that, that his word was even morebelievable. Using his death to exchange for benefits, Liang Xiaoxiao really wasvery terrifying. Most terrifyingly, before he made the decision, he did nothesitate at all, and seemed as if he did not care whether Zhuang Huanyu wouldact out his plans at all. Liang Xiaoxiao using his death to construct a scheme caused Zhuang Huanyu tofeel extremely terrified. He wanted to flee, however, he knew that he could notflee. Ever since the moment on the lake shore, when Chen Changsheng and theother two were ambushed by Liang Xiaoxiao and the demon experts, and he had notappeared, he had taken the fork in the road. At many moments in the past, he had the opportunity to correct the directionhe traveled in, including right now. He could tell the truth, however if hedid that, he would be seen as a coward. As a result, he did not, so afterwards,he needed to continue traveling along that path, unable to look back. The opposing seemed to have already guessed his choice since the very start. Looking at Liang Xiaoxiao who lay on the stretcher, covered in blood and onhis last breath, Zhuang Huanyu felt that he had seen a devil. Liang Xiaoxiao also looked at him. His gaze was rather gloomy, but it was verypeaceful. The moment their eyes had connected, everything was settled. Zhuang Huanyu said nothing and slowly lowered his head. He said with aslightly trembling voice, Sorry, I cant say anything. In the eyes of everyone, Zhuang Huanyu seemed very sad, and also seemed to bevery unwilling. He could not say anything, but actually had already conveyed a lot, which waseven more terrifying than speaking. Zhu Luo slightly raised an eyebrow and looked to the ground at Qi Jian who wasstill unconscious. Qi Jian did not know what was happening at all. What do you have to say? A new lecturer of the Heavenly Dao Academy walked into the crowd. Hearing thesituation, his expression became slightly cold, and asked Zhexiu while lookingunder the tree. Zhexiu said expressionlessly, Liang Xiaoxiao is the demon traitor but I didnot kill him. The crowd fell into an uproar again, and the elder of Mount Li asked with acold expression, What did you say? Zhexiu described what had happened by the lake. He was not good at speakingand spoke very slowly, but also because of that, it instead was ratherbelievable. The lecturer from the Star Seizer Academy asked, Do you have a witness forwhat you have said? Zhexiu and Liang Xiaoxiao accused each other of being the demon traitor. Theynaturally did not have any evidence, so they could only look for witnesses. Not many people present believed in what Zhexiu had said. What the Star SeizerAcademy lecturer asked was a chance that Zhexiu had to seize without a doubt. Zhexiu stayed silent for a while before saying, I know you dont believe whatI have said. Wait until Qi Jian wakes up, and you all will naturally know. As the gazes of the crowd turned to him, the cardinal shook his head and said,Too heavily injured, and the meridians have some heavy problems. Dont knowwhen hell wake up, even Zhuang Huanyu sneered and said with grief and indignation, Unable to wake upso you Both of them did not finish what they were saying, but the crowd understoodwhat the two were implying. It was possible that Qi Jian would never wake up. In that case, Zhuang Huanyu would be overjoyed. It was still like that saying: sometimes, not speaking or not explainingcompletely was far more harmful than speaking clearly. With the details and the injuries on Liang Xiaoxiaos body, most of the peoplealready believed that they were able to guess roughly what the scheme thatoccurred in the Garden of Zhou was, why Zhuang Huanyu was so grieved andindignant, why he wanted to speak but then stopped, why Liang Xiaoxiao wasabout to die, but instead remained unwilling to say any more. According to what Zhexiu has said, you were not there at the time, thelecturer of the Star Seizer Academy said while looking at Zhuang Huanyu. Zhuang Huanyu said nothing for a very long time. Finally, he raised his headand made his choice. As a result, he seemed very calm. To make the choice between being a coward forever, or being a warrior for awhile. It was very easy. He had already been a coward once, so in the story he told, he obviously was awarrior. Although he knew very clearly that these were the actions of a coward. Listening to Zhuang Huanyu tell his story, the crowd became quiet again. Under the scholar tree, Zhexiu could feel the gazes that originated from hissurroundings, and he could feel the pressure that slowly became real. Heslightly lowered his head, and was very confused. At that moment, he could not see, so he was even more confused by how humanscould speak so brazenly. In order to lie successfully, there needed to be even more lies to prevent anyholes from occurring. The story Zhuang Huanyu had told completely originatedfrom the fabrication that Liang Xiaoxiao came up with in a very short time, sohe was obviously unable to keep all the details straight perfectly. Zhu Luo,who was always silent, suddenly said, Chen Changsheng was also there? In the story Zhexiu had told, Chen Changsheng played an extremely importantrole. In Zhuang Huanyus story, Chen Changsheng did appear, but he was gone ina few words. Zhexiu did not understand and said, Yes, Chen Changsheng cantestify. The lecturer from the Heavenly Dao Academy looked at him and furrowed hisbrows slightly. He said, Chen Changsheng did not exit from the Garden of Zhou,and should have already died you know this, so why did you purposely say it? Hearing that Chen Changsheng had died in the Garden of Zhou, Zhexiu becamesilent and did not say anything more. Liang Xiaoxiaos voice became weaker and weaker, So he couldnt leave theGarden of Zhou, then theres nothing else. After saying that, he sighed. It was slightly regretful, slightly pleased,slightly disappointed; in general, very complicated. The forest became quiet again, and the crowd was shocked speechless. Perhaps in the matter of Zhexiu working with the demons, Chen Changshengactually also participated in it? How could a perfect lie be created? It was not to constantly fill it up withnew lies, but like a painting, some areas should be left blank, giving peoplespace to fill in the gaps themselves. This was what Liang Xiaoxiao did, and it was very successful. Of course, until the current moment, the lie was still not perfect, becausethe words of the living were still not as convincing as the words of the deadin the endlife was the most valuable thing in the world, and the accusationmade with life was the most powerful. Many times, it was even more powerfulthan the truth. Only if Liang Xiaoxiao died at this moment would his set up against Zhexiu, QiJian and Chen Changsheng be considered perfect. He closed his eyes and smiled in a rather tired manner. He displayed many complicated emotions on his face. There was unwillingness,grief, relief and forgiveness.
359 Striding Through the Snowy Plains
The elder from Mount Li gazed silently at Liang Xiaoxiao for a very long time,then turned to Zhexiu under the scholar tree and asked emotionlessly, "Do youhave anything else to say?" Zhexiu closed his eyes and said, "Since he relied on the demons, anyone couldkill him. If it were me that killed him, I would not need to conceal myself.But, I was not the one who killed him." The forest grew restless. The Mount Li elder''s face was like ice as hefrigidly said, "Martial Nephew Liang is already dead and you actually dare tosplash the departed''s body with filthy water? That''s really too shameless." Only now was Zhexiu finally aware that Liang Xiaoxiao was dead. He roughlyunderstood the entire situation and suddenly felt thoroughly exhausted. "Take him with us to Mount Li so we can interrogate him." The Mount Li elderlooked at Zhexiu like he was looking at a dead man. At his words, more than ten Longevity Sect disciples encircled Zhexiu. Aroundthem were even more cultivators from the south, watching Zhexiu''s actions toprevent him from suddenly putting up a fight. Just then, Zhu Luo impassively said, "Slow yourselves." The Storms of the Eight Directions were humanity''s strongest cultivators, sotheir status was naturally special. His words even caused that Mount Li elderwhose rage had reached its peak to temporarily cool down. "I most detest these sorts of scenes where matters are taken care of withoutanything being made clear." Zhu Luo pointed at the unconscious Qi Jian and asked, "By your reasoning, theonly culprits for killing Liang Xiaoxiao, besides Zhexiu, are Qi Jian and evenChen Changsheng?" The Mount Li elder slowly said, "This is Mount Li''s affair and I would askthat Sir respect it." "This is not Mount Li''s affair, it regards a matter that occurred within theGarden of Zhou." Zhu Luo gave him in an indifferent look and continued,"Because I am presiding over this year''s opening of the Garden of Zhou,anything that happened within must be made clear by me." Restraining his anger, the Mount Li elder asked, "Could it be that you stilldon''t understand this matter?" "Exceedingly so." Zhu Luo cared not one bit for the elder''s response andcasually continued, "Zhexiu has performed much military service for my GreatZhou. You accuse him of colluding with the demons? Fine. But if Qi Jian alsoparticipated in this matter, then could it be that he has also thrown his lotin with the demons? He is also a disciple of your Mount Li. For what reasonwould he join hands with this wolf youth and deal with his own senior brother?" The Mount Li elder thought about the meaning behind LiangXiaoxiao''s gaze before he died. After a moment of silence, he walked over toZhu Luo and whispered, "This matter involves the good name of Mount Li. Irequest Sir not to inquire any further." Zhu Luo slightly raised his brow. It must be known that while reputation andgood name seemed to have similar meanings, there was a subtle difference. The Mount Li elder continued to suppress his voice. "Martial Nephew Qi Jianalthough we temporarily don''t know what happened between him and Zhexiu, weabsolutely cannot inquire about it in front of all these people. Because hisidentity is very special." This conversation could only be heard by the two of them. Zhu Luo was verycautious with him and asked, "His identity?" After a moment of silence, the Mount Li elder replied, "He is actually agirl." Looking at Zhexiu under the scholar tree, Zhu Luo seemed to understand. "Nowonder it has to do with your good name." The Mount Li elder said, "I continue to ask Sir for your understanding." Zhu Luo shook his head. "This is still not enough. It is true that Mount Li''sreputation is important, but not more important than truth or life and death. The Mount Li elder hesitated for a few moments, then finally clenched histeeth and said, "She is Martial Uncle''s daughter." Zhu Luo''s expression became a little more severe. He looked into the elder''seyes and asked, "Which martial uncle?" The Mount Li elder whispered, "Junior Martial Uncle." At these three words, Zhu Luo fell into a long period of silence. The Storms of the Eight Directions possessed a supremely majestic position inthe human world, only sitting below the Five Saints. Logically, no name wouldmake him feel fear, but there was one name that was an exception. So she was Su Li''s daughter, actually Su Li''s daughter. No wonder Mount Li''sSect Master took her as his last disciple, all of Mount Li seemed to treat heras a treasure, and even Qiushan Jun and Gou Hanshi held her in the palms oftheir hands. Gazing at the unconscious Qi Jian as he thought of these things, Zhu Luo shookhis head. The Mount Li elder said, "Many thanks to Sir for his understanding. Of course,if Qi Jian truly did use her sword in the Garden of Zhou, the Discipline Hallwill absolutely use the rules of the sect. We will communicate the final resultto Sir as speedily as possible." Zhu Luo said nothing, indicating his approval. This truly was something thathad happened in the Garden of Zhou, but the Mount Li Sword Sect had alreadybrought up this matter, and moreover, Su Li was also involved. He no longerfelt like taking on this matter. But on this scene, besides him, there was still one other venerable elderwhose words had the most power. With a signal from the elder of the Mount Li Sword Sect, people carried awaythe stretchers holding Qi Jian and Liang Xiaoxiao. Zhexiu inclined his ear andheard activity from that location. His body slightly leaned forward as if hewas prepared to do something, but in the end, he did not do anything. As the Mount Li Sword Sect was prepared to also take Zhexiu away, the othervenerable elder finally spoke. From the time the Garden of Zhou had been destroyed and that green hillvanished without a trace, archbishop Mei Lisha had been staring vacantly atthat place once filled with dense fog. His elderly face had further aged, histurbid eyes grown even muddier. He had not paid any attention to what was goingon in the forest, until now. He turned around and expressionlessly said, "Leavehim behind." The Mount Li Sword Sect elder declared, "This is my Mount Li..." "The one who died is a disciple of your Mount Li, the opponent is alsoapparently a disciple of your Mount Li. I care not for the trifling internalaffairs of your Mount Li. But why do you carry away Zhexiu? Because of LiangXiaoxiao''s dying words? Are you not saying that if Chen Changsheng was stillalive, you would also take him away to your Mount Li?" Mei Lisha slowly ambled back into the forest and gazed at the Mount Lielder. "Is that your reasoning?" That Mount Li elder said nothing, but the newly appointed lecturer from theHeavenly Dao Academy hesitantly opened his mouth. "Your Eminence, if ChenChangsheng really is involved in this matter, then he would also have to beclosely questioned." "The dead can no longer speak, allowing you people to splash filthy water onhis body? I seemed to have heard someone say as such just a moment ago." MeiLisha looked at that lecturer from the Heavenly Dao Academy and emotionlesslysaid, "As for questioningChen Changsheng is the Principal of the OrthodoxAcademy. What right does a mere lecturer like you have to question him? BesidesHis Holiness, who has the right to question him?" He glanced at Zhexiu under the scholar tree and continued, "Your Mount Li''sgood name is important, but does that mean that my Orthodoxy''s reputation isnot important then? This matter of the wolf youth concerns the reputation of myOrthodoxy. I am taking him back with me to the capital. Are there anyobjections?" Zhu Luo replied, "I have no objections." Since not even he had an objection, no one else present had the right to havean objection, including those southern cultivators and the Mount Li elder whovery clearly did have objections. Mei Lisha looked at the Mount Li elder andcoldly said, "If Mount Li has an objection, let your Sect Master come and makeit, or let Su Li come and make it." The Mount Li elder could no longer restrain himself and exploded with anger."The one who died is a disciple of my Mount Li!" "Is a dead man so amazing? It couldn''t be that just because he died, thismatter is suddenly no longer riddled with errors, no longer a complete mess?"Mei Lisha''s voice grew even colder. "In addition, my mood right now is verybad. His Holiness''s mood is also about to be very bad; the entire Orthodoxy''smood is about to be very bad, because Chen Changsheng has died. The Principalof the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng, has died!" The old man looked out into the sky outside the forest and lamented infrustration, "What could be more important than this? Even if the DivineKingdom''s Seven Laws were killed to a man, would it be more sorrowful thanthis?" Chen Changsheng could imagine that everyone outside Hanqiu City woulddefinitely think that he was already dead. This was because he did not leavethrough the gate of the Garden of Zhou, but was instead through someexceptionally mystical method directly transported tens of thousands of li awayto the snowy plains. He could also imagine that there were would be manydifferent reactions to news of his death. Some would be ecstatic, others wouldfeel like there was a weight off their minds, while there would also be somethat would be overcome by grief and sadness. The final group of people were all people that truly cared for him, likeLuoluo, Tang Thirty-Six, Xuanyuan Po, Guardian Jin, and perhaps Mo Yu mightalso feel some regret. He even felt that Gou Hanshi and Guan Feibai, thesedisciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect, might be amongst this group. This was noteven mentioning those elders in the Orthodoxy and that elf girl. He did not want those people to feel sorrowful and anxious, so he was veryworried. He was anxious to swiftly return to the human world so that he couldrelay the news of his survival as quickly as possible to the capital, lettingeveryone know that he was alive. Unfortunately, the snowy plain in the land ofdemons was much too far from the human world, and senior Su Li was trulyrather heavy. Their escape through the snowy plains had truly gone rather smoothly. A true expert in the path of the sword necessarily possessed a vast wisdom andintelligence, no matter the aspect, like the culinary arts or the art of tea.This was because the myriad paths were all interconnected. Escape could also becalled a retreat, which could be considered a part of the military arts, so SuLi was also very skilled at it. The sword move which he had used to cleave at the sky had been very carefullychosen. The blow had cut upon a sword path several hundred li long that pointedstraight south, coinciding extremely well with the true meaning of the path ofthe sword: the straightest is the shortest, and the shortest is the fastest.Yet who could have thought that this strike''s true ending point was actuallysouthwest in some snowy ridge? Black Robe had vaguely sensed this, but when the demon army finally adjustedits tactics and began to surround that ridge from the east and the west, theonly things remaining by the edge of the hot spring were a few bloodstains anda jasmine flower. At that point, Su Li was four hundred li away on a glacier. Of course, he was on Chen Changsheng''s back. Chen Changsheng''s body had been washed in dragon blood. It seemed to possess aboundless energy and a mighty strength, sufficient to display astonishingspeeds. For him to run four hundred li in such a short time truly was ratherastonishing. Even Su Li found himself somewhat amazed. It was just that in theface of that wind and snow that cut at his face like a knife, it would often bethe case that when he thought to give Chen Changsheng a few words ofpraise, only angry reprimands would leave his mouth. He did not pause at the glacier. Following the cracks in the ice, ChenChangsheng continued to run southwards. He felt somewhat thirsty, so he thrusthis hands into the cliff of ice by his side, scoring two clear marks throughthe light blue and beautiful ice and sending shards of ice flying. He stuffed apiece of ice into his mouth and felt that his body, boiling from hisrunning, had somewhat cooled down and felt quite comfortable. Running through glaciers and snowy plains, passing over snowy ridges and greatmountains, Chen Changsheng continued to run with Su Li on his back. When he wasthirsty, he would chew on some ice. When he was hungry, he would endure. Hewent day and night without sleep, until one day, he finally saw the walls of ahuman town in the distance. Just like this, he had crossed the ten thousand li of the snowy plains of theland of demons.
360 A Lion Keeping Watch on the Night and its Attendan
The moment Chen Changsheng awoke, he realized that he was lying on the snowyground and the sky had almost turned dark. Dusky light spilled out from thewest, illuminating the low walls of that distant town as well as the rag Su Lihad wrapped around himself. The rag had been found during their escape in an abandoned hunting lodge, itsedges and corners in tatters. At this moment, it seemed to be on fire as itlit up in the twilight. Su Li sat cross-legged on the snow, his head loweredand covered by that rag, causing him to appear somewhat like Black Robe. ChenChangsheng asked, "I was lying on the snow, and yet Senior does not care?" After running incessantly, he had finally managed to cross the long tenthousand li of snowy plains, far away from the demon menace. One could imaginewhat sort of effort and price he had to pay and how exhausted he was. Themoment he saw the human town, he immediately collapsed and was unable to rise.Yet, even in this sort of situation, Su Li did not come to his aid.This caused Chen Changsheng to feel somewhat uncomfortable. Su Li''s voice rang out from within the rag, carrying a senseof righteousness and self-confidence. "If I had the strength to move you, wouldI still need you to carry me around on your back and take me everywhere? Inaddition, when you fall over, would you mind paying attention to your position?Don''t forget, I''m on your back. When you suddenly crash down like that, do youknow how miserable I was when being squashed by you?" Chen Changsheng felt very helpless. During their escape, he wouldoccasionally talk to this senior, so he had long confirmed that he who hadnever been skilled with his tongue could never obtain any advantage fromconversation, even when reason was on his side. He propped up his aching bodyand slowly rose from the snowy ground. He walked over to Su Li and put him onhis back, then once again began making his way into the distance. By the time he reached the human town, the sky had already turned pitch-black.Fortunately, the wall blazed with countless torches, lighting up theground before of the town. This was the only reason his utterly exhaustedself avoided tripping on the protrusions of ice on the road. This was an exceptionally crude, yet incredibly firm little town. To be moreprecise, this was the furthest military stronghold of the Great Zhou Army''sNorthwest division. There was no such thing as a curfew in this militarystronghold, but if they wanted to enter the stronghold, they would have toundergo a very exhaustive process of inspection. It must be known that otherthan the most daring of adventurers, ordinary commoners would rarely appear inthis place. As they were being searched, Chen Changsheng was extremely worried that Su Liwould get angry. The entire time, he kept anxiously looking over, but he didn''tthink that over the entire search, Su Li acted extremely obediently, just likea real disabled person. The soldier in the stronghold began to ask his routine questions. ChenChangsheng had no customs document to take out, nor did he have any evidence ofhis journey. He was just about ready to admit his identity and have themilitary send someone to pick him up until he suddenly saw Su Li shaking hishead in a mysterious manner. The eyes covered by the rag held a resolution thatwas difficult to oppose. Su Li took out two custom documents from somewhere. They were two perfect,absolutely flawless custom documents. This perfection even included theshabbiness of the documents. In brief, there was nothing suspicious about it.The soldier''s critical gaze took note of the pair as he listened to Su Li''sanswers. With a wave of his hand, he let the pair in, simultaneously remindingthem to keep watch over their belongings. The only establishment in which commoners could stay within this militarystronghold was an inn, which, as expected, contained one large shared bed.However, tonight, there was only the two of them staying. The cold and stingyinn owner would naturally not heat the kang too warmly and did not even providehot water. Thus, even after Chen Changsheng and Su Li and wrapped themselves upin the sour bedding for a long time, they still could not fall asleep. (TN: For a kang, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_bed-stove ) Chen Changsheng opened his shining eyes and gazed up at the oil-stainedceiling as he thought of some trivial things. Like how this inn might have beenconstructed from a kitchen, or how that waiter being yelled at by the inn ownerseemed very pathetic. Then he heard Su Li sigh, so he asked inquisitively,"Senior, you carry prepared identity documents and answered thequestions exceptionally, so you should have a lot experience living outside.Why is it that senior can''t sleep?" Everyone knew that Mount Li''s Junior Martial Uncle Su Li most lovedto travel the four seas, rarely returning to Mount Li. In terms of travelingexperience, logically, there should be none that was more experienced than him. Su Li said angrily, "What are you thinking? Who am I? How could I stay insuch a run-down rotten place like this?" Chen Changsheng thought to himself, previously if you had made your identityknown, then we two definitely would not be sleeping on this cold kang. Don''teven speak of this stronghold''s commanding officer, even the generals of thesouth would have to immediately send somebody over. This idea, this question,which had always lingered in his mind, was finally voiced. "Senior, why is itthat we can''t reveal our identities?" Su Li replied, "Do you know what I''m most famous for? Why the entirecontinent fears me?" Chen Changsheng thought to himself, I grew up in the countryside in Xiningvillage. Although I''m well-versed in the Daoist Canon, I know very little aboutworldly affairs. I only know that your cultivation is extremely high and yourpath of the sword is incredibly strong. Why is it not respect, but fear? Su Li''s voice seeped out of the icy bedding, causing them to seem even colder."Although I''ve killed many demons, I''ve killed even more humans. Besides ZhouDufu of the past, I don''t think there''s anyone else that''s slain more humans." Chen Changsheng was speechless. Senior is narcissistically showing off again,he thought to himself. If it really was this way, wouldn''t you be a butcherwhose hands were drenched in blood. Why hasn''t the Mount Li Sword Sect expelledyou out of the sect yet? As if he had sensed what he was thinking, Su Li''s voice sounded out once more."In Mount Li, my status is the highest, the strongest, therefore, I am also theeldest. The Discipline Hall and those guys on the mountain had long sinceceased to see eye to eye with me, but what can they do to me?" Chen Changsheng was speechless. Su Li did not continue to expound upon his killing exploits. "I naturally havemy reasons for killing humans. Pulling up by the roots, exterminating families;I would never use such crude and empty methods, which has brought me quite sometrouble. Therefore, the more people I kill, the more enemies I have. At thispoint, even I can''t remember clearly how many enemies I have." Chen Changsheng''s body became somewhat stiff. This can''t be real, right? Thenhow you could survive until now? "Very rarely will someone come find me seeking revenge, because I''m toostrong. Of course, there are some guys who lose their heads in hatred and evenforget about their own lives, their only thought is to kill me!" As he talked about it, Su Li''s mood clearly grew much worse. He angrilycomplained, "When I wake in the morning, they come to kill me. When I sleep,they also come to kill me. At every moment of the day, they want to kill me.Wave after wave after wave, and the thing I don''t get is that even though theseguys have such awful standards yet still can never kill me no matter what theytry, they still continue to come. Don''t they find it annoying? Even if theydon''t find it annoying, I''ll find it annoying, ok?" Chen Changsheng was even more speechless. To put life aside, those people whowant to kill you must have a real blood feud with you. However, you wouldactually say that they''ve lost their heads in hate, and that they''re justannoying? Su Li continued, "This is why I rarely stay in Mount Li. Whenever I travel thecontinent, I''ve never used my true identity. If you don''t want to be woken upon the toilet by some person with a magical artifact, I recommend that you dothe same." Chen Changsheng thought to himself, it should be right that tonight''ssituation is different from the normal routine. The room settled into a long period of silence, then Su Li''s voice resoundedagain. Except this time, his voice was no longer that proud or restless, butcalm and serious. "Those people who want me dead are just like a pack of dogs. They don''t dareto take action against me, or even dare to bark at me from a distance. Theyonly dare to conceal themselves in the dark, waiting for me to tire, to growold, or to become injured." Chen Changsheng gazed at the ceiling, and it seemed as if he could see thegrasslands during the night, a lion watching its surroundings, and countlessenemies hidden in the gloom. If that lion were to grow old, its enemies wouldrush forward and rip it to pieces. "I understand," he said. Su Li replied, "As long as you understand." In the morning, around five o''clock, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and gotout of bed. His complexion was somewhat pale and seemed rather haggard, but atleast it was much better than when he was escaping through the snowy plains. Itwas just that his mind was even tenser than when he had been escaping. Because of that conversation he had with Su Li the night before, he felt likethis inn, and this entire stronghold, was filled with danger. At the dimly litstreets and the barely warm kitchen; the figure of a sword which brought deathcould appear at any moment. For an expert at Su Li''s level, his enemies or foes would also be extremelyfrightening. Chen Changsheng knew that he was not their opponent, so he couldonly hope to see through their concealment and make his preparations for battlebeforehand. He also knew that he could possibly be too sensitive, but inmatters of life and death, he had always felt that there was no such thing asbeing too sensitive or cautious. The porridge was watery and flavorless while the steamed buns were like rocks.As they sat by the table and ate breakfast, he silently kept careful watch overhis surroundings. He was less like a tourist and more like a bodyguard. On theother hand, Su Li acted very naturally, as if he didn''t care. Chen Changsheng silently thought to himself, that cold and stingy inn ownerwas rather normal, but there are some problems with that waiter that was yelledat last night. In this place with such poor living conditions, how could therebe such a warmhearted waiter? Last night when we checked in, that waiter eventook the initiative to ask if we wanted some hot water, but in the end receivedan earful from the inn owner. At this moment, that inn owner randomly began to harangue that waiter onceagain, all sorts of obscenities falling from his lips, and was very hard on theear. Su Li continued to drink his porridge, from time to time raising hisbrows, as if this stream of abuse was a free appetizer. After the scolding came the beating. The waiter seemed very obedient, notshowing any defiance no matter how bad the beating or abuse. The waiter ranaround, hands around the head, causing Chen Changsheng to grow even morevigilant. The inn waiter finally ran to their table. Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng pulled out his dagger. The waiter had not seen the dagger, and almost seemed ready to run onto thedagger. If he put away the dagger or inclined it, that waiter would take advantage andget closer. Logically, if an inn guest were to see the waiter that was so attentive lastnight about to run against the sharp point of the sword, even it was only byinstinct, they would shift the sword, give a little. Chen Changsheng''s breathing grew a little hurried, hesitating on his choice.Put away the sword? If this was a real waiter, he would have just willfully slain an innocent. If this was a fake waiter, he would be seeking his own death, and alsoburdening senior Su Li. He did not know what he should do. Thus, Su Li made the choice for him. Su Li took up the chopsticks in his hand and poked at a certain place on ChenChangsheng''s upper arm. This thrust had no strength, and contained neither true essence nor swordintent. Yet Chen Changsheng''s dagger pierced forward as if it were a bolt of lightning. The dagger did not pierce the waiter because it was slanted at the verybeginning. His dagger had pierced through the abdomen of the inn owner that had come inpursuit of the waiter. Squelch. The dagger pierced so deeply that the hilt could not be seen.