Ze Tian Ji

Edited by: Michyrr

Xuelao City suffered from blizzards year-round and was extremely far from the human world, but news had never ceased to come from it.

The capital of the demons was a great city that was under just as much observation as the capital and Luoyang. Even if all seventeen of its gates were completely shut, there were still countless methods of sending information out.

However, Xuelao City had been sealed for three days now, yet the Pope still did not know just what had occurred within.

It was obvious that this was not some ordinary sealing of the city. Some momentous event must have occurred within its walls.

The matter of the Mausoleum of Books had also occurred just three days ago.

Chen Changsheng recalled those words his master had said to the Divine Empress. He had said that he had long since made preparations against the demons. Could it be that it was related to the sealing of Xuelao City?

He shook his head and no longer pondered these questions. What did anything that occurred in Xuelao City have to do with him?

The Pope examined his profile and sensed the change in his emotions. "A useful body must be used to do useful things, whether for the common people of the world or calming one’s Dao heart."

Chen Changsheng gazed at the fallen leaves outside, saying somewhat woodenly, "I’ve already been used many times."

Bystanders might have found these words rather puzzling, but the Pope understood his meaning. Pity and guilt appeared in his eyes.

"Besides being used, there are still others, like relatives or friends."

He said to Chen Changsheng, "You have the surname ’Chen’, you are a member of the Imperial clan, and you still have many living relatives."

"Is Martial Uncle speaking of those princes? They want nothing more than for me to die a little sooner."

This was a very accurate judgment. Whether it was the Prince of Xiang whose power was certain to reach to the heavens or the Prince of Zhongshan about to take control of the powerful Great Zhou Army, the person they all feared was Chen Changsheng.

Because Chen Changsheng was also a member of the Imperial clan, Shang Xingzhou’s student, a person famed throughout the world, and most importantly, he was the future Pope.

When fighting over the imperial throne or power, he was the opponent those princes of the Chen clan would least like to face.

As for familial affection, these words were a joke when it came to the Chen Imperial clan.

Almost a thousand years had passed, but no one would forget the coup of the Hundred Herb Garden.

These current princes were all offspring of Taizong. How could they permit a descendant of the deceased imperials to gain so much power?

The Pope understood Chen Changsheng’s meaning. "Even if that’s the case, you still have relatives."

The ’relatives’ here naturally referred to those exiled imperials currently living on the Sacred Light Continent.

Like that monk who had appeared by the stream near Xining Village’s old temple.

In terms of blood, those members of the Imperial clan who had been chased by Emperor Taizong to the other continent were naturally Chen Changsheng’s relatives.

There was even a possibility that his parents were still living on that side.

Chen Changsheng understood that the Pope had mentioned those people living on the Sacred Light Continent not to make him do something, but to convince him that there was still a connection between him and this world.

This sort of connection might make him feel a little warmth for this world, to no longer be so bitterly disappointed. Or perhaps it would give him a few reasons to like this world.

He was somewhat moved by this.

But he was moved that the Pope was saying these words, not their actual content.

Because he had not a single good impression of these ’relatives’ living on the Sacred Light Continent.

"Those people aren’t my relatives, they’re all bad people."

Chen Changsheng continued, "When I was still an infant, no, even when I might have still been in the womb, they did many things to me."

What things? So that the Tianhai Divine Empress would believe that he was Crown Prince Zhaoming, when he was just an infant or even still in the womb, the people of the Sacred Light Continent had used an external force to destroy his sun wheel and sever his meridians, then filled his body with what seemed to be the endless Qi of life, but was actually the incredibly dangerous energy of Sacred Light.

When laying down this plan, neither his master nor his relatives on the Sacred Light Continent could ever have suspected that the Tianhai Divine Empress would ultimately defy the heavens and change his fate for him.

This also meant that at the conclusion of this plan, he would be either eaten by the Tianhai Divine Empress or ignored as he died.

This also meant that from its birth, that infant was foreordained to never live past the age of twenty.

This was a very cruel deed.

Thus, they were all bad people.

......

......

"I’m quite good at medicine, and I’ve lived a very disciplined life. I’ve never eaten things that are too oily or salty, much less pickled foods. I’ve lived healthily and cultivated seriously. I said that I came to the capital from Xining to end the engagement, but it was really to cure my illness, to save myself, to defy the heavens and change fate. All of this, my goal in life, was for the sake of living."

As he gazed at the fallen leaves bobbing on the surface of the lake, Chen Changsheng’s expression became somewhat gloomy.

"Now, my illness is cured. I can continue to live. I can live past twenty years, two hundred years, even one thousand years, but I suddenly discover that I’m just a body double, a tool, a fruit. My existence originally had no meaning, so what meaning is there in my continued existence?"

The Pope wanted to speak, but hesitated.

"Martial Uncle, I know that you want to console me, but right now, I have nothing."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "I don’t even have an illness anymore."

When he spoke, his voice did not tremble in the slightest. He seemed very calm.

Even the Pope, who had experienced so many changes, who had perused all the matters of the world, felt anguish.

He had nothing, not even an illness.

How much sorrow and grief were contained in these calm words?

The Pope sighed.

He had come today to the Orthodox Academy precisely so that he could raise Chen Changsheng’s spirits, or at least find for him a meaning to live. But Chen Changsheng had said to him that his existence itself had no meaning. He wanted to convince Chen Changsheng that this world still had kindness for him, but in truth, even before he was born, this world had only malice for Chen Changsheng.

He could have continued to persuade Chen Changsheng with a few words, like Yu Ren, or Xu Yourong, or Tang Thirty-Six.

But seeing such a calm and sorrowful seventeen-year-old youth, he could not bear to say anything more.

"In truth, I had originally believed that I would not see you in the Orthodox Academy, or I would see you packing your luggage. Since you are not, it means you are still hesitating. This world has no kindness for you, so you should treat yourself even better, make a choice that is best for you. Take your time, there’s no rush. I can still live a few more days."

With these parting words, the Pope left the Orthodox Academy.

Chen Changsheng did not turn around. He still looked out at the autumn color beyond the window, so he did not realize how bleak and desolate the Pope’s back looked.

The Pope left the Orthodox Academy. Mao Qiuyu and the other Prefects of the Orthodoxy left with him, followed by the several dozen cardinals and the Orthodoxy cavalry.

The cavalry and experts of the Imperial Court appeared no more. The Li Palace had displayed its strength and made its position clear.

Chen Changsheng was still the next Pope.

The Orthodox Academy regained its peace, its gate thrown open once more to welcome the rich scent of autumn.

Some teachers and students had availed themselves of the chaos to leave. Their names had all been written down by Su Moyu on a small notebook.

Most of the teachers and students had not left. They began to clean up, tidying up the fragments of stone around the library while also preparing for tomorrow’s lessons.

Chen Changsheng went to the Hundred Herb Garden next door.

The forest here was much more lush and verdant than the forest of the Orthodox Academy or the Dallying Forest. These colors mixed with the flavors of autumn made for a beautiful sight.

There was a stone table in the forest.

There was no teapot or teacups on the table.

He sat by the table, staring off into nothing.