Chapter 15: A Black Sheep
(Alright, now every day after finishing "The Legend of the Choice of Heaven," the first thing I do is correct typos. Honestly... I hate my own brain and this ugly font! I want Microsoft YaHei! That's just me ranting. Below is today's first chapter. Chen Changsheng's brand-new life, his wonderful existence, begins like this... amidst my rambling!)
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Chen Changsheng's way of walking had a distinctive feature: it was utterly without distinction. He always lifted his knees to the same height, always took steps of the same length. He looked straight ahead, able to see into the distance while also noticing what was right in front of him. He held his chest out, not deliberately thrusting it forward, yet naturally possessing a certain pine-like vigor. His black hair was bound very tightly, no longer styled in a Daoist topknot, just casually tied with a cloth band, yet it was meticulous and neat. His clothes were also very ordinary, washed to a faded white, extremely clean, with not even a speck of dirt on his shoes. He was quite fastidious. As he walked, the short sword hanging at his waist swayed slightly. That sword was also very ordinary.
In the past few days, he had always left the short sword in the inn. Today was the first time he brought it with him. An ordinary short sword signified something extraordinary. After that conversation with the middle-aged woman, if the East Divine General's Mansion truly intended to continue doing something, this short sword was his preparation. But just like him, that short sword was common and ordinary, extremely difficult to attract attention. Not to mention the legendary "Frost Remnant," "Severing," or "Reverse Scale," it couldn't even compare to the weapons hanging at the waists of passersby on the street. How could it help him?
Outside the inn, he wasn't surprised to see the carriage of the East Divine General's Mansion. Under the sunlight, the slightly faded blood-phoenix emblem on the shaft had become much clearer, even seeming as if it were burning. The warhorse, possessing the noble bloodline of a unicorn, held its head high, looking down at him from above.
Walking past that carriage, he grasped the hilt of his short sword. After a moment, he released it. He stopped by the carriage window, silently bowed, then continued forward, walking towards the morning sun. The curtain was lifted. The middle-aged woman watched the figure of the youth in the morning light, her emotions somewhat complicated.
Chen Changsheng walked towards the north of the city. The second-to-last academy on the list was located on Hundred Flowers Lane. After taking a long time to get there, he was somewhat surprised to find that it was so close to the Imperial Palace. Standing at the entrance of the lane, he could clearly see the majestic royal buildings, and could even almost smell the scent of history emanating from those palaces.
Walking deeper into Hundred Flowers Lane, the confusion in his heart grew deeper. So close to the Imperial Palace, could there really be an academy hidden here? But why was it so deserted? Finally, at the end of the lane, he saw the main gate of the academy. The stone walls on both sides were covered with ivy, sunlight filtering through to leave faint, mottled shadows. There was no name.
Is this the place? He wanted to ask someone, but the lane was extremely quiet, nothing like the bustling scenes outside the Heavenly Dao Academy or the Star Picking Academy. He stood there for a long time without anyone passing by. Only the obviously somewhat dilapidated academy gate silently accompanied him. This place, secluded amidst the noise, close to the Imperial Palace, exuding an air of extreme nobility, now seemed like an abandoned, forgotten ruin.
He walked to the stone wall beside the academy gate, reached out, and pulled aside the dense ivy leaves. Finally, he saw a character carved into the wall below. It was the character "Nation." The once bright lacquer in the deeply carved strokes had long been eroded by years of wind and rain, fading away. Even the surface of the stone wall itself showed signs of peeling.
Thinking about the name of this academy on the list, Chen Changsheng was momentarily stunned. Only then did he confirm that this was indeed the place. Even more confusion arose. The first few academies his master had chosen for him were the most famous and best in the capital, even the entire continent. Why was this academy so dilapidated and deserted to such an extent?
While thinking about these things, his hand was still holding the ivy. He pulled it down a bit more and saw the second character, which was "Teaching." He didn't have time for more lamentations. With this action of his, the ivy, untended for many years, slid down to the ground with a rustling sound, stirring up quite a bit of dust.
Chen Changsheng took several steps back to avoid being touched by the falling ivy and dust.
The ivy fell to the ground, the dust gradually settled. Before long, the stone wall, which hadn't seen the light of day for many years, finally appeared before the world once again.
On the mottled stone wall, four characters were carved.
"National Teaching Academy"
The deeply carved characters no longer had much lacquer, only accumulated dirt and the withered leaves and debris left by the ivy from the previous year. Even the edges and corners had been eroded by wind and rain, becoming somewhat damaged. If one didn't look carefully, it would be difficult to recognize what these characters were.
Staring blankly at the stone wall, Chen Changsheng didn't speak for a long time. A feeling of frustration and low spirits arose within him. He, who was single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, rarely experienced such emotions. Yes, right now he very much wanted to turn around and leave. Even if he managed to get into such a dilapidated academy, how could it help his life?
He looked up at the sky, confirmed he still had some time, and decided to go into this rundown academy first to have a look. If it wasn't suitable, he would go to the last academy on the list.
His hand fell on the door. He applied a little force.
With a creak.
After many years, the gate of the National Teaching Academy finally opened once more.
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The carriage of the East Divine General's Mansion stopped outside Hundred Flowers Lane. The proud white horse held its head slightly high, bored and listless. Inside the carriage, the middle-aged woman's emotions were not as calm as the horse's. Her eyes were filled with deep confusion and doubt. She murmured to herself, "Why did he come here?"
She knew very well that the academy deep in Hundred Flowers Lane had long been in decline. But thinking that this youth seemed adept at springing surprises, she didn't dare to be negligent. She tapped the window frame lightly with her finger, signaling the white horse to enter the lane. Just then, a carriage came from diagonally behind and blocked their way directly.
Hundred Flowers Lane was very narrow, only allowing one carriage to pass. Now that this carriage had blocked the way so unreasonably, the Divine General's Mansion's carriage naturally couldn't advance. The middle-aged woman raised her eyebrows slightly, somewhat displeased. But considering this place was very close to the Imperial Palace, she didn't immediately shout at the other party to move aside.
The carriage that suddenly appeared was very small, even somewhat crude. It had a blue cloth canopy. The animal pulling it in front was also very small, its fur pure black, seemingly a donkey. The middle-aged woman was momentarily startled, then thought with slight mockery that someone in the capital city was still using a donkey cart. How pitiful.
Before the middle-aged woman could get angry, the white horse couldn't hold back. With its unicorn bloodline, how could it allow a little black donkey to block its way? It raised its head angrily, about to neigh in intimidation. Just then, the animal in front of the blue-cloth carriage slowly turned its head and looked at it.
It wasn't a black donkey. It was a completely pitch-black sheep. Its fur was as smooth as silk satin, clearly not an ordinary creature.
The most unimaginable thing was its gaze. It was so deep, cold, and aloof, like some divine being from the clouds.
If the white horse was noble because of its unicorn bloodline, then the black sheep's nobility came entirely from its own bearing. In its presence, the white horse was like an irritable, violent, mischievous child, while the black sheep was like an untainted, lofty royal from the palace.
The black sheep turned its head and looked at the white horse.
The white horse was about to roar in anger, but upon seeing the black sheep's cold, indifferent gaze, it instantly quieted down. Infinite terror surged in its eyes. Its front hooves suddenly went weak, unable to support its heavy body. Its knees buckled, its body tilted, and it crashed heavily to the ground, trembling all over, not daring to rise, as if paying homage to the black sheep.
The middle-aged woman flew out of the carriage. Looking at the white horse kneeling on the ground, she was speechless with shock. She thought, this horse was the sole offspring of the Divine General's own mount, always proud and domineering. When had it become so cowardly? When she turned her head to look at the black sheep, she suddenly remembered some things. When she then looked at the blue-cloth carriage, her expression became one of extreme terror.
She knelt down as quickly as possible, bowing to the blue-cloth carriage. Her face was pale, and she didn't dare to speak.
An aged voice came from inside the blue-cloth carriage.
"I want to go in first. Does Granny Hua have any objection?"
Hearing this voice, the middle-aged woman's heart calmed slightly. So it wasn't that young lady who had come, but the granny by the young lady's side. As for why that granny knew her surname was Hua, and that she was also often called Granny in the Divine General's Mansion, she didn't need to think about it at all. Because it was only natural for that person to know anything.
The one in the blue-cloth carriage was also a granny. But compared to her, a granny from the Divine General's Mansion, that granny was undoubtedly the most famous granny in the entire capital city. Even Lord Zhou Tong, who made all the royalty, ministers, and divine generals tremble with fear, had to force a smile when facing this granny. What was she in comparison?
"Granny, you flatter me. This servant didn't recognize you earlier and harbored disrespectful thoughts. I beg Granny for your forgiveness."
The middle-aged woman's voice trembled slightly as she spoke. She hadn't shouted earlier, and now she felt somewhat fortunate. But even so, she didn't dare to conceal the malice that had once appeared in her heart. Because according to rumor, in front of that black sheep, any concealment was suicide. And she knew that only by being honest could she satisfy that granny.
If it weren't for the fact that the East Divine General's Mansion had always been close to that young lady, she wouldn't even dare to explain now. She would have simply cut off her own right arm as an apology.
The granny in the blue-cloth carriage asked, "Are you here to see that youth?"
The middle-aged woman didn't dare to raise her head. She respectfully replied, "Yes." Only then did she confirm that the young lady in the palace had indeed been aware of this matter all along.
That granny said, "From today onwards, there's no need to watch anymore."
The middle-aged woman was somewhat startled. She lowered her head and asked in a trembling voice, "Please, Granny, give me your instructions."
The granny's voice was devoid of any emotion: "Do I need to explain my actions to you?"
The middle-aged woman touched her forehead to the ground and dared not speak another word.
The black sheep glanced at her, then turned around and pulled the small blue-cloth cart deeper into Hundred Flowers Lane.
It was a long time before the middle-aged woman dared to lift her head. Her face was still pale.
The granny in the blue-cloth carriage indeed didn't need to explain her actions to anyone, even if it was the Divine General's Mansion.
Because she was the granny by Miss Mo Yan's side.
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The buildings within the academy still vaguely showed the splendor of years past, but they were all dilapidated and devoid of life.
Chen Changsheng stood by the lake, looking at the wildly overgrown weeds at his feet, silent. He had decided to come in and have a look earlier because he remembered seeing records about this National Teaching Academy in the Daoist Canon. With "National Teaching" as its prefix, this academy naturally had a long history. It had once been immensely powerful, cultivating countless remarkable figures. But... why had it become like this now?
The lake water rippled gently, silent and still. The buildings were old. There was not a single person here.
He had many questions, but didn't know who to ask.
Just then, a sound came from behind him.
He turned around and saw a black sheep.
It was a completely pitch-black sheep, giving off a somewhat eerie feeling.
In such a deathly silent environment, seeing such a black sheep, most people would instinctively be a little scared, or at least avoid it. But Chen Changsheng didn't. He really liked this black sheep. Because this black sheep was very clean, just like him. He picked some grass from the lakeside, took a handkerchief from his sleeve, wiped the dew off the grass, and offered it to the black sheep.
The black sheep looked at him quietly, tilting its head slightly, looking somewhat confused, as if it didn't know what he was trying to do.
No one had ever fed this black sheep grass before.
Neither the Prince of Chenliu nor the Crown Prince dared to feed it grass.
Everyone in the palace knew that it only ate the fruits picked by Miss Mo Yan herself.
"Eat up. No dew, so you won't get a stomach ache."
Chen Changsheng looked at the black sheep, shaking the green grass in his hand, speaking earnestly.
The black sheep understood the youth's intention. Its expression changed slightly, as if it were looking at an idiot.
How could Chen Changsheng understand that? He still held the grass in his hand.
The black sheep was a little annoyed, but for some reason, it felt that this youth's aura was somewhat pleasing to it.
It hesitated for a moment, then finally took a step forward. It tentatively lowered its head, curled its tongue around a few blades of grass from Chen Changsheng's hand, and slowly began to chew.
Not far away, under a tree, an old woman holding a boxwood staff was watching this scene. The wrinkles on her face trembled slightly, like grass ruffled by the wind.
Even when the Crown Prince was smothered to death by the former Empress back then, she hadn't been this shocked.