Chapter 117: Starlight Between the Fingers (Part 1)
His Eminence the Bishop said nothing more. Supported by Priest Xin, he slowly departed. In the twilight, the old man's hunched figure seemed cold and lonely. Unlike the scene of the three youths from the National Academy running in the twilight, the Bishop was truly a setting sun—no one knew if he could rise again after going down the mountain.
It was a long time before the priests and teachers in the courtyard dared to straighten up. Watching the Bishop's figure in the dusk, the expressions on their faces were complicated, yet not a single person dared to show the slightest disrespect.
After late spring, the wrinkles on the Bishop's face had increased greatly, as had his age spots. He had aged precipitously—the middle years of a human's life usually last a very long time, especially for those accomplished cultivators, at least several centuries. It seemed as if he had spent those centuries of long years in just a few months.
Why had the Bishop aged so much in such a short time? Naturally, it was because he had too many things to worry about. In some people's view, this was also a reminder to the State Church and many on the continent: he was an old man from the same era as His Holiness the Pope, the only priest in the world whose seniority could rival that of the Pope.
In everyone's past impression, Bishop Merisa was the Pope's absolute confidant. The Pontifical Secretariat he led, though high in status, was only one of the six holy halls of the State Church and not particularly prominent. Many ordinary people didn't even know of his existence. But now, everything had changed.
The National Academy had reappeared in the capital. Some old-timers and certain sects within the State Church had begun to voice opinions different from the Pope's. An autumn rain had fallen before the Pontifical Secretariat, crowds had been scattered by galloping horses, blood had flown, and countless had been killed or wounded. Behind all these events stood the Bishop's hunched figure.
Only then did people realize that countless within the State Church supported him. The resources and power he could now mobilize were subtly beginning to threaten the Pope.
That he would appear at the Li Palace today left Priest Huo and the other Li Palace priests speechless with shock. Yes, the Bishop was the driving force behind the National Academy's revival, the greatest backer of Chen Changsheng and the others. He believed in the National Academy, believed that Chen Changsheng could take first place in the Grand Examination, and had proclaimed it to the world. He must have his reasons, of course. But the glory at the Ivy Banquet and the engagement to Xu Yourong—weren't these enough to make Chen Changsheng stand out? Why did the Bishop insist that he must take first place, placing such immense pressure on Chen Changsheng?
"Pressure is motivation."
Outside the Li Palace in the twilight, a carriage was waiting. Inside, the Bishop looked at Priest Xin sitting across from him and said slowly, "The Azure Cloud List is just an appetizer. The Grand Examination is the main feast. With talents gathering from all directions and the eyes of the world upon it, only this can help him mature as quickly as possible."
Priest Xin pondered for a moment, then said, "I'm worried the pressure might be too great. Chen Changsheng might not be able to bear it."
The Bishop said nothing more. He did not tell this loyal subordinate that, contrary to what the outside world imagined, Chen Changsheng and the National Academy had never been weapons for him and the old-timers of the State Church to oppose the Pope. On the contrary, everything concerning Chen Changsheng had been personally decided by him and the Pope.
Only in this way could he mature quickly. Only in this way could the entire continent know of his existence, making it impossible for someone to look away from him. As for what this pressure would bring to Chen Changsheng, neither he nor the Pope was particularly worried. Because they both knew very well that the youth had been living under the world's most terrifying pressure—or shadow—for all these years.
The stone wall in front of the Heavenly Academy gate was crowded with people. An instructor from the Star Picking Academy held a carving knife, focusing intently on the stone wall. The Azure Cloud List had been updated, so the stone walls at the gates of each academy needed to be re-engraved. Of course, the topmost name could remain unchanged, as it was still Xu Yourong's. But many changes had occurred nonetheless. The biggest winner from this autumn's temporary revision of the Azure Cloud List was naturally the National Academy. With only four students, three had made it onto the list, and Princess Luochen was ranked second. What glory was this!
At the gates of the various academies in the capital, people looked up at the names on the stone walls, their emotions complex. This was especially true for those young students who had once participated in the siege of the National Academy. Following the new Azure Cloud List, another shocking news spread rapidly: the Bishop's declaration on behalf of the National Academy and Chen Changsheng to the entire world.
In the Grand Examination, Chen Changsheng would take first place.
When people first heard this news, their initial reaction was that it must be a joke. Who would believe it? But as the matter was confirmed, the vast majority were stunned speechless. Still, they couldn't believe it.
If Princess Luochen were not the daughter of the White Emperor, or if her identity remained unknown, then her representing the National Academy in the Grand Examination might give her a fighting chance against Gou Hanshi and the strong disciples of other sects. But the Bishop had made it crystal clear: the one to take first place was not the National Academy, but… Chen Changsheng.
That Chen Changsheng, known throughout the capital, who still couldn't succeed in marrow cleansing?
Because of the National Academy's performance on the Azure Cloud List and even more so due to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion's commentary, no one dared to consider him useless anymore. But in people's eyes… he still couldn't cultivate. Even if luck suddenly descended and he succeeded in marrow cleansing immediately, there were only about three months left until the Grand Examination. How could he possibly surpass so many peers of equally astonishing talent who had been cultivating for years longer?
No, even if he were Xu Yourong or Qiu Shanjun with their innate bloodlines, it would be impossible. This completely violated the rules of this world.
Different people had different reactions to the National Academy's glory on the Azure Cloud List and the declaration that Chen Changsheng would take first place.
In a remote courtyard of the Heavenly Academy, Zhuang Huanyu sat beside a dry well. His body was soaked through with cold well water, his black hair plastered to him, dripping water onto the ground. The reason for this was that he had been very hot earlier, and the reason for that heat was his fury. He had dropped from tenth to eleventh on the Azure Cloud List, overtaken by Qijian. This felt extremely unfair to him. Qijian was his defeated opponent. His target was Qiu Shanjun. After entering the top ten of the Azure Cloud List, he had never challenged anyone again. Why? When the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion compiled the list, wasn't direct victory and defeat between opponents always the standard?
His soaked black hair hung before his eyes, cutting his sharp gaze. Especially when he thought of his junior sister… no, Princess Luochen, now ranked second on the Azure Cloud List, he felt an urge to go mad. But he calmed down instantly, though his eyes were slightly red. He had once thought he didn't need to prove his strength to anyone. Only today did he realize this was wrong. That youth named Chen Changsheng wanted to take first place? His junior sister called him teacher? Very well. Zhuang Huanyu looked up, finding himself intensely longing for the Grand Examination to arrive quickly.
In the Tianhai family's manor, the current family head, Tianhai Chengwu, and his son, Tianhai Shengxue, had a very brief exchange of two sentences regarding today's Azure Cloud List and the declaration.
"If Chen Changsheng really can take first place in the Grand Examination, then perhaps he might actually be able to marry Xu Yourong… But this is impossible."
"Yes, this is impossible."
Tianhai Shengxue calmly replied to his father, his face as white as jade showing no emotional fluctuation. He didn't care at all whether Chen Changsheng could succeed in marrow cleansing. Even if Chen Changsheng encountered one stroke of luck after another, he wouldn't care. He knew Chen Changsheng couldn't succeed. He had returned to the capital from faraway Yongxue Pass with only one goal: first place in the Grand Examination.
Behind the cedar forest beside the sacred path in the front hall complex of the Li Palace, the guest courtyard housing the southern delegation was as quiet as during the day.
Gou Hanshi sat on a bench by the corridor, looking at the night sky framed by the courtyard's open roof. He was silent for a long time, as if trying to discern some principle from the stars.
Liang Banhu, Guan Feibai, and Qijian sat on nearby chairs, quietly discussing something. Elder Xiaosong had left, and the head of the Qiu family had also left. The elders who had come for the engagement had begun their journey south. The young men from the Li Mountain Sword Sect stayed behind to participate in the Grand Examination. Without their elders present, they were noticeably more relaxed.
"Is it possible?" Liang Banhu frowned, asking.
Guan Feibai was silent for a long time before saying, "No matter how I look at it, it's impossible."
Qijian shifted his position forward a bit, somewhat restrained, and asked, "Has anything like this happened before?"
The three young men from the Li Mountain Sword Sect were discussing whether Chen Changsheng could take first place in the Grand Examination.
For the Divine Kingdom's Seven Laws, who had been sweeping the lists in recent years with overwhelming force, to discuss a youth who hadn't even succeeded in marrow cleansing with such seriousness and caution—if outsiders saw this, they would be greatly shocked. It showed the pressure that Chen Changsheng had brought to these proud and confident young people, from the Ivy Banquet to today's commentary from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.
Qijian was asking about the past, seeking stories. Naturally, the three brothers turned their gazes to Gou Hanshi.
Gou Hanshi withdrew his gaze from the stars, looked at his three junior brothers, smiled, and shook his head. "There has never been."
His tone was calm, without deliberate firmness, yet it gave a feeling that couldn't be refuted.
Liang Banhu and Guan Feibai, for some reason, both breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.
But Qijian's slender brows still held a trace of worry. "Just because it's never happened doesn't mean it can't happen in the future."
"Little junior brother has a point, but I think it shouldn't happen. In just three months, going from being unable to cleanse marrow to reaching the Ethereal Opening… that's impossible."
Gou Hanshi said, "This isn't a cultivation problem; it's the simplest arithmetic problem. Setting aside marrow cleansing and Perception, just to push open the gate of the Ethereal Palace requires borrowing starlight for a hundred nights. Unless there truly exists a legendary artifact that can slow time, Chen Changsheng simply cannot reach the Ethereal Opening by the Grand Examination."
He had read ten thousand volumes and knew deeply that arithmetic never lied. Thus, he was certain of his judgment.
Hearing this, the other three understood why their second senior brother was so sure.
If Chen Changsheng couldn't reach the Ethereal Opening by the Grand Examination, he definitely couldn't take first place.
Because their second senior brother had already reached the Ethereal Opening.
And several other young scholars who might come to the Zhou capital for the Grand Examination had also reached the Ethereal Opening.
The Ethereal Opening was a life-and-death barrier, a high threshold. Inside and outside that threshold were truly two different worlds.
In the wind and snow of the north, a youth turned southward, blood staining his fingers.
Outside the Huai Academy in the south, several scholars in blue robes bid farewell to their classmates.
From all over the Central Continent, young people preparing for the Grand Examination began their journeys.
Different from previous years, they now shared a common target.
That name was Chen Changsheng.
"It's just building momentum, but… the momentum is truly considerable." Her Majesty the Empress walked along the pond to the palace wall, reached out to pick a wild chrysanthemum, and handed it to her side, saying, "If Chen Changsheng weren't so young, I would wonder what those people are really trying to do."
There was no one beside her, only the black goat.
The black goat tilted its head slightly, avoiding the wild chrysanthemum she offered, indicating it wasn't interested in this food.
The Empress shook her head, reached out to push open the door in the wall, passed through the long passage, and brought the black goat into the Hundred Herbs Garden. "You haven't been here for years. If there's anything you want to eat, go help yourself."
The Hundred Herbs Garden was planted with extremely rare medicinal herbs and exotic fruits. If made into medicine, they would fetch an incalculable price. Even the nobles of the capital would find it extremely difficult to obtain a portion. But to Her Majesty the Empress, these were merely snacks for the black goat, and she wasn't even sure if it would deign to eat them.
Outside the palace, it had always been rumored that the black goat pulling the green bamboo cart was raised by Miss Mo Yu. In fact, this wasn't true… This black goat wasn't raised by the Empress either. On the contrary, when she was first locked in the cold chamber of the Hundred Herbs Garden by Emperor Taizong, she often went hungry and cold, and it was entirely thanks to this black goat occasionally bringing her fruits to eat.
Walking to the stone table, the Empress began to drink tea. Though no one was serving her, somehow the teapot was full of hot tea. When poured into the cup, steam still rose.
The black goat had gone somewhere, eating something.
Her gaze, through the hot mist, fell on the autumn forest and then on that courtyard wall.
That was the wall of the National Academy.
Chen Changsheng was not in the library. He was in his own room in the small building. He sat by the window, one hand holding a book, the other reaching out the window to catch the starlight descending from the night sky.
The Bishop's declaration had stirred up countless rumors in the capital, all turning into wind and rain that crossed the wall and entered the National Academy. No matter how much he tried to ignore outside affairs, the wind and rain were too loud to avoid hearing. So his mood was somewhat heavy. He didn't know what the Bishop wanted to do. He didn't know why the Bishop knew he had to take first place in the Grand Examination. And he didn't know what meaning there was in participating in the Grand Examination when he still hadn't succeeded in marrow cleansing.
Starlight fell into his palm. The meridians were clear, yet there was no change.
He could clearly feel the position of his own star deep in the night sky. That faint, almost imperceptible connection gradually calmed him down.
The book in his hand was the Four Sutras of Perception. These days, he had been studying the various methods of the Perception realm, preparing for Luoluo and Tang Thirty-Six to break through the life-and-death barrier of the Ethereal Opening. But he had not relaxed his own cultivation. Countless nights, he had drawn starlight to cleanse his marrow, yet his body showed no change. This left him weary, even despairing.
But just then, a passage in the Four Sutras of Perception made him think of a possibility.
He slightly parted his five fingers. Starlight filtered through the gaps and fell onto the window lattice.
(The next chapter will still be quite late… definitely after midnight. Today's recommendation votes—has any classmate forgotten to cast theirs?)