Chapter 224: Examining the Stele by Night (Part 1)
The night had grown deep.
Unlike the previous day, not as many people remained intoxicated before the stele, reluctant to leave. Those still lingering in front of the Heavenly Book Stele possessed relatively strong divine senses, which was the only reason they could hold out until now. Chen Changsheng swept his gaze across the area and spotted two examinees from the Star Picking Academy, that senior sister from Holy Maiden Peak, the young girl named Ye Xiaolian, and several other examinees he had seen during the Grand Examination but whose names and origins he couldn't recall. The most conspicuous were the three scholars from Huaiyuan Academy, who stood closest to the stele. In the darkness, their plain white robes were strikingly visible.
With a casual glance, one could discern the issue in the field—the closer someone was to the stele pavilion, the stronger their cultivation realm. Whether this was an unspoken rule or the result of prior disputes was unclear.
The three Huaiyuan Academy scholars stood nearest to the stele pavilion.
Zhong Hui stood before the pavilion, silently observing the stele. His two classmates, however, watched Chen Changsheng with wary eyes. Chen Changsheng wasn't surprised by this. During the Grand Examination's duels, Zhong Hui had been defeated by Luoluo, and Huo Guang had been gravely injured by him, unable to continue. The Huaiyuan Academy's hostility toward the National Academy was only natural.
Gou Hanshi and he had come here after being stirred by Xun Mei's notes, feeling a faint resonance, intending to study the stele under the starlight. But as they took a step forward, it immediately stirred a commotion around them. Over a dozen pairs of eyes followed their movements, each gaze carrying a different emotion—if they were to approach the Heavenly Book Stele, they would inevitably have to take the positions of the three Huaiyuan scholars.
The two Huaiyuan scholars didn't step aside. They looked at Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng with cold expressions and said, "First come, first served."
This sounded reasonable enough, but a cold laugh rang out from the crowd outside the pavilion. "Earlier, you said your senior brother was the top scorer in the Grand Examination, so you demanded we make way. Why didn't you talk about 'first come, first served' then? Now that the actual top scorer and runner-up of this year's Grand Examination are here, are you going to refuse to yield?"
The two Huaiyuan scholars flushed with anger at this.
Only then did Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng learn what had transpired earlier in the field. They found the Huaiyuan scholars' conduct quite disagreeable and continued forward. As they passed the two scholars, they didn't even glance at them, walking straight to the front of the stele pavilion and standing behind Zhong Hui.
The two Huaiyuan scholars grew even more furious and wanted to retort, but recalling the voice from the crowd, they found themselves unable to argue. As for resorting to violence, they dared not.
Zhong Hui withdrew his gaze from the stele's surface, turned around, and bowed solemnly to Gou Hanshi. But when he looked at Chen Changsheng standing beside Gou Hanshi, there was no respect in his eyes.
Like many renowned young talents, Zhong Hui held a poor impression of Chen Changsheng. Even though Chen Changsheng had reached the Penetrating Illumination realm during the Grand Examination, surpassing them in cultivation, they still believed he was merely lucky or had been favored by the influential figures within the National Religion.
"I haven't seen you around these past two days. Are you that confident in deciphering the stele? Or have you realized your luck has run out and decided to give up entirely?" Zhong Hui said to him with a detached expression. "In past years, the top scorer of the Grand Examination could decipher this first Heavenly Book Stele within five days at most. You're the top scorer of our cohort. If you take too long, you'll only embarrass us as well. I hope you won't disappoint me."
Chen Changsheng was focused on the stele under the starlight, his mind absorbed in the intricate lines and their changes. Hearing this, he was puzzled and asked casually, "We're not exactly close. Even if I can't decipher this Heavenly Book Stele, what does it have to do with you? And why would you be disappointed?"
Zhong Hui was taken aback. He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said, "Sharp tongue, aren't you?"
Chen Changsheng didn't respond. He walked directly to his side and said, "Excuse me, could you move aside?"
Zhong Hui was currently standing in the best spot before the stele pavilion—closest to the stele without blocking the starlight. Hearing this, he could no longer contain his fury and clenched his fists.
To everyone present, Chen Changsheng's first words were a clear dismissal, and his second was a seemingly polite but forceful demand. Even the person who had earlier mocked the Huaiyuan scholars thought he was deliberately humiliating them. Only Gou Hanshi, observing Chen Changsheng's expression, guessed that he wasn't—he genuinely just wanted Zhong Hui to move aside.
Gou Hanshi shook his head and followed Chen Changsheng as he stepped forward in front of Zhong Hui.
His robe trembled in the night breeze. Zhong Hui was now at the peak of his rage, and the other two Huaiyuan classmates were equally incensed. The three were on the verge of attacking Chen Changsheng, but Gou Hanshi placed himself between them and Chen Changsheng, forcing them to calm down. They recalled the difference between the Contemplation realm and the Penetrating Illumination realm… They were no match for Gou Hanshi, and in other words, they couldn't defeat Chen Changsheng either.
If they couldn't win, their anger held no power. The two Huaiyuan scholars remained indignant, but Zhong Hui forced himself to calm down, stepping back several paces to make way for Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng. He watched Chen Changsheng's back in silence, a faint, cold smile curling at the corner of his lips. As he had said earlier, Chen Changsheng had rarely appeared before the stele pavilion these past two days. In his view, it was surely an act of posturing. He didn't believe Chen Changsheng could replicate his luck from the Grand Examination here at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. Could he really make flowers bloom from this stele?
Starlight fell upon the Zhaoping Stele, and the intricate lines seemed coated in silver, as if mercury were slowly flowing within them. An indescribable sense of vitality appeared before Chen Changsheng's eyes. He didn't activate his divine sense, didn't let the true essence in his meridians follow those lines, and didn't try to glean any sword intent from the lines' trajectories. He simply watched quietly, perceived, and felt. He confirmed once more that the images he had seen at dawn were real, and those he had visualized in the courtyard that afternoon with his divine sense were also real. A smile gradually emerged on his face.
"Have you gained something?" Gou Hanshi asked, startled by his expression.
Chen Changsheng nodded. "I had some doubts because it seemed too simple, but a few lines in the notes reminded me."
Gou Hanshi said, "Are you still insisting on using that most primitive method of interpretation?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "It might be clumsier and slower, but it suits me best."
Silence fell around the stele pavilion. Everyone was listening intently, including Zhong Hui. Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi were universally acknowledged as the two who had thoroughly read the Daoist Canon. Their discussion on deciphering the Heavenly Book Stele was not to be missed. But what notes was Chen Changsheng referring to?
"What is the most primitive method? Turning lines into numbers?" The senior sister from Holy Maiden Peak, who was familiar with Gou Hanshi, stepped forward curiously.
Gou Hanshi glanced at Chen Changsheng.
"We thought the most primitive method was to set aside true essence, divine sense, and techniques entirely. It's not about turning lines into numbers, but…" Chen Changsheng turned to face the young woman from Holy Maiden Peak and began to explain earnestly, ready to share his insights and clarify his view that the true meaning of the Heavenly Book should be hidden within the stele's changing patterns. But then…
A sharp rebuke cut through the night.
"Utterly absurd!"
A middle-aged man had arrived at the scene at some unknown time, his expression exceptionally cold.
When Zhong Hui and the other two Huaiyuan scholars saw him, joy lit up their faces, and they hurried forward to bow. "Greetings, Uncle-Master."
Chen Changsheng realized this middle-aged man was the stele attendant who had sternly scolded him that morning. Only now did he learn that this man was an elder of Huaiyuan Academy.
The middle-aged man walked to the front of the stele pavilion, glared at Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng, and barked, "I've heard you two youngsters have thoroughly read the Daoist Canon, but I never expected you to be ignorant children, spouting nothing but nonsense!"
(I went out yesterday morning, arrived in Shanghai late at night, and was busy all day today. I have to head to the airport early tomorrow morning and arrive in Daqing in the afternoon. The schedule has really been grueling. Aside from work, I saw some readers but didn't get a chance to meet any friends. Even though I've written less, I haven't missed an update. Well, I can't complain, since it's all my own doing, affecting my writing speed—something I need to reflect on and learn from. The good news is, it seems I won't have to travel again until the end of the year. Wahaha… Ah, but if Chuangshi holds an annual meeting, then I'll have no choice. Also, regarding the "Ze Tian Ji" PC game, the non-deletion beta test should start on the 31st. I'll report any new developments to you all promptly. See you tomorrow.)