Chapter 235: The Broken Stele
"Fourteen years without cultivation, only reading; in one year, he reached the Penetrating Obscurity realm. Twenty days without deciphering a stele, only sitting in stillness... in one day, he read all the steles of the Front Mausoleum."
After learning of the day's events at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, the Pope made these two comments about Chen Changsheng. Through the deliberate dissemination by certain high-ranking figures in the State Church, these words spread through the capital like the evening glow, stunning the people. Once again, they turned their gazes southward toward the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, their hearts stirred with a myriad of emotions.
For countless years, only Zhou Dufu had ever read all the steles of the Front Mausoleum in a single day. Today, Chen Changsheng had done the same. Could he be the second Zhou Dufu? Yet some had already noticed puzzling details. According to reports from the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, Chen Changsheng's aura and realm had not changed with the deciphering of the steles; he remained at the initial stage of Penetrating Obscurity. To recall, when Zhou Dufu once strolled through the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, his eyes falling on the stele inscriptions and his steps treading among the huts, his aura and realm shifted with every moment. Take those who entered the mausoleum earlier this year: Zhong Hui of the Huai Academy had already broken through to Penetrating Obscurity, and many others, like Tang Thirty-Six, had glimpsed the possibility of a breakthrough. Logically, after reading all seventeen Heavenly Book Steles, Chen Changsheng should have gained some enlightenment. Even if he hadn't broken through on the spot, his cultivation should have improved.
Deacon Xin supported Bishop Melisande as they arrived at the Papal Palace. After paying respects to the Pope, he brought up the current discussions in the capital. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "Many are suspecting whether Chen Changsheng used some clever trick, or even whether our State Church tampered with the Heavenly Book Mausoleum."
"Enlightenment is enlightenment; deciphering a stele has always been the cultivator's own practice. No one can truly change that."
The Pope held a wooden ladle, watering a pot of green-leafed plants. "I don't believe that child has a chance to catch up to Zhou Dufu from back then. That would require immense boldness, and it's tied to one's nature. His performance has been so outstanding that I'm already quite satisfied—indeed, quite surprised."
Melisande said, "What I most want to know now is how he'll react when he sees that last stele. Will he be as shocked and surprised as we were today by his antics?"
The Pope's wooden ladle paused above the green leaves, tilting slightly, as if lost in thought over something. Strangely, the clear water in the ladle didn't spill.
Deacon Xin stood nearby, stunned, thinking to himself: The seventeen steles of the Front Mausoleum have all been deciphered by Chen Changsheng. How could there be a last stele?
The Pope shook his head and continued watering, saying, "Even if he sees it, could he possibly decipher it?"
Melisande smiled and said, "That child has already brought us so many surprises. One more wouldn't be so hard to believe."
The Sweet Dew Terrace blazed in the deepest twilight, like a giant torch. The Empress Dowager stood with her hands behind her back at the terrace's edge, gazing toward the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. A faintly mocking expression appeared between her cold brows. "Reading all the steles of the Front Mausoleum in one day—that's the same. But Zhou Dufu truly understood them back then. Chen Changsheng is still far off."
Among those still alive on the continent, she and the Pope were among the very few who had once had contact with Zhou Dufu, even knowing him well. Only they knew how terrifyingly powerful that strongest man on the continent truly was. So they never believed Chen Changsheng could be compared to him.
Mo Yu stood behind her, unable to hold back, and said, "But reading seventeen steles in one day is already remarkable. At least, it's far better than what I managed back then."
The Empress Dowager didn't turn around. She looked at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, thinking of the cultivators throughout history who had spent their lives studying the steles there. The mockery in her expression grew thicker. "What is the purpose of studying the steles? Why can some people never understand? Studying the steles has never been the goal of cultivation—it is merely a means."
"Your Majesty destroyed the rankings back then to teach the world not to stray onto the wrong path. It's a pity no one understood Your Majesty's heartfelt intentions." Mo Yu said softly.
"Exactly. If it does nothing for one's realm and principles, what use is it to read every single stele on the mausoleum? Back then, I had Zhou Tong go destroy that stele beneath the mausoleum. Some old men in the State Church wept bitterly, saying I was defying tradition. Thinking back, I really should have killed all those old fools."
The Empress Dowager said calmly, "Even if the Heavenly Book Steles are sacred objects, they only have meaning when used by people. Chen Changsheng's speed in deciphering the steles is indeed much faster than yours, but back then, you succeeded in gathering stars at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum. What about him? Even if he understands every single Heavenly Book Stele, if it does nothing for his realm, what damn use is it?"
The same meaning appeared twice in two sentences. The first was directed at all cultivators in the world; the second was aimed squarely at Chen Changsheng.
Mo Yu was startled at first, then laughed, thinking to herself that Her Majesty was even using coarse language. It seemed Chen Changsheng's performance at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum had indeed put Her Majesty on alert.
Of course, she wasn't alert about Chen Changsheng himself, but about the State Church behind him.
Mo Yu didn't hide her emotions. This was the fundamental reason she had always earned the Empress Dowager's favor and trust over the years.
She opened her eyes wide and asked curiously, "Then... do you think Chen Changsheng has a chance?"
The Empress Dowager looked toward the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, silent for a moment, then said, "He might be able to see that last stele, but... he's too steady, too young, yet carries an unpleasant, pedantic air. How is he like Zhou Dufu back then, brilliant as the morning sun, his momentum soaring, cursing heaven and earth, demanding to know the truth?"
Mo Yu frowned slightly, always feeling that whenever Her Majesty mentioned that peerless strongman, her emotions seemed to waver.
"Cultivation cultivates the heart. Character determines fate, and it also determines how far a cultivator can go."
The Empress Dowager made her final judgment: "Chen Changsheng... no."
After deciphering the seventeenth stele, Chen Changsheng arrived at a patch of green meadow.
In the twilight, the entire Heavenly Book Mausoleum seemed to be burning, and this meadow was no exception. Invisible wildfire spread and rolled across the blades of grass, creating a scene of stunning beauty.
From the cliffs below the meadow came the roaring sound of water. He realized then that he had arrived above the waterfall on the southwestern slope of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum.
The cliff wind carried up the mist from the shattered waterfall, landing on his face, slightly damp and cool, washing away his fatigue.
He thought back on the process of deciphering the steles today. Though still somewhat unsatisfied, he couldn't help feeling a bit of joy, thinking he had done well.
Suddenly, he sensed something. The joy between his brows gradually faded, replaced by confusion.
He turned to look back and saw a stele hut beneath the white cliff above the meadow.
The seventeen Heavenly Book Steles of the Front Mausoleum had all been deciphered. According to the Daoist Canon, he should now appear in the next mausoleum.
But this was still the Front Mausoleum.
The structure of that stele hut was no different from the Zhaojing Stele Hut or the Yinjiang Stele Hut.
Chen Changsheng was very surprised, thinking to himself: Could there be another Heavenly Book Stele in the Front Mausoleum?
Seventeen steles in the Front Mausoleum of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum—this was a fact known to everyone. Unless someone had concealed this fact. But who could conceal it? Chen Changsheng suddenly remembered that in the Daoist texts he had read in Xining Town, and in the common sayings of the world, there had originally been no distinction between the Front Mausoleum and the Rear Mausoleum. This distinction had only appeared around eight hundred years ago. What did this mean?
Standing on the burning meadow, he didn't hesitate long. He lifted his foot and walked toward that stele hut, parting the wild grass as he went, like walking through fire, or like a fishing boat cutting across a river surface shimmering with ten thousand scales.
When he reached the stele hut, he stopped and looked beneath the eaves. He saw a scene he had never imagined, and he froze.
There was no Heavenly Book Stele in this hut. More precisely, there had once been a Heavenly Book Stele here, but now it had vanished, leaving only the base. On the base was a slightly protruding remnant of stone, about half a palm's width. This remnant was only a shallow stub. Could this be the remains of that Heavenly Book Stele?
Chen Changsheng's body became incredibly stiff. The earlier joy and relaxation had long been replaced by shock.
That the Front Mausoleum of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum had eighteen Heavenly Book Steles was already shocking enough. But what he hadn't expected was that the true last stele was a broken stele.
He stood blankly before the stele hut for a long time, only gradually calming down, suppressing the intense shock and unease in his heart. He walked up to the broken stele and found that only a very small section remained, with no words or lines on it. This meant the inscriptions must have been on the broken-off part.
He reached out and touched the cross-section of the broken stele, feeling the hardness of the stone and the still-sharp edges that had weathered countless years of wind and rain. His expression grew increasingly dazed.
This stele seemed to have been snapped by a powerful force.
In the first year of the Taishi era, the Heavenly Book Steles fell to the ground, their bases naturally taking root, connecting to the deepest parts of the earth.
In the three thousand Daoist texts and countless folk tales, it had never been heard that a Heavenly Book Stele could be broken or taken away from the Heavenly Book Mausoleum.
What force had broken this Heavenly Book Stele?
If it was a person, who was it?
How had they done it?
Where had they taken that Heavenly Book Stele?
Chen Changsheng looked out at the burning wilderness beyond the hut, dazed and searching.
The twilight deepened, heralding the approach of night. The mountain wind grew colder.
He felt a chill.
The earlier joy and satisfaction had long vanished. The shock of seeing the broken stele had also disappeared without a trace.
His thoughts had grown numb.
In his heart arose infinite reverence, even fear.
Was this true power?
Night enveloped the Heavenly Book Mausoleum.
As the last trace of evening glow faded from the sky, the stars once again claimed the sky and people's vision.
Chen Changsheng stood outside the stele hut, looking up at the starry sky, motionless.
He had maintained this posture for a long time.
Having lived with that shadow for many years, he was, after all, no ordinary youth.
Though he couldn't yet laugh and talk casually in the face of death, after this long, no matter how powerful the force, it could no longer disturb his mind.
He turned and walked back into the stele hut, standing before the broken stele.
(Next chapter before 10:30.)