Chapter 246: The Inheritor
The Pope was a saint.
If he spoke a single word, tens of millions of believers of the State Religion would be willing to die for him.
Chen Changsheng didn’t know what the Pope’s first words to him would be.
He was somewhat nervous.
Then he heard three words.
“Come… come… come.”
The Pope beckoned to him, signaling for him to enter the hall.
It was like a farmer calling to his chicks, or a grandfather teasing his young grandson.
Chen Changsheng was stunned for a moment, then followed the stone steps into the hall and stood by the Pope’s side.
The fact that the Pope was right before his eyes made him incredibly nervous.
Although he had met many important figures since arriving in the capital, some of whom were already legends, he still couldn’t control his emotions.
After all, this thin, elderly man was the Pope.
While watering a potted green-leaf plant, the Pope pointed to a chair and said, “Sit.”
His voice was gentle, his demeanor casual.
Chen Changsheng sat down in the chair, feeling as if he were sitting on a bed of nails. He was extremely uncomfortable but dared not move an inch.
“Relax a bit.” The Pope looked at him and laughed. “I know you have many questions in your heart. To save some time, I’ll speak first. If there’s anything you don’t understand or want to ask, you can ask me directly. If it’s convenient to answer, I’ll naturally reply to you.”
After saying this, he took his hand off the wooden ladle and said with a smile, “I’ll speak first, then answer your questions. It should take about two hundred breaths. I think you can endure that long.”
Chen Changsheng knew the Pope was referring to his uncomfortable sitting posture and felt a bit embarrassed. He nodded respectfully.
Without any preamble or buildup, the Pope began his account.
“Your teacher is called Daoist Ji. He also has another identity: the former dean of the National Academy, which is to say, my senior brother. Don’t look at me like that. I’m very certain he only has these two identities, because the most likely third identity was ruled out by me and Her Majesty not long ago.”
“In other words, you are my junior disciple. There has always been a rumor outside the Li Palace that Tianhai Ya’er is my successor, but that’s not accurate. I don’t have a true successor. So, in other words, you are the only successor of our lineage. Naturally, I have to look after you.”
“Your master and I have a grudge, a great grudge. I once killed him, but I didn’t expect him to survive. I’m old now and too lazy to kill him again. Besides, his mistakes don’t mean you are at fault, nor should you bear the responsibility.”
“He agreed to let you come to the capital to break off the engagement, without deliberately hiding the name ‘Daoist Ji.’ That means he didn’t intend to hide it from us. In fact, I think he wanted me to look after you. But your entering the National Academy was indeed a coincidence. Having you enter the Tong Palace was something I arranged for Mo Yu to take you there.”
“Why could I command her? Because I am the Pope.”
“Staying one night in the Tong Palace could help you avoid the storms of the Ivy Banquet. With the oversight of the Religious Affairs Bureau, entering the top three in the Grand Examination wasn’t too difficult. But I didn’t expect you to befriend Her Highness Luoluo, let alone become her teacher. I didn’t expect you to stir up such a commotion in the stagnant National Academy. I didn’t expect you to leave the Tong Palace, face the storms of the Li Mountain Sword Sect at the Ivy Banquet, break through to the Ethereal Opening realm in the Grand Examination, and actually secure a place on the Grand Examination roster.”
At this point, the Pope paused for a moment, looking at him with affection. “What I least expected—and should have most expected—is that since you are the only successor of our lineage, why would you need my care or arrangements? Indeed, you are a very good child.”
The hall fell silent.
From the moment the Pope spoke his first words, Chen Changsheng’s mouth had been wide open in shock, and it never closed.
The National Academy had always received considerable care from the Religious Affairs Bureau. At first, many people, including Chen Changsheng, thought this was a silent protest by the old faction of the State Religion against the Pope and Her Majesty the Empress, as well as a symbolic declaration. It wasn’t until the Grand Examination matches, when several autumn rains fell on the Dust-Washing Pavilion and the Pope personally placed the laurel crown on his head, that people realized this wasn’t an internal matter of the State Religion but a declaration by the State Religion to Her Majesty the Empress and the Zhou imperial court.
From that time on, Chen Changsheng had many guesses about why the Pope valued him so highly. He was certain this had something to do with his master, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t imagine that the unremarkable middle-aged Daoist from the old temple in Xining Town was actually the Pope’s senior brother—the last dean of the National Academy, which had been reduced to ruins over a decade ago.
“If you have any questions, start asking now.”
The Pope picked up a handkerchief from the table, wiped his hands, and said casually.
Before this conversation began, Chen Changsheng had imagined that someone as important as the Pope would speak in riddles, with obscure and profound words hiding countless deep meanings that needed careful pondering to uncover the truth. Who would have thought the Pope would lay everything out so simply and directly, like a clear breeze and bright moon, answering all the questions he had pondered on the Divine Path?
He didn’t know what else to ask until he recalled a few details from the Pope’s speech. With a serious expression, he said, “You said my master made a mistake. What mistake?”
The Pope replied, “Back then, he defied the decision of the State Religion’s Great Light Council, supported the Chen imperial clan in opposing Her Majesty the Empress, and dragged the entire National Academy—and many others—into that abyss.”
For a subject of the Great Zhou to support the Chen imperial clan was only natural. What mistake was there? Chen Changsheng said without hesitation, “That’s not a mistake.”
“At that time, only Her Majesty the Empress ascending the throne could stabilize the court. Otherwise, the Great Zhou would inevitably split, war would rage, and the demon race would take the opportunity to invade the south. Regardless of whether the starting point or goal of a choice is correct, in the eyes of us old folks, as long as it affects the overall situation of humanity’s resistance against the demons, it is a mistake.”
The Pope looked at him calmly and said with an unquestionable tone, “It’s been hundreds of years since the war back then. Children your age have rarely seen the demon race with their own eyes, let alone imagine the tragic scenes on the continent back then. If you knew, you would agree that our decision was correct.”
Chen Changsheng was young but never easily convinced. He asked directly, “And now? You and Her Majesty the Empress are drifting apart. Aren’t you afraid of affecting the overall situation against the demons?”
“I have known Her Majesty for hundreds of years. I know what kind of person she is. So I have no objection to her ruling the Great Zhou. The problem is that no one can live forever. The entire continent must consider how the human world will sustain itself after her.”
The Pope seemed to think of something, his expression turning somewhat emotional. He said slowly, “If the Tianhai family could produce a second Her Majesty, replacing the Chen imperial clan wouldn’t matter. The problem is that the Tianhai family cannot produce a second Her Majesty. So the Chen imperial clan must eventually return to power.”
Chen Changsheng listened to these words and was silent for a long time. Then he asked, “Even so, I still don’t understand how my master could guess that you would change your mind.”
“Your master agreed to let you come to the capital to break off the engagement precisely to use your existence to tell me he is still alive, while also reminding me that you are the only successor of our lineage.”
The Pope repeated what he had said earlier. “Whether I change my mind or not, I must look after you. Otherwise, wouldn’t the lineage be broken? Your master is the person in the world who knows me best. So on this point, your master understands it better than anyone.”
Chen Changsheng’s expression was somewhat dazed. Even now, he still couldn’t connect the middle-aged Daoist from the old temple in Xining Town with the famous dean of the National Academy. Then he thought of something: the Pope said he looked after him to continue their lineage. But he was from the Heavenly Dao Academy, while his master was from the National Academy. How could they be from the same sect? What sect was this?
He voiced this question.
“The Heavenly Dao Academy, the Ancestral Temple, the National Academy, the Thirteen Divisions of Green Radiance, the Li Palace Affiliated Academy… aside from the Star-Gazing Academy, the six academies of the capital’s Ivy League are where the State Religion nurtures the next generation. Back then, only your master and I cultivated the orthodox teachings of the State Religion. So-called lineage naturally refers to the lineage of the State Religion.”
The Pope looked at him calmly and said, “Back then, your master nearly caused the State Religion’s lineage to be broken. Now it is your responsibility to reconnect this lineage.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Changsheng’s face instantly turned pale. For a long time, he couldn’t speak.
This didn’t mean his mental fortitude was too weak; it was mainly because this news was too shocking.
The sole inheritor of the State Religion?
No matter who it was, suddenly learning they might become the next Pope would leave them speechless with shock. Even the most insane painter, Xiao Zhang, couldn’t be an exception.
Let alone Chen Changsheng, who was just a fifteen-year-old boy.
The hall was silent. The wooden ladle hovered in the air, slightly tilted, continuously pouring water into the pot. The water line was like silver, and the green leaves in the pot trembled slightly, with a few crystal-clear droplets on them.
After an unknown amount of time, he snapped out of his shock and looked at the Pope, asking, “This isn’t something I need to consider anytime soon, is it?”
His voice was dry and hoarse, unpleasant to hear, clearly due to nervousness.
“Melisande and I were worried that the pressure might be too great for you, that you might collapse before you matured. Now it seems we were overthinking.”
The Pope gazed at him quietly, his eyes serene and deep, as if they could see through everything. Chen Changsheng felt that all the secrets of his body and soul were exposed, and this feeling made him very uncomfortable. Fortunately, the next moment, the Pope shifted his gaze and reached out to grasp the wooden ladle in the air.
Two hundred breaths had passed. The ladle was empty of water, and the Q&A session ended.
It was time for Chen Changsheng to leave, but he didn’t want to. Earlier, he thought he had no questions, but now he remembered many things he wanted to know.
Like the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, like the Zhou Garden, like the stars.
Like… the State Religion.