Chapter 17: The Bell Tolls the Signal for Homecoming
The great hall of the Teaching Pivot Office was very quiet, and Luoluo remained where she was, not coming over.
The Pope gazed calmly at Chen Changsheng and said, "Since it is a view of the world, it can only be changed by the world itself."
Chen Changsheng thought it over and replied, "I still don't understand."
The Pope said serenely, "You don't need to understand... For old people like us, we have weathered too many storms and seen too many sunrises and sunsets. Many things have become numb to us. Most of the time, our way of looking at the world is rather dull. We don't mind using some less-than-beautiful methods, or even doing things against our own will. But often, when we do this, it's not because we want to hold on to something, but because we are soberly aware of where our responsibilities lie."
"Responsibilities?" Chen Changsheng asked.
"Yes. The longer you live, the greater the responsibility," the Pope said. "Our responsibility to this world grows heavier with the passage of time. We have a duty to seek a better future for humanity. For this, we can bear infamy, we can pay any price. When I was at odds with your teacher back then, and now when I am at odds with Her Majesty, it is all the same principle."
Having said this, the Pope walked deeper into the hall and never reappeared.
Chen Changsheng and Luoluo walked out of the hall, descended the stone steps, and arrived before the maple grove in front of the Teaching Pivot Office.
In spring, the maple forest was green, but at dusk it was blood-red. Now, in the night, it had turned black.
So it turned out that what we call color is all painted by heaven and earth.
Not long after, heavy bell tolls rang out from within the hall.
Bells also rang from the Li Palace.
The bell tolled—it was the signal for homecoming.
In the canonical texts of the State Religion, it had always been believed that death was not like a lamp going out. The soul did not remain in the mortal world either, but would return to the Sea of Stars.
Among the starry sea in the night sky lay the divine kingdom, paradise, and more than that, the eternal homeland.
At the very moment the bell tolled, the soul of His Eminence Archbishop Merisa peacefully departed from the mortal world, and his spirit returned to stillness within the Sea of Stars.
There was no conspiracy, no grand or magnificent ending. He simply left quietly and ordinarily, following the laws of life, just like many ordinary old people.
But after all, he was no ordinary old man. He was the most senior and highest-ranking Saint Hall Archbishop of the State Religion.
He had seen three Popes, four generations of Holy Maidens, seen Emperor Taizong, seen Zhou Dufu, seen Chen Xuanba, seen Wang Zhice, seen life and death in the Hundred Herb Garden, seen blood and fire in the National Academy. He had seen countless ages and knew countless secrets. And those ages and secrets would be buried along with his departure.
Hearing the bells, Chen Changsheng looked up at the night sky. He saw the countless stars either hidden or separated by the wind-tossed leaves.
He did not know which star was His Eminence's natal star, nor could he see it, but he knew that at this moment, that star should be growing dim.
If death truly meant the soul returning to the Sea of Stars, then why would that star grow dim?
The bells continued to toll. Carriages arrived at the Teaching Pivot Office from all corners of the capital. Important figures came in person to express their condolences. Chen Changsheng stood in the grove, watching these scenes without speaking. He saw the head of the Tianhai clan, saw Xue Xingchuan, saw Mo Yu, saw Prince Chenliu struggling to hold back tears, saw Xu Shiji.
He did not want to meet these people. Hand in hand with Luoluo, he walked through the grove, came to a relatively quiet main street, and together they returned to the National Academy.
This was the first time in a long while that Luoluo had stayed overnight at the National Academy. Jin Yulu followed all the way, but knowing the special circumstances of the night, he said nothing.
Chen Changsheng took her directly to the lakeside, climbed up the great banyan tree, and sat side by side with her, gazing at the stars in the sky and in the water, speaking softly.
He told her many things—things about Xining Town, things about the Zhou Garden, and many things along the road southward that he thought were sinister, bloody, and cruel. He had not told her last time, but tonight he told her everything.
Luoluo listened quietly, saying nothing.
"Maturity is truly a difficult thing, because it's hard to grasp the right measure. When a fruit is overripe, it rots easily."
Chen Changsheng said, "I still insist that living should not be a battle."
After saying this, he told Luoluo to go to sleep, while he continued sitting on the great banyan tree, thinking about some things.
Su Li had taught him three sword styles. The Wisdom Sword was powerful, full of calculations and deductions—that was battle. The Burning Sword was powerful, burning through life force—that was battle. But what he truly liked was the Foolish Sword, because it required courage, and it was not battle.
He only wanted to live. He had never wanted to fight. He did not like battle. But sometimes, when you live, battle is unavoidable—especially when you need to bear responsibility.
Up until now, he still did not know what responsibility Archbishop Merisa had wanted to bear, but he had grasped that kind of attitude.
He closed his eyes on the great banyan tree, but did not sleep all night.
At five in the morning, he opened his eyes, just like any other day, except his eyes were bloodshot. He took five deep breaths, calmed his mind, climbed down from the tree, walked a lap around the lake, stretched his somewhat stiff and sore body, ate two bowls of congee cooked by Xuan Yuan Po in the kitchen, and even broke his routine by eating half a salted duck egg.
"Today, many people should go to the Teaching Pivot Office to pay their respects. You will represent the National Academy there," he said to Luoluo.
Luoluo thought about today's battle and didn't want to leave, but she couldn't withstand Chen Changsheng's gaze, so she had to nod.
The morning light gradually faded. The area outside Hundred Flowers Lane grew lively. Temporary awnings had been set up, and the seats beneath them were already full. The best positions did not belong to the most powerful figures, but to the painters and storytellers of the Four Workshops. They were responsible for recording every detail of today's battle and spreading it throughout the capital and the entire continent.
Zhou Ziheng had already arrived, standing before the gate of the National Academy, feeling somewhat regretful.
—For someone at the Star Gathering realm to challenge a youth at the Penetrating Obscurity realm seemed rather embarrassing no matter how you looked at it. But after all, the other party was the Dean of the National Academy. So he believed that today's battle would greatly elevate his reputation. He dared not say how much he would rise on the Carefree Ranking, but at least it would let more people know his name.
As a guest retainer, fame was often more important than strength.
To make his name even more resounding through this battle, he needed an audience—especially an audience of influential people—not just painters and storytellers. Unfortunately, Archbishop Merisa had died last night. Those important figures who might have appeared would all go to the Teaching Pivot Office to pay their respects. So he felt regret, even some irritation. Couldn't you have picked any other time to die? Why did it have to be now?
(Just this one chapter today, because the mood is somewhat heavy. There will be three chapters tomorrow, because I have nothing else to do and want to live a bit more fully.)