Ze Tian Ji

”The obsidian coffin in the Mausoleum of Zhou was empty.” Chen Changsheng would naturally not forget this most important detail.

The Pope smiled, but said nothing. That person’s fate was an enigma for many people, but time was ultimately the world’s strongest object. At this time, he no longer paid too much attention to it.

Comparatively speaking, the Pope cared more about another matter. ”This being the case, those swords are all with you?”

Without any reluctance, Chen Changsheng took the dagger from his waist and used both hands to offer it to the Pope.

Back then in the Plum Garden Inn, when Tang Thirty-Six wanted to hold this dagger, he had been rejected, but now Chen Changsheng could not reject. This was because the Pope was the Pope and also his martial uncle.

The swords of the Sword Pool were in his hands—this was a matter impossible to conceal. Back then in the wilderness when he was battling Divine General Xue He, those swords had already revealed themselves.

”Do you know what this sheath is?” The Pope did not take the dagger, instead gazing at him and asking this question.

Chen Changsheng shook his head.

The Pope was somewhat sorrowful as he explained, ”This was once the treasure of the Orthodox Academy’s Suppressing Courtyard. Later on, it vanished amidst that scene of fire and blood. It seems now like your master took it away.”

Chen Changsheng didn’t know what to say.

”I and Senior Brother were schoolmates and even fellow disciples. As a matter of fact, in terms of talent in cultivating the Dao or intelligence, he has always been above. Yet in the end, I inherited the position of Pope while he went to become the Principal of the Orthodox Academy.”

The Pope lifted his eyes up to the sky outside the hall, the stars in the ocean of his eyes slowly winking in and out of existence, like the passing of clouds or time. ”Because his obsession was too great. You should not learn from him.”

Chen Changsheng still did not know what to say. Concerning the Orthodox Academy’s past, even today, he still did not have a clear picture of what had really happened. Even if he knew, he didn’t have the qualifications to talk about it.

”What do we do about the swords from the Sword Pool?”

”The Li Palace will send out a notice informing the world. Those sects that still have descendants can first register, and then we will return their swords. As for those sects whose succession has already come to an end, those swords are yours to hold.”

Chen Changsheng understood. In carrying out this matter in this fashion, after that night of bathing the Mausoleum of Books in the radiance of the stars, he would once again have achieved a great merit for the human world. The criticisms brought by Liang Xiaoxiao and Zhuang Huanyu’s death would, for the most part, be mollified. He said, ”I leave it up to Sir to take care of it.”

He did not deferentially say ’His Holiness’ and he did not pull on his sleeve and say ’Martial Uncle’. He only softly said the word ’Sir’. This was already a sort of progress, the sort of progress where he had finally returned to the naturally intimate world of his master’s home.

The Pope was very satisfied and said to him, ”Go, and rest up well.”

Seeing his expression, the Pope understood what he was concerned about. He added, ”Zhexiu will quickly come out.”

From start to finish, the Pope had not asked him anything about Su Li.

Having just returned to the capital, how could he possibly rest up well? Exiting the Li Palace, he had no time to return to the Orthodox Academy or inquire after Zhexiu. Priest Xin came and took him over to the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.

The row of maple trees there should have been as red as fire, but in the deep spring and beginning of summer, they were a verdant green that surpassed the color of jade—just like how that building behind them had the two important identities of being the Imperial Court’s institution for managing education as well as the hall of the Orthodoxy responsible for learning.

Deep within the hall in that room filled with all sorts of plum flowers, Mei Lisha sat behind the table. His eyes were closed, seemingly asleep but not. The old spots on his face were clear to see, just like that rouge plum blossom on the table. Chen Changsheng stood in front of the table, separated by that rouge plum blossom from the archbishop, his emotions somewhat complex.