Chapter 116 – Declaration
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
'Xu Yourong' was a name known throughout the world, but no person felt more complexly about this name than Chen Changsheng.
When he saw this name for the first time on the marriage contract in Xining Village's old temple, he was still very young. He didn't have much of an understanding of worldly matters, but he already knew what it meant to be embarrassed. He naturally had imagined many times his future with her. What sort of appearance did a girl with this sort of name have? Did she have long hair and a gentle and beautiful heart?
Later on, because of his fate, he no longer thought about the engagement, and her name gradually faded from his memory. Only when he went to the capital and encountered so many incidents did this name begin to bring him many humiliations and difficulties. In the inn, it had begun to annoy him; in the abandoned garden, it had begun to anger him. And yet, at the most vital moment in Weiyang Palace, this name had appeared on his side.
He was well aware that the reasons she had sent the letter agreeing to the engagement were not as simple as they seemed on the surface, that there must be some ulterior motive, and perhaps his role as a fiancé really was just an excuse. But at least at that moment, she had helped him, so he no longer found that name so annoying. However, he still could not bring himself to like that name.
The frigid scorn and scorching jeers he had received this morning on the Divine Avenue had all been because of that name. It was already impossible for him to escape the pressure, the shadow, brought on his life by that name.
Did he also need to thank her? No, the only thought on his mind at the moment was the Grand Examination. If, in this struggle to change his fate, he was able to surpass her and crush all the emotions brought by this name, he would naturally be very pleased—even if almost everyone believed such a thing to be impossible.
Luoluo has already gotten close to you, so just how far away am I from you?
Chen Changsheng silently thought as he drew his gaze back from the Hall of Pure Virtue and turned towards the distant south.
The voice from the Hall of Announcements ceased, and the impromptu late autumn revision of the Proclamation of Azure Sky came to a close. However, the crowd around the Divine Avenue did not disperse, nor did the teachers of the various academies urge their pupils to return to class as quickly as possible.
Chen Changsheng was still standing on the Divine Avenue.
Everyone in the capital knew that the Orthodox Academy had only four students, and today, three of them were ranked on the Proclamation of Azure Sky. The one who had ranked the highest, Princess Luoluo, had even gone straight from rank nine to rank two! Whether in terms of number of students ranked or how high their rankings, the Orthodox Academy was without a doubt the greatest winner of this Proclamation of Azure Sky. The Heavenly Dao Academy, the Temple Seminary, and all the other Ivy Academies could not compare. Even Scholartree Manor, South Stream Temple, and the Longevity Sect—which had all been flourishing in the past few years—were unable to match the brilliance of the Orthodox Academy!
Everyone was staring at Chen Changsheng.
He was the first student of the Orthodox Academy. Before he appeared, the Orthodox Academy was just a cold and deserted graveyard, even at risk of fading into the long river of history on account of not taking in any new students. After he appeared, the Orthodox Academy appeared before the world once more, and changes quietly began to take place.
Yes, this youth had not even succeeded at Purification, was still unable to cultivate, and simply had no right to enter the Proclamation of Azure Sky. However, the commentaries of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had stated it clearly: the so-called lucky chance, the so-called wise teacher? Who were they referring to? Today, the Orthodox Academy's brilliance was all because of him!
Was this youth really the one who the crowd had derided as trash? Just like Gou Hanshi had said in the morning, if Chen Changsheng was a toad, what were the other students present? Was this a person who lived off women? Was he someone that required Princess Luoluo's power and that marriage contract to establish himself in the world?
Earlier, Su Moyu had said that he could not be considered truly strong, so what was the actual definition of strength?
Tang Thirty-Six looked at the crowd of people from the Temple Seminary, staring at the one student who had jeered at the Orthodox Academy most forcefully, and sneered, "Such short-sighted people; even if they climbed to the very top of the Mausoleum of Books, they wouldn't be able to recognize a single word."
The student's face paled.
"…That's what you call a proverb, or maybe a common saying."
Tang Thirty-Six continued, his expressionless gaze looking over the crowd. The meaning of his words was very clear. After the Ivy Festival, many people of the capital had ridiculed Chen Changsheng as a toad wanting to eat Phoenix flesh, and someone had even mentioned today that this joke was on the verge of becoming a proverb.
The Divine Avenue was completely quiet.
Just then, Chen Changsheng suddenly spoke.
"You just gave your view on what it means to truly be strong…"
As he spoke, he looked at Su Moyu. The students of the Li Palace Academy underwent a sudden transformation, as they believed that Chen Changsheng intended to act the same as Tang Thirty-Six and jeer at Su Moyu.
To everyone's surprise, he didn't. Instead, he said, "What you said was actually quite reasonable. I can make my companions even stronger, but if I don't want to drag them down, I also have to become stronger. I hope that by the Grand Examination, I can become a little stronger. I look forward to seeing you then."
After saying all this, he clasped his hands at Su Moyu, and then turned to begin walking down the Divine Avenue.
Su Moyu looked at his back, a little more respect visible on his face. Clasping his hands in return, he said, "We'll meet at the Grand Examination."
Seeing that no one dared to speak, Tang Thirty-Six felt completely refreshed. He roared with laughter and said, "It might be difficult for you to meet him at the Grand Examination. I'll have you know, he wants to get…"
Without turning, Chen Changsheng ordered, "Xuanyuan, stop him."
In Xuanyuan Po's mind, Chen Changsheng was his schoolmate, his teacher, and most importantly of all, his savior. Through his relationship with the princess, he was also his grandteacher. Thus, without the slightest hesitation, he extended his giant palm and grabbed Tang Thirty-Six's face, using the movement to also put him over his shoulder.
"Mm…mmm…mmmmm…!"
With Tang Thirty-Six's capabilities, it would be easy for him to knock Xuanyuan Po over, but no matter how vicious and merciless he could be, after having his face covered up by Xuanyuan Po's palm, he suddenly couldn't speak, only give muffled cries. The fact that he couldn't announce that bold and daring matter to the world made him thoroughly depressed.
Xuanyuan Po was not depressed, but happy. He couldn't contain his joy from getting onto the Proclamation of Azure Sky, but he didn't know how to express it. His body brimmed with energy and happiness with no place to vent it. Carrying Tang Thirty-Six on his back, he ran faster and faster, occasionally patting Tang Thirty-Six's back while running. He very quickly reached the main gate of the Li Palace.
Chen Changsheng laughed and then ran after them. Smiling, Jin Yulu followed behind.
Under the warm evening sun, the late autumn air, and the peace of the Li Palace, the three youths ran, occasionally quarreling with each other.
This sight was seen by many people, and even after many years, it would still often be mentioned.
No one noticed that at the top of the flight of stone steps that seemed as endless as the path of cultivation, on the balcony at the highest level of the Hall of Pure Virtue, Luoluo was watching them. As the sunset shone upon her petite face, she grinned with an expression of absolute joy.
The youths of the Orthodox Academy had left, so the crowd lining the Divine Avenue began to gradually disperse. Besides the sounds of their footsteps, there was no other sound, not even of whispered discussion. Many people were still in shock, while others were deep in thought.
Those still in shock at the brilliance of the Orthodox Academy upon the Proclamation of Azure Sky were mostly students of the academies, while those deep in thought were some of their teachers and many priests of the Li Palace. As adults, they had more to think about than those youths, so they were perplexed by many things. They were especially confused by the commentaries from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets announced together with the Proclamation of Azure Sky.
They did not question them. They just found that the commentaries the Elder of Heavenly Secrets had made for the three rankers of the Orthodox Academy were somewhat strange.
Xuanyuan Po, for instance, had entered the rankings without fighting a single match out of anticipation for his future. This was certain to incite all sorts of discussion, but the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets did not seem to care. And in the commentaries for Tang Thirty-Six and Luoluo, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets seemed to want to intentionally point out Chen Changsheng's role in their ranks.
Some people began to indistinctly come upon an almost absurd possibility.
Today's impromptu change of the Proclamation of Azure Sky was truly about Princess Luoluo's shocking leap in strength, but was the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets also intending to make Chen Changsheng's existence known to the entire continent?
If this was true, why?
Just as the crowd was partially dispersed, an elderly voice rose up from the forest.
"Did all of you want to know what Tang Tang wanted to say at the end? He wanted to tell you all…"
When they heard this voice, the people who were just preparing to leave came to a stop.
The elderly voice continued, "…Chen Changsheng is the man destined to take the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination."
The forest exploded into an uproar!
Chen Changsheng…wanted to take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination?!
The crowd turned in a daze towards the voice.
Mei Lisha, Archbishop of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, walked out of the forest with the support of Priest Xin.
This elder who had lived for so many years had a stooped body, and the liver spots that covered his face were somewhat obscured by the wrinkles that similarly covered his face, but none of these could conceal the gratification and joy in his eyes.
This gratification and joy were naturally for Chen Changsheng.
Everyone quickly prostrated themselves, not daring to show the slightest neglect. However, the shock and incredulity on their faces from the archbishop’s words still remained.
Even if the limitless radiance the Orthodox Academy had experienced today on the Proclamation of Azure Sky had to do with Chen Changsheng, just as Su Moyu and Chen Changsheng also admitted, he still had to take the stage himself in the Grand Examination. Chen Changsheng hadn't even succeeded at Purification yet, so how would he be able to handle the imminent Grand Examination? From every perspective, it was utterly impossible for him to enter any one of the three banners, let alone take first rank of the first banner!
Priest Huo was expressionless, but there was a tinge of surprise in the depths of his eyes. Some of the Li Palace priests and teachers looked each other in the eyes and saw the shock of their colleagues.
Their earlier perplexity seemed as if it was soon to receive an answer. Yes, some people felt that the pressure given by his performance at the Ivy Festival and his engagement with Xu Yourong was still not enough, and so that undercurrent that had been silently surging beneath the capital was about to burst through the firm earth.
But why did all this have to happen?
The archbishop said to the crowd, "There's no justification, and no reason is required. Since he says that he can take first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination, I will believe that he can do it."
No one around the Divine Avenue dared to rise.
Priest Huo and his fellow priests were also prostrating themselves.
Whether they believed or not, since this was what the archbishop said, they could only listen.
Before the archbishop, no one dared to question, no one dared to doubt.
However, this declaration that the archbishop had made on behalf of the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng would very quickly spread to the entire palace, the entire capital, and on to the entire continent. At that time, many people would undoubtedly express their contempt for this declaration, their ridicule and rage, and all of it would ultimately fall upon the Orthodox Academy and Chen Changsheng.
It was still that question.
Just why did all this have to happen?