Chapter 190 – That Ray of Light Within History (2/2)

If the virtuous forebears within the portraits could come to life, or perhaps, if they could leave behind any sort of information for later generations to perceive and understand, those scholars that studied history would definitely no longer have any regrets.

Observing all the paintings within the pavilion took around an hour; Chen Chang Sheng returned to the prayer mat in the centre of the building; he then stood in place and began to ponder over something.

Momentarily after, a bell resounded, the sound came in from the ground and was slightly far away, making everything appear all the more secluded and quiet, but all it did was to rouse him from his thoughts, unable to still his mind.

Following the sound, the torch that had been held in his hand all this time, suddenly snuffed out, the pavilion instantly became pitch black, from the gaps of the doors and windows, not a single ray of light came through.

Chen Chang Sheng looked around in the darkness, coming to understand something.

For the Grand Examination’s first upon the First Banner to quietly contemplate in the pavilion for a night, they first had to achieve peace. Within the pavilion, there were no distractions of the mind from outside, the bell chimes were serene, and at this moment, it was also difficult to see anything. Apart from quietly sitting upon the prayer mat and contemplating, there was nothing else to do.

The Zhou Government wished for the portraits within the pavilion, alongside the presence that had initially appeared, to get closer with the person that came in for contemplation, to the point where they would be in harmony, where they would have the mentality of staunchly serving the empire’s Imperial clan, to serve Her Divine Majesty.

The first upon the First Banner for the last few years; if they weren’t a disciple of Li Shan Sword Sect then they would still be a southerner, and would naturally not harbour too much loyalty towards the Zhou Government.

Not to mention, those who could enter the pavilion would resist the powerful presence, naturally resulting in the situation not being able to fulfil the wishes of the person who originally made this rule, to solidify the mentality of those entering.

Chen Chang Sheng is from the Zhou Empire, and really could probably complete the initial wishes of the person who designed the Grand Examination; the only thing was, since he could enter the Pavilion of Ascending Mist, he couldn’t settle his heart, his thoughts couldn’t lie upon the future of the country and its people, or upon the unification of humanity. It could only fall upon smaller or perhaps more personal things.

Time slowly and silently passed by; as with before, not a single ray of light appeared.

Chen Chang Sheng did not sit on the prayer mat and quietly pass through a night like the past first upon the First Banners; he untied the short sword from his waist, his left hand held the scabbard and he then thrust it into the space in front of him.

Within the pitch darkness inside of the pavilion that resembled night, fingers cannot be seen from an extended hand. The short sword also disappeared from sight, but from his leaving of Xi Ning Village, the short sword had rarely left his side; he very familiarly raised his right hand, accurately clasping onto the hilt.

His two hands slowly separated, yet the short sword didn’t leave its scabbard, what he drew out was not the sword but a ball of light, akin to the dawn’s first rising; the pavilion’s interior was immediately illuminated.

A perfectly spherical Luminous Peal appeared within the palm of his right hand.

A soft light illuminated the grey walls and lit up the floorboards through the gaps between his fingers, behind him, a long shadow was cast; through the gradual brightening of the Luminous Pearl, that shadow gradually faded.

He was certain that the gaps of the windows and doors of the pavilion wouldn’t leak any light, therefore he didn’t worry.

He raised the Luminous Pearl and headed toward the portrait.

Walking within the quiet pavilion, the night was scattered by the radiance within his palm, on the verge of revealing its truth. He looked at the people upon the portraits, feeling that those depicted were very similar to himself.

He suppressed the strange feeling, and once again walked before the portrait of Wang Zhi Ce.

He grasped the short sword and stabbed its sharp tip in the gap between the green bricks on the side of the portrait, then slowly and carefully pushed forwards. The hands that held onto the sword lightly trembled, with the fingers becoming pale.