Chapter 223 – The Cry of the Goose (Part One) (1/2)
Chapter 223 - The Cry of the Goose (Part One)
Chen Changsheng rubbed his eyes, that ached from staring at the sunset, before standing up from the doorstep. He said, “I’m not waiting for anything.”
Gou Hanshi replied, “Even if you want to walk an untrodden path, using your own words, that method is a little stupid, but you also said that the method was feasible. Logically, it’s impossible for you to not have a method to comprehend the first Heavenly Tome Monolith, because I know your powers of comprehension are far greater than anyone else can imagine.”
As the world’s two most erudite scholars of the Daoist Canon, he and Chen Changsheng were rivals. From the Ivy Festival to the Grand Examination, they had vied with each other for supremacy, but it was because they were rivals that they truly understood each other. He had seen Chen Changsheng rise in the span of a few months from an ordinary youth that could not cultivate at all to someone who broke into Ethereal Opening amidst the rain in the Education Palace. If he did not have such excellent powers of comprehension, how could he have done such a thing?
Chen Changsheng thought for a few moments, then said, “I think the method I discussed with you last night was wrong.”
Gou Hanshi arched his brows and asked, “In what ways was it wrong?”
“It’s not a matter of it being wrong. If I could use that to follow the idea of studying the changes in the monolith inscriptions, I would probably be able to comprehend the monoliths, but I’ve always felt it to be somewhat strange, as if there was something missing. If I can’t figure out what it is that I’m missing and continue to study this method, I will find it very difficult to convince myself, because the Dao I cultivate is to follow my heart.”
Gou Hanshi asked, “Don’t tell me you’re planning on creating a new method?”
“There’s also that train of thought, but I haven’t resolved myself to it yet.”
Gou Hanshi frowned. To change methods halfway through was something best avoided when viewing the monoliths. “You know that this is a very dangerous way of thinking.”
Chen Changsheng understood his warning. If he continued to hesitate in this manner, his hope of deciphering the Heavenly Tome Monoliths would grow smaller and smaller.
He pondered the matter for a long time before finally saying, “If I can’t comprehend them in the end, then forget about it.”
“Regardless of how you think, you shouldn’t be too pedantic about it.” Gou Hanshi said these words and walked into the hut.
Chen Changsheng looked at Gou Hanshi’s back and said, “The egg soup still needs a bit more time. Don’t be in such a rush to take off the lid just yet.”
These words had no hidden meaning, yet Gou Hanshi saw one in it. He thought to himself that Chen Changsheng must have a reason for waiting.
After a while, Zhexiu returned to the grass hut. Of the seven people that resided there, only he and Chen Changsheng had not succeeded at comprehending the monolith. Seeing how the courtyard was now much more cold and cheerless than it had been the night before, his face began to show traces of self-rejection. Turning to Chen Changsheng, he asked, “Why is it that I’m never able to make it work? Could it be that my innate talent is not enough?”
Chen Changsheng thought to himself, this wolf youth who had no sect or school and cultivated all on his own, could live in those cruel, snowy plains. His name could strike fear in the hearts of many famous demons, and he could comfortably beat Guan Feibai and other such youths on the Proclamation of Azure Sky; not only did his innate bloodline talent have no problems, it was also unreasonably strong.
“It has nothing to do with your innate talent.”
“Then what’s wrong? My diligence or concentration?”
“It has nothing to do with any of those, it’s just because…” Chen Changsheng earnestly told him, “You’ve read too little.”
Zhexiu got a little angry. Since he was a child, he had roamed the snowy plains, homeless and miserable. Where would he have found the time to read books?
Chen Changsheng took Xun Mei’s notebook from his chest and handed it to Zhexiu. “It’s fine to not read much, but the most troubling part is that from my observations of you, I’ve realized you really don’t like to read. Of the notebook senior left behind, you only looked at it twice. Last night, you only looked at it for a while before going to sleep. How is that okay?”
Zhexiu’s face paled, but it wasn’t because he was injured, but rather because he was angry. Taking the notebook, he went straight into the grass hut.
The next day at five in the morning, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and took five breaths’ of time to settle his mind. Afterwards, he got up from his bed and realized that Tang Thirty-Six was sprawled out sleeping on the side, snoring thunderously. Walking to the outer room, he saw that Qi Jian and the others were all in a deep sleep. He realized that at some late hour last night, they had returned from the Mausoleum of Books.
After washing his face and rinsing his mouth, just like the previous two days, he began to boil water and prepare breakfast. Next, he began to sweep the courtyard and repair the toppled fence. Even after Tang Thirty-Six and the others had finished eating breakfast and left to view the monoliths, he still did not seem like he wanted to leave. His face contained no trace of apprehension, and he even seemed to be enjoying the present lifestyle.
The people had gone and the courtyard was empty. He sat back down at the doorstep, opened Xun Mei’s notebook, and began to read once more. He gradually became enthralled and he gained more and more.
For the entire day, besides making meals and cleaning, he did not leave the doorstep. Obviously he did not go to see the Reflecting Monolith either.
As night fell, Tang Thirty-Six and the rest returned one after the other. After dinner, they sat around the table and discussed the inscriptions on the second monolith. The atmosphere was extremely warm and enthusiastic.
Chen Changsheng called Zhexiu into the inner room, took out his copper needles, and began to treat his illness. Right now, he was still confirming the nature of the abnormality within Zhexiu’s meridians. To cure Zhexiu of this condition, that had tormented him for a dozen years, was not something that could be done in a day.
After a long time, the group around the table realized that the two were still missing. Qi Jian was looking at the tightly-closed door of the inner room; his small, young, and honest face held an unbearable expression. Gou Hanshi frowned and shook his head. Right now even he was starting to find it strange.
Not wanting to upset the two in the inner room, the group decided to end their discussion.
Tang Thirty-Six suddenly stood up, opened the door, and told Chen Changsheng, “Today, another three people succeeded.”
Chen Changsheng was concentrating on maneuvering the copper needles with his fingers. He softly said something to Zhexiu, but paid Tang Thirty-Six no attention.
Day after day passed. The number of days after this year’s Grand Examination examinees had entered the mausoleum was now seven.
On the fifth day, Zhexiu finally passed through the Reflecting Monolith. It was unknown whether or not it was because he had spent the last few night studying that book.
Chen Changsheng had still not succeeded in comprehending a monolith. Now, he had established a new record.
Previously, he had established a incomparably glorious and brilliant record in the world of cultivation: the youngest cultivator to enter Ethereal Opening.
The record he had established now was less than brilliant.
Amongst all the previous holders of the first place of the First Banner of the Grand Examination, he had used the most time to comprehend the first Heavenly Tome Monolith, and it was possibly going to take him even longer.