Chapter 236 – Successor (1/2)

Chapter 236 - Successor

The Pope was a Saint.

With but a word, the countless believers of the Orthodoxy would die for him.

Chen Changsheng did not know what the first word that the Pope would say to him would be.

He was somewhat nervous.

Then, he heard three words.

“Come… come… come.”

The Pope beckoned him over as he said these words, indicating that he should come in.

Like a farmer calling his chicks, or a grandfather teasing his grandson.

Chen Changsheng stared blankly for a few moments, then he walked up the stone steps and stood before the Pope.

Having the Pope right in front of him really made Chen Changsheng feel incredibly nervous.

Even though he had met so many powerful figures after he had come to the capital, even with some that could be considered legends; he still found it hard to control his emotions.

After all, this tall, thin old man was the Pope.

On one side, the Pope continued to water the Green Leaf with his wooden ladle, while on the other side, he pointed at a chair and said, “Sit.”

His voice was very gentle, and his manner was very casual.

Chen Changsheng sat on the chair like he was sitting on pins and needles. His entire body was uncomfortable and yet, he did not dare to move.

“Relax.” The Pope looked at his appearance and smiled. “I know that there are many questions that you want answered. In order to save time, I will speak first. If there is anything you do not understand, or any question you want answered. If it is convenient for me to answer, then I will naturally give you one.”

Saying this piece, his hand left the ladle, then gave a smile. “It will take around two hundred breaths of time for me to speak and to answer your questions. I presume that you can hold on for that long?”

Chen Changsheng knew that the Pope was speaking about how his sitting posture was very uncomfortable, so he respectfully and cautiously nodded his head.

Without any preamble or any foreshadowing, the Pope began his narrative.

“Your teacher is called Daoist Ji. He has another identity and that is the previous principal of the Orthodox Academy. He is also my senior. There is no need to look at me like that. I am very sure that he only has these two identities, because the most likely third identity was ruled out by me and the Empress some time ago.”

“In other words, you are my martial nephew. Outside the Li Palace, they say that Tianhai Ya’er is my disciple, but this is not correct. I have no real disciple. In other words, you are our school’s only disciple. Then of course, I would look after you.”

“Between your master and me, there is enmity... a great enmity. I once killed him, but I did not think that he survived. Now that I have grown so old, I no longer feel like killing him again. Besides, even if he has committed an offense, it does not mean that you have also committed a crime. Nor does it mean that you must take responsibility for his sins.”

“As he agreed to let you enter the capital to end the engagement and took no measures to conceal his name, it means that he did not intend to conceal it from us. I even feel that he did so because he wanted me to take care of you. But you entering the Orthodox Academy was truly a coincidence. When you were taken to the Tong Palace, it was because I allowed Mo Yu to take you there.”

“How is it that I could cause her to move? That is because I am the Pope.”

“By staying in the Tong Palace for one night, the trials and hardships of the Ivy Festival could be avoided. Under the watch of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, you entering the three banners of the Grand Examination would not be too difficult. But I did not think that you would get to know Her Highness Luoluo, much less become her teacher. I did not think that you would be able to stimulate such great activity from the stagnant pool of water that was the Orthodox Academy. I did not think that you would be able to leave the Tong Palace and confront the trials brought by the Mount Li Sword Sect head on. In the Grand Examination, you unexpectedly managed to break into Ethereal Opening and then, you truly obtained the first place of the First Banner.”

Speaking up to there, the Pope suddenly paused, and then looked at him affectionately. “What I did not imagine the most but which should have been paramount in my mind, was that you are our school’s one and only disciple. How could you require my care? How could you require my plans? Not bad. This child really is not bad.”

The hall was quiet.

From the Pope’s first word, Chen Changsheng’s mouth had fallen open from shock and it had never closed.

The Orthodox Academy had always received considerable support from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. At the beginning, many people, Chen Changsheng included, had thought that this was a noiseless protest of the conservative faction of the Orthodoxy against the Pope and the Divine Empress, as well as a declaration. It was only after those multiple episodes of autumn rain in the tournament portion of the Grand Examination, as well as the Pope personally crowning Chen Changsheng as the champion, did the people finally realize that this had never been an internal matter in the Orthodoxy. It was a declaration from the Orthodoxy to the Divine Empress and the entire Imperial Court of Zhou.

From that one time, Chen Changsheng had many conjectures as to why the Pope valued him so highly. He was very certain that this care had something to do with his matter. However,no matter what he thought, he never could have imagined that the unremarkable middle-aged man in Xining Village’s old temple was actually the Pope’s senior. Nor could he have imagined that his master was the final principal of the Orthodox Academy that caused it to fall into ruin dozens of years ago.

“If there is something you want to ask, you may begin now.”