Chapter 501 – The Past, Soaked and Rotted by the Passage of Time (1/2)

Chapter 501 - The Past, Soaked and Rotted by the Passage of Time

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

He realized that compared to yesterday, today's wind seemed to carry different scents. It was moister and also carried the smells of mud and fish, and that wasn't a bad thing. How can the canals be so clear? Because water comes flowing from the source. The canals around the Divine Path of the Mausoleum of Books were so spotlessly clear due to this principle. With the reopening of the Garden of Zhou, it should have begun to develop in a positive direction.

(TN: ”How can the canals be so clear? Because water comes flowing from the source” is a line from a poem/song called 观书有感二首, which roughly translates to ”Two Songs on Feelings from Reading Books”, authored Zhu Xi, a famous scholar of the Song Dynasty.)

The group of monsters had gotten somewhat closer to the mausoleum. They still seemed like a dense mass, but from a distance, he could still perceive that there had been some sort of change.

Reaching the plain and gazing at the tens of thousands of monsters kneeling before him, Chen Changsheng was rather astonished. Yesterday, he had only brought a few medicines with him, so he had not imagined that the Mountain-toppling Fiend and the Monster Bull's injuries would recover so much. As for the other monsters, they also seemed much more vigorous.

Today, the Earth Monkey did not hide itself in the horn of the Mountain-toppling Fiend. Instead, it was hiding in the middle of the crowd of monsters, watching him from the distance. Its eyes seemed to roll around in their sockets. He didn't know what it was thinking, but it seemed to hold no murderous intent.

Chen Changsheng took some medicinal herbs and placed them on the ground before him.

Seeing this sight, the Monster Bull slowly nodded its head in gratitude, then raised its tail straight up like a flagpole.

The Mountain-toppling Fiend stood up and let out a harsh howl towards the vast plains. The group of monsters began to surge like the tide and then organize itself into groups, seeming very orderly and obedient. Even those monsters that were old enemies with each other and would usually fight each other to the death when meeting dared not move, even when they were squeezed right next to each other.

Chen Changsheng found this all rather unexpected. He blankly stared for a while before continuing his actions. It didn't take much time for a small mountain of medicinal herbs to be piled in front of him.

Staring at the small mountain of herbs, even though the Monster Bull and Mountain-toppling Fiend had once accompanied Zhou Dufu and seen much of the world, their eyes couldn't help but become a little lifeless. The Earth Monkey found it even more unbearable. It roughly pushed itself away from the dragon serpent and its forelegs incessantly pushed against the ground. Like a bolt of lightning, it plunged to the very front of the group of monsters, then fell at Chen Changsheng's feet with a plop.

It fell with exquisite care. Its forelegs were raised up high while its crippled lower half gently slapped against the ground. It raised up a small cloud of dust and seemed particularly respectful and lovable.

Last time, it had also kissed the ground at Chen Changsheng's feat, but that had been an act, a far cry from its current heartfelt sincerity.

This was because it had confirmed that Chen Changsheng really was willing to help these monsters. Even more importantly, he actually possessed the ability to help these monsters.

”All of you…split it up amongst yourselves, still according to yesterday's rules.”

Chen Changsheng didn't know how to communicate with these monsters. After thinking it over, he said these words then headed towards the outskirts of the plain.

Behind him, the group of monsters that was like a tide bowed their heads to send him off.

He had already made a careful search of the Garden of Zhou yesterday. He did not repeat this today, instead going straight to the lake and mountains on the other side of the cold pool.

In the depths of the lake, he found the Night Pearl Luoluo had gifted him as well as the three thousand scriptures of the Daoist Canon that he had brought from Xining Village to the capital. Finally, he took out from the mud the box of silver ingots and treasure. As for the food he had brought for the Black Dragon to snack on, it had long since been completely eaten by the fish or other beings of the lake.

He brought these things to the shore and then took a glance at the sky. He began to place those books soaked by the lake water on the rocks to dry. He knew that this was a very bothersome task, requiring a great deal of time and patience, so he was in no rush. It was very difficult to open these soaked books, putting aside the sheer number of books. He continuously made his way along the shore, his movements seeming just like he was performing some grand ceremony.

A stretch of the rocky shore about a li long was covered in books. Under the sun, the water in the books began to gradually evaporate.

Chen Changsheng took this moment of rest to take out the treasure and silver from the box and wipe them clean with a handkerchief.

Suddenly, he saw a small object.

It was a bamboo dragonfly. It was already very old, and now because it had spent so long in the water, it had lost color. There were even a few places that were on the verge of rotting away.

Many years ago, when he still lived in Xining Village, he exchanged letters with a certain person. This bamboo dragonfly served as evidence of that, and it was also a part of his childhood memories.

Chen Changsheng gazed in silence at the bamboo dragonfly. Those books had not rotted away, but it was unable to endure. As expected, compared to materials, the span of time was even more important.

Nothing was able to endure the test of time.

That engagement had been ended. He and she from here on would have no more connection.

Upon realizing this, his mind became more relaxed, as if he had been relieved of a great burden.

But for some reason, he also felt like he had lost something, like there was an empty space in his heart.