Chapter 584 – There Is Also a Black Stone Here (2/2)

Those gazes were brimming with reverence, yearning, and of course, curiosity.

Especially those cultivators that were not from the capital.

The present world was exceptionally clear on everything concerning Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng.

This summer, he and she were not yet seventeen. They were the youngest upper level Ethereal Opening cultivators in history.

Most importantly, she was the Holy Maiden of the south while he was the next Pope.

At their age, they already possessed such a level of cultivation and such status. This was a sight scarcely seen in recorded history.

There was once an engagement between them. If not for a few surprises occurring, they would have become husband and wife.

If this point was added, this story seemed even more like a legend.

When the gazes of the crowd fell upon Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, the voice of the steward from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets seemed to fade into the distance, replaced with countless whispers.

This young man and woman were far too famous.

Their story was also far too famous.

The young Daoist entered the capital and was ignored by the Divine General's estate. The marriage contract appeared in the Ivy Festival, and then with the changes of the world, the youth became the successor to the Pope. The Divine General's estate desired the continuation of the predestined relationship, yet they only suffered a slap to the face and a forceful annulment. Yet after that battle amidst the wind and snow on the Bridge of Helplessness, the young man and young woman met for the first time, and the situation seemed to change once more…Chen Changsheng seemed to change his mind, wanting to marry this beautiful woman, yet he was met with Xu Yourong's cold refusal. Thus came that scene known by many people, the youth standing in the snow before that palace in the late night.

So many twists and turns, one climax after another—if these were not things that had really happened, everyone would think it a play. Moreover, this would be one of the most conventional and cliché plays, but so cliché that it was brilliant and well-received by the masses. Today, many people finally saw the starring male and female of this play. How could they not be curious or excited?

……

……

Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong did nothing, only sat, but this was enough to capture ninety percent of the crowd's attention and the entire sight of the summit. But still, in the end, this was the Boiling Stone Summit, and no matter how long the crowd wished to stare at them, they were forced to momentarily pull their gazes away to fall upon that black table at the very end of the straight path.

On the table was an extremely ancient plate, painted in red. On the plate was a black stone about the size of a fruit pit.

Black table, red plate, black stone.

The alternating black and red made them exceptionally distinct and abnormally dazzling.

Chen Changsheng's gaze fell upon the black stone and found it hard to pull away. His expression did not change, but his mind began to churn.

This was not one of those stones that he had seen in the sky a few days ago, nor was it one of those stones that could be spotted in the lake, amongst the cliffs and scattered about everywhere.

Mount Han was covered all over in Heavenstones; this was a matter he and Xu Yourong had confirmed. Yet this stone was clearly somewhat different.

This stone was much smaller than the Heavenstones. Its treatment was also very different, having been placed carefully on the red plate.

Crucially, he could faintly sense a familiar ripple of Qi from the small black stone.

He gazed at the nearby canopy of curtains.

Xu Yourong was sitting behind those curtains.

……