Chapter 638 – At the Time, I Was Already Confused (1/2)
Chapter 638 – At the Time, I Was Already Confused
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
(TN: A reference to a poem called 'The Brocade Zither' by Tang Dynasty poet Li Shangyin. This line comes from the end, which translates as, 'Why wait to recollect these emotions? Just that at the time, I was already confused.')
The Daoist that had appeared from midair in the rainy night was precisely the previous Principal of the Orthodox Academy, Shang Xingzhou, and also the extremely enigmatic Daoist Ji of Taizong's era.
He was the leader of this undertaking in the capital, the principal schemer.
After he appeared, the only thing that he could be heard between the heavens and earth was his conversation with the Tianhai Divine Empress.
Whether it was Zhu Luo and Guan Xingke or those fifteen princes that had already entered the capital, they all maintained their silence. This represented their respect, or perhaps their awe.
But the heavens and earth were vast, the world enormous, so there would always be one or two voices, there would always be some other voices appearing.
”What need is there for this?”
A voice emerged from a canal to the southeast of the capital.
The large ship sailing along the canal slowly came to a stop.
The expression of the old Daoist nun at the bow of the ship suddenly shifted. Like lightning, her arm stretched out, yet all she snatched was air.
The different shade of red that had been rippling in the gloomy waters of the canal from the start was now gradually fading.
Just then, a streak of light suddenly appeared in the night sky outside the Mausoleum of Books, clearly revealing the drops of rain descending from the sky, and also shining upon a figure.
This light was not a thunderbolt striking down from the dark clouds, but the Qi emitted by the meeting of this figure with the restriction over the Mausoleum of Books.
This figure slowly drifted down from the rainy sky, landing in the river outside the Mausoleum of Books.
It was a middle-aged scribe, his gown already soaked through with rain, yet his appearance did not seem the slightest bit dispirited. His calm eyes exuded an enchanting air of grace.
A bright red flower was tied to the pinkie finger of his right hand and was currently lightly bobbing in the rain.
Bie Yanghong.
This expert of the Divine Domain was also unable to break through the restriction of the Mausoleum of Books and was sealed outside.
But since he had already spoken, he would continue to speak.
There was a sharp crack.
Bie Yanghong's body instantly became illusory as a clear path appeared through the heavy curtains of rain. On the river outside the Mausoleum of Books appeared an extremely straight line of white-capped waves.
In a breath, he had intruded into the Mausoleum of Books and reached the very top of the Divine Path, in front of that stone plain.
But he could not proceed any further forward, because the Tianhai Divine Empress glanced at him.
A lightning bolt descended from the sky and fell on Bie Yanghong's body.
A dazzling ray of blazing white light instantly converted all the water in the canal into steam, while several extremely thick scorch marks appeared on the firm black stone.
Bie Yanghong gazed up at the end of the Divine Path, at the summit of the Mausoleum of Books, his expression grave.
Just a moment ago, he had sensed the Qi of the world faintly change and so had halted his steps. Otherwise, he really might have been struck by the lightning bolt and been heavily injured.
The Tianhai Divine Empress had only glanced at him.
The level of strength she had revealed was far too frightening, already giving off the faint sense that she could mobilize the laws of the world!
Everyone knew that the Tianhai Divine Empress's cultivation was unfathomable, but only now did they realize that all their speculations had still underestimated her!
On the official road to the northwest, Guan Xingke raised his head and pushed up his bamboo hat, revealing a plain and unremarkable face and two eyes tinged with fear.
In the wheelchair, Zhu Luo calmly looked in that direction, his left hand lightly rapping against the sheath of his sword. At present, it was his only hand.
”The capital is Our stage. You should not have chosen this place.”
The Tianhai Divine Empress calmly declared to the world.
Bie Yanghong had halted his steps, but he still continued to speak. ”No matter where, we still had to come.”
”We hoped that you would not come.” The Tianhai Divine Empress turned to him and calmly said, ”We do not wish you to die.”
Bie Yanghong replied, ”Since I study the holy books, I must always seek peace of mind.”
The Tianhai Divine Empress praised, ”Truly worthy of Bie Yanghong. Our heart is consoled. Amongst these people, We have always felt you to be rather decent, a different color, a different bearing.”
The rain suddenly grew disorderly, transforming into countless ripples. The white-capped waves in the river outside the Mausoleum of Books suddenly grew much more chaotic, the Qi a little out of sorts.
The Daoist nun had also arrived at the Mausoleum of Books. She stood by Bie Yanghong's side, her gaze warily looking upwards.
”The most bewildering thing you have done in your entire life is to marry this thing.”
The Tianhai Divine Empress mockingly said to Bie Yanghong.
The Daoist nun was his wife, Wuqiong Bi, similarly of the Storms of the Eight Directions.
Wuqiong Bi was furious at this comment, feeling that both the sound of the rain and the sound of that woman's voice were equally vexing, yet she dared not express it.
At this time, Bie Yanghong also could not say much. After a momentary pause, he said, ”Empress, since he is bound to die, why does Empress not give him a single joy?”
He did not say all he wanted to say.
The part he did not say was: And then, we can battle to our hearts' delight.
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Very rarely, joy could be understood as pain and delight. (TN: The Chinese term for joy/delight/happiness used here is 痛快, which can be divided into 痛, 'pain', and 快, 'joy', or in this case, 快哉, which can be translated as 'delight'.)