Chapter 21

Even if it is an endless abyss, it is impossible to never climb out. The reason Xu Shiji made such a cruel and resolute judgment about Chen Changsheng's fate was that he knew very well that above the abyss of the National Teaching Academy, there were two unbreakable shackles—Empress Saint and the Pope.

Even if the Pope is benevolent and kind, and after many years, the hatred has faded, and he recalls the bond of fellowship with the former National Teaching Academy Dean, and cannot bear to see the National Teaching Academy become history, he might be willing to turn a blind eye. But what about Empress Saint? The National Teaching Academy was the most important source of opposition to her from the old royal family. How could she allow the National Teaching Academy to regain its glory?

Everyone knows that the word "forgiveness" has never existed in Empress Saint's dictionary. The countless royal family members who fell in pools of blood and the formidable Zhou Tong, who could stop infants from crying at night, are clear evidence. The National Teaching Academy wants to be reborn? Unless Empress Saint abdicates or dies, but will Empress Saint abdicate? Can anyone kill her? No, so the abyss will always be an abyss.

Chen Changsheng returned to the inn, washed up as usual for a moment, then washed his clothes and socks, dried his wet hair with a white towel until it was almost dry, put on clean, fresh clothes, and sat in a bamboo chair under a tree in the courtyard with a pot of very light green tea, beginning to look at the stars.

As someone who values time the most, although the stars in the sky are beautiful and captivating, he only allowed himself a few glances. After gaining some spiritual strength from the unchanging positions of the stars, he took out the letter of recommendation signed by the Pope from his chest and began to think about the events of the day.

After standing in the corridor of the Church for half a day, he finally remembered this letter of recommendation. Then he truly understood what the Pope's signature meant. The reaction of Priest Xin, who was initially arrogant but later respectful, was too obvious, which brought him many conveniences, but inevitably also many questions.

Why did that Old Lady Ning give him this letter of recommendation? If she just wanted him to keep quiet, or even give up the marriage contract, he believed that these powerful figures with unimaginable strength would have countless methods. But this method was particularly hard to understand. This letter of recommendation... seemed to be making up for some debt.

What did she want to make up for? Silence about the marriage contract? Or was the National Teaching Academy really not a good place? He remembered clearly that Old Lady Ning had said this was the best choice for everyone, except for him. What was wrong with the National Teaching Academy?

He knew about the glorious history of the National Teaching Academy, but the major event that turned it into a ghost garden happened just over a decade ago, too close to the present. With Empress Saint on the throne, those events naturally could not be recorded in books or scrolls. He could only make some guesses based on Priest Xin's reaction—Priest Xin was initially arrogant but later respectful, but it was clear he still wanted to keep his distance. The Pope's letter of recommendation did not fully exert its effect, indicating that the problem with the National Teaching Academy could, to some extent, offset the Pope's authority.

After thinking for a while, he still couldn't figure it out. He decided not to waste more time guessing. Even if there were problems, he didn't really care. The things he wanted to obtain were not what those powerful figures were unwilling to give. He didn't want the marriage, he only wanted the qualification to directly participate in the Grand Examination, and at the same time, he needed to read many books.

The Six Colleges of Qingteng had many books, and his master had not lied to him.

He woke up at five in the morning, washed up, ate, and prepared according to the schedule he had followed for the past fourteen years. He spent more time packing his luggage, moved it to the carriage he had called the night before, and left the inn where he had lived for a few days, heading towards the National Teaching Academy near the palace in the north of the city.

He didn't return the room at the inn because he wasn't short of money and because he knew he would definitely come back—when he returned, he wouldn't stand on the terrace behind the inn, gazing at the distant Heavenly Book Pavilion in a daze, but would be able to walk into the Heavenly Book Pavilion and see those legendary stone tablets up close.

Deep in Hundred Flowers Lane, unlike the cold and quiet of the past decade, there were loud voices and hundreds of maids and workers busy with various tools. The torches still stuck in the grass indicated that these people had been working since last night without rest.

Chen Changsheng moved his luggage to the lakeside and found that Priest Xin indeed did not appear, further confirming his guess. Fortunately, Priest Xin had kept his promise from the previous day. The college, which had looked like a cemetery the day before, was now gradually returning to its original appearance as the weeds and vines were cleared away.

The half-ruined buildings, of course, could not be repaired in such a short time, but the hard work of hundreds of people day and night at least restored some of the buildings' appearance. Especially the small buildings in the forest, which had been cleaned quite thoroughly, would be ready for habitation once the musty smell dissipated.

The hundreds of people diligently cleaning the college were low-level staff from the National Teaching Temple's Tiande Hall, who usually handled the overall cleaning of colleges like the Heavenly Dao College. Although they did not know why they were cleaning the long-abandoned National Teaching Academy, they worked very proficiently and did not reduce their efficiency even after working through the night.

...

...

As the sunlight slowly moved, the cleaning of the small buildings was basically complete. Chen Changsheng, with his luggage on his back, walked into the building closest to the library, greeted by curious and respectful gazes from the workers. The musty smell still hit him, though it was much lighter than the day before, but it was still clearly noticeable. It seemed that even with sun and wind, it would take several more days to completely eliminate the smell.

He really disliked the smell of mustiness. After putting down his luggage, he did not linger and immediately turned and walked towards the library, which was separated by a wall.

As per his request the previous day, the library did not need to be cleaned—the key was in his hand, and no one else could enter to clean it. At this moment, the staff of the Tiande Hall were busy around the main building and annexes, and there was no one around the library, which was quiet and peaceful.

He walked up the stone steps, came to the door, took out the key he had received from the Church, and inserted it into the old copper lock. As the key was inserted, the old, slightly green rust slowly curled up like wood shavings and fell to the ground. Finally, there was a click, like a stone falling into a small hole filled with fine sand, giving a particularly comfortable feeling.

The key turned smoothly and silently. Chen Changsheng clearly felt that some springs inside the copper lock were triggered and returned to their positions. At the same time, the aura he had sensed before slowly retreated to the deepest part of the lock. The whole process was quite magical.

He pushed the door open and was immediately greeted by rows of bookshelves. The bookshelves extended deep into the shadows of the library, their ends unseen, giving a strong visual impact. The shelves were densely packed with books, and he felt a great joy at the sight. He was even more delighted to find that the dust was not as much as he had seen the day before.

The National Teaching Academy had been abandoned for many years, and the tables and chairs in other buildings had been stolen and sold. The bed boards in the dormitory buildings were all gone. Priest Xin had started to have the Church repair and supplement them the night before. Only this library, because it was locked, had been preserved quite well.

Chen Changsheng took cleaning tools and did a simple sweep of the nearby area. He found that the floor was polished to a shine, made of expensive oil-rosewood. He shook his head repeatedly, thinking that when the college was at its peak, it must have been extremely magnificent. Who would have thought it would be covered in dust for so many years?

What should he do next?

He should start practicing.

...

...

Chen Changsheng found the catalog in a drawer in the library's side room and then walked into the long rows of bookshelves. It didn't take long for him to find the first book he was looking for.

The book was called "The Theory of Bone Washing."

The title was simple, and it was clear that it dealt with knowledge related to bone washing. Because it was simple, it was also very common.

To combat the terrifying and highly talented demons, the human world prohibited keeping basic methods, such as the Bone Washing stage, secret—of course, major sects naturally had their own more powerful methods. Basic cultivation methods, like the stone tablets of the Heavenly Book Pavilion, were freely available to everyone.

This "Theory of Bone Washing" was a cultivation method that could be bought in any city or town.

But Chen Changsheng had never read it. In the past fourteen years, his master always told him there was no need to learn it, and he could start when the time was right. He had asked when the right time would be, but his master never answered. It wasn't until before he left Xining that he said he was going down the mountain to the capital, to see the Heavenly Book Pavilion and the Lingyan Pavilion...

That day, his master finally said to him: "So, you can start practicing now."

He picked up the "Theory of Bone Washing," walked back to the door, sat on the cleaned floor, and, with the light from outside, opened the first page.

Logically, at this moment, he should have shown some excitement or nervousness.

But he didn't.

Throughout the process, his expression did not change at all, very calm, as if he were doing something he had done many times before.

If someone had seen this scene, they would never have guessed that this was the first time he was reading a cultivation book.

At the Eastern Divine General's Mansion and the Heavenly Dao College, he had said: "I am not incapable of practicing; I just haven't started yet."

He had had countless opportunities to start practicing, but the time was not right.

He had waited for a long time, and when the day finally came, perhaps because he had waited for so long, he no longer had the energy to be excited, only calm.

He opened the first page of the book.

On that page, eight characters were written.

"Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will become clear."

(End of the page)