Chapter 43: Astrology Overseer Xuan Tian

“Where is the Eastern Tribulation Continent?”

“A very distant place.”

“Does the Mountain of Heart and Mind really exist? And are there truly immortals living there?”

“That’s hard to say.”

“I want to learn the seventy-two transformations too. So amazing.”

“Isn’t the Golden Cudgel really heavy? Can Sun Wukong actually lift it?”

“Are we going to keep listening or not?”

Chen Changsheng’s words silenced the little chatterbox instantly. The questions stopped, and the small mouth snapped shut.

Chen Changsheng continued with his story.

The little girl listened with rapt attention. When it came to the part where the Great Sage Equalling Heaven battled the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and celestial generals, she waved her little hands excitedly, muttering over and over, “So amazing.”

Yet, the moment she heard that the Great Sage was crushed under the Five-Finger Mountain, her expression instantly fell.

“Impossible!”

The little girl exclaimed loudly, “My Great Sage Equalling Heaven couldn’t lose to a mere monk! I don’t believe it!”

“That was no ordinary mo…”

Chen Changsheng lifted his hand to explain, but he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from outside.

“Who’s in the library pavilion!”

A sharp cry came from beyond the door, likely drawn by the girl’s earlier shout.

“Oh no!”

Panic flashed across the little girl’s face. Pushing Chen Changsheng urgently, she whispered, “You, you, you… you need to leave now!”

“What about you?” Chen Changsheng asked.

“I’ll handle them. Don’t worry, they wouldn’t dare touch me.”

The little girl insisted, “Run! If they catch you, you’re finished.”

With that, she marched forward alone to confront the palace guards entering the Library Pavilion.

As she walked, she glanced back, urging him once more.

“Hurry!”

She then resolutely headed towards the entrance.

Chen Changsheng simply smiled warmly, shaking his head. He then cast a spell upon himself.

By the time the girl looked back again, he had vanished.

She breathed a sigh of relief before turning towards the door and shouting loudly,

“I’m over here!”

“This way!”

A group of guards quickly surrounded the little girl.

The moment they recognized who stood before them, they froze in stunned disbelief.

“Your Highness?”

The little girl sighed inwardly. She’d walked right into a trap.

She should have left earlier, during the guards’ shift change. She could have slipped back to her quarters unseen. But today, she’d been so engrossed in the story that she’d forgotten all about it.

The guards couldn’t harm her, but she braced herself for a scolding, and likely a punishment, come the morning.

…

Chen Changsheng stood at the entrance of the Library Pavilion, watching the girl get led away by the guards.

“So bold,”

he chuckled softly, finding the little chatterbox quite amusing.

Brave, innocent, and undeniably interesting.

While the girl was just escorted away, the Old Eunuch guarding the Library Pavilion faced a harsher fate. He was dragged off by guards, likely for a beating. Soon after, a new eunuch arrived.

Chen Changsheng used his spell once more. With a wave of his sleeve, the new eunuch slumped onto the table, falling into a deep sleep.

Chen Changsheng lit the oil lamp and headed straight for the second floor.

The books on the second floor were different.

Many dealt with martial techniques. In fact, the shelves here were even more crowded than those below.

This world clearly held martial arts in high esteem, enough to fill an entire floor dedicated to them.

Chen Changsheng walked over and randomly pulled out a book to browse.

Books on the second floor were like encyclopedias of martial arts, covering a vast array of styles across the Jianghu.

Kicks, fists, finger techniques, general principles… along with spears, swords, sabers…

Everything imaginable was present.

Chen Changsheng skimmed the shelves until he reached the one dedicated to sword arts.

“I really should learn some sword arts,” Chen Changsheng thought silently. “Otherwise, wouldn’t this sword go to waste?”

His eyes flashed with golden light for a brief moment. With each glance at a book, he instantly committed its contents to memory.

Even at this incredible speed, it still took him over an hour to finish the entire shelf.

Closing the last sword manual, he let out a long breath, reviewing the collection he’d just absorbed.

“These sword arts are quite intricate, but compared to the Sword Immortal’s techniques, they seem far inferior,” he reflected.

He considered perhaps taking the essence from each and creating his own sword art, one that would meet his standards.

But that would undoubtedly take a great deal of time.

It wasn’t something to focus on now. After his ‘death’, he’d have ample time for such contemplations.

Next, he glanced through some texts concerning Qi and Blood, but found them rather unimpressive.

“Let’s see the third floor.”

Chen Changsheng had imagined the third floor held truly important volumes.

Upon arrival, however, he was taken aback.

Only a few books resided there, mostly writings by royal ancestors – things like the writings of a late Empress on female virtues, and the incomplete “Heavenly Accord Canon” currently being compiled by the present Emperor, and so forth.

Chen Changsheng skimmed them quickly, finding little interest, and then headed back downstairs.

Stepping out of the Library Pavilion, he saw the first pale streaks of dawn coloring the distant horizon.

He hadn’t realized dawn was approaching so fast.

His initial plan was to leave the palace to find the Old Sword Cultivator. But thinking again, he figured that old rogue was probably nestled in some gentlewoman’s embrace at this hour.

Instead, he turned and walked towards the Directorate of Celestial Observation.

…

Inside the Directorate stood a large alchemy furnace.

The man in Taoist robes, Xuan Tian, continuously added ingredients inside – things like cinnabar. As he dropped them in, thin black smoke wafted out, accompanied by a sharp, unpleasant odor.

He fanned the flames, urging them higher, his gaze fixed intently on the furnace as if fearing a mishap.

A long while later, the furnace opened, and its contents slowly cooled.

Xuan Tian scooped the residue and formed it into a small sphere. He nodded, pleased with the result.

He turned, preparing to rest.

Suddenly, he realized someone was seated on the chair before him, observing him with keen interest.

Xuan Tian rubbed his eyes. In the next instant, his legs gave way beneath him, and he crashed down onto his knees.

“Mr… Mr. Chen!”

Chen Changsheng looked at Xuan Tian kneeling on the ground. “I saw you working hard for a long time. Were you merely exhausted, knees too weak to stand?”

Xuan Tian froze momentarily, unsure whether to stay kneeling or rise.

Chen Changsheng continued, “So, were you genuinely too tired? Or is it the weight of guilt weighing you down?”

Xuan Tian’s mind reeled. He swiftly lowered his head. “I wouldn’t dare!!”

Watching the trembling Xuan Tian before him, Chen Changsheng shook his head disappointedly.

“While your Master was still alive in the early years, he cautioned you three disciples. He warned you that wherever you went, you must hold kindness in your heart and avoid harming others. Yet here you are! You know this elixir is poisonous, yet you dare to peddle it as a miraculous pill to deceive people.”

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“Mr. Chen! Mr. Chen!” Xuan Tian rushed to explain. “It wasn’t my intention! The Emperor demanded it! If I didn’t practice alchemy, didn’t give him this… he would have had me killed! I had no choice! I had to…”

Chen Changsheng fixed him with a penetrating gaze. “Did the Emperor truly force you?”

Xuan Tian met Chen Changsheng’s eyes. That gaze seemed to pierce straight through him, laying his innermost thoughts bare. His body trembled violently, and cold sweat drenched his robe.

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