Before dawn, it was the darkest. When people said this phrase, they often wanted to express that as long as they could get through this darkest period, they would be able to welcome the clear and beautiful light of dawn. This was the principle of hope always existing. However, when dawn truly arrived, what did it have to do with that darkest period?
Time was life. Once it was gone, it could not be turned back. There had never been a connection between the light of others and one's own darkness.
"I've always thought that I was the sun." The Tianhai Divine Empress gazed at the extremely faint light in the east, at the rising sun that still could not leap over the horizon. "I want to illuminate the world. All who oppose me will inevitably be burned to death by the sunlight, unable to hide."
Her words, or rather her thoughts, were as powerful and domineering as always, yet, she wasn't standing on the Dew Platform or the edge of the divine path, looking down at her own world from above. She was currently lying in Chen Chang Sheng's embrace, just like a normal woman, slightly light and powerless.
Chen Changsheng felt it the clearest. Upon hearing these words, he inexplicably felt sad. "How can it be possible to kill everyone?"
Yesterday in the Imperial Palace, Xu Yourong had once expressed a similar opinion. At the time, the Divine Empress's answer had been very simple and unyielding, but now, she did not give this answer.
This was because many things that had happened during this long night had proven her theory wrong.
She was quiet for a while, then said, "Yes, it's impossible to kill everyone."
These words were very light and without much taste, but when Chen Changsheng heard them, he felt very sorrowful and extremely sour.
He wanted to say something to comfort her on the verge of death, but he didn't know what to say. Suddenly, he heard a sound from the forest by the Divine Path.
He held the Tianhai Divine Empress and looked over, his right hand once more gripping the hilt of his sword, his expression very vigilant. The forest at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books was extremely dense, covered in thorny shrubs. There had never been a path, and after being drenched by the torrential rain, it had become even more muddy and difficult to traverse. Coupled with the fact that there had always been a seal, who could have come here?
The shrubs were flattened, mud flew, and Yu Ren crawled out.
In the middle of the night, he had been arduously climbing through the Mausoleum of Books. His hands and body were covered in wounds, blood mixed with mud, and he looked extremely dismal.
Upon arriving at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books, the first thing Yu Ren saw was Chen Changsheng holding a beautiful woman. He didn't know why, but he felt that the woman was very dangerous. He opened his mouth and his face was full of anxiety. He shouted and rushed over, wanting to pull Chen Chang Sheng away and protect him behind him.
However, when he limped in front of Chen Chang Sheng, he stopped.
Because he felt that the beautiful woman was somewhat familiar. She was also pale and covered in blood like him. She looked very pitiful.
Yu Ren's medical skills were brilliant and his heart was benevolent. In his two years in Xining Village and traveling the world, he would often treat those poor people who did not have the money to treat their illnesses. After confirming that his junior brother was fine, he subconsciously wanted to treat the woman, but in the next moment, he realized that there was no hope for this woman.
What was going on? What exactly happened?
When Yu Ren crawled out of the shrubbery, his body covered in blood, Chen Changsheng was very shocked, because he had not expected that his senior brother had always been in the Mausoleum of Books. Then he was very moved, because he knew that his senior brother had assuredly heard his voice and came to save him. Then he felt very guilty. For some reason, he just felt very guilty.
The Tianhai Divine Empress gazed at the crippled and blind young Daoist, slightly raising her brows, perhaps out of joy, shock, or some other emotion.
"This … is your senior brother."
"Yes." Chen Changsheng turned to Yu Ren and said, "Senior, this is your mother."
Yu Ren froze, looking at the beautiful woman in Chen Changsheng's arms. He opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say. Perhaps it was because he had never been able to say anything.
The Tianhai Divine Empress looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Then, just who are you?"
"I don't know." Chen Changsheng was a little perplexed. "I originally believed myself to be Sir's son, but it turns out that I am not."
The Tianhai Divine Empress asked, "Is it very shameful to be my son?"
Chen Changsheng thought this over, then replied, "If I can be Sir's son, it should be a very proud matter, right?"
"One is dull, one is foolish, truly …"
The Tianhai Divine Empress glanced at Chen Changsheng, then at Yu Ren.
Finally, she glanced at the night sky, which was still radiating with endless radiance, and said, "But We still have two sons."
When she said these words, her mood was very calm and indifferent, but it was also intensely mocking. In short, it was extremely complicated.
After saying that, she didn't say anything else.
After looking at Chen Changsheng, Yu Ren, and the starry sky, she looked at nothing else, like this world.
She closed her eyes.
… …
… …
Chen Changsheng sensed that the woman in his arms was no longer breathing, sensed that her soul had left. His face became abnormally pale, as if he had also lost his soul.
After some time, he finally struggled to turn his head and look at Yu Ren. "She … is the Divine Empress … Senior, your … birth mother."
In his entire life, he had never spoken with such difficulty, his words coming off and on.
As soon as he finished speaking, he began to cry.
He hugged the Tianhai Divine Empress's body and wept, "Senior, I'm sorry. I also don't know what's going on."
Yu Ren also began to cry. He incessantly made gestures with his hands, also expressing his apologies.
Chen Changsheng incessantly cried, incessantly saying sorry.
Yu Ren incessantly cried, gesturing that he was sorry.
Chen Changsheng didn't know why he was saying sorry to his senior brother.
Yu Ren also didn't know why he was saying sorry to his junior brother.
If carefully analyzed, this sorrowful apology was naturally reasonable, but at this moment, it was impossible to clearly explain.
Perhaps it was because this world had let them down, but they had nowhere to find the reason.
… …
… …
The rain had stopped long ago.
Whether it was the torrential rain or the drizzle that fell from the heavens and earth in response, they had all stopped.
The sun had still not completely risen over the horizon, but the sea of clouds was already beginning to glow.
The eastern sky was about to break.
The Pope did not suppress his injuries and returned to the Li Palace.
Wuqiong Bi carried her husband, heavily injured and on the verge of death, out of the capital.
From Luoyang, Shang Xingzhou arrived at the Mausoleum of Books.
Many ministers of the Great Zhou Imperial Court, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard and the City Guard, and the forces of the Orthodoxy had already arrived at the Mausoleum of Books.
The lotus sea had already vanished, and the sea of people surrounded the Mausoleum of Books like a tide.
Tianhai Chenwu had brought his loyal subordinates and also arrived at the base of the Divine Path. His expression was very indifferent, devoid of sorrow.
Xu Shiji, who had not appeared for an entire night, also came. His face was expressionless, his thoughts inscrutable.
So-called familial love was all fake. So-called loyalty was sometimes also fake.
The sky passed day by day, and the earth also passed by day. Just how many dynasties could the people or affairs of the world endure?
Shang Xingzhou walked up to the peak of the Mausoleum of Books.
Han Qing made way.
Shang Xingzhou stepped onto the Divine Path, his Daoist robe drifting in the wind, as if he was not a person of the mortal world.
Chen Changsheng gazed at his master gradually walking up the Divine Path and sensed his will.
He carried the Tianhai Divine Empress's body on his back and walked down the Mausoleum of Books.
During this entire process, Yu Ren's gaze had always rested on him and the Tianhai Divine Empress's body.
There was only one path to the Mausoleum of Books.
Shang Xingzhou walked down the Divine Path.
Chen Changsheng carried the Tianhai Divine Empress's body down the mountain.
Master and disciple met in the middle of the Divine Path.
Shang Xingzhou did not glance at him.
He also did not glance at Shang Xingzhou.
Master and disciple brushed past each other, acting like strangers.
After some time, Chen Changsheng vanished into the forest beneath the Mausoleum of Books.
Shang Xingzhou arrived at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books. He lovingly and majestically rubbed Yu Ren's head, and then he took Yu Ren's uninjured hand.
He brought Yu Ren to the edge of the Divine Path.
At the highest place in the world, he raised Yu Ren's hand.
The princes of the Chen clan, the representatives of the various sects and clans, countless officials of the Great Zhou, priests of the Li Palace, and soldiers all kneeled on the ground. Like a tide, they all cried 'long live'.
The morning sun rose, illuminating the peak of the Mausoleum of Books.
The morning light fell on the monolith.
This was the tallest monolith of the Mausoleum of Books.
There were no words, no lines, no designs on it.
As it turned out, there was nothing at all.
… …
… …
(Volume Four: Dawn Ends in the Eastern Sky)
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