Ze Tian Ji

Edited by: Michyrr

It was darkest before dawn. When these words were usually spoken, the meaning often desired was that as long as one was able to endure this darkest hour, one would be able to welcome a bright and beautiful morning, the principle being that hope was forever. However, when dawn truly came, just what did it have to do with that darkest hour?

Time was life and once it went, there was no turning back. There had never been any connection between another person’s light and one’s own darkness.

"I always believed that I was the sun." The Tianhai Divine Empress gazed towards that extremely faint light in the east, the morning sun that was still unable to ascend over the horizon. "I wanted to gloriously shine over the world. All who opposed me would inevitably be scorched to death under the rays of the sun, unable to hide."

Her words and thoughts were still as formidably tyrannical as in the past, but now, she was not standing on the Dew Platform or the edge of the Divine Path, looking over her world. Right now, she was lying in Chen Changsheng’s chest, just like an ordinary woman, somewhat gentle and without much strength.

Chen Changsheng felt it the clearest. Upon hearing these words, he felt an indescribable sadness. He asked, "How is it possible to kill everyone?"

Yesterday in the Imperial Palace, Xu Yourong had given a similar stance. At the time, the Divine Empress’s response had been very simple, very firm. Now, however, she did not give a similar reply.

Because all that had occurred on this endless night was proof that her answer back then had been wrong.

After a moment of silence, she replied, "Yes, it is impossible to kill everyone."

These words were said very lightly without any sort of taste, yet when Chen Changsheng heard them, he was overcome with anguish, an unbearable sourness.

He wanted to say something to comfort her on the verge of death, yet he didn’t know what to say. Suddenly, a burst of noise could be heard from the forest bordering the Divine Path.

Holding the Tianhai Divine Empress, he looked over, his right hand once more gripping his sword, and his expression wary. The forests at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books were extremely dense and covered in thorny shrubs. There had never been a path and with the drenching of the downpour, it was all nigh intractable mud. Coupled with the restrictions on the mausoleum, just who could come here?

With the crushing of shrubs and splashing of mud, Yu Ren climbed out of the forest.

Throughout the latter half of the night, he had been arduously climbing up the Mausoleum of Books. His hand and body were covered in wounds, blood mixed with water and mud, all making for a wretched sight.

Upon arriving at the peak of the Mausoleum of Books, the first thing Yu Ren saw was a beautiful woman in Chen Changsheng’s embrace. For some reason, he found this woman very dangerous. His mouth agape and his face brimming with apprehension, he grunted loudly as he rushed over, wanting to pull Chen Changsheng away and behind him.

Yet when he limped over to Chen Changsheng, he stopped.

He felt this beautiful woman to be somewhat familiar. Moreover, her face was pale and, just like him, she was also covered in blood, a very pathetic sight.

Yu Ren’s medical skills were brilliant and his heart kind. In Xining Village and in those two years spent traveling the world, he would often treat those too poor to afford medical treatment. After confirming that there was nothing wrong with his junior brother, he subconsciously wanted to treat the woman. Immediately afterwards, he realized that the woman was already beyond saving.

Just what was going on? Just what had happened?

When Yu Ren clambered out of the shrubs, his body covered in blood, Chen Changsheng was very shocked. He had not imagined that his senior brother had been in the Mausoleum of Books the entire time. Then, he became deeply moved, because he knew that his senior brother had undoubtedly heard his voice and had come to his rescue. Afterwards, he felt very guilty. For no reason at all, he just felt very guilty.

The Tianhai Divine Empress gazed at the lame and half-blind young Daoist, slightly raising her brow, perhaps out of happiness, alarm, 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, staring at the beautiful woman lying in Chen Changsheng’s embrace with his mouth agape. He didn’t know what to say, or perhaps it was because he had never been able to speak in the first place.

The Tianhai Divine Empress looked at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Then, just who are you?"

"I don’t know." With a hint of frustration, Chen Changsheng continued, "I originally thought that I was my lady’s son, but that turned out to not be the case."

The Tianhai Divine Empress asked, "Is being my son very shameful?"

Chen Changsheng pondered this, then answered, "If I could be my lady’s son, then it should be something to be very proud of, I think?"

"One slow-witted, one a fool, truly..."

The Tianhai Divine Empress glanced at Chen Changsheng and then at Yu Ren.

Finally, she glanced at the endless brilliance that spread across the night sky. "But in the end, We have two sons."

When she spoke, her mood was very tranquil and calm, and also rich with derision. In brief, it was extremely complex.

After saying this, she spoke no more.

After looking at Chen Changsheng, Yu Ren, and the starry sky, she looked at nothing else, not even this world.

She closed her eyes.

......

......

Chen Changsheng sensed that she was no longer breathing, sensed that her soul had departed. His face became abnormally pale as if he, too, had lost his soul.

After some time had passed, he turned his head with great difficulty to look at Yu Ren. "She...is the Divine Empress...Senior...your mother."

Stammering and stuttering, he had never found it so hard to speak in his entire life.

Right after he finished, he began to cry.

He embraced the corpse of the Tianhai Divine Empress and wept. "Senior, I’m sorry, I also don’t know what’s going on."

Yu Ren also began to cry, constantly gesturing back to indicate his apology.

Chen Changsheng incessantly cried, constantly repeating the word ’sorry’.

Yu Ren incessantly cried, gesturing ’sorry’.

Chen Changsheng did not know why he was saying ’sorry’ to his senior brother.

Yu Ren also did not know why he was saying ’sorry’ to his junior brother.

If carefully analyzed, there was naturally a reason for such sorrowful apologies. It was just that at this time, the reason could not clearly be understood.

Perhaps it was because this world had let them down and there was no place where they could find this reason.

......

......

The rain had long since stopped.

Whether it was the torrential downpour or the drizzle sent down as a response from the world, it had all stopped.

The sun had not completely risen over the horizon, but the sea of clouds had already begun to shine.

Soon, dawn would break in the east.

The Pope, without suppressing his injuries, returned to the Li Palace.

Wuqiong Bi, carrying her husband who was teetering on the abyss of death, left the capital.

Shang Xingzhou came from Luoyang to the Mausoleum of Books.

Many ministers of the Great Zhou Imperial Court, the troops of the Imperial Guard and the City Gate Department, and the factions of the Orthodoxy all came to the Mausoleum of Books.

The lotus sea had already dissipated, but now a sea of people came like a tide to encircle the Mausoleum of Books.

Tianhai Chenwu brought those subordinates loyal to him and came to the base of the Divine Path. His expression was very indifferent, with no hint of mourning upon his countenance.

Xu Shiji, who had not appeared for the entire night, also arrived. His face was expressionless, his thoughts inscrutable.

The so-called familial love was all fake. The so-called loyalty was also occasionally fake.

The heavens had to be understood day by day. The earth also had to be understood day by day. Just how many mornings could the people or things of the world endure?

Shang Xingzhou ascended to the peak of the Mausoleum of Books.

Han Qing yielded the path.

Shang Xingzhou stepped upon the Divine Path, his Daoist robe drifting in the breeze. He seemed detached from the mundane world.

Chen Changsheng watched as his master gradually ascended the Divine Path, sensing his intentions.

He placed the body of the Tianhai Divine Empress on his back and began walking down the Mausoleum of Books.

In this entire process, Yu Ren’s gaze was fixed on him and the Tianhai Divine Empress’s body.

There was only one path on the Mausoleum of Books.

Shang Xingzhou ascended to the peak upon the Divine Path.

Chen Changsheng carried the Divine Empress’s body as he descended the peak.

Master and disciple met in the middle of the Divine Path.

Shang Xingzhou did not look at him.

He also did not look at Shang Xingzhou.

Master and disciple brushed past each other, utter strangers.

After a long time, Chen Changsheng vanished into the forest below the Mausoleum of Books.

Shang Xingzhou reached the summit of the Mausoleum of Books. Lovingly and with dignity, he rubbed Yu Ren’s head, then he took Yu Ren’s good 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 sects and noble clans, the countless officials of the Great Zhou, priests of the Li Palace, and soldiers prostrated on the ground, all proclaiming ’long live’.

The morning sun rose, shining upon the summit of the Mausoleum of Books.

The morning light fell upon that monolith.

This was the highest monolith of the Mausoleum of Books.

There were no words on its surface, no lines, no patterns.

Originally, there had been nothing at all.

......

......

(End of Book 4 – Soon Dawn Will Break in the East)