469 The Most Precious Gift in the World

In today's feast, the principal guest was Luoluo, but in order for her to havea reason to leave the Imperial Palace, several additional guests had also beeninvited. These included Prince Chen Liu, Mao Qiuyu, and Priest Xin. Whendrafting the list, Chen Changsheng did not pay any attention to such questionsas differences in status or sensitivity of identity. He had just wanted to takethe opportunity to also thank those people that had once helped the OrthodoxAcademy. Prince Chen Liu had come, Mao Qiuyu had not. Priest Xin had come, butupon seeing the other guests and thinking of his own status, dropped off a giftand left first, receiving both Tang Thirty-Six's praise and Xuanyuan Po'sincomprehension. An array of culinary delicacies, plum wine, the lake breeze, and youths. Prince Chen Liu was the person who was least acquainted with the rest of thegroup, but he lived up to his reputation as the sole representative of theImperial clan able to persist in the capital, the sole junior able to beadmired by the Divine Empress. His way of speaking was naturally warm andnatural, and it was not long before he and Chen Changsheng had warmed up toeach other. After the final dish had been served, he thought of the rumors hehad heard on the way here and asked in an uncertain tone: "Is that matter true?" Luoluo asked curiously, "What matter?" Prince Chen Liu described the incident in Clear Lake Restaurant and evenmentioned what had happened afterwards. Chen Changsheng saw that he could no longer conceal it. Indicating that TangThirty-Six should take out those letters of challenge, he said, "I just feellike this is all a children's game." Prince Chen Liu glanced at the stack of letters and shook his head. "Thelittle games played by the powerful often have a deeper meaning. Is thereanything that I can help you with?" Chen Changsheng thought it over, then replied, "In the end, this is a matterconcerning the Orthodox Academy, so we'll try and handle it ourselves. If wereally can't do it, then we might as well go to the Li Palace and request HisHoliness for assistance." Luoluo glanced at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng used his chopsticks to ferry some pickled tofu and spinachonto her plate. Luoluo understood. With a soft tone, she whispered a 'thank you Teacher', thenlowered her head even further, silently continuing to eat. ------ "Teacher, why is that after all these things happened at the Orthodox Academy,you still won't tell me about it?" "Are you still used to living in the Imperial Palace? Ah, I forgot. In thevery beginning when you first got to the capital, you lived in the ImperialPalace." "Teacher, was that Zhou Ziheng really in the Star Condensation Realm? Teacher,did you really only need one strike to kill him?" "Now that I think of it, why is it that Guardian Jin never wants to come intothe academy? Is it because he doesn't like all the Orthodoxy cavalry outside?" "Teacher, is that guy Tang Tang really so strong now?" "What do you think about Prince Chen Liu? I think he's not bad, but you alsoknow, I don't have many friends, nor am I that good at judging others." "Teacher, could it be that Tang Tang is even stronger than me now? Heshouldn't be! As he's won twelve consecutive victories, if I were to representthe Orthodox Academy, maybe I would just win all the way until the end?"” "For some reason, Tang Thirty-Six has never liked him." "Teacher…" Of course, this wasn't because they couldn't see eye to eye, nor was itbecause he was attempting to avoid the main subject, although Chen Changshenghad actually intended to do so at the very beginning of this conversation. Butlater on, he thought it was very interesting to converse in this way. Before heentered the Mausoleum of Books, especially in that time period where neitherXuanyuan Po or Tang Thirty-Six had entered the Orthodox Academy yet, this vastacademy that occupied an area of one thousand mu contained only him and Luoluo.In those times at dusk, when they would stroll around the lake or laze aroundatop the great banyan tree, they would also hold these rather interestingconversations. Chen Changsheng gazed at the golden ripples on the lake and the distant LiPalace. Reaching out his hand, he rubbed Luoluo's head. In performing this action, he didn't even look at Luoluo, yet his handaccurately fell on her head. It was an action he had performed many times, andLuoluo would always sit in that area. On the night when Mei Lisha returned to the sea of stars, they had truthfullyalready foreseen the current situation. When they had met last, they also haddiscussed this matter. Every person had their own responsibility. The mostvexing fact was that it was impossible for every person to be their own person.They all had their own relatives, friends, schoolmates, teachers, and elders,all the way up to the continuation of the country. Thus, it was alwaysimpossible for a single person to make their own choice or decision. One wouldalways have to consider the matters of the future, and then also consider thematters of the past. "I've never avoided my own responsibilities." Luoluo wrested herself away fromhis palm, then stood up to gaze together with him at the distant Li Palace."But have none of you ever thought that I'm also a student of the OrthodoxAcademy, that I also have to bear some of this place's responsibility?" "Because…above all, you are your parents' most beloved daughter, Her Majestythe Princess adored and respected by the countless demi-humans living along theeight hundred li of the Red River." Chen Changsheng turned to her and said, "As for the Orthodox Academy, thisplace still has me and Tang Thirty-Six. There's nothing that you need to worryabout." Upon returning from Xunyang City, he realized that the state of affairs in thecapital was extremely tense. The Tianhai Divine Empress and the Pope had begunto show their strengths and many people had begun, or been forced, to pick aside. He did not let Luoluo concern herself with the matters of the OrthodoxAcademy precisely because he did not want Luoluo to pick a side, becauseLuoluo, from a certain perspective, represented the position of the entireDemi-human race. "But…" Luoluo lowered her head to the reflection of the great banyan tree inthe lake, as well as her and Chen Changsheng's reflections. "I'm very sad." Chen Changsheng said soothingly, "Later on, if the situation clears up alittle, perhaps it won't be this sensitive." Ultimately, he was still just a youth from Xining Village. It was impossiblefor him to understand that in every case, once something like this began, itwould never conclude. Luoluo was a princess from White Emperor City, so she naturally understood,which only deepened her sorrow. Chen Changsheng found it rather difficult to see her in such a state. Changingthe subject, he said, "In the past few days, Zhexiu and the rest all picked asword. You should also pick one. Yeah, I still have many good swords." He thought that since every other person of the Orthodox Academy had chosen asword that had been brought back from the Sword Pool, it was only natural thatLuoluo not be excluded. Moreover, if she were to think that this was aprivilege of the students of the Orthodox Academy, perhaps she would be happy.As for which sword Luoluo would pick…he didn't care too much. The reason he hadnot easily agreed to Mo Yu's request for the Yue Maiden Sword, other than thathe really believed he had no obligation to do so, was primarily that heremembered that Luoluo had not chosen yet. He thought that the Yue Maiden Swordand the Flowing Light Sword, these swords more inclined towards femalepersuasion, should first be left for her. If she didn't want them, they couldbe taken care of later. Indeed, upon hearing that every person of the Orthodox Academy had a swordfrom the Sword Pool, Luoluo grew somewhat happier. However, she did notimmediately choose a sword, instead telling Chen Changsheng to keep it safe forthe meantime, and that they would talk about it again in the future. Chen Changsheng saw the Falling Rain Whip at her waist and suddenly rememberedthat she was the noble Princess of the demi-humans. She had ten Thousand LiButtons as well as the Falling Rain Whip and the Emperor's Tusk, divine weaponsof the Tier of Legendary Weapons. It was very likely that she wasn't thatinterested in these once-famous swords. "Oh, I'm also preparing to give you a small present, if…I can actually obtainit, that is." As Chen Changsheng said this to her, he thought, if I can reallygo back into the Garden of Zhou and learn that technique of Wang Zhice's, thenI'll take all those Heavenly Tome Monoliths around the Mausoleum of Zhou andturn them into little black stones, and then give one to her. To use the Heavenly Tome Monoliths as a gift…