Ends of the Earth

Why study?

The many candidates taking the palace examination sank into thought, and so did Su Mo. Only, his thoughts drifted very far away...

Everyone knew that the Great Hua emperor's question, though seemingly an examination prompt, was actually a question probing their hearts.

Moreover, it had no real testing criteria-he was actually letting the candidates answer however they pleased!

From his imperial throne, the Great Hua emperor watched the candidates below with eyes blazing like torches and slowly said, "There is no need for a lengthy discourse. A word or a sentence will do. What? Will no one answer first?"

At last, someone stepped forward and bowed to the emperor.

The candidate who had stepped forward said, "This commoner will answer first."

The emperor nodded encouragingly.

"This commoner studies to serve the realm!" the candidate said.

Looking at the candidate who had spoken below, the emperor said unhurriedly, "Raise your head!"

The candidate below hesitated briefly, but still raised his head.

"Look at me and say it again. Why do you study?" the emperor asked once more.

At the emperor's words, the candidate immediately broke into a cold sweat. The terrifying pressure emanating from the imperial throne made him afraid to look directly at him. Yet an imperial command could not be disobeyed, so he could only struggle to look up at the emperor seated high above.

"To... to serve the realm!" The candidate spoke only those few words, yet it felt as long as several years.

The emperor nodded, approval showing in his eyes.

The candidate immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to look at the emperor again.

Some of the officials present nodded slightly, feeling that this man could be molded into something worthwhile. Others felt that the candidate was too pretentious and had not spoken the truth!

To serve the realm? Su Mo gazed at the floor paved with jade tiles beneath his feet...

That is not my answer!

Another candidate stepped forward. With this way of answering, the later one spoke, the less there would be left to say.

If their answer matched someone else's, they would have nothing to distinguish themselves and would easily be overlooked.

"To stand above others, and to let the world know this commoner's learning," this candidate said.

Glory before others... Some of the officials present shook their heads slightly. His motives were impure.

To let one's learning shine before the world! Su Mo did not know quite how to feel. This candidate had spoken very practically, from the heart!

But in this world... would anyone truly care about your learning?

Perhaps some would, but it would only dazzle them for an instant.

This... is not my answer either!

People had neither the leisure nor the inclination to care how outstanding someone else's learning was. Most simply exhausted every means to stay alive...

At that moment, Ji Hongyan stepped forward from beside Su Mo, striding with her head held high, brimming with heroic spirit.

Ji Hongyan said, "To read all the affairs of the world and behold its myriad sights... my heart lies in singing far afield!"

Singing far afield, never tethered to one place! Her vision reached far, yet she would not settle for any one thing.

The Great Hua emperor laughed on his throne. "Interesting, interesting. As expected, Hongyan, your ideas are still the interesting ones!"

Su Mo looked at Ji Hongyan. She stood spirited and valiant, showing no fear beneath the emperor's gaze.

Singing far afield-what a free-spirited reason!

But this is still not my answer... what is my answer, then?

It seems I have no answer?

I merely bustle aimlessly through life, looking at this world's suffering and thinking of memories from my previous life that flit past like light.

Beyond that, when I see someone pitiable, I help if I can... Su Mo smiled.

But how could I possibly help them all?

All the suffering of the people in this world...

"To distinguish right from wrong..." another candidate said.

In a mountain range, trees towered into the sky, and spiritual energy abounded.

A woman in red held several Array Disks, placing them one by one in their designated locations. Hongyi pressed her lips together, her face full of displeasure. Swallowing her reluctance, she carried on with the work in her hands. Yet the more she thought about it, the angrier she grew.

The angrier she grew, the more displeased she became, and the more displeased she became, the angrier she grew, until she finally erupted.

Hongyi turned toward the old man in a blue robe who was leisurely sipping tea nearby and spoke.

"Teacher? This is the urgent business you mentioned?"

The blue-robed old man glanced at Hongyi, leisurely raised his cup, and took a gentle sip before saying, "Of course this is urgent business!"

"Just to rob a tomb?" Hongyi ground her teeth.

"What tomb robbing? This is called exploring a blessed land!" Looking thoroughly put out, the blue-robed old man corrected her.

"Couldn't we rob... explore the blessed land later? You summoned me from so far away. I'd wanted to watch our junior brother's palace examination!" Hongyi looked miserable.

The blue-robed old man glanced at Hongyi and said calmly, "Everyone has their own blessings and opportunities. There is no need for us to worry. Our urgent business right now is robbing... exploring this blessed land."

Hongyi took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and suppressed the frustration in her heart before saying, "Is the trial you gave our junior brother really to take first place?"

"Of course..." The blue-robed old man drew out his breath. "...not! You actually believed it would be such a shallow trial?"

Hongyi nearly failed to rein in her explosive temper again!

"Then what is it?" Hongyi asked with a smile through gritted teeth.

"This is a very interesting question that probes the heart!" The blue-robed old man smiled and gazed toward the horizon, his eyes mysterious.

"And ultimately, it will reveal itself through what he does..."

The corner of Hongyi's mouth twitched despite herself... She raised her hand and tossed the last Array Disk onto the ground, then viciously stamped on it to vent her frustration.

"Your answer has truly benefited this disciple immensely. The last time I was this speechless was the last time!"

The blue-robed old man rolled his eyes.

Hongyi dusted off her hands, returned to the blue-robed old man's side, and asked, "The Array Disks are all in place. What now? Where is the great tomb... the blessed land?"

Now the blue-robed old man grew serious, a rare trace of gravity appearing on his face.

Seeing his expression, Hongyi froze for a moment.

It had been a long time since she had seen the old man look like this. Could it really be a great tomb?

...When did this old fellow actually become interested in tomb robbing?

The blue-robed old man rose, inspected the Array Disks Hongyi had placed, and lifted a hand. The void rippled.

The Array Disks on the ground began shaking violently. Beams of golden light emerged from them and converged in the air into a golden dragon. The dragon circled through the air, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. At once, the wind roared, sending the forest trees rustling.

With a slight point of the blue-robed old man's finger, the dragon formed from golden light plunged toward the center of the Array Disks.

Golden light flashed brilliantly, and then the golden dragon vanished into the ground.

Silence fell over the forest once more.

Hongyi waited quietly for a while, but the ground remained unchanged. Everything was exceptionally still; even the birdsong that had filled the forest had vanished.

Another moment passed...

"What now?" Hongyi asked.

The blue-robed old man stroked his beard, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. After a moment, he said, "Perhaps... you should pick up the Array Disks."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems we found the wrong place!" The blue-robed old man gave an awkward smile.

Hongyi stiffly turned her neck and looked at the blue-robed old man with a face full of smiles. "Are you serious?"

The blue-robed old man laughed heartily. "Just joking, just joking! Why can't you take a little teasing, girl?"

"Rise!" The blue-robed old man lifted his hand toward the ground in an upward gesture and gave a low shout.

At once, the ground in the forest began trembling faintly, its shaking growing ever more violent.

A rumble came from underground, and a beam of blue-green light burst from the ground at the center of the Array Disks, shooting into the sky.

Though it was daytime, the blue-green light was still blindingly bright.

The blue-robed old man gazed at the blue-green light shooting straight into the heavens, momentarily lost in thought. Only after a long while did he sigh.

"The Ends are almost broken. The time left to us... is running out..."

"What do you mean?" Hongyi asked beside him.

"The Ends of the Earth will soon disappear..." The blue-robed old man sighed softly.

"Just because we robbed a tomb?"

"..."