Nightfall

Some people left, but more stayed. They struggled to find a way out of the sandstorm.

Ye Su and Long Qing sat facing each other, like two senior monks commenting on scriptures at tea time, or two masters playing chess. They neither said anything nor looked at each other. Blood was all over and made them seem miserable.

The sandstorm around the stage already ceased. It would stop soon on the stage. The two of them were covered by sand and blood, with their clothes ragged as if they would collapse at any moment.

Long Qing watched Chen Pipi and the rest retreat. Somehow he did not care about them. Many cavalrymen got out of the chaos but did not receive further orders from him. He just sat quietly with Ye Su and waited for the sandstorm to come to a complete end.

The storm was the chilling winter storm, while the grit and sand were from the River and Mountain Sandbox. They roared together as if they would never end. But actually nothing could last forever.

Upon a crack, the River and Mountain Sandbox on Ye Su’s knees broke from the middle.

The Arcane Tome of the Sand in Long Qing’s hand still had many pages left. It was as thick as a gravestone that could never be broken by storms. Upon a closer look, the grit in front of the gravestone were cobbles like crystal. Those cobbles were tiny but crystal clear. They were not jade but seemed like the finest jade. They blanketed the ground behind Ye Su, like an ocean of pearls.

Long Qing stood up. Blood dripped from his body, fell and stained the ocean of pearls.

The sand streamed down from the crack on the River and Mountain Sandbox. It was real sand. There was only a thin layer of sand in the box. Therefore it fell onto the ground in front of Ye Su and formed a small pile.

It seemed like a solitary weathered grave that no one ever took care of.

The square was stained with blood shed by the followers of the New Stream and the cavalrymen of the Divine Halls.

The cavalrymen were lining up again. Some followers of the New Stream were killed, some were dying, but many were still alive. There would probably be another round of slaughter soon.

Ye Su looked at Long Qing and said, “Let them go.”

Long Qing answered emotionlessly, “I was not planning on killing them all.”

Ye Su was somewhat surprised. He said nothing but wondered what Long Qing meant.

Long Qing raised his left hand. The cavalrymen with bloodshot eyes were waiting anxiously for an order of further slaughtering. But they did not dare to do anything and suppressed their heavy breaths. They could only wait for another order.

The followers of the New Stream on the square were the most loyal to Ye Su. Half of them had come with him from Linkang, even including his first students in the shabby cottage.

People knew exactly what would happen next. They poured toward the same direction and tried to protect their leader, but only to be brutally stopped by the cavalrymen. Crying and screaming soared.

“We both know, like I said at the beginning… it does not make any sense. The pain your followers suffered, the women’s screaming, none of them could make any significance.” Long Qing stared at Ye Su and continued, “From last night until this morning, whatever happened here is of no significance. I need a result, and you are also waiting for it. Why bother?”

Ye Su did not turn to him, but looked silently at his miserable followers on the square.

“Ever since I was a kid and joined the Revelation Institute, I heard about you from her and our masters. You were an idol, or a role model that we could worship but never dared to follow. But it wasn’t until recent years that I realized how extraordinary you actually are. It is because you are already taking a completely different path.”

Long Qing continued, “You are not any fanatical preacher, and your New Stream is not completely nonsense. You did not agitate your followers with sensations. On the contrary, you have been teaching very calmly and made many concrete practices. Many people could only see that the New Stream seems different or even treasonous. But they did not know the meticulous arrangements and strategic planning you made for the spread of the New Stream. You did it calmly and quietly, more like a businessman than a sage.”

“I spent many years in the Divine Hall of Judgment, so I knew exactly how much she had helped you. But you are the key. Your ability to organize is unparalleled, and your plan is flawless. You kept calm even when Taoism started the extinction. You attracted their attention by yourself, while secretly sending your seven disciples including Huanhuan to different places. I guess they are hiding somewhere and waiting for an optimal opportunity to come out and continue your mission.”

Ye Su still kept quiet.

Long Qing said calmly, “You can keep quiet from my praise. You can disregard any worldly power. You can deny whatever I’ve said. But can you just tell me where Cheng Ziqing is? Why are there only a few disciples of the Sword Garret left who followed you from Linking? Where are the others? No one ever noticed it. That’s why I admire you the most.”

He continued. “You’ve already planned well for the future and sent countless sparks throughout the world. Even if you will die today, no one could ever stop the New Stream from further spreading. Therefore you face your death fearlessly. I wonder if you are actually looking forward to your own death.”

Ye Su finally spoke, “Death is the most profound horror for everyone.”

Long Qing shook his head, “Everyone dies. The only difference is either going to the Divine Kingdom or the Abyss. You want neither the Divine Kingdom nor the Abyss. Therefore the way you die is the most important to you. To die quietly or grandly in front of tens of thousands of followers and ordinary people like this? It was not a difficult pick. To die in front of the entire world, dignified, calm and joyful, you face your death unflinchingly. Through your own death you spread the new faith and new strength to every human being in the world. It is magnificent.”

He continued. “There has been no sage in the kingdom or the entire human world for a long while. Even the Headmaster was only able to turn into the bright moon after he went to the Divine Kingdom. We are all ordinary human beings and could never be considered sages when alive. A sage is only born once in a thousand years…” Upon these words Long Qing paused and looked into Ye Su with mixed emotions, “Only when the sage dies will the Grand Tao prevail. You, must die.”

Ye Su was still calm. Some snow fell on his grey hair and lingered for a long while, as if his body was no longer warm and his vitality was already drained by the Arcane Tome.

“I have been wondering if Ning Que also realized this.”

While Long Qing turned the blood-stained ocean of pearls retreated like falling tide when touched the edge of his gown. He looked toward Chang’an and said emotionlessly, “Otherwise he should have come.”

Ye Su and his New Stream was crucial to the Tang and the Academy. Since Taoism had decided to kill Ye Su, Ning Que should have planned for something. Even if he was not coming, his iron arrow should have arrived.

Ye Su said, “Probably he was not expecting our master to be so resolute.”

It was indeed possible. Before last night no one, including Xiong Chumo, the Hierarch of the Divine Halls, could have predicted that the Abbey Dean would choose to kill Ye Su and Ye Hongyu despite the potential risk of disrupting Taoism.

“Li Manman might not be able to predict the master’s plan. But how could Ning Que and Yu Lian have missed it? Even if they didn’t know, sly as they are, how could they have made no plans?”

Long Qing said, “Ning Que did not come. Neither did his iron arrows, Yu Lian, or li Manman. It could only mean they are aware of your willingness to die. And they… are also looking forward to your death. They might even have kept this from Li Manman and wait for you to be killed by me.” He laughed as he said it. But it was a very restrained laugh that only appeared around the corner of his lips, and seemed mocking. Ye Su had been very calm ever since the beginning. Even if death was approaching, he remained calm. Although it was a mutually agreed end, he somehow felt reluctant. Therefore he had to expose the Academy’s intention so as to irritate Ye Su.

But Ye Su’s reaction was still disappointing. He said calmly, “I’ve been standing against the Academy for twenty years. I know their philosophy clearly and I don’t think they are snobbish and indifferent as you said.”

Long Qing’s speculation was reasonable. If Ye Su were to die, he would become a sage. His disciples already went to various places in the world and prepared well for future spread of the New Stream. Under the protection of Tang and the Academy, his death would be like oil on the flames that would accelerate the spread of the New Stream. In that case, his life or death would not matter much to the Academy. But he still believed that the Academy would not do that. Because it was against their principles.

“Li Manman would definitely not watch you die in the flame. But Ning Que and Yu Lian are different. They would love to see Taoism disrupted and the New Stream reborn through the flames.” Long Qing said, “If the Headmaster and Ke Haoran were still alive, they would never stay aside. Because they would not agree with it. However you have to admit that Ning Que and Yu Lian are both possessed by the Devil.”

Ye Su said nothing.

Long Qing continued, “Yu Lian is the current leader of Devil’s Doctrine. Lian Sheng used to think highly of her. And Ning Que is like a reborn of Lian Sheng. Just like Lian Sheng, they justify the ends by the means. And they’ve surpassed Lian Sheng in other aspects. What Lian Sheng had failed to fulfill, they might be willing and able to achieve.”

What did Lian Sheng try to do? He wanted the human world to be flooded with blood, to turn over Taoism and destroy every living creature. He wanted to create a whole new world.

The Academy indeed wanted the same thing. But in the past the Academy would never use such ruthless means to fulfill it. However, as for the Sister and Brother in charge of the Academy now, what was their plan?

Ye Su did not want to continue the conversation. Whatever the Academy had planned would not matter to him. He raised his head and looked into the sky that was becoming bluer and the sun that was raising yet fading. He said, “No matter what the Academy has planned, I will continue with what I’ve planned.”

Long Qing stared at him and eventually showed some respect. He said, “You want to turn yourself into a torch and light up the entire world? I heard Jun Mo was trying to burn the Xuankong Temple. Indeed you are both insane.”

Upon hearing the name of Jun Mo, Ye Su smiled and said, “Eventually we are doing the same thing. I am proud of it. I guess he will be too.”

He said it proudly. He was proud because Jun Mo used to be his match, and because he had surpassed himself and stood at a higher level, therefore being able to see the scenes further afar. Or probably because he was standing on top of the firewood in the courtyard. He was tied up on the cross, not too tight or too loose. He could not flee but could see further from there.

Long Qing stood in front of the firewood and said to him, “I will set the fire.”

Ye Su looked back at him and squinted because of the dazzling sunlight, “What I don’t understand is why you are still doing this even though you know what exactly is happening.”

Long Qing slightly frowned and said, “I have to obey the master’s order.”

They stood on the top and the foot of the huge pile of firewood. They shared the same master. Ye Su looked at the broken Arcane Tome hanging on Long Qing’s waist and said, “I suppose the master should know it too. Why would he waste the Tome?”

Long Qing said after a pause, “Since human beings are able to write books, we won’t need these Arcane Tomes in the future.”

Ye Su seemed have realized something upon these words. He and Long Qing were not aware of the Abbey Dean’s conversation with the middle-aged priest on the plateau of Peach Mountain. But they were students of the Abbey Dean and most powerful figures of Taoism. They had been very familiar with the teaching ever since childhood. Therefore upon some very simple discussion they realized what the Abbey Dean actually wanted. It was irritating.

Ye Su looked afar toward either at the Zhishou Abbey or Linkang. He recited gently, “To know the strong and to guard the weak, one would become the stream of the world. To become the stream of the world, virtue would stay, hence one would become as innocent as an infant.”

Long Qing listened to the verse and followed after a long pause, “To know the bright and to guard the dark, one would become the model. To become the model, virtue would not depart, hence one would become eternal.”

Ye Su said, “We are what we are. That is the path, the truth and the life. If we follow ourselves, we will eventually get out of the dark valley and achieve ultimate happiness… That is to know and to guard.”

Long Qing kept his head lowered. He was either looking at the horrifying hole beneath his gown or the firm ground, and his voice came out of his lips naturally, “We could be ourselves, and we could also be Haotian.”

Ye Su smiled and said, “So it has been like this ever since the beginning.”

Long Qing raised his head toward Ye Su under the sunlight and said, “You are right.”

Ye Su said, “There is no right or wrong.”

“If the master thinks you are right, then you are right.” Long Qing paused there. He thought he should be jealous but could only feel calm instead. He sighed, “In the end you are the one who made him proudest.”

Ye Su thought for a while and said, “Whether it is right or wrong, we won’t be able to tell until the end.”

Long Qing said, “As for what you did and what the Abbey Dean and Headmaster did, there won’t be any destined ends.”

Ye Su said, “Indeed, without Haotian, there won’t be destiny.”

Long Qing looked afar and said, “We’ve waited for too long.”

Ye Su said, “The people you’ve been waiting for didn’t come, and probably would never come.”

Long Qing took the torch from a divine priest and came to the pile of firewood. He paused for a while but said nothing further. He left the torch at the edge of the pile and stepped backward.

Fire was one of the most marvelous phenomenon in nature. It could be spread and copied. It could be started from sparkles and form prairie fires. While water could never do so.

The flame on the torch climbed onto the firewood next to it, and immediately burned the edge of the firewood. Blue smoke and bright flame were formed and spread out.

The pile of firewood was made by Long Qing. He made it extremely carefully and picked the most suitable ones for burning in terms of length and thickness. The fire built up quickly.

The walls around the courtyard were already destroyed in the battle previously. Now they collapsed completely in the crackling flame and unveiled the scene to everyone outside.

Grief caught tens of thousands of followers of the New Stream as well as the Song people who were ordered to witness the punishment. They felt pity and could not help from crying.

Ye Su’s clothes caught on fire. Bright yellow flames climbed up to his knees and devoured him completely.

Someone kneeled down. It was probably a follower of the New Stream. Despite seeing the scary cavalrymen of the Divine Halls, he kneeled down and kowtowed toward Ye Su. More people kneeled down immediately. Even the tens of thousands of people from Song were stunned by the solemn figure in the flame and fell on their knees. The screaming and crying became louder and louder as if they were turned into sky-reaching surge.

Ye Su said all of a sudden, “When the Ever Night comes, when the sun becomes blocked and the Heaven and Earth sinks into complete darkness, people will hail in joy. Because they will live for real.”

Right then he was baptized in flame and pain. He repeated his prophecy calmly because he did not want his followers to cry. He did not want people to grief for him.

Followers of the New Stream outside the courtyard tried to break in to save him, but were chopped down by the cavalrymen of the Divine Halls. They fell with wounds and blood. But upon hearing his voice, they instinctively followed and recited.

The followers of the New Stream who stood further afar also heard him and started reciting. Because they will always follow him. Other people from Song felt pity for him. They listened quietly at the beginning but somehow became attracted by his words, and eventually started reciting together.

“When the Ever Night comes…”

“When the Heaven and Earth sinks into complete darkness…”

“… we will live for real.”

The reciting of tens of thousands of people resounded above the square. It was the same crying and screaming that had soared previously. And now the sky was indeed trembling. The clouds that were previously dispelled by the sunlight came back in trembling, like fresh water poured into a bowl.

However it was extremely tranquil. Like when Ye Su said so, people’s devoted and pious reciting was awe-inspiring as waterfalls in the storm or chirping of cicadas in the forest. The entire world was stunned.

Long Qing did nothing. He did not ask the cavalrymen to suppress and stop the crowd, even if the reciting was clearly a praise of the New Stream and an offense to Taoism.

He looked silently at Ye Su who was on top of the firewood pile. There was a mix of emotions that he was not expecting. He tried to figure out what he was sensing and wondered if he could really obtain peacefulness through what he realized.

Tens of thousands of people were reciting together even more loudly. It was like thundering war drums, not only stimulating but awe-inspiring. It enveloped the city and spread to the entire world.

Ye Su’s voice became weaker and fragmented. When he spoke the third time, his words were already scattered and hard to be caught because the ruthless flames already went beyond his knees and reached his chest. His body was being burned in the golden flames and he was suffering from the most painful punishment or baptism.

Long Qing stared at the person in the flame and seemed to have heard him say, “You see, they are not praying.”

…