Above the Great Dao
Chapter 699 - 312 Grandpa Left a Letter_2

Chapter 699: Chapter 312 Grandpa Left a Letter_2

He spoke earnestly, saying: "Young Master Chen, your father has survived until now partly because of Chen Yindou’s lingering influence, partly because he is indeed useful, and partly because he knows what can and cannot be done. You are alive today because of the efforts of two generations of three rogues: your father, your uncle, and your grandfather. You killed a young lord and ruined their big plans, yet they did not kill you because the cost of doing so is too high and not worth the gain; this is why you are allowed to live. However, in this world, there are forces so immense that even the Thirteen Families dare not provoke them. They don’t care about your father, your uncle, and your grandfather, nor do they care about how many people die due to a demon transformation. If you provoke them, you will truly die!"

Chen Shi expressed his gratitude solemnly.

At this moment, the Black Pot suddenly barked twice.

Eunuch Feng did not understand, but Chen Shi’s expression shifted slightly and he said, "The Black Pot says there is a disturbance in the underworld, and that Iron Pillar is emitting divine light that reaches the heavens and the earth! Director, will you look..."

"I won’t look!"

Eunuch Feng sneered, saying, "I have survived until now..."

Chen Shi laughed, saying: "It’s okay to take a look, isn’t it?"

Eunuch Feng hesitated for a moment, then said: "Alright, let’s take a glance. But we agreed not to get involved."

His Primordial Spirit overlooked below, and the entire Void Great Realm was like a Bright Mirror, reflecting the events occurring in the underworld within it.

At this time, many Heaven Listeners surrounded the towering Iron Pillar, the surface of which had strange, ancient patterns that suddenly began slowly glowing, emitting divine light from its entirety, illuminating the underworld, and the light grew more intense!

"This remnant seems to have had its power activated!"

Eunuch Feng was taken aback, saying, "I was neutered decades ago, and this Iron Pillar never underwent any changes! Why does this anomaly occur today?"

Chen Shi inquired, "Does the Director know the origin of this object?"

Eunuch Feng steadied himself, saying, "This object is a prehistoric remnant that existed before the Great Ming’s people landed on the West Bull New Continent. According to an ancient record from the Eastern Factory, during the exploration of the underworld in the True King Era, this object was discovered. It was too massive, even the powerful ones of the True King Era couldn’t move it an inch, so they left it here. They also tried to explore what this thing is, and attempted to study the text and imprints on it but ultimately failed. In the Yin Yang Two Realms, there are many other inexplicable things like this; how could anyone research them all?"

Suddenly, Chen Shi saw the figure of Zhuang Wujiu, surrounded by Heaven Listeners who were protecting him in the center.

Zhuang Wujiu hovered around this Iron Pillar, slowly flying.

Wherever he flew past, the patterns on the Iron Pillar began to constantly light up, as if activated by him.

Chen Shi’s heart stirred slightly, "Zhuang Wujiu understands the textual imprints on the remnant!"

Eunuch Feng said, "The origins of Zhuang Wujiu are extraordinary. Stop watching. Young Master Chen, I’ll send you back to the Mortal World."

Chen Shi’s vision blurred, and together with the Black Pot, they appeared in the Eastern Factory. Eunuch Feng was seated in a wheelchair, with a young eunuch pushing him from behind.

Chen Shi felt regretful; he really wanted to see how Zhuang Wujiu would activate the powers of the prehistoric remnant. The West Bull New Continent contained many prehistoric remnants, distributed across the Yin Yang Two Realms, ancient, massive, and unfathomable.

But those Heaven Listeners were extremely dangerous, especially the Heaven Listening Venerable King and Heaven Listening Venerable Lord, whose powers were immensely formidable.

Approaching rashly might mean even Eunuch Feng couldn’t protect him!

"Lord Feng, earlier you mentioned the Eastern Factory has records of some events of the True King Era. Could you let me see these records?" Chen Shi inquired.

Eunuch Feng smiled, saying: "Naturally, you can."

He waved, and the young eunuch withdrew. The wheelchair moved forward automatically, without anyone pushing.

The Eastern Factory is not very spacious, a few alleys, but there were quite a few eunuchs inside. Upon seeing Eunuch Feng arrive, they all called him godfather.

Chen Shi found it surprising. The True King is gone, so why are there still so many eunuchs?

"The Eastern Factory is the only place not completely infiltrated by the Thirteen Families. Although there are people from the Thirteen Families here, they do not have control over the Eastern Factory."

Eunuch Feng seemed to know his thoughts, saying, "Ordinary people simply cannot rise in the Western Capital. Even the most talented individuals can only reach the level your father reached. However, once they are neutered, there is hope to become a Chamberlain eunuch! Although it’s not an official position, its power is as strong as that of the Thirteen Families! Scholars find it hard to find work, and do not want to return to the countryside, cannot marry, or have children, so quite a few come to work for us in the Eastern Factory. If you’re unhappy working in the Hanlin Academy..."

Chen Shi quickly replied: "I’m quite content with my work!"

Eunuch Feng sighed regretfully and said, "I think highly of you, and believe that after a few years of honing in the Eastern Factory, you can definitely take my place and become the new East Factory Director! But Chen Tang only has you as his son, he surely won’t allow it."

He paused, saying: "The Court assigned you to the Hanlin Academy for work, and I agreed, not to deliberately make you sit idle, but hoping you pursue scholarly study and tread the path of the Saints. Hanlin Academy is the most suitable place. You have the talents of a top scorer, writing books and essays, gaining worldwide fame. It may be, in years to come, you are the Chen Saint."

Chen Shi sought instruction, asking: "What is a Saint?"

Eunuch Feng said: "To write books and expound principles is to speak as a Saint. Walking the human world, to act virtuously is to undertake the conduct of a Saint. With words and deeds, one can be called a Saint. At that time, countless people will build temples for you, construct living shrines, erect golden bodies, offer sacrifices, and burn incense. Upon your death, you become an Incense Fire God. You possess this scholarly aptitude and are at the Hanlin..."

"I won’t be a Saint." Chen Shi interrupted him.

Eunuch Feng stopped his wheelchair, looking at him in puzzlement.

"I do things not for grand ideals, nor do I want to be constrained by morals. My grandfather told me placing oneself in the position of a Saint is extremely dangerous. Being revered as a Saint by others should be rejected even more."

Chen Shi said, "Once you become a Saint, people will use Saintly standards to demand from you. When disasters happen, they will expect you to spend money to aid others; when they see people suffer, they will expect you to rescue them; when they see benefits, they expect you to abstain; when they see problems, they expect you to take responsibility; if they dislike your family and friends, they expect you to sacrifice them for justice. If you do not comply, you are hypocritical. Damaging your interests, yet demanding you remain gracious, or you are insincere."

Eunuch Feng frowned slightly.

Chen Shi continued: "Being a Saint is akin to placing yourself on a pyre and being burned by others. You must endure the pain silently. My grandfather said, do not become the Saint in others’ hearts; be a common person. If anyone tries to impose the morals of Saints upon you, binding you, break their legs."

Eunuch Feng patted his wheelchair in anger, saying: "These legs of mine were broken by your grandfather!"

Chen Shi laughed, saying: "I want to write books and expound my teacher’s knowledge, but as for being a Saint, I’ll pass."

Eunuch Feng said with a laugh: "After you write your book, you must send me a copy. I’ll make sure to read the writings of the top scorer."

"Alright!" Chen Shi replied with a hearty laugh.

Eunuch Feng led him into the Eastern Factory’s library, where books were neatly stacked. Several eunuchs were transcribing books, likely old books needing renewed copies to prevent them from being lost.

"When your grandfather was Assistant Minister of Rites, he visited this place here and borrowed this volume of books."

Eunuch Feng searched momentarily, then stood from his wheelchair and drew a roll of books from the shelf, handing it to him, saying, "At that time, I had just been neutered, and my beard had not yet totally fallen off, and we had quite a good relationship. Who would have thought, that old scoundrel would break my two legs!"

He angrily patted the wheelchair.

Chen Shi flipped through a few pages, noticing the book was a handwritten copy, documenting a eunuch named Liu’s studies of the text and talismanic imprints in remnant items.

Liu Eunuch not only studied the gigantic black Iron Pillar in the underworld but also many remnants on the West Bull New Continent, transcribing the textual imprints on them, attempting to decrypt the mysteries of these imprints.

Chen Shi skimmed through it, finding several pages of annotations with handwriting distinct from Liu Eunuch’s.

"It’s grandfather’s handwriting!"

Chen Shi’s heart trembled slightly; he said, "Director, may I borrow this volume to read for a few days?"

Eunuch Feng laughed, saying: "Feel free to copy it, but make sure to return it. This item is a single copy!"

Chen Shi thanked him earnestly, bade farewell, and hurriedly left with Black Pot.

Eunuch Feng watched him leave, quietly saying: "There are decryption runes left by Chen Yindou in that book, but they are as incomprehensible as ghost talismans. Hopefully, you can understand them."

——Updating late, sorry. Working hard on the second update!

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