Chapter 2631: Peace of Mind

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“We’ve known and interacted with each other for so many years, yet we never truly understood each other?”

The voice from within the black chess piece said, “The path is right there. Our path is broken, but people continue to walk it.”

“People always have to walk the path. One day we won’t be here, and all our students will pass away, but people will still continue to walk this path.”

“But if even we, the people who hold the knife of history, betray history, then the family of history will cease to exist.”

“The ancient sage, Song Qiushi, chiseled and engraved a sun-drying book platform, drying books while baring his belly on it, saying, ‘It doesn't matter what's in my heart.’”

“Piling earth to finally reach the top, from ancient times until now, Diligent Academy has always recorded history first. Throughout generations of Confucian scholars, coughing up blood as ink, and successive generations of masters, few have met a good end… thus it earned this name.”

Amidst Zuoqiu Wu's almost uncontrollable emotions, the voice from within the black chess piece was so cold and stern, indeed possessing a kind of near-ruthless feeling, yet also a kind of unwavering resolve.

He said, “Zuoqiu Wu, if this single knife of mine deviates from the truth, it will ruin the monument of the family of history. That would truly cut off this path.”

Zuoqiu Wu said hatefully, “This single knife of yours is neither deviated nor straight; it leaves behind vast graves. How many people sought but couldn't find corpses, burying their clothes and hats as tombs—you are inscribing the tombstone of Diligent Academy!”

“History will remember everything,” the voice from within the black chess piece said.

Zuoqiu Wu's voice rose, “Only what is left behind can become history!”

“How can anything be left behind?” the voice from within the black chess piece asked.

Zuoqiu Wu also calmed down. He said, “By being alive.”

“A life in this world is like grass and trees in autumn, withering and flourishing, living and dying. Who truly leaves anything behind?” the voice from within the black chess piece said, “The vast majority of people in this world are unable to reach the limit of their lifespan. A hundred years is considered a luxury. Gods approach their decayed golden bodies, and true persons are like cicadas shedding their skins. Even at the absolute peak, ten thousand years, how many people complete their full lifespan?”

“All either die or scatter, like the wind blowing rain in your face.”

Tap! A single drop of rain truly fell onto the chessboard. It was unclear whose tear it was.

The voice from within the black chess piece continued, “…To write with a curved pen and live, only preserves for a time. To write with a straight pen and die, can forever shine in green history.”

Zuoqiu Wu stood with his eyes fixed, “You go and forever shine in green history. I just want Diligent Academy to flourish in spring and autumn.”

“You wrote a book called ‘Diligent Academy’,” the voice from within the black chess piece said.

Zuoqiu Wu corrected him, “It is not a story, but the reality that is currently happening and will happen. This book will be the most perfect chapter in the history of Diligent Academy.”

“Where is there perfect history? Truth is often a naked wound, always accompanied by detestable faces.” The voice from within the black chess piece said, “Even if you write this book with flowery language and brilliant literary talent, it is only one existence, not a history book. It will never become a classic.”

After Yu Zhou died, his saintly name was not passed down. The family's status plummeted a thousand zhang. He himself was also far from being comparable to a history book.

“Your eyes only see classics, Sima Heng,” Zuoqiu Wu shook his head, “In the process of you writing history, you lost your humanity. You are a tool of history, not a creator.”

The dean of the world's first academy looked at his former close friend, his eyes full of disappointment, “Your life is only for ‘History Knife Chisels the Sea,’ but ‘Diligent Academy’ is my life.”

In his student days, he fed his stomach with words, craving books as if they were life. Only the histories of various countries did he set aside, too lazy to even read a single sentence.

He said, “The history books of various countries are full of distortions, like men and women applying powder, unable to see the pits and hollows beneath the powder.”

He said, it was fine not to read them.

At that time, his persistence for historical truth was no weaker than Sima Heng's. He also once vowed to record the truth for this world!

But at what price?

The price of truth, who would bear it?

Exactly how many people had to die, how much blood had to flow, before one could understand…

The knife-pen was a knife that injured people!

On that snowy night, he had already sworn that he wanted to correct all these errors.

“Great officials have three remonstrating ministers; though without the Way, they do not lose their family. Scholars have remonstrating friends, then their body does not leave a good name.” Zuoqiu Wu recited the words of the ancient sage. In the ice coffin in his mind sea, his Confucian robe fluttered!

He was clearly frozen by the Ruyi Thousand Autumn Coffin, sealed by the ban of the Great Yan mountains and rivers, yet he stepped forward.

“In the past, you were my remonstrating friend, making my path clear. Today, I am your remonstrating enemy, calling you to wake up!”

He was born into a famous family; his father was a renowned Confucian of his generation, and his mother was the direct daughter of a great sect. From birth, this world revolved around him. In his youth, he was very restless, relying on his outstanding talent and being lazy to work hard, often just going through the motions. “Pens not from Hao Mountain are not used, paper not from Spring Snow is not written on.” He collected over three hundred famous inkstones from the north and south seas, but for the homework assigned by the academy, he always asked others to substitute for him or just casually waved it off.

It was Sima Heng who pointed at him and scolded, saying, “Not skilled in characters, with a thousand boxes of pens and ink.”

He then suddenly awakened, diligently worked hard, and practiced a penmanship called “absolute product,” finally becoming a master of his generation.

Today, who could awaken Sima Heng?

He knew no one could.

But then he thought again, it was impossible without Zuoqiu Wu!

Jiang Wang, whose hand was covering the tripod, at a certain moment, his other hand was already on the hilt of his sword, the corner of his green shirt rising, but Longxiangsi ultimately did not leave its sheath.

Thus, Zuoqiu Wu stepped out of the mind sea.

Inside the lake heart pavilion, on the chessboard, the two hundred sixty-seven time bodies of Zuoqiu Wu simultaneously lifted their hands, grasping the edge of the chess grid. As if convicts in a prison, they simultaneously grasped the prison door tightly!

One by one, straight as swords, bamboo slips suddenly appeared inside the chess grid prison cage where the black chess piece was located, tightly adhering to the four edges. On Qin Zhizhen’s iron wall, another wall was built. Only these “bamboo slip walls” were engraved with countless words, each word carrying the weight of a mountain.

At that shaking time, the black chess piece that had once shaken the chessboard unexpectedly made a “pa” sound for a while, sticking to the bottom of the chess grid prison cage, as if it had been smashed into the chessboard!

And Zuoqiu Wu's true body, also at this moment, stepped into the pavilion.

Dou Zhao only lifted his head to look at him once, and remained seated. The All Living Beings monks sat silently beside Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao thought for a moment and moved to a different position.

Qin Zhizhen paused in thought, and Ju Kui also held a chess piece in his hand, silently. The people of Taixu Pavilion always had a consistent tacit understanding towards the outside. Jiang Wang's silence within his mind sea extended to this situation.

The two elders of the Confucian family both sat upright.

Zuoqiu Wu stood at the door and said, “You all came too fast, your actions too decisive. Before many things had time to develop, you already struck straight at the vital points and controlled the overall situation… As expected of the most outstanding heavenly prides of this era. But you were too rushed and also ignored the details. Only taking me as your target, thus missing these worlds.”

“I am not talking about those stories you don’t like to read, or the roles you don’t care about. I am talking about the world—”

He asked inexplicably, “Does no one recognize the style of this pavilion?”

Xiao Zhiheng, who had been silent for a long time, spoke at this moment, “The end of myths, the beginning of immortal palaces. This is the architectural style of that period. The eaves are like the swallowtails seeking immortality, the pavilion corners are like god towers reaching through heaven. There are also some relatively chaotic Dao patterns, which indicates a relatively confused period—Left Dean, you still need to reconsider this matter.”

Zuoqiu Wu sighed, “As expected, Mister Xiao is profound!”

He said, “In every chapter of history, I made subtle adjustments and arranged architectural styles from different eras. They are not reflected in the final history chapter, but they truly exist in different spaces—those are also the doors through which I come and go between different chapters.”

“Sincerely considering from various perspectives,” he said in a firm voice, “In this history book named ‘Diligent Academy,’ theoretically, no seal or ban can be effective on me. I record stories and also engrave time, leaving behind infinite possibilities.”

People looked at each other; it seemed only now did they remember…

Zuoqiu Wu's two most famous works were “My Views on the Evolution of Ancient Sealing Techniques,” and another was “A History of Era Architecture”!

“That is to say, the history book written by the Left Dean is not just a chronicle, but actually also contains clear clues about time.” Xiao Zhiheng slightly lifted his eyes, “You hid answers within it?”

“History can never escape time!” Zuoqiu Wu did not answer directly, or perhaps answering now was meaningless.

Those clues and answers were originally meant to be found by those who would turn the pages some years later. But everything came too fast. Taixu Pavilion was like a swift knife breaking bamboo, chopping straight to the bottom at once.

Now it was indeed time to face everything.

He walked straight forward, walked to the opposite side of Ju Kui, directly facing the scrutiny of the Legalist True Monarch, and sat on the stone bench that had always been empty in the past—

It was originally meant to be the chess bench left for Sima Heng.

He said, “Whether True Monarch Jiang leaves or not, still needs verification. However, his attainments in sealing and banning are indeed extraordinary. I was somewhat self-conceited; if there is anyone who can compare with me in this path, only this person is in the present world—I believe he will very soon be the first in the present world.”

The All Living Beings monks said nothing, not even in a humble manner.

Zuoqiu Wu said again, “True Monarch Ju playing chess against himself ultimately consumes too much mental energy. To continue both sides' placing styles, one must also constantly maintain balance, neither losing nor winning… The two ends of the balance, all add burdens to you. The matters of Diligent Academy have made you all weary. As the dean, I need to apologize to everyone!”

No one looked at him wrong, not a single hair, not a single detail, not a single implication, not a single meaning, not a single glance!

Ju Kui just quietly looked at him.

Then Zuoqiu Wu reached into the chess basket, picked up a black chess piece, “Sima Heng places chess extremely heavily, skilled in ‘great momentum arrives.’ His chess playing art can be called unparalleled in the world. These years, I always thought about how I wanted to win against him, and finally thought of a foolproof method—”

As he spoke, he casually placed the chess piece in his hand in a dead corner, “I will substitute for him.”

Once a chess piece is placed, there is no regret.

The bamboo slip wall surrounding the chess grid prison cage instantly transformed into a whole, connecting into a single volume of bamboo slips.

Finally, a volume of green slips rolled up, rolling away everything that had shaken the time, and also rolling the black chess piece, which represented Sima Heng, into it.

“Confused chapters for thirty years, time engravings not stopping for eight thousand years. Sima Heng has been gone for a long time. His story, I can continue to write.”

In the void outside the pavilion, something was vaguely tumbling.

Inside the cool pavilion, Zuoqiu Wu’s voice was like an engraving knife.

His gaze had already interfered with the black and white law realm. Formless power rubbed time into a hemp rope, which just passed through the bamboo slips inside the chess grid prison cage and bound it. Then, like climbing stairs, it sent it away level by level. It actually gradually disappeared from everyone’s sight.

His body was in this world, sitting on the chess bench and playing chess, compared to the one still trapped in the “confused chapters,” he indeed had too many advantages!

Zuoqiu Wu sat upright, but lowered his head, staring fixedly at the empty chess grid prison cage, where the black chess piece had disappeared, “Era architecture is my door, and also your door. This is the strongest seal I have created in my life so far. It can represent my highest achievement in sealing techniques. I call it…”

He paused for a moment, and said, “Let's just call it ‘Bundle to High Cabinet’!”

“Your only way home is in Diligent Academy. From the current two hundred seventy chapters to the initial twelve thousand six hundred chapters of the ‘annals,’ all possibilities and impossibilities of historical extension are locked for you!”

“Sima Heng, never come back.”

“Just be a good bystander, writing your cold history book. Or one day, die in history in an unclear manner. Or just end up old in the middle of the confused chapters.”

Everyone silently watched all of this happen.

They also waited for Zuoqiu Wu’s next move.

If Zuoqiu Wu had simply sealed the time window, locked the doors of history, and forever exiled Sima Heng, he wouldn't have needed to wait until today. Nor would he have needed to do so much.

“To you, Cabinet Member Ju.” Zuoqiu Wu lifted his eyes to look at Ju Kui, using an inexplicable gaze that actually held a hint of request, “I have already made the decision for Sima Heng. You should also represent your Taixu Pavilion and place the chess piece for me.”

Li Hengzhi did not say a word, and Xiao Zhiheng also just quietly watched.

Ju Kui was silent. He filled the white chess piece in his hand into the ‘eye’ of the white pieces, killing a corner of the white pieces' territory!

As a chess player, he should strive to win. But as the host of the black and white law realm, his role was to maintain the balance of the chess game.

Zuoqiu Wu sighed with satisfaction, pinched a black chess piece in his hand, patrolled on the chessboard, and after going back and forth several times, stopped above the chess grid where the saint demon's head was located.

He said, “Diligent Academy should give the world an explanation. This ‘Skill of Saint Demon of Ritual Collapse and Music Badness’ has been hidden in the academy for many years. One of the reasons I wrote the academy into a history book is precisely to pull out this demon. You sought me page by page, and I also found the demon word by word—”

“I had to tear off those ninety chapters of annals that originally held great hope, all of which were worlds infected by demon nature. The protagonists I placed high hopes on opened the demon’s chapters. Those waste drafts I abandoned were also mostly related to the saint demon.”

“No matter the reason. Diligent Academy nurtured the saint demon, and thus should bear the responsibility. Today, I shall imitate True Monarch Jiang—”

“Heavenly Punishment refines the demon!”

His fingers loosened, and the black chess piece fell.

And as this black chess piece fell, the body playing chess suddenly turned into a stream of light, actually investing itself into the middle of the chessboard.

At the same time, the two hundred sixty-seven time bodies of Zuoqiu Wu simultaneously leaped up inside the chess grid prison cage—

He was indeed immune to seals and bans, and time could not separate him. If he hadn’t been split too much at the beginning and caught off guard by Taixu Pavilion, divided and banned in various places. Originally, within the history of Diligent Academy, he should have been a nearly invincible existence.

Streams of light intersected in an instant. At this moment, the main body merged with the time bodies, completing the true Zuoqiu Wu, erupting with unimaginable power, like the boundless heaven, yet again entering the game as a piece, small yet boundless.

It fell without stopping into that square chess grid, making a “pa” sound and settling, sharing the same prison room as the saint demon's head!

The dean of the world's first academy walked into the beast-fighting arena!

“Incurably foolish! The result is already determined, yet you still struggle in vain here.”

The saint demon's head suddenly tore open, instantly manifesting a form, which was actually that of a properly dressed, elegant scholar. His eyes gave people a feeling of “benevolence.” His face gave people the solemnity of “ritual.” His voice was in rebuke, yet filled with the frustration of hating iron for not becoming steel—

“You don't walk the great Dao that reaches through heaven, but stubbornly take the small path!”

Zuoqiu Wu opened his five fingers, and a single hand just pressed him against the wall! “You are also fit to discuss the Dao with me!”

In the middle of the lake heart pavilion, everyone was solemn.

Zuoqiu Wu said he was not imitating Yu Beidou in banning the demon, but imitating Jiang Wang in refining the demon on the Heavenly Punishment Cliff.

But these two had fundamental differences…

The “Skill of Saint Demon of Ritual Collapse and Music Badness” had not lost its immortal nature!