It was very quiet around the monolith hut; Chen Changsheng was the only personpresent. It was completely different from yesterday. At that time, there hadbeen dozens of examinees in front of this monolith hut. Though very quiet,there had been simply too many people for it to not feel crowded. The sounds ofrustling fabric and footsteps would never cease. Even when night fell, thosepeople did not leave, but instead lit the lanterns in front of the hut.However, the Mausoleum of Books had already existed for countless years. Peoplefrom many sects and academies had entered the mausoleum and viewed themonoliths. They had summarized their experiences long ago, and passed alongthis knowledge before the Grand Examination. After the initial excitement haddied down, the examinees finally realized that viewing the monoliths was notsomething that could be done in one day and night, and that they had to takecare of their bodies. Heeding the advice of their seniors, they had descendedfrom the mausoleum and begun to search for places to rest. Right now, they wereall probably still asleep. Chen Changsheng knew nothing of these events as he seriously examined themonolith. The surface of the monolith was black and covered with innumerable lines thatwere thick and thin, deep and shallow. The lines had been carved onto thesurface by some sharp tool, and they seemed to curve off randomly. The linescovered the entire surface of the monolith, making countless connections witheach other to form an indescribably complex pattern. If one looked at itthrough sentimental eyes, or viewed it through the lens of history, those lineswould seem to carry some primal meaning. But if one looked at it calmly anddisposed of their reverence to the Heavenly Tomes, those lines actually did notseem to have any pattern, much less carry any meaning. Instead they seemed likethe nonsensical drawings of some small child. Many scholars felt that thoselines had possibly been naturally formed, a school of thought that had beenpopular many years ago. Today was the first day that Chen Changsheng had set his eyes on a legendaryHeavenly Tome Monolith, so he naturally did not have the ability to draw anyconclusions. Chen Changsheng’s heart suddenly started to beat faster, notbecause he had suddenly understood something or because he was shocked athaving seen those lines before, but because of the sort of emotion thatnaturally came from seeing a legend with one’s own eyes. Yes, he had seen the marks on this Heavenly Tome Monolith, the so-calledmonolith inscriptions. It was not by chance or destiny, nor was it through some miracle. Many peoplehad seen the incomprehensible monolith inscriptions of the HeavenlyTomes—outside the Mausoleum of Books, there were countless stalls on both sidesof the main road that were selling rubbings of the monolith inscriptions.Almost every tourist visiting the mausoleum would have a set of these rubbings.One has to realize that these rubbings were the Mausoleum of Books’best-selling souvenirs. Countless years ago, the rubbings of Heavenly Tome Monoliths were already incirculation. After the human dynasty had gradually tightened the distinctionbetween social classes, an emperor had attempted to forbid the spreading of themonolith inscription rubbings . However, there were already too many rubbingsoutside, and their existences were too enticing making it impossible to stop.In the end, they were unable to prohibit it, and were forced to drop the matter. Rubbings of the first seventeen monolith inscriptions were especially common.During the previous dynasty, those rubbings had been publicly sold three timesby the government, printing a dozen official editions. At least several millionhad been printed, enriching the palace treasury, while also providing suitablysoft paper for people to use for cushioning on their mahjong tables at home. The simplest reason why the rubbings of the monolith inscriptions were sowidespread, besides the fact that their circulation was impossible to stop, layin two points. Firstly, to look at rubbings of the monolith inscriptions and tosee them for oneself were two completely different things. Since ancient times,countless cultivators had testified that only by seeing the monolithinscriptions with one’s own eyes would one be able comprehend the true meaningof the Heavenly Dao hidden within the inscriptions. Secondly, there was a limitto the number of monolith inscriptions contained in these rubbings. The vastmajority of the rubbings were from the Monoliths in the front mausoleum. It hasto be noted that those who were able access additional monoliths wereundoubtedly experts whose knowledge of the Dao was exceptionally profound, sothey cared not for fame and profit. Take, for instance, a expert like Wang Poof Tianliang, who possessed shocking talent. That year, he had only viewedthirty-one monoliths in the Mausoleum of Books. Even if he had succumbed togreed, he still would not have been able to take a rubbing of those laterMonoliths and take them out of the mausoleum. After Chen Changsheng had arrived in the capital, he had stayed in the PlumGarden Inn outside the Mausoleum of Books. He would see stalls carrying thoserubbings of the monolith inscriptions every day, so naturally he had boughtsome. When he first held those rubbings in his hands, he had been extremelyexcited. Only after he had realized that they had no meaning did he toss themto a side. But now that he stood before the Heavenly Tome Monolith, looking at thoselines carved on the Monolith first-hand, it was a completely different matter. For tens of millions of years, this monolith had sat silently under this hut,as enigmatic as ever. The lines on the black surface of the monolith began to float up in ChenChangsheng’s eyes. A mark on the lower right of the monolith that had beendeeply carved into the surface suddenly bulged out. The dozens of linesconnected to it also started to leave the surface, seemingly hovering in theair. Chen Changsheng knew this was an illusion. When the mind became connected tothe Mausoleum of Books, one’s ability to see reality was affected. Back when hewas a child, he would study the Daoist Canons in Xining village’s old temple, and read the various accounts of viewing the monoliths left behind by membersof the Orthodoxy. Thus, he was not too shocked by this abrupt change, andinstead chose to maintain his calm. The so-called change was not actually any change at all, but a trick of light.The objective truth was that the lines remained where they were. Regardless of whether it was overcast or pouring rain, if the hut was there ornot, if the surface was wet or dry, if one looked at in the gloom or indazzling light, the monolith was ultimately still a monolith. Those lines werestill lines. But when comparing those rubbings of the monolith inscriptionscirculating among the people to the real thing, was not this change thegreatest difference? The positions were relative, and the appearances were also relative. As positioning changed with landmarks, the appearances changed withenvironment. If one wanted confirm one’s position, one needed to also confirm the positionof the surrounding landmarks. If one wanted to examine the unvarying and objective truth, then should notone first understand how the environment affected the objective reality? The information that those who viewed the monoliths had to understand, theprincipals that they had to comprehend, were they not hidden within thistransformation? Standing before the hut, Chen Changsheng examined the Monolith Inscription. Hestayed in this position for a long time without moving.. The morning sun had now completely risen above the horizon, transmitting itswarmth to the mausoleum facing the crimson morning clouds, gradually dispersingthe chilliness of the forest. The side of the Heavenly Tome Monolith was dyedred in the light of sun, a truly beautiful sight. Seeing that smear of red on the edge of the monolith, Chen Changsheng closedhis eyes, steadied his mind, and then turned around. He no longer looked at the monolith, but instead explored the hut’ssurroundings. The branches of the trees in the forest were all dyed red, and looked as ifthey were about to ignite. As for those distant and barely distinct monolithhuts in the distant, it was exceedingly difficult to ascertain their positions.He had walked up from the base of the mausoleum all the way to this firstHeavenly Tome Monolith. The path had come to an end, and there was no way toproceed to those other monoliths. However, it was said that the Mausoleum ofBooks had only one path. What was going on here? The morning sun ignited the tree branches, and the radiant red light of thesun illuminated a portion of the dark cliff face. It was only then that he sawthat a line of words had been carved into the cliff. Unlike the ineffable Heavenly Tome Monoliths, the words on the cliff were veryeasy to understand, because they had been written in a language that everyonecould read. "The foggy woods are reflected in the smoky river water,Houses with paintedeaves on the banks are adjacent to each other.Gently on the patches of lotusesshines the autumnal light.The pearl-woven curtains are bathed in the fragrantwind of ten miles." (TN: The author used the parts of the poem “An Ode on Southern China” by ZhangYanghao. Link:http://www.en84.com/dianji/qu/200912/00000465.html)<http: www.en84.com/dianji/qu/200912/00000465.html)=""> This poem had been composed by the Leader of the Way around two thousand yearsago. When he had first entered the Mausoleum of Books to view the monoliths, hehad been so moved that he had composed this poem. From then on, the first monolith in the Mausoleum of Books had possessed itsown name: Reflecting Monolith. From the time he had arrived at the front of the monolith hut to the time ofhis departure, Chen Changsheng had viewed the monolith for not even a quarterof an hour. He turned around and left without the slightest bit of hesitation. Leaving the Reflecting Monolith, he followed the mountain path down. Afterpassing through a mountain depression, he saw Zhexiu. Judging from the time,Zhe Xiu had probably been standing there for quite a while. Zhexiu arched his brows. Clearly, he had not expected Chen Changsheng toreturn so quickly. “I’m not much for noise, so I don’t want to view the monoliths while crammedwith other people.” Chen Changsheng gave a rather unconvincing explanation.Seeing the faint columns of kitchen fires rising up from the forests around themausoleum, he advised Zhexiu, “It looks like everybody has woken up. If youwant to view the monoliths undisturbed, it’s best to be fast about it.” Zhexiu nodded and set off on the mountain path. Chen Changsheng watched Zhexiu walk off, and after some hesitation, he calledout, “I don’t think you need to see it for long. It’s not very useful; in fact,it might even be detrimental.” Zhexiu paid him no attention. Chen Changsheng continued walking down the mountain. On the path, heencountered a middle-aged man clothed in white. He recognized the man as one of the Monolith Guardians that had explained therules of the Mausoleum of Books to them. These Monolith Guardians had sacrificed their youths and lives to theMausoleum of Books, so everyone had some form of respect for them. ChenChangsheng was no exception, so he gave a respectful bow. The middle-aged man did not return the bow, and did not even nod in response .However, he did not leave, and instead indifferently looked at Chen Changsheng. Chen Changsheng felt uneasy and asked, “Does Senior have something to tell me?” “You are Chen Changsheng?” That middle-aged man asked, his tone cold. Chen Changsheng was amazed that this man who could never leave the mausoleumactually knew his name. Somewhat cautiously, he replied, “Correct.” “You are the one who obtained first place on the First Banner?” Thatmiddle-aged man continued to question him. Hiss tone was now not only ice-cold,but also contained sense of severity. Chen Changsheng’s levels of unease and confusion continued to grow, and heresponded, “That’s right.” That middle-aged man asked in a low voice, “From the time you ascended themausoleum to the time you left, about a quarter of an hour has passed. Are youtelling me that in such a short time, you were able to comprehend theReflecting Monolith?” Chen Changsheng tried to explain. “Of course not, I….” Without waiting for him to finish, that middle-aged man coldly admonished him.“Of course, I know there is no way you could have comprehended the ReflectingMonolith in such a short amount of time! You think your powers of comprehensionare that great? I’m saying that your attitude isn’t proper! You can be as sillyas you want to be outside the mausoleum, you can be the first rank on the FirstBanner or have some other qualification, but you’d better get this straight:this is the Mausoleum of Books! This is the place where countless Saints humblycomprehended the Dao! I’ve met countless people that were first place on theFirst Banner, so don’t think that your name allows you to be so impudent!” Hearing these skull-splitting words of admonishment, Chen Changsheng wasstunned. If this was really a senior pointing out the flaws of the junior, thenit would have been fine, but it was very obvious that all the man wanted to dowas humiliate him. Stranger still, the man was a Monolith Guardian that couldnever leave the Mausoleum of Books, so why would he hold such enmity againstChen Changsheng? That middle-aged man looked at him without even concealing his contempt anddisgust. He continued, “I’m warning you, the Mausoleum of Books is a holyground! No matter how great your background is, you must still revere thisplace. And don’t you even think about bringing any of those grotesque thingsfrom the chaotic world inside this place. At the very least, tell that to theman outside the mausoleum who came to find you.” </http:>