Chapter 50: The Reappearance of the Heavenly Book, Dark Tide Surges (Middle)

  "The so-called heavenly book also appeared suddenly more than 300 years ago. At that time, the heavenly book had four volumes. The first volume recorded things that would happen more than 300 years ago, including the emergence and disappearance of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, as well as the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, which were all mentioned in it. When it first appeared, no one could understand the text on it. Of course, not many people can understand heavenly books, but later someone understood it." said Bai Chenggang.

  "That person claimed to be a descendant of the imperial family and, after obtaining the handwritten copy of the first volume of the Heavenly Book, immediately recited its contents on the spot. The general idea was that there would be a standoff between the north and south for three hundred years, with many names mentioned in between. At the time, no one believed it, so everyone forgot about the rest of the content. Later, the second, third, and fourth volumes of the Heavenly Book were successively born, and even handwritten copies flowed out endlessly. According to that person's account, the historical trend predicted in the four volumes of the Heavenly Book only spanned three hundred and fifty years, which means it only predicted up to now. It is estimated that after a few more years, it will no longer be within the predictive range of the Heavenly Book. Ten years later, suddenly everyone remembered that person who claimed to be a descendant of the imperial family overnight, because everything he recited back then had been verified one by one. Although not all of it was verified, everything that happened in these ten years was something he had recited before. So, overnight, everyone was looking for that person, but unfortunately, no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't find him." White Chenggang said.

  "How did you know so clearly?" Lu Qingyun asked.

  "My master told me that, and I also asked some elderly people in the village, they still know a little about these past events." Bai Chenggang replied.

  "Some say that person is already dead, while others claim he took the remaining three volumes of the Heavenly Book to translate them slowly by himself. There are also rumors that he was caught and is being brutally tortured, forced to reveal the contents of the Heavenly Book. None of these claims can be trusted, but from then on, the Heavenly Book began to disappear, and handwritten copies were nowhere to be found. It's said that the imperial families of both the Northern and Southern Dynasties deemed this thing too subversive, so they secretly destroyed it, fearing it would shake people's hearts and undermine the foundation of the country." White Chenggang said.

  "If that's the case, then wouldn't anyone who gets the heavenly book and can understand it be able to predict the course of history and follow its trend? Even if they're not a high-ranking official, they'll definitely be wealthy and noble for life!" Geshu Yun asked curiously after hearing this.

  "Of course, that's a given. If you can read the heavenly book, then just help the imperial court translate it and you'll be set for life. The palace must have some copies of the heavenly book hidden away. Just help the imperial court translate one copy and you'll have wealth and honor beyond your wildest dreams." Bai Chenggang said with a smile.

  "But you've been talking for half a day and we still haven't figured out what relationship Xiao Da Ge has with this heavenly book." Ge Shu Yun shook his head in puzzlement and asked.

  "It didn't matter before, but now it does. I reckon by now many eyes are fixed on you, Elder Xiao. The most important ones being the current imperial court and the Taoist sect." Bai Chenggang coughed and continued to speak.

  "Why?"

  "Haha, why? Because your Eldest Brother Xiao is the one who can understand the Heavenly Book. The imperial court wants to find your Eldest Brother Xiao to translate those Heavenly Books, but it's not that simple, because they already know most of the meaning inside the Heavenly Books. They're looking for your Eldest Brother Xiao to let him return and take charge." Bai Chenggang said.

  "What? Can Big Brother Xiao understand the Heavenly Book? Does Taishang Dao want him to go back and be in charge? Elder Bai, you can't be joking, right?" Ge Shu Yun's eyes widened in disbelief after hearing Bai Cheng Gang say this. Xiao Shou Ren was just a minor official at the Honglu Temple, and he had only risen through the ranks by flattering people. How could he possibly understand some mysterious Heavenly Book?

  "Believe it or not, the Tai Shang Dao is not as simple as you think. They are now a loose sand, to put it simply, they have not had a leader for a long time. They are divided, and their past Holy Kings were all able to read the Heavenly Book. So now that your brother Xiao can read the Heavenly Book, he is their only choice for selecting a new Holy King. Of course, there must also be some vicious people among them. They must want to capture your brother Xiao first, then force him to reveal the method of reading the Heavenly Book, and finally kill him." Bai Chenggang said.

  "Mr. Bai, I still don't understand why you're so certain that I can read that heavenly book. This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing." Xiao Shouren interrupted Geshu Yun just as he was about to speak, getting straight to the point.

  "That's right, why can I know that Master Xiao will understand the heavenly book? I only need to say five words and Master Xiao will definitely understand." Bai Chenggang said with a smile.

  "What five characters?"

  "Guests come from afar, let's make them feel at home!" said Bai Chenggang.

  "Ah! You mean to say?" Xiao Shouren's face changed in an instant, and he reacted immediately. It seemed that he really couldn't escape the reputation of being able to read the heavenly book after all.

  "That's right, just as Master Xiao thought, the Heavenly Book is indeed this. After receiving the order from the leader, I found the first part of the first volume of the Heavenly Book, which can still be found now, picked out these five words, and rushed to Shang City on horseback. As soon as I entered the city, I went straight to the Tianran Residence, and before entering the door, I saw that couplet, not a single word different, really exactly the same! I knew then that the person I was looking for was Master Xiao." said Bai Chenggang.

  "What is Elder Bai planning to do?" Ge Shu Yun asked, his hand touching the hilt of the sword.

  "Don't worry, I won't do anything to Young Master Xiao. Moreover, Young Master Xiao has saved us brothers and even helped us reconcile, this kindness I must repay no matter what. I'm telling Young Master Xiao about this just to remind him to be careful, later I'll send a message back to the gang to confirm that the news is true. But I alone can't withstand your attack, I've been seriously injured, so my mission is accomplished. You all should hurry up and escape too." White Chenggang said.

  "Thank you, Senior Bai. Your reminder is like saving my life, and I will definitely repay it in the future. Since things have come to this point, I think we should part ways now. Senior Bai can leave with Senior Lu first, and then separate. Senior Lu will go find the descendants of the Han Emperor, while Senior Bai waits for rescue from the sect. My brother and I will also take our leave." Xiang Shouren said.

  "It's settled then, farewell for now, take care!"

  "Take care!"

  There's still one more chapter tonight, I just saw a reader's reply in the book review section and I must say you really read carefully, you even noticed this, thanks anyway. Since you read so carefully, that book I've been reading for over a decade, so I used it, also because of that bit of hardship, so I had to delete the comment, hope you don't mind, brothers have difficulties too, if you think my character is too poor then just despise me, understandable.