Chapter 639

Sun Star Palace.

This place had become the Heavenly Court's most strictly guarded forbidden zone, yet it was also its most lively classroom.

"... Therefore, when we look at problems, we must use a developmental, dialectical perspective, and see through phenomena to grasp the essence..."

Changxi sat amidst a group of fluffy Little Golden Crows, holding a jade slip in her hands, reciting it haltingly, not even knowing herself what she was saying.

This was sent by Second Uncle Taiyi's people, designated as the "bedtime story" for the little ones to recite.

"Aunt, what is 'Materialism'? Is it a powerful magic treasure?"

The smallest Golden Crow tilted its fluffy head upward, eyes full of curiosity.

"This... Aunt doesn't know either." Changxi's pretty face reddened; she hurriedly closed the jade slip and laughed dryly, "Have you all finished today's homework?"

As soon as these words fell, the ten Little Golden Crows seemed like cats that had their tails stepped on, instantly wilting.

"Aunt, we don't want to do the 'Wuzhizhenfa Ji' anymore, we want to hear stories!" The Big Golden Crow mustered courage and lodged a protest on behalf of his younger brothers.

"Right! Hear stories!"

"Hear stories of the outside world!"

Looking at ten pairs of eyes written full of longing, Changxi's heart softened in an instant.

She herself had been confined in Guanghan Palace for a long time; how could she not yearn for the bustle of the outside world?

That strand of Heavenly Dao Calamity Qi planted by Hongjun deep within her Primordial Spirit, at this moment quietly plucked at her heartstrings.

"Alright, then Aunt will tell you stories of the outside."

Changxi cleared her throat and began to describe things vividly and colorfully.

She spoke of the scene outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, the grand spectacle of Ten Thousand Immortals vying on the Heavenly Ranking; she spoke of the East Sea Shore, where a Scattered Cultivator slew an evil flood dragon and ascended to heaven in a single step; she spoke of the foot of Mount Buzhou, where the Wu Clan's young men lifted mountains with their strength and wrestled with giant beasts.

She spoke with flying eyebrows and dancing colors, and the Little Golden Crows listened as if intoxicated and entranced.

Though born in the Heavenly Court, noble as Emperor's sons, from the day they were born what they saw was only this Sun Star Palace's four-sided sky.

In their world, there was only Father Emperor's majesty, Mother Empress's kindness, and Second Uncle's strange and bizarre Enlightenment Readers.

The outside world, to them, was a distant and gorgeous dream that existed only in stories.

"Aunt, when... when will we be able to go out and take a look?" A Little Golden Crow asked timidly.

The smile on Changxi's face stiffened, then turned into a light sigh: "Wait until your Second Uncle feels you have memorized all these books."

She looked at the little ones' eyes instantly dimming, and a surge of inexplicable anger and pity welled up in her heart.

Why?

They are the Heavenly Emperor's sons, the embodiment of the Sun, born to soar the Nine Heavens and look down upon all beings.

Why must they be locked in this gorgeous cage, like canaries, learning those boring and useless things!

"Aunt, how about... you just take us out to play for a little while?"

A bold Golden Crow sidled up to her, rubbing its fluffy head against her arm, "Just a little while, we promise we'll be back before dark!"

Changxi's heart stirred, but she immediately thought of Bai Ze's face written full of "no", and those layers upon layers of the Star Light Great Array that even a Quasi-Sage could not shake.

"Can't do it, the array your Second Uncle laid down is too powerful, Aunt can't open it either." She shook her head helplessly.

However, that cold voice in her Divine Consciousness was coaxing and guiding her.

—No, you can.

—That Great Array is a branch of the Zhou Tian Star Dou, using the Sun and Taiyin as its two poles. Your Taiyin Origin is precisely a key to unlock it.

—See that array eye flashing with azure light? That is the Kan Water Position, most congenial with your Origin. Just use your magic power to slightly disturb it, and you can create a momentary gap...

Changxi's eyes showed a moment of bewilderment.

She subconsciously raised her hand, and on her slender jade fingers, a wisp of pure Taiyin Power quietly gathered.

"Aunt?"

The Little Golden Crows looked at her in incomprehension.

"I..." Changxi came back to her senses, abruptly withdrew her hand, shocked into a cold sweat.

What was I doing just now?

She dared not stay any longer, fearing she would really do something irrevocable.

"Aunt has matters to attend to, leaving first. You... you must be obedient."

She stood up in a sorry state, almost fleeing as she left the Sleeping Palace.

Behind her, the ten Little Golden Crows lowered their heads in disappointment.

Changxi came to the edge of the Great Array, her heart in fierce conflict.

Reason told her that Taiyi's arrangements were to protect these children.

But emotion and that inexplicable will told her this was imprisonment, a stifling of their nature.

In the end, she still couldn't hold back.

She walked to that Kan Water Position array eye, hesitated again and again, still extended her finger, and silently injected a wisp of weak Taiyin Power into it.

Hum—

The Great Array's light curtain flickered violently once, then returned to calm.

Changxi looked around guiltily, seeing no one had noticed, only then let out a breath of relief and hurriedly left.

She did not discover that after she turned away, that array eye she had touched, its light had dimmed by one ten-thousandth compared to before.

A crack only the size of a palm, almost impossible to detect with the naked eye, quietly formed on the light curtain, then slowly mended after several breaths.

Although it existed for only a brief moment, for certain existences, it was enough.

Not long after Changxi left.

Inside the Sleeping Palace, the Big Golden Crow who had been silent all along suddenly erupted with terrifyingly bright light in his eyes.

He stared dead at the light curtain above, at that position where a crack had once appeared.

"There... is a door."

He spoke in an underworld undeniable tone.

"Older Brother, are your eyes playing tricks on you?"

"No!" Da Jinwu stood up, the authority belonging to the eldest son revealed without doubt, "I sensed it, just now, there appeared a trace of Aunt's aura, and a wisp... of the outside world's wind!"

He turned his head, looking at his nine younger brothers, his voice filled with bewitchment.

"Want to... go out and take a look?"

"Older Brother, really... can we?"

The youngest Jin Wu was somewhat afraid; he instinctively felt deep dread towards that Second Uncle who was always bing peng, yet whose eyes seemed able to kan chuo qie shi.

"Afraid of what!"

Lao San, the third-ranked Jin Wu, had the most explosive temper; he was the first to jump up, "We are Taitai's sons, we are the Heavenly Court's Taitai Zi! Why should we be locked up here reciting those broken books that even birds can't understand!"

"Exactly! I want to go to Dong Hai, to watch the beheading of the flood dragon Aunt spoke of!"

"I want to go to Mount Buzhou, to compare strength with the Wu clan's big guys!"

The flames stirred up by Changxi's stories were completely ignited at this moment.

Da Jinwu looked at his brothers' war fervor, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes.

"We won't go far, just wander around inside the Heavenly Court, take a look and come back. Second Uncle he... probably won't discover us."

He walked to that array eye position touched by Changxi, extended his golden wings, and carefully probed over.

There was nothing there, still the indestructible star light barrier.

"Older Brother?"

"Don't rush."

Da Jinwu closed his eyes; he slowly gathered his innate Taiyang Primordial Spirit at the wing tips, simulating the fluctuation frequency of that wisp of Changxi's Taiyin Liliang in his memory.

Yin and Yang are originally of the same root.

Taiyang and Taiyin, even more so, generate and restrain each other; between them exists the most primordial resonance.

Hum...

An extremely faint, light sound.

That light curtain, unexpectedly truly like a lock opened by a key, rippled open a circle of ripples once more.

A hole just large enough for a Xiao Jin Wu to squeeze through quietly emerged!

"Success!"