Chapter Ninety-One: An Ominous Thing

I had a vague sense that Qing Yang had not asked me here today merely to chat about antiques. Few people knew of the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums, yet it was plain that Qing Yang understood the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art no less than I did, and perhaps even knew many things I did not.

“Aunt Qing, this long scroll was painted by the great master Wu Daozi. No wonder history books mention it not at all, for this painting records matters connected to the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. What exactly is recorded in this scroll? Please tell us, Aunt Qing.”

“The records in the Book of the Northern Song about the Push-Back Chart are only a few passing lines, and later generations have invented many tales around it. Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng searched among the common people and, by chance, obtained two treasures without equal in all the world. One of them was the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. The later Push-Back Chart evolved from it, but Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang understood only the surface of the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art, not even one or two parts in ten. And yet, even so, the Push-Back Chart could still divine events yet to come. That shows just how vast and profound the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art truly is.”

I said nothing beside them. In truth, I knew little myself about the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. I had only encountered fragments and scattered phrases in a few lost ancient texts. Hearing Qing Yang speak of it in such detail, I was deeply astonished.

It was also the first time Qiu Nuo had heard that such a marvelous book existed, and he urged Qing Yang on with lively curiosity.

Qing Yang, unhurried and composed, continued to tell the story.

Among the hexagrams of the Push-Back Chart, the third image reads: the sun and moon hang in the sky, shining upon the lands below; elusive and baffling, neither entirely literary nor entirely martial. The verse says: Having traversed the forms of emptiness, I enter once more the imperial palace; though the dead branches have all been cleared away, the roots still remain; whose rooster crows at dawn, and which of them is truly the male?

Li Chunfeng calculated from this that the phrase “elusive and baffling” came from the Northern and Southern Dynasties ballad of Mulan, originally meaning that male and female rabbits were difficult to tell apart, later referring to something tangled and complex. Here it hinted that a female sovereign would rise. And “neither entirely literary nor entirely martial” suggested that the heroine’s surname was Wu.

From this, Li Chunfeng deduced that Wu Zetian would surely ascend the dragon throne. He therefore presented the Push-Back Chart to her and explained the meaning of the hexagram. That was the scene depicted in the second painting of the scroll. And as expected, Wu Zetian truly did ascend the throne and bring the realm under order.

Moved by the wondrousness of the Push-Back Chart, Wu Zetian’s tastes were flatteringly matched when Li Chunfeng then offered her the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art.

But even Wu Zetian could not unravel the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. In the end she came to understand that whoever obtained this book, once they learned its secrets, would spare no effort to alter their fate. And in order to build a great dominion, they would not hesitate to unleash suffering, bloodshed, and chaos upon the world. So Wu Zetian wanted to burn the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art.

Yet even though she was an emperor, she was still only human. She too had to face birth, aging, illness, and death. Human hearts have always been greedy; all the more so when one holds a divine book that promises immortality and foreknowledge of the future. After much weighing and reweighing, Wu Zetian never did burn it after all. She wanted to discover within the book the method of everlasting life.

But fate proved otherwise. Until the end of her days, Wu Zetian never again managed to discern its mysteries, and the book vanished into obscurity with her death.

After passing through several dynasties, the book fell into the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang, yet he too was never able to fathom its profound enigmas. Even while gravely ill, he remained obsessed with the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art and could not bear to destroy it. So he ordered it hidden within the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums, hoping that some descendant in ages to come would understand it and carry the Great Ming dynasty forward for ten thousand generations.

When Qing Yang finished speaking, she looked at me, who had remained silent throughout, and said calmly:

“I had originally thought the secret of the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art would be buried as deeply as the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums. I never expected you to find Yuan Chonghuan’s altar and discover the Golden Dragon Turtle inside. At that point I knew the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums would no longer remain a secret, and that the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art hidden within them would become a prize sought after by many ambitious men.”

“Aunt Qing, I never imagined that Yuan Chonghuan’s altar would turn out to be the clue to the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums. If I had known it was connected to the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art, I would never have let these things see the light of day,” I said with a sigh, full of regret.

“Many people want the power to foresee the future, never realizing how frightening such a thing can be. Once people know that something will happen at a certain place and time, they will often do everything they can to prevent it, only to bring about the opposite result. Foreknowledge of the future destroys the future. It is precisely the endless unknown ahead of us that lets us press on toward hope, and makes everything possible,” Qing Yang said, her gaze bright and piercing, her words heavy with meaning.

“Don’t worry. Even if I find the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art, I’ll destroy it with my own hands.”

Qing Yang nodded, then slowly took from her drawer an object wrapped in oiled paper and pushed it toward me.

I took it in confusion. Unwrapping the paper, my fingers trembled involuntarily, and for a long while I could not speak.

Inside the paper was another copy of the Luoxuan Divine Strategy.

“What... how can there be another Luoxuan Divine Strategy?” I exclaimed in shock.

“The Luoxuan Divine Strategy was always in two volumes. Only by joining the two together can the hidden secret be uncovered,” Qing Yang said with a calm smile. “This book is my gift to you. I hope you can find the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums soon.”

I quickly and carefully put the Luoxuan Divine Strategy away, then suddenly thought of something.

“Aunt Qing, you just said Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang searched among the common people and found two treasures without equal in the world. One of them was the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. Then... what was the other one?”

“The Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl Necklace.”

I froze, then looked up in astonishment.

“The Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl Necklace? Why... why is that necklace considered a treasure without equal in the world?”

“The Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl Necklace is said to conceal the highest essence of the five Daoist arts. If one can comprehend its mysteries, one can master all the secrets of the five Daoist arts, rise to the heavens, descend into the earth, and accomplish anything. Moreover, the Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl seems to share some kind of connection with the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. Only the one who can fathom the mysteries of the Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl would have a chance to truly understand the secrets of the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art. It is just a pity... the necklace has already been lost.”

Instinctively, I lowered my head and glanced at the necklace against my chest. This was not the first time I had heard the name Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl Necklace. Qin Yishou had called it that too.

If I had guessed correctly, the necklace I wore must be the very Eight Dragons Embracing the Pearl Necklace Qing Yang had spoken of. I had always been puzzled by why I seemed to have understood destiny and the patterns of heaven and time since childhood. Could it be that I had comprehended the hidden mystery within this necklace, and that this was the source of what I had achieved today? Yet no matter how I thought about it, I could not understand what extraordinary secret lay within this ordinary-looking chain.

“Let me remind you once more: the human heart is nothing but greed. Fate is set by heaven, yet heaven’s will cannot be violated. In the unseen dark, everything has its appointed number. If one rashly changes things and acts against the order of nature, there will surely be suffering, bloodshed, and a world drenched in war. If the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art ever reappears in this age and falls into the hands of the ambitious, and if it cannot be handled with composure, then the whole world will be thrown into chaos and the land filled with wailing and grief,” Qing Yang said sternly.

“Aunt, why do you keep stressing that this book is so dangerous? Isn’t being able to foresee the future a very good thing?”

“The reason is simple. The future has not yet happened. It is already destined, yes, but take karmic retribution for example: every cause must have an effect. Once you are caught up in the cause, and then because you know what will happen in the future you try to alter the effect, the result can only become even worse. It is like foreseeing a plague and gathering all those who might be infected together; that would only bring a greater plague. Foreseeing war, and in order to prevent war striking first by starting one yourself, would likewise bring nothing but a still larger war!” I said with unwavering determination.

“Yan Hui is right. That is exactly why this book is not some divine scripture, but a book of ill omen.” Qing Yang nodded in satisfaction and smiled at me. “From now on, Qiu Nuo will stay with you. This child has made real progress in archaeology and appraisal; having him at your side will help you more or less, and will let you find the Fourteen Ming Mausoleums and the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art sooner.”

I nodded gladly and looked at Qiu Nuo beside me with a smile.

“Having Qiu Nuo’s help would certainly be a good thing. Aunt Qing, you really have thought of everything.”

“Then don’t you go finding me troublesome later. To be able to go with you and witness what may well become the greatest discovery in the history of archaeology, the thought of it is exciting enough.”

My smile did not remain on my face for long. I suddenly thought of Yue Qianling. Qiu Nuo following me from now on would not, in itself, be a problem, but I truly did not know how I would explain it to Yue Qianling. Just thinking of her willful, domineering nature, and then of Qiu Nuo staying with me in the future...

At that thought, I unconsciously scratched my head, and a feeling like a storm gathering beyond the mountains came over me.