Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1099 – Before the Fight

The Orthodox Academy was extremely cold and cheerless, so quiet and still that it seemed like a tomb.

All the teachers, students, and workers had already left. Even Su Moyu and Tang Thirty-Six were now walking out of the academy gate.

Su Moyu turned and looked at the ivy-covered academy walls. He anxiously asked, “Just how is he prepared to fight?”

Tang Thirty-Six’s gaze fell deep within the Orthodox Academy, but he said nothing.

This was the question that everyone wanted to know the answer to.

In front of the Divine Path of the Mausoleum of Books…

Countless gazes descended upon Chen Changsheng.

In a series of soft footsteps, Xu Yourong walked up to Chen Changsheng.

She did not stand farther ahead of him, nor did she deliberately stand behind him.

She stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

No one was astonished or stunned at this sight. On the contrary, they seemed much more relieved.

From the moment Chen Changsheng proposed that he and Shang Xingzhou fight, many people had expected to see this sight.

In terms of seniority and strength, Chen Changsheng was far inferior to Shang Xingzhou. It was completely unreasonable for them to engage in a straightforward fight.

This sort of awkward fairness was actually true fairness. Not even his enemies would reject this proposal.

For him to join together with Xu Yourong was only right and proper.

All the continent knew that their harmony of swords possessed unimaginable might that could even break through the limit of the Divine Domain.

But even so, no one was optimistic on their chances of defeating Shang Xingzhou.

Their swords combined had once succeeded in forcing Wuqiong Bi to retreat at Holy Maiden Peak, and had shaken that Angel of Sacred Light from the other continent in White Emperor City.

But their opponent today was Shang Xingzhou, who was unquestionably the strongest of the current age.

Shang Xingzhou’s cultivation level was far above Wuqiong Bi’s, and he had even torn off the wings of that Angel of Sacred Light.

Even if it was as Xu Yourong had calculated and Shang Xingzhou really was hiding his injuries, he still held an absolute advantage over Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong.

But now, Chen Changsheng said something extremely surprising.

“This is a matter between master and disciple. I hope that we alone can resolve it.”

He looked at Xu Yourong, but his words were also for Wang Po, the Mount Li Sword Sect, and the experts of the Orthodoxy.

These words sent the crowd into a buzz as they wondered, how will he fight?

Xu Yourong was very surprised and looked at him in confusion, appearing at a loss.

Shang Xingzhou, on the contrary, quickly understood his intentions and indifferently said, “Fine.”

Wang Zhice had also guessed at what Chen Changsheng had arranged. Arching his brows, he said, “I have no objection.”

At this moment, the latest news came from the capital: the Orthodox Academy had been emptied.

This news made the crowd believe that they had understood.

The Orthodox Academy truly was the ideal place for today’s fight.

But the crowd almost immediately realized that they still did not know how Chen Changsheng was prepared to fight.

……

……

Before going to the Orthodox Academy, Shang Xingzhou went to the Imperial Palace.

The two places were nearby. The only thing between them was a rather old and mottled wall.

The abnormal weather was still dispersing. A little snow was still falling from the sky.

Shang Xingzhou stood in the plaza, quietly gazing at that grandiose and magnificent hall.

The snow drifted onto his hair and clothes. But it did not melt. It stuck to him, seeming to take on a sort of unreal existence.

Ten-some eunuchs and maids kneeled in the corridor or by the stone steps outside the side door. Their heads were lowered and they did not dare to speak, their bodies trembling in fear.

The emperor was in this hall.

Shang Xingzhou quietly looked at the hall for a long time, but he ultimately chose to leave without entering the hall.

No one knew whether his expression had changed at this moment.

After hearing Eunuch Lin’s whispered report, Yuren slightly increased the grip of the fingers that he used to hold his book, his knuckles whitening.

While Shang Xingzhou had been standing outside the hall, he had been reading.

He had been very focused, so his head had been very low.

No one knew if he had been able to understand the contents of the book.

And no one could see if his expression had changed.

The array guarding this hall had been deactivated some time ago. Chilly wind blew in from the seams in the window, ruffling the pages of his book.

The Imperial Palace was extremely still and quiet, just like that lonely mountain in the clouds while it was still unawakened.

After some time, the sounds of water splashing could be heard in the hall.

Immediately after, Eunuch Lin spoke in a voice trembling from heartache.

“Your Majesty, use a hot towel to warm your eyes.”

……

……

The area outside the Orthodox Academy was packed with people.

Such a scene had taken place many times before.

After the Ivy Festival, all the idlers of the capital had besieged the Orthodox Academy.

Daoist Siyuan and Linghai Zhiwang used the All-School Martial Exhibition to send an unending stream of experts to challenge the Orthodox Academy.

After the coup of the Mausoleum of Books, the Orthodox Academy was surrounded by the cavalry of the Imperial Court for three days.

But today was different from those other times, because it was extremely quiet outside the Orthodox Academy.

Let alone cursing and arguing, not even the sound of chatting could be heard today.

The entire capital was similarly quiet.

From the nobles to the cultivators to the ordinary citizens, everyone’s attention was on the coming fight between master and disciple.

This fight had not yet begun, but it had already been recorded in the annals of history.

One could even say that this was the most important fight since Zhou Dufu’s battle with the Demon Lord.

The Grand Examination which would so often attract the attention of the entire continent had long since been forgotten.

The examinees and priests from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education were still in the Green Leaf World. It was impossible to say if they had noticed anything strange.

The potted Green Leaf had been placed in a room within a restaurant outside the Orthodox Academy.

Tang Thirty-Six did not even glance at it.

He was standing outside the restaurant.

All the streets around the Imperial Palace had already been placed under heavy guard.

Many people were in Hundred Flowers Lane.

He saw Wang Po, the Prince of Xiang, the Prince of Zhongshan, and even the Old Lady of the Mutuo clan, who had at some point reinserted herself into the crowd. He saw Linghai Zhiwang, who had just hurried back from the Heavenly Dao Academy, and he saw Daoist Siyuan rushing over from the Road of Peace. But he did not see Xu Yourong.

……

……

Xu Yourong had gone to the Orange Garden.

The Prince of Louyang paced back and forth across the room, his face pale as he muttered, “What do I do, what do I do…”

Mo Yu was also very worried, her husband’s appearance putting her in a foul mood. She asked, “Just what is he thinking?”

Xu Yourong softly said, “I don’t know.”

Mo Yu angrily said, “Then you should go over there and watch! What do you mean by coming here!”

Xu Yourong looked at her and said, “I came to remind you that based on my agreement with His Majesty, you should be doing some things.”

Mo Yu slightly frowned and asked, “Even if you know that there’s an extremely high chance that he’ll lose?”

Xu Yourong calmly answered, “If he loses, then we will strike directly.”

Mo Yu froze as she realized, you truly are the Empress’s only rightful successor.

……

……

The house was no home to spring, summer, or autumn.

The temperature in the room was the harsh cold of midwinter.

Chen Changsheng sat by the window, his eyes closed.

A bamboo dragonfly had been placed on the table, as had the Divine Staff.

The little Black Dragon stood behind him, shrouding him in her dragon breath.

No frost formed on the floorboards, because all the chill was accurately falling on Chen Changsheng’s body.

Low temperatures could repair the finest of wounds, ensure the toughness of one’s body, and pacify one’s sea of consciousness.

In the Li Palace’s stone chamber, he had calmed his mind and comprehended the sword for many days. He had already made a great many preparations.

But he knew that no preparations could be enough to defeat someone like his master.

After some time, he opened his eyes, took up the Divine Staff, and walked out of his room and to a room on the first floor.

He put away the Divine Robe and exchanged it for that thin attire in the wardrobe.

The room was Zhexiu’s, and the set of clothes was also Zhexiu’s.

The front lapel of these clothes was very short, and the sleeves were even shorter. It was extremely suitable for fighting, and even more suitable for putting everything on the line.

This done, he walked out of the house.

Shang Xingzhou was already standing by the lake.

Wang Zhice was nearby.

Chen Changsheng threw an object at him.

Wang Zhice stretched out a hand and caught it. Glancing at it, he sighed.

As expected, it was that black stone.