Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1152 – The Unaging Mountain in the Tide

Guan Feibai’s body went rigid.

Before they left Mount Li, their eldest brother had prepared a silk bag for each of them, telling them to open it up at the most crucial times.

A few days ago, when the North Third Camp was surrounded and the reinforcements from the Orthodoxy cavalry had not yet arrived, he had noticed Liang Banhu opening that letter and reading it for a very long time by the fire.

On the very next day, Liang Banhu had died in battle.

Was it his turn today?

He took out the silk bag and opened it. Inside were a letter and a pill.

In the letter, Qiushan Jun explained that this pill was the one that Xiao Zhang had used to help him break through but had ultimately caused his descent into madness.

Eating this pill had a chance of causing a great increase in strength, perhaps even leading to a breakthrough, but there was an even greater chance of it severing all of one’s meridians. In the less serious cases, one would end up like Xiao Zhang and need to cultivate for ten-some years before recovering, and in the more serious cases, one would die on the spot.

Bai Cai did not see what was written on the letter, but he could guess at what it said from the change in Guan Feibai’s expression. He began to plead for him to desist.

Guan Feibai impassively gripped the pill, paying no attention to his implorations.

Bai Cai turned to Xu Yourong and wept, “Why did you have to remind him of this?”

“Why do you need to blame Junior Sister? In the end, it’s a choice that each of us makes.”

Guan Feibai’s expression was very calm. After saying these words, he swallowed the pill.

And then, he fell asleep.

“It’s a knockout drug. Senior Brother had me ask Chen Changsheng to make them.”

Xu Yourong explained to Bai Cai, “Liang Banhu’s silk bag also had one, though I don’t know why he didn’t eat it. Perhaps he didn’t trust the contents of the letter?”

Bai Cai watched as his senior brother was carried away like a drunkard and subconsciously scratched his head. “I still haven’t opened my letter, so I don’t know if it says the same thing.”

Xu Yourong caressed his head and softly said, “Then just follow me.”

Only now did Bai Cai realize that she had been guiding the conversation this entire time.

……

……

The demons’ primary force was truly focused on assaulting the Eastern Army. Other than around ten thousand wolf cavalry, they had also brought several times that number in tribal warriors.

The most important proof was that this army was being led by the Demon Commander.

From ten-some li away, it was still possible to clearly make out the massive outline of the Mountain-toppling Fiend.

The old Mountain-toppling Fiend had died on Nuorilang, and it was hard to say where the Demon Commander had managed to find another one.

Wang Po’s sole arm hugged his blade as he sat in a moist and muddy swamp. He leaned against the husk of a long-dead tree with his eyes closed, ignoring the sounds of fighting and death from beyond the thin mists.

His wounds were far from recovered. If he wanted to block the Demon Commander, he needed to cherish every bit of his strength.

Why had the demons given up on the Central Army Main Camp and attacked the Eastern Army? The reason was so simple that everyone could see it.

Because anyone could see that small mountain on the edge of the battlefield.

There was a carriage on that mountain.

There was a young Daoist boy in that carriage.

The young Daoist boy was currently flying a kite.

A massive painting was tied under the kite.

The painting depicted the burning of Sangharama Temple.

……

……

The wolf cavalry surged forward like a tide, but when they were still several li from the mountain, they were blocked by the black-armored cavalry.

This battle was carried out with abnormal forthrightness and crudity. The intentions of each side were obvious, so there were few tactics to speak of.

The entire plains seemed to be able to hear the quaking from the east, the furious sounds of fighting.

“I don’t know if that side will be able to last. I only know that I’m about to reach my breaking point.”

It was extremely rare for Linghai Zhiwang to speak to Chen Changsheng with this tone.

He truly was under enormous pressure. Right now, as soon as he walked out of this tent, he would immediately attract countless gazes.

Those gazes were ones of inquiry, unease, disdain, or encouragement. They were incomparably complex and exceptionally vicious.

The primary force of the demons had assaulted the Eastern Army and that small mountain might be drowned out by the black tide at any time.

At this time, everyone wanted to know the Pope’s stance.

The vast majority of priests and soldiers hoped that he would immediately order the army to move out to aid them.

Yes, not even Divine General He Ming had the right to issue this order. Only Chen Changsheng himself could make it.

“If there’s no news from that side, we don’t move.”

Chen Changsheng explained.

Tomorrow was the appointed time to make Cinnabar Pills, and he was considering whether he should cancel this session so that he could preserve his energy for the coming final battle.

Because the Cinnabar Pill had not been able to save the people he had wanted to save.

People matured the fastest on the battlefield.

Guan Bai’s hand was ice-cold.

This would not deprive his heart of warmth, but it did make it much tougher than normal.

Linghai Zhiwang hesitated for a while before saying, “Is there a possibility… that it’s not convenient for that side to send news?”

For a master to ultimately ask his student for aid… especially for this master and disciple who were famous for the strange relationship they had, was truly very difficult.

If it really was like this and Chen Changsheng did not take the initiative to provide reinforcements, what would they do if something really did happen?

Shang Xingzhou was a Saint and had an unfathomable cultivation, but he was still old, his body frail.

According to the news from Luoyang, he had grown much older in the last few years.

Nothing could be allowed to happen to Shang Xingzhou, because he was the spiritual leader of the Human race.

No matter how much one disliked him, one had to accept this fact.

When he thought of that scene by the spring, of the tightly bound black hair and… the white hair that was now impossible to conceal, Chen Changsheng fell quiet for a while. In the end, all he did was wave his hand.

……

……

As the battle continued, the pressure from the various sides felt more and more real. The gazes became Red Falcons with messages, and some Divine Generals had even attempted to charge into the camp and request a meeting with Chen Changsheng.

Chen Changsheng had met these Divine Generals, but he had not accepted their requests.

Xu Yourong said, “The situation there truly is rather grim. The North Third Camp won’t move, but the Fourth Camp might be moving soon.”

Chen Changsheng replied, “I know.”

Xu Yourong noted, “The pressure is increasing.”

Chen Changsheng gazed at the distant plains and the dust rising from the mountains. After a few moments of silence, he said, “When I was little and growing up in Xining, when pressure came, it was always Senior who blocked it for me. When I went to the capital, it was Martial Uncle and Archbishop Mei Lisha. After that, it was you. But in truth, my ability to endure pressure is quite good.”

He had directly confronted the shadow of death since the age of ten. There was no one better than him at enduring pressure.

He continued, “The battle started too early. That’s problematic.”

Yes, no matter how grim the state of supplies in Xuelao City was, they should have been able to last for some time, at least until the weather had gotten a little colder.

Xu Yourong also thought so and asked, “What do you think?”

“Master not asking me to help him means that he doesn’t need my help. I don’t know what he’s planning, and I’ve always been a little weak in this aspect, so I can only cooperate with him as I usually do…”

Chen Changsheng looked at her and said, “It’s just like in White Emperor City. You and Master finished planning everything and I just followed along.”

Xu Yourong pondered this and realized that he was right.

In terms of character, she, Shang Xingzhou, and the Divine Empress were one type of person while Chen Changsheng was another type.

The continuation of humanity required the former, but the latter was the goal. Perhaps this was why she loved him?

“I love you.”

Xu Yourong spoke with great solemnity, staring into his eyes.

Such a sudden confession truly left one defenseless.

Critically, there were still many people around, still people in the tent.

They had made no attempts to conceal their conversation.

Linghai Zhiwang was carefully cleaning the magical artifact in his hand as if he had heard nothing at all.

Divine General He Ming’s hand that was lifting the tent flap froze mid-action, just like his smile.

An Hua gave a starry-eyed look toward Xu Yourong, finding the Holy Maiden to truly be outstanding.

……

……

Such sights were rare occurrences, small flowers fortunate enough to bloom in the midst of blood and fire. The primary theme of the battlefield was still battle.

Battles were everywhere—chaotic battles, bloody battles. For hundreds of li, the plains to the south of Xuelao City were filled with constant battle.

The earth here was brimming with rotting substances. It was an intoxicating black, so rich and abundant that the blood falling on it did not seem very conspicuous at all.

But with the plains being painted white by the snow falling over the last few days, and then so much red and green blood being added in, the ensuing drawing was even more heart-shaking.

Even the most radical of Xuelao City’s artists could never have imagined this combination of colors, this collision of brushstrokes.

Feigned attacks, impeding, suppressing, dividing and conquering, shoving like the tide—once all the little maneuvers were used up, the situation was still just as clear as it was at the start.

The most tense and desperate battle was still taking place between the wolf cavalry led by the Demon Commander and the Eastern Army.

The wolf cavalry and black-armored cavalry clashed, ripping each other apart, swallowing each other.

It was like the place where the river and ocean met.

Different shades of blood collided, stirring massive waves, forming a giant vortex that was enough to swallow the sky.

The center of this vortex was precisely that small and unremarkable mountain.