Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Everyone looked at Qiushan Jun, waiting for his answer.

Would he reply with 'Father and Son', or would he remain silent?

If he chose not to respond, then he would become an unfilial son committing a monstrous crime.

Bai Cai held his breath until his face was red. He knew how much suffering his Eldest Brother must necessarily be in.

Xiao Songgong looked at Qiushan Jun and coldly said, "Don't tell me you would actually dare to strike your own father?"

That Longevity Sect elder showed ridicule and pity in his eyes. Yes, even if Qiushan Jun was completely without a plan and had resolved to battle, even if he could take up the Myriad Sword Array and would even dare to destroy precious jade with it, could he possibly dare to commit patricide?

Qiushan Jun was very quiet, gazing at the distant mountains.

After a very long time, he drew back his gaze and turned to his father. He very properly clasped his hands and bowed.

Then he said those two words, "Father and Son."

A breeze blew through the mountains, seeming just like a helpless sigh.

By cutting the robe, you could sever friendships. By cutting the mat, you could sever relationships. Yet even if you cut off all the flesh on your body, you would still find it impossible to cut off the world's most powerful association, the blood.

Qiushan Jun was perfect, endowed with both great wisdom and great courage, always acting in the most humane way. How could he perform such an unfilial action? How could he possibly attack his own father?

The Qiushan clan head looked at Qiushan Jun, his emotions rather complex. "Everyone says that you have true dragon blood that is rarely seen once in a thousand years, but is there anyone that remembers that within your body flows the blood of my Qiushan clan? Fortunately, you did not forget."

Qiushan Jun said nothing, only calmly looked back at him. For some reason, the expression in his eyes made the heart beat faster.

For some reason, the Qiushan clan head had an extremely unpleasant sensation. Attempting to head off further conflict, he promptly said, "Since you don't want to be unfilial, quickly remove the Myriad Sword Array."

Qiushan Jun was quiet for a time, then said, "Father, you might have misunderstood my meaning."

Everyone was rather astonished. They thought to themselves, the Qiushan clan head said the words 'Heaven and Earth, and you responded 'Father and Son'. You should know that this is a human relationship that is impossible to go against. Could it be that you have some other method?

Qiushan Jun asked the Qiushan clan head, "The father is benevolent, the son is filial. I must respect my father, but Father, shouldn't you also love and protect your son?"

The Qiushan clan head had an ugly expression. He yelled, "Just where did this nonsense come from?"

Everyone knew that although Qiushan Jun grew up in Mount Li learning the sword, the Qiushan clan head looked upon him like a precious treasure. No matter what Qiushan Jun requested, the Qiushan clan head would completely comply. It was even such that the Qiushan clan had also been caring for the disciples of Mount Li over the past few years. On the subject of love and protection, this father, the Qiushan clan head, could be said to have done an extraordinarily fine job.

Qiushan Jun gazed at his father and continued to speak. "Yes, in these past few years, Father has taken care of many things for me and arranged for me many roads, whether it was sending me to Mount Li back then or letting me accidentally encounter Martial Granduncle by that mountain stream. If everything were to develop as Father planned, then in the future, the Mount Li Sword Sect would inevitably be mine, and even the Longevity Sect might be mine. I would become the youngest Saint. If I were to marry Junior Sister Xu, then we would become the new generation of the White Emperor couple, and the human world of the united north and south would also perhaps be ours. For this reason, you availed yourself of the opportunity while I was gone on my mission to seize the key to the Garden of Zhou and persuaded the various elders of the south to travel to the capital and propose. And you clearly knew that Junior Sister Xu still had not made the preparations to marry me. Even more excessively, you used some method to convince the Holy Maiden to transfer Junior Sister Xu out of South Stream Temple. Yes! Father has done many things for me. How could you not love me?"

After this long monologue was completed, the peak of Mount Li was once more silent.

These words of Qiushan Jun's were very unyielding, very straightforward, very radiant, but the matters he spoke of were of the exact opposite nature.

The expression on the Qiushan clan head's face grew even more unsightly. "Just what are you thinking about?"

Qiushan Jun said, "What I want to say is, Father, the more you love me, the more you are willing to pay for me, the more you will find it impossible to achieve success today. On the contrary, I must thank Father for coming today to Mount Li and helping me to suppress this rebellion, because soon after, perhaps Father will begin to follow my plans."

The Qiushan clan was so angry that his entire body was shaking. "Unfilial son! Could it be that you would actually dare to attack me!"

"Your son would not dare," Qiushan Jun calmly replied, and then he pulled the Dragonscale Sword out of its sheath.

A bright sword glow illuminated the peak, as if a real dragon had peeked its head out of the clouds and bathed the place in light.

The Qiushan clan head abruptly guessed at something and his expression suddenly changed. With a trembling voice, he yelled, "Quickly stop him! Restrain his sword!"

Hearing this shout, the Qiushan clan Guardian's expression suddenly turned cold. The Qi he was emitting suddenly shot up to a terrifying level.

Only now did everyone finally confirm that this Guardian with an unfathomable cultivation was really incomparably strong. As long as he had the time, perhaps he really could break through this remainder of the Myriad Sword Array!

Bai Cai and the other Mount Li disciples did not know what Eldest Brother was prepared to do next. Hearing the Qiushan clan head's order, they subconsciously grasped their swords and moved forward, spreading out in front of the dwelling.

Sword glows were everywhere as the Mount Li disciples arranged themselves in a sword array, protecting Qiushan Jun behind them.

That Qiushan clan Guardian could not block Qiushan Jun.

It wasn't because of that hastily arranged sword array formed by those Mount Li disciples, nor was it because the Myriad Sword Array in front of the dwelling was still operational. It was simply because Qiushan Jun was too fast.

Before Qiushan Jun used his sword, it seemed like he had not done any pondering, not considered any of his own interests, and not caused his sword heart to ring out. He was just like somebody that saw a child playing by the well almost about to fall in, naturally reaching out his hand to catch the child. This sort of attack didn't give the sensation of being fast, but it was very resolute, very right and proper, something that no one could block.

There was a soft squelch.

The Dragonscale Sword…had pierced into his abdomen and exited through the other side.

The body of the sword was covered in dark red blood. It was no longer as bright as before, but rather seemed especially gaudy, like a just-bloomed flower.

A deathly stillness hung over the peak of Mount Li.

Everyone was dumbstruck.

There was not a single voice, only the sound of the wind gently blowing through the mountains.

It was then that people understood that this mountain breeze was not a helpless sigh, but boundless gasps of admiration.

Bai Cai let out a huge cry and rushed back to Qiushan Jun's side, supporting him as he was about to collapse.

Qiushan Jun's face was pale but his expression was still calm. Blood had drenched half of his body and the sword was still within.

His sword was very fast, very steady, and very accurate. It had pierced completely through his body, but it had not damaged any internal organs.

His sword only needed to budge a little and he would die.

The Qiushan clan head also finally understood. His face became even paler, paler even than Qiushan Jun's.

For Qiushan Jun, the Qiushan clan had paid far too much, done far too many things, and had prepared for far too long.

If this was an investment, then it was absolutely not permitted to fail, but if Qiushan Jun were to die, all of it would go up in smoke.

If this was not an investment, but love, just how could he possibly bear seeing his own son die?

'Heaven and Earth', and then 'Father and Son'.

This was a principle of nature, the natural relationship between humans.

No person could resist.

Yes, it was just like this.

But Qiushan Jun had previously said the words 'Father and Son' not to be imprisoned by the bonds of blood, but rather to use them to counter his own father.

If the Qiushan clan head could use his status as the father to require him to give up on something, then he could naturally use his life as the son to require his father to give up on something.

The benevolent father, the filial son.

The son is the very image of his father.

So it was like this.

Yes.