Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1081 – Please Do Not Repeat the Story from That Night

“I forgot that there was also Liu Qing.”

Shang Xingzhou sighed, “If you hadn’t mentioned him, I wouldn’t have even been able to think of his name.”

Even though he was now the de facto number one individual in the world, not even he would underestimate an assassin as frightening as Liu Qing.

So when he said that he hadn’t thought about him, he truly had not thought about him. In no way was he expressing contempt or disregard.

Xu Yourong said, “He truly is easily forgotten.”

“The best assassin should be as such.”

Shang Xingzhou said in a voice tinged with admiration, “He advanced a lot after Su Li and that one left.”

Xu Yourong knew that the other person he spoke of was not her teacher, but the legendary leader of the assassins. She said, “Yes, so I am sure that Prince Chen Liu will die.”

After a moment of silence, Shang Xingzhou said, “I can presume that you have similar plans in many other places?”

Xu Yourong replied, “The plans elsewhere are much cruder. The newly appointed Archbishop of the Hall of Illustrious Persons, Guan Bai, will return to the Heavenly Dao Academy in a short while, but I am not sure what will happen after that.”

Shang Xingzhou nodded. “Zhuang Zhihuan is rather dissatisfied with this matter. If the situation turns restless, he might strike Guan Bai.”

Xu Yourong answered, “I’ve also thought of this, in which case Guan Bai will die.”

She was clearly stating that an important member of her side would die, but she still had a serene expression. It was like she was describing something that had nothing to do with her.

Shang Xingzhou calmly looked at her and then suddenly began to laugh.

Only now did he truly begin to regard her as his opponent.

“And after that death?”

“Various kinds of death.”

“How will they die?”

“It’s just you killing me, me killing you… just like that night.”

The expression in Xu Yourong’s eyes turned faint, as if she was gazing at a distant place or time.

On that night three years, she and Mo Yu had been sent out of the capital by the Divine Empress, so they had not been able to see it.

……

……

Ten-some Red Geese flew into the sky. Some of them landed while others headed for farther destinations.

The news about the events taking place in the Mausoleum of Books spread through the streets of the capital. The approaching plumes of dust crossing the plains were further proof of this news.

The crowd outside the Li Palace became restless and quickly dispersed, but the Grand Examination continued.

The bishops and deacons rushed to and fro between the halls, even more of them rushing across the Divine Avenue. The Orthodoxy cavalry had already been deployed. A somber mood suffused the air.

Linghai Zhiwang looked at Chen Changsheng and solemnly said, “It’s about to start.”

Chen Changsheng walked to the entrance of the hall and said, “If…”

Linghai Zhiwang, Hu Thirty-Two, and Daoist Siyuan nervously looked over.

Chen Changsheng had not paid attention to matters of the outside world for many days now. If he had a silent understanding with Xu Yourong or had prepared some trump card, it had to be revealed today.

“…I’m just saying ‘if’.”

Chen Changsheng fell quiet again, then he turned and said to them, “Forget it. There’s no ‘if’. Follow the instructions on the paper.”

After saying this, he took out a paper dragonfly and passed it to them.

Linghai Zhiwang and the others unfolded the paper dragonfly and hurriedly glanced over it. They were instantly struck dumb.

Whatever absurd orders Chen Changsheng had given them, they still had to carry them out.

……

……

The clear water within the stone pool seeped over the edges and silently flowed down the path of stone and out of the hall.

Only when the water was agitated would it let out a sound similar to the clear cry of a sword.

Chen Changsheng ladled some water.

The Green Leaf was not present, so the water was naturally not for it.

He raised the ladle to his mouth and slowly drank.

Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and asked, “Just what are you planning to do?”

Chen Changsheng used his sleeve to wipe water off his face and said, “Drinking clear water can clear up the heart.”

Tang Thirty-Six gravely said, “You’ve never drunk unboiled water, much less used your sleeve to wipe your mouth.”

Chen Changsheng looked at him and asked, “Have you not noticed that I’ve already changed a lot?”

Tang Thirty-Six inquired, “Where have you changed?”

Chen Changsheng earnestly replied, “I live more freely and casually.”

Tang Thirty-Six looked into his bright eyes and examined his earnest expression, and rage poured out of every pore of his body as he huffed, “You should look in a mirror.”

Chen Changsheng clearly did not understand what he meant and appeared rather puzzled.

Tang Thirty-Six listened to the activity outside and frowned. “Are you really not worried?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “Since they aren’t going to fight, why should I worry?”

Confused, Tang Thirty-Six asked, “What do you mean?”

Chen Changsheng turned toward the stone room. For some reason, he had a rather complicated expression.

“I understand my master more than Yourong. Until he is prepared, he definitely won’t allow the other side any chance to start the battle.”

The two sides had already settled into a deadlock in the Mausoleum of Books, so Tang Thirty-Six found it impossible to believe Chen Changsheng’s conclusion. He treated it as Chen Changsheng simply soothing himself.

Chen Changsheng had passed the paper dragonfly to Linghai Zhiwang and the others, but he would not be present.

“We’re really not using the Imperial Design?”

He stared into Chen Changsheng’s eyes, his face unprecedentedly solemn.

Chen Changsheng said nothing.

Tang Thirty-Six said, “If you’re sure that His Majesty will stand on your side at the most critical moment, today is the best chance.”

The Lingyan Pavilion had already been destroyed by the Tianhai Divine Empress using the Frost God Spear, but the array pivot for the Imperial Design was still within the Imperial Palace. Moreover, though the Tang Old Master was maintaining his neutral stance, the Tang clan’s chief branch, free and unhindered, was gradually regaining its power. His father had sent many enforcers into the capital, stationed at various stores and merchant associations, and ready to move at Tang Thirty-Six’s word.

With the Tang clan’s help, Yuren could activate the Imperial Design at any moment.

At that time, even if the princes led the armies into the capital, they would be no match for the martial brothers.

This was not the first time Tang Thirty-Six had brought up this suggestion.

Chen Changsheng remained silent.

Tang Thirty-Six finally understood that he was not hesitating, but using his silence to voice his opinion.

Chen Changsheng trusted that if he truly was standing before the abyss, his senior brother would protect him.

But for various reasons, he did not want to use the Imperial Design.

Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and asked, “Why?”

“If we use the Imperial Design, it will be too similar to that night from three years ago.”

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment, then continued, “And I’ll become too similar to Master.”

Tang Thirty-Six understood what he meant. After a few moments, he patted him on the shoulder to express his support and comfort, and then he walked out of the hall.

Chen Changsheng returned to the stone room.

He had spent all of the last few days practicing the sword within this room.

The stone room was very simple, so plain that it seemed rather sorry. There was nothing in it besides the prayer mat on the ground.

But now, a person had suddenly appeared in the room.

When had this person gotten here?

And how had they managed to sneak past the eyes of the thousands of priests within the Li Palace?

It was a gray-haired old man. His right hand gripped a wet brush and his left hand held a paint palette.

The paint on the palette was gray and the old man was also dressed in gray. What should have been white hair and brows had also been painted gray, the exact same color as the gray of the stone walls of this room.

Could it be that this old man had painted himself as a wall of this stone room?

If this was true, what sort of mystical painting technique was this?

The old man looked at Chen Changsheng and said with some satisfaction, “Fortunately, you understand what it means to place the world above all.”

Chen Changsheng was quiet for a while, then he replied, “Truthfully, I don’t understand it very well.”