Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Just when Chen Changsheng saw Zhou Tong, a clap of thunder boomed out from the street behind him and crashed somewhere very far away.

He sensed the battle taking place on the Luo River, felt the laws of the world changing, and also felt a blade intent that he was very closely connected with.

Immediately afterwards, this blade intent was broken, and a whole new blade intent took its place.

He was shocked, and then inspired, and also had a clearer understanding of the present situation.

Killing Zhou Tong was the task that he and Wang Po had set out to do. Now, Wang Po had removed the greatest obstacle of this task, Tie Shu. The rest was up to him.

A blurred figure suddenly shattered the wind and snow in the courtyard.

Chen Changsheng borrowed the power of the snowstorm to reach the palace armchair, the dagger in his hands stabbing at the seated Zhou Tong.

His sword intent summoned a wave of heat and light.

This heat and light came from his fiercely blazing true essence.

The cold wind ruffled Zhou Tong's official's gown and massive waves rose from the sea of blood.

The Stainless Sword plunged into the waves, striking straight into the depths of the sea of blood.

This was not Chen Changsheng's first visit to this courtyard, nor was it his first attempt to kill Zhou Tong.

With experience came caution, so he had made many preparations for this moment.

His attack seemed simple, but many backup plans were waiting behind it.

This attack was the Intellectual Sword, its true form being the vanguard of countless more sword techniques.

The True Sword of the Orthodoxy, the Toppling Mountain Staff, Gathering Evening Clouds of the Three Forms of Wenshui, the Cold Branch Intent of the temple sword—all of it was contained within this single strike.

And behind this strike, he had prepared three more supreme techniques that no one knew about.

No matter how Zhou Tong responded, it would all be swallowed up by the furious waves of an unending river of sword techniques.

Perhaps he would be killed by this one strike.

Yet what happened next somewhat exceeded his imagination.

Zhou Tong had not suddenly broken through, becoming a supreme expert of the Divine Domain.

Nor had Chen Changsheng's teacher suddenly appeared.

Rather, Zhou Tong's response was somewhat strange.

Zhou Tong's response was to do nothing.

He did nothing at all.

With a squelch, the incomparably sharp dagger easily pierced through the official's robe, stabbing into Zhou Tong's stomach as if it were rotten pulp.

Perhaps because the official's robe was already as red as blood, it was very difficult to see if Zhou Tong was bleeding or not.

Zhou Tong's face was pale, his eyes utterly cold. A sharp sword had been run through his body, yet he showed not a hint of pain.

He gazed at Chen Changsheng, his eyes filling with ridicule as if he was gazing at a corpse that was once a most oafish buffoon.

Zhou Tong was a sinister minister empowered with great authority, and also an upper level Star Condensation expert.

The news that Chen Changsheng and Wang Po wanted to kill him had long since spread to the entire capital, so it was impossible for him to have not made preparations.

No matter how abundant Chen Changsheng's own preparations, it was impossible for it to be so easy to kill Zhou Tong.

The moment the dagger stabbed through the great crimson official's gown, Chen Changsheng knew that there was something wrong.

Perhaps there was something wrong with the entire matter, or perhaps there was something wrong with Zhou Tong himself.

Then, Zhou Tong's body vanished right before his eyes.

The crimson official's gown fell on the palace armchair.

An extremely thick scent of blood flowed down the stone steps like blood, spreading until it completely enclosed the entire courtyard.

The Zhou Tong that had been sitting in the palace armchair this entire time had not actually been real. It had just been his gown.

How had he done this? How had he been able to conceal it from his subordinates? And most incomprehensible of all, how had he been able to conceal it from Chen Changsheng's eyes?

Chen Changsheng was born in the Sacred Light, was bathed in dragon blood, had his organs washed by the Tianhai Divine Empress. His eyes were extraordinarily bright, and both arrays and disguises were easily seen through by his eyes.

Then there was only one probability. What had been fooled was not his eyes, but his mind.

Many people knew that Zhou Tong had an extremely profound and horrifying mental technique called the Great Crimson Gown.

Perhaps that was the reason?

Chen Changsheng naturally knew that Zhou Tong's mental technique was powerful. In this place, he had once fought against the Great Crimson Gown, and he had already experienced it twice.

But he truly had not expected Zhou Tong's Great Crimson Gown to be this powerful, far exceeding the two times he had experienced it before.

He did not know that the two times he had been able to come out unharmed against Zhou Tong's Great Crimson Gown were because the Tianhai Divine Empress had rubbed a drop of clear tea on his forehead.

But now she was gone; the tea had gone cold.

……

……

Zhou Tong was not there.

Naturally, then, Chen Changsheng's sword had missed.

All his preparations, all the sword techniques concealed behind him, all his strategies, had missed the mark.

Most importantly, his mind, will, and resolve had all completely missed.

With a howl of cold wind, the crabapple tree shook, and Xiao De tore through the air, his fist flying.

Chen Changsheng had thrust his sword with all he had, so it was naturally not possible for him to return it very quickly.

The gale stirred by the fist caused his clothes to dance, making his movements seem very slow.

But this sort of slow speed had a very stable tempo.

He turned his wrist and lightly shook his hand. The Yellow Paper Umbrella in his left hand unfurled itself on his shoulder.

This set of actions was very clean and efficient.

Xiao De's fist once more smashed against the Yellow Paper Umbrella, its boundless might falling against it.

Like a loose kite, Chen Changsheng was tossed into the air, falling into the hall that had just been rebuilt a few weeks ago.

With a heavy thud, his body smashed through several hardy stone walls and then crashed to the floor.

Dust plumed and buildings slowly collapsed.

He stood up from the debris-littered floor.

The blood-covered Xiao De seemed like a real monster as he came from behind.

Expert after expert tore through the air, appearing on walls and trees as they surrounded the courtyard.

Even the weakest of these experts had reached the Star Condensation Realm.

They came from the various ministries of the Imperial Court, the army, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, and some of them belonged to this place, assassins of the Department for Purging Officials.

Zhou Tong was not there.

He had used his Great Crimson Gown technique to create a massive deception.

Today was clearly a trap.

Chen Changsheng had stepped into this trap.

Before this reality, many people would be deeply perplexed, their minds confused.

Even if they weren't perplexed or confused, they would still feel a sense of defeat.

Even if one's will was extraordinarily resolute, falling into an opponent's trap would cause one to be somewhat wary.

Even if one's Dao heart was brightly lit and could completely drive these negative emotions away, one would at least feel regretful, and would at least want to know the whereabouts of Zhou Tong, since he wasn't here.

Chen Changsheng did not feel any of these things.

He put away the Yellow Paper Umbrella, placed the hilt of his dagger in his sheath, and then turned to face Xiao De and those experts that surrounded him.

His actions were not panicked or confused, and his expression was very calm. His face did not contain any hint of defeat, nor did it show any wariness for the traps and schemes of his enemy.

He had certainly not imagined that the Zhou Tong within the courtyard was fake, or else he would not have used such a thunderous strike.

Why now was he so unperturbed as if he had already predicted all this?

Xiao De found it impossible to understand his composure and grew wary. "You guessed it?"

Chen Changsheng replied, "I had thought of this possibility, but it's not easy to get into this place. If I wanted to kill my way in, I couldn't think about that possibility, so I stopped thinking about it."

This was a rather winding explanation, but Xiao De understood.

If Chen Changsheng really did think that Zhou Tong was not here, even if just an outside chance, he would not have been able to press forward so courageously.

And if he were unable to press forward, he would have never been able to reach this courtyard and stab his sword at the Great Crimson Gown sitting on the palace armchair.

Xiao De asked, "Then how can you still be so calm?"

Chen Changsheng explained, "I've already done my best and there's nothing to be ashamed about, so naturally, I'm calm."

Xiao De mocked, "It's still that tired phrase."

"I wasn't speaking of my heart, I was saying that I already accomplished my objective."

After saying this, Chen Changsheng gave a few painful coughs.

Even with the protection of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, a few of his bones had been broken by Xiao De's two fists.

There was no blood visible because he had grown accustomed to hiding such things in his battles. In reality, however, the true essence in his meridians was already beginning to slow.

Xiao De slowly narrowed his eyes and said, "You don't even know where Zhou Tong is, and you dare say that you've accomplished your objective?"

"No one knows where a loose kite will land, but he's no kite. He's just a dog that's been frightened away from here by me.

"And just how long can a stray dog live?" Chen Changsheng asked.