Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 907 – Between East and West

Wuqiong Bi rushed to the center of the plateau and held up Bie Yanghong’s tottering body. She stared at the blue-clothed visitor, her eyes filled with spite and wanting nothing more than to bite him. She yelled, “So it was you! We have never even met you, and there are no grudges between us, so why did you kill our beloved son!”

“Your son was always fated to die a violent death. I originally thought using his death to throw the continent into chaos was rather good, but alas…”

The blue-clothed visitor regretfully said, “I didn’t expect that though His Holiness the Pope and the Holy Maiden were so young, they would have such outstanding techniques. If not, there would be no need for me to appear.”

This really was the case. If the harmonious strikes of Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong had failed to beat back Wuqiong Bi, he truly would not have needed to act.

Perhaps Chen Changsheng would have ended up losing to Wuqiong Bi, or perhaps Bie Yanghong would not have believed in Qiushan Jun’s words, but in any event, Chen Changsheng would be in great danger.

“And there’s also that Qiushan Jun.”

The blue-clothed visitor melancholically said, “The Central Continent truly has many young talents, while we across the vast sea are inevitably peering up at the sky from the bottom of a well.”

Wang Po said, “A few days ago outside Hanqiu City, I advised you that although I did not know of your esteemed identity, that it was best for you to not stick your hands into this continent’s affairs.”

Bie Yanghong looked at the blue-clothed visitor and suddenly said, “If my guess is not wrong, you should be Mu?”

He had spent many more years in the Divine Domain than Wang Po, so he still had some impressions on a few stories from long ago.

Hearing this, Wuqiong Bi and the three martial grandaunts of South Stream Temple appeared stricken with shock.

The Old Lady of the Mutuo clan had not said very much today, and nothing since the appearance of Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi. At this time, she suddenly propped herself up on her cane and sternly rebuked the blue-clothed visitor, “You westerners have actually come to make trouble again!”

The blue-clothed visitor was Mu!

‘Mu’ was the surname of the Imperial clan that ruled over the Great Western Continent.

In ancient times, referring to someone by only their surname signified the greatest respect in the human world, and this custom had persisted until now.

Examples of such included Yin, Shang, and Tianhai.

The blue-clothed visitor had only the name ‘Mu’ and was the most outstanding individual of the Great Western Continent’s Imperial clan.

In terms of seniority, he was currently the Imperial Uncle of the Great Western Continent, one generation higher than the Empress of White Emperor City.

It was said that he possessed an unfathomable cultivation, incredible strength, and a cruel and arrogant personality.

When the Chief Princess of the Great Western Continent was forced to leave her homeland and cross the sea to the continent to become Madam Mu, Empress of the Demi-humans, it was said that it was because the Imperial Uncle had thought her talent too shocking, her potential too great. Believing that she threatened the traditional successor of the Imperial clan, he compelled her to leave.

Now that one thought about it, this rumor was not necessarily true.

The dragon breath of the Black Frost Dragon truly could not be fabricated, or at least such a feat had never been performed before. However, the demi-humans’ founding their country was closely tied to the Black Frost Dragon tribe. It would not be difficult to believe that Madam Mu had found some secret method for fabricating Black Frost Dragon breath in White Emperor City.

Bie Yanghong looked at the blue-clothed visitor and asked, “The girl in the drawing is presumably Mu Jiushi?”

The visitor replied, “Bai Xingye and I have a terrible relationship, but he always doted on my niece. Do you really dare to go to White Emperor City to seek her out?”

Bie Yanghong said, “Let alone White Emperor City, even if she hid herself in the abyss behind Xuelao City, I would still want to kill her.”

The blue-clothed visitor answered, “Then I will go first and wait for you there.”

After saying this, he looked to the west.

In that direction were rising mists and stormy seas, but they were beyond his gaze.

Copper pieces stained with golden blood began to clatter down and pile at his feet like golden leaves.

Even at this final moment, still no one knew what the face of this strongest member of the Great Western Continent’s Imperial clan looked like.

Within the countless rays of golden light, one could vaguely make out a somewhat elderly face.

The light grew brighter and brighter, then suddenly vanished.

No more would this person be found in this world.

Only the copper pieces on the ground were testament to what had happened here.

……

……

This was a very long winter day.

Because too many things had happened, time seemed to pass very slowly.

In truth, from the three martial grandaunts’ announcing the closing of South Stream Temple, Chen Changsheng’s staunch opposition, and Wuqiong Bi’s hate-filled voice, up to now, not much time had passed at all.

In this short span of time, the three seconds after the blue-clothed visitor struck were the most crucial.

The blue-clothed visitor had acted based on his assessment of the situation on the plateau. If Wang Po did not appear, he would refuse to strike. Wang Po’s blade had appeared because the White Tiger Divine General had suddenly launched a sneak attack on Chen Changsheng. The Divine General had not believed that Chen Changsheng would able to receive a sneak attack from an expert of his level.

The blue-clothed visitor had not agreed. He believed that Chen Changsheng, as the Pope, had countless means of preserving his life, so he had prepared himself to use the chaos to strike. Po’s blade had already appeared, so who else could stop him? He had not expected that while he had been waiting for Wang Po’s blade to appear, someone else had been waiting for him.

And he would never have expected this person to be Bie Yanghong.

This was the story of what elapsed in those three seconds.

In retrospect, this story began with the White Tiger Divine General’s spear.

If the White Tiger Divine General had not attempted to kill Chen Changsheng, none of the ensuing events would have taken place.

Then where would this story end? Would it end here?

No.

The heaven-shaking battle between experts of the Divine Domain had ended.

The blue-clothed visitor was dead.

But Chen Changsheng still lived.

The White Tiger Divine General withdrew his spear, glanced at Chen Changsheng, then turned around and walked away.

When he glanced at Chen Changsheng, his face was very indifferent, the meaning he wanted to convey very clearly expressed.

‘Your Holiness’s fate is truly excellent.’

Chen Changsheng looked at his retreating figure, his expression calm. But he did not put down his sword.

The sword intent began weak and insignificant, then began to congeal, going from simple to forceful to awe-inspiring.

The surrounding grass responded, rising up and stabbing straight towards the sky.

The White Tiger Divine General naturally sensed this sword intent as well.

The meaning this sword intent wanted to convey was very clear.

‘General, do you think you can just leave?’

The White Tiger Divine General did not stop. He seemed to not care, a mocking smile appearing on his lips.

Your Holiness, I truly did want to kill you just now, but so what?

Your cultivation is inferior to mine, as is your ability to fight. You’re heavily injured, so even if you have countless magical artifacts and treasures on your person, do you really think you can kill me?

Of course, that blade can kill me, even though Wang Po is also severely wounded. But do you really think that His Highness will just watch? As for afterward… I can go back to the capital and become Minister of the Army, and does Your Holiness dare return to the capital? Or I can return to White Tiger Pass, where I lead tens of thousands of soldiers, countless experts and array masters. How can Your Holiness deal with me then?

These were all thoughts which naturally no one could hear.

But his indifferent and arrogant expression and Chen Changsheng’s unwillingness to put down his sword were already enough to make the situation clear.

The several Daoists of the Monastery of Eternal Spring flew over from the Imperial Court’s diplomatic mission to the plateau’s center to receive the general.

The blue clothes drifted in the wind, obscuring Chen Changsheng’s view of the White Tiger Divine General’s back.

Suddenly, a green leaf descended.

The green of these leaves was of a fainter shade than the blue clothes of the Daoists, so they seemed lighter.

These were the leaves of the wutong tree.

Several hundred zhang away, Xu Yourong had both hands on her bow, but no arrows were nocked. The Wu Arrows had already been fired.

It was those green leaves.