Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1084 – Xu Yourong’s Question

At some point, Linghai Zhiwang and Daoist Siyuan had appeared at the two ends of the plaza.

Those cavalry that had just begun to charge suddenly called for their mounts to stop. Those fervent believers who had just been weeping a moment ago had now retreated under An Hua’s guidance. They occasionally turned to fearfully glance at the center of the plaza, where fighting was still going on.

It was not only the Gloom Willow and the Falling Star Stone. The Mountain River Map and the Universe Stamp had also appeared in the Li Palace.

With the sudden appearance of the Li Palace’s grand array, Daoist Wu lost his chance to counterattack.

A dagger had been thrust into his belly. If one’s vision was good, they would even be able to see that this dagger had made a half-turn inside his belly.

A howl of pain broke out of Daoist Wu’s lips while the brush in his hand and the palette concealed in his sleeve clattered to the floor.

Hu Thirty-Two pulled the dagger out and then stabbed it into Daoist Wu’s other foot. He was fast, steady, and accurate.

He worked with great calm and focus, as if he had forgotten about anything else.

Daoist Wu let out another miserable scream. He fell to the ground and was powerless to get back up.

Blood gushed out of his body in an abnormally gory and cruel sight.

As the Painting Sage, Daoist Wu naturally had his extraordinary aspects. Even though he started cultivating late, he had lived a thousand years and his cultivation level had long since reached an unfathomable level. Even under the suppression of the Li Palace’s array, he should not have been so quickly captured without resistance.

But no errors could be allowed in this undertaking, and they would have to leave soon, so they could not leave Daoist Wu a single chance to counterattack. Thus, Chen Changsheng could only rely on this bloody method of fighting and use Hu Thirty-Two’s most abnormal of daggers.

The Gloom Willow left the ground and returned to Linghai Zhiwang’s hand. The Falling Star Stone let out a few rays of light before returning to the sword sheath.

“You will not die, so there is no need to worry.”

Chen Changsheng took out his needles and stabbed them into several of Daoist Wu’s vital Qi openings, helping him to staunch the flow of blood out of his belly.

Daoist Wu was pale and he shouted with irrepressible anger and incredulity, “You dare injure me!”

Chen Changsheng took three different pills from his sleeve and put them in Daoist Wu’s mouth, but he did not answer.

Daoist Wu sternly said, “This is Lord Wang’s will!”

Chen Changsheng continued to ignore him as he inspected the wounds on his feet and confirmed that they were not serious.

Daoist Wu felt like the pain from his wounds was increasing, and his rage and hatred peaked. He began to loudly shout, more and more filthy words and profanities working their way into his speech.

Chen Changsheng glanced at him, his eyes bright and serene.

Hu Thirty-Two whispered, “Your Holiness, should we stab him again?”

Daoist Wu instantly felt like there was a dagger in his chest. In terrible fear, he subconsciously shut his mouth.

An Hua arrived.

Chen Changsheng said, “I will hand him over to you.”

An Hua already knew who this gray-robed elder was. Though a little nervous, she still nodded her head.

Chen Changsheng nodded and said, “In a little, the Li Palace will become rather empty. If somebody comes…”

An Hua’s voice trembled as she answered, “I will kill him.”

Chen Changsheng calmly and seriously said to her, “My meaning is, no matter who comes.”

He was referring to that middle-aged scholar.

In terms of prestige and the status one held in the hearts of the people, if he spent many more years nurturing it, he would still be inferior to that scholar.

Only a person like An Hua could ignore that person’s existence for his sake.

“No matter who comes, I will kill him.”

An Hua’s reply this time was very fast. Her voice had also calmed down. It no longer trembled, and seemed extremely determined.

Linghai Zhiwang and Daoist Siyuan gave her very appreciative gazes, and the former even gave her a word of advice.

“Remember to cut his head off. This will guarantee his death.”

At these words, An Hua, who had just barely managed to calm herself down, was stupefied.

Finally, Hu Thirty-Two placed his dagger in her hand and smiled. “This dagger of mine is faster than most.”

In the stomping of horse hoofs and the rising and falling of dust, the Li Palace quickly became deserted.

Those ordinary believers stood guard outside while the only people in the plaza were Daoist Wu in the pool of blood and An Hua with her two hands tightly grasping the dagger.

Two thousand Orthodoxy cavalry galloped out of the Li Palace through the Divine Avenue, incurring all sorts of surprised chatter.

All the bishops and enforcers, including Linghai Zhiwang, Daoist Siyuan, and Hu Thirty-Two, had also left.

No one noticed that Gou Hanshi and the Mount Li Sword Sect disciples had also taken their leave of the Hall of Announcements, as had the Archbishop of the Temple Seminary.

The Li Palace was now empty, and the activity around the Mausoleum of Books also meant that the area around the Li Palace was also empty.

But those examinees taking part in the Grand Examination had no idea of all this. The bishops supervising the Grand Examination within the Green Leaf World were also completely unaware.

Upon careful analysis, someone might have realized that the vast majority of the priests in the Green Leaf World belonged to the Orthodoxy’s conservative faction.

Of course, the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education had always been the gathering ground for the Orthodoxy’s conservative faction, and it was only proper that the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education manage the Grand Examination.

Before this event, no one could have objected to the Pope’s decision.

The black-clothed girl hugged the Green Leaf and walked out of the Hall of Pure Virtue.

The majority of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education was carried off with her.

Her expression was very indifferent, because she believed that this was just a very ordinary and trifling matter.

Today, she still had many important tasks to carry out.

Like getting revenge on that middle-aged scholar.

……

……

The middle-aged scholar was naturally Wang Zhice.

How could one describe him?

There was no adjective that could truly fit him.

He was a true legend.

He had an unimaginable status in the history of the Human race, his only lack being that he had never been emperor. Even now, he was still the commander most trusted by the demi-humans, their closest comrade. At the same time, he was also that expert most feared and worshipped by those demon dukes in Xuelao City.

As she looked at Wang Zhice, Xu Yourong suddenly smiled.

She was well aware that though they were both elders from Taizong’s generation, Wang Zhice and Shang Xingzhou had never been on good terms.

In Taizong’s later years, their relationship became even more ambiguous and dangerous.

Just like Daoist Wu, who was probably at the Li Palace right now, the person he was most afraid of in this world was the old Demon Lord, but right after him was Shang Xingzhou.

Perhaps it was better to call him Daoist Ji.

The portraits within the Lingyan Pavilion had all been painted by Daoist Wu.

But of the people depicted on those portraits, more than half had been killed by Daoist Ji.

Time could not dispel all hostility and fear, even if it was several hundred years. They were clearly opposed to each other, so why were they working together today?

Xu Yourong did not ask, because she already knew the answer.

It was once more the overarching situation, the world, the demons, and the northern expedition.

She suddenly thought, if Empress were still alive, what would she do in this situation?

The Empress would probably give a sigh of ridicule and disdain: ‘Men…’

Xu Yourong’s smile became even more dazzling as she thought of this.

Wang Zhice asked, “Why is the Holy Maiden smiling?”

Xu Yourong drew back her smile and indifferently answered, “Because I’ve suddenly thought of a possibility.”

Wang Zhice warmly said, “Please speak.”

“When you should appear, you never appear, and when you shouldn’t appear, you decide to jump out.”

Xu Yourong calmly asked him, “Lord Wang, Sir, have you gone senile?”