Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1103 – Meeting on the Path and Exchanging Hatred Through the Eyes

Chen Changsheng’s breathing became extremely steady, the interval between each one extremely long but not completely vanishing. It seemed very natural.

…Just like a fish swimming amongst the rocks in the stream, moving in a way that would attract no one’s notice.

He was even in the mood to glance at the sky outside the temple.

The sky was blue and tinged with a few wispy clouds. It was beautiful.

A black dot could be seen on the edge of the cloud layer, probably the demon vultures responsible for keeping watch.

Following his orders, the countless monsters were hiding in the sea of grass and did not approach the White Grass Path.

He knew that his master was powerful and frightening. Even if the monster assault could buy him some time and a few advantages, the monsters would have to pay a massive price, perhaps dyeing the entire sea of grass red. Moreover, just like he had said to the people in the Mausoleum of Books, since this was a matter between master and disciple, it should be resolved by the two of them. There was no need to drag in the entire world.

Shang Xingzhou had agreed to his request and taken back all the things he had granted him.

He had even directly said that his talent was worse than Chen Changsheng’s, so he had added ten years.

He was very frank and calm.

Only by competing in terms of capability could this match between master and disciple be considered truly fair.

But there were some things that Chen Changsheng could not understand.

He had a stainless constitution, had perfectly undergone Purification and Ethereal Opening, and he had even connected all one hundred and eight Qi openings during Star Condensation. If he was only missing out on the tempering that came through time, lacking the resources and experience of fighting experts, why was the gap between him and his master still so vast?

It had nothing to do with modesty, self-confidence, or sentimentality.

In terms of wisdom and logic, he found it impossible to accept this fact.

Shang Xingzhou’s palm techniques were very profound, but what about that strength?

Just what was this strength that was beneath the Divine Domain but seemed able to break through the upper limit of the laws?

Chen Changsheng looked at the sky outside the temple and thought about these questions.

The sun slowly circling around the Plains of the Unsetting Sun appeared in that part of the sky, forcing its way into his field of vision.

This red sun was not blinding and it gave off no real heat.

The sun of the Garden of Zhou was fake.

In the world outside, however, there was a real sun.

That sun gave off unimaginable heat, exuding a limitless and infinite light.

Chen Changsheng suddenly understood.

Shang Xingzhou cultivated tens of thousands of Daoist techniques, but the foundation of his true essence was not the traditional Orthodoxy technique of star radiance. It was the Blazing Sun Style!

But couldn’t only the Chen Imperial clan cultivate that technique?

Suddenly, the black hair at Chen Changsheng’s temple began to curl.

The surrounding temperature began to rapidly rise, the incense table producing faint blue sparks.

It was like an actual sun had appeared in this run-down temple!

Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng sent his left hand striking out behind him while his feet pressed against the remnants of the idol, allowing him to ram through the back wall of the temple.

With a bang, he transformed into a blur, vanishing into the sea of grass lining the White Grass Path.

The old temple began to blaze.

Shang Xingzhou walked out of the sea of fire, looking in the direction Chen Changsheng had vanished. He had a pensive expression.

Just now, he had given Chen Changsheng another palm strike.

The circumstances were completely different from the last two times.

He had not been able to gain too much of an advantage.

This fact made his mood rather strange: nervous with a slight tinge of concern.

The old temple in the sea of fire crackled.

Clear collisions seemed to still be ringing out in the air…

Like naughty children playing games with stone pearls.

……

……

Keys clattered against each other.

Eunuch Lin closed the door and turned to face the emperor. A helpless and nervous expression was on his face.

Yuren leaned on his walking stick as he pulled apart the ivy and came to the Hundred Herb Garden.

This was his first time leaving the Imperial Palace in the last three years.

Someone was already in the Hundred Herb Garden.

There, in a fluttering white gown, stood Xu Yourong.

With Wang Zhice standing guard in the Orthodox Academy, no one could enter.

Those most concerned about Chen Changsheng naturally had to be at the place closest to the Orthodox Academy so that they could go to his aid as soon as possible.

The Hundred Herb Garden and the Orthodox Academy were separated by only one wall.

Looking at Xu Yourong, Eunuch Lin recalled her long conversation with the emperor on that night. He then thought about what had happened in the last few days, and resentment began to show in his eyes.

Yuren faintly smiled at her and indicated that she should sit.

Few green buds could be seen in this chilly forest.

The stone table and stool were rather cool to touch.

Xu Yourong said, “The Empress is buried here.”

Yuren calmly gazed at that part of the lawn, giving no response.

Xu Yourong suddenly said, “When you put ‘Yu’ and ‘Ren’ together (余人), you get the word ‘Xu’ (徐)².”

Yuren had not been named by Emperor Xian, nor by the Divine Empress. He had been named by Shang Xingzhou.

She had only thought of this recently, because it was only recently that she began to think about the details of that engagement.

The marriage contract drawn up by the Grand Minister and Shang Xingzhou at the time had not stated specifically who she should marry. It only needed to be Shang Xingzhou’s disciple.

From Yuren’s name, one could tell that Shang Xingzhou had most likely intended to choose him.

Yuren did not deny this.

Back in Xining Village’s old temple, he had refused this engagement, leading his master to choose Chen Changsheng.

Xu Yourong asked, “Why?”

To have a wife who was the reincarnation of the true Phoenix would be of enormous benefit to the throne.

And she had already been highly regarded by the Holy Maiden of the south at the time.

Yuren pointed at his eyes and then at the walking stick leaning on the table.

Xu Yourong replied, “Your Majesty’s way of thinking is wrong.”

Yuren gestured, “But I can’t take the marriage, because what will happen if the other party is unsatisfied and wants to back out?”

Xu Yourong snorted and replied, “Just like everything else, anything that you don’t want will become his.”

This was what displeased her the most about Xining Village’s old temple.

The more she cared about Chen Changsheng, the more she was displeased.

Every time she thought about his life back then, she would feel pity for him.

Yuren’s face was fraught with apology.

“If you really are sorry about him, then you’d best show it as quickly as possible.”

Xu Yourong indifferently said to him, “Otherwise, if he dies today, no matter how miserably you weep, I can only believe it to be feigned.”

Yuren was somewhat puzzled.

At this moment, Shang Xingzhou and Chen Changsheng were in the Garden of Zhou.

One could only enter the Garden of Zhou through the black stone.

The black stone was in Wang Zhice’s hands.

In order to ensure the fairness of this fight, Wang Zhice would not allow anyone else to enter the Garden of Zhou…

Not unless Shang Xingzhou and Chen Changsheng came out on their own.

Even if they wanted to help Chen Changsheng, how could they do it?

“The Heavenly Tome Monoliths are a path. Back then, Zhou Dufu broke the monoliths and made the Mausoleum of Books into thirteen mausoleums. Later on, he put those Heavenly Tome Monoliths in the Garden of Zhou. I want to know if these Heavenly Tome Monoliths can have the same effect as that one.”

Xu Yourong took off a string of stone pearls from her wrist and placed them in front of Yuren.

The sight of these five stone pearls shocked Yuren.

In that conversation in the palace, he realized that Xu Yourong deeply loved his junior brother.

But it was only now that he knew that his junior brother also deeply loved her.

The expression with which Yuren regarded her suddenly became gentler.

He took a box from his sleeve and placed it in front of Xu Yourong.

Xu Yourong opened the box and was greeted by sugared plums.

She was a little confused, but she still took one and put it in her mouth.

It was a little sour, and also a little sweet.

Was this compassion, or a promise?

^{1. This idiom refers to how in ancient China, during the Zhou Dynasty, there was a king who ruled harshly and had spies who would report on anyone who spoke ill of him. As a result, when people passed by each other on the road, they were too afraid to express their hatred through words, so they used their eyes.}

^{2. This is actually slightly incorrect, as the 彳 of 徐 is usually regarded as two people walking side by side and is generally used to mean footsteps. Just 人 alone would be 亻.}