Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 344 – The Pheasant in Dire Straits

Before the Garden of Zhou had opened, before the rainbow had appeared, Mount Li was already in a condition of absolute vigilance. Xiao Songgong and three elders of the Discipline Hall sat at various places along the mountain path, and the Myriad Sword Array of Mount Li was hidden in the depths of the clouds, ready to kill any enemies that appeared at any time. However, they were still unable to create absolute safety. Only when the Sect Master of Mount Li created a long whistle with his sword did the rainbow stabilize, as well as purge the other Qi from within the rainbow. Unfortunately, it could not stop the Demon race from closing the gate of the Garden of Zhou in time.

If they wanted to open the gate of the Garden of Zhou again and let the several hundred human cultivators out, other than the formations deployed by the many experts outside Hanqiu City, what was most important was still the rainbow that originated from Mount Li. After all, the key was there. In the time that had passed, Mount Li remained in silence. Everyone focused their attention on the activity on the main peak. At that moment when they saw the sect master finally exit the dwelling, all the people that had waited for a very long time surged forwards, bowing and saluting. Xiao Songgong asked with a serious expression, “Senior, how is it?”

The Mount Li Sect Master gazed into the eastern night sky, and looked at the star that remained bright. He said, “At dawn, the Garden of Zhou will reopen.”

Hearing that, Xiao Songgong relaxed a little. However, he discovered that the Sect Master remained stern in expression, especially in the silent lake in his eyes, and his sword intent seemed to move slightly. Xiao Songgong could not help but feel extremely uneasy and asked, “Perhaps there are other changes?”

The Mount Li Sect Master retracted his gaze to the east, and followed the rainbow until it landed on the position of Hanqiu City in the north. He said, “There are great matters currently occurring in the Garden of Zhou, and there are already signs of collapsing. I don’t know if the people inside are still able to last till dawn.”

The Mount Li Sword Sect Disciples present heard what he said, and felt shocked. However, they did not dare to create a hubbub. After a while, an elder of the Discipline Hall asked in concern, “Are there any other methods?”

The Sect Master did not say anything, and the people naturally understood what he meant. A disciple asked, “How is Eldest Brother?”

With his question, many disciples shot their gaze towards the tightly-shut door of the dwelling. To the younger generation of Mount Li disciples, it seemed that nothing could pose a problem to their Eldest Brother. Although they knew that his level of cultivation definitely was not as great as their martial uncles, they still subconsciously placed hope on him.

The Sect Master looked at all the disciples and said, “In order to quickly reopen the gate of the Garden of Zhou, your Eldest Brother has basically burnt all of the blood of the True Dragon in his body, and you want it to open even faster? Perhaps you wish for him to completely cripple his cultivation? Or is it that you want him to just die under this rainbow?”

Hearing this, the disciples were all surprised, and did not dare to say any more.

Just at this moment, a voice resounded from inside the dwelling, “Master, disciple… still wants to try again.”

The voice was very exhausted, and seemed extremely weak. However, it remained as clear as it was normally and extremely pleasant to the ear. The emotions in the voice was still very calm, unhurried, confident and resolute. More importantly, the voice was just like how it was normally; no matter what situation it was in, it would not sound depressed, and carried a feeling of being free and at ease, or even being carefree and unrestrained.

Hearing the voice, all the disciples felt slightly relieved for some reason, just like how it was normally.

The Sect Master looked at the dwelling and said with a deep voice, “If you want to try again, perhaps there is only death.”

The voice disappeared for a while, and then resounded once again. It remained calm and extremely resolute. “Junior Sister is still in the Garden of Zhou.”

This was an excuse. This was a reason. It was an excuse and reason that everybody in the world was willing to know and believe. When the Sect Master heard the seemingly calm voice of the Eldest Disciple who he loved the most dearly give off a truly worried feeling for the first time, how could he have the heart to stop him?

In the depths of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun that was covered in energy storms, the mausoleum was surrounded by violent whirlwinds. The pools of water in the grassland were already almost completely evaporated, and the mud also turned into dry dirt. With the wind that blew violently in the world, some dust floated in from the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, which blocked some light.

Xu Yourong leaned on Chen Changsheng’s shoulder and said quietly, “Will we die?”

At this moment, she who was just shy of the edge of death was extremely weak, whether physically or mentally. Chen Changsheng’s gaze bypassed the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and stared at the ten stone pillars in the wind and dust in the surroundings of the mausoleum. He thought about the outcome she had calculated before, and was currently doing some type of comparison. Suddenly, he heard her speak, and said after thinking a little, “Perhaps… but I won’t let you die.”

Xu Yourong said with a gentle voice, “Before, if you did not give me your blood, I would already be dead. However, before, I did not fear death, but now I do. I don’t know why.”

Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes and said, “Perhaps… it’s because you have a reason to live for?”

Xu Yourong thought a little and said, “Perhaps.”

Chen Changsheng gave a smile that originated from the bottom of his heart and said, “I am very happy.”

Xu Yourong looked at his smile and said, “I am also very happy. But the more I am like this, the more I don’t want to die.”

Chen Changsheng said seriously, “Yes, so I am thinking how we can continue to live.”

Xu Yourong made fun of him, “Are you very good at coming up with solutions?”

“No, but matters regarding how to continue living… I have often thought about it.”

After saying that, he continued to observe the wind and dust in the surroundings of the mausoleum and the images in the wind and dust, especially the area that was covered in white grass before, and was now covered by monster corpses and dust. Many monsters had already died, and even more monsters fought against the whirlwinds, or were perhaps being blown everywhere by the whirlwinds. Death would always arrive, whether early or late. Other than the Yellow Paper Umbrella in front of the main entrance of the mausoleum, there were no other places that could give the beings that were once powerful and fierce any coverage.

Just at this moment, a black shadow passed through the violent flows of energy and the whistling wind and dust, and arrived in front of the main entrance of the mausoleum like lightning. It passed through an extremely small crack at the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and landed heavily on the heavy stone door of the mausoleum. It gave off a muffled sound as it collided with the stone door, and several cracks formed on the door.

To be able to evade the storms of energy released by the Heavenly Tome Monoliths, disregard the sky full of wind and sand, and almost knock over the main entrance of the mausoleum… it was a bird. The bird was covered in messy feathers and did not seem pretty at all. Its right foot was already destroyed, and it was covered in marks of blood. It seemed just like a pheasant that had escaped with its life under the arrows of a hunter.

The pheasant rolled out from the center of the crack in the stone door, and landed on the ground. It used a leg to stand up with great difficulty, and moved its neck. It flapped a wing, dislodging most of the dust and water from it, and seemed slightly satisfied. Afterwards, it gazed at the sky full of wind and sand at the edge of the Yellow Paper Umbrella, and gave out a few angry pheasant cries. The space under the Yellow Paper Umbrella was very small, so most of the dust and grit that it had flapped off landed on Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong’s faces. The two could not help but begin coughing.

Hearing the sound of coughing, the pheasant remembered something. Its two demonic eyes that seemed golden looked around, and then suddenly it became abnormally quiet.Without even glancing at Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, it retreated backwards without a sound, as if it wanted to escape from their gaze. The problem was that it was only so big under the umbrella, so where could it retreat to?