Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Upon seeing the corpse lightly bobbing on the surface of the lake, Tianhai Zhanyi instantly paled, his face becoming as white as paper or snow, a bit more similar to that famous elder brother of his.

This did not mean that he was afraid, but that he was furious.

"Again!" He harshly shouted at the indistinct figure in the mist.

Several cracks could be heard in the air. There was no attempt to act stealthily this time. Several Tianhai clan experts on the shore charged across ten-some zhang to enter the thick mist.

This time, there was finally a response, a quick one at that. It was several light pops, like leather bags filled with water being pierced by sharp arrows.

Popopopop. While still in the air, the Tianhai clan experts shattered, transforming into an uncountable number of fleshy bits raining down.

The lake was instantly dyed even redder, and the waves roiled about in unease.

The mist gave no sign that it would disperse. It remained thick, and the young man and girl inside were still indistinct, making it impossible to see what exactly they had done.

Ning Shiwei and Zhu Ye exchanged grave looks, seeing the wariness in each other's minds. They knew that the enigmatic master of the Cinnabar Pill could be no ordinary person, and it was because they had mentally prepared themselves for this fact that they had personally come to this remote mountain range. Yet they still had not imagined that this person possessed such an unfathomable cultivation, such strange and inexplicable techniques. What was even more frightening was his cruel and unyielding will.

They couldn't help but think, did the Tang clan retreat just before all this happened because they knew more and wanted to use our group as a vanguard?

It was just like how they had secretly sent that group in the pavilion.

But at the present moment, it was too late for them to make any more plans.

"You are seeking death!" Tianhai Zhanyi was so angry that his body was shaking. "Fire arrows!" he harshly yelled.

Ning Shiwei said nothing. He looked with an indifferent expression at the mist, the frost on his armor instantly thickening.

The sounds of bowstrings being pulled back could be heard from the forest surrounding the lake. One-hundred-some of the most unyielding divine crossbows of the Mount Song Army aimed at those figures deep within the mist.

Zhu Ye also said nothing. His eyes slightly narrowed, and the hairs of his fur coat began to rise, stabbing at the night sky. He seemed just like a fierce tiger preparing to leap across a stream at its prey.

He and Ning Shiwei were both well aware that the hundred-some divine crossbows of the Mount Song Army were not necessarily enough to deal with the young man and girl inside the heavy mists. On the contrary, it was far more likely to stir up their vicious natures. If the pair wanted to kill their way out of the encirclement, they would have to attack with full power. Thus, total victory today would be decided by a single meeting.

With this meeting, the battle would come to an end. Naturally, neither side could go easy on the other and would have to use all their power.

Zhu Ye and Ning Shiwei seemed normal on the surface, but in reality, they had already begun to silently move true essence, raising their Qi to its peak state, intending to kill or subdue their opponents in a single strike.

One was the patriarch of the Zhu clan, the other was a Divine General of the Great Zhou, and both were unquestionably upper level Star Condensation experts. The hundred-some divine crossbows and their two determined strikes would make even experts of the Proclamation of Liberation like Xiao Zhang or Liang Wangsun retreat, let alone this young man and girl.

Just as they had prepared themselves to strike at any moment, a cool breeze came blowing by.

This mountain range was in the extreme north, very close to the land of demons, and it was currently midwinter, so the wind blowing through the mountains was naturally incredibly cold, even bone-piercing. However, this garden and the pavilion on the lake were located at a confluence of hot springs, so even the coldest and strongest wind would be robbed of its iciness when it struck the lake, transforming into a cool breeze.

This cool breeze ruffled the lotus leaves on the lake and the clothes on the corpse. The thick mists, which had seemed impossible to disperse, greatly lessened.

Starlight descended from the night sky, reflecting endlessly off the white snow shrouding the wilderness and illuminating the scene on the lake with great clarity.

This place was a garden in the extreme north, the mountains and lakes creating a nice contrast, the trees and flowers sheltering the courtyard. There were lotuses on the lake, and amongst the lotuses was a pavilion. Extending from north to south was a wooden bridge connecting the shore to the pavilion. At this moment, the bridge was broken.

The starlight shone upon the place where the bridge had been broken, first shining upon a hand.

It was a very small hand, a pure white like white jade. At this moment, however, it was covered in blood.

The black-clothed girl was looking at her own hand with her brows knit, her small mouth slightly agape, and her clove-like tongue faintly visible. She seemed to be hesitating on whether she should lick her hand or not.

At her side, the young man had his head lowered as he used a handkerchief to wipe the water off his body. He had probably been soaked by the splashes of water caused by that boulder shattering the bridge.

Afterwards, he passed the handkerchief to the girl, most likely wanting her to clean off the blood on her hand.

Silence.

Whether it was the people sealed in the pavilion or the people on the shore, they all saw this sight, their emotions complex as they silently watched.

The people within the pavilion were silent because they had probably figured out their role in this plan. The soldiers and experts on the shore were silent because they were shocked to see that their opponents really were a young man and a girl. Although they had rather handsome appearances, there seemed nothing special about them.

What was confusing was that Ning Shiwei and Zhu Ye had been quiet up until they got a direct view of the young man's face.

In a very brief period of time, their faces shifted through all sorts of expressions, as if they had seen something utterly inconceivable. Finally, they squeezed a sound from their lips.

This was a very complicated and strange sound. It was like a sigh, but also felt helpless and somewhat in pain, and also like a groan.

Then, their bodies suddenly sank into the ground.

It was not too deep, only half a foot.

Their feet dug into the lake shore.

Two powerful and terrifying Qis exploded from their bodies.

Countless pieces of earth and stone were sent shooting into the air like arrows.

The soldiers and Emotion-Severing Sect experts somewhat closer to them were rendered into bloody paste while those standing farther away were injured and began howling out in pain.

The crossbow bolts that were about to be unleashed disappeared in the ensuing chaos.

Ning Shiwei's armor was covered in dust, but his face was unpleasantly ashen.

Zhu Ye was constantly coughing, seemingly in so much pain that he was bent over.

Just what had happened?

Tianhai Zhanyi's mood was similarly in chaos.

His cultivation level was not high enough, but he was still a descendant of a noble clan who had received a good education and seen many experts. As a result, he was able to understand what was going on.

Just a moment ago, Zhu Ye and Ning Shiwei had brought their Qis to their peak state, allowing them to cleave mountains or tear apart clouds with a single movement.

But just like the great river ever flows east, if they wanted to stop themselves at such a moment, they would have to pay the corresponding price.

In normal times, they could have just gradually dispersed this, but for some reason, they had needed to do it immediately, so a few problems had occurred. Although the vast majority of the Qi had been forcefully poured into the earth, they had still been shaken by the aftershocks.

Just how frightening was the peak state of two peak Star Condensation experts? Even if it was just the aftershocks.

Thus, the entire scene was in chaos, and they had also suffered significant injuries.

Tianhai Zhanyi understood what was going on, but this made him even more confused as to what was going on.

Why had Zhu Ye and Ning Shiwei suddenly dispersed their Qis? And why had they done it with such resolve?

After all, they were no ordinary cultivators, but the master of a noble clan and a valued general, both truly formidable characters!

When they exploded with battle intent, even if their own sons were standing across from them, they would still strike against them just the same!

Yet when they saw the young man's face, they knew that they couldn't strike. It was to the extent that even if they had to kill their own trusted subordinates and risk injuring themselves, they still had to immediately let the young man know that they would not strike, immediately!

Just who was the man on the bridge that could make the master of a noble clan and a Divine General of the Great Zhou so apprehensive, even fearful?

Immediately after, Tianhai Zhanyi finally thought of who the young man might be.

His face instantly paled, maybe out of anger, or maybe because of the boundless bewilderment and terror surging through his mind.