Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 959 – Different Kinds, of Red

The Imperial City once more fell into absolute silence.

The principal that Xuanyuan Po mentioned was naturally the Principal of the Orthodox Academy, the current Pope, Chen Changsheng.

Princess Luoluo loved Chen Changsheng?

In terms of status and age, Chen Changsheng was definitely the best choice. The problem was…

Everyone in the continent knew that Princess Luoluo was Chen Changsheng’s student, and Chen Changsheng already had a Daoist companion: the Holy Maiden of the south, Xu Yourong.

What did Xuanyuan Po mean with these words?

The Great Zhou’s ambassador slightly arched his brow in displeasure.

The Archbishop of the Western Wastes appeared slightly startled but chose to remain silent.

The Tang clan stewards also suppressed their emotions and maintained their silence.

The Imperial City’s observation platform was also quiet, the influential figures within the stone hall glancing at each other, clueless as to how to react.

Was what Xuanyuan Po said true? Had Princess Luoluo secretly been in love with her teacher all this time? How… could this be allowed?

On the highest point of the Imperial City, Madam Mu said no more, but her expression was nasty.

Other than the earliest members of the Orthodox Academy, there were few that could guess at Luoluo’s true thoughts, but as her mother, she had naturally figured it out long ago.

What she had not expected was Xuanyuan Po exposing this matter in front of so many people.

It had to be known that this matter would have a ruinous effect on both Chen Changsheng’s and Luoluo’s reputations.

Why had Xuanyuan Po done this? Was he really an idiot, or just bad?

In the other stone hall, Luoluo had also found out what Xuanyuan Po had said.

She recalled the words her mother had said to her before leaving this morning.

Even if she could deceive the entire world, how could she deceive herself?

She had always guarded that affection well, not letting anyone see it, not even Chen Changsheng.

She had originally planned to continue this way, clueless to the fact that those fellows in the Orthodox Academy had figured it out ages ago.

Now, the entire world knew.

What should she do? This was truly too shameful.

She couldn’t help but mentally grumble at Xuanyuan Po.

Was it because of the gradually deepening twilight?

Her little face was a little red.

For some reason, she wasn’t angry. On the contrary, she was just a tiny bit happy.

……

……

Silence was because of excessive shock that put the crowd at a loss.

Everyone who had heard Xuanyuan Po’s words felt somewhat panicked and disbelieving.

Silence also signified that the atmosphere was growing tense.

“Impudent! You dare disrespect Her Highness by saying such nonsensical words!”

The high official stared at Xuanyuan Po, so angry that his entire body was trembling. Pointing at his face, he shouted, “Somebody come!”

He did not finish speaking, nor did the Red River Beast Guard charge over and cut off Xuanyuan Po’s troublesome tongue, because somebody spoke.

This was a very low voice, like the ringing of some ancient bell. It resounded in front of the Imperial City like the echoes amongst a gurgling stream in a secluded valley.

This was not Madam Mu’s voice, but the voice of another powerful figure of the Demi-human race.

Within the stone hall behind the observation platform, the Chief Elder slowly opened his eyes, no longer feigning sleep. He slowly stood up out and walked out of the hall to the walls of the Imperial City.

His mountainous body cast a shadow far below, shrouding the heads of many people.

The Chief Elder had no opinion on Xuanyuan Po’s last words, treating them as if they did not exist.

Whether it was out of consideration for the dignity of the Demi-human race or the complicated relationship with the Human race, this was perhaps the best response.

“What you said just now was correct. The so-called Heavenly Selection ultimately depends on the self. I hope that you can obtain the blessing of the ancestral spirits tomorrow and walk to the end the day after that.”

All of White Emperor City heard the Chief Elder’s low and leisurely voice.

This was his stance to Xuanyuan Po, clear and explicit. This was also perhaps his stance to the Human race.

No more trouble was made. The high official and the Red River Beast Guard prepared to seize Xuanyuan Po retreated.

Madam Mu stood at the highest point of the Imperial City, silently gazing to the distant mountains, her thoughts inscrutable.

……

……

Just like they had come, the impoverished crowd from the lower city left the Imperial City like a tide, drowning the Stairway to Heaven and then gradually dispersing into the slums, silently sinking back into their daily toil. It was hard to say whether they would remember today’s excitement in the months and years to follow.

Before dispersing, this tide of people first returned Xuanyuan Po to the Pine Paths.

Tonight, the Pine Paths was particularly lively, but not noisy.

The priests from the Daoist Church of the Western Wastes calmly but vigilantly stood on the highest street, keeping watch on the surroundings.

The Tang clan’s stewards led several dozen cultivators from the south, using their incisive gazes to keep watch on all places illuminated by lantern light.

A few burly men, bursting with strength, were positioned on the perimeter, inspecting everyone who wanted to enter the Pine Paths.

In every aspect, the factions of the Human race exhibiting so many forces in the capital of the Demi-human race could easily cause an incident. It was extremely disrespectful to the Demi-human Court.

Madam Mu had moved too quickly, with only a few days passing from the spreading of the rumor to the formal opening of the Heavenly Selection ceremony. The Human race had simply been powerless to form a response.

Xuanyuan Po, as a representative of the Orthodox Academy, naturally became humanity’s greatest, perhaps only, hope in White Emperor City.

In order to ensure Xuanyuan Po’s safety, the archbishop and the others simply did not care about what the demi-humans thought. Moreover, they were now clearly displaying their distrust towards the Demi-human race.

The archbishop gave Xuanyuan Po a passionate gaze while the Tang clan stewards looked at him with hope.

Xuanyuan Po knew what they were thinking.

In the thinking of the archbishop and the others, Xuanyuan Po’s concealing himself for many years and abruptly appearing today had assuredly been on order of the Li Palace.

“Does His Holiness the Pope know of this matter?”

The archbishop nervously asked Xuanyuan Po, “Or is his esteemed self already here?”

Xuanyuan Po shook his head. “Principal probably does not know of this matter.”

Seeing his expression, the archbishop and the others knew that he was not lying, causing them to all fall quiet.

The events of the closing of South Stream Temple had been transmitted to White Emperor City the day before yesterday.

The archbishop was also confident that if the Li Palace knew of this matter, it would pay everything to break Madam Mu’s plans.

He had done the same. At the very start, he had torn apart his invitation to the banquet to express the fiercest stance.

But if the Pope still did not know of this matter, the Li Palace would be too late. With just Xuanyuan Po and him, what could they do?

The archbishop recalled Xuanyuan Po’s words and felt an intense fear and unease.

If Princess Luoluo and the Pope really did have something between them, then in the aftermath, might not the Pope use sacred flames to burn him to death out of rage?

In this moment of agitation, his face reddened as if he had drunk very strong alcohol.

“Please.”

He looked at Xuanyuan Po with a tragic expression and said, “Even if millions have to die, you cannot let Her Highness marry the Great Western Continent’s Second Prince!”