Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)
chapter-168

Time went by inexorably. Outside of the tower, the examinees had expressions that became sterner by the moment, while the alarm within their eyes became ever stronger, unknown as to when a winner will be determined for this match.

After Tian Hai Sheng Xue’s departure, Gou Han Shi and Zhe Xiu were considered, unquestionably, by the examinees present, to be the strongest two; no matter how it was viewed, this match should not have continued for so long.

The time used for this battle was protracted to the point that the match between Chen Chang Sheng and Luo Luo couldn’t even compare.

Sounds transmitted from the tower continued ceaselessly, sometimes being akin to thunder, other times akin to a tidal wave clapping against the air; the deep-blue skies above would frequently display beautiful, billowy clouds, this was a reaction of True Essence clashing with the miniature world.

Such displays and sounds were proof of just how intense the match that was happening within the tower, currently was.

Outside of the tower, it was quiet, everyone looked at the tightly closed entrance, listening to the sounds leaking out; the mood was very tense, unknown as to what the current state was within the tower.

Once the time finally surpassed an hour, even the three disciples from Li Mountain began to reveal signs of worry on their faces.

After having said those words to Chen Chang Sheng, Tang Thirty-Six didn’t say anything else, his expression became increasingly sombre and his eyes revealed an ever greater amount of solemnity, he stood increasingly straight, as if he wanted to use this to signify respect for a certain person.

An hour had passed, the battle continued, Xuan Yuan Po looked towards Tang Thirty-Six and asked: “Do you know anything? There won’t be a problem will there?”

Tang Thirty-Six remained quiet for a moment, then said: “That wolf-child is currently risking his life.”

In the previous match, Zhe Xiu took the banknote and then nodded his head in satisfaction, expressing that he would fight well, thus, he beat that Star Seizer Academy student, who was nominally his fellow-student, to the point of having them sent out of the Education Palace.

Before the start of this current match, he didn’t say anything, but reality showed that he was currently pitting his life against Gou Han Shi.

There are many different ways of battling, fighting well is one method, risking your life is another.

No matter how strong Zhe Xiu is, against Gou Han Shi, who had already completed his Ethereal Opening, there existed a difficult to transcend difference in terms of cultivation level, if he didn’t risk his life in battle, how could he possibly sustain for such a long time?

Chen Chang Sheng had remained silent all this time.

He clearly understood the reason why Tang Thirty-Six suddenly said those words to him.

The fighting spirit displayed by Zhe Xiu, alongside what he was sacrificing, were obviously not something that could be bought by just a flimsy banknote, a hired mercenary has started to risk their life, proving he really wants that “thing”.

“Wolves are one of the animals in this world with the most perseverance and endurance.”

Luo Luo listened to the recurrent sounds that were leaking out from the tower, her small face revealed a pained expression and she said: “When Zhe Xiu hunted and killed his first demon warrior, he was only eleven years of age, that time he pursued the demon warrior on the wintry snow plains for three months, it wasn’t until that demon was exhausted that he could successfully complete the hunt.”

Chen Chang Sheng mused to himself that the demon race’s patience and endurance really was tenacious to the extreme.

What he didn’t expect was that this was only the story’s most dazzling outward appearance.

Momentarily after, Luo Luo continued: “But who could have known that the hidden ailment within his body would suddenly flare-up at that moment, coupled with having not eaten for over 10 days and only consuming snow water, it’s not an exaggeration to say he was only a step away from dying, if it weren’t for the demon warrior giving up and collapsing, the person that died would perhaps have been Zhe Xiu instead.”

The woodlands were covered in silence.

Tang Thirty-Six looked at the tightly closed entrance to the tower and said, with complex feelings: “Within the wolf-child’s lexicon, there aren’t the expressions “give up” or “mercy”, if it wasn’t for the fact that space within the tower is limited and the methods of battling are restricted, were he and Gou Han Shi to fight to the death in the real world, it really would be hard to determine who would be able to persevere till the end.”

Chen Chang Sheng turned his gaze towards the tower, remaining silent.

Above that circular tower, the clouds in the deep-blue skies overhead had been teared into billowy wisps; sporadically, forlorn whistling sounds could be heard, unknown as to if it was the wind roaring, or a wolf howling, with each reverberation being startling.

His gaze fell upon the door, it seemed as if he could peer into the tower itself, seeing the expressionless Zhe Xiu battling against the silent Gou Han Shi, with the blood upon Zhe Xiu’s fingers slowly trickling onto the floor.

Standing at the scene of the Grand Examination, it was as if he could see the past, a frail looking youth silently trekked within the blizzard, his illness-ridden body was extremely weak, swaying back and forth, on the verge of toppling.

But upon that youth’s tender looking face, there was no signs of fear or the wish to retreat, he stared at the demon warrior’s hulking figure in front of him, waiting for his opponent to collapse before he did, his eyes full of vengeance and tenacity; looking upon this, he seemed to be a wolf, precisely because he was the wolf-tribe youth.

As Tang Thirty-Six had said, if Zhe Xiu and Gou Han Shi were to have a battle to the death in the real world, it would be hard to know who could persevere in the end, alas, the Education Palace is a miniature world and not the real world, thus, the one to persevere in the end was still Gou Han Shi; this disciple from Li Mountain who had come from poverty, yet had read the scriptures in their entirety.

A creaking sound penetrated the ears and the door to the tower, which had been tightly closed, slowly opened; Gou Han Shi slowly walked out of the tower, arriving atop the stone steps, he painfully coughed twice, his complexion was a little pale and his steps, a little sluggish.

Guan Fei Bai and Liang Ban Hu went up to receive him while Qi Jian anxiously searched for medicine in their luggage.

Zhe Xiu also came out of the tower, but he didn’t walk out himself; he was carried out.

Blood continuously trickled off from the stretcher’s edges, giving a sight that would strike fear into all observers. His pallid face remained expressionless, seeming very tranquil, his eyes were tightly shut and it couldn’t be seen as to what he was thinking at this moment.

He was akin to a wolf, silently and persistently clashing with Gou Han Shi for over an hour, causing Gou Han Shi to suffer fairly heavy injuries, alas, he had also paid a high price for this.

With his current injuries, he definitely cannot continue battling, and it was possibly even life-threatening.

He should have been taken out of the Education Palace in order to receive treatment, yet, previously, in the tower, when the presiding Li Palace clergyman was about to organise this, they had been rebuffed by this youth’s apathetic attitude and insistence, in the end, they could only carry him out of the tower.

To be able to drive Gou Han Shi to this state, Zhe Xiu managed to garner fear and respect from all of the examinees present, but of the two words “fear” and “respect”, “fear” was the predominant feeling; gazing at the blood dripping stretcher and he, who was laid upon it, everyone remained silent, with no one going up to offer condolences or express concern.

He had used the identity of a student from Star Seizer Academy to enter the competition, but had directly crippled that fellow-student from the same academy, currently, the academy could no longer concern itself with him.

The Li Palace clergy carried the stretcher while looking at the examinees who were outside of the tower, they didn’t know where they should carry him to.

It was at this moment, Chen Chang Sheng held onto the poplar tree and stood up with much difficulty.

Luo Luo understood his intent and patted Xuan Yuan Po’s back, indicating that he should go and bring the stretcher over, Xuan Yuan Po didn’t dare to have any objections and went ahead, receiving the stretcher with a single hand.

The stretcher reached the woodlands, Zhe Xiu calmly lay upon it, his complexion pale and his body covered with blood, he couldn’t move nor speak, but he opened his eyes, seeming to be very tranquil.

A tearing sound could be heard and Xuan Yuan Po began to bandage him.

Chen Chang Sheng fed him medicine.

Luo Luo looked at him with complex feelings.

Tang Thirty-Six sighed and said: “Why make it such a bitter fight?”

Zhe Xiu looked at him with an expressionless face and replied: “Add money.”