Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)
chapter-32

“I knew that yesterday I did not behave properly so I will apologize again, but he is really important to me. So please don’t stop me or attempt to stop me. Of course, I promise I won’t leave your sight.”

After saying this, Luo Luo walked outside, on the way, maids came and delivered a towel and a basin for her to wash face and brush her teeth. As she walked, she told her clansmen behind her, “Even if you want to follow, don’t get too close. If you reveal my identity and scare him away, it won’t be good.”

Behind her, a middle aged man and a pretty woman looked at each other. Their faces became pale after seeing the officials sent by the emperor to serve the princess. Based on what the little princess had just said, it was obvious that this was like one of those folktales where a rich princess falls in love with a poor young student. Naturally, they felt uncomfortable with this new change.

“Official Jin, what should we do?” the pretty woman whispered.

The middle aged man called Official Jin was very mad, “Even you women who get to serve her closely don’t know what happened, how should I know? Official Li, if something happened, you have to take the full responsibility!”

Luo Luo, under her people’s escort, left the herb garden through the side door. She took the things that she ordered her followers to prepare previously, got on a seemingly common wagon, waved her small hand to them, and rode the wagon herself to the direction of Hundred Blossom Street. As for the elites, they had already gotten there.

The little girl’s action was truly vigorous and resolute.

Official Li looked at the gradually disappearing wagon, used her sleeve to slowly wipe out the tear in her eyes. She felt somewhat worried but also somewhat gratified. She said to Official Jin at her side, “Since little princess is starting to falling in love, we must let the emperor and the queen know as soon as possible.”

Official Jin’s face looked even worse, said, “Let emperor know a princess is falling in love with a human? You think we can do it and make it out alive?”

Official Li said, “Don’t forget, emperor also married a human female”

Official Jin said angrily, “Marry in and marry out, are they the same thing?”

Official Li sneered, “If you dare, tell this to our queen.”

Official Jin heard it, his mouth felt stuck, and so was his heart.

………………………………………………………….

Herb Garden and the Tradition Academy was only an old wall away. Even if she had to go through the Hundred Blossom Street, the distance still wasn’t that great. The wagon did not go so far. It entered through the school’s old door that was decorated with the green ivies and came into the school that was still deserted but already showing some signs of revitalization.

The Tradition Academy was completely silent. In the dense forest, there were birds singing and a little building with entablatures sticking out was reflecting the sunlight, like a colored glaze. Thinking about the seemingly sudden attempt at assassination that was planned for years secretly by the demons, she suddenly felt somewhat cold.

The Tradition Academy was extraordinarily quiet, as if there was no one, but actually many elites were hiding in there. Some were her clansmen and some were from the royal palace. She was certain that she was safe and so, she gradually eased into her situation.

The door of the library was still tightly closed, but the copper locker was not locked. She knew that there was a person inside.

She took a deep breathe, felt somewhat nervous and walked towards the library.

……………………………………………….

Chen Chang Sheng was holding a book and reading. But he was actually, in a rare instance, not paying attention to the book. He was thinking about what had happened last night.

His left hand was lightly touching the sheath of the sword as he silently recalled the images. He hoped that they wouldn’t influence his learning in the Tradition Academy – a demon elite actually lurked for so long in the capital. He thought there should be someone taking responsibility for it.

The little girl that was attacked by the demon definitely had a special identity, was she fine now?

When he was thinking about these things, he heard someone knocking the library’s door.

He stood up, went to the door and opened up the heavy wooden door. When he saw the little girl, he started to worry.

The little girl looked very little, her eyes were bright and very big. Her eyelashes were very long, her lips were very red and very beautiful. She looked very cute when she opened her eyes wide and blinked with her eyelashes.

He had never talked to such a cute little girl so for a moment, he was dazed.

Luo Luo was opening her big eyes widely and was blinking her eyelashes. Seeing the youngster’s looking dazed like a dumb goose made her feel a little embarrassed and a little proud. She thought that what her queen taught her was becoming useful.

“Hi.” Chen Chang Sheng eventually woke up and took a step back.

Luo Luo said, “Hi.”

Chen Chang Sheng said seriously, “Excuse me, what are you here for?”

Luo Luo felt a little surprised, thinking that they had just met last night and so many things had occurred. Shouldn’t he know what I was here for? For no reason, seeing Chen Chang Sheng’s serious look made her involuntarily become serious. She gave a serious salute and said, “Thank you for saving me last night.”

Little girl’s serious salute was a little awkward because she rarely needed to salute to anyone especially after leaving her homeland and coming to the capital – yet like the old saying goes, serious awkwardness plus a pretty face made for an absolutely cute look – she looked truly cute right now.

Chen Chang Sheng was not good at interacting with females so his returning salute was also somewhat awkward. He responded, “no problem, no problem, this is what I should do.”

This was a very common formality but Luo Luo did not want to have such a formal and polite communication with him, so she straightened her body, her dark black eyes turned into circle and she asked, “Why is it something you should do?”

Chen Chang Sheng felt a bit surprised, thought for a moment and then explained seriously, “Because you are younger than me and he’s a demon. We both are humans so I should obviously protect you.”

Luo Luo heard the phrase ‘we both are humans’ and smiled. She noticed a detail in this sentence: he said protect instead of save.

“But after all, you saved me.”

She looked at Chen Chang Sheng and said, “What should I give you in return?”

Chen Chang Sheng said seriously, “You came here specifically to express your thanks. This is good enough for me.”

Luo Luo thought for a while, smiled, turned around and walked to the outside of the library.

Her turn was absolutely resolute. She left determinedly.

Chen Chang Sheng looked at the little girl’s small shadow and had a mixed feeling. When I say it was enough then it’s enough. When i say say leave, they leave right away. The capital’s people were truly carefree.

Yet right after he sat back on the floor, ready to continue reading…

The little girl came back again.

She took out lots of things from the wagon. One by one, she put them in front of Chen Chang Sheng.

……………………………………

The first item was a legendary luminous pearl.

This legendary luminous pearl was extremely big. Even though it was not as big as a washbasin, it was definitely as big as a bowl. It’s also very round, extremely smooth and had no flaws.

Chen Chang Sheng looked at the rolling legendary luminous pearl and felt dazed.

He had never even see a legendary luminous pearl but he knew the thing that looked like a glaze ball was a legendary luminous pearl not because he had read related records and descriptions but because whenever Luo Luo took out an item, she would always do a serious and detailed explanation of it using her childish voice.

Luo Luo was very generous but she would never cast pearls before swines.

“This is the Principal Sword Technique of Mountain Li…. As long as you are a sword user, you need to learn the sword techniques in this book including the Sect of Longevity or Mountain Virgin. Thee South barbarians are very cheap and were unwilling to share it with others. I… It took a lot of effort for my family to obtain it.”

She delivered an old scroll to Chen Chang Sheng. She didn’t forget to add that “this is the true piece. The scroll in the Mountain Li Sword Class is actually a copy people made later.”

Chen Chang Sheng felt dazed. Looking at the scroll in his hand, he felt like he was having a dream.

Was he really holding the Principal Sword Technique of Mountain Li?

But there was no news of the Principle Sword Technique of Mountain Li getting stolen at all in the entire continent.

Or, was this robbed by this little girl’s family?

This little girl……who was she?

……………………………………………………

Pa. (a sound)

Luo Luo placed a heavy box in front of Chen Chang Sheng. Dirt was shaking out of the gaps onto the floor.

The box was opened and inside was filled with golden leaves, but that wasn’t all. She swept the golden leaves away as they were just ordinary fallen leaves to reveal the actual thing below. There lied half a box full of extremely rare crystals.

“Oh right, I live in the Herb Garden next to you.”

Luo Luo, like magic, took out a bamboo basket and said, “….. I don’t really know what you need, so I will let you casually take some from each type of them.”

Chen Chang Sheng was already dumbfounded by the legendary luminous pearl, the scroll of sword technique, and the half box of crystals, but seeing the rare herbs and fruits randomly stacked like regular vegetables, he was shocked again. He had become completely speechless.

Luo Luo looked at her curiously thinking, were these not enough?

She thought a bit and her little hand was on her left chest. She used a little bit of strength to pull out a button.

Last night, she had already pulled three. After this button got pulled out, the clothes on her left chest fell down revealing her white neck.

Chen Chang Sheng was awaken by the white neck and immediately turned his head. He asked surprisingly “What do you want to do?”

Luo Luo delivered the button made from rhinoceros horn to him and said “I….I also want to give this to you.”

“What is this?”

“Button of Thousand Miles, have you ever heard it?”

Chen Chang Sheng took the button thinking about the descriptions on this fantastic magic weapon in the Scrolls of Way. He felt very surprised. He raised the button and took a closer look at it facing the sun.

After a while, he woke up and immediately put this button onto the little girl’s hand.

“No gains without pains.”

He looked at the little girl and said seriously. “The saving last night was mainly the general who came and saved the two of us. I really did not do anything. Even if I did help out with the little I could do, I previously said that it was already enough for you to come specifically to thank me. How can I accept such lavish gifts?”

“You misunderstood. These were not to thank you for saving my life.”

Luo Luo pointed on the things on the floor and said “These are for an apprenticeship.”

Chen Chang Sheng did not understand. “What?”

“I want to be your apprentice.”

Luo Luo looked into his eyes. She was very determined. “Master, I want you to be my master. I want to follow you and xiu xing.”

………………………………………………

The library was completely silent.

There was clean wind blowing from outside of the window.

The legendary luminous pearl was slowly rolling on the black floor.

The pages on the old Sword Technique of Mountain Li were slowly flipping, showing several dozens of images of men holding swords.

The herbs in the bamboo basket were emitting out light fragrance.

Chen Chang Sheng took a very long pause before eventually realizing what had just happened.

He looked at the little girl and confusingly asked “Why?”

“The night six days before, was it you sir who lit up the destined star?”

Chen Chang Sheng thought a bit and said, “Yes…but, you see, I just lit up my destined star and I did not even successfully purify myself. Last night, I saw the battle between you and the demon. You are much stronger than me. How can I be your teacher?”

Luo Luo said, “Last night, the only reason why I could injure the demon was all because of your teaching.”

Chen Chang Sheng said “First, can you not call me master?”

Luo Luo smiled sweetly “Ok, master.”

Chen Chang Sheng very helplessly put up his hands and explained “That’s only a coincidence.”

Luo Luo was still smiling, “But master, you know the Wind and Rain Sword of Mountain Zhong, you know the Ye Shi Move. These are not just coincidences.”

Chen Chang Sheng thought a while. “I just…read a little more books than others.”

Luo Luo opened her big eyes widely and said seriously. “Then how about the way the Qi flowed? I knew the sword technique of the Wind and Rain Sword of Mountain Zhong long time ago, but I couldn’t figure out how to use Qi to control the sword. The professors in the Heavenly Academy and Startaker Academy didn’t even know how to solve the problem but master….you taught me the solution in one sentence.”

Chen Chang Sheng remained silent. He really wanted to explain these were just coincidences. It was just his conjecture regarding how to use Qi when the vessels were hindered. Last night, the situation was dangerous and he was forced to try it. It was unexpected that this little girl actually succeeded.

The success last night did not mean he would always succeed.

He also could not explain the issue regarding his own body to the little girl.

Of course, more importantly he couldn’t really accept this little girl as his student.

Even though the legendary luminous pearl was very pretty, the sword technique was very luring, and those herbs were truly good……

He stood up and got ready to leave the library but he realized that he…couldn’t move because, his leg was being held down by someone.

Luo Luo sat on the floor. Her body slightly leaned forward and her two hands tightly hung onto his leg.

She looked like an unwilling poor girl abandoned by an ungrateful man.

Her heart was actually filled with happiness.

She thought silently : Yes, this is the smell that I smelled before! (Pervert????!!~~!~ Oii Perverted Loli Girl??.. Ok i imagine her as a loli maybe not a loli but still >.> that smelling…)

“Master, please accept me.”

She looked up, opened up her big watery eyes, looked at Chen Chang Sheng, said pathetically, “Whatever you want, I will give you all.”

(Editor Bingo: So do you guys know the background of Lou Lou yet?)