Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)
chapter-561

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Tang Thirty-Six came to his senses, thinking, this really is the case. Liu Qing has no invitation but still intruded upon Mount Han, so why hasn't the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets killed him?

Chen Changsheng couldn't understand it so he couldn't help but be worried—Su Li had left, as had the secretive assassin ranked second. When Liu Qing left, he really did seem like one of those wandering and homeless ghosts that walked the darkness, seeming like he could be swallowed by the light of the sun at any moment.

He knew that a person like Liu Qing had hands that were assuredly drenched in blood, so he really shouldn't be sympathizing with him. However, he had no means of controlling the inclination of his emotions. After all, in Xunyang City, they had fought side by side against the enemy, and the enemy they faced was one of the strongest in the world.

"Tell me, what sort of thing do you think an incredibly powerful assassin needs?"

Tang Thirty-Six suddenly said, "He's certainly made enough money. In my view, what he wants to retrieve is a certain way of life."

Puzzled, Chen Changsheng asked, "A way of life?"

"These assassins love to fight, love to kill, but they're not madmen. Thus, they love it when people purchase their skills and have them fight and kill. This way, they don't need to think about things like ethics and morality. They can make fighting and killing a daily job, and this is the sort of life they pursue."

"Just what do you want to say?"

"Liu Qing and that group of assassins can be considered a group of dragons with a head, now a group of wandering and homeless ghosts. They want someone to bring them back to the lives they used to live."

"And then?"

"Although I don't have that ability, I do have money…if they like this sort of life, I'll give it to them!"

"Just stop thinking about such nonsense," Chen Changsheng said very seriously to him.

Tang Thirty-Six carelessly spread out his hands, "I'm just randomly musing. Why so serious?"

Zhexiu expressionlessly replied, "He's been thinking about this for a long time, or else why did he so desperately ask for Liu Qing's contact details just now?"

Angry and ashamed, Tang Thirty-Six warned, "Without evidence, don't talk nonsense, or else I'll put you to death."

Chen Changsheng shot him a glance.

Tang Thirty-Six quickly changed subjects. "Don't you feel that Xiao De's appearance just now was too sudden?"

They were forced to admit that Tang Thirty-Six had changed the subject very beautifully, because this really was a matter worth thinking about, with many points of suspicion.

Mount Han was a place under the control of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. Xiao De could only have passed the mountain gate under the invitation of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. In the end, however, he attempted to make things difficult for Chen Changsheng on the mountain path. Even if his strength was tyrannical and his manner arrogant, could he be unconcerned about angering the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets? Moreover, even if he had succeeded in humiliating Chen Changsheng, what benefits did that bring? Besides venting the fury in his heart, was that enough to cancel out the limitless harm that would be incurred by simultaneously offending both the Orthodoxy and the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets?

"Xiao De is different from ordinary demi-humans. For instance, he's completely different from our bear child. He's not one bit honest and straightforward. On the contrary, he's a deep and foresighted planner."

Tang Thirty-Six had brought up this matter, and the more he thought about, the more he felt that something was wrong and his expression grew grave. "Although he has every excuse and reason to humiliate you, for him to take such a big risk, there must be some extremely great gain for doing it. But no matter how much I think about it, I can't think of a single good result.

"Unless there's somebody that could obtain enormous gain from all this which they can then turn into some other benefit to give him.

"For Chen Changsheng to be thoroughly humiliated, like being beaten into a pig, even stripped into a naked pig, who could obtain the greatest gain?

"Of course, it's not the Holy Maiden, nor is it Princess Luoluo…don't hit me, I'm speaking of a serious matter here…it should be those competitors. For the future Pope to lose so much face, the Li Palace would definitely seek revenge, but…if someone were to make trouble with this matter in the future, His Holiness would find it hard to speak up.

"If we say this is a plot, it's an extremely simple, even child's play, but it could really cause you actual harm.

"Why? Because you're the future Pope, worshiped by all. The most hallowed, thus, also the easiest to sully.

"Zhexiu, don't look at me with those eyes, I don't have any other meaning behind those words.

"Chen Changsheng, see if my analysis has any basis."

In the following silence, Chen Changsheng and Zhexiu looked each other in the eyes, thinking, Tang Thirty-Six is truly worthy of being the Wenshui Tang clan's successor. In such a short amount of time, he was able to clearly dissect and analyze this sudden matter, parsing out the cause and effects in an extremely precise manner.

Yes, they already believed in Tang Thirty-Six's conjectures.

That demi-human expert had appeared too abruptly, and his actions were far too unreasonable, so there must have been some underlying reason.

The Divine Staff already lay in his hands, but if he wished to don the Divine Crown and become Pope, Chen Changsheng still needed to confront many trials.

Today was a seemingly ordinary, but actually highly dangerous trial.

Xiao De's objective was the two shores of the Red River, the throne of sovereignty over the demi-human domain.

Who could swallow such a monstrous price, invite Xiao De to risk the divine punishment of the Pope and act against Chen Changsheng?

To be more precise, who had the qualifications to promise Xiao De so much benefit in the future?

That person or those people, so vividly portrayed, were certainly the competitors for either the position of Pope or position of Emperor of the Great Zhou.

For example, the Tianhai clan in the faraway capital, or Linghai Zhiwang at the nearby base of the mountain.

Because of the rules set by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, the Orthodoxy's powerful figures were unable to enter Mount Han. Now that they thought about it, this matter truly was rather interesting.

Because it was far too much of a coincidence.

It must be said that although a certain person's plans seemed coarse, they were really too coincidental in their clumsiness.

If not for the fact that Liu Qing had suddenly appeared at Mount Han for some reason, this plan really might have succeeded.

"Your luck is not bad," Tang Thirty-Six noted.

Zhexiu argued, "This has nothing to do with luck."

Yes, if not for the fact that they had journeyed together back south for ten thousand li, fought together in Xunyang City's storm, and that Chen Changsheng had never abandoned Su Li to return on his own to the capital, how could he have been so fortunate just now?

People walked along the mountain path, those cultivators acquainted with each other grouped together and discussing the recent disturbance.

At the very front, Chen Changsheng was speaking to the steward from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. "I have…somewhat of a friendship with that senior from just then, is it possible…"

The steward quietly said, "Of course it's no problem. The matter in Xunyang City is known by the world. Even if we didn't give Su Li face, we would still have to give Your Eminence face."

In truth, Chen Changsheng was clear that the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets was giving Senior Su Li face, it was just that he had broached the matter.

"Of course, he can't kill anybody in Mount Han. Even if he encounters a foe, he can only run away."

Finally, the steward added, "Or else even the faces of His Holiness and the Empress combined would be of no use here."

With this steward's promise, Chen Changsheng became much more relaxed.

He completely failed to expect that he would meet Liu Qing again so quickly.

Moreover, the current Liu Qing was in an extremely perilous situation.

The mountain path slightly curved. Directly in front of them was a clear stream. On the cliff at the other side of the stream, trees grew everywhere, covered in yellow leaves ranging from light to dark, so beautiful that their colors and shades all seemed to blur together. The trees were replete with fruits of all sorts, the burdened branches hanging like they could snap at any moment.

Near the stream, several hundred persimmon trees grew, their branches dense with persimmons. They seemed just like countless lanterns.

Liu Qing stood by the stream, staring in front of him at the innumerable yellow lanterns. His hand gripped his sword, his face was bloodlessly pale, and his breath was hurried and rushed. His two shoulders drooped extremely low, not because he could wield his sword even faster, but because they were on the verge of collapse, like some invisible mountain was resting on his body.

Countless fine streams of blood were seeping from his ears and the corners of his eyes.

His head was like one of those heavy fruits on those trees, ready to explode at any time because it was too ripe, or perhaps because it was too heavy, it would snap the branch and roll off his neck.

Either resulted in death.

Liu Qing's right hand, holding the sword, was constantly shaking. He was almost at the point where he couldn't hold it anymore.

Even now, he still did not attack.

Because it was impossible for him to attack.

At the same time, he did not dare to attack this person.

Amongst the mountain of yellow leaves stood a middle-aged scholar.

His hands clasped behind his back, he gazed at those lantern-like persimmons, almost as if he was seeing if they were ripe or not.

A pendant was tied to his belt. If one carefully examined it, perhaps one would recognize that it was a seal.

There seemed nothing remarkable about this middle-aged scholar, but when Chen Changsheng's gaze fell upon his body, the sky above the mountains suddenly went dark.

Just who was he?