Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)
chapter-805

Chapter 805 – The Hard Journey

“Do you know how dangerous what you did today was?”

“I was carrying out His Holiness the Pope’s edict; how could it be dangerous? And didn’t Auntie and two archbishops hurry over?”

An Lin thought, this child cultivated in the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green for so many years, unaware of the world outside. It’s only to be expected that she’s still so innocent.

“The six halls of the Li Palace have been locked up for three years, apparently calm. In truth, we’ve been under massive pressure the entire time.”

Her smiled faded as she said calmly and seriously to An Hua, “In the end, the venerable Daoist master is still a Saint of the Orthodoxy, and now he is the supreme individual of the world. More and more people in the Orthodoxy are willing to chase after his footsteps. Even if His Holiness returns to the capital, he might not be able to take control over the situation.”

“The Orthodoxy has only one Pope.”

An Hua earnestly asked, “Auntie, you will always support His Holiness, right?”

“Three years ago, when His Holiness the Pope returned to the sea of stars, I and Mao Qiuyu and the others all received his final order, and we will naturally protect it to the end, but…” An Lin looked towards the wall of the carriage compartment in front of her, most likely looking at the holy carriage in front of theirs. “The venerable Daoist master is still His Holiness’s teacher, so I do not know what other people might be thinking.”

An Hua very seriously pondered this thought, then felt that she did not need to think about it, as in her heart, the Pope was the only god.

……

……

Linghai Zhiwang and Daoist Baishi sat in the same holy carriage.

The two Orthodoxy Prefects never once looked at each other. It was very peaceful, even somewhat cold.

The cheers from outside, the praising of the divine and the sounds of kowtows did not cause the slightest ripple in their eyes.

Only when the chilling wind slapped a leaf against the window lattice did Daoist Baishi’s expression finally relax a little.

“It seems that the three years His Holiness spent traveling the world were not a waste. His methods have become much shrewder.”

He still did not turn his head to look at Linghai Zhiwang. His voice was so flat that it seemed to come from a corpse.

“As Archbishop of the Hall of Literary Glory, I actually didn’t know the complete truth until last night. That His Holiness could conceal this matter so well from both you and me is truly worthy of admiration.”

Chen Changsheng naturally had a way to communicate with the Li Palace, or else the three Prefects of the Orthodoxy would not have been able to bring two thousand Orthodoxy cavalry to the Mount Song Army headquarters with such thunderous momentum. The problem was that Daoist Baishi had no idea what this communication method was, and in his view, Linghai Zhiwang also should not know of it.

Everyone knew that in the past, Linghai Zhiwang’s relationship with Chen Changsheng and Orthodox Academy was utterly terrible.

If not for Chen Changsheng, he would probably be Pope.

Daoist Baishi’s two statements could be understood as an expression of emotion, of praise towards the Pope’s intelligence, but they could also be understood as a provocation.

Linghai Zhiwang’s face remained expressionless, just as it was the majority of the time.

When the second withered leaf slapped against the window lattice, he finally opened his mouth, but he was not answering Daoist Baishi’s moved statements.

“Why is it that nobody from the Tang clan ever showed up?”

This change in topic was too sudden and stiff, so the question sounded somewhat cold.

Daoist Baishi slightly frowned. “I don’t know.”

Linghai Zhiwang took his gaze off the window and turned to Daoist Baishi.

He turned his head so slowly that he seemed like a puppet, and one could almost hear the creaking of his spine. Yet he was also like a sword slowly being drawn from its sheath.

“Even before Mu Jiushi was banished from the Li Palace, I never thought of her as a member of our Orthodoxy, so I’ve always been the youngest among us. I still have a lot of time, so I can wait. Don’t give me any nonsense about how Chen Changsheng is younger than me, and stop showing me this dead face with that holy and unthinking expression.”

Linghai Zhiwang stared into Daoist Baishi’s eyes. “I’ve never liked this Pope of ours, but if he suffers two assassinations in a row, I will be many times angrier than I am right now, as this is a challenge to the Li Palace, this is my disgrace. And when I truly get angry, you should be well aware of how I act.”

After saying this, he turned his head back to the window. It was like nothing had happened, nothing had been said.

……

……

The carriages of the Orthodoxy did not wait at Mount Song for too long.

This was because the imperial envoy, the Prince of Zhongshan, and other important personages did not need too long to reach a conclusion and agree to the Li Palace’s demand.

Commanding officer Chen Chou of Seven Li Xi’s roaming cavalry had become the new Divine General of the Mount Song Army headquarters.

This news shocked the people within the town of Mount Song, especially those officers who knew of Chen Chou’s background and why he had been demoted.

As for the reason behind this move, it shocked even people in many more places, like Blue Pass, Snowhold Pass, Xunyang City, and even the capital and Luoyang.

The Pope who had vanished for three years had actually been on the battlefields on the north this entire time. He had never forgotten the human soldiers that were fighting with the Demon Army on the blood-soaked battlefields, and he did not mind consuming his life and true blood to make the Cinnabar Pill and save countless lives. And then someone had attempted to assassinate him in the mountains.

After remaining silent for three years, the Li Palace suddenly made its voice heard, using this matter to unflinchingly snatch that position in the Mount Song Army headquarters. And what did this mean?

The exiled Pope seemed on the verge of making his return to the public eye, but did that also mean that he wanted to go back to the capital?

……

……

Many high mountains lay behind the town of Mount Song, and countless paths wove between the mountains. A crude pavilion or grass hut would often be constructed at the bends of these mountain paths.

In the bustling human world of the south, these grass huts or pavilions might be called departure houses or departure pavilions, used to prolong the time before separation and feel an even greater sorrow from parting.

Here, however, these pavilions and grass huts were only used to avoid the rain and take a break.

On the battlefield, man might ascend to heaven forever and make the departure that was death. It was very difficult to feel much sorrow over parting while still alive.

Luo Bu used two fingers to hold a small wine pot while he gazed at the fog-shrouded town of Mount Song. He was quiet, seemingly thinking about something.

Chen Changsheng and Nanke stood at his side. They followed his gaze but realized that they couldn’t see anything.

They had left Sloping Cliff Horse Farm and come to this place. Based on their earlier plans, it was now time to part.

The mountain path here split in three, heading south, north, and west.

The road north led down the mountain to the town of Mount Song, and further north than that were the desolate snowy plains where one might see the figures of the Demon race’s wolf cavalry at any time.

The road south led across the mountains and across a thousand li of grassy meadows to Xunyang City.

The road west went around the mountains, crossing the Siya River and countless hills. In two days’ time, one would see the outline of Hanqiu City.

Further south of Hanqiu City was Wenshui.

Chen Changsheng wanted to go to Wenshui.

On the other hand, Luo Bu needed to go to Mount Song. After delivering his military seal, he would take his leave.

Would he feel a little reluctant after fighting on the snowy plains for nearly five years?