Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The streets were covered in a thin layer of snow, and upon this snow was a distinct trail of footsteps.

Chen Changsheng had already walked to the end of the street. With a turn to the right, he would be at the alley of the Northern Military Department.

Ten-some zhang away, he could see a wall. Behind this wall was that courtyard.

No noise had come from behind him.

Not the sounds of blades or fighting.

But his mind was not affected in the slightest.

Because he believed in Wang Po.

As long as Wang Po was behind him, even if Wang Po's opponent was a legendary expert like Tie Shu, he only needed to keep looking forward.

At the wall and the courtyard behind it.

A wind stirred, its howls somewhat grating on his ears.

The thin snow upon the streets was rolled up and the snow upon the roofs of both sides of the street fell down.

The howl of the wind blowing every which way was very normal.

A figure burst from the snow.

A sword flew from this figure and stabbed at Chen Changsheng's forehead.

Even though they were still separated by several zhang, Chen Changsheng could sense the sharpness and aura of death upon this sword.

He slightly narrowed his eyes, not because of this sword, but because of the figure wielding it.

Faint specks of light could be seen flickering in and out of the snow that had been sent flying.

This assassin who had concealed himself in the snow for so long did not seem to be amongst the flying snow, but in another world.

This was because this assassin had his own world. Those specks of light were proof.

The first enemy Chen Changsheng encountered today was a Star Condensation Realm assassin.

A Star Condensation cultivator could lord over the provinces, become the elder of any sect. Just which one would be willing to become an assassin that couldn't be revealed under the light?

An assassin of this level was an extremely rare sight.

Even the Department for Purging Officials would not have too many.

Only one place in the continent possessed so many.

It was a very obscure organization of assassins. Su Li had once been a member.

No one knew the origins or location of this organization of assassins.

But Chen Changsheng knew.

In reality, this assassin organization was completely subordinate to the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.

From the moment he saw this Star Condensation assassin and recognized their very familiar assassination style, he was sure of their origins.

The Imperial Court had truly succeeded in subduing the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.

Chen Changsheng was not shocked, but he began to worry about Liu Qing.

Then, he put his attention on his eyes, focused his heart, and retreated.

With just a simple retreat, the gloomy and cold sword concealed within the wind and snow missed.

The moment his shoes pressed against the thin snow, the Stainless Sword emerged from the Vault Sheath with a clang.

With wind and snow obscuring his sight, it was impossible for him tell the location of the assassin.

But his eyes remained fixed on a certain place in the snow, showing no hesitation.

The sword intent of the Stainless Sword swiftly and forcefully followed his gaze.

Squelch.

A spurt of blood sprayed into the flying snow.

The assassin was forced out by his sword intent and swiftly flew backward until he crashed into the wall of the courtyard.

The snow atop the wall tumbled down onto the assassin's face and then was washed away by spurting blood.

A deep and bloody hole had appeared on the assassin's throat.

His eyes were filled with confusion and despair.

He could not understand how Chen Changsheng had been able to see through his position.

Even if he could see it, how had his sword been able to so effortlessly destroy his Star Domain?

Chen Changsheng was naturally able to destroy this assassin's Star Domain.

Because he used the Intellectual Sword and had a pair of intelligent eyes.

The current him had true essence as strong and solid as a mountain, a spiritual sense as serene and pliable as an ocean, and his swordplay had reached a most superb level.

His current level of cultivation might still be lacking compared to those true experts, but his understanding of the sword and his insight had already reached that high level.

From a certain perspective, he could look down upon opponents of the same level.

This assassin had also been at the Star Condensation Realm, but his cultivation was not comparable, and his assassination methods were inherited from Su Li and Liu Qing…how could he have possibly blocked Chen Changsheng's sword?

Blood seeped into the snow, churned into a rather vile slurry. The assassin slid down from the wall and died.

Chen Changsheng continued forward.

His footsteps were still steady and flat, his expression still serene, and he seemed very cautious.

One strike had slain one powerful enemy. In the end, it had still consumed no small amount of energy. More importantly, he knew that the battle had only just begun.

The Imperial Court had subdued the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, so there would assuredly be more experts within the courtyard than he had first calculated.

He was not Zhou Dufu, nor was he Su Li, and right now, he could just barely see Wang Po's back, so there was no way he could be called 'invincible'.

On that night, he had been able to invade this courtyard and assault Zhou Tong until his soul almost fled his body because he held the advantage of surprise. Today, it would naturally not be so simple.

He knew that he was bound to encounter opponents that he could not defeat today, and these were the problems that he needed to address.

In the end, he was still just too young. He had only cultivated for three years, and there were no small number of experts in the world who could rely purely on their strength to crush him, leaving no chance for his insight and understanding of the sword to show their use.

Like Zhou Tong, who would no longer look down on him or permit any surprise to occur.

Like those powerful men on the upper rankings of the Proclamation of Liberation.

Like Xiao De who had appeared in front of him right now.

Ranked fifth on the Proclamation of Liberation, the number one expert of the demi-human's middle generation, Xiao De.

When Xiao De saw Chen Changsheng walk out of the snow, a faint glimmer of respect appeared in his eyes, unlike the disdain and contempt of their first meeting at Mount Han.

"Today, I will send you off well."

Chen Changsheng knew that during the coup of the Mausoleum of Books, Xiao De and Xiao Zhang had played very important roles in the Imperial Palace. He should not have been surprised that Xiao De would be invited by the Imperial Court to deal with him, but he was still rather surprised. The diplomatic mission from White Emperor City was still in the capital. From any angle, Xiao De should not have come out, unless…

He suddenly felt the chill of the snow and wind all the more keenly.

There was still no sound from the street, not that of blades or fighting. Wang Po had still not unsheathed his blade.

Countless figures appeared in the snow, all of them experts. Presumably, even more assassins and killers were hidden in the shadows.

Chen Changsheng silently gazed at the courtyard right before his eyes.

He understood.

The courtyard was so close, but it wasn't a given that he could enter it today.

At this moment, he could only see a few parts of the courtyard, like the white line running along the top of the wall and the crabapple tree poking out above it.

The crabapple tree had already shed all its leaves. Its naked branches burdened by snow seemed rather ragged and cold.

A deathly stillness.

……

……

When the Tang Second Master gave his noiseless laughs, he would seem rather comical.

But in the view of his opponents, his face at these moments would seem particularly terrifying.

When the Tang Second Master's smile faded and he was without expression, he was at his coldest and gloomiest, his face like a corpse.

Wang Po looked at this face that he had not seemed for many years, this unforgettable, comical, terrifying, gloomy, and ugly face. Suddenly, he had a fierce desire.

When he was working as an accountant in Wenshui City, he would often get this sort of desire, but because of those four words, he had always endured.

'Kindness weighty as mountains' was truly four words.

The Wenshui Tangs had treated him with a kindness as weighty as mountains.

And then when this mountain collapsed before him, what could he do?

Wang Po had never considered this question before.

His blade was straight, and his view of this world was also straight.

If there was revenge, it must be taken, and if there was kindness, it must be repaid. There was no need to think about such simple matters.

Until today, when he heard the Tang Second Master's words.

"You are not allowed to unsheathe your blade."

His brows drooped and he seemed very distressed. "Whose intention is this?"

The Tang Second Master understood his question. "Naturally, it's the Old Master's intention."

Wang Po looked at him and did not speak.

The Tang Second Master mocked, "If it was my intention, why would I stop you? I would let you die at Tie Shu's hands with utter delight."

Wang Po considered this and replied, "That's true."

The Tang Second Master explained, "But the Old Master likes you like he loves his grandson. He doesn't want you to die, so he had me come and say that."

Wang Po fell silent again.

"Just now, you almost certainly thought our Tang clan was intending to force the repayment of kindness, a truly shameless act." The Tang Second Master stared into his eyes, making no effort to conceal the malice within his own. "Now you realize that the Tang clan is actually protecting your life. Do you not feel very sad that you can't look down on us merchants?"

Wang Po calmly looked back and said, "Since you want me to die, we can pretend you didn't even say those words."

"Although I want to you die, I don't want you to just die like this. There's no value in that."

The Tang Second Master lightly jeered, "I don't care what the Old Master thinks. I only know that my Tang clan paid a great price for you, so you are the property of my Tang clan, a business that my Tang clan invested in. Even if you want to die, you have to bring back enough money for my Tang clan. How could I let you die for such an absurd reason?"

There was no such thing as heroes or everlasting justice.

Truly absurd.

If you want to die, your death should have value. How could you mess around with that little child?

Then what did it mean to have value?

Wang Po understood.

The position of Pope was the most valuable thing in the world.

After going around and advancing bit by bit, at the end, it was still about that matter.

This day of first snow over the capital was, in the view of many, the day that he and Chen Changsheng went to kill Zhou Tong.

But in the view of others, it was the day when Chen Changsheng went to die.

……