Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Daoist Baishi looked around in shock, realizing that he was still outside the Daoist church, still within the forest.

The little girl was still in front of him, the cold Qi still at his neck.

What was going on? The Falling Star Stone had clearly torn through space, so why had he not been transported elsewhere?

Daoist Baishi looked down towards his feet and his face suddenly paled.

The Falling Star Stone was still floating in the black space.

But the black space was visibly shrinking.

A divine strength arising from some place was beating against this black space like endless waves of water.

The Falling Star Stone's twisting of the world's laws had completely lost its effect. The petals and leaves ceased to be drawn towards it, their progress halted.

Just like how he could no longer enter that path, only remain where he stood.

Just where did these endless waves of strength come from? Why were they so divine and majestic? Why could not even the Falling Star Stone resist?

Daoist Baishi suddenly turned, his gaze following the waves of water on the ground into the distance, ultimately resting behind the holy gate, underneath the pear tree.

Chen Changsheng stood beneath the pear tree, calmly looking back, apparently unconcerned that he might escape.

He gripped a Divine Staff in hand.

This staff symbolized the most hallowed will of the Orthodoxy.

The bottom of the Divine Staff lightly rested in the mud, yet it seemed unshakable.

Countless strands of divine Qi spread out from the Divine Staff like waves of water.

The petals and leaves on the ground slowly floated upwards, rising three feet above the ground, but no more than that.

The water grass at the bottom of the river slowly floated up to three feet from the water's surface, no longer so reluctant to see the light of day.

All this happened with an absolutely harmonious beauty.

The pinnacle of beauty was serenity, and the sea of stars was serene, and to be serene was to be divine.

The entire Daoist church and the forest and river around it had become a sea of stars.

Any divine strength that encountered this sea of stars would become a part of it, wallowing or enraptured until it disappeared or became one.

The Falling Star Stone was a treasure of the Orthodoxy, formed from the wisdom of countless generations of the Li Palace's sages. When encountering the Pope's Divine Staff, how could it possibly fight back?

Daoist Baishi could clearly sense that the Falling Star Stone was separating from his Dao heart and finally understood what was happening, causing him to grow even paler. Surrounded by experts of the Orthodoxy, even with the Falling Star Stone n hand, he could only think about escape. If even the Falling Star Stone was taken from him, what chance did he have left?

He could no longer keep anything back. He forcefully severed his connection with the Falling Star Stone, receiving the wounds brought about by the backlash from the divine Dao, swallowing down that mouthful of sweet blood. His true essence surged as he pushed his movement technique to its absolute limits. Brushing past the small girl, he transformed into a violent gale as he charged out of the forest.

With a flick of An Lin's finger, the belt moved with the wind, carrying countless petals in an enchanting sight.

Daoist Baishi was not enchanted, but his vision was obscured.

More importantly, the belt and all the petals it stirred seemed to effect some sort of change in the orientation of the forest.

When the petals scattered, Daoist Baishi did not see the stone steps leading out of the forest, but Linghai Zhiwang's utterly emotionless face.

After launching the first sneak attack, Linghai Zhiwang had retreated, after which he had not attacked again, waiting all the way until this moment.

He would not give Daoist Baishi another chance.

The iron ruler in his hands, which had been accumulating energy all this time, smashed towards Daoist Baishi through the petals.

For an instant, the pitch-black ruler seemed to glimmer with the light of countless stars.

A muffled boom.

The iron ruler sundered Daoist Baishi's defense and fiercely struck him on the shoulder.

His shoulder bone was instantly broken in two while his Ethereal Palace was given a nasty shock. He could no longer endure, and vomited blood into the sky.

Just when he was prepared to explode his true essence and break free from Linghai Zhiwang, he suddenly felt a chill at his waist.

He was very familiar with this chill, which made him all the more frightened.

This chill had been following behind him the entire time like some ghost was breathing down his neck.

Now, however, this chill appeared at his waist.

There was a very soft sound.

It was that extremely clichéd metaphor again.

Like a leather bag full of wine being pierced.

The tip of a sword poked out of Daoist Baishi's chest.

The tip of this sword was actually not that sharp, seeming more like the jagged edge leftover after the sword was chopped at by some sharp weapon. A few very complex patterns decorated the surface of the sword.

After being dyed in blood, these patterns seemed particularly monstrous and strange.

Logically speaking, even if a powerful expert like Daoist Baishi were to be stabbed through the chest by a sword, they should still have had the ability to fight.

But for some inexplicable reason, he rapidly weakened, as if the countless strands of Demon Qi carried by the sword were nibbling away at his life.

Daoist Baishi lowered his head to his chest. When he set eyes on the sword, his confusion turned into shock, a pained and despairing call bursting from his lips.

He had seen a picture of this sword in the Daoist scriptures and recognized it.

The Demon Commander's Banner Sword that had been missing for several centuries!

……

……

Divine might like a sea!

Iron ruler like a mountain!

Demon sword like a banner!

No matter how valiant Daoist Baishi was, after receiving such terrifying attacks three times in succession, he finally could endure no longer. Spitting out blood, he dropped down on one knee, giving up any efforts to resist.

With difficulty, he raised his head and discovered that the little girl was still standing in front of him, a dull expression on her face.

This girl never once attacked, but wherever he went, she would always appear.

This method of not attacking was even more frightening than attacking.

Who was this little girl? Why did she possess such terrifying speed and movement techniques? Daoist Baishi stared into her eyes and suddenly thought of a possibility. Incredulity welled in his eyes, and he turned to the holy gate and harshly called out, "You actually dare to keep her at your side!"

Chen Changsheng did not respond to his exclamation. After putting away the Divine Staff, he said his thanks to Guan Feibai.

From the moment Linghai Zhiwang began his sneak attack, Guan Feibai subconsciously positioned himself in front of Chen Changsheng and gripped his sword, despite the fact that he did not know what was happening.

After all, Chen Changsheng had still not fully recovered, and he had also lost too much blood, so he needed to be protected.

Only now did he faintly begin to understand, and the hand gripping the hilt of his sword began to shake.

Everything had happened too suddenly.

Even someone like him, who had a sword intent as steady as a mountain, couldn't help but feel nervous upon realizing that he had just taken part in a major affair of the Orthodoxy.

An Lin had heard Daoist Baishi's words and also vaguely understood. She looked towards the dull-faced little girl, hesitating to speak.

Linghai Zhiwang had assuredly guessed at it, but he was utterly unaffected by Daoist Baishi's words. He impassively asked, "Since you already guessed that we knew and still dared to enter with us into the city, was it the venerable Daoist master or the Tang clan that guaranteed your safety? Or was it because you thought that with the Falling Star Stone in hand, you could do whatever you wanted?"

The front of Daoist Baishi's clothes was stained in blood, making him appear rather wretched, but his stance remained unyielding. He harshly responded, "I truly did not expect that the Divine Staff could suppress the Falling Star Stone. It seems that this is how the Pope controls the six halls, but so what? Are you going to have killed me on the spot?"