Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 863 – Winter’s Wild Spear and Tea

The magistrate of Feng City, who had arrived at Fengyang City yesterday for the tea party, was now receiving many congratulations from the people within the county office.

Hearing this news, the group in the tea house looked at each other speechlessly, a chill running through their hearts.

No could have expected that the Prince of Xiang would truly succeed in entering the Divine Domain during his seclusion.

From the moment he crossed that threshold, so long as he did not scheme or compete against the venerable Daoist, his status in the Great Zhou Dynasty would be unshakable.

Whether in the Imperial Court or the military, the Prince of Xiang had immense power, and now that he had entered the Divine Domain, he had unquestionably become a truly powerful minister.

Chen Changsheng recalled how Xu Yourong’s assessment of the Prince of Xiang had been very poor. She had said that although the prince possessed outstanding talent, he was licentious and brutal, never once striving for the Divine. It now seemed that all this had naturally been an act.

That the Prince of Xiang had kept up this act for so long meant that he had grand schemes, meant that he was incredibly ambitious.

As the most powerful prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, if he still had ambitions, his goal was glaringly obvious.

Chen Changsheng was somewhat concerned for his faraway senior brother deep within the palace.

At this moment, another announcement resounded through the street.

The Prince of Xiang’s entry into the Divine Domain was unexpectedly not the entirety of the reason for this update of rankings.

Three months ago, the Mount Li Sword Sect Master had used his heart to cleanse his sword and successfully entered the Divine Domain!

This news instantly swept away the oppressive mood in the tea house, a cool breeze coming off the river.

Tang Thirty-Six looked at Chen Changsheng and said, “Congratulations.”

There had once been many grudges and disputes between the Orthodox Academy and the Mount Li Sword Sect, even a hostility that was very difficult to resolve, but those were all matters of the past.

Everyone in the continent knew that between the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy, the Mount Li Sword Sect was undoubtedly supporting the latter. They were Chen Changsheng’s allies.

The Mount Li Sword Sect Master’s entry to the Divine Domain was naturally an excellent matter for Chen Changsheng and the Orthodoxy.

Although one expert of the Divine Domain could not alter the difference in the strength of the two sides, the news could at least lessen the shock brought by the Prince of Xiang.

Chen Changsheng thought to himself, so such a major event has taken place at Mount Li. No wonder Luo Bu and Guan Feibai were in such a rush to get back.

Everyone was happy, with only Zhexiu showing no emotion.

Tang Thirty-Six understood why this was and said consolingly, “You’re thinking too much. In any case, even if the Sect Master of the Mount Li Sword Sect hadn’t entered the Divine Domain, you still wouldn’t be able to beat him.”

After delivering its message, the Red Goose had probably taken some food and water in the county office and rested for a while. Now, it took flight once more, swiftly flying along the mountain roads of the county city towards the river. Presumably, once it reached a more open area, it would flap its wings, break through the clouds, and travel to more remote and distant lands to deliver the Imperial Court’s will.

The people of the city looked at that red silhouette flying low through the air like a lightning bolt and began to clap in excitement. Countless gazes followed it, including those of Chen Changsheng’s party in the tea house. They watched as the Red Goose flew over the river, flapped its wings, and quickly flew past those chains and high up into the sky.

Suddenly, countless crossbow bolts shot out from the forest on the opposite shore!

The Red Goose was caught utterly unprepared. Struck by a crossbow bolt, it dropped into the river and quickly vanished from sight.

Everyone who saw this was stunned.

Chen Changsheng’s expression turned somewhat grave.

He could clearly see that these crossbow bolts had not been targeted at the Red Goose.

Those crossbow bolts emanated a terrifying Qi. They had probably been launched from divine crossbows.

Even the most important Red Goose would not require such a dense rain of crossbow bolts, much less ones fired by divine crossbows.

And the information carried by this Red Goose had no relation to any urgent military intelligence.

What was the true target of those divine crossbows?

Several clouds drifted in the sky above the river, unable to block out the morning light, and certainly no harbinger of some storm.

But at this moment, some massive boom that could almost burst one’s eardrums exploded in the sky, like a clap of summer thunder.

Countless crossbow bolts once more shot through the sky, vanishing somewhere. They were soon followed by ten-some bizarre and frightening sword glows flashing in the sky.

A cloud suddenly scattered and a howl pierced through the air.

The river suddenly fell into turmoil, turbid waves reaching for the sky. The forest on the opposite shore was suddenly blown about in a furious gale. Countless trees snapped, after which groans and screams rose from the forest.

Countless gouts of blood splattered out of the dense forest and fell on the river. Just like the Red Goose, they very quickly vanished from sight.

The chain spanning the river began to fiercely sway, incessantly clattering.

A pair of very tattered leather boots stepped on the chain.

No matter how fiercely the chains swayed, how swiftly the waters flowed, or how sharp those crossbow bolts and sword glows were, those tattered boots stood firmly on the chain.

A gale continued to howl over the river, blowing against the white sheet of paper, causing it to flap so loudly that not even the clattering of the chain could conceal it.

That person stood on the chain, his face masked in a white sheet of paper with several holes poked in it. In sum, it was a terrifying visage.

But compared to the past, the white paper on his face was missing a small section and was speckled with a few blackened bloodstains, most likely the marks left behind by some long-ago injury.

It was clear that he had suffered very serious wounds, and he had been chased so constantly ever since that he had not had a single moment to rest.

Any other person in these circumstances would be thinking about escape, or at least about conserving some strength.

But this person did not. He wielded his famous spear and blocked all the crossbow bolts, routed the sharp sword glows, and walked over to Fengyang City.

Countless gazes fell on his body and followed his footsteps, everyone silent and nervous.

This person shouted at the city, “Where’s daddy’s tea! Who dares to touch it!”

All of Fengyang City was silent, not a single person daring to answer.

With a single shout, the entire city was silenced.

This person was truly completely unbridled.

He was truly worthy of being called Painted Armor Xiao Zhang1.

……

……

Fengyang City’s winter wild tea had gained fame through Xiao Zhang, but because of the Imperial Court’s close pursuit, he had not attended Fengyang City’s winter wild tea party for two years, and the city elders sent the box of tea they had promised him to the Prince of Xiang’s estate. No one had expected him to appear this year, but, rather unfortunately, he did.

No one in the city knew how to respond.

The chain clattered as it swayed, the river waters crashed as they seethed. These were the only sounds.

Xiao Zhang walked down from the chain and stood on the soil of Fengyang City. He began to ascend the long flight of stone steps.

At the top of these stone steps was the Seven Treasures Stronghold.

At the highest point of the Seven Treasures Stronghold was the treasure pavilion.

Within the treasure pavilion was a box of tea.

Had he really come to take his tea?

1.’Unbridled’, ‘嚣张’, shares the same pronunciation as ‘肖张’, which is Xiao Zhang.