Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 868 – The Breeze over the River Is Cool

A normal person would probably encounter problems if they consumed three days’ worth of medicine in one go.

Xiao Zhang would not encounter any problems, as his recovery abilities were incredibly powerful.

After sweetly sleeping for an hour, he woke up and said, “I have enough energy.”

Chen Changsheng asked, “You really don’t want to travel with us?”

“Since we don’t follow the same path, there’s no need to travel together.”

Xiao Zhang took the box containing rations and medicine from Chen Changsheng, gripped his spear, and walked out.

He did not immediately leave, but first went to the treasure pavilion at the very top of the Seven Treasures Stronghold and took the box of tea.

He then turned to those blue-clothed Daoists and Imperial Court experts and said, “Come, continue.”

……

……

Xiao Zhang left, as did the Daoists, experts, and divine crossbowmen.

Chen Changsheng’s party naturally had to leave as well.

The people of Fengyang City lining the street had not left.

They prostrated to Chen Changsheng, offering their pious respects. Even many elders that found it difficult to walk had been brought to the street by their relatives in the hopes that they might obtain the Pope’s blessing.

At any other time, Chen Changsheng would have spent some time in Fengyang City, treating the illnesses of the faithful or conducting a small ceremony to the light in the manner described in the scriptures of the church.

But right now, he did not have the time, as he had to leave. Fortunately, Hu Thirty-Two had already sent a message to the nearby Daoist church, which had made the appropriate preparations to distribute medicine.

Based on Chen Changsheng’s request, two clerics skilled in the Sacred Light technique would also be coming.

“May the Sacred Light be with all of you.”

Chen Changsheng said to the people of Fengyang City.

The masses once more prostrated, once more like a tide.

Leaving Fengyang City, traversing the chain across the river, they came to a sparsely inhabited area of the canyon.

Recalling what he had just witnessed, Tang Thirty-Six said, “Only just now did I feel that you really are the Pope.”

The Pope was divine and would assuredly obtain the respect of countless believers, but true love and respect were not so easy to gain.

Normally, this needed the accumulation of time and prestige.

Chen Changsheng had only become the Pope three years ago. In such a small and remote place like Fengyang City, if the Daoist church did not exert itself in announcing his presence, many believers might not even know he had come.

He was able to obtain the heartfelt respect and love of so many believers largely because An Hua had announced the matter of the Cinnabar Pill. The Orthodoxy’s praising of the divine had turned out to be very effective.

Chen Changsheng did not want to talk about these things, so he changed the subject. “The monster that Xiao Zhang encountered was probably Chusu.”

Tang Thirty-Six replied, “Perhaps. If Xiao Zhang hadn’t been heavily wounded, he couldn’t possibly have been ambushed.”

Zhexiu said, “Not necessarily. Chusu was also injured in Wenshui City, so don’t go out alone.”

Tang Thirty-Six understood his meaning and asked in surprise, “Is that monster really this troublesome?”

Chen Changsheng replied, “It truly is very troublesome.”

As he said this, a faint tinge of worry could be seen on his face.

It was not due to Chusu, but to the other matter that Xiao Zhang mentioned: there might be some problem at Holy Maiden Peak.

Tang Thirty-Six and Zhexiu were aware of what he was worried about. After leaving Fengyang City, they traveled much faster than they had before.

But Chen Changsheng did not think it was fast enough.

If South Stream Temple really had encountered some sort of mishap, she was in seclusion at Holy Maiden Peak, so could she be in danger?

As they swiftly traveled several dozen li along the canyon, Fengyang City quickly faded from view, and the number of boats on the river decreased substantially.

Chen Changsheng brought Nanke out of the Garden of Zhou, and then looked at Zhexiu and the others.

Tang Thirty-Six felt a little conflicted. “Why do I feel like I’ve become a cat?”

Zhexiu asked, “Have you ever seen a cat cage as large as the Garden of Zhou?”

Hu Thirty-Two humbly said, “To be able to stay in His Holiness’s miniature world for a time is a grand blessing.”

Zhexiu creased his brow.

Tang Thirty-Six sighed and said, “Too much.”

Chen Changsheng urged, “Hurry.”

Nanke watched as they were sent into the Garden of Zhou, then asked, “Chen Changsheng, where are we going?”

She could remember Chen Changsheng’s name now, but she still didn’t know who she was, was still as ignorant as a little child.

“We’re going to Holy Maiden Peak.” Chen Changsheng unfurled a map and pointed out which direction she should go.

Nanke’s eyes remained dull, so it was hard to tell if she had understood the map. She asked, “How fast?”

Chen Changsheng replied, “As fast as you can go. Of course, don’t injure yourself.”

Nanke replied, “I understand.”

She then grabbed Chen Changsheng’s neck and jumped off the cliff towards the river.

The wind over the river was somewhat chilly. As it howled against his face, Chen Changsheng cooled down somewhat.

And then, he saw the approaching river and found it impossible to calm down.

Only now did he remember that after that bloody battle in the mountains, Nanke’s two wings had vanished, so how could she fly?

A hint of confusion had also appeared in Nanke’s dull eyes.

She knew that she could fly, so she had instinctively jumped into the air without any fear or hesitation.

But just how exactly did she fly?

Nanke used her lightning-fast movement techniques to blink around the air in an astonishing fashion, but she could not stop her descent.

The two began to fall faster and faster, the river getting closer and closer.

She closed her eyes.

Chen Changsheng sighed and thought, without Zhizhi, what method should I use to dry these drenched clothes?

Just when they were about to fall into the river, two noises erupted from Nanke’s back.

Those sounds were like the sound that the white paper on Xiao Zhang’s face made in Xunyang City.

Not Fengyang City, but Xunyang City, because it was in Xunyang City when the white paper on his face had been whole.

It was somewhat like a sail unfurling as quickly as possible.

Of course, it was most similar to wings unfurling.

Dark green wings of ten-some zhang in length unfurled behind Nanke, carrying her over the rapids of the river and up into the sky.

Chen Changsheng had been even closer to the river, the bottom of his shoes even touching the water, leaving a ripple behind.

From a distance, it looked like a dragonfly lightly touching the water.

……

……

Pope Chen Changsheng had left Fengyang City, but the people of this small city found it very difficult to take their leave.

In a restaurant along the river, a young master looked at the crowd that was still gazing up the river, and a hint of annoyance appeared on his face.

“Truly a bunch of ignorant fools.”

A delicate girl walked over. It was Mu Jiushi.

The young master was Bie Tianxin.

Seeing Mu Jiushi, Bie Tianxin instantly changed his expression, harmoniously saying, “The wind from the river is rather strong. Be careful.”

When Mu Jiushi was banished from the Li Palace, her cultivation in the Orthodoxy’s techniques had been destroyed, but her strength that originated from the Great Western Continent was still there, so there was no need for her to care about any wind off the river.

Bie Tianxin only wanted to express his concern.

Mu Jiushi faintly smiled, very naturally accepting his concern and standing a little closer to him.