Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1052 – Cutting Off the Hand (II)

Before Tang Thirty-Six could find him, Bishop Mei Chuan encountered Xu Yourong in the forest.

He had never met Xu Yourong, but he knew who she was.

In the past, Tang Thirty-Six had said in this same forest that she truly was very beautiful, and it was still true.

Mei Chuan was somewhat surprised, but his manners and bearing remained impeccable.

He was also surprised to learn that Xu Yourong knew he was the new education overseer for the Orthodox Academy, and she also knew of his relationship with Mei Lisha.

As a result, Mei Chuan could not be sure that this meeting was an accident.

Xu Yourong said to Bishop Mei Chuan, “The Orthodox Academy is very important to them.”

Mei Chuan humbly replied, “This lowly servant knows.”

Xu Yourong said, “But you do not understand what they are willing to do for the sake of the Orthodox Academy.”

“Superintendent Tang ordered that teacher to scram. I can presume that the teacher will no longer dare to come to the Orthodox Academy.”

Mei Chuan sighed, “He taught the elementary course on the Essay on the Origin of the Dao rather well.”

Xu Yourong asked, “Tang Tang did not have you scram?”

Mei Chuan paused for a moment, then deferentially answered, “No.”

Xu Yourong was quiet for a while, then said, “So this is how it is.”

Mei Chuan looked a little surprised.

Xu Yourong softly explained, “He did not have you scram, so it means that he wants you to die.”

Mei Chuan’s expression flickered.

Xu Yourong shook her head. “I feel like it’s wrong for them to do this.”

Mei Chuan’s nerves slightly relaxed.

“This is the Orthodox Academy and you are an education overseer sent by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. If they touch you, they won’t be able to give a good explanation to the priests and believers.”

Xu Yourong calmly stared at him. “But I don’t need to explain.”

Mei Chuan’s mind, which had just slightly relaxed, tensed up once more.

“My Lady’s meaning is?”

“My meaning is that since I don’t need to give an explanation, the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education won’t dare to demand an explanation of me, so I might as well be the one to kill you.”

A wind flitting through the forest caused the snow burdening the raspberry bushes to rustle, and her sleeves to drift in the wind.

Her eyes had their normal serenity and softness. There were no negative emotions within them, and certainly no killing intent.

In confusion, Mei Chuan sought one last sliver of hope and asked, “My Lady wishes to kill me?”

“If you were just the Education Overseer of the Orthodox Academy, I would not care, but you are Mei Lisha’s nephew, so it’s best if I personally kill you.”

Xu Yourong remained so calm that it seemed like she was not speaking of killing someone, but discussing interpretations of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths.

This composure made Bishop Mei Chuan feel an unprecedented fear and cold, so much so that even his voice began to tremble.

If Xu Yourong really did kill him, much less the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, what could even the Li Palace or the Imperial Court do?

Could the Li Palace or the Imperial Court possibly demand that the Holy Maiden of the south pay her life for one bishop?

“If My Lady kills me in the Orthodox Academy, the unification of the Orthodoxy pushed by My Lady and His Holiness will be greatly affected.”

Mei Chuan’s voice was shaky, but his expression was extremely sincere, as if he was only worried about Xu Yourong.

Xu Yourong’s response was extremely indifferent and simultaneously terrifying.

“I do not care.”

By the time she finished, the temple sword was in her hand.

Mei Chuan’s pupils constricted while his right hand rose up like a drifting cloud to block. At the same time, his body began to blur as he made to escape.

Too late.

Squelch.

Mei Chuan’s right hand flew off his wrist.

The temple sword stabbed through his chest.

With a buzz, ten-some small flames, like wild plums, drifted out from the temple sword.

These were the true flames of the Heavenly Phoenix.

All life would become extinct upon touching these flames.

Bishop Mei Chuan was a Star Condensation expert, but in front of Xu Yourong, he could not even momentarily block her, much less think about winning.

The gap between the two was too great.

More importantly, even when the temple sword was about to bestow death upon him, he still did not believe Xu Yourong would kill him.

He did not represent only himself.

He was the education overseer sent by the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education.

He represented the collective will of the Orthodoxy’s conservative faction.

He was just like a hand that Shang Xingzhou had extended into the Orthodox Academy.

Even if you’re the Holy Maiden of the south, before this hand, shouldn’t you negotiate, with both sides yielding ground and eventually reaching a compromise?

Mei Chuan found all this absurd. His pale face was covered in disbelief.

He fell onto the snow, vomiting blood and gradually ceasing to breathe.

In the silence of the forest, a voice rose, one with many complicated emotions.

“Even if you were the one to kill him, you will have to give a reason eventually.”

Xu Yourong calmly replied, “I said before that I did not care. I only need to let people know that I was the one who killed him.”

The person sighed, “No wonder you arranged to meet me here.”

Xu Yourong replied, “Yes, it was so you could see it.”

Upon learning of the matter, she had decided to kill Bishop Mei Chuan, resulting in her visit to the Orthodox Academy. She had even arranged for that person to come to the forest.

She just hadn’t expected Chen Changsheng to meet the bishop before she could kill him, which was sure to cause some trouble.

“Yes, this prince has seen it.”

A young man walked out from the trees.

He wore a prince’s robe and had a lively and handsome face. Compared to the past, he was much more graceful and noble.

Prince Chen Liu.

His father, the Prince of Xiang, was the most powerful prince of the Great Zhou Imperial Court and now, after breaking into the Divine, had an even more distinguished position.

And as the only member of the Chen Imperial clan who had remained to stand guard in the capital, Prince Chen Liu had always had a unique status.

Coupled with the rumor that Shang Xingzhou admired him, Prince Chen Liu was unquestionably the most popular person in the capital.

But to Xu Yourong, he was still that companion she had studied with in the Imperial Palace ten-some years ago.

Prince Chen Liu thought the same of her.

So when he saw her kill Bishop Mei Chuan, his thoughts did not dwell on how to handle this matter, but on her thoughts.

“I didn’t expect you to have such a deep affection for Chen Changsheng.”

Prince Chen Liu ruefully sighed, “Back then, I would have never thought that you would do so much for a man.”

Bishop Mei Chuan was a hand that Shang Xingzhou had extended into the Orthodox Academy.

How should one handle it? Any suitably cool-headed and intelligent person would know that this hand had to be cut off.

But the relationship between Mei Chuan and Mei Lisha made the matter extremely complicated.

Shang Xingzhou’s status in the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy was too high.

If Chen Changsheng wanted to contend against his teacher, he not only needed his status as Pope. He also needed to continuously increase his prestige.

Prestige originated from one’s cultivation level and strength, but it was also related to one’s reputation.

The Li Palace’s advocacy and the influence of fervent believers like An Hua had caused Chen Changsheng’s reputation in the continent to climb higher and higher.

This reputation came from the Cinnabar Pill, from his assault of myriad swords on the battlefield three years ago, and the falling boulder from White Emperor City.

Accruing such reputation had required Chen Changsheng’s sweat and blood, his impeccable virtue, and a very long time.

Killing a relative of Mei Lisha would deal a severe blow to his reputation.

To use a cruder phrase: it would dirty his hands.

Xu Yourong knew that Chen Changsheng was in a difficult spot.

She guessed that Tang Thirty-Six would not put Chen Changsheng in this difficult spot.

But Tang Thirty-Six was also a member of the Orthodox Academy.

When she was walking along the lake and appreciating the view from atop the banyan tree, she had felt a very light regret over not being able to participate in this part of Chen Changsheng’s life.

Now that she thought about it, this was a blessing.

She was not a member of the Orthodox Academy.

She could kill.

The cry of a crane alarmed the entire Orthodox Academy.

Snow rustled down from the tree branches.

Several dozen teachers and students emerged from the classrooms. They looked to where the crane cry originated from and then walked into the forest.

Several screams came from the forest.