Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1147 – Tang Thirty-Six with an Unrelenting Fever

The war had entered the third phase, and also the cruelest phase. As the distance between the two sides shrank, the frequency of battles shot upward, as did the number of casualties. Strategy and tactics were becoming less and less useful in this stage as will and supplies took the forefront. It was just a matter of waiting to see who gave out first.

Around a thousand li from Xuelao City was a group of mountains on the plains. Many hot springs bubbled out from these mountains.

It was very hot in the capital, but the weather here was actually a little cool. The steam rising from the springs pervaded the mountains, making the whole sight rather pleasant to look at.

Chen Changsheng sat in a hot spring, his gaze piercing through the mist, curtains, and the nearby banners of the Orthodoxy cavalry, falling on the path leading out of the valley.

Many years ago, when he had been intending to leave on this path, he decided at the last moment to turn around, whereupon he was greeted by an unconscious Su Li.

Yes, this was the hot spring from back then, though this place had been covered in snow back then. The endless green that now filled his eyes felt rather unfamiliar.

“Your Holiness, the time has come.”

An Hua crouched by the spring and spoke. Her voice was soft and gentle as if afraid to startle him.

Chen Changsheng woke from his daze and stood up. Using the enormous towel she had brought over to cover his body, he began to carefully dry himself.

An Hua looked at his complexion and was somewhat relieved to see that the hot springs really had proved useful. She helped him out of the hot spring and to a nearby pavilion to rest.

Other than a pavilion, there were a few other buildings in the mountains. They had all been built a few days ago.

To receive such luxurious treatment in the middle of war left Chen Changsheng quite uncomfortable. He felt like this would make many ordinary soldiers furious.

To his surprise, none of the soldiers who saw this sight from the distant plains were dissatisfied. On the contrary, they seemed to think this was proper, and even feel very proud.

Chen Changsheng had thought about this for a very long time, but he still didn’t understand why this was the case.

He sat in the pavilion and looked into the distance.

On the distant plains, many soldiers were advancing in the direction of Xuelao City.

At such a distance, he felt like he could still hear the neighs of Dragonhorses… Yes, it seemed like they really were from Sloping Cliff Horse Farm.

The soldiers knew that the Pope was amongst these mountains, though he didn’t know if they could see this pavilion.

The news had already spread throughout the front lines, so unless there was some emergency, even the cavalry would dismount when passing by the mountain. Many soldiers would even disobey orders and run out of their ranks to kowtow to the mountain. Only after doing this would they return satisfied, not even caring if they would be punished by their superiors.

Chen Changsheng had already seen such things happen many times.

He didn’t understand why these ordinary soldiers viewed him with such pride, but since they wanted to see him, he was willing to let himself be seen.

Thus, over the last few days, he would often sit beneath this pavilion, even though An Hua, Linghai Zhiwang and the others objected.

A chilly wind blew into the mountains from the plains. Before it could be warmed by the mists from the hot springs, it caressed Chen Changsheng’s face.

As his body warmed by the hot springs gradually cooled, the redness on his face retreated. It became pale, thin, haggard.

Another wind stirred as the White Crane landed.

It then flew up to the pavilion, squinting its eyes as it perched on the roof with one leg, letting all the soldiers on the plains see it more clearly.

Xu Yourong walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down at the springs steaming like so many hotpots. “If you continue to do this, you’ll die before they break through the walls of the city.”

She did not turn to Chen Changsheng, and her face had no emotion. She seemed to be speaking casually, without actual concern.

Perhaps it was because she had repeated these words many times already but still received no answer from Chen Changsheng.

Upon reaching the front lines, Chen Changsheng had refined two bottles of Cinnabar Pills ahead of time.

Everyone knew what this meant.

He himself was keenly aware of what this meant, but after seeing so many young faces twisted in the fear of death, after hearing all that weeping, he couldn’t possibly not do this.

And he had also been injured.

This was the front line, and though he was the Pope and under heavy guard, he was also a priority target for the Demon race.

The most dangerous incident had been when the Second Demon General had led a party of demon experts on an aerial assault utilizing vultures. It was also in that incident that he had sustained significant injuries.

He had come to the plains in the midsummer, when Xuelao City had been visible on the horizon. It was now early autumn, and it was said that the vanguard could already clearly make out the walls of Xuelao City, that the North Third Camp could even make out the faces of the guards on the wall, but… still no one had truly reached Xuelao City.

The closer Xuelao City was, the more resolved the demons were to resist, the less they feared death. Many soldiers even felt like this mission was impossible.

It was clear that the application of just a little more pressure might break the Demon Lord within Xuelao City and the tens of thousands of tribal warriors standing guard outside it.

But at this moment, many people in the human armies had already broken.

On the same night, a few soldiers who had broken were forced to withdraw to the south, the vast majority of them heavily injured.

Ye Xiaolian, accompanied by several disciples, a teacher from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, and three clerics from the Li Palace, were with them, escorting a person back to the south.

Just who was this person that could make her leave the Central Army Camp with such an array of forces?

Although heavily injured and deprived of his authority, the Prince of Xiang was still persisting on the front lines, so why was this person so important?

No one understood what Ye Xiaolian was thinking, but to the Li Palace clerics and the teacher from the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, this person was naturally incalculably more important than the Prince of Xiang.

Because he was the Pope’s friend.

……

……

Chen Changsheng was not an eloquent speaker, and he thought of problems in an excessively simple fashion. To use the words of a certain person, he easily made others speechless.

But from Xining Village to the capital, he had still made a few friends.

Though when talking about his friends, many people would immediately think of Tang Thirty-Six.

Tang Thirty-Six’s cheeks were sunken, but they were also a brilliant red, like a steamed lobster. His eyes were also so bright that it made one feel flustered.

Chen Changsheng sat by the stretcher and said, “Back when you bought that restaurant, I knew that it was improper.”

Tang Thirty-Six listlessly said, “How was it improper?”

Chen Changsheng replied, “Eating too many blue lobsters will incur retribution, and look at your appearance now.”

It was clear that though Tang Thirty-Six had been severely ill these last few days, he had still often looked at himself in a mirror, so he quickly understood Chen Changsheng’s joke.

In understanding a joke, he naturally had to laugh. Tang Thirty-Six laughed and coughed, seeming to be in great pain.

Ye Xiaolian placed an ice-cooled towel on his forehead and turned around to glare at Chen Changsheng.

After glaring, she realized what she had done. Panicking, she repeatedly asked for forgiveness.

Chen Changsheng naturally wouldn’t think too much of her actions. He merely said, “Yourong is next door. Go and see her.”

Ye Xiaolian softly affirmed, but she mentally grew even nervous. How am I supposed to explain this to the Holy Maiden?

After Ye Xiaolian left, Tang Thirty-Six looked into Chen Changsheng’s eyes and asked, “Just what sort of illness do I have?”

Chen Changsheng replied, “You’ve taxed your mind too severely and a cold has permeated your internal organs. It’s very grave.”

Tang Thirty-Six’s eyes burned with a ghostly fire. “I feel like there’s something off about this illness.”