Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 537 – The Other Letter Sent to the Longevity Sect

Su Li had sent one letter to Hanqiu City, thus transforming the Myriad Willows Garden into scorched earth and dispelling Zhu Luo’s storm.

For the moment, this matter had not been spread to the rest of the continent.

At the moment, the continent was more concerned with discussing just what changes the departure of Su Li and the Holy Maiden would have on the world.

Of course, the happiest was the Longevity Sect.

The Longevity Sect was the root of all sects and stood side by side with Holy Maiden Peak, both treated alike as holy lands in the hearts of southerners. In addition, the Longevity Sect possessed extremely close ties with the Great Zhou Imperial clan and the Liang Household, and its connections with the aristocratic clans of the south were countless and nigh unbreakable, powerful to an almost unimaginable extent.

This was the case until ten-odd years ago, when a startling change occurred. The Longevity Sect imprisoned that Demon Princess in the cold pool, attempting to coerce Su Li into going north and assassinating the Tianhai Divine Empress. With only his sword, Su Li charged into the mountain, but upon realizing that his wife had been poisoned by the cold and was too weak to return, he flew into a rage. After slaughtering to a man the ten-odd elders of the Longevity Sect, he bathed the sect in blood. After recovering from his heavy injuries, he went north to Xunyang City and killed every one of the people in the Liang Household that was involved in this matter. At least half of Su Li’s exceptionally vicious reputation stemmed from this event.

From that moment on, no one dared to casually provoke Su Li. Simultaneously, the Longevity Sect no longer wielded the same prestige it once held. The various sects and monasteries all gradually began to turn their backs on the Longevity Sect. As for places like the Mount Li Sword Sect, they only maintained a surface level of respect, but in reality, they had already begun to act on their own.

To the Longevity Sect, Su Li was naturally the archcriminal of all this.

If they could kill Su Li, they would already have done it.

Although they could not do it, Su Li had fortunately chosen to leave on his own.

In the past few days, although the Longevity Sect was not hanging up bright lanterns, the mood there had become extremely good, the disciples walking with much more ease to their step. As for those few elders that were struggling on death’s door, they began to preemptively celebrate and yearn for the beautiful life that was to come.

“The Mount Li Sword Sect is the sword of the Longevity Sect. It’s only a matter of course that it be gripped in our hands.”

During the internal strife of Mount Li, the Qiushan clan head had suddenly changed sides. Elder Liang of the Longevity Sect, who had been invited by him, had suffered severe injuries that he was even now still recovering from. Consequently, the cave in which he lived was the place where the elders of the Longevity Sect discussed official business. A thin and tall elder with an indifferent yet incomparably firm expression had said the above words.

(TN: Elder Liang was previously called Elder Jiang)

Elder Liang recalled those myriad sword glows above Mount Li and slightly creased his brow. “To repeat our past glory is truly difficult.”

听着这话，洞府里一片安静。往在当年，只要长生宗一道令谕，整个天南除了圣女峰之外，哪个山门宗派胆敢不听？这些年呢？不要说离山剑宗，没看连秋山家都敢对长生宗暗下毒手？

After he spoke, the cave was silent. In those days, whatever the Longevity Sect ordered, the entire south, excluding Holy Maiden Peak, would follow. Which sect or monastery would dare disobey? But in these past years? Let alone the Mount Li Sword Sect, didn’t even the Qiushan clan dare to scheme against the Longevity Sect?

“This sect’s Qi and blood have been consumed, but how could Mount Li be any better? After that matter with Elder Xiao Songgong, the vitality of Mount Li is still greatly injured. Those fellows that are of the same generation as us or one generation younger, especially those people of the Sword Hall, suffered the backlash of the array. None of their injuries are light. In this short span of time, none of them should be able to come out and take care of matters.”

“Don’t forget, the current person administering Mount Li…is Qiushan.”

“Qiushan…a youthful heroic genius, truly extraordinary, but in the end, he is still young, no?”

With an indifferent expression, the thin and tall elder spoke, “Not only Mount Li, there’s also South Stream Temple. The current Holy Maiden is also very young…true, her prestige is enough, but she’s only sixteen and not even at Star Condensation. As elders of the same sect, to help her manage some affairs is in accord with the laws of heaven and earth, out of concern for the younger generation.”

As they listened, Elder Liang said nothing, but the other elder showed a joyous expression.

Elder Liang sighed, saying, “But did none of you think, what would we do if Su Li came back?”

After a moment of silence, the tall and thin elder sneered, “With Su Li’s pride, since he’s announced to the entire world that he’s going far away, could he go anywhere else? Just like we speculated a few days ago, he and the Holy Maiden most likely prepared to go to the legendary other shore of the sea of stars, so how could they come back?”

Elder Liang looked at him and spoke earnestly, “But what if the legend is true? If he really does find the Sacred Light Continent, there still remains a day when he will come back.”

A hint of fear flickered through the tall elder’s eyes, but his words remained firm. “The rumors say that in the end, Zhou Dufu shattered the void and went. He also likely went over there, but not even he managed to find it…at least he did not come back. Su Li is strong, but could he be stronger than him?”

The other elder attempted to reason, “Senior Brother should not be too concerned. Su Li will probably not come back.”

It was winter, but the Longevity Sect in the south was still warm. No snow fell amongst the mountains, only the incessant drizzle of rain, seeming like a joyous farewell.

Su Li had left and it was unknown when he would come back, or even whether he would come back at all. However, his letter had come.

As they gazed at the thin letter on the table, for a long time, nobody spoke, nobody moved.

The three elders by the table all had abnormally nasty expressions as if they were looking at some vile demon that had arisen from the deepest abyss.

The three remaining elders of the Longevity Sect had their courage shattered by this single letter.

The cave was deathly still. Nobody spoke, the only sound being the dripping of water from the ivies deep in the cave.

As they listened to the dripping water, the tall and thin elder’s face was abnormally ashen, an indicator of how thoroughly troubled he was.

Elder Liang’s complexion was pale, his mouth opening and closing, but no words coming forth.

There was no name on the letter, or even any handwriting, but when their eyes fell upon it, they could sense that terrifyingly sharp sword intent, that stabbing pain.

This letter contained sword intent—Su Li’s sword intent.

After quite some that had passed, the deathly stillness in the cave was finally broken. The tall elder shouted, “Just what does he want to do? Rely on a single letter to scare us all to death?”

As he spoke, his chest heaved up and down like fire-roasted bamboo, ready to explode at any moment.

He truly was furious, so angry that his lungs were about to explode.

But his voice was somewhat cracked, because he was nervous.

He was forced to admit that even if Su Li was already far away from them, a letter he left behind was sufficient to frighten the Longevity Sect.

This was, in fact, the real reason he was angry.

The other gazed at Elder Liang and asked worriedly, “Senior Brother, what do we do? Do we want to open it or not?”

A dry laugh suddenly echoed through the cave.

Elder Liang gazed at the letter, his pale face seeming to have gained back a little blood. As he looked at the green mountains, sea of clouds, and cold rain, strains of madness appeared in his eyes. He sternly yelled out at Su Li who had gone off to parts unknown, “Sending a letter just so you can wait for us to open it and fight with your sword intent…do you think us fools?”

That elder had asked whether or not they should open this letter. For him who had lived ten-odd years under Su Li’s shadow, this wasn’t even a question.

This letter definitely could not be opened.

Because he did not want to die.

“Have someone take this letter to the base of the mountain stream and then use the array to carefully suppress it!”

Elder Liang slightly narrowed his eyes and sneered, “I really wish to see how long Su Li’s sword intent can last under the Great Golden Light Array.”

The tall elder nodded at his words. Shortly after, he thought of one other important question. Wrinkling his brow, he asked, “But…it won’t affect Chusu, right?”

Hearing the name ‘Chusu’, the other elder instantly grew nervous.