Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

At this moment, not a single strand of wind blew across the stone platform, nor was there any noise. Suddenly, there was a dull rumble of thunder.

This was a somewhat strange thunder because it did not resound through the real world, but through the seas of consciousness of the crowd.

This thunder came from the cross-legged Chen Changsheng's body. It did not come from the rumbling vibrations of the air, but from a sharp increase in true essence and the blazing of the Qi openings.

A certain place around Chen Changsheng's chest suddenly grew bright. The light emerged from his body, passed through his shabby Daoist robe, and shone on the eyes of everyone present.

He had lit up the Qi opening there.

This was followed soon after by more and more rumbles of thunder. This thunder seemed to come from beyond the heavens, but in reality, it came from his body.

More and more specks of light began to clearly emerge from the depths of his Daoist robe. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the order the Qi openings were lit up, nor any sort of connection. If one were to connect these Qi openings with a line, one would only get an extremely carelessly drawn picture with nothing special about it whatsoever.

With the passing of time, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, the gazes focused on Chen Changsheng's body increasingly concerned. He had already lit up many of his body's Qi openings and his Daoist robe was getting brighter and brighter, looking just like a lantern made of colored glass, inside and outside both incomparably bright.

Only at this point did the thunder finally cease, did he finally stop using star radiance to light up his Qi openings. The crowd found it utterly impossible to see just how many Qi openings he had lit. Was it several dozen like ordinary cultivators, or one hundred or two hundred like those cultivators with outstanding talent?

The quiet world around Chen Changsheng began to move. The breeze over the lake lightly caressed him, ruffling his torn-up Daoist robe. The light emitted by the Daoist robe gradually grew fainter, revealing specks of light like stars.

Although those points of light seemed chaotic, in reality, they had their own laws. They were the countless stars of the night sky formed into a complete star chart.

This was a Star Domain.

Chen Changsheng opened his eyes. His eyes were still as clean as ever, but compared to before, there were some very subtle changes. Their depths faintly emitted the radiance of the stars, seeming like jade washed by water over countless years. A great transformation had occurred with his Qi. It had become more condensed, more powerful.

The gentle wind ruffled his Daoist robe. As he stood up, star fragments drifted from his sleeve and slowly danced in the air.

Those star fragments gradually vanished, the countless stars on his Daoist robe gradually dimmed, but an invisible protective screen still remained.

He was still standing at his original position, but he was no longer within this world.

It was deathly still.

Chen Changsheng had succeeded at condensing his star!

And the Star Domain he had condensed seemed so complete, even giving off a feeling of perfection!

Previously when Gou Hanshi had been facing Scholartree Manor's Zhong Hui and had displayed his Star Condensation cultivation, he had filled the crowd with extreme shock and admiration, but what about now?

Chen Changsheng had broken Qiushan Jun's records and had become history's youngest Star Condensation cultivator!

The silence was finally broken by the excited discussions and shocked sighs of emotion, and the place became extremely lively.

Seeing Chen Changsheng open his eyes, Tang Thirty-Six finally unclenched his fists and turned to Guan Feibai, perking his brows with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Guan Feibai did not look at him, nor did he look at Chen Changsheng. Instead, he was gazing at the slowly rising Guan Bai, his face full of respect.

Many other people were also looking at Guan Bai with expressions of respect and admiration.

It was only at this point that some people finally understood why Chen Changsheng had asked Guan Bai to wait a while.

And Guan Bai really had quietly waited.

This sort of demeanor truly did make others gasp in admiration.

Some gazes also turned to the high platform and the beautiful figure behind the curtains.

Those people were thinking, Chen Changsheng succeeded in breaking into Star Condensation. The Holy Maiden's mood must certainly be very poor.

……

……

Chen Changsheng sensed that star in the distant sky, felt the power of its radiance, felt the endless true essence circulating through his meridians, brimming with emotion.

Because he had comprehended and prepared for such a long time, he was very confident in being able to condense a perfect Star Domain. But the Star Domain was one matter. To him, the most important part of succeeding in condensing his star was that he would partially be able to address the problem of the limits imposed on his use of true essence by his clogged and fractured meridians. There was even a chance that he would be able to borrow that strength to directly break through those blocks in his meridians.

He now felt that his body was brimming with boundless strength. He was confident that if the Demon Lord appeared again, if he opened the Yellow Paper Umbrella, he would be able to block at least two attacks. This also meant that even if he was fighting against one of the supreme experts of the world, he would be able to protect his life for at least an instant.

Although an instant could not bring him ten thousand li, could not last him one hundred years, it was enough to use all the methods he had hidden away, allow him to find a method to break through space and enter the Garden of Zhou. And as long as he entered the Garden of Zhou, he was confident that neither the Demon Lord nor any other frightening expert would be able to kill him in such a short time.

The result of his calculations was perfect, providing a great relief to his mind. The true essence flowing through his body and the sense of overflowing power strengthened this sensation. The increase in perception brought by breaking into Star Condensation also caused the lake and mountains in his eyes to appear all the more vivid. In brief, he had never felt the world to be this beautiful.

A few nights ago, he and Xu Yourong had a long conversation, making him resolve to break into Star Condensation during the Boiling Stone Summit in pursuit of this sense of relief.

Thus he had accepted this opponent's challenge despite clearly understanding that he was far weaker. He wanted to use this pressure to break down that most crucial wall. Of course, he most needed to thank his opponent for giving him this opportunity and to even so freely give him enough time.

Chen Changsheng seriously bowed to Guan Bai, his expression sincere. "Many thanks to Senior Brother."

Guan Bai did not avoid it. He had given Chen Changsheng one year of time precisely because he wanted to see if Chen Changsheng could succeed in breaking into Star Condensation in a year.

"As expected, you did not disappoint me, did not disappoint the world."

He looked at Chen Changsheng and said, "But today's battle of swords, I still must win."

In this match, Guan Bai was fighting in place of the Heavenly Dao Academy's Zhuang Huanyu, who had committed suicide by the cold well. He had the dignity of a master of the sword, the bearing of the young leader of the Heavenly Dao Academy. He could give Chen Changsheng enough time to break into Star Condensation, even act as his protector, but he would not let Chen Changsheng leave in the position of victor.

After succeeding in condensing his star, Chen Changsheng had accomplished his most important goal for coming to Mount Han. The expectations of both the Pope and Su Li had all been achieved. He had no interest in the Heavenstones, even though he knew that the small black stone on the plate probably had some secret connection to Wang Zhice. He did not care about the outcome of this battle and could just leave, but because of his gratitude and respect towards Guan Bai, he had to seriously fight this battle to the end, to gift his first battle after breaking into Star Condensation to his opponent.

He raised the Stainless Sword in his hands and pointed it at Guan Bai, calm and respectful.

Guan Bai's left hand raised his sword and very casually slashed it down from above to below.

Above was the heavens, below was the earth.

To go from above to below was to descend from the heavens.

But this strike was not a waterfall descending from the sky, it was a drifting cloud high in the sky, carrying a far more profound and long-lasting meaning.

Upon seeing this seemingly simple strike, Gou Hanshi's expression instantly turned extremely grave.

The hair on Zhexiu's temples suddenly floated up like steel wires.

The beautiful figure behind the curtains seemed to faintly move forward.

They saw the terrifying aspect of Guan Bai's strike.

While Chen Changsheng was condensing his star, Guan Bai did not waste his time. He also sat cross-legged on the floor, accumulating and comprehending.

Guan Bai was comprehending the surrounding heaven and earth, the lakes and stones behind him. And when Chen Changsheng was condensing his star, Guan Bai was comprehending the changes in the heaven and earth, the activity of the lake and stones. From these, he sought out those laws and then refined them.

This strike of his was no longer strength, but law.

The law of the heavens and earth was the Heavenly Dao.

Although this strike of his was still far from being the true Heavenly Dao, it was still an incomparably real sword of the Heavenly Dao.

The Heavenly Dao Academy served in these past one hundred years as the head of the Six Ivies, so it naturally had its own extraordinary aspects. Its most outstanding aspect was its Daoist techniques that perceived the Heavenly Dao above.

As the previous Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu was naturally incredibly familiar with this strike of Guan Bai's.

His face revealed regret, nostalgia, gratification, and many other emotions.

In his view, it was impossible for Chen Changsheng to receive this attack, even after breaking into Star Condensation and leaping forward in cultivation.

The Heavenly Dao Sword was the most powerful attack of the Heavenly Dao Academy. This attack required the sword wielder to bring his spirit and soul to their most perfect level and then fuse together the surrounding heavens and earth into one before being able to use it.

Cultivators on the same level could not block this strike. Even the one using the technique would not be able to stop once this technique was put into motion.

Because the Heavenly Dao could not be defied, the Heavenly Dao could not be reversed.

If a normal cultivator, who had just broken into Star Condensation and whose cultivation was still unstable in place, confronted Guan Bai's Heavenly Dao Sword, perhaps they would be filled with thoughts of giving up.

But Chen Changsheng did not, even though when he saw that sword descend from the sky, he knew that he had not much chance of winning against Guan Bai. He still wanted to try and receive this attack.

Precisely because this strike signified the Heavenly Dao.

In these past years in his struggle against fate, what he wanted to oppose was precisely the Heavenly Dao. He had to win, or at the very least, he could not lose that heart of his that dared to challenge the Heavenly Dao.

So not only did he not retreat, he took one step forward to confront this sword of the Heavenly Dao.

With this single step came a dense cacophony of thunder like countless tiny storms were forming in his body and beginning to furiously revolve.

Boom! The star radiance within ten-some Qi openings began to erupt and then connect into lines. Just like that, one of his blocked meridians was unclogged!

Everyone present could clearly sense that the Qi he emitted was much more powerful than before!

But it was still not enough to help him defeat the Heavenly Dao.

He very calmly took another step forward.

As his foot fell, the wind rose up and his Daoist robe madly danced. Although it was a tattered garment, it was like a war flag.

Another blocked meridian was unclogged and his Qi increased in power once more!

Soon after, the third step fell!

And yet…there was no thunder, no wind.

There was no sound, only silence.

His brow creased, somewhat pained, somewhat astonished.

He turned his head to a certain place, seemingly in incredible pain. It seemed like even this simple action had expended all his energy.

That place was a high platform cut off by curtains.

He gazed at that beautiful silhouette behind the curtains, his expression a little perplexed, his appearance very helpless.

Just what had happened?

He stood on the stone platform, his face pale, as if he was incapable of performing the slightest action.

And at this moment, the sword of the Heavenly Dao had already slashed down.

……