Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Huai Ren looked at Ping Xuan and said in a solemn voice, "Have you really thought this over clearly?"

Ping Xuan calmly replied, "Master, the Holy Maiden handed South Stream Temple over to this disciple to temporarily manage, and this disciple has always been agonizing over how to do it. But now, I feel that I was overthinking it. A foolish person like me does not need to think of so much. All will be fine as long as I act according to the Holy Maiden's will. This way can never be wrong."

Huai Ren retorted, "Do you think that the Holy Maiden is a person who cannot tell right from wrong?"

Ping Xuan replied, "I only know that if the Holy Maiden were present, she would not allow any person to use any reason to threaten His Holiness the Pope."

From Mount Han to the capital, over a journey of thousands of li, she and many other disciples of South Stream Temple had personally witnessed this. It could not be wrong.

Huai Ren coldly said, "Even if he really did kill Bie Tianxin?"

Ping Xuan answered, "Master, I already said that no reason would be allowed."

Huai Ren found it hard to conceal her disappointment as she said, "Even if you clearly know that this will bring Holy Maiden Peak into endless tribulations from which there is no return?"

Ping Xuan replied, "If that is the Holy Maiden's will."

……

……

Wuqiong Bi was ten-some zhang from the platform.

She harshly rebuked the South Stream Temple disciples, "You want to use numbers to bully these pitiful elders who've lost their son?"

The white-haired burying the black-haired were truly worthy of sympathy, but she and Bie Yanghong were two of the few supreme experts of the world. Who could bully them?

The disciples were very nervous. This was the strongest opponent they had faced in their lives, but the sword array remained as firm as a mountain.

The thousand-some cultivators on the plateau nervously watched.

On one side was a true expert of the continent who had been immersed in the Divine Domain for many years.

On the other side was the legendary sword array which had achieved countless unimaginable feats on the field of battle.

When these two met, which would be stronger?

……

……

A howl echoed through the mountains.

The horsetail whisk in Wuqiong Bi's hand descended from the sky, smashing towards the platform.

The horsetail whisk swept through the air, each one of its countless hairs cutting through like bolts of lightning, leaving white trails of turbulence in their wakes.

An aura of extinction flickered in and out of these bolts of lightning and trails of turbulence in space, creating a terrifying sight.

At the very front of the platform, Ye Xiaolian raised her sword to meet the whisk, a sword glow flashing over the platform.

Under the terrifying pressure of Wuqiong Bi, the plateau swiftly chilled and dimmed. In the face of this, the sword glow seemed rather fragile and tiny.

It was just like a little dinghy in the sea, liable at any moment to capsize and be swallowed up, leaving nothing behind.

Soon after, several more sword glows flashed, making the dim sky a little brighter.

The several small dinghies in the sea formed into a boat. It was still not very large, but it had become much firmer.

Several dozen sword glows soon joined them, simultaneously shining and making the gloomy sky seem like a clear day.

Those dinghies and boats were gathered together by the waves and transformed into a large ship that forged over the high waves and pierced through the sheets of rain in pursuit of a sliver of light.

They did not combine in a simple fashion.

Even if tens of thousands of dinghies gathered together and stacked themselves into a small mountain, they would still be scattered upon entering the sea, powerless to resist the wind and waves.

Only when they truly united could they become a massive ship that could meet the winds and break through the waves.

Several dozen sword glows of varying brightness illuminated the peak. Several dozen sword techniques slashed through the air, all of them responding to and communicating with each other, transforming into one.

This was an incredibly fast process, like water running through a canal, secretly in accord with the principles of nature. Most mystically, just like when wood was made into a boat, when these sword techniques came together, they began to release an inexplicable strength, their energy suddenly soaring, their strength countless times more powerful than the power of a sword technique used by a single South Stream Temple disciple.

This was the world-renowned sword array of South Stream Temple!

A vast sword energy enveloped the plateau while sword glows illuminated the world, cut apart the dark clouds, and clashed with that unearthly horsetail whisk.

Awe-inspiring sword intent emerged, slashing at those lightning bolts and cracks in space, stopping that terrifying Qi of extinction.

Innumerable noises of tearing and explosions rose up almost simultaneously. However, most of the clashes resulted in true extinction, completely silent, but even more dangerous.

Fierce winds howled, the trees on the plateau bending westward as if burdened with an unbearable might.

The Mount Li Sword Sect, Scholartree Manor, and several other sects that were somewhat closer to this clash began to release Qi and activate magical artifacts so as to protect their disciples.

When the dust settled, Wuqiong Bi's figure appeared. She was still at her original place, having not advanced even a single step!

The sword array of the South Stream Temple formed from these several dozen girls had actually blocked an attack from an expert of the Divine Domain!

Three disciples had been intimidated by Wuqiong Bi's power, their Dao hearts unsettled, after which they were injured and left powerless to stand.

More cracks in the air could be heard as other disciples quickly rushed forth to change places with these three disciples, and to increase their confidence.

It was still not over.

Ping Xuan calmly ordered, "Form the sword array."

Before she had finished speaking, the South Stream Temple disciples that had been too late to act before quickly rushed forward.

For a moment, sword glows incessantly shone from the plateau and the hums of swords rang without end.

Three-hundred-some disciples of South Stream Temple had formed a complete sword array!

Their white dresses drifted in the wind like eternal and undying waves.

The awe-inspiring sword intent was like a thousand peaks that would never fall.

This was the true famous sword array of South Stream Temple!

……

……

The plateau was absolutely silent, shock still in everyone's eyes.

Many people had heard about South Stream Temple's sword array, but very few had personally witnessed it.

The sword array of South Stream Temple was truly as powerful as rumored. With just these Ethereal Opening disciples, they could block Wuqiong Bi, an expert of the Divine Domain!

Wuqiong Bi's face was brimming with ruthlessness. She knew how formidable South Stream Temple's sword array was. It was said that a thousand years ago, when Zhou Dufu, the strongest expert beneath the starry sky, invaded Holy Maiden Peak, he had needed quite some time to break South Stream Temple's sword array. Although she still had many strong techniques that she had not used, she could not possibly be more powerful than Zhou Dufu. However, no matter how formidable the sword array of South Stream Temple was, it could not halt her steps. She had to take revenge for her most beloved son, so she had to kill Chen Changsheng today!

Just when she was prepared to attack the sword array once more, the situation changed.

"This prince believes that the most proper thing to do is to have Zhusha quickly appear and give her account from that day. Whether it was a misunderstanding or something else can be discussed afterward."

The Prince of Xiang rose from his chair, adjusted the bright yellow belt around his waist, took a few breaths, then smiled at Chen Changsheng. "Everyone knows that Your Holiness the Pope has a connection with your Protector. Presumably, it is not a difficult task to notify her, and a Black Frost Dragon can travel a thousand li in an instant. No matter where she is on the continent, she can presumably arrive today. If Your Holiness believes my proposal to be decent, then there will be no harm if everyone drinks a few cups of tea while we wait for her to arrive."

Bie Yanghong thought for a few moments, then replied, "Very well."

Wuqiong Bi naturally did not want this. Her face was rife with anger, but she chose to say nothing.

Everyone turned to Chen Changsheng. In their view, there was no problem with the Prince of Xiang's proposal—it truly was the most prudent approach.

But might the Pope be concerned for the little Black Dragon's safety, and not be willing to summon her, or was it… that he did not dare to summon her?

Chen Changsheng was quiet for a while, then replied, "I will not summon her to appear."

The crowd exploded into noise.

The Prince of Xiang's smile faded as he indifferently said, "Then this prince truly cannot continue to support Your Holiness."

To not support was to oppose. Though not clearly stated, his stance was obvious.

This was his stance, and so one could interpret it as the Imperial Court's stance.

As the Prince of Xiang's voice echoed through the mountains, many people began to slowly stand.

Some of these people were experts of the Imperial Court, and several were blue-clothed Daoists from Luoyang's Monastery of Eternal Spring, and some were experts of sects that had long since thrown their lot in with the Imperial Court. In total, there were around several hundred people.

The most striking was the Divine General that had been sitting by the Prince of Xiang's side the entire time.

The Divine General had never spoken a single word and had an apathetic expression, but he attracted the attention of many people.

Because he had a very special characteristic. His two brows seemed dyed to be as white as snow, seemed to emit a chill.

It was also because of this special characteristic that many people recognized who he was.

The White Tiger Divine General, a peak-level Star Condensation Realm expert, ranked second of all the Divine Generals in the world!