Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 899 – Together

Several sects had rushed down the mountain to find those disciples that had been thrown off the cliff, but the vast majority of people remained. They were still immersed in the shock from what they had witnessed, and upon hearing the short exchange between Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng, they were even more stunned.

The Prince of Xiang’s expression became somewhat stern as he thought, Chen Changsheng is truly a genius of the sword. In just two days, he managed to learn South Stream Temple’s Unity Sword Art. The White Tiger Divine General’s eyes turned increasingly intimidating, a hint of killing intent flashing across them. The level of understanding Chen Changsheng had displayed in the sword had clearly increased the White Tiger Divine General’s desire to kill him.

The disciples of South Stream Temple were even more astonished, thinking in shame, I’ve been cultivating the Unity Sword Art since I was a child, yet my understanding is far inferior to His Holiness’s comprehension after only two days.Huai Ren and Huai Shu were also somewhat surprised while Huai Bi incredulously shrieked, “This can’t possibly be the Unity Sword Art!”

The Unity Sword Art was a secret art of South Stream Temple and was the foundation of its sword array. It had extremely high demands on the user, and she simply could not believe that Chen Changsheng would be able to grasp this secret sword art of South Stream Temple in two short days. Moreover, even if it was the Unity Sword Art, it could not possibly display so much power that it could resist an expert of the Divine Domain.

A wind suddenly stirred over the plateau, shrouding it in sand and gravel and causing cries of shock to rise once more.

No one noticed Wuqiong Bi silently arrive above the rocky outcrop and once more attack Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong. Casting aside her status, she had launched a sneak attack!

Two sword glows rushed forward together, two pure and clean arcs of light hanging over the mountains as they endlessly hummed.

The cooperation of Chen Changsheng’s and Xu Yourong’s swords was now even more natural and unrestrained, the sword intent even more masterly and unfathomable.

Wuqiong Bi let loose another roar of rage and reluctance. Powerless to break these two sword glows, she was forced back to the ground.

With a clap, a hole about half a foot deep appeared on the plateau.

This hole was surrounded by straight and sharp sword marks.

The clouds over the plateau had been chopped apart by the soaring sword intent. The wisps of clouds hung still in the air, looking like sword marks as well.

Those sword slashes were all remnants of sword intent. That they were able to take shape in the world was evidence of how awe-inspiring this sword intent was.

It was still a draw.

Wuqiong Bi thought of her son’s miserable death. Her face paled, her fury and antipathy reached their peak, and she yelled to the heavens, “Do you not have eyes!”

Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong stood side by side. They glanced at each other and smiled.

The two recalled the feeling when their sword unified. They had been carefree; their hearts had been opened. It was the most beautiful moment of their lives.

They had truly used the Unity Sword Art, but it was also not that simple. Huai Bi had good reason to disbelieve, as though the Unity Sword Art of South Stream Temple really could increase the might of a sword technique, it could not pull off the world-shaking feat they had accomplished today.

Chen Changsheng had felt that there was something strange about the Unity Sword Art used by the two South Stream Temple disciples at the mountain gate yesterday. His comprehensions at the summit of Holy Maiden Peak had caused him to faintly understand the source of this, and today, he finally had proof of his conjectures. He sighed, “I didn’t think it could be used in reverse.”

Xu Yourong replied, “I was just bored and wanted to try. I didn’t think that you would be able to coordinate with me.”

Chen Changsheng replied, “Maybe it was because I memorized it backward.”

Xu Yourong said, “I actually forgot.”

Chen Changsheng commented, “It was very risky.”

Xu Yourong had greatly altered the Unity Sword Art. This was extremely risky and could even be considered a gamble.

This altered Unity Sword Art required the user to have absolute confidence in their partner, for their minds to be connected, allowing their combined might to greatly multiply. On the other hand, the slightest doubt would not only cause the sword art to fail, but also bring great danger to the user.

Absolute trust and connected minds were no easy feats. Even amongst the South Stream Temple disciples, who had cultivated the Unity Sword Art for many years and could form the sword array, only a scant few could do these things. Logically speaking, someone with the status of Holy Maiden Xu Yourong would not have made such risky alterations, but Chen Changsheng already knew that the girl that he loved was not the unsullied and holy fairy that the common people imagined. Rather, she was a girl that liked to gamble, so her doing such a thing was no surprise.

Of course, this was only cultivating the basis of the altered Unity Sword Art. For instance, the two girls guarding the mountain gate had used the Unity Sword Art to strengthen their attacks, but they could not possibly have done what Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng did, as the altered Unity Sword Art truly had too high demands on the user.

The alterations Xu Yourong made to the Unity Sword Art originated from her experience cultivating the Halving Blade Style together with Chen Changsheng in the Garden of Zhou.

At the time, she had begun memorizing the Halving Blade Style from the first technique while Chen Changsheng had begun from the last, a process they continued until they met somewhere in the middle.

She placed all that she had comprehended into altering the Unity Sword Art.

A year later, she made an appointment with Chen Changsheng in the Mausoleum of Books, where they thought, discussed, and comprehended in front of the monolith hut.

She placed all that she had gained into altering the Unity Sword Art as well.

This was the distilled knowledge of a cultivating genius that was then further refined. It was also a recollection of the past, a yearning for another person.

Chen Changsheng’s mind was connected with hers, and they had absolute trust in each other.

He was a part of those experiences, learning the Halving Blade Style and sharing his understanding of the monolith inscriptions.

Those comprehensions and knowledge were common between the two of them. He could accurately predict what she was thinking and coordinate his actions.

To learn this sword style, one first had to learn the Unity Sword Art, and then comprehend the Heavenly Tome Monoliths together, and finally, one had to learn the Halving Blade Style.

The foundation of all this was an absolute trust.

If one looked across the world, looked back one thousand years, the only people to fulfill these conditions were Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong.

Thus, only he and she had the ability to use this sword style.

Just like how, regardless of all the people on this plateau, they only had eyes for each other.

Those people were all looking at them.

The gentle breeze blew. Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong stood side by side, their expressions calm, their eyes clear and bright, their clothes swaying in the breeze. They possessed an unearthly aura.

They were truly a beautiful couple.

They truly deserved to be called celestial Dao companions.

……

……

A voice sounded through the plateau.

“The Daoist Canon has records of an art in which two swords work in harmony, describing it with the most mystical of words. Yet for a thousand years, it has never been witnessed. Seeing it today, it truly is incomparably profound.”

Bie Yanghong continued, “It must be said that you two are truly a match made in heaven.”

Many people couldn’t agree more with these words. ‘Match made in heaven’ seemed like a phrase made to describe Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong.

One was the Pope while the other was the Holy Maiden of the south. The two once had an engagement, and after countless incidents, they still ended up falling in love with each other. Both of them were the most talented of cultivating geniuses, reaching Star Condensation at a young age. Now, when their two swords worked in harmony, they were even able to resist an expert of the Divine Domain.

In every aspect, Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong were a perfect fit for the phrase ‘match made in heaven’.

Gou Hanshi, Bai Cai, and the other disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect were still in shock over the sword art used by Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong, but upon hearing this statement, they couldn’t help but feel something else.

What would their eldest brother think if he saw this sight, heard these words?

“Normally, I would be full of praise after witnessing such a mystical sword style, and even down three cups of wine to liven the mood. Alas, I cannot today.”

Bie Yanghong paused, then continued, “Although that son was unvirtuous and unworthy, I am his father, so I have to do a few things on his behalf.”