Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The three people walked out of the Imperial City.

As they walked past the collapsed Whalefall Platform, Chen Changsheng suddenly stopped.

"Just who did the child in her bosom belong to?"

Upon hearing these words and connecting them to the quiet in the hall and Xu Yourong's reaction, Tang Thirty-Six was deeply shocked and subconsciously prepared to flee.

Xu Yourong glanced at him and said, "You're thinking too much."

Chen Changsheng had also noticed the change in Tang Thirty-Six's expression and helplessly shook his head.

Many people had died in this conflict, including Bie Yanghong, Wuqiong Bi, and the two Angels of Sacred Light.

But the one that Chen Changsheng could not forget was a life that many could not even remember.

It was the child in Madam Mu's womb.

In his view, that child had been the most innocent sacrifice.

Perhaps it was because it made him recall his own background.

Xu Yourong understood where his question came from and explained that offspring of the White Emperor clan needed five years of pregnancy before they could be born.

Chen Changsheng froze. Only now did he understand why Luoluo was so small despite claiming that she was the same age as him.

She had been referring to the age as counted starting from her day of conception.

Outside the Imperial City, the Bear tribe leader, the Shi clan leader, and other demi-human personages were waiting for them.

Outside the White Emperor's gaze, they were very willing to express their kindness to Chen Changsheng and repair their relationship.

However, they were still somewhat fearful. It didn't take long for them to disperse and for the plaza in front of the Imperial City to become deserted.

Chen Changsheng turned his head and saw that little black dot high up on the observation platform. He said nothing.

He naturally knew that this was not the entire truth.

In those nights when he was breaking the array in the Starfall Mountains, he had pondered many things, and faintly begun to understand what was happening.

So when he used the South Stream Temple array to open the seal, that mountain collapsed, and the White Emperor appeared before the world, he had chosen to immediately turn and leave.

He had confirmed for himself that the White Emperor was still alive, but he did not want to see him, much less speak to him.

Because he felt rather nauseated.

The White Emperor had not died, nor was he unconscious.

On that night before the Heavenly Selection ceremony, the Xiang clan leader had gone to the Starfall Mountains. Of course, what he had sensed was the White Emperor's true will.

Madam Mu knew that the Xiang clan leader had faked his defection, and it was also from that night that she began to suspect the White Emperor. But she did not change her mind and continued to advance her plans. She knew the White Emperor too well, so she knew that as long as the White Emperor could remain uninvolved, he would permit her actions.

But no one had expected Chen Changsheng to go to the Starfall Mountains and save the White Emperor.

Those nights spent breaking the array to save someone were actually to force someone.

One was not forced out by wealth or honor, but through persistence and dedication.

Ultimately, the White Emperor was forced out of the mountains by Chen Changsheng.

The method to break the array had been passed from Shang Xingzhou to Xu Yourong to Xiaode, and finally, to him.

After seeing all living beings, the White Emperor would have to make a decision.

From this perspective, he truly had lost to Shang Xingzhou and Chen Changsheng.

Tang Thirty-Six recalled the sight when the Li Palace's grand array was broken, thought of the Demon Lord walking out of the darkness and that Angel in the sky. Still feeling some fear, he said, "Thankfully, all the schemes failed in the end, or else I really don't know how things would end up."

Chen Changsheng said nothing. He did not agree with Tang Thirty-Six's view.

"Who says that the White Emperor really lost? The demons lost two Angels of the Sacred Light and the humans also lost two experts of the Divine Domain. Shang Xingzhou has suffered significant injuries, the Xiang clan leader was unjustly killed, the Xiang clan destroyed, and the Council of Elders severely weakened. For the next two hundred years, no one will dare to threaten him, and the relationship between Chen Changsheng and Luoluo is indestructible. Once she inherits the throne, the demi-humans won't have to worry about any threats from the humans. For so many benefits, all he had to pay was the life of his wife."

Xu Yourong slightly paused, then added, "And he didn't even love her."

Tang Thirty-Six suddenly felt like the wind was getting colder.

Then he realized that they had already exited the city gate and were at the ferry by the shore.

Xuanyuan Po, the Tang clan's people, and the Orthodoxy's priests had been waiting here for them for a very long time.

The cold winds howling from the river made the breath of every person a pillar of frost. It was a somewhat spectacular scene.

After the heavy snowfall stopped, the temperature of White Emperor City had failed to rise.

The wind was coming from the direction of the river, but it was really coming from across the mountains, from the Western Sea.

The west wind was as cold as an icy knife, but as it cut across their faces, it made them red and hot, as if they had drunk the strongest wine.

Chen Changsheng turned to look at the Imperial City. He thought of the last few days, thought of the people in this story, thought of the White Emperor and Madam Mu.

"Will we really become people like this?"

On the shore of the Orthodox Academy's lake and weeks ago by the banks of the Wenshui, he had asked this question.

In the past, Tang Thirty-Six would have given a very clear answer, but he was quiet today.

Chen Changsheng thought of Bie Yanghong and Wuqiong Bi, and recalled another important question.

"If your wife treated you extremely well but had a poor personality, or was an evil and wicked person, what would you do?"

This had been Bie Yanghong's question.

Xuanyuan Po recalled those days and his expression darkened.

Xu Yourong calmly gazed at him and asked, "If it were you, what would you do?"

Chen Changsheng very earnestly pondered the question, then replied, "I would advise and stop you from committing evil, spending my entire life standing guard at your side."

Tang Thirty-Six asked, "Just like Bie Yanghong?"

Chen Changsheng considered this, then shook his head. "I can't do it."

Xu Yourong replied, "And I don't want it."

Tang Thirty-Six asked, "And if you encounter this problem?"

Xu Yourong thought for a while, then replied, "I would kill him, then follow him in death."

This answer, especially the casual way in which she spoke, scared Xuanyuan Po so badly that the words he had been preparing to say were rammed back down his throat.

"You really are a child raised by the Divine Empress."

Tang Thirty-Six felt somewhat sorrowful, then he quickly changed the subject. "I feel like there's a problem with your brains."

Surprised, Chen Changsheng asked, "What do you think should be done?"

"You all say that I'm like Su Li, and my way of doing things is naturally in that style as well."

Tang Thirty-Six said, "What can you do? Don't do anything. Isn't it quite pleasant to be big villains together?"

Chen Changsheng felt that these words were inappropriate. Just when he was preparing to say something, he was interrupted by a burst of ritual music.

It was very happy music, and it was even interspersed with a firework or two. It was probably some family's happy occasion.

After so many events and Madam Mu's recent death, a family that dared to hold such a happy occasion was either extremely dumb or had incredibly deep backing.

The family holding today's joyous event belonged to neither of these categories.

The reason no one stopped them was that this family was holding a marriage, and the one officiating the marriage was rather special.

Xuanyuan Po said to Tang Thirty-Six, "Principal was originally invited to preside over the marriage, but now I'm serving as his substitute."

Chen Changsheng explained, "I have to quickly leave."

The Archbishop of the Western Wastes and several cardinals stepped forward to bid farewell, as they intended to take part in the marriage.

This sort of display puzzled Tang Thirty-Six even more, making him wonder, just what's going on here?

Xuanyuan Po explained to him the story.

The people getting married were a young man and woman who had gone to the front of the Imperial City several days ago to see the Heavenly Selection ceremony.

The young man was a Bear tribe laborer of the lower city who lived in the Pine Paths. The young woman was a noble lady of the upper city.

Logically speaking, such a massive difference in status would have made it impossible for them to even know each other, much less marry.

But on that day, Chen Changsheng and the Demon Lord engaged in a fierce battle on the observation platform, its effects causing a massive piece of rock to break off from the Whalefall Platform.

At the final moment, the Bear tribe laborer had protected the noble lady.

Even so, they still would have died, just like the several hundred others on the plaza who could not have escaped in time.

Fortunately, the assault of Chen Changsheng's swords had rendered that massive boulder into powder, dropping a beautiful snow in front of the Imperial City.

No one died, and their emotions quickly turned into love, overcoming many matters to result in today's marriage.

"They all say that it might also be related to the fact the one making the marriage proposal was me."

Xuanyuan Po said, "But I feel like the bride's family has a very good attitude and that everyone in the tribe is thinking too much."

Tang Thirty-Six said, "If it weren't you representing the groom in proposing marriage, would the bride's family have had such a good attitude? And by the way, when did you get involved in this matter?"

Xuanyuan Po explained, "He's a member of my tribe, and Huji's beef buns really are good. Oh, I forgot to mention that the groom is one of the laborers at the Huji steamed bun store. On that day, if he hadn't risked his life to throw the owner and chef out of the area, we wouldn't be able to keep eating those buns."

Tang Thirty-Six laughed and said, "That's too exaggerated. What sort of buns would be that good?"

Chen Changsheng did not laugh. He seriously said, "Those buns really were very good."

The Huji steamed bun store in the Pine Paths was close to the Celestial Tree temple, and so it was naturally close to Xuanyuan Po's home.

Bie Yanghong loved the buns from this store. Alas, when he died, he had still not been able to eat a hot one.

The mood became somewhat gloomy.

Tang Thirty-Six had heard of what had transpired before Bie Yanghong's death and vaguely understood.

Xuanyuan Po bid farewell to Chen Changsheng and the others.

Chen Changsheng said, "In the future, let's meet again at the Orthodox Academy."

Xuanyuan Po nodded, then headed off with the bishops to the place the music was coming from.

Chen Changsheng silently watched as fireworks flew up from that direction. After a while, he said, "It's a good thing."

"Yes, there are still quite a few beautiful things in the world."

Tang Thirty-Six continued, "This being the case, who says that we're guaranteed to become like the White Emperor couple?"

Xu Yourong gave a faint smile, saying nothing.

Under the light of the sun, the temperature gradually rose.

The west wind gradually warmed, no longer as fierce and cold as it was before.

With a cry, the White Crane left the ground.

A black-clothed girl landed on the shore, causing the snow to tremble.

She asked in confusion, "Why are you in such a rush to leave?"

It was because Chen Changsheng had received a letter.

It was a letter from the capital.

Someone in the capital was getting married and had invited him to the ceremony. They had even requested him to be the officiator.

Chen Changsheng could elect to not participate in that marriage in White Emperor City, but he had to participate in that marriage in the capital.

And he knew that whether he was willing or not, he could not escape this assignment.

Just like how, in the past, whether he was willing or not, she would still sleep in his bed.

……

……

(End of Book 6 – Fierce the West Wind)