Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Pipipingu

Edited by: Nora

The man was very handsome, but his face was full of travel fatigue; it was obvious that he had arrived in haste.

The armor on him was also caked in a thick layer of dust, but it still seemed shiny, just like the man himself, who stood amongst the green sorghum, like a glowing sun.

This person did not seem like an assassin no matter how he was looked at.

Actually, this person was indeed not an assassin, although he had come to kill Su Li.

The person did not display goodwill or enmity, but he also did not hide his killing intent, his extremely pure killing intent.

Gazing at this shining man in the morning light, Chen Changsheng felt a stabbing pain in his eyes, giving Chen Changsheng a similar feeling to when he first saw Su Li on the snowy plains.

The rays of light from far away fell around the man. However, it never actually fell onto him, and the thing that reflected the sunlight was not his armor nor his face, but a shapeless barrier, which was why it was so bright.

The shapeless barrier and the brightness did not need to be explained. He was a true expert of the Star Condensation Realm.

With a glance, Chen Changsheng confirmed that the man was not the assassin in the birch forest from the day before—the man was just too bright, unable to hide his existence. Also, it was obvious that the man did not seem to want to do such things at all—he just stood in the morning light like this, waiting for Chen Changsheng and Su Li’s arrival in an upright manner.

Chen Changsheng exited the carriage. He untied the rope on the neck of the furry deer, and gently patted their bottoms. Right now, the furry deer were already connected with him and understood his intentions. They ran to the higher ground several hundreds of zhang away, and then turned around to look. They were waiting for their young master to recall them.

Chen Changsheng turned around and looked into the carriage.

Su Li lay in the carriage. His eyes were closed, and he was wrapped in fur. He had fur ear plugs stuffed in his ears, and it seemed like he was currently sleeping.

“Senior,” Chen Changsheng said.

The fur earplugs in Su Li’s ears obviously did not have an effect equal to Mo Yu’s fur earplugs. He said, “Yes?”

When he replied, his eyes remained closed.

“In front… a person came,” Chen Changsheng pointed at the person on the uprising ground and said.

“And then?” Su Li still did not show any signs of opening his eyes.

Chen Changsheng said, “That person… is very strong, I can’t win against him.”

Su Li said with his eyes closed, “I taught you for so many days; if you still can’t handle an assassin, why aren’t you going to kill yourself?”

Chen Changsheng said, “But Senior, you just said it yesterday, that is rhetoric and an exaggeration. When meeting an opponent who is just too strong, other than kneeling, there is only running. I want to ask, at this moment, is it better to run or to kneel?”

After a period of silence, Su Li finally opened his eyes. He sat up and looked at the green sorghum ground ahead. He said, “Star Condensation… it’s not like it's impossible for you to win.”

Chen Changsheng quickly judged and weighed it in his heart and said as he shook his head, “This… I really can’t win.”

Only now did Su Li see the handsome man who was clad in armor and the unbelievably bright light. He squinted his eyes and said, “Oh it’s that guy, then you really can’t win.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Then let’s quickly run.”

Su Li said unhappily, “Ignoring the fact that I, Su Li, have never fled in my life, even if we run… can we run?”

Chen Changsheng was just about to say that if he really did run, not many people in the continent could catch up to him. Suddenly, he saw that there was a battle horse clad in red in the distant green fields.

It seemed a little familiar.

An extremely bad idea formed in his mind.

It was because he finally recognized it, the battle horse clad in red in the distant field was actually a… Red Cloud Qilin.

Su Li said, “Xue Xingchuan’s younger brother, the twenty-eighth Divine General, Xue He. Yes, his mount is also brother with Xue Xingchuan’s mount.

Chen Changsheng forgot about running away.

There was no White Crane. He was not Jin Yulu. It was impossible for him to be faster than the Red Cloud Qilin that flew in the sky.

He had never thought that the first assassin he had truly met in his journey to the south was actually such a powerful figure.

Thinking about it, he realized it was right. To kill Su Li, even if he was currently heavily injured, it was pointless no matter how many ordinary experts came. They obviously needed to send people at the level of Divine General Xue He.

“Greetings Sir Su. Please consider that I am fully armored, so I won’t be bowing as a greeting.”

Xue He who had just stood in the completely bright green field seemed like the very picture of a god with his brightness and might. However, his tone when speaking to Su Li was extremely polite.

Su Li looked at him without any expression and said, “With my understanding of you, you admire me very much.”

For some reason, when any words that were narcissistic to the point where people would feel disgusted came out of the mouth of the Mount Li Junior Martial Uncle, it would make people feel that it was believable.

Xue He slowly walked over, and the sunlight that was reflected constantly bent into different angles. The armor gave off a jangling sound, and he used his silence to express his agreement.

Su Li asked, “Just whose idea was it for you to come here right now?”

Xue He’s brother, Xue Xingchuan, was the second Divine General of the continent. Since Divine General Han Qing began to guard the Mausoleum of Books, he became the strongest Divine General in the world, only under the Five Saints and the Storms of Eight Directions. More importantly, everyone knew that Xue Xingchuan was the Divine Empress’s most loyal follower. Logically, Xue He appearing here naturally pointed to a cruel and terrifying truth, that the person who wanted to kill Su Li was the Divine Empress.

However, Su Li did not believe it was so simple, so he asked him.

Xue He said expressionlessly, “No other person’s idea. It’s my own idea.”

Su Li went silent, and understood what he said.

However, Chen Changsheng did not understand. Since it was not the decree of the Divine Empress, nor the order of the Orthodoxy, and since the Divine General admired Su Li, why had he come to kill him, while Su Li was in a bad situation? He asked, “Why?”

Xue He ignored him. He looked at Su Li and said calmly, “Only through the unification of the north and south, with my Great Zhou unifying the world, can we truly defeat the Demon race. However, because of the existence of Sir, it has always been hard to execute. No matter if it is the imperial court or the Orthodoxy, there are many people who hope that Sir can change his mind. However, I know that Sir will not change his mind, so… you must die.”

Su Li said sternly, “I… will change my mind.”

This joke was not funny, and no one believed it.

However, Su Li behaved in a very believable manner, and said sincerely, “As long as you are willing to let us leave, I will definitely change my mind about the unification of the north and south.”

Xue He went silent for a while and said, “I view Sir as an idol. I know Sir will not change his mind.”

Su Li was slightly distressed. “Why are you so stubborn? When I say I will change my mind, I will definitely change it.”

“To change his mind from external pressures. This isn’t Sir.” Xue He looked at him and said calmly, “And if Sir is no longer Sir, how will there still be mental obstructions to me killing you?”

Su Li went silent for a while and said while looking at Chen Changsheng, “Did I say it badly?”

Chen Changsheng nodded his head.

Su Li said, “Then it’s your turn to say something.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Senior. I am really bad at speaking.”

Seeing Su Li and Chen Changsheng converse, a weird color flashed across Xue He’s eyes. Shortly afterwards, he withdrew his attention and said respectfully, “At the moment, the news of Sir being heavily injured and currently returning to the south is known by very few people. Dying under my blade is always better than dying under those thieves and rascals, or at least better than dying from the dirty tricks of those assassins.”

Su Li shook his head, “No matter how I die, it is not good. Only living is good.”

Xue He did not say any more, and extended his hand behind him to grasp the handle of a blade.

After Zhou Dufu, very few of the continent’s experts used the blade, because no one could surpass him. Many of the thirty-eight Divine Generals were used to using swords, and because of Taizong’s Frost God Spear, there were also a lot who used spears. As for Divine Generals who used blades, and used them well, there was only Xue He himself.

With this action, the other six thin swords behind Xue He never left the sheath, but six blade intents floated in the air. They enveloped the green fields, forming a Blade Domain.

Su Li’s expression slowly faded. He also had never thought that the first person to come to kill him would actually be such a difficult person.

Chen Changsheng asked with a slightly hoarse voice, “Senior, what do we do?”

Su Li replied expressionlessly, “You can also tell, that person is just like the meat you roast. If taken cold with sauce does not work, what else can you do?”

Chen Changsheng turned around and glanced at him. He asked out of confusion, “Meat?”

“No oil, no salt.”

Su Li said unhappily and climbed down the carriage with difficulty. He looked at the green fields, before suddenly narrowing his eyes again.

The sorghum was not very high, but it was actually hiding another person.

Most likely, it was the person from the birch forest.