Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Tang Thirty-Six shifted his gaze down and then he couldn't help but laugh as he asked, "Then why are your hands so white?"

The young student replied, "Later on, I realized that if I buried my hands in my sleeves, they wouldn't be tanned by the sun and would naturally return to their original color."

Tang Thirty-Six took measure of the student, sensing the faint Qi exuding from his body. He said with some surprise, "Not bad, actually the middle level of Ethereal Opening."

The young student courteously replied, "Many thanks for your praise, but it's just average."

Tang Thirty-Six replied, "There's no need to be modest. Although you're a little bit less than me, you're still pretty good."

The young student was a little taken aback. Although he had interacted with Tang Thirty-Six at both the Grand Examination and the Mausoleum of Books, he still wasn't that used to it yet. After thinking it over, he replied, "Your luck is good."

Tang Thirty-Six jeered, "When I exited the Mausoleum of Books, I was truthfully at the upper level of Ethereal Opening. You came out a month late but are only at the middle level of Ethereal Opening. What does that have to do with luck?"

The student pondered this again, then admitted, "What you say is reasonable. I really am inferior to you."

This person who spoke and acted with utmost care, even rather woodenly, who possessed a gentle and quiet air of nobility, was the student of the Li Palace Academy who had possessed the most potential in these past few years, Su Moyu.

In the past, Su Moyu had once stood on the Divine Avenue of the Li Palace and questioned Chen Changsheng. But when he realized that his questions had no basis, he quickly admitted that he had been wrong and solemnly apologized. In the Grand Examination, he had even spent quite a bit of time with the people of the Orthodox Academy. His talent truly was outstanding, but because of his lack of luck in drawing lots, he was unable to advance very far. Later on when the group entered the Mausoleum of Books to comprehend the Dao, Chen Changsheng and the rest left before him. A month beforehand, Tang Thirty-Six and the remaining disciples of the Mausoleum of Books also left. Only Su Moyu, for some unknown reason, continued to stay in the Mausoleum of Books and view the monoliths. When Chen Changsheng and the rest learned of this, they even became rather concerned that this somewhat pedantic and wooden fellow had been enraptured by the Heavenly Tome Monoliths and was no longer willing to leave the Mausoleum of Books, instead choosing to become a Monolith Guardian.

Tang Thirty-Six looked at Su Moyu and asked, "You've really decided to fight in his match?"

Su Moyu looked over at Ye Xingqing and said, "This match should be for me to fight."

Tang Thirty-Six did not hear the meaning hidden within these words.

Su Moyu was similar to Zhuang Huanyu who had committed suicide in that they were both outstanding students of the Six Ivies and celebrities in the capital. It was just that in the past year, Chen Changsheng and the Orthodox Academy had stolen away quite a bit of his radiance. However, he was still recognized by quite a few people in the capital. As the news spread, the crowd was abuzz with discussion. Shocked and confused, they thought to themselves, just when did he become a student of the Orthodox Academy?

As Ye Xingqing listened to this discussion, his complexion turned even nastier. He looked at Su Moyu and hesitantly asked, "Is Sir…not a student of the Li Palace Academy?"

Tang Thirty-Six did not pay attention to the fact that he had addressed Su Moyu with such respect, saying, "Oh, he applied to the Orthodox Academy in advance."

He then turned to Su Moyu and asked, "Are you confident?"

This question was not at all unnecessary. After all, Ye Xingqing was no ordinary servant. He was a servant that had been taught by two of the Eight Storms.

Su Moyu had made the choice to leave the Mausoleum of Books because he had assuredly gotten stronger in every aspect, whether it was in cultivation or strength. However, he still might not be a match for this opponent!

Besides the fact that only the Wenshui Tang clan could bear the backlash from the Bie family, Tang Thirty-Six had also been prepared to personally go for this reason.

Su Moyu seemed to be thinking about something and did not respond.

Tang Thirty-Six thought it over, then said, "Although he's a servant of the Bie family, his martial arts don't follow the same path of those two powerful figures. Rather, he walks the path of the Putian River of Stars."

Su Moyu was rather shocked. It seemed that this was his first time hearing of this matter.

Ye Xingqing did not seem to care that the secret of his technique had been revealed. He only looked rather worriedly at Su Moyu.

"The Putian River of Stars is a strange and ferocious martial art. Upon receiving this information from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education a few days ago, Chen Changsheng researched it and drew up a few plans."

Tang Thirty-Six pointed at Chu Wenbin, who had already retreated to the stone steps, and said, "These plans were for him to use, but they would only help prop him up. But since you're the one that's going, you should be able to win."

He said this and then, not waiting for Su Moyu to respond, immediately explained the plans Chen Changsheng had drawn up.

The area in front of the Orthodox Academy became quiet. Only his voice could be heard.

If one could say that words contained swords, then what he said right now were the swords that Chen Changsheng had prepared for Ye Xingqing.

Just like the two previous battles.

Those commoners who had come to see the spectacle naturally could not understand.

However, the more the priests of the Li Palace and the experts who had come to challenge the Orthodox Academy listened, the more silent they became.

Ye Xingqing's face gradually paled.

The words Tang Thirty-Six spoke contained Chen Changsheng's swords. They thrust directly at the specialties of Ye Xingqing's techniques and accurately found his weak points.

And now, countless people were listening to these words.

There was no need for too many swords. As long as they were sharp, it was fine. Chen Changsheng's plans were also very simple. As long as they were effective, it was fine.

It wasn't too long before Tang Thirty-Six finished speaking.

The area in front of the Orthodox Academy was still very quiet. It could even be described as a deathly stillness.

After a long time had passed, Su Moyu finally sighed, "I'm inferior to him."

This was a sigh that had come from the depths of his heart.

It was also a view shared by many other people at this time.

"Are you confident now?" Tang Thirty-Six asked.

Su Moyu shot him a strange glance. "I said that I was inferior to Chen Changsheng, but when did I say that I wasn't confident about this match?"

Tang Thirty-Six thought to himself, then why didn't you respond to me just a moment ago?

In truth, even if Su Moyu had said he was confident back then, he would still have found an opportunity to explain the plans Chen Changsheng had prepared last night.

Everyone had always believed that Chen Changsheng had been able to cultivate to his current level at such a young age primarily because of his Orthodoxy backing and those fortuitous encounters of his. As a result, they underestimated his talent in cultivation and his level of diligence.

Tang Thirty-Six thought this was wrong. He believed that Chen Changsheng's genius was worthy of being praised and even revered by all people.

There was one other very important reason: he just didn't like Ye Xingqing, so he wanted to lay bare all the weaknesses and secrets of his techniques.

"Then go and fight," Tang Thirty-Six urged Su Moyu. "Fight until his family's young master can't even recognize him."

He was once a genius of the Li Palace Academy, and now that he had spent half the year in the Mausoleum of Books viewing the monoliths and quietly comprehending the Dao, Su Moyu was currently quite strong. Added onto the fact that he had no mental obstructions preventing him from using Chen Changsheng's plan and that, for some reason, Ye Xingqing put on a much poorer performance than people had imagined, it was unsurprising when this match ended in the favor of Su Moyu.

As for whether Ye Xingqing had been beaten until his young master could no longer recognize him, this was a question only Bie Tianxin could answer. In any case, based on what Su Moyu said, he probably wouldn't be able to.

The third match had also concluded with exceptional speed. Even adding on those conversations that had taken place just before it did not make it too long. The morning light had just receded and the sun was just beginning to exert its heat when Tang Thirty-Six brought Su Moyu and the several dozen new students back into the Orthodox Academy. Only the tightly-shut gate of the Orthodox Academy was left for those spectators anxious for more and those speechless challengers to gawk at.

Tang Thirty-Six's reason was very simple: a friend had returned from the Mausoleum of Books, so they had to hold a banquet and reminisce on old times. As for the trifling matter of the All-School Martial Exhibition, it could be continued after they were done eating.

On the green grass by the lake, many students sat with books in their hands. Not far away, under the shade of a verdant tree, was a pile of Clear Lake Restaurant's famous ice cube roses, which the students could take from whenever they pleased.

Su Moyu couldn't help but sigh at this scene, saying, "This is really too extravagant."

Tang Thirty-Six replied, "You've entered the Orthodox Academy and you won't regret it."

In front of the grass beside the lake was a wall that had clearly been recently erected. This wall was rather short, making it incapable of blocking out the scenery within. Of course, it was even less capable of blocking the sight of that great banyan tree. The wall merely served as a sort of marker.

On the other side of that wall was a forest even denser and even more serene, and devoid of people.

Standing amidst this forest was a small house. Chen Changsheng was waiting for them in front of this house. Upon seeing Su Moyu, he said, "You came?"

"Yeah." Su Moyu noticed his face and commented, "You seem very tired."

Chen Changsheng truly was very tired. He had spent the past few days researching those opponents and searching for their weaknesses, guiding the new students of the Orthodox Academy and giving them plans. In fact, he had constantly been making use of the Intellectual Sword. Moreover, in his rush to re-enter the Garden of Zhou, every night, he made countless attempts. His spiritual sense had been consumed to a severe level and he was on the verge of collapse.

"You can say it now." Tang Thirty-Six looked at Su Moyu and asked, "Why do you want to enter the Orthodox Academy?"

That night when they saw Su Moyu's name on the list, he and Chen Changsheng were simultaneously shocked and concerned.

There really were a few students from the other Ivy Academies that had transferred here, but none of those had been very valued students. Su Moyu was completely different. He had been nurtured and valued for two years by the Li Palace Academy. In the end, when he departed the Mausoleum of Books, he came to the Orthodox Academy without even giving notice to the Li Palace Academy. Once this matter got out, it would definitely incur some trouble.

"I came to avoid trouble." Su Moyu made no attempt to hide his objectives, getting straight to the point. "The storm you guys have stirred up in the capital is too big. I knew of it even though I was in the Mausoleum of Books. If I were to return to the Li Palace Academy and wait for arrangements to be made for me, I would definitely have to represent the Li Palace Academy in challenging you. My only loves are reading and cultivating, not doing these sorts of things."

Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six understood.

Daoist Siyuan was one of the Orthodoxy's Six Prefects, the representative of the new faction of the Orthodoxy. Concurrently, he was also the greatest backer of the Li Palace Academy.

That Bie Tianxin, who was already at the middle level of Star Condensation, would insist on challenging the Orthodox Academy despite the discussion it caused was because his parents were on good terms with Daoist Siyuan.

If Su Moyu were to return to the Li Palace Academy, he would definitely be unable to avoid a similar arrangement.

Tang Thirty-Six was somewhat confused. "You don't like fighting, so why did you volunteer just now to represent the Orthodox Academy in a match?"

Su Moyu replied, "Because he was a member of the Bie family."

Tang Thirty-Six added, "It's precisely because he's a member of the Bie family that dealing with him is somewhat troublesome. It's why I've always been rather hesitant."

"To bully the weak and fear the strong is not right," Su Moyu said seriously.

"That's reasonable." The more Tang Thirty-Six saw, the more he felt that Su Moyu was pleasing to the eye. He even felt some admiration.

Su Moyu added, "And like I said to you just now, this match should be for me to fight."

Tang Thirty-Six recalled that he really had said this to him before. At the time, he truly had thought those words were rather strange. Why did he think that the match should be for him to fight?

"Why?"

"Because Bie Tianxin is my cousin."