Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 575 – A Night like Candied Dates

“In the future, if something really does happen in the capital, what will you do?”

Xu Yourong walked to the window, her two arms wrapped around her chest. As she gazed outside at the stars reflected in the lake, her voice also became much lighter.

Chen Changsheng replied, “I cultivate the way of following my heart. If matters come, I will naturally move according to my heart.”

Xu Yourong did not turn around. After a moment of silence, she asked, “And if the one to come was me?”

Chen Changsheng very seriously considered this question but found that he could not imagine such a scene and could not make any sort of conclusion in advance. “I don’t know.”

The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had constructed the ten-odd houses with great care, especially the one that Chen Changsheng dwelled in. Opening the window, one would be able to see the lake. In addition, outside the window was a path of wooden planks. If one followed this path, one would reach the shallows of the lake. In the shallow waters under the stars, there were currently several black fish swimming about.

Xu Yourong walked along this path of planks. On the wooden deck at the very end, she took off her shoes and blouse and walked into the limpid and shallow waters.

Those black fish showed no fear of humans. Not only did they not flee in fright, they even surrounded her, slowly swimming around her snow-white feet. It was a very beautiful scene.

As Chen Changsheng looked at her in the water, he felt her back to be somewhat lonely, and then he felt somewhat puzzled. Logically, as she was the Holy Maiden of the south, neither the Elder of Heavenly Secrets nor Mao Qiuyu should have hidden things from her, but all the way until tonight, she had been unable to completely confirm that the middle-aged scholar was the Demon Lord?

Their conversation just now had diluted many emotions and he did not wish for things to develop in this fashion, so he voiced his doubts.

“When the Demon Lord broke through Mount Han’s Heavenstone array, the Elder of Heavenly Secrets suffered heavy injuries. He is still not recovered, so I did not meet him.”

“Principal Mao then?”

“He is the Pope’s arm, he certainly won’t make things too convenient for me.”

In the end, it was still a problem of factions. Chen Changsheng thought that Linghai Zhiwang, as a representative of the Orthodoxy’s new faction, had assuredly already defected to the Divine Empress, so why had he not told her?

He had not asked this question, but Xu Yourong knew what he was thinking.

She extended her hand in the water, playing around with those small fish. She seemingly casually replied, “He and Tianhai Chenwu asked Xiao De to deal with you, which displeases me, so I ignored him.”

Hearing that she was unhappy about that matter, Chen Changsheng became very happy. He also walked down the path of planks to reach the shallows of the lake.

The slightly chilly water slowly rose up and down, the fine and soft silver grains of sand comfortable beneath his feet.

“The Daoist Canon says that the Heaven Lake is formed from hot springs, so why is this water a little cold?”

“The water in the center of the lake is much hotter. I hear that the water where the two hottest springs bubble forth is so hot that it can cook eggs.”

“That sounds very interesting. Do you want to find some time to try it?”

“Just because it can cook eggs?”

“Yeah, it seems very convenient.”

“Do you know how to make rice and cook?”

“I do…didn’t you eat it in the Garden of Zhou?”

“Yeah…then I should learn how to cook.”

“The cafeteria of the Orthodox Academy is quite good.”

“The skill of the chefs of Clear Lake Restaurant is naturally extraordinary, but I can’t return to the capital from South Stream Temple every day to eat.”

“Did the White Crane come with you this time? Do you want to ask it what it thinks about this?”

“The White Crane has always liked you. If it were to know that you had this sort of idea, it would presumably change its mind.”

“I’m just casually talking.”

“Ah, casually talking, eh?”

“Ah, I’m being serious.”

He and she stood side by side in the lake below the house, gazing at the profuse stars in the night sky, casually chatting until gradually their voices ceased.

They stood quietly for a very long time with no words.

Different from the quiet in the room before, this sort of quiet was beautiful.

Because his arm gently leaned against hers. Occasionally, they would part ever so slightly and then quickly come together again.

Neither knew which was going and which was coming back.

After a long time had passed, probably because they were tired of standing, the two sat down on the wooden deck.

Xu Yourong took a small cloth bag from her sleeve and took something out of it.

Chen Changsheng did not notice. Pointing at a pitch-black stone in the lake, he asked, “That’s a Heavenstone?”

Xu Yourong’s voice was somewhat indistinct. “Yes.”

Chen Changsheng turned to look at her, asking, “How have you been comprehending those stones?”

He also had stones, stones that were even more important than the Heavenstones of Mount Han, because those stones were Heavenly Tome Monoliths.

His purpose in participating in the Boiling Stone Summit was never to comprehend the Heavenstones and advance in cultivation, but to see her.

Unpredictably, his ten thousand li journey was safe and uneventful, yet after entering Mount Han, he encountered such a major event.

“There’s been no progress at the moment, I’m just taking it slowly.”

Xu Yourong’s body slightly leaned backwards and she used her hands to prop herself against the deck while her bare feet lightly slapped against the water. She was very cute.

“I’m in a bit of a rush…after meeting the Demon Lord.”

When he thought of those gory scenes on the mountain path, Chen Changsheng’s heart throbbed with fear.

Xu Yourong understood his feelings. “To encounter such an unearthly expert and survive, there will always be some benefit.”

Chen Changsheng softly voiced his agreement, then said, “I just didn’t think that the Demon Lord would be so terrifying, that the distance would be so vast.”

Back in Xunyang City, Zhu Luo’s attacks had basically all been blocked by Wang Po.

However, in this confrontation with the Demon Lord, Liu Qing and Xiao De actually didn’t even seem close to being able to retaliate.

Xu Yourong replied, “It’s only natural that the Demon Lord be much stronger than Zhu Luo. There’s one more important point: Wang Po is much stronger than Liu Qing and Xiao De.”

Chen Changsheng was confused, thinking, Liu Qing is a peak Star Condensation assassin, and Xiao De is the fifth-ranked expert of the Proclamation of Liberation. Although Wang Po is first ranked on the Proclamation of Liberation, how can he be said to be much stronger than them?

“Wang Po is a very extraordinary person—you can’t use common sense to understand him,” Xu Yourong seriously explained.

From a rational standpoint, it was impossible for Chen Changsheng to accept the fact that Wang Po was stronger than Liu Qing and Xiao De combined, but he was very willing to accept it from an emotional standpoint.

“Besides the Demon Lord, what other formidable people do the demons have?”

“I hear that the Demon Commander is very strong. There are also those Demon Generals; you should have seen them on the snowy plains.”

When Chen Changsheng thought of those mountainous figures in the distance on the snowy plains, he inadvertently shook his head.

Even with his current level of strength, he was a still a far cry from fighting with those powerful enemies.

“Without leaving the capital, it really is difficult to realize that the world has so many formidable people.”

“You’re also very formidable. At the very least, when the Demon Lord was your age, he definitely wouldn’t have been able to beat you.”

“I feel…that these words can also apply to you.”

“That’s what I meant the entire time.”

“……”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Chen Changsheng longed to say, “Your voice is very nice to hear, sweet and sticky like you’re sucking on a candied date.”

With a plop, Xu Yourong spit something into the lake. The thing slowly sank into the lake, stirring up the black fish into nibbling at it.

The lake water was very clear. Chen Changsheng carefully examined it and realized that what she had spit out was a date pit.

Those black fish realized that this was not food and, losing all interest, swam off. Xu Yourong thought that this was very interesting. Kicking up her legs, she began to happily laugh.

“Eh…” Seeing this sight, Chen Changsheng couldn’t help but scratch his head.

Xu Yourong came to her senses. This place was not a deserted and serene peak, nor was it the mahjong table in the small village.

At her side sat a young man.

She felt her face grow hot. She subconsciously pulled out the silk bag from her sleeve that she used to hold snacks and offered it to him, whispering, “Do you want to eat some?”

At this time, her mouth had no date pit, but her voice was still rather sticky, because she was rather embarrassed.

She lowered her head, not even looking at Chen Changsheng.

Chen Changsheng looked at her eyelashes, her delicate skin, her rosy lips, and for a moment, he went dumb.

He thought to himself, why can I only think of such dull descriptors?

He took the silk bag, removed a similar snack, and without even looking, threw it into his mouth.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Yourong raised her head and glanced at him.

Chen Changsheng was a very honest person. He said to her seriously, “You’re really beautiful.”

Xu Yourong felt a little bashful and lowered her head. After a moment, she raised it once more and asked him, “Which is more beautiful, the me now or the me in the Garden of Zhou?”

Just like all girls, even though she was the Holy Maiden, at this sort of moment, they would always ask some silly questions.

Of course, ‘silly’ here was describing her actions in asking this question, but it didn’t mean that the question itself was very easy to answer.

When Xu Yourong had entered the Garden of Zhou, she had come as a disciple of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green. She had disguised herself and her appearance then had been quite ordinary.

The current her was acknowledged by the world as the most beautiful young woman.

But if Chen Changsheng were to very sincerely say that the her now was more beautiful, he would definitely be giving the wrong answer.

In reality, this was like that eternally difficult problem of the Luo River, very difficult to form an answer for, and even concealing even more complex trials and dangers.

This question simply had no correct answer. Whether or not Chen Changsheng’s answer satisfied completely depended on her mood.

Chen Changsheng was not skilled at lying. Miraculously, he himself had already seriously considered this question and had long since made his conclusion.

“They’re both beautiful, but different kinds of beauty.”

He answered Xu Yourong with all sincerity.

These words from his heart, the truth.

Xu Yourong was very happy.

He saw that she was happy and also became very happy.

It would be fine if they could just keep sitting like this, the lake before them, the mountain behind, and the splendorous stars above.

You are right next to me.

Yet can we stay together forever?

A cloud came from somewhere and blocked off a region of stars to the south, casting a shadow on the lake.

A shadow also appeared in Chen Changsheng’s heart.

“I’ve been hiding something from you.”

“You’ve talked about it before.”

“Have I talked about it?”

“Mm.”

“I forgot…do you want to know?”

“Every person should have their own secrets, I also have mine. In addition, I don’t want to let you know of my secret, so.”

“Eh, I suddenly realize that I really want to tell this secret to you.”

“Just because you want to know my secret?”

“Yes.”

“Chen Changsheng, you aren’t some gossiping housewife in the marketplace. Why are you so interested in prying into the secrets of another?”

“Mmm…perhaps because I cultivate the path of following my heart?”

……

……

For a couple passionately in love, even if they repeated the same line three hundred times, they wouldn’t get bored.

To them, talking itself was not that important. What was important was that they were speaking with each other.

However, to listeners, listening to words with similar meanings so many times truly was quite unbearable. The sweeter and more honeyed the words, the more unbearable it was.

At this moment, Tang Thirty-Six was feeling quite unbearable. He felt that he had eaten too much for dinner and wanted to vomit. On the only path on the side of the house facing the mountain, he was sitting down with his legs crossed, the Wenshui Sword sitting across his knees and a stalk of grass in his mouth. His face was one of grief and indignation as he thought to himself, truly a fine pair of adultering ****.