Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 999 – The Face in the Bronze Mirror

After receiving the letter, Chen Changsheng said a few things to Jin Yulu and Xiaode, and then left on the White Crane.

Jin Yulu and Xiaode glanced at each other with doubt and unease evident on their faces.

Before leaving, Chen Changsheng explained that he had something to do and that he would return after finishing it. Finally, he added that he hoped he would not have to finish this matter.

This was a very strange and incomprehensible set of words. Just what had happened that was more important than helping the White Emperor escape his imprisonment?

……

……

On a snowcapped mountain ten-some li from the black cliff, the drifting snow and white garments melded into one.

Xu Yourong had been standing here for some time now. She saw Chen Changsheng follow Jin Yulu and Xiaode into the black cliff, saw the White Crane arrive, and saw Chen Changsheng leave.

She had an inkling of what had happened in White Emperor City, which had also affected her mood somewhat.

She had already observed the sealing array for sufficient time to find a method to break it.

She took a piece of white paper from her sleeve, folded it into a paper crane, and let it take flight.

The paper crane drifted along the winds until it finally reached the black cliff, where it dropped to the ground.

Xiaode warily looked around. Discovering nothing, he took the paper crane and unfolded it. He saw only two words written in a graceful style, most likely the handiwork of a woman.

The two words were ‘Sword Array’.

……

……

With Xu Yourong’s speed, only a very short time was needed to return to White Emperor City from the Starfall Mountains.

She did not return to the small courtyard behind the temple to the Celestial Tree, as she still did not wish to meet Chen Changsheng, but also because she subconsciously did not wish to see that sight.

She returned to the inn she had stayed at yesterday, though she did not return to her room. Instead, she went to the front hall and bought some of the Jietang steamed buns that this inn was famed for.

The mood in White Emperor City was tense and strange, and there were few pedestrians on the streets. The inn was naturally doing poor business, and few people had come here to leisurely take their breakfast.

Those people who still wanted to eat out at these times had to be truly lively people with nothing to do, and since they were lively, they were also very good at chatting.

While Xu Yourong was eating the steamed bun along with beef, eggs, and porridge, she was also listening to the chatter from the guests at the table next to hers.

As of late, the most exciting things in White Emperor City had naturally been the Heavenly Selection ceremony and then the appearances of the Demon Lord and Chen Changsheng.

As for the exciting gossip, it was naturally the secret exposed by Xuanyuan Po in front of the Imperial City, the one to which Princess Luoluo had personally admitted.

“I don’t know what His Holiness thinks about it, but since he traveled over vast distances on a crane and also said those words, he probably loves the princess, right?”

“I hear that the humans are very afraid of discussing this sort of thing, but when have we demi-humans ever cared about that? If you love each other, just sleep together.”

“I hear that His Holiness is engaged to the Holy Maiden, but when have we demi-humans ever cared about that? Just take her, and if you really can’t take her, then just sleep together.”

……

……

Xu Yourong’s mood had already been rather downcast, and this hearty helping of gossip while she was eating made it impossible for her to eat her fill, causing her mood to worsen.

The brightly-lit Dao heart, calm as water, had been forgotten on the wayside.

She took a plain steamed bun and a plate of pickled vegetables and returned to her room.

She cleaned herself up a little and then sat in front of the table. She sat across from a bronze mirror, entering a daze as she gazed at her reflection.

The bronze mirror was not too clear, the reflection rather blurred, but the face in the mirror was still beautiful, would still make the common people imagine the most beautiful of flowers.

‘I am her teacher. If I do not permit her to marry, she cannot be married.’

What an overbearing set of words. How excellent the relationship between teacher and student must be!

She silently derided.

She was well aware that to Chen Changsheng, the little Black Dragon was more like a favor that would need to be repaid for the rest of his life. The true problem was Luoluo.

From every perspective, Luoluo was the sort of girl that every man would like, and this was not even considering that her love for Chen Changsheng was that sort of clean love that demanded nothing.

She could not do this—she could not love Chen Changsheng more than she loved herself. She could not even understand how anyone could do it.

She only knew that she wanted to walk the thousand-year-long path of cultivation together with Chen Changsheng, but also knew what her greatest challenge would be.

The more she thought, the unhappier she became. Her mouth formed a pout, making a girlish expression that no one on the outside had ever seen before.

She looked at herself in the mirror and whispered, “You’re so beautiful, you’re the most beautiful, you’re the most beautiful girl in the world, and it’s not like he’s blind.”

After saying this, she came to her senses. She felt thoroughly ashamed, letting out a squeak as she covered her face.

At this moment, a thin layer of fog suddenly emerged from the bronze mirror.

Xu Yourong turned stern and quickly calmed herself down. There was no anger or shame in her eyes, only serene beauty.

She was the Holy Maiden, her temperament like the spring forest fresh from the rain.

The thin fog in the mirror began to slowly change, condensing into lines thick or thin as the outline of a face formed.

Although the image was blurred so that the features could not be made out, there was an inexplicable feeling that this was an incredibly handsome face that gave off the temperament of a lofty mountain.

Xu Yourong looked at the person in the mirror and reported, “I personally went to see the seal. Since the White Emperor is still alive, there should be a means of getting out, or at least of passing on messages.”

The man in the mirror remained quiet for a very long time. It was obvious that these ordinary words had impacted his mental state.

Xu Yourong did not question, only quietly waited.

The person sighed, tinged with an indescribable regret, even some sorrow.

He replied, “Since this is the case, let us help him get out.”

Xu Yourong replied, “I have already sent a message to Chen Changsheng. With his comprehension, he should be able to quickly break the array.”

The person advised, “Since things have already reached this state, all of you must be careful.”

Xu Yourong suddenly asked, “Why is he willing to help you? Do you not have any other methods? In the current situation, you have many chances to kill him.”

The person asked back, “Then why are you willing to help me?”

Xu Yourong replied, “For the sake of the greater picture.”

The person calmly replied, “It is all the same reason. Thus, he is not helping me, and I also am not concerned about him. As for killing him… there will be many more chances in the future.”

Xu Yourong lastly asked, “As for Sir Bie… is there really nothing to be done?”

The person thought for a while, then replied, “If not even that evil disciple can cure him, then nothing can be done.”

……

……

The so-called greater picture naturally concerned how the Human race would continue to exist and thrive on the continent.

Xu Yourong needed to consider this problem, the person in the mirror needed to consider this problem, and Chen Changsheng, as the current Pope, naturally needed to consider this problem as well, even though he believed that he did not have this ability.

There were many things that he did not have the ability to resolve. Even the medical arts that he was most skilled at were so useless at certain moments.

The White Crane flew through the large tree within the Celestial Tree temple and landed in the withered remains of the small courtyard.

Xuanyuan Po’s face was pale, his right arm hanging withered and strengthless at his side. Upon seeing Chen Changsheng, he barely managed to raise a smile.

Chen Changsheng walked up and hugged him, patting his thick back three times. Without saying anything, he entered the room.

Bie Yanghong was leaning on the wall, his eyes closed, his complexion as usual. He looked like he was sleeping.

Chen Changsheng silently walked up to him. Taking the needles from his fingers, he began the treatment.

Everyone said that his Cinnabar Pill could regrow bones and revive the dying, but those were just exaggerated rumors. The Cinnabar Pills and the divine blood contained within could only treat external injuries like blood loss, broken bones, and chest wounds.

Bie Yanghong’s injuries had been inflicted by the two Angels from the Sacred Light Continent. Both his body and soul had suffered injuries that could not be reversed. They were simply impossible to treat.

After some time, Chen Changsheng’s clothes had become completely soaked. Fortunately, after the Tianhai Divine Empress had reconstructed his meridians, he no longer gave off that scent that could make the entire world go mad.

Bie Yanghong slowly opened his eyes, finally awake.

Chen Changsheng saw in the depths of his eyes that dim and gray Qi.

This was an incredibly light strand of Qi, like the new snow falling on the snowy plains, a rain drop falling into a mountain stream.

If not for his formidable spiritual sense, he would never have noticed it.

This Qi was the aura of death.