Ze Tian Ji

Edited by: Michyrr

Snow drifted about the streets, and the waters were covered in sheets of ice.

The capital in the early winter was a lonely and quiet place.

Wang Po and Chen Changsheng walked along the Luo River. The streets were wide and empty. The snow fell without end, as if it had already been falling for ten years.

In the houses on the two sides of the street, behind the walls, in the boats on the Luo River, under the bridges, within the world of shadows, many people were concealed.

These people came from various provinces, princely estates, ministries, and government offices. There were government officers, bailiffs, retainers, family servants, heroes, and the courageous.

However, the icy surface was gradually softened by the winter sun, the naked willow trees began to lightly sway, and yet still no one acted. The two figures walking through the snow were not disturbed in the slightest.

Since the experts of the Imperial Court had never appeared, how could these government officers and bailiffs, retainers and family servants, dare to act first?

As for those heroes and courageous fellows from the provinces and counties, how could they possibly dare act against Wang Po or Chen Changsheng?

The current Assistant Minister of Rites had been assassinated. This was an enormous crime, and the Great Zhou Imperial Court now had sufficient reason to order Wang Po’s arrest. The oath made to the starry sky had also lost its effectiveness.

The Imperial Court also had a reason to demand that Chen Changsheng and the Li Palace give an explanation.

The capital was already under heavy guard.

Outside the alley of the Northern Military Department, the man exuding the cold aura of iron had already opened his eyes.

Even now, the Imperial Court had shown no signs of activity. There was naturally a reason for this.

In front of Baohe Pagoda, the long-ready Imperial Guard had been obstructed by the Orthodoxy cavalry. The two black tides of cavalry seemed ready to clash at any moment.

The front of the City Gate Department was crowded with the teachers and students of the five Ivy Academies. Xu Shiji had an ashen complexion, but it was impossible for him to order his cavalry to charge out.

In the wind and snow, Wang Po and Chen Changsheng continued forward. Occasionally, they would stop and say a few words about the winter willows or the snow-covered banks, just like real tourists.

Where had they gone, what were they doing, what was happening in other places, and why had there still been no one to intercept them?

In the shortest time possible, these reports were collected in that courtyard once filled with crabapple blossoms but which now contained only the bare branches of the tree.

Zhou Tong sat in his palace armchair, the crimson color of his gown darkening in shade until it was truly like blood, his face paling until it was truly like snow.

The entire capital was watching the pair walking along the Luo River.

The entire world knew that this pair wanted to come to this courtyard and kill him.

Logically speaking, even if this pair was Wang Po and Chen Changsheng, it was still impossible to reach the alley of the Northern Military Department.

But the circumstances today were rather strange.

The Li Palace truly seemed ready to go crazy together with Chen Changsheng.

And there were still many people coldly looking on as if watching a play.

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Snowflakes fell between the eaves of the Li Palace, drawing a white pattern on the ground. A woman exuding a noble aura stood at the center of the white pattern, thinking about the first, and also last, snowman she had made in the Imperial Palace of the Great Western Continent. She also thought of the wronged expression her daughter had as she was about to depart. However, her heart did not grow soft because of these thoughts. On the contrary, her tone became much more unyielding.

"Logically speaking, as a foreigner, I should just sit and watch this play from the side, but if trouble truly does occur, it will affect the northern expedition."

The Pope gazed at her and said, "So Madam Mu came to visit me?"

This noble lady had the surname ’Mu’, as she was a princess of the Great Western Continent. Both the Pope and the Tianhai Divine Empress were accustomed to addressing her as Madam Mu.

She had an even more outstanding identity: Empress of the Demi-humans, a true Saint.

So even when facing the supreme holiness of the Pope, she had no intention of yielding.

"Could it be that you hope I will go see Chen Changsheng?"

The Pope suggested, "Perhaps you should go and see Shang."

Madam Mu slightly arched her brows and said, "Right now, it’s him and Wang Po that are going to kill someone."

The Pope replied, "They have to kill someone first."

Madam Mu did not expect to hear this answer. Her voice slightly chilled as she said, "Young people are making trouble, but Your Holiness does not need to interfere?"

"Every person began young, and is Wang Po an ordinary young man? No, and is Chen Changsheng? Also no. He is my successor and your daughter’s teacher." The Pope’s smile gradually faded as he slowly said, "You should be hoping that he will succeed."

Madam Mu suddenly commented, "The demi-humans have never requested anything of Your Holiness."

A streak of light suddenly flashed through the Pope’s aged eyes, somewhat dazzling and sharp.

Madam Mu’s expression did not change. "Your Holiness understands my meaning."

The Pope serenely said, "I know what you are worried about. If I truly did not care about the overarching situation, Zhou Tong would have died three hundred years ago."

This was essentially a promise, but Madam Mu clearly did not deem this sufficient, asking, "Then who sent the Orthodoxy cavalry?"

The Pope sighed and did not answer. Turning around, he walked deeper into the hall.

Mao Qiuyu had at some point appeared. Extending an arm towards Madam Mu with extreme courtesy, he said, "My lady, this way."

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The attitude of the demi-humans and the Great Western Continent were unable to change the Pope’s mind, but just as the Pope had said, he had always put the overarching situation above all else.

As the capital experienced its first snow, the Li Palace assisted Wang Po and Chen Changsheng in resolving many problems, allowing the main streets to remain deserted and spacious for a very long time. However, not a single important figure of the Orthodoxy would directly assist them.

If that were to occur, the Orthodoxy and Imperial Court would truly drop all pretense, and just as Madam Mu was concerned about, affect the future northern expedition against the demons.

Madam Mu was not very content with the situation before her. She did not want Wang Po and Chen Changsheng to succeed through their insane ways, but she also did not want them to die.

The Imperial Court had long since made its preparations. There were certainly countless experts concealed in the alley of the Northern Military Department. Crucially, Tie Shu would assuredly appear.

From every angle, Wang Po’s and Chen Changsheng’s deaths seemed assured.

Many people thought this way.

Thus, when they saw those figures proceeding forward through the drifting snow and deserted street, they seemed to carry an aura of tragedy.

The wind bleakly howled over the chilly Luo River.

Yet Wang Po and Chen Changsheng did not feel this way.

As they walked along the Luo River, they spoke of old matters from ancient books, like Wang Zhice’s feats from the past, and also of the recent changes in the past few years, like the several times boats had crashed into the Bridge of Helplessness in the past year.

As they walked and chatted, they did not seek plum blossoms amongst the snow, did not look about with arrogance. They only raised and dropped their feet, naturally adjusting themselves and gradually melding with the heavens and earth.

Then, they reached the alley of the Northern Military Department.

They did not meet a tide of cavalry, were not welcomed by a violent rain of crossbow bolts.

On the quiet and spacious street, covered in snow, they saw only one person.

This person was covered in a cold aura, with a sharpness concealed beneath his clothes. He was not in the same world as the snow, but seemed to have transcended it.

This was an expert of the Divine Domain.

"Tie Shu. Possesses an extremely profound cultivation. He does not rely on wondrous abilities to win, only on strength. In terms of fighting power, he is ranked in the top three of the Storms of the Eight Directions."

Wang Po said to Chen Changsheng.

Back in Xunyang City, when he and Chen Changsheng joined hands to fight against Zhu Luo, there had not been a chance of victory, not even the smallest.

Today, Tie Shu had appeared on the snowy street, and his strength was on par with Zhu Luo’s, but he was younger, his Qi, blood, and will all at their peak.

Just as Wang Po had said, purely in terms of fighting power, Tie Shu, together with Bie Yanghong and another old monster, was the strongest.

Even if the Elder of Heavenly Secrets were to return to life, he might not be stronger than Tie Shu in this aspect.

Today, the opponent they needed to face was this sort of person.

Tie Shu was not standing on the street, but sitting on a table at the side of the street.

There were several chairs by this table.

"Let’s part ways here."

"Okay."

"I’m going to go sit."

"Okay."

This simple conversation concluded.

Chen Changsheng and Wang Po parted on the street.

Wang Po walked towards the side of the street.

Chen Changsheng walked towards the courtyard at the end of the street.

Wang Po wanted to sit by the table.

He sat so that he could meet.

He wanted to meet with Tie Shu.

Although he was at the top of the Proclamation of Liberation, the unquestionable number one expert of the younger generation, he was still very lacking when compared to this legendary expert.

However, no one dared to say that his loss was assured.

Because he was Wang Po.

His family had been bankrupted and its people killed. He drifted about until he came to Wenshui, and then journeyed to the south. He had spent his entire life resisting the powerful forces of fate.

Whether it was the Great Zhou Imperial Court or an expert like Zhu Luo.

Till today, he still had not truly won a single battle, but neither had he lost.

Wang Po of Tianliang was most skilled at fighting as the weak against the strong.

The courtyard at the end of the street had once bloomed with crabapple blossoms, but all that fell today was snow.

Chen Changsheng walked towards that courtyard, his expression serene, his footsteps steady, his breathing and mind both at ease.

He knew that many assassins, killers, and experts were hidden within that courtyard, along with Lord Zhou Tong, who was at the upper level of Star Condensation.

But he was without fear, because he had come here before.

Although he had been unable to kill Zhou Tong at that time, he would definitely do it today.

He was confident that he would be able to take Zhou Tong’s head from an army of ten thousand.

Because the Dao he cultivated and the sword he learned had always been meant to contend against thousands.

But besides that time where he killed people in that tea house on the journey back south, he had never had a chance to show this to the world.

The Orthodoxy’s Chen Changsheng was most skilled at fighting as one against many.