Ze Tian Ji

Edited by: Nora

Even without a path out, he still needed to forcefully leave. He was nailed down by a question, so he still needed to answer it. He looked at Chen Changsheng’s eyes which were full of curiosity and said with an ugly expression, “White Emperor City... I will go there one day. How can the Mount Li Style always be left with the Demi-human race? Except who would have thought that Bai Xingye guy would be so shameless, actually getting a wife!”

Chen Changsheng thought, just what did marrying and getting a wife have to do with anything? Only afterwards did he understand what Su Li meant.

Su Li sneered, “I am not afraid of Bai Xingye. When I say I can win, I can win. But the problem is that after he married, the fight becomes two-on-one. Even if you ignored the other factors, it’s still too unfair.”

Chen Changsheng thought that if Senior needed to fight two Saints, then even Senior would feel helpless.

Su Li glanced at him and opened his mouth to counterattack, “What has this got to do with swords? Do you have anything else you want to say?”

In the morning, Chen Changsheng used the Mountain Sea Sword and several other famous swords. He naturally could not hide this from Su Li’s eyes. He said nothing for a while, and he narrated the important matters, and only excluded a few details, such as the ten Heavenly Tome Monoliths, the Golden-winged Great Peng and... that white-clothed girl from the Elf race.

“You actually hid so many things from me,” Su Li said with a low voice.

Chen Changsheng smiled embarrassingly, and said, “Senior, everyone must have their own secrets.”

Su Li laughed at him, “Only when you are able to keep the secrets in your throat can they be called secrets. But are you a person who lies?”

Chen Changsheng thought that although he was not good at lying, he still hid many secrets no one knew, not even Senior. For some reason, he actually became a little complacent.

Su Li suddenly began speaking without any prior signs, “In the journey from today onwards, I can only rely on you, little guy, so I changed my mind. I have decided to teach you a few moves. Don’t mistake this for a continuation of the conversation in the snowy mountains. I obviously support Qiushan. I’m only thinking about my safety.”

Only now could Chen Changsheng confirm that after blocking Xue He’s blade in the morning, Senior really did not have the capability to battle anymore. Listening to his explanation, he did not feel it was interesting, and only felt sad. The burden on his shoulders had become a lot heavier—he did not want to see this unrestrained Senior who dared to swear at the world become so careful, so he wanted to liven up the conversation slightly.

“Senior is willing to teach me sword moves because he cares for talent.”

He looked at Su Li and said seriously, “Because in the battle in the morning, I demonstrated that I have the qualifications to learn.”

Su Li stared blankly and then laughed aloud, “You being narcissistic really has some of my style.”

Chen Changsheng thought, this was all caused by Tang Thirty-Six. With just a single thought, he was no longer unable to suppress his thoughts of the capital and the people in the capital. Weirdly enough, after leaving Xining Village, although he would always remember his master and Senior Yu Ren, but he would think of them very little. Instead, just spending a few months in the capital left him with a lot of thoughts about the capital, thinking about it at least once everyday.

The great banyan tree in the Orthodox Academy, Luoluo who stood beside him in the tree, Tang Tang under the tree who would swear at the sunset without stop every day, Xuanyuan Po who cooked in the kitchen opposite of the lake, Guardian Jin in the faraway room, Archbishop Mei who always slept—were they all well? And that lady... lady, lady, Lady Chujian—was she safe?

Chen Changsheng changed his thoughts like an arrow. He thought that he needed to return, to return alive, to quickly return... He stood up and seriously bowed to Su Li. He said earnestly, “Senior, please teach me sword moves.”

Su Li looked at him and said, “What sword styles do you know?”

Chen Changsheng stood up and looked at the lake and mountains that slowly grew dark, as well as the stars that gradually appeared above. He cleared his throat and said, “I know Storms of Mount Zhong Lifts the Earth, Eight Hundred Metal Swords Traverse the Great River, the Orthodox Academy’s Mountain Toppling Staff, the Unequaled True Sword of the Orthodoxy, Thirteen Branches of Poplar and Willow, and the Frost Condensation of the Snow Mountain Sect. I also know the Sword of Hithering Light from the Heavenly Dao Academy, the Righteous Intent Sword from the Temple Seminary, the Army Breaking Sword from the Star Seizer Academy, the Three Forms of Wenshui from the Wenshui Tangs with the Tang Clan Sword, Many Flowers Like Embroidery, Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff, the Mount Li Sword Style, the Welcoming Sword, the Mountain Reversing Sword, the Burning Heaven Sword of Mount Li, Playing Thrice in the Plum Blossom, White Crane from the West, Great Suspense of the Book and Ink from the South Stream Temple...”

The lake shore was very quiet, with only the clear voice of a teenager constantly sounding. The names of countless different sword techniques floated above the water in the night wind, and nobody knew when the voice would stop.

Only when the stars had covered up the entire night sky was someone finally unable to withstand it any longer.

“Stop!” Su Li looked at him and said, “Are you speed-reciting?”

Chen Changsheng was completely confused and asked, “Senior, what is speed-reciting?”

“The performers in Lin’an City like to crosstalk, and speed-reciting is one of the basic abilities that they practice. One of it is like this: The dishes that I make are roast deer tails, roast bear paws... jade. Why am I telling you this.” Su Li was rather helpless and waved his hand, “Anyway, saying up to there is enough.”

What was enough? He had heard enough, and Chen Changsheng also knew enough sword styles.

Chen Changsheng was very obedient and did not continue. He only slightly felt that he did not express everything.

“You youngster... know quite a lot of sword styles.” Su Li said while looking at him. However, there was not just astonishment on his face, and it was a very complicated expression.

Chen Changsheng said honestly, “I’ve just forcefully memorized them, and am unable to reach mastery. I can’t say I’ve truly grasped these sword styles.”

“No kidding! If you wanted to grasp the true meaning of so many styles, you would need to start practicing six hundred years before you were born.” Su Li looked at him with no expression, “Also, this is not needed. Only an idiot would try to learn so many styles.”

Chen Changsheng always felt that what Su Li said was scolding at him.

Su Li continued, “However, this at least means that your insight on the path of the sword is broad enough. Then, you should understand what I say today, so don’t think I’m scolding you.”

Chen Changsheng still felt that what Su Li said was scolding at him.

Su Li began teaching without any pause or sign, “All of the experts in the world know that Xue He is not as great as Wang Po. In the morning today, he asked me about it, and you also heard it by the side. He uses seven blades, so then why can’t he win against Wang Po’s single blade? This has nothing to do with biting off more than he could chew, and also has nothing to do with being distracted. It is the related to the essence of the sword.”

Chen Changsheng asked, “What is the essence of the sword?”

Su Li pulled out the Heaven Shrouding Sword from the Yellow Paper Umbrella and placed it across his knees. He pointed at it and said, “What word is it like?”

This was the first time Chen Changsheng had observed the famous sword up close, even though it had actually followed him for a very long time. When he was looking at it carefully, he heard the question, and without even thinking, he said, “Like the word ‘one (一)’.”

Su Li said solemnly, “Correct, the spirit of the path of the sword is about ‘one (一)’.”

Chen Changsheng stayed silent for a little before saying, “But... Senior, didn’t you say that the spirit of the path of the sword was about the sword the other day?”

Su Li said angrily, “Can we still talk properly?”