Ze Tian Ji

Edited by: Michyrr

Chen Changsheng collapsed.

His eyes were tightly shut and he was already unconscious. He collapsed with decisiveness, like a tree on a hilltop blown over by the wind, like a mountain being shaken apart, like the undermining of the earth.

Guan Bai was already in front of him, his sword also there. Seeing Chen Changsheng collapse, his face revealed shock and confusion, yet it was already impossible for him to halt the sword in his hands. This sword represented the will of the Heavenly Dao. Even though the sword was in his hands, he was no longer its master.

Just what had occurred? Why had Chen Changsheng suddenly collapsed?

These questions had just appeared in the minds of the crowd, so no one had time to prevent the coming tragic consequence. Because no one could have imagined that the moment after he broke into Star Condensation and shocked the entire crowd, he would fall into such a strange situation.

Gou Hanshi believed that even if Chen Changsheng was not Guan Bai’s match, he would at least be able to receive one attack. This was because he understood Chen Changsheng. If he did not have enough confidence, he would not have taken that first step.

Zhexiu and Tang Thirty-Six were even more confident in Chen Changsheng. They even groundlessly believed that Chen Changsheng would be able to defeat Guan Bai’s Heavenly Dao Sword despite the fact that no one was optimistic about his chances.

Mao Qiuyu had the greatest understanding of the Heavenly Dao Sword and knew that the user would not be able to call it back once it was unleashed. He was sure that Chen Changsheng would lose, but how could he have expected that Chen Changsheng would not be able to raise his sword or even move?

This thought hadn’t even occurred to them, so who would have the ability to so quickly respond in such a short time?

Only the Elder of Heavenly Secrets could change all this. He knew beforehand that Chen Changsheng’s body had a hidden illness. Although he was not sure when this hidden illness would break out, he knew that it was somehow related to cultivation. From the moment Chen Changsheng broke into Star Condensation, his brow had been constantly creased as he placed his focus on the platform. Moreover, as an expert of the Divine Domain, he had enough ability to display a powerful enough technique in this small sliver of time. And yet...his incomparably elderly and wrinkled hand still rested on the handrest, faintly trembling, veins barely visible. He still remained on the high platform with no intention of acting.

Could it be that just after Chen Changsheng broke into Star Condensation and should be in high spirits and receiving the cheers of the crowd, he would just inexplicably die like this under the Heavenly Dao Sword?

The crowd was stunned, their confused emotions finally transforming into real sounds that left their mouths. Just as cries of surprise began to emerge from the crowd, they were instantly suppressed by the howling wind.

A pair of pure white wings pressed against the air with nigh unimaginable speed, stirring up a violent gale.

The layers of curtains on the high platform were instantly torn into countless pieces as a stream of light shot out. The speed of that figure was far too frightening and only a scant few people present could faintly make out two lines of pure white, but nobody could clearly make out those two pure white wings using their unimaginable speed to beat against the air, stirring a violent gale and bringing that figure howling forward!

That stream of light arrived in front of Chen Changsheng.

The Heavenly Dao Sword descended.

A light burst forth like a firework, containing within it countless masterly sword intents, countless exquisite sword styles, but only one extremely unyielding and divine will.

The Sword of Great Light!

Boom!

The waters of the Heaven Lake were jolted off its surface like a waterfall flowing in reverse. The stone platform fiercely trembled as if an earthquake was occurring. Pieces of gravel flew madly about, pervading the entire scene and causing the sun to grow extremely dim.

The dust eventually settled, revealing the scene.

Guan Bai’s left lapel now bore an extremely fine cut, but there was no blood. Holding his sword and with a perplexed expression, with no idea what was going on, he looked forward in a daze.

His gaze fell on the ground. A massive hole had appeared on the stone platform.

This hole was much deeper than the depression Chen Changsheng had caused when he was condensing his star, and it was filled with gravel.

Xu Yourong stood at the bottom of this hole, her hand holding the temple sword and her face pale.

Splash! She vomited blood.

The moment the blood fell on the floor, it instantly began to blaze.

Golden-red flames effortlessly melted the gravel on the floor.

This was the true blood of the Heavenly Phoenix. Even though she possessed the blood of the true Phoenix and astonishing talent, receiving Guan Bai’s Heavenly Dao Sword in her unprepared state had still severely wounded her.

But in the end, when nobody else was in time to respond, she had managed to hurry in front of Chen Changsheng and receive the sword, forcibly shaking the will of the so-called Heavenly Dao.

She did not let Guan Bai’s sword fall on Chen Changsheng’s body, not even the smallest strand of sword intent.

The extremely precious temple sword of South Stream Temple, holding deep significance for Holy Maiden Peak, was cast aside by her without hesitation, because she required her hands to be empty.

She hugged the unconscious Chen Changsheng to her chest.

Her snow-white wings slowly descended, softly wrapping him and her within.

Just like in the Garden of Zhou on that isle of reeds.

At this scene, the lake shore was silent, the crowd utterly dumbfounded.

No one had expected that the first person present to respond, not caring for any dangers to life and willing to suffer heavy injuries to protect Chen Changsheng, would be her.

In their view, she was the least likely person to appear.

Countless gazes fell on Xu Yourong’s body, but she cared not.

Just like she did not care about the temple sword thrown amongst the gravel.

She only gazed at Chen Changsheng in her bosom, her face pale, panicked and concerned.

At this moment, she was beautiful, sorrowful, helpless, frail.

No one had ever seen her this way before, not the people of the Mount Li Sword Sect, not the Elder of Heavenly Secrets, and probably not even the Holy Maiden and the Tianhai Divine Empress.

Just what was going on with all of this?

......

......

Zhexiu charged over, but several dozen sword intents rose up in front of him and blocked his path.

The house was in front of him, but he could not get one step closer. The female disciples of South Stream Temple had laid out a sword array in front of the house.

The cultivators attending the Boiling Stone Summit had not been able to bring many teachers and companions. The Orthodoxy and the Holy Maiden Peak had brought the most, a consequence of their status.

A hundred or so disciples from South Stream Temple had escorted Xu Yourong to Mount Han, and now they were standing guard around the house. The sword array of South Stream Temple was extremely famous. In the past, when Zhou Dufu invaded Holy Maiden Peak, it had taken him quite some effort to break through, so no matter how valiant Zhexiu was, it was simply impossible for him to break through.

Zhexiu was expressionless, but in reality, he was extremely concerned about Chen Changsheng’s current situation. Upon being forced back by South Stream Temple’s sword array and his shoulder gaining a new wound, not only did he not give up on his intention, his viciousness only intensified. A patch of blood appeared in the depths of his pupils and sharp claws emerged from the tips of his fingers. He was preparing to metamorphose, taking out his abilities on the brink of life and death to fight.

But before he could act, he was blocked by another person. It was Tang Thirty-Six, who shook his head as he looked at him.

At the very front of the South Stream Temple sword array, a female disciple stared at the crowd outside the house and said in a weighty voice, "The Holy Maiden has spoken. Anyone that dares to step into this house will be killed without question!"

Yes, not only were Tang Thirty-Six and Zhexiu barred from the building, even powerful figures of the Orthodoxy like Mao Qiuyu and Linghai Zhiwang were barred from entering.

Besides the unconscious Chen Changsheng, the only people in that house were Xu Yourong and the Elder of Heavenly Secrets.