Ze Tian Ji

Edited by: Michyrr

Zhexiu appeared much worse off than Chen Changsheng had imagined. His body that was as hard as metal was covered in wounds and caked in dust.

Chen Changsheng took a handkerchief from his sleeve and passed it over as he curiously asked, "How did you make it through?"

Zhexiu expressionlessly said, "Not countering if struck, not retorting if taunted, only walking forward."

Chen Changsheng wondered, "This way is also fine?"

Zhexiu replied, "Perhaps he might have just killed me."

Chen Changsheng commented, "...This doesn’t match up with your personality."

Zhexiu answered, "It can change."

As a child, he had been regarded as a devil and exiled from his tribe. He struggled between life and death, fighting for survival.

Zhexiu had never been somebody that cared about the gazes of others, much less what the word ’normal’ meant. He had a most cold and frigid personality.

But for certain reasons, he was willing to change himself, even if this ran counter to his nature and his strongest habits.

For example, he took the handkerchief from Chen Changsheng and diligently wiped the dirt off his face.

After a while, he earnestly asked Chen Changsheng, "Is it clean now?"

Chen Changsheng looked for a while, then said, "It’s good enough."

Zhexiu glanced at his clothes, which had been shredded by sword intent, and requested, "I know that you keep a lot of clothes with you. Lend me a set."

"I made a few sets of clothes when I had nothing else to do. In a little while, you can see if any of them fit you."

Qi Jian’s voice came from behind Chen Changsheng.

Her voice was very soft and was trembling somewhat.

Chen Changsheng moved aside.

Upon seeing this girl dressed in green, Zhexiu froze.

Qi Jian nervously looked at him.

Silence.

It had been many years since they last met.

It was somewhat unfamiliar.

It was somewhat uncomfortable.

He was still the same.

She was now a lady.

......

......

Qi Jian raised her skirt and bowed.

As Su Li’s daughter and the Sect Master’s last disciple, she was Mount Li’s Junior Sister, possessing the most unique of identities.

She rarely bowed to others, so her actions were somewhat clumsy.

Zhexiu clasped his hands and bowed back. His actions were even more awkward, as he had never bowed to anyone before.

The mood was somewhat stiff.

The two silently gazed at each other, neither knowing how to start.

"I don’t have much time," Zhexiu suddenly said.

Qi Jian knew that his illness was in the midst of worsening, but upon hearing his words, she thought his attitude was still the same as always, so she couldn’t help but be a little angry.

But Zhexiu added, "So I want to cherish my time a little more."

Startled, Qi Jian asked, "What do you want to do?"

Zhexiu firmly said, "I want to hug you."

Qi Jian blushed, not knowing how to respond.

Zhexiu somewhat clumsily spread his arms wide.

Qi Jian almost wanted to cry as she said, "I want you to carry me."

Zhexiu turned around and squatted down in front of her.

Qi Jian leaned on his back, tightly hugged his neck, and then began to cry.

"Don’t cry," Zhexiu said in concern.

Feeling aggrieved, Qi Jian replied, "I want to cry."

Zhexiu thought about what to do, then asked, "Where do you live?"

Qi Jian nervously asked, "What do you want to do?"

Zhexiu answered, "Didn’t you say that you had made me some new sets of clothes?"

Leaning on his back, Qi Jian lightly snorted and said, "Who said that those clothes were for you?"

Zhexiu laughed, saying nothing.

Qi Jian whispered, "South, at the Zhen Star, four li1."

Zhexiu froze, then slowly closed his eyes.

He carried her as he ran in that direction.

There was a large plain of grass in that direction. Beneath the sunlight, it appeared like a field of wheat, rustling with golden waves.

It looked just like the plains in the Garden of Zhou.

......

......

After retreating, Chen Changsheng endeavored to keep as quiet as possible so as to not disturb the pair.

Soon after, he realized that he was overthinking it, as Zhexiu and Qi Jian clearly only had eyes for each other, oblivious to any bystanders.

Or else how could Zhexiu, famed for his vigilance, not hear the many footsteps and voices?

Qiushan Jun, Tang Thirty-Six, and the other disciples walked out of the path and to Chen Changsheng’s side.

Just like Qi Jian said, there were many methods to pass through the path, and the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect naturally had ways to calm those sword intents.

They had arrived just when Zhexiu was clumsily opening his arms with the intent of hugging Qi Jian.

Tang Thirty-Six gave a hearty laugh. "Just when did this fellow want to pretend to be Xuanyuan Po?"

Qiushan Jun arched his brows.

Gou Hanshi shook his head.

Guan Feibai’s face turned into a sheet of ice.

Liang Banhu silently creased his brow.

Bai Cai almost cursed.

Their beloved junior sister was suddenly about to be embraced in the bosom of another man. Anyone who saw this sight would assuredly be in a terrible mood.

Even if they were gentle, noble Gou Hanshi or the lofty and far-sighted Qiushan Jun.

Zhexiu carried Qi Jian off into the verdant valley.

Guan Feibai and the rest appeared slightly appeased.

Chen Changsheng walked over to Qiushan Jun and said, "Thank you."

Qiushan Jun pointed down to the valley and said, "If it’s about this matter, then there’s no need."

There were naturally people who sympathized and pitied their junior sister, and he was one of them, but it was also a falsehood to say that he sincerely wanted these lovers to become husband and wife.

So he said that there was no need.

However, Chen Changsheng was not referring to this matter.

"I heard that before Senior Su Li left, he left you a letter, but you didn’t accept it."

Chen Changsheng continued, "When I was passing through the path, I understood the meaning of this action."

Qiushan Jun replied, "I didn’t have any deeper meaning behind my actions. I just didn’t like Martial Granduncle’s conduct back then, so I refused it out of anger."

Chen Changsheng fell quiet for a few moments, then agreed, "Senior’s conduct truly was rather irresponsible. I also don’t approve."

"Everyone says that I’m very similar to Senior Su Li. Presumably, if I met him, I would find him rather likable."

Tang Thirty-Six regretfully said, "Alas, we were not fated to meet, or else Senior would definitely have passed on something nice to me."

Guan Feibai sneered, "Why don’t you go look in a mirror?"

Tang Thirty-Six arched his brows and shot back, "I look at myself in the mirror when I wake up every morning. It’s quite the spirited and handsome face. Are you saying that your martial granduncle is very ugly?"

In witty remarks, all the disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect added together were not his match.

Gou Hanshi ordered Guan Feibai to stop and said to Chen Changsheng, "Your Holiness the Pope used the sword to break through the path. According to the rules, Your Holiness can now be considered a part of my Mount Li."

A normal cultivator would have been more than willing to be considered a disciple of the mighty Mount Li Sword Sect.

But Chen Changsheng was not a normal person and his status was even more revered. Not even the status of the Mount Li Sword Sect Master could compare.

Gou Hanshi was just informing him with no other meaning. In his view, Chen Changsheng naturally would not accept.

This truly was the case. Although Chen Changsheng had no conflict with the Mount Li Sword Sect and had developed deep relationships with them over the last few years, even having a rather congenial relationship with Gou Hanshi, he was still the Pope. He could not possibly enter the Mount Li Sword Sect, as what would the priests of the Li Palace do then?

Chen Changsheng answered, "We’ve always walked the same path, so we naturally belong to the same sect as well."

Gou Hanshi praised, "There’s truth to these words."

At this moment, Qi Jian’s happy laughter came from the plains on the perimeter of the valley.

As they watched that clear trail of dust rising from the plains and those two figures at the front of it, everyone felt rather emotional.

Chen Changsheng and Qiushan Jun shook their heads and said at the same time, "I really don’t know just what that fellow was really thinking."

At these words, everyone fell quiet.

Everyone knew that the fellow they were speaking of was Su Li, but this silence was not because of the disrespect in their words.

Gou Hanshi looked at Chen Changsheng and Qiushan Jun in surprise. "The two of you share quite the tacit understanding."

Everyone else was staring at them.

Chen Changsheng and Qiushan Jun glanced at each other. Then, with a tacit understanding, they turned around and stopped talking.

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1. You can find these same directions in Chapter 265.