Chapter 420 – A Friend Coming From the South (1/2)

Chapter 420 A Friend Coming From the South

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Hearing Zhu Luo's words, Chen Changsheng subconsciously turned his head around to Su Li and that assassin called Liu Qing.

Once he left the military fort on the border and had that encounter outside the forest, Chen Changsheng had become acutely aware that the frightening number three assassin in the world was following him and Su Li in the shadows. This fact made him feel very uneasy and placed an enormous psychological pressure on him. There were even times when he felt like he almost couldn't stand it anymore.

Only in the moment when he saw the smiles on Su Li’s and that assassin's face and then saw that assassin's sword like a tree branch breaking through the reflection of the moon in a pool thrust into Zhu Luo's phantasm did he finally realize this assassin's actual purpose. This assassin had followed him and Su Li for so many days without attacking, not out of any terrifying endurance and patience, not because he was seeking an even better opportunity, but because he was protecting Su Li. He had been waiting for the most dangerous moment before he made his appearance!

Liu Qing actually knew the Sword of the Golden Crow! It must be known that the Sword of the Golden Crow was a secret technique created by Su Li. For it to appear now indicated that he and Su Li must necessarily be very close. In this case, what happened tonight in Xunyang City truly had been part of a plan, but it was not a plan concocted by the Great Zhou Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy; rather, it was Su Li's plan, a plan he had developed together with this assassin.

This was what Chen Changsheng was thinking at the moment, and this was identical to what Zhu Luo and all the other spectators in the rain thought as well. But Liu Qing would not admit it, no matter how dazzling his Sword of the Golden Crow had been, even though embers were still drifting about in the drizzle.

He knew this sword technique of Mount Li, but he was not a person of Mount Li.

For some reason, the complete lack of persuasiveness in this reasoning made Chen Changsheng believe it. Zhu Luo naturally did not believe. He had made his own conclusion. It was just that there was currently no time nor any need to seek the truth behind it all.

Zhu Luo moved his gaze to Su Li, his expression cold, the moon-like expression in his eyes seeming almost ready to blaze.

He had come today to Xunyang City precisely to kill this person.

In the past, even as one of the Storms of the Eight Directions, he wouldn't dare claim that it was possible for him to beat Su Li. However, the entire continent knew that Su Li, in order to break through the demons' encirclement, had suffered severe injuries. He had originally thought killing Su Li would be an exceedingly simple affair, not even requiring his personal intervention. But now it seemed that even if he personally appeared, there was still not a guaranteed chance of success.

He had suffered a very devastating wound.

As expected, a person like Su Li was very difficult to kill.

For a similar reason, although he had also been heavily wounded, he was also very difficult to kill. In the pouring rain, Wang Po, Liu Qing, and Chen Changsheng's response could be said to be the most unyielding and the most intelligent, and could even be described as flawless. They had even managed to do the inconceivable and inflict a heavy wound on Zhu Luo, but they still could not kill him or make him admit defeat.

”I truly did calculate a few things incorrectly.” Separated by a fine curtain of rain, Zhu Luo gazed at Su Li and said, ”Everyone thinks of you as confident and casual, playing amongst the world, but in reality, you are proud and aloof, friendless in this world. Moreover, Mount Li is unable to send anyone to rescue you. But I did not imagine that there were actually people willing to help such a cold-blooded person as you.”

These words were naturally speaking of Wang Po, Chen Changsheng and Liu Qing, especially the first two. Whether in temperament or anything else, they were extremely different from Su Li. Their way of conducting themselves and their goodwill to the world were what Su Li ridiculed and despised the most. Yet Chen Changsheng refused to abandon him and Wang Po was willing to journey thousands of li, all so that they could help him. It was as if they wanted to tell Su Li, this lonely star that killed without regard, that this world was not invariably cold, that there were always some people worthy of trusting.

”But you should well understand that they cannot save you.”

Zhu Luo looked at the Yellow Paper Umbrella in Su Li's hands and then continued, ”It's impossible for you to live past today. Your struggles are futile, only delaying.”

Su Li quietly looked back and said nothing, perhaps out of disdain or some other reason.

”You delayed until Wang Po revealed his blade, delayed until that assassin revealed his sword, but so what?”

Zhu Luo gestured around him at the city and distant plains, both black as the night, and said, ”Look at this world. Only a fool, a youth, and a ghost that can't even stand the light stand in front of you, while we are the entire world.”

As he said these words, his feet gradually departed from the puddles of water and his body floated into the air. As his long hair danced behind him, a tyrannical Qi enveloped the entirety of Xunyang City. Blood flowed down from his chest and his mouth, plopping onto the ground ten-odd zhang below.

The drizzle finally ceased and the clouds parted once more, revealing a sky that could be real or unreal. It seemed to possess a moon. Countless sword intents descended like moonlight. Moonlight flowed through the street like water.

On the hard surface of the street appeared innumerable deep crevices, all of them sword slashes.

This was the result of an expert of the Divine Domain displaying the full might of his Qi.

Zhu Luo was resolved to use his most powerful attack.

Wang Po suddenly opened his mouth and said, ”Senior would not even hesitate to pay two hundred years’ worth of life essence?”

Zhu Luo was already severely wounded. If he wanted kill with Su Li with absolute certainty, he would need to pay an even greater price. He looked at Wang Po and said, ”Young master of the Wang clan, didn't you also pay twenty years’ worth of life essence?”

Previously at the inn, Wang Po’s single blade had heavily wounded Xiao Zhang and Liang Wangsun. It must be known that even though Wang Po was at the top of the Proclamation of Liberation, in reality, the three people were very close in strength. In order to go one against two and to cause his opponents to lose the strength to fight in the shortest time possible, he would naturally have to perform an extremely powerful secret technique, even one that could cause harm to himself.

For Wang Po to do this, he had paid a great price.

Back then, Xiao Zhang and Liang Wangsun had both been very shocked.

At this moment when he asked Zhu Luo a question, Zhu Luo had given him this question back in return.

After Wang Po’s eyebrows were washed by the rain, they had grown even duller and droopier. After Wang Po’s clothes had been soaked in the rain, he seemed even more poverty-stricken.

If he were an accountant, then the master that he served would already be bankrupt.

But the words he said were still calm and forceful.

”I am still young, but Senior is already old.”

Time was the fairest and the unfairest.

Age was precisely Wang Po's greatest advantage over Zhu Luo.

Su Li, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly began to roar with laughter. His laughter contained a boundless joy.

And then, he said to Wang Po, ”These old things can only die, not suffer defeat. You don't need to advise him.”

Wang Po understood, as did everyone else on the rainy street. Tonight, if Zhu Luo retreated, then how could he maintain his hallowed position on the continent—how could he remain as one of the Storms of the Eight Directions?

Since he was one of the Eight Storms, he could never lose, only win.

Even if he had to pay two hundred years of his life.

Su Li's laughter echoed through the quiet Xunyang City, filled to the brim with derision for prestige and the continuance of family lines.

Zhu Luo suddenly gazed up at the night sky, a mocking smile on his lips.

Su Li's laughter abruptly ceased.

Zhu Luo said mockingly to him, ”Could it be that you imagined that since we resolved to kill you, only one of these old things would come? You delayed so much that you ultimately delayed yourself into an abyss. Do you regret it?”

The rain over Xunyang City had already stopped and the clouds in the sky had scattered somewhat, but it was still gloomy and the time of day was unknown.

Half of the sky seemed to possess a moon, faintly discernible amongst the clouds.

On the other half of the sky, countless shining stars suddenly appeared.

Chen Changsheng had no idea what was happening. Gazing up at that starry sky, he realized that his Fated Star was not there. He faintly understood those stars were unexpectedly all illusory.

Who had come? Who could cause such a strange phenomenon in the heavens?

Wang Po's expression became abnormally solemn. Liu Qing stood in front of Su Li, his head lowered, blood dripping down his face as he seemed to think about something. From the distant streets came the sounds of private discussions, occasionally punctuated with a cry of surprise. Liang Wangsun and Xue He showed rather strange expressions. Neither of them had thought that such powerful forces would appear tonight.

Hua Jiefu's complexion was a little pale. He thought to himself, what to do now?

A person had come to Xunyang City.

He had not yet appeared, but the sky had become a sea of stars.

A powerful spiritual sense gradually descended, and the pools of water on the street leapt up like they were boiling.

That person was called Guan Xingke. He lived on the coast, or possibly in the Great Western Continent. Every night, he gazed at the stars, something he had done for more than three hundred years now. (TN: Guan Xingke literally translates to 'star gazer'.)

That person was very close to Zhu Luo, so much so that they were called the Unrivaled Star and Moon. Of course, he was also one of the Storms of the Eight Directions.

Xunyang City was completely silent.

Wang Po turned to Chen Changsheng and said, ”You should leave now.”

Chen Changsheng’s hand gripping the dagger was slightly trembling. ”And what about you?”

Wang Po thought it over, then said, ”I would like to try again.”

Fully aware that he couldn't, yet still wanting to do it. Fully aware that he was no match, yet still wanting to fight.

In Wenshui, he had worked as an accountant for the Tang clan for three years, and his brush had not erred once.

Everything that he said, he would always do.

He did not believe that Su Li should die tonight, so he wanted to struggle until the end. But he did not believe that Chen Changsheng needed to stay, because Chen Changsheng was just a youth and he still had much of his youth to squander, to experience.