Chapter 1107 – A Broken Tree (2/2)
These five pearls had originally been five of the Heavenly Tome Monoliths in the Garden of Zhou, a portion of Zhou Dufu's great array.
A moment ago, a ripple had come from these five stone pearls, allowing her to get a rough understanding of the situation in the Garden of Zhou.
She knew that Chen Changsheng was facing a choice.
She also knew how Chen Changsheng would choose.
She knew before he had even made the choice.
To Chen Changsheng, this choice was simply not as difficult as Wang Zhice said it would be.
Because she understood Chen Changsheng.
Yuren also understood Chen Changsheng.
So he also knew how Chen Changsheng would choose.
And that meant that Chen Changsheng had lost.
……
……
Every street and residence in the capital heard that massive explosion.
Furious waves of Qi exploded over the lake, jolting up snow, yellowed grass, and mud, crackling against the walls and trees.
The lake waters roiled and shook, rolling up snow as they flew into the air and rumbled back down.
The entire Orthodox Academy was enveloped in a sudden downpour.
Two figures appeared in the rain:
Chen Changsheng and Shang Xingzhou.
The sky brightened for an instant, like a bolt of lightning had streaked across it.
In that flash of light in the dark rain, one could vaguely see Shang Xingzhou's hand fall on Chen Changsheng's stomach.
Chen Changsheng flew like a stone, crashing through ten-some thick trees to fall deep in the forest.
The great trees snapped, creaking to the ground and sending shocks through the earth.
Tang Thirty-Six took up the Wenshui Sword and prepared to charge forward, his left hand clenching a magical artifact in his sleeve.
There was a light pop.
Wang Zhice's finger struck his brow.
Tang Thirty-Six found it impossible to move.
Two golden flames suddenly appeared in the Hundred Herb Garden.
Xu Yourong vanished from her spot.
Without turning his head, Wang Zhice pointed his finger behind him.
Behind him was the academy wall.
An opening several zhang wide appeared in the wall.
The bricks and remnants of the wooden door lay quietly on the ground.
A light breeze lingered there, gentle and warm, yet unable to pass through.
A white feather drifted down from the void.
Xu Yourong appeared.
Wang Zhice suddenly sensed something and turned around.
His eyes were not focused on Xu Yourong, but behind her.
The Hundred Herb Garden was just as serene as it had been for the last several hundred years.
A walking stick quietly rested on the edge of the stone table.
……
……
The great tree lay broken, flakes of bark spreading everywhere like petals.
Chen Changsheng sat against the broken tree, coughing.
Shang Xingzhou asked, ”Do you still insist that choices have meaning?”
Chen Changsheng replied, ”Yes, because how we choose determines who we are.”
Shang Xingzhou was speechless.
Chen Changsheng was right.
If it had been the Xu Yourong or Tang Thirty-Six in the Garden of Zhou, he would not have given them a chance to choose.
He wanted Chen Changsheng to choose precisely because he wanted to know how Chen Changsheng would choose.
It was precisely for this reason that Chen Changsheng was Chen Changsheng.
Thus, choices had meaning.
But the current battle was already meaningless.
Chen Changsheng could still stand, but his loss was already decided.
By choosing to leave the Garden of Zhou, he had abandoned any hope of winning.
Shang Xingzhou had a rather wooden expression as he said, ”Just concede.”
Chen Changsheng's tone was very natural as he said, ”No.”
Shang Xingzhou was quiet for a while, and then his right gripped the hilt of a sword.
Not the Stainless Sword, but his own sword.
As Chen Changsheng prepared to rise, his right hand fell on the broken tree.
Suddenly, his hand hit something solid and hard.