Chapter 909: Between East and West
Infinite Green swept to the middle of the cliff terrace, steadying Unique Red’s swaying body, her gaze fixed on the blue-robed guest with venomous hatred, as if she wanted to devour him. She shrieked, “So it’s you! My husband and I have never met you, no grudges, no grievances—why did you poison our Xin’er!”
“Your son was fated to die violently. I thought using his death to stir up storms across this continent would be quite interesting, but it’s a pity…”
The blue-robed guest said regretfully, “I didn’t expect the Pope and the Saintess to be so young yet so formidable. If not for that, why would I have shown myself?”
This was true. If Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong hadn’t joined their swords to repel Infinite Green, he truly wouldn’t have needed to act.
By then, either Chen Changsheng would have been defeated by Infinite Green, or Unique Red wouldn’t have believed Qiu Shanjun’s words—either way, Chen Changsheng would have been in grave danger.
“And that Qiu Shanjun.”
The blue-robed guest sighed with emotion, “The Central Continent truly abounds with talented youth. We, far across the sea, are like frogs at the bottom of a well.”
Wang Po said, “I advised you a few days ago outside Hanqiu City. Though I don’t know your identity, please don’t interfere in the continent’s affairs.”
Unique Red stared at the blue-robed guest and suddenly said, “If I’m not mistaken, you must be Mu.”
Compared to Wang Po, he had spent more years in the Divine Domain and still remembered some ancient tales.
At these words, Infinite Green and the three grand elders of Nanxi Zhai, including Huai Ren, changed expressions drastically, looking greatly shocked.
The old matriarch of the Muzhe family had spoken little all day, especially after Unique Red and Infinite Green appeared, remaining silent for a long time. Now she suddenly rose, leaning on her cane, and harshly scolded the blue-robed guest, “You Westerners have come to stir up trouble again!”
The blue-robed guest was Mu!
Mu was the royal surname of the Great Western Continent.
Using a single character as a name was the most honored tradition from the ancient era of the human world, and remnants of this custom still remained.
For example, Yin, Shang, Tianhai.
The blue-robed guest’s single name was Mu, making him the most remarkable figure among the Great Western Continent’s royalty.
By seniority, he should now be the Imperial Uncle of the Great Western Continent, a generation above the Empress Dowager in White Emperor City.
It was said that this man’s cultivation was unfathomably deep, his strength immense, and his temperament proud and cold.
Rumor had it that the Great Western Continent’s eldest princess was forced to leave her homeland and cross the sea to become the current Demon Empress, Lady Mu, precisely because this Imperial Uncle believed her talent was too astonishing, her aura and brilliance too powerful, threatening the position of the royal heir, and he compelled her to leave.
Now, that rumor might not be true.
The breath of the Frost Dragon was indeed impossible to forge—at least, it had never appeared before. But the Demon race’s founding of their nation was closely tied to the Frost Dragon clan. If Lady Mu had found some secret method in White Emperor City, it wasn’t so hard to believe.
Unique Red looked at the blue-robed guest and said, “That young woman in the painting must be Mu Jiushi?”
The blue-robed guest said, “Bai Yexing and I have a terrible relationship, but he’s always doted on this sister-in-law. Do you dare go to White Emperor City to find her?”
Unique Red said, “Never mind White Emperor City—even if she hides in the abyss behind Snow Old City, I will kill her.”
The blue-robed guest said, “Then I’ll go ahead and wait for you there.”
With that, he looked toward some place in the west.
There, mist rose, sea rain and wind swirled, but it was beyond sight, invisible.
With a crackling sound, copper flakes stained with golden blood peeled off and fell at his feet like golden leaves.
Until the very end, no one saw the face of this strongest figure from the Great Western Continent’s royalty.
Within countless golden rays, faint traces of agedness could be glimpsed.
The light grew brighter, then vanished abruptly.
That man was gone from the world.
Only the copper flakes on the ground remained, evidence that something had happened here.
……
……
This was a long winter.
Because too many things had happened, the passage of time felt especially slow.
In truth, from the moment the three grand elders of Nanxi Zhai proposed merging the sect, to Chen Changsheng’s firm opposition, to Infinite Green’s venomous voice, to now—it hadn’t been long at all.
In that brief span, the three breaths after the blue-robed guest struck were the most critical.
The blue-robed guest acted based on his judgment of the cliff terrace’s situation. If Wang Po hadn’t appeared, he would never have struck. Wang Po’s iron blade appeared because the White Tiger Divine General launched a sneak attack on Chen Changsheng. Even he thought Chen Changsheng wouldn’t withstand such an attack from a powerhouse of that level.
The blue-robed guest didn’t think so. He believed that as the Pope, Chen Changsheng must have countless life-saving methods, so he prepared to strike amid the chaos. Wang Po’s blade had already appeared—who could stop him? He hadn’t expected that while he was waiting for Wang Po’s iron blade, someone else had been waiting for him to appear.
And that someone was the last person he would have anticipated—Unique Red.
That was the story of those three breaths.
Looking back, this story began with the White Tiger Divine General’s spear thrust.
If the White Tiger Divine General hadn’t tried to kill Chen Changsheng, none of these subsequent scenes might have occurred.
So where would this story end? Would it end like this?
No.
This earth-shattering battle among Divine Domain powerhouses was over.
The blue-robed guest was dead.
But Chen Changsheng was still alive.
The White Tiger Divine General withdrew his iron spear, glanced at Chen Changsheng, and turned to walk back.
The look he gave Chen Changsheng was utterly indifferent, but its meaning was clear.
—Your Majesty, your luck is truly remarkable.
Chen Changsheng watched his retreating figure, his expression calm, but he didn’t lower his sword.
The sword intent began faint and ethereal, then condensed, shifting from plain to sharp, until it was chilling.
The wild grass around stirred in response, rising without wind and pointing toward the sky.
The White Tiger Divine General naturally sensed this sword intent.
Its meaning was equally clear.
—General, do you think you can just walk away like this?
The White Tiger Divine General didn’t stop, unconcerned, a mocking smile curling at his lips.
Your Holiness, I did just try to kill you, but so what?
Your cultivation is inferior to mine, your combat strength is inferior, you’re gravely wounded—even if you’re carrying countless treasures and artifacts, can you kill me?
Of course, that iron blade could kill me, though Wang Po is also severely injured. But do you think the Prince would stand by and watch? As for later… I can return to the capital to become Minister of War. Your Holiness, dare you return to the capital? Or I can go back to White Tiger Pass, with tens of thousands of soldiers and countless experts and formation masters. What can you do to me?
These were his inner thoughts, naturally unheard by anyone.
But both his indifferent, proud demeanor and Chen Changsheng’s sword, which refused to lower, already spoke volumes.
Several Daoists from Changchun Temple drifted out from the imperial envoy group, arriving at the center of the cliff terrace to provide support.
Their blue robes fluttered, blocking the line between Chen Changsheng’s gaze and the White Tiger Divine General’s retreating back.
Suddenly, green leaves fell.
Those leaves were a shade lighter than the Daoists’ blue robes, making them seem more delicate.
They were leaves from a parasol tree.
Hundreds of feet away, Xu Yourong held her bow with both hands. There was no arrow on the string, but the Parasol Arrow had already been loosed.
It was those green leaves.