Chapter 705: The Story of a Blade and a City (Part 2)
(Yesterday I mistakenly wrote the Second Master of the Xue family as the Second Master of the Tang family… My physical and mental strength have indeed reached a certain limit recently. I tried to correct it, but since this is the new author’s section, I’m not very familiar with how to use it, so I’m not sure if the correction was successful. As I said before, my physical and mental strength lately… Alright, I just confirmed, the correction was successful.)
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Wang Po understood.
They wanted to kill Zhou Tong.
The other side wanted to kill him and Chen Changsheng.
The choice of the Tang clan of Wenshui was based on their differing attitudes toward him and Chen Changsheng, leading to a deviation.
But there were still two things he hadn’t figured out.
If the Tang clan were treated as pure merchants, putting profit above all else, then why did the Tang clan want Chen Changsheng dead?
Everyone knew that Chen Changsheng and Tang Tang were close friends. If he could succeed as the Pope, the benefits for the Tang clan would be enormous.
“White Emperor City also opposes Chen Changsheng succeeding as Pope, which is another question many people can’t understand.”
The Second Master of the Tang family said, “That’s because White Emperor City has a better choice. And for my Tang clan, while Chen Changsheng is certainly the best choice, for me personally, he is the worst choice.”
The one who had a good relationship with Chen Changsheng was Tang Tang, not the Wenshui Tang clan, and certainly not him, the Second Master of the Tang family.
Wang Po said, “In that case, why did the Old Master listen to you?”
The Second Master of the Tang family replied, “You know, the Old Master dislikes Her Holiness the Empress the most. What Chen Changsheng did greatly displeased the Old Master.”
Just then, from the wind and snow at the end of the street, a clear sword cry rang out, followed by a flash of sword light.
Chen Changsheng’s figure flickered in and out of view amidst the wind and snow.
A muffled grunt sounded, and the scent of blood pierced through the wind and snow, arriving here.
The battle over there had already begun, yet Wang Po’s iron blade still lay on the table, unmoving.
He withdrew his gaze from afar, letting it fall onto the iron blade buried in snow, and said, “Can’t you even wait ten-odd days?”
The entire continent knew that the Pope’s illness was growing heavier by the day. As autumn turned to winter snow, the season had come, and only the final ten-odd days remained.
Why couldn’t the Great Zhou court, White Emperor City, and the Wenshui Tang clan wait another ten-odd days, even if they wanted to seize the position of Pope?
“His Holiness the Pope is a sage. When he dies, there will surely be thunder accompanying him, and there will surely be arrangements.”
The Second Master of the Tang family said, “What we must do is disrupt his arrangements, using the simplest method to resolve what might later become the most complicated matter.”
Even if His Holiness the Pope returned to the sea of stars, and the whole world knew his arrangements, who would dare oppose his final decree?
Once the State Church united as one, even someone as powerful as Shang Xingzhou or as cunning as the Wenshui Tang clan would find it very difficult to drive Chen Changsheng out of the Li Palace.
Killing Chen Changsheng in advance was certainly infinitely simpler than making a move after he had already taken the seat of the Pope.
At this point, it seemed like the most correct solution, but before this plan emerged, no one would have thought of it.
No one would have imagined that, just before His Holiness the Pope was about to leave this world, Shang Xingzhou, instead of patiently waiting, would insist on making his move… before he left.
“Whose decision was this?” Wang Po asked, looking at the Second Master of the Tang family.
The Second Master of the Tang family smiled and said, “Naturally, it was the decision of His Holiness the Dao. I merely provided my wisdom at the right moment.”
Wang Po looked into his eyes and said, “After all these years, you still enjoy playing these games.”
“That’s right, because this is the only thing I’m good at,” the Second Master of the Tang family said, his smile fading as he spoke calmly.
Many years ago, the current dean of the Heavenly Academy, Zhuang Zhihuan, had met him in Wenshui.
From then until now, Zhuang Zhihuan had always marveled at his talent for cultivation, and even more so at how he would waste such talent.
Only the Old Master of the Tang clan probably understood why he would so casually discard his precious cultivation talent like a worn-out shoe.
Because no matter how high his cultivation talent was, it couldn’t surpass Wang Po’s. No matter how diligently he trained, he could never surpass Wang Po.
Many years ago, he had recognized this with reluctance and utter despair.
So, the once-promising Second Master of the Tang family became a wastrel bullying men and women in Wenshui City, gradually fading into obscurity.
No one knew that he had only given up on the path of cultivation; he had been silently working hard in other areas. He knew clearly that only this way could he have a chance to defeat Wang Po.
For example, wisdom, strategy, cold-hearted scheming, and the judgment and manipulation of human hearts.
“When it comes to fighting, I might never be able to match you in this lifetime.”
“But when it comes to other aspects, you’re not even fit to hold my shoes.”
“I know best what each person cares about, what they want, what insurmountable thresholds to mention, and where the unseen shadows lie.”
“Everyone says your blade path, Wang Po, is straight, that you trade integrity for fame. What you care about most is naturally your reputation.”
“Today, I’ll use the reputation you value to suppress your blade. What can you do about it?”
The Second Master of the Tang family looked at Wang Po and laughed.
Just like usual, he opened his mouth, making no sound.
Every word that had come from his mouth earlier was mockery and ridicule aimed at Wang Po.
Wang Po looked at his face, and that longing, or rather impulse, grew stronger and stronger.
But what could he do?
He was not someone who traded integrity for fame.
But his debt of gratitude was as heavy as a mountain.
This mountain had come crashing down on him. Could he really just slash at it with his blade?
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Madam Mu walked outside the hall and looked up at the sky.
Snow was falling from the sky, coming from the clouds. No matter how others saw it, in her eyes, the snow and clouds were sheep, with white, soft wool.
Wherever her gaze fell, snowflakes scattered, and layers of clouds stirred, like a flock of sheep being herded.
Seeing this scene, Mao Qiuyu’s expression became extremely grave, and his sleeves fluttered without wind.
She withdrew her gaze, looked toward a certain spot beside the hall, revealed a faintly cold smile, and asked, “Was my younger sister punished here by you?”
Besides being the Queen of the Demon race, she also held the identity of the Great Princess of the Great Western Continent. Her younger sister was the former State Church giant—Mu Jiushi.
Back then, Shang Xingzhou wanted to expel Chen Changsheng from the State Church and promote Mu Jiushi as the successor to the Pope. Naturally, this had a great deal to do with her.
Hearing this, Mao Qiuyu’s expression instead calmed down, and he lightly flicked his sleeves.
Wind swept up the snow before the hall, spreading it outward, washing over the shadows between the halls, revealing several figures.
White Stone Daoist.
Linghai King.
An Lin.
Siyuan Daoist.
The five most powerful giants of the State Church had all arrived.
And this was the Li Palace.
Even if she were a sage, she might not be able to dominate unchallenged.
Not to mention that, although His Holiness the Pope was gravely ill, he was still the Pope.
Mao Qiuyu looked at her and asked in a deep voice, “Your Majesty, do you truly wish to make an enemy of my State Church?”
“Disagreeing with Yin is making an enemy of the State Church?” she said calmly. “Can’t Shang represent the State Church?”
Mao Qiuyu, Linghai King, and the others kept their expressions unchanged, but their Dao hearts had turned ice-cold.
They knew that if things were not handled properly today, the State Church would very likely face its greatest internal strife since the Holy Maiden’s departure to the south.
Shang Xingzhou was also an orthodox successor of the State Church, and even the senior brother of His Holiness the Pope. A thousand years ago, he had lived in the Li Palace.
In a sense, after the Pope’s death, he would be the one most capable of representing the State Church.
Madam Mu’s words made this meaning very clear.
The wind and snow in the Li Palace suddenly grew fierce.
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The wind and snow in the imperial palace suddenly became violent.
The west wind swept up scattered snow, beating against the doors beside the hall, rattling loudly.
The door was pushed open, but the wind and snow could not enter, because Shang Xingzhou walked out from inside.
To subdue the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and help His Majesty stabilize the court situation in the shortest time, he had stayed in this room for many days.
Today, he walked out.
He prepared to leave the palace.
He was going to the Li Palace.
More than ten Daoists of profound cultivation walked out from the wind and snow, following behind him.