252 The Green Smoke Gives Warning

On the journey to the Garden of Zhou, Zhuang Huanyu had stayed in hiscarriage, seldom showing his face. Perhaps, he had been purposely avoiding ChenChangsheng. Chen Changsheng cared little for what Zhuang Huanyu did, to theextent that he did not even know that Zhuang Huanyu had left the Mausoleum ofBooks, came to Hanqiu City, and entered the Garden of Zhou. However, ChenChangsheng knew very well why Zhuang Huanyu had chosen to appear, and why hehad come to him. He was the Principal of the Orthodox Academy. Whether it was because of theposition of the Li Palace or the words of the archbishop said before theyentered the garden, all the cultivators of the northern sects looked to him forleadership. Of course, in handling matters, he had to be fair. The problem was,at this very moment, what would be considered fair? He took a step forward, only to be blocked by Zhexiu. A hint of scorn appeared in Zhuang Huanyu's eyes. Zhexiu's face remained as impassive as ever. He slowly said, "You don't needto handle this sort of thing." Zhexiu did not mean that Chen Changsheng could not handle the matter, butrather that there were people who could handle it for him. The chilling sword intent that had come from the distant forest did not belongto Zhuang Huanyu, but another person. The master and disciple from the Clear Void Monastery were very clear on thispoint, which is why they had so urgently taken their leave. Just at this moment, the chilling sword intent arrived at the riverbank. Ittore through the trees on the shore and tyrannically slashed at the body ofthat master from the Clear Void Monastery. The master's expression abruptly changed. With a shout, he wielded his swordwith both hands to block the intent. There was a sharp sound of clashing. Waves broke out on the riverbank as the water was thrown into chaos, evenrevealing the pebbles on the riverbed. Only then was everyone able to clearly make out the sword that had flown outof the woods. The progress of that sword had seemingly been halted by the sword of themaster from Clear Void Monastery, but it suddenly began to exude a greatbrilliance, like it was about to grow even mightier and sunder the entireriverbank. With a massive explosion, the water flowing in the river was all sent flyingabout. Countless pebbles rolled about in chaos, and the riverbank was even moreinundated in dust and smoke. With a groan, the Clear Void Monastery master's stomach was pushed down likeit had been struck. His knees bent and then like a broken kite, he began flyingtowards the river, his two feet leaving a clear trail in the riverbank. After being pushed more than a dozen yards, his progress finally came to ahalt. His face was extremely pale and his stomach now bore the extremely clearmark of a sword slash, one corner of it bleeding blood. The river water that had been shocked into the air fell down at this moment,drenching the master from the Clear Void Monastery, making him cut a rathersorry figure. The young daoist hurriedly ran over to the other side of the river. “A truly tyrannical 'Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff'.” As he viewed this scene, Chen Changsheng silently thought to himself, back atthe Ivy Festival, Qi Jian had used this Mount Li sword technique against TangThirty-Six. However, back then Qi Jian was not yet at Ethereal Opening. The'Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff' then and the one now were two completelydifferent things. He and Zhexiu both turned to the forest and they saw Liang Xiaoxiao and QiJian emerge. “Where do you think you're going?" Although the river had begun to flow again, its sound was unable to mask LiangXiaoxiao's frigid voice. On the opposite bank, the master and disciple were supporting each other andthey were preparing to leave. When both were at the middle level of EtherealOpening, the sword arts of Mount Li would be much stronger than that of theClear Void Monastery. How could some little-known master from the Clear VoidMonastery be on par with the Divine State's Seven Laws? He had no other choicebut to admit defeat. Hearing these words, the Clear Void Monastery master turned around, a trace ofanger visible in his pale face. "What do you want?" Liang Xiaoxiao expressionlessly said, "Leave your things behind." His teeth clenched, the master from the Clear Void Monastery threw over thedamaged magical artifact in his hands. Liang Xiaoxiao, not willing to let them leave yet, continued, "Then come overhere and apologize." The master from Clear Void Monastery shouted, "Don't try and take advantage ofme! Don't try and wield the power of Mount Li against me, that's too much." He looked at Chen Changsheng as he said these words. The rules of the Gardenof Zhou were like so: that senior and junior from the Holy Maiden Peak couldnot defeat him, so the magical artifact naturally became his. He could not beatLiang Xiaoxiao, so he naturally had to leave the magical artifact behind.However, the master looked in askance towards Chen Changsheng because there wasno requirement that he needed to apologize to the southerners. As if not hearing that, Liang Xiaoxiao took the magical artifact and returnedit to the Holy Maiden Peak’s Senior Tong. For the southern continent to remain independent of the Zhou Dynasty and theOrthodoxy for so long was only because of the alliance between the LongevitySect and Holy Maiden Peak. The disciples of these two great sects wouldcommonly consider themselves as fellow martial brothers and sisters. It wouldnot even be too excessive to call them disciples in the same sect. Liang Xiaoxiao grasped his sword and began to head off to the opposite bank. Chen Changsheng stated, "He is severely injured and he can no longer dobattle." This sentence did not include the words 'enough', but they contained themeaning. Liang Xiaoxiao stopped and turned to Chen Changsheng, his eyes cold. The MountLi Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy had many hard to resolve disputes.Unlike Gou Hanshi and the others, Liang Xiaoxiao had not spent time under thesame roof with Chen Changsheng. In his eyes, Chen Changsheng had always been amost troublesome existence. Zhexiu still stood in front of Chen Changsheng, his face impassive. Although he was only at the initial stage of Ethereal Opening, one full levelbelow Liang Xiaoxiao, there was no fear in his face, not even anxiety. Just like he had told Chen Changsheng in the woods outside the Mausoleum ofBooks, if the battles in the Grand Examination had been ones of life and death,he would not even fear Gou Hanshi, so he had no reason to fear Liang Xiaoxiao,who was only ranked third in the Seven Laws. This was the confidence born from being accustomed to life and death, fromslaying countless demons. Qi Jian knitted his brow as he looked at Zhexiu, then went to go stand byLiang Xiaoxiao. Liang Xiaoxiao said somewhat mockingly, "You didn't say anything before, butnow you're trying to be fair?" Chen Changsheng thought about it, then he decided not to explain what he hadbeen preparing to do. Senior Tong from Holy Maiden Peak, who was the subject of this conflict,unexpectedly did not take part, and she attempted to say a few mediatory wordsinstead. Liang Xiaoxiao said nothing, but the look of derision on his face only gotworse. “From the time I entered the Mausoleum of Books, you've always seemed to behostile towards me." Chen Changsheng earnestly asked him, "I don't understand why this is the case." Liang Xiaoxiao looked like he had been asked an extremely stupid question."I'm a disciple of the Mount Li Sword Sect. For me to have hostility towardsyou, isn't that only right?" Chen Changsheng pondered the matter, then pointed to Zhuang Huanyu. "He's astudent of the Heavenly Dao Academy, so why is it that he's always been sohostile to me as well?" Liang Xiaoxiao replied, "Perhaps the question that you should be pondering isthat if the entire world hold enmity towards you, then isn't it you that's inthe wrong?" Chen Changsheng thought about this question in silence, then replied, "I'veseriously considered this question, and I realized that it could also be theentire world that is wrong." Qi Jian lightly pulled on Liang Xiaoxiao's sleeve. Liang Xiaoxiao’s expression was indifferent, and he said no more. Chen Changsheng shook his head, then he waded across the river to the masterand disciple from the Clear Void Monastery. Examining that terrifying sword wound on that master's stomach, he said, "Yourinjury is too heavy. You two need to leave." The young daoist thought to himself that they had only been in the Garden ofZhou for half a day, not having gained anything, and now they already had toleave! An expression of unwillingness suddenly appeared on his face. Chen Changsheng stated, "Just as your master said before, these are the rulesof the Garden of Zhou." The young daoist looked at him and indignantly said, "You're one of the greatpowers of the Orthodoxy, why didn't you come and help us?" Chen Changsheng did not respond, but he continued to measure the pulse of theClear Void Monastery master. Lowering his head, he said, "You must leavequickly." The Clear Void Monastery master weakly nodded his head. Unlike his disciple,he was much more experienced in the ways of the world. He knew that althoughChen Changsheng had not helped them, if he had not been present, the two youthsfrom the Mount Li Sword Sect would have injured him even more severely. He took out that gray string which he had received before entering the gardenand shakily ignited it. The dull green smoke rose up from that burning string and wafted over theriver, gradually disappearing into the sky of the Garden of Zhou. Chen Changsheng could faintly sense that as this green smoke disappeared intothe air, it was producing a response from the space that separated the Gardenof Zhou from the real world. The laws of space were extremely profound, so logically, igniting a graystring was not enough to teleport a person dozens of li to the gate of theGarden of Zhou. So, what these gray strings most likely used was the inherentlaws of the Garden of Zhou. There was even a high probability that these graystrings were a product of the Garden of Zhou, created many years ago. The river slowly flowed by and the beaches on both sides slowly grew dry oncemore. Although the young daoist was still unwilling, he knew that he had no otherchoice. Once his master left, he would also definitely have to follow him inleaving the Garden of Zhou. His cultivation and sword arts were simplyincapable of opposing the experts in this garden. With the slow passage of time, the gray string in the Clear Void Monasterymaster's hand gradually burned to nothing. The river still flowed, the water weeds still floated about indeterminately. Nothing had happened. The master from the Clear Void Monastery still lay on the riverbank. Shocked, Chen Changsheng asked in confusion, "Could it be that the gray stringdoesn't work?" Zhexiu arched his brows, then he looked at the young daoist. The young daoist stared blankly back at him, then he came out of his stupor.He took out his gray string and ignited it, his hands trembling fromnervousness. After a while, the young daoist's gray string had also burned out, yet stillnothing had happened. He pinched the remains of the string, his face somewhat pale. His master's face was even more pale. Liang Xiaoxiao's 'Mountain Spirit Splits the Cliff' move had been tootyrannical. In only two bouts, his stomach had obtained a terrifying swordwound that even now continued to bleed. If he could not promptly return to thegarden's gate and be treated by the Orthodoxy priests, his life would really bein danger. "Just what is going on here?" The young daoist asked in panic as he subconsciously looked around. The forest around the river was quiet and peaceful, yet now it suddenly seemedsomewhat more sinister. The events that had occurred on one side of the river had also finally shockedthose on the other side. Qi Jian, Liang Xiaoxiao, as well as the pair from Holy Maiden Peak came over,then Zhuang Huanyu came over as well. "There won't be a problem, right? My master, what's going to happen to him?He's still bleeding, he's not going to die, right?" The young daoist looked at Chen Changsheng. His face was filled with worry andexpectation. Liang Xiaoxiao looked at the wound on the Clear Void Monastery master'sstomach and creased his brow. If the Ethereal Opening cultivators that had entered the Garden of Zhou werehumanity's hope for opposing the demons,  how could the Saints let them socasually die? Back then when the rules for the Garden of Zhou had beenestablished, the reason why they seemed so cruel and violent was because nomatter how bitter the battle, or how vicious the people, at the very end thegray string could be used to directly leave the Garden of Zhou. However, the gray string no longer worked anymore. Chen Changsheng took out his needle box and he began to work on stemming thebleeding. Afterwards, he stood up and gazed into the distance downstream.