White Emperor City had snowed for half the night and an entire day. All the streets and alleys had turned white, and the people standing motionless outside the courtyards had long since become snowmen. Only, from time to time, hot air would spurt out from their snow-covered mouths and noses. It was a rather strange sight.
Countless gazes fell on this courtyard, wanting to know what the Demon Lord and Chen Changsheng were discussing. If they could not come to an agreement, when would they strike?
Luoluo stood by the window, quietly watching the snow. She did not know what was being discussed in the courtyard, but she knew that her teacher would not agree to anything.
Madam Mu was also looking at the small courtyard in the snow. She had the same opinion as Luoluo, so she was waiting to see who would strike first.
The gate to the courtyard was tightly shut. No sound came out, only the flapping of snow against the stone walls.
The ground was covered in white snow, transforming into that snowy plain outside Xuelao City.
The sole branch of that tree was covered in snow, like countless white pillars.
Chen Changsheng and the Demon Lord quietly sat in the snow.
Just a moment ago, they had been sincerely conversing, discussing cooperation and possible friendship. They had even said that if they could both leave Xuelao City alive, they should maintain correspondence.
But now, the situation had become extremely dangerous. It seemed like they could strike at any moment, using their most powerful techniques to reap the other's life.
This change was extremely sudden, so sudden that anyone other than the two involved would find it absurd. It was just that no one had seen it.
Chen Changsheng and the Demon Lord did not find this change absurd, because from the very start, from the observation platform to this place, they had always wanted to kill each other.
Whether it was negotiations or conversations, they were all minor matters aside from killing each other.
And they both had the ability to kill each other.
On the observation platform, Chen Changsheng had used the South Stream Temple sword array to break the Demon Lord's technique, but he had not continued to attack. This was because Madam Mu had summoned all the clouds in the city to stop him, and also because he had vaguely sensed danger. The Demon Lord was probably hiding a method in his sleeve that could kill him, though he did not know what it was.
The Demon Lord had a better understanding of Chen Changsheng's strength and methods, but he was not confident, especially when the five carriages arrived outside the courtyard.
He looked into Chen Changsheng's eyes and said, "Shang Xingzhou cannot come, nor can Wang Po, so who will come today?"
Chen Changsheng said, "Since that's the case, Black Robe and the Demon Commander won't be able to come. Even if the Eight Great Mountain Men are still alive, they probably won't be able to come."
They had already discussed this issue on the observation deck.
At this time, they said these two sentences again because they had already decided to give up, but they were a little reluctant, so they wanted to make one last confirmation.
After saying this, Chen Changsheng and the Demon Lord fell silent for a very long time, and then they sighed at the same time.
These two sighs that represented giving up were filled with regret.
Today, the wind and snow were extremely strong. The opportunity was too good.
The Demon Lord was far away from Xuelao City and the Pope was far away in a foreign land. This sort of situation was far too rare, and it would probably be very difficult to see it again in the future.
How could he not be disappointed that he was unable to kill the other party today?
"Come to think of it, killing you won't do me much good. The human race will become more united and angry."
The Demon Lord looked at Chen Changsheng and sighed, "From this perspective, your existence is truly meaningless."
The corner of Chen Chang Sheng's lips lifted slightly, revealing a smile like the spring breeze, and said, "I'm used to it."
From the moment he was born, his existence had been a scheme, a scheme aimed at the Tianhai Divine Empress.
His existence had never had any meaning. To put it another way, he should never have appeared in this world.
But he was currently searching, and it could be said that he had already found it.
The Demon Lord slightly tilted his head. Seeing the smile on Chen Changsheng's face and confirming that it was not forced, he arched his brows. "You truly are a monster."
Chen Changsheng had received many evaluations, the vast majority of them very positive. Fresh, clean, persistent, genius.
Even his enemies would at most say that he was a little slow, too stubborn, or question his unwisdom in handling his relationship with Shang Xingzhou.
But this was the first time he had been considered a monster.
Chen Changsheng was not angry. On the contrary, he found the Demon Lord's view very interesting, somewhat close to what he believed to be true.
As the saying went, the person that understood you the most was not your friend, but your opponent.
Thus, the Demon Lord might be his true opponent.
As he thought of these things, he took up the cup of tea that was almost frozen and poured it onto the snow in front of him.
This was a memorial to those people who had died to the demon wolf cavalry.
He was a guest, so he should be the one to take his leave.
He stood up, brushed off the snow on his body, nodded to the Demon Lord, and walked out of the courtyard.
As he watched his back, the Demon Lord suddenly said, "The White Emperor will definitely be very disappointed."
Chen Changsheng stopped and asked, "Why not Madam Mu?"
The Demon Lord replied, "Since you are not willing to cooperate with me, Madam Mu is my firmest supporter."
Chen Changsheng was quiet for a while, then asked, "Just what does Madam Mu want to do?"
"The Great Western Continent's Imperial clan has always prided itself on being orthodox, and her line even has the blood of the Elf race. Do you think that she will like humans?"
The Demon Lord sighed. "And she's an Aquarius. Who knows what she's thinking."
Chen Changsheng knew that the Demon Lord was speaking of the constellations popular in Xuelao City, but he had no idea what Aquarius signified.
He shook his head in confusion and continued walking out of the courtyard.
The Demon Lord's hand slowly caressed the two cold stone statues in his sleeve, a hint of loathing appearing on his brow.
He then turned to that perfectly straight footprint in the snow that seemed to have been measured with a ruler and muttered to himself, "They actually moved the entire Li Palace over. They're truly afraid of death."
… …
… …
With a creak and a few snowflakes falling, Chen Changsheng pushed open the gate and walked out.
This sound and sight quickly spread to all of White Emperor City.
The majority of people felt much more relaxed, but a few people felt very disappointed, shocked, confused, and all sorts of other emotions.
People began to descend from the five carriages.
Daoist Siyuan of the Hall of Subjugation.
Archbishop An Lin of the Divine Edict.
Linghai Zhiwang of the Hall of Heavenly Judgment.
The newly appointed Archbishop of the Hall of Announcements, Hu Thirty-Two.
Of the Five Prefects of the Orthodoxy, other than Mao Qiuyu, who had remained behind to guard the Li Palace, the other four had all rushed to White Emperor City tens of thousands of li away, each carrying a precious treasure.
Chen Changsheng first solemnly bowed to the blind zither player, and then he spoke to Linghai Zhiwang and the others.
The azure curtain was slightly lifted, shaking off the snow. An elegant and handsome young master walked out from the last carriage. It was Tang Thirty-Six.
In his right hand was a seemingly inconspicuous short staff.
Chen Chang Sheng was about to say something to him, but Tang Thirty Six threw the short cane at him.
Linghai Zhiwang's complexion turned extremely unsightly at this sight, and An Lin couldn't help but softly exclaim.
That unremarkable staff was the Orthodoxy's Divine Staff.
If not for Chen Changsheng's quick reaction, it would have fallen into the snow. What if it was broken?
Tang Thirty-Six acted like he did not see the gazes of Linghai Zhiwang and the others. He angrily said, "In the future, don't always make me do this sort of thing."
In order to break the seal of the Red River, the Orthodoxy's Divine Staff had been completely drained of the energy of light. In the last few days, it had been receiving sustenance in the Daoist Church of the Western Wastes.
Today, Chen Changsheng was going to meet with the Demon Lord, so he had to make thorough preparations. The only person he could trust and was qualified to wield the staff was Tang Thirty-Six.
Even if Linghai Zhiwang and the others found Tang Thirty-Six to be an eyesore, they could not deny it.
Because Tang Thirty-Six had done this sort of thing before.
The person who had received the Divine Staff from the Pope had never been Chen Changsheng, but him. (To be continued.)
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