Ze Tian Ji Chapter 90

Chapter 90 – Faster, Tougher, Stronger

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The thin hand carried Tianhai Shengxue’s body and instantly took it from the back of his horse. Tianhai Shengxue flew backwards into the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane as swiftly as an arrow. The rain was knocked aside and a clear track was left on the gray flagstones. Finally, when Tianhai Shengxue had been dragged several dozen zhang away, a figure appeared.

It was a tall and thin old man dressed in an ordinary gown meant for leisure. His two shoulders were raised rather high and he seemed to give off an ancient aura, mixed with the extremely clear scent of blood. In his thin hand, Tianhai Shengxue looked just like a child.

The blank spaces had punched forward through the rain, ultimately stopping in front of Tianhai Shengxue’s warhorse, and finally, another figure appeared. It was only after all these events that the rain began to fall once more. The threads of rain which had been cut apart once more linked together and the curtain of rain descended.

From these sights, one could calculate that figure’s speed.

This figure was that of an extremely ordinary middle-aged man, his silk gown embroidered with a pattern of copper coins, his fingers adorned with several gold rings. His entire body gave off a golden light and the stench of copper. He looked just like a rich old man often seen in the countryside or a member of the newly rich. If one only looked at the surface, no one would think this man to be the owner of that fist, the one who had suddenly appeared in the morning rain, instantly sent ten-some horsemen flying, easily destroyed Tianhai Shengxue’s spear, and forced the tall and thin elder to appear.

He was Guardian Jin of the Hundred Herb Garden, who had revealed his identity in Weiyang Palace on the night of the Ivy Festival: Jin Yulu.

The tall and thin elder gazed at Jin Yulu, his white eyebrows slightly raised, the beads of rain moistening and bursting upon them. He seemed very solemn, his mouth slightly open as if prepared to speak.

With Jin Yulu’s appearance, Tang Thirty-Six confirmed that the Orthodox Academy was out of trouble for today. In his delight, he saw the thin elder about to speak and yelled, “Fight, then talk.”

These words were naturally meant for Jin Yulu. With Tang Thirty-Six’s age and generation, to order around this legendary figure like so was extremely rude, but Jin Yulu did not seem discomfited. “These words are reasonable.”

By the time these words fell from his mouth, Jin Yulu had once again vanished in the rain.

The puddles on the flagstones suddenly began to shake. Footprints appeared on the walls of Hundred Flowers Lane and several dozen blank spaces appeared in the heavy curtain of rain. In the blink of an eye, he had already crossed several dozen zhang!

Those who saw this sight were shocked speechless as they thought, how can such a fast movement technique exist in this world?

The old man’s eyes slightly narrowed, seeming like swords leaving their sheaths, his expression becoming even more solemn. As an elder who had participated in that war, he naturally knew how terrifying Jin Yulu was, especially his speed. Thus, he did not hesitate to use his most powerful technique.

He raised up his two thin palms and pushed forward. A slightly cold yet powerful Qi instantly enveloped Hundred Flowers Lane. The autumn rain falling from the sky slowed its descent, and as they fell, those drops of rain seemed to form a layer of frost. When they fell on the flagstones, they popped like shattering pearls!

The curtain of rain became a curtain of hail, layer after layer of rain becoming layer after layer of defense! Jin Yulu appeared several zhang away from the old man, several dozen beads of frozen rain knocked away by his arrival. They shot off in all directions, boring deep holes in the walls of the lane!

When Jin Yulu’s figure appeared, his two hands had already come out of his sleeves. He stared at the thin elder protected by the curtains of icy rain, his eyes narrowing. His pupils also constricted, emanating a terrifyingly cold black light.

Chachachacha! Countless chafing noises could be heard in the rain pouring over Hundred Flowers Lane, and countless lights flashed. Those lights curved, appeared and disappeared, and were extremely sharp. If someone were able to see them clearly, perhaps they might associate them with the claws of monsters.

The thin old man had used his deep reserves of true essence to lay down a most formidable defense. The curtain of rain frozen into ice truly could place the greatest limitations on Jin Yulu’s terrifying speed, but it could not lower the speed at which Jin Yulu could wave his hands, and the most powerful defense would not be able to withstand a ceaseless and unbroken assault.

In a few moments, only a few drops of water from the rain were falling to the ground, and Jin Yulu had waved his hand at the curtain of rain several hundred times. Of course, neither Tang Thirty-Six nor Chen Changsheng, or even the horsemen fallen in the rain, could see this sight. This was what it meant to be a true expert.

With several rips, the heavy curtain of rain was torn apart. As the rainwater trembled, Jin Yulu’s body blurred. He appeared in front of the tall elder and sent a fist flying towards him. With a shout, the elder raised his two thin palms like blades raised to block, firmly receiving the blow!

With a thump, countless waves were formed and rain was sent flying in all directions. With a crack, several breaks formed in the academy wall.

Tianhai Shengxue, protected behind the thin elder, did not receive the direct impact, but his mind received a heavy jolt. He groaned and his complexion grew even paler.

The tall elder had borne the full brunt, all the terrifying might of Jin Yulu’s fist. His face was even paler, a trickle of blood flowed from his lips, and his two legs trembled.

Jin Yulu expressionlessly gazed at him, but did not continue his assault. Instead, he placed his hands back in his sleeves and turned back towards the academy.

The posture he took when walking and his hands tucked in his sleeves made him no longer seem like a rich old man or one of the newly rich, but like an old peasant.

This battle between experts had begun very quickly and ended even more quickly, faster than any of the spectators could have imagined. This was because Jin Yulu was too fast, fast to an absurd level, even faster than those immortal birds that were famed for their speed. He might have even been the fastest in the entire continent!

“Wasn’t an old peasant like you supposed to be farming on the eastern slopes? How did you end up here!”

The elder demanded of Jin Yulu’s slightly stooped back.

After fighting, they could talk, and it was even with an old acquaintance from many years ago. Jin Yulu did not turn around. He continued walking forward with his hands tucked in his sleeves, saying, “Fei Dian, weren’t you sweeping snow in the north? How did you end up here?”

Tang Thirty-Six’s complexion slightly changed upon hearing Fei Dian’s name, while the depths of the street seemed to undergo some unrest.

This tall and thin elder was actually Fei Dian!

Fei Dian was one of the most senior and most powerful of the Great Zhou’s Divine Generals. He was a veteran general who had taken part in that war of the past and had made many contributions. Even Xue Xingchuan, Divine General of the Heavens, the most impressive of the present-day Divine Generals, would treat him with courtesy and respect.

No one had expected that this sort of important personage would appear outside the Orthodox Academy in the early morning to secretly act as Tianhai Shengxue’s escort.

And no one had expected that this sort of expert would actually so cleanly lose to this middle-aged man.

Everyone in the Great Zhou Army knew that Fei Dian cultivated in the Chilling Eagle Style. This style specialized in being swift and forceful, yet this middle-aged man had turned out to be both faster and stronger than him.

Those in the lane who did not know of the middle-aged man’s identity were too astonished for words. They thought to themselves, just who is this man?

Chen Changsheng and the others naturally would not think this.

“After so many years, Jin Yulu, you still rely on your strength and speed to eat.”

Fei Dian looked at his back and mocked.

Only now did those people in the lane know of Jin Yulu’s identity. Still, they were too astonished for words.

It was only after the final night of the Ivy Festival that many people realized that Jin Yulu had been living with Princess Luoluo in the capital this entire time. After several hundred years, this valiant demi-human general who had even received the complete appreciation of Emperor Taizong had become a living legend. Since it was him, it was naturally not a surprise for the battle to end this way.

Fei Dian could be even faster, but he still would not be faster than him.

Jin Yulu’s speed was in the top five of the entire continent.

Hearing Fei Dian’s words, Jin Yulu still did not turn around. “Seven hundred years ago, you said the same thing. Seven hundred years have passed, and you’re still saying it… What you’re best at is strength and speed, but in both aspects you’re no match for me; what can you do about it?”

Those descendants of noble clans who truly had potential would always have experts keeping watch, ensuring that they could peacefully mature from young geniuses into the true experts. For instance, when Tang Thirty-Six came from Wenshui to the capital, Vice Principal Zhuang was responsible for his care, so his clan had not sent anyone over. However, no one in his clan had ever thought that he might leave the Heavenly Dao Academy.

Fei Dian had had a good relationship with the Tianhai clan for three hundred years. He was responsible for defending Snowhold Pass on the northern frontier, and so when the Tianhai clan sent Tianhai Shengxue to Snowhold Pass for tempering, Fei Dian took on the role of caretaker. He fulfilled this role at Snowhold Pass, and he fulfilled this role after returning to the capital.

Tianhai Shengxue had come this morning to the Orthodox Academy to establish his prestige. Without saying anything, Fei Dian had secretly followed him, as he knew that there was no way this matter would be as simple as imagined. Just as expected, the three students of the Orthodox Academy were very unusual, and at the final moment, Jin Yulu had made a surprise appearance!

“If I did not recall incorrectly, you should be at the Li Palace Academy right now.”

Fei Dian took the handkerchief offered by Tianhai Shengxue and lightly wiped the blood from the corner of his lips.

By this point, Jin Yulu had already reached the gate of the Orthodox Academy. Taking the handkerchief offered by Chen Changsheng, he lightly wiped the rain from his face. He turned around and said to Fei Dian, “And just why do I need to be at the Li Palace Academy?”

“Her Highness Princess Luoluo is at the Li Palace Academy. This is the will of His Holiness, and also the will of the Empress.”

Separated by several dozen zhang, Fei Dian narrowed his eyes and spoke.

Jin Yulu laughed, then asked, “And what does any of that have to do with you?”

Fei Dian slightly frowned. “You should be well aware that His Majesty the White Emperor turned Her Highness over to the Empress to take care of. The Empress’s words are the words of His Majesty the White Emperor, so even Her Highness Luoluo must obey. As a subject, are you defying the decree of His Majesty the White Emperor?”

“The White Emperor’s decree…I stopped listening to those several hundred years ago. I remember that you were also there, or did you forget?”

Jin Yulu’s smile faded as he impassively said, “From the day His Majesty began to send out those absurd orders, I ceased to be His Majesty’s subject. His Majesty’s words have no effect on me. Her Highness must obey the words of the Divine Empress because the Empress is her elder, because the White Emperor ordered it. I do not need to obey the Divine Empress’s words because I am not a subject of the Great Zhou, and the Empress is not my elder either. Moreover, the White Emperor no longer has the power to order me around.

“I am Her Highness’s Guardian; I only obey Her Highness’s words.

“Her Highness wanted me to come to the Orthodox Academy and take a look, so I came to take a look.

“Is there a problem with that?”

Fei Dian looked at him with a rather complex expression. He knew that the absurd orders of the White Emperor that Jin Yulu spoke of referred to the execution of the Mount Li disciples for tardiness. At the time, this matter had caused a vicious argument within the army, dividing it into two factions and almost shaking the alliance between the humans and demi-humans.

He sighed and said, “So many centuries have passed, but your personality is still so tough, your momentum still so strong.”

Jin Yulu expressionlessly said, “Back then, I was responsible for military law and killed countless people. I did not listen to the White Emperor’s words and Emperor Taizong had no means of getting ahold of me. Why? Because I was not wrong, so for what reason should I not be tough? Why should my momentum not be strong?”

Hundred Flowers Lane was quiet, the only sound that of rain striking against the gray flagstones.

Whether it was the ten-some people in front of the Orthodox Academy’s gate or the more numerous people hiding in the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane, nobody spoke.