Chapter 20

Zhou Shuo raised his head, gazing at the sunrise on the horizon, hearing the hurried footsteps draw near, he turned his head—only to see Han Fei, panting, leading Zhang Liang as they rushed over, his face anxious; upon seeing Zhou Shuo, he blurted out a question.

Brother Zhou, has Nong Yu returned?

Inside. Zhou Shuo pointed to the inner room; Nong Yu had successfully escaped back, although she suffered some superficial injuries, but fortunately no other harm, and luckily completed the task.

Great. Han Fei didn't bother with Zhou Shuo's expression, the anxiety on his face turning to joy, he turned and went into the inner room.

Zhou Shuo watched Han Fei rush into the room enthusiastically, he couldn't help but let out a faint sigh; Nong Yu was extremely fortunate, but her luck would eventually run out, and what about him! Last night he could only be a spectator the whole time, the barrier in his heart impossible to overcome—what should he do?

Brother Zhou. Zhang Liang's voice came from beside.

Hn. Zhou Shuo glanced at the handsome, envy-inducing boy from the corner of his eye, forcing out a syllable from his throat.

You seem to have something on your mind? Zhang Liang looked at the man standing by the window, burdened with thoughts.

Who doesn't have worries? Zhou Shuo retorted; although he was an extraordinarily legendary strategist sage, after all he was just a character in a story, completely different from the era he inhabits, but even if it were the same person, separated by thousands of years, he wouldn't need any psychological burden.

I wonder if I might be fortunate enough to hear, and perhaps offer some advice? Zhang Liang asked politely.

This matter is quite complicated to explain, just like the present Han State; however, Zifang, in your opinion, how can a person make his heart strong? Zhou Shuo shook his head, yet with some hope he turned his head to look at the boy asking, this future strategist sage might possibly give some ideas.

To make one's heart strong, may I ask, how is this heart that wishes to become strong so weak?

He is uninterested in too many things, not knowing where to focus; yet the things he is interested in, he lacks the strength to intervene; all things seem like a great river, silently flowing forward, while he is powerless, in fact he seems not to want to exert force. Zhou Shuo carefully described his inner state.

Brother Zhou, do you think that water is clear or turbid? Zhang Liang looked at the troubled Zhou Shuo, raised his eyebrows, thought a moment, then asked.

Clear water, turbid water—none of my business. Zhou Shuo looked at the testing boy, couldn't help but smirk; it seemed this future strategist sage couldn't resolve his doubts.

Once, Chu State's Doctor Qu Yuan wandered the Jiangtan, saw a fisherman, and sighed, 'All the world is turbid, I alone am pure; all the world is drunk, I alone am awake.' The fisherman, hearing this, replied, 'A sage does not cling to things, but can move with the world; why can't the Doctor learn from the sage?' Qu Yuan then answered, 'Having just bathed, one must adjust one's cap; having just washed, one must shake one's clothes; a person comes into this world pure and clean, how could he suffer defilement? He would rather cast himself into the belly of a fish than bear the world's dust.'

Doctor Qu Yuan! Zhou Shuo couldn't help but raise his eyebrows; regarding Qu Yuan, his biggest impression was first the Dragon Boat Festival, second that he is the embodiment of Chinese patriotic spirit; however, from this fisherman's Q&A story, this guy turns out to be obstinate, and thinking of himself, it seems he too has reached a dead end—isn't it just that his heart isn't strong enough? No need to be so gloomy, what a big deal!

Zifang, there should be more to the story, right? Zhou Shuo turned to look at the handsome boy; the story ought to have more.

Indeed, the fisherman, seeing Qu Yuan's attitude, composed a Song of the Azure Waves and departed. Zhang Liang nodded slightly.

The azure wave's water, if clear, can wash my cap; if turbid, can wash my feet. Zhou Shuo raised his brows; he is not an ignorant illiterate, naturally he knows the Song of the Azure Waves—washing the cap in clear water, the feet in turbid water, to go with the world, not clinging to things; this is easy to say, but hard to do.

As it turns out, Brother Zhou also knows this story; then Liang is outclassed. Seeing Zhou Shuo recite the Song of the Azure Waves, Zhang Liang's face flushed.

No, Xiao Zhang, this story is enlightening, but insufficient to dispel my inner confusion; I want to ask you, washing feet in clear stream, then withdrawing and re-entering, it is no longer the former water—how should this be? Zhou Shuo shook his head; the story remains enlightening, yet cannot resolve his confusion; although he doesn't care about the river's clarity or turbidity, he wants to fish a fish from the river.

This... Zhang Liang hesitated slightly; a person's life never passes through two identical rivers, pondering this question seems meaningless, yet if one thinks carefully, it seems to hint at a mystery.

Hn. Zhou Shuo watched the future strategist sage get stuck, then turn to a bewildered expression, couldn't help but smile; actually, what to do, he knows it all, he doesn't need to ask others, but he enjoys putting on this act; indeed, sometimes building one's happiness on others' pain makes sense.

Brother Zhou, please instruct! Zhang Liang, seeing Zhou Shuo's smile, respectfully clasped his hands.

No need for instruction, look ahead. Zhou Shuo looked at the earnestly seeking future strategist sage, smiled and shrugged his shoulders; although he was powerless to rescue Nong Yu, after crossing over his actions have always been somewhat hesitant, but weakness should be thus; to avoid being powerless again in the next event, the only thing he can do is to become stronger, and in the forthcoming possible event, try to take that step.

Look ahead... Zhang Liang's face grew slightly gloomy; what kind of solution is this?

Haha! Zhou Shuo saw the boy's gloomy expression, his mood became even more cheerful, while Zhang Liang could only bitterly smile, not understanding why he laughed so happily.

What makes you laugh so happily? Say it, so I can laugh too. Han Fei walked out of the inner room, spring breeze on his face, looking at the two laughing.

A funny matter, Brother Han, seeing your spring-breeze visage, I suppose you'll soon be able to see your sister again! Zhou Shuo turned to face Han Fei emerging from the inner room, with Wei Zhuang behind him; Nong Yu had brought things back, that matter should also be settled.

This matter... Han Fei's smile faded slightly, he turned his head to look at Wei Zhuang somewhat behind.

With Brother Wei Zhuang taking action, I suppose the matter is half done; however, is there anywhere I can be of help? Zhou Shuo looked at Han Fei's expression, and the aloof Wei Zhuang, chuckling as he asked two questions.

Exactly! We're going to meet Tian Ze, but given that guy's personality, holding two chips, he absolutely won't let me have both. Han Fei restrained his smile, gripping the ceramic bottle in his hand.

So Brother Han already has a counterplan. Zhou Shuo looked at the bottle in Han Fei's hand; it contains a Gu Mother, a gu nurtured from a living woman's body, while the Child Gu resides within Tian Ze; without this Gu Mother, Tian Ze cannot break free of his bonds.

Indeed, Tian Ze is a fierce tiger, cannot lack restraint. Han Fei tightened his grip on the ceramic bottle, without hesitation; Tian Ze is an extremely unstable factor, absolutely cannot be left unchecked.

"Looks like I don't need to go there after all." Zhou Shuo raised his eyebrows; Han Fei's meaning was that he hadn't prepared to bring me along, but that was also appropriate—matters succeed through secrecy and fail through leakage—this Han prince's thoughts are indeed extremely meticulous.

Not much communication, Han Fei took Zhang Liang and left the Purple Orchid Pavilion; Wei Zhuang followed alongside, Zhou Shuo watched the three depart one after another, staying in the Purple Orchid Pavilion, he asked Zi Nu for a quiet room and silently cultivated his energy; at the same time, his thoughts, without a sound, had already flown out of the Purple Orchid Pavilion, in the sky over Xinzheng, an eagle's cry rang out.

Zhou Shuo, with an unseen gaze, looked down from above at Han Fei's actions; before going to meet Tian Ze, Han Fei passed the message to Bai Yi Fei, that person who carelessly let Nong Yu slip through a loophole, the Blood Marquis, who is also Tian Ze's black hand behind the turmoil in Xinzheng up to now.

Han Fei used the mother worm to take from Tian Ze's hands, exchanging what represented his career and also the crown prince of the Han state's ancestral altar; at the same time, the Blood Marquis launched an attack, while on the other side, Wei Zhuang also suddenly struck, taking Han Fei's sister Hong Lian from Tian Ze's subordinates, thereby barely making up for the trouble he had inadvertently caused.

In the wilderness, cold air spread everywhere, freezing ice condensed into a wall, encircling a large area; Tian Ze stood in the center, clutching the mother worm he had just obtained, gritting his teeth as he stared at the sword-wielding man in the distance; although his heart burned with fury, he dared not attack, for this man had once thrown him into a prison, imprisoning him for over a decade.

"Boom!" With an explosive sound, a huge wooden stake shattered the ice wall and was hurled toward the blood-clothed person in the arena; however, before the stake could hit him, it was entangled by a vine—pure white ice-crystal vine, as if given life—and in just a single contraction, it crushed the wooden stake that two adults could not even encircle with their arms.

Above the forest, a burst of black smoke suddenly shrouded the ice‑sealed arena; smoke columns shot up like beacon fires, within which dragons and serpents hissed; Zhou Shuo flapped his wings and flew in the sky, watching several streaks burst from the black smoke—in the blink of an eye they overturned the white‑armored troops, and a distant figure ran out; he flapped his wings and gave chase.

Tian Ze's hidden strength was somewhat unexpected, extremely strong, and his inner vigilance was very heavy; after escaping the scene, he slipped into the ancient forest; Zhou Shuo, high in the sky, could not see him, so he could only return to the battlefield just fought; although Tian Ze had fled, he left behind a price—one of his subordinates, a woman like a flame.

"Yan Ling Ji, interesting—my Five Flames True Qi seems to match her quite well!" Zhou Shuo soared high in the sky, looking at the imprisoned girl, unable to help but form a plan in his heart; he had just seen that woman fight, and with a wave of her hand she released layer upon layer of fierce flames—a secret art from the Baiyue.