Chapter 129: Please Enjoy It

Chapter 129: Let Him Savour It

Zhao Changhe felt rather peculiar himself—earlier, he had been stirred by desire, especially after that counterfeit kiss, yearning to kiss the real one.

Yet now, holding her like this, those chaotic thoughts gradually faded. Though she was soft and fragrant in his arms, few carnal impulses stirred within him; instead, a growing tranquility settled over him.

Perhaps he was simply too weary.

Only Yue Hongling could bring him such a sense of reliance.

Yue Hongling, too, found herself strange. Being held like this, she felt no aversion at all. Her earlier struggles had failed to break free, and she couldn’t tell if it was because of her shoulder pain or a reluctance that feigned resistance.

But held like this, she too felt a deep calm, much like in that secret cave, where he had blocked the way so tightly, giving her an inexplicable sense of safety.

Perhaps, after wandering the world through storms and trials, she too had grown tired?

She didn’t know. But leaning quietly against his chest, she found true peace.

From afar came a rooster’s crow, and the eastern sky began to pale with the first light of dawn.

Day had broken.

The man and woman, locked in an embrace within the room, slowly parted at last.

Yue Hongling turned, gently pushing against Zhao Changhe’s chest, and looked up into his eyes.

His gaze seemed just returning from a distant reverie, only now regaining clarity. Yue Hongling truly sensed no lust in him; she wondered whether, in his heart, he had been holding the admired female knight or the stubborn dream of a youth.

It seemed only now did regret stir within him. His throat moved as he tried to lean in for a kiss.

A flicker of amusement passed through Yue Hongling’s eyes. Swiftly, she pressed her hand over his mouth: “I said just a hug.”

Zhao Changhe regretted it so much he could weep.

Yue Hongling finally laughed aloud: “Still such a child.”

Zhao Changhe pouted and, right there, pecked the jade-like hand that covered his lips. Yue Hongling withdrew her hand as if shocked, glaring at him.

But Zhao Changhe did not press further. Instead, he seemed refreshed, as if elevated by some inner transformation. He turned leisurely, walked to the table, and poured himself tea: “You keep calling me a child… Well, it suddenly reminds me of a topic we discussed long ago.”

Yue Hongling curled her lips, wiped her hand on her trouser leg, and sat beside him, casually taking the tea he had just poured: “What topic?”

“When we meet again on the rivers and lakes, what should I call you?”

“Isn’t it already ‘Miss Yue’? Or behind my back, you call me ‘sister’ endlessly, even to the point that the demon cult’s heavenly maiden heard it?”

Zhao Changhe tilted his head to glance at her, smiling: “That’s now. But if I were to answer that question again, I’d give a different reply.”

“Oh?”

“I hope that when we meet again in the future, I’ll blurt out ‘Hongling’.”

Yue Hongling’s heart gave a sudden leap, but her face showed only a dismissive, shaking-head smile: “Hey, did you just break through and suddenly gain such unwarranted confidence? At best, you’re still at the Fourth Layer.”

“That’s not what you truly care about, though it might be a prerequisite?” Zhao Changhe laughed. “So, Miss Yue, would you guard me one more time?”

Yue Hongling was taken aback: “What are you planning?”

Zhao Changhe pulled out a few pills meant to enhance blood and qi: “Since I’ve broken through both inner and outer Fourth Layers, my dantian is stable, and my true qi is vigorous. Morning is the peak of blood and qi. My external cultivation has always been slightly ahead of my internal. Now that my internal has reached the standard, I can push my external further. At this moment, it’s time for the Fifth Layer.”

Yue Hongling suddenly felt he was a madman.

You were in such pain just now; any normal person would be wary and take a breather. And you just finished dual cultivation… well, dual cultivation—in normal thinking, that’s already the end of training, time for other things.

But this fellow’s mind was already set on breaking through again, leaving even Yue Hongling struggling to keep up with his train of thought.

He was like an insatiable wolf… No wonder his cultivation progressed so fast. But earlier, his blood aura had surged so painfully—would it happen again during this breakthrough?

Zhao Changhe slowly swallowed the blood-enhancing medicine, speaking in a low voice: “Don’t make that stern face… I’m quite experienced with the Blood Fiend Art. It just flared up, and now the fiendish energy has been vented; it’s very calm. It shouldn’t happen again. Last time, I broke through the outer Fourth Layer while chatting with Cui Wenjing, and the principle is similar. That time, too, was shortly after an episode in the wild. I think it’ll be about the same now.”

Yue Hongling said, “I believe you won’t have another episode like before, but I’m curious—what’s the urgency? You’ve only been practicing martial arts for a little over half a year.”

“Are you asking about the distant or the immediate?”

“What’s the difference?”

“The distant: I want to catch up to you sooner.”

Yue Hongling fell silent. This “catch up to you” was ambiguous now—whether it referred to her person or her skill, she didn’t want to clarify.

In her heart, she thought that if it meant the person, there might also be Cui Yuanyang…

At that thought, a hint of unease stirred within her for the first time.

Then Zhao Changhe continued: “The immediate…”

His muscles began to bulge, blood fiend energy coalesced again, and a ferocious, unmatched killing aura surged forth, in an instant making the room feel like a bloody battlefield.

“…I’m about to challenge someone. The Fourth Layer definitely won’t cut it; the Fifth Layer should be about right.”

As his words fell, the blood fiend energy solidified in the air, and the barrier to the Fifth Layer was breached.

Yue Hongling felt as if she were witnessing a miracle unfold before her eyes. Her heart couldn’t help but surge with excitement—such a scene truly ignited a martial artist’s passion and blood. It was magnificent…

If he weren’t on her side, Yue Hongling would almost want to challenge him herself.

Zhao Changhe looked inward for a moment, then beamed: “When I said guard me, I didn’t mean for this breakthrough, but for that challenge. Sister Yue can have some breakfast nearby and just make sure no one bothers me.”

Yue Hongling sensed she was about to witness something very interesting. She didn’t ask who it was, but instead asked: “Why now?”

Zhao Changhe stood up: “External cultivation differs from internal. After breaking through an internal barrier, you still need accumulation, but external shows immediate results. The Blood Fiend Art is especially different—right after a breakthrough, the fiendish energy hasn’t faded, and combat power is at its peak. Besides, I just held you, and my state of mind is perfectly complete.”

Yue Hongling simply ignored the latter half: “I suspect there’s more to it than that?”

“Indeed… More importantly, if I wait two more days, he’ll have achieved everything. I want to give him a little setback. Though it may have little to do with me, it irks me greatly. I want to tell him that not everyone is kept in the dark. At the very least, there’s an arrow’s vengeance for him to savour.”

…

In the early morning, Yangzhou still bore a hint of chaos and panic. Passersby hurried along with downcast eyes, afraid of being mistaken for Maitreya cultists and dragged away. Street vendors had temporarily closed shop, leaving the streets desolate.

Only the area around Bright Moon Tower remained lively, for it belonged to the Canal Guild.

The young guild master, Wan Dongliu, had actively cooperated with the Demon Suppression Bureau in capturing the demon cult, helping purge a large number of guild members, even high-ranking ones. This pleased the Bureau greatly, as having the local power’s assistance made things much easier.

Thus, no soldiers disturbed the guild’s premises. People came and went, and many canal workers nearby were having their morning porridge and steamed buns.

Wan Dongliu sat leisurely at the top floor of Bright Moon Tower, having breakfast while hosting the Taoist Xuan Chong, who had been staying with him, and Tang Buqi, who had come to freeload.

The three chatted desultorily about the prefect’s assassination and the Maitreya cult’s barbarians, and joked about Zhao Changhe’s embarrassment at the banquet the previous night. Their days passed idly, as if the upheaval in Yangzhou had nothing to do with them.

Tang Buqi never mentioned that the Maitreya cult and barbarians were actually being framed. Instead, he spoke with righteous indignation, cursing the cult for daring to kill an official, showing no respect for his Tang family.

“You didn’t see it—thank goodness I intervened. Last night, with one move of ‘Spring Waters Flowing Far,’ I saved Zhao Changhe’s life from under Fayuan’s blade…”

“Then you two are even. He saved you from Batu before.”

“That Batu thing—even without him, I’d have been fine. My Tang family has plenty of secret techniques. What does he know?”

“…Yes, yes, Brother Tang is truly talented.”

“Eh?” Xuan Chong suddenly pointed to the end of the long street, laughing: “Isn’t that the protagonist we were just talking about?”

Wan Dongliu turned to look. In the thin morning mist, a burly man carrying a heavy blade emerged step by step from the haze. As he passed, vendors fell silent, pedestrians held their breath, and those drinking porridge dared not make a slurping sound. The pressure and intimidation were astonishing.

Where was the embarrassment from last night’s banquet that they had just been mocking?

Tang Buqi, who had been boasting moments ago, immediately shut his mouth. This Zhao Changhe seemed even more formidable now. He felt that if he thrust his sword again, he’d be cleaved in two by that blade.

“He seems to have broken through,” Xuan Chong sighed. “This blood and fiendish aura—the Maitreya cult’s nickname wasn’t wrong. Isn’t he the very image of an Asura?”

Wan Dongliu was somewhat distracted, responding absently, "Yes, indeed."

Tang Buqi leaned forward, "It seems we haven't seen Yue Hongling... They were together last night..."

The two exchanged glances. Tang Buqi, as if he had said nothing, continued, "I wonder where Zhao Changhe has gone so early. Is he passing by? Should we invite him up for a chat?"

Just as he spoke, they saw Zhao Changhe stop beneath Mingyue Tower. He looked up at the three by the railing, let out a clear laugh, and his voice carried down the long street: "Zhao Changhe of Beimang formally challenges Wan Dongliu, the seventy on the Qianlong List. I ask Brother Wan... to enlighten me!"

Wan Dongliu's expression shifted slightly. The long street fell silent.