Chapter 168: I Am Just A Bad Woman

Chapter 168: I Am the Wicked Woman

Zhao Changhe had indeed been suppressed by the sword domain earlier, but the moment he realized his Eye Behind the Back was unaffected, he began secretly unraveling it.

The Eye Behind the Back was a gift from the Blind Man, its level high enough to ignore this sword domain; whether the Blind Man was the spirit of the Book of Troubled Times or not, the Heavenly Book's level could only be higher than the Eye's, meaning it too could disregard the domain.

The shroud of the sword domain did not target individuals specifically; the Heavenly Book tucked in his breast pocket was equally assailed by its energy. Since the Book was prideful enough to throw a tantrum over a mere smudge on its face, surely it would offer some resistance when violated so aggressively by the sword domain?

Zhao Changhe attempted to channel his true qi into the gold foil within his robe, and for the first time, he actually felt a sense of "communication."

An incredibly vast will emanated faintly from the gold foil, conveying the general sentiment that a so-called domain was merely another application of martial arts; analyzing it was no different from unraveling a single technique. What right did a mere sword domain have to act so arrogant and dare oppress it?

Oh, you are too weak; even if it is analyzed, you cannot see it, but you have the Eye Behind the Back.

The Eye Behind the Back and the gold foil resonated with each other, and in Zhao Changhe's vision, the space seemed entirely deconstructed, akin to a movie like Inception where everything before him was "digitized." He could clearly see the flow of energy, the circulation of sword qi, and even a faint, elusive "intent" seemed to materialize, though he could not truly comprehend it—the gap in their understanding of martial arts was simply too vast.

Yet this was already enough. When one does not understand water, entering it only leads to drowning; but once you understand it, you can harness its power instead.

Not only was the suppression of the sword domain gone, but as he slashed with his saber, he could actually align and merge his stroke with the domain's energy, unleashing a power far greater than normal!

But Zhao Changhe hid this completely, maintaining his strained, suppressed facade.

Under the observation of his Eye Behind the Back, Sisi's expression had remained bizarre throughout. One must never forget that his very first encounter with Sisi was defined by her attempt to control him; one must not assume this brief, recent rapport meant they were true friends.

In a dark and perilous place, one can never abandon caution against others.

He just had not expected that her scheme had already begun last night.

"Clang!" Zhao Changhe unleashed all his pent-up frustration onto the sword guard before him. Saber and sword clashed violently, sending ripples of energy cascading outward like a tempest from all directions!

The sword guard, wounded by Tang Wanzhuang's blade, had long lost the staggering sword intent it possessed upon first emerging, yet its strength remained incredibly formidable; Zhao Changhe was thrown back several zhang, sliding backward as the soles of his shoes dragged long marks upon the ground.

A sharp pain stung his shoulder and cheek, the result of the opponent's stray sword qi grazing him during that single collision.

Too strong... despite thousands of years of eroded power, a neck wound inflicted by Tang Wanzhuang, and an onslaught from a surrounding array of terracotta sword-wielders, the guard's hurried, desperate parry still carried such immense force... If it had been at its peak in the ancient past, what heights of power would it have commanded? And this was merely what Sisi called a "subordinate guard"!

None of this was the true issue; the greatest problem was that Zhao Changhe could tell Tang Wanzhuang did not dare to kill this guard... Otherwise, given her immense strength, even with her power suppressed by the sword domain, that previous strike to the neck should theoretically have finished it instantly. Instead, she was merely restraining and weakening it.

She feared that slaying the guard would anger the imperial mausoleum, causing everything to spiral completely out of control. This was likely why good people always suffered losses before the wicked... weighed down by too many misgivings, their hands and feet bound.

Yet this corpse-turned guard possessed a body as hard as steel; conventional methods could no longer defeat or restrain it without taking its life. Their only option was a slow war of attrition, grinding down its strength until it returned to slumber.

Sisi must have realized all of this long ago... What she wanted was for everyone to be bogged down, making her journey to claim the so-called "Sword Seal" nothing short of an effortless theft.

The location of the Sword Seal was not particularly distant. In the time they had been entangled here, Sisi had already secured it and was making her way back.

"Clack!" Zhao Changhe delivered a diagonal slash, deflecting the guard's blade, while Tang Wanzhuang thrust once more into its chest. Like winding vernal waters, her sword qi coiled and bound, effectively anchoring the guard to the spot.

Countless terracotta figures swarmed forward, pinning the sword guard firmly in place.

In the very next instant, as if by unspoken agreement, Zhao Changhe and Tang Wanzhuang turned their weapons simultaneously, launching a synchronized strike toward Sisi at the end of the passage.

Sisi let out a soft sigh and suddenly raised the Sword Seal aloft.

"Swish, swish, swish!" As if responding to an imperial decree, countless terracotta figures dashed out from the left and right, completely barricading the entrance to the passage.

Not only that, but the figures who had been pinning down the sword guard also surged forward, blocking off the rear as well.

Sisi sighed from behind her terracotta wall. "The Sword Emperor has not been provoked into awakening, so nothing catastrophic has happened... It will not be difficult for you to break through these figures and escape; there is no real danger left. I shall find another path to depart, and we need never meet again. Must you really break the formation right this moment to hunt me down, fighting to the bitter end?"

Zhao Changhe said coldly, "Is that your excuse for plotting against us? All for a single Sword Seal?"

"Do you know what this Sword Seal represents?" Sisi sighed. "Aside from his core ultimate techniques, the vast majority of the Sword Emperor's profound insights are gathered here. It can virtually be considered the supreme compendium of the world's swordplay."

Zhao Changhe retorted, "Who are you trying to fool? This is still not the main tomb chamber, only the outer perimeter. Why would such a treasure be left out here?"

"I understand the people of the last era better than you do... Before his death, he could not be certain if he would ever reincarnate. Unwilling to let his heritage vanish, creators always leave a legacy for a fated successor in a relatively simple outer area. So long as one passes the Sword Slave's trial and obtains the Sword Seal, they become his disciple of the sword. It is just that the true core techniques would never be given so casually; one must thoroughly master what the Sword Seal imparts, then venture deeper in the future, passing various tests to truly become the Sword Emperor's heir."

Recalling the Azure Dragon Seal, Zhao Changhe knew Sisi spoke the truth; those ancients did indeed handle their legacies quite simply, relying mostly on destiny. If it were too difficult to acquire, then only a top-tier powerhouse could obtain it, and such a person might not value the inheritance as much. These legacy items were inherently designed for descendants who were not yet overwhelmingly strong.

It was only a pity that Sisi was not Chichi.

Seeing his silence, Sisi sighed once more. "We did not know what trial the Sword Slave would present; perhaps it wasn't even about defeating it. In any case, I am no swordswoman, so passing such a test was virtually impossible. Not to mention we didn't dare kill the Sword Slave for fear of angering the mausoleum—was it not an unsolvable riddle? Theft was the only option. The moment I learned Sister Tang was coming inside, I knew there was a way... Sister Tang is far too powerful. Not only can she withstand the Sword Slave, but she possesses the flawless restraint to avoid dealing a fatal blow. It was absolute perfection. Thus, I slipped in here and arranged a few things in advance..."

Zhao Changhe said coldly, "You could have just discussed it with us directly."

Sisi smiled softly. "I believe that if it relied solely on your strength, you might have been willing to help, and perhaps you wouldn't even have contested the Sword Seal with me. But the Fiend Suppression Department represents public interest, and the heritage within the Sword Seal is of immense value to Great Xia; Sister Tang would never agree... Since I had to borrow her strength, the situation was already unresolvable, leaving me no choice but to play the villain... In truth, I have always been a shameless, thick-skinned little witch, haven't I?"

Zhao Changhe offered no response, his expression frigid.

"You can hate me, curse me, beat me, or kill me in the future, and I won't blame you. But Zhao Changhe, from the very moment you met me, these were the things I came for..." Sisi spoke in a faint, wistful tone. "Your stories are wonderful to listen to... Let me tell you mine now. Haven't you wanted to hear it for a long time?"

Zhao Changhe said, "Speak."

"Duan Yu is like me, yet he isn't. He ran away from home because he refused to learn martial arts, whereas I never lacked the desire to master my clan's arts of sorcery and poison; quite the contrary, I was the most outstanding disciple among my peers. But what of it? Gazing at the sky from the bottom of a well, stagnant and set in our ways, the moment visitors arrived from the forbidden lands, our entire clan knelt and pledged submission. They were even overjoyed, claiming we would receive the heritage of ancient gods, but as I knelt amidst the crowd, I felt nothing but shame."

Zhao Changhe and Tang Wanzhuang exchanged a glance, both remaining silent.

The sheer volume of information in those words was substantial, holding even deeper implications for Tang Wanzhuang to analyze.

"The people of the Divine Land were unaware of our existence, yet we discovered the gateway to your realm long ago, occasionally venturing out to procure goods. However, our clan is small, and our powerhouses are not necessarily stronger than those of the Divine Land. The elders strictly forbade using our clan's techniques outside to avoid leaving a trail or inviting trouble. Chiefly, they believed the martial arts of the Divine Land were merely in their infancy, lacking any value as a reference compared to the ways of our ancestors... But I believed otherwise."

"I reasoned that no matter how rudimentary the martial arts of the Divine Land might be, they already flourished in a hundred different schools, which is far better than closing oneself off. Besides, to determine if something has value, one must first understand it deeply rather than acting out of sheer, arrogant preconception. They claimed I was disrespecting our forebears and looking down upon ancestral arts." Sisi smiled radiantly. "And I replied, 'Indeed, are ancestral arts that reduce us to kneeling subjects and slaves truly so magnificent?'"

Zhao Changhe: "..."

"I had a massive argument with them, and in the end, we reached a pact. If I insisted on venturing to the Divine Land, I could, on two conditions: first, I must never reveal our clan's affairs or employ our secret arts; second, if I failed to bring back a martial discipline that could truly alter their convictions, I was never to return, forfeiting all rights of inheritance."

Zhao Changhe finally spoke: "So after you came out, you went so far as to take thieves as masters, consort with lascivious monks, and serve as a lowly maidservant... Just to avoid revealing the foundations of your cultivation, you willingly let me force you to your knees."

"A weak woman must know when to bend and when to stand. To avoid kneeling forever in the future, what does it matter if I put on an act once or twice? Besides, in your eyes, the one who knelt was the Flower-Plucking Heavenly Maiden, not me, Xiang Simeng." Sisi said charmingly, "And then there was that kiss to share breath... I am certain you possess a secret, one of boundless value to my people. What a pity that I was still foolishly bound by my vow back then and refrained from using my sorcery; otherwise, I would have extracted it long ago. Why would I have kissed you for nothing, only to be deemed wanton by Master even now..."

Zhao Changhe sighed. "Are you still on about that..."

"Hmph..." Sisi said in a sultry tone, "Let them call me wanton then. I have never learned your codes of propriety. My mouth is my own, and I shall use it however I please. If I suffer a loss, it is my own affair; what need have I for others to gossip? Though, looking back, if the partner is Master, it doesn't feel like much of a loss at all."

Tang Wanzhuang had remained silent until this moment, when she finally spoke: "Even if you take the Sword Seal back, does that truly fulfill your requirements? That too is a martial discipline of the last era, not of the Divine Land."

Sisi clicked her tongue twice. "Even the Chief Constable is so rigid. Is learning martial arts merely for the sake of learning martial arts? I sought the disciplines of the Divine Land to find a path away from submission and slavery. Since the Sword Seal can already accomplish this—and even offers the hope of deeper inheritances to follow—why must I persist in studying a hundred different schools?"

Tang Wanzhuang: "..."

Sisi continued, "Furthermore... this item proves that only the vast Divine Land holds boundless ruins, infinite variables, and inexhaustible paths of evolution, whereas that tiny mountainous domain of ours will forever remain a stagnant pond. What I need to prove is already sufficient to spark a revolution within my clan; it isn't as if I actually came here to be a Jiumozhi."

At this point, she smiled sweetly once more. "Perhaps because I learned how to act, I immerse myself too deeply. Whenever Master tells a story, I always end up feeling like every character is me, which makes Master so furious he wants to thrash me... But there is at least one major character I have never assumed before. I might as well do so now, as my way of apologizing."

A foreboding premonition welled up in Zhao Changhe's heart. "Who are you going to play this time?"

Sisi laughed delightfully. "Duan Yanqing, the one who locked Duan Yu and Mu Wanqing in a dungeon and drugged them with aphrodisiacs. I truly am a wicked soul, after all."

Unbeknownst to them, a pink mist had drifted into the passage. With her words, it grew denser and thicker, and a heart-stirring, restless heat instantly surged through the depths of their souls.

Beyond the shroud of mist, Sisi's fading sighs drifted away. "Do you know why I triggered the tremors ahead of time? I feared that if I kept playing and jesting with you, I would never be able to steel my heart to do evil again. I truly loved listening to your stories... What a pity that when we meet next, I wonder if you will strike me down with a palm to my chest..."