Chapter 18: Winter Solstice

Chapter 18 Winter Solstice

Looking at the iron bar in his hand, and then at the sweat on Zhao Changhe's forehead in the depth of winter, Instructor Sun knew in his heart just how much arduous effort this young man had put in for this single blade strike. This was not a matter of talent; over these past twenty-odd days, apart from eating, sleeping, and occasionally slipping out for a bath, this fellow had spent every single waking moment practicing his martial arts.

He had only drifted off once, and after that, he punished himself by repeating the movement three thousand times.

Such an attitude was something Instructor Sun had never seen in all his years of leading so many cultists and bandits... It felt as though a tiger were chasing him from behind, forcing him to run for his absolute life.

In a mere twenty days, a person's appearance should not have changed much, save for the appearance of a bit more dark, blue stubble, yet one could distinctly feel that Zhao Changhe's face had grown increasingly resolute and steady, a sharp glint faintly hidden within his eyes, occasionally flashing with a fierce and ruthless aura.

The muscles on his body had also become more solid, his physique defined and magnificent, brimming with a masculine aesthetic.

The aesthetic of the mountain stronghold was exactly like this, and with that scar on his face which highlighted a fierce, manly flavor, Zhao Changhe was practically the universally recognized number one handsome man in the Beimang Stronghold...

Conversely, that fellow surnamed Luo in his room was not held in high regard by everyone, looking rather like a pretty boy. If not for the fact that he lived with Zhao Changhe, someone might have tried to harass him by now; naturally, no one dared to do so now, though there were whispers in the dark that he was Boss Zhao's private pet, and that they had likely played around long ago.

Because almost every bandit in the stronghold who refused to submit to Zhao Changhe had been beaten thoroughly, including a few old cultists who had come looking to bully people; in any case, even if someone higher up looked for trouble, Instructor Sun would back him up. This fellow had now become a little tyrant swaggering through the novice village, surrounded by a gang of henchmen.

Because of such matters, he had not only learned the saber but also a bit of hand-to-hand brawling, since internal fights could not always involve drawn blades.

Look at the wine gourd at his waist... nowadays he did not even need Luo Qi to exchange wine for him, it was filled every day with wine offered by his lackeys—unlike him, others were not wanted criminals who could not step out the door, so they would naturally go to play in the city, and if they lacked money, there were plenty who would con, abduct, cheat, or rob. By now, the only one who might not have left the mountain was Zhao Changhe alone.

Watching him at this moment, throwing back his head to drink in excitement because he had successfully passed the assessment, he already possessed quite a bit of a heroic and formidable air.

Instructor Sun deeply admired such a man in his heart, their temperaments fitting perfectly: "Changhe, it is about time. Go back tonight and try to break through the first layer of the Blood Fiend Cultivation, to see if you can advance to the First Heavenly Layer. The essential points have already been taught to you, and I believe you remember them."

Zhao Changhe cupped his fists in excitement: "I remember."

"This medicine will aid your breakthrough." Instructor Sun handed over a pill with deep meaning: "Go on, I hope that starting tomorrow, you can begin learning the Blood Fiend Saber."

...

"Yo, handsome man, little tyrant, you're back?"

Upon returning to the room, Luo Qi was there early today, ostentatiously dusting off a chair and inviting Zhao Changhe to sit like a sycophant.

Zhao Changhe sat down with a broad, imposing stride and let out a laugh: "What good thing have you run into again? Tell me so I can enjoy it too."

"How do you know it's a good thing? It might just be a bad one."

"You only play around when you're in a good mood; when you're in a bad mood, your face drops as if I owe you eight million, how could I not understand you?" Zhao Changhe untied the wine gourd from his waist and poured wine for Luo Qi: "Come, come, come, someone gave me this today, this wine has a real kick."

"Are you saying the wine I buy for you doesn't have enough kick?"

Zhao Changhe gritted his teeth: "El-der Se-nior Bro-ther!"

The meaning was to stop acting like a woman with him, he wanted a male template, he begged of him.

"Hmph." Luo Qi threw a minor tantrum in words, his eyes rolling over the wine gourd, yet the corners of his mouth held a trace of a smile.

He did not care whose wine filled the gourd, but that wine gourd had always been the one she gave him that day, the most common and cheapest gourd, never once exchanged.

"What good thing could there be?" Luo Qi let out a cold snort: "I heard people gossiping again that I am your private pet, is it fun? Damn it, how can this place be like this? We are clearly both men, how can they think of that kind of thing?"

Zhao Changhe lowered his head to sip his wine.

What does this count as? You haven't entered the book club chats of the modern world, otherwise there would be even more.

"Furthermore, on what grounds does a brute like you count as a handsome man?" Luo Qi patted the table in resentment: "Look in the mirror, are you worthy?"

Zhao Changhe said honestly: "I looked this morning, and I woke up from being so handsome."

Luo Qi: "?"

You looked at a hammer this morning, clearly when you woke up I was lying in the crook of your shoulder, and upon waking you even flung me aside with a single pull.

Bandit!

Zhao Changhe also quickly remembered that his actions this morning did not seem entirely proper, and hastily changed the subject: "Today is the Winter Solstice, a festival, is there any festive arrangement?"

Luo Qi hesitated to speak.

You ask me what the arrangement is for the festival? Am I your wife?

What infuriated her most was that she