Chapter 220: Traveling Together With Yi Fire Snake

Chapter 220: Winged Fire Snake Travels Together

Having blocked Wang Daozhong’s way, Zhuque looked in the direction Zhao Changhe had ridden off and sighed softly.

She truly wanted to follow and observe all the way, but it was a bit difficult.

Not only because of the issue of Zhuque’s identity being unsuitable... but because she had a normal identity beneath the mask, and could not disappear for too long, so even switching to Winged Fire Snake to follow was hard to manage.

Actually, Zhuque knew that under normal circumstances, Wang Daozhong would not act personally—having the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Cui family verify that he was the killer would also be troublesome. So Wang Daozhong was probably just coming out to oversee matters, not necessarily to strike himself. But how could Zhuque take that risk? Her first reaction was to drive him back first.

Yet driving him back was only temporary; once she left, he could continue. If Wang Daozhong truly threw caution to the wind, disregarding his dignity as a figure on the Earth Ranking to attack Zhao Changhe, what then?

Forget it, she still had to follow, especially since he was heading north now, and Xuanwu was also in the north. She might as well go find Xuanwu.

As for her real identity... she had to go back first to show her face and make some arrangements. Actually, she was also heading north, so it was on the way.

Zhao Changhe hesitated slightly, slowing his horse’s pace. After traveling for less than half a cup of tea, a gust of wind swept past behind him.

Turning his head, he saw not Zhuque, but Winged Fire Snake...

Zhao Changhe found it normal enough—Zhuque would not have the leisure to follow him all the time; that would be abnormal. “Little Snake, has the Venerable finally decided to let you interact with me more?”

Zhuque was quite speechless. “Who are you calling Little Snake? I’m older than you.”

“Calling you Little Snake is at least somewhat cute. Should I call you Old Snake instead? Or how about you give me your real name? We’re so familiar now, who’s who anyway.”

Zhuque said irritably, “Whatever.”

“That’s your real name? Then... Little Pee?”

Zhuque kicked out, sweeping toward his waist.

Zhao Changhe leaned back on the horse, and the whip-like leg swept past his face, a fragrant breeze brushing the tip of his nose.

Originally, Zhao Changhe had deliberately tried to tease her, reaching to grab that leg... but he found it faster than expected, and grabbed only air.

A hint of amusement flickered in Zhuque’s eyes. You?

So you really dared to flirt with me.

Watching Zhao Changhe grab at air with a look of disbelief, Zhuque said leisurely, “I, Winged Fire Snake, am after all one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions. Did you really think I was some garden snake? Trying to flirt with me—save it. If I go back and file a report, never mind the Venerable, even the Saintess would probably bite you to death.”

Zhao Changhe said gloomily, “Just a joke. Look how tense you are.”

“We’ve only met twice, and you don’t even know what I look like, yet you still try to flirt with me.” Zhuque said leisurely, “I don’t understand why the Saintess is so deeply infatuated with a lecher like you. It makes no sense. Well, I’m here to learn about your flaws, and I’ll report everything to the Saintess so she can see your true face.”

“No need to trouble yourself. I’m full of flaws from head to toe.”

“Like now, sitting arrogantly on your horse while I walk beside you?”

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh. “Then why don’t you get on?”

“In your dreams.”

“Fine.” Zhao Changhe dismounted and led the horse, walking alongside her. “Since you won’t get on, I feel it’s impolite to ride.”

Zhuque tilted her head to look at him. “So do you think having me along is a burden?”

“To be honest, a little.”

Beneath her mask, Zhuque’s brows knitted, her eyes turning hostile.

Without me helping you, you’d have been killed by Wang Daozhong! And you call me a burden!

But then Zhao Changhe continued, “Sometimes people are quite contradictory... I love riding alone, the freedom of solitary battle across three thousand miles, but I also fear that loneliness. Having someone to travel with isn’t bad, whether male or female, regardless of strength.”

Zhuque actually believed this. Zhao Changhe was clearly a straightforward person who liked making friends, though he had few friends because he didn’t think highly of many people, not because he enjoyed solitude.

For instance, at the Wang family banquet, where many hidden dragons gathered, the only one he could drink with was Situ Xiao.

Zhao Changhe added, “So it would be better if you were a man. At least then riding together wouldn’t involve so much fuss. Then you wouldn’t be a burden.”

Zhuque laughed. “Was that how it was with the Saintess back then?”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback.

Oh, right.

Back when Luo Qi was still a “man,” it was indeed much more relaxed. After suspecting she was a woman, things became awkward.

Zhao Changhe also suddenly laughed. “Actually, many things depend on how you think about them. When Yue Hongling and I rode together back then, it was perfectly natural, neither of us felt awkward.”

Zhuque snorted. “If you hadn’t tried to flirt with her the moment you met, riding together would indeed be no big deal. Jianghu men and women traveling together, why so many taboos? But your heart is dirty, so even normal things become dirty.”

“You’re right, I got carried away.” Zhao Changhe said, “In that case, I’ll be proper now. Please, miss, get on the horse? You sit behind me, and I won’t touch you.”

Zhuque said, “If I sit behind you, aren’t you afraid I’ll ambush you?”

Zhao Changhe smiled. “You don’t need to. If the Four Symbols Sect really wanted to kill me, the Venerable Zhuque would have done it several times already. When would it ever be your turn to ambush me? Get on.”

With that, he mounted the horse and patted its back as a gesture.

Zhuque didn’t hesitate and gracefully leaped onto the horse, sitting behind him.

In her eyes, Zhao Changhe was like a child—there was no need for all that fuss.

Zhao Changhe also felt much more at ease. He reined in the horse and said with a laugh, “If we’re talking about burdens, there’s actually another thing.”

Zhuque was startled. “What?”

“If you’re unwilling to show your true face, at least change your mask, or use disguise or something... Wearing a Winged Fire Snake mask all over the world—not to mention it’s inconvenient for me, aren’t you afraid the righteous sects will cause trouble for your Four Symbols Sect? You normally live with your real faces, only wearing masks to represent your sect when there’s important business. What is this now?”

Zhuque thought to herself that this was true, but unfortunately, she really couldn’t show her true face, nor did she know Sisi’s marvelous disguise techniques. She could only consider changing to a mask unrelated to the Four Symbols Sect. Actually, who wears a mask on the street normally? That would be just as strange.

Seeing her silent, Zhao Changhe roughly guessed what she was thinking and laughed. “Then change the mask?”

“Mm.”

“Let’s go buy a mask.” Zhao Changhe laughed heartily and sped up the horse. “Hold tight!”

The black steed neighed loudly and instantly accelerated into a gallop.

Behind him, he saw that the “Winged Fire Snake’s” body was extremely steady. With this sudden acceleration, she didn’t even lean back slightly, and he felt there was no point in suddenly reining in to make her lurch forward.

Zhao Changhe was a bit puzzled.

He hadn’t thought this was Zhuque—the voice was different, even the scent was different, and more importantly, he had never imagined that the lofty Zhuque in his mind would pull such a trick. But in his original conception, Winged Fire Snake was at the level of Wan Dongliu, around the sixth or seventh level of the Xuan Pass. Since she wasn’t on the Hidden Dragon List, even if she were at the same level, her actual skill should be far inferior to Wan Dongliu’s.

But that whip-like kick just now, combined with this body control, made her seem like a top-tier expert.

He couldn’t help asking, “Hey, what’s your cultivation level?”

Zhuque said leisurely, “Ninth level of the Xuan Pass.”

“Damn!” Zhao Changhe said angrily, “With this level, you tell me, ‘Which ranking list has ever seen me, Winged Fire Snake?’”

His voice was somewhat blurred by the wind rushing past, and it was clear he had thought he was bringing a little burden only to find himself the burden. Zhuque found it amusing. “But I really haven’t been on any list. Mm, the ones you Hidden Dragon List people challenge across levels are people like me—your stepping stones to fame. So pitiful...”

“I don’t hear any pity in your tone. You’re clearly mocking me.”

“You originally thought you were bringing a Cui Yuanyang, but found it was a Yue Hongling. You wanted to be the big brother, but in an instant became the little brother.” Zhuque said leisurely, “But the Venerable sent me to follow you mainly for protection. Otherwise, if you died, that strange celestial phenomenon would be hard to explain, and the Venerable wouldn’t be able to sleep. Did you really think it was to get to know you? Don’t flatter yourself.”

“If Wang Daozhong really comes to kill me, even you can’t protect me.” Zhao Changhe muttered with a sour face, then fell silent, riding with his head down.

Zhuque couldn’t be bothered to argue either, and remained silent, leisurely enjoying the wind of the gallop behind him.

This feeling of riding through the spring fields with a young man was unexpectedly rejuvenating.

The wind rustled past her ears, very pleasant.

It has been many years since I last traveled with such carefree ease... Every journey before was for urgent matters of the sect, my steps hurried, my brow steeped in hostility, and every move I made was meant to wound.

What a pity—the mask upon my face blocked the wind, so I could perceive nothing at all, as if it were a hollow experience.

In this life, wherever I go, I wear a mask, no matter the guise.