Chapter 236: Heading North

Chapter 236: Heading North

Zhao Changhe had no idea why the young lady, who had been in such a tender and intimate mood just moments ago, suddenly flew into a rage.

The atmosphere had been so charged that their lips were almost touching—just a hair's breadth away.

Then she clamped her hand over his piggy snout and beat him until his head was covered in bumps.

Zhao Changhe, feeling wronged, crouched down with his head in his hands, adopting a defensive posture: "What's gotten into you, hitting me all of a sudden..."

Vermilion Bird couldn't explain her own sudden outburst either, so she simply resorted to unreasonableness: "Not happy about it? If you've got the guts, beat me first. A weak little brother like you just has to put up with being bullied, got it?"

Zhao Changhe peeked at her from behind his hands: "You mean, if I could beat you, we'd have a piggy snout collision?"

"Ha!" Vermilion Bird crossed her arms with a sneer: "If you could beat me, big sister would take off her mask and let you have it. Think you've got what it takes?"

"I don't trust your bets anymore."

"Believe it or not!" Vermilion Bird puffed out her cheeks, grabbed him by the ear, and yanked him up: "Stop playing pitiful. We need to go. How long do you plan to loaf around in this shabby inn?"

"Uh..." Zhao Changhe thought to himself, if you hadn't suddenly gone crazy, we could have loafed around for one more sweet night.

But really, it was time to leave.

Coming to Sword Lake City was mainly to see if the celestial book could analyze some of the ancient scenes in the sword chamber. Now it seemed there were no scenes, but quite a bit of sword intent had been analyzed, though there was no chance to delve into it yet. Still, at least now he didn't need to take it out to look; he could ponder it whenever he had time.

The original purpose of coming to Sword Lake City hadn't been fulfilled, but he had unexpectedly dispelled the rumors and helped the Four Symbols Sect root out a traitor. It was a fruitful harvest, and he could indeed leave now. What was he staying for? To compete with Sha Qi for the city lord position?

Staying longer would only bring danger...

Vermilion Bird was also saying: "Our entry into the city was abrupt. The Wang family's pursuers or the Listening Snow Pavilion haven't found your trail. Yan Lianping secretly notified them, but only Qin Ruhui managed to arrive in time. Logically, a stronger one should be here soon, maybe even Wang Daozhong himself. Staying longer would be very dangerous."

She paused here, then snorted coldly: "If it weren't for me being by your side, Yan Lianping wouldn't have hesitated to kill you the first chance he got. It was me who protected you, and you say you helped me..."

"Yes, yes, yes." Zhao Changhe laughed and cried as he took her hand: "Good big sister, keep protecting me."

As soon as he finished speaking, both of them froze at the same time, then simultaneously looked down at their joined hands.

Vermilion Bird had no idea why she hadn't even thought to dodge, only realizing something was wrong after he had already grasped her hand.

Because he was so natural about it?

Zhao Changhe also realized that this was probably the first time he had held this young lady's hand, yet why did it feel so natural...

He had to admit, in this martial arts fantasy world, having inner energy was just cheating. In the real world, a young lady who wielded swords and knives would have rough hands, but here it was different. Whether it was Chi Chi or this one, their hands were boneless and smooth as silk...

"Bang!" While he was still savoring the moment, Vermilion Bird finally reacted and viciously threw him over her shoulder: "Lecher, go to hell!"

"Damn..." Zhao Changhe clutched his lower back: "It was just holding hands. Aren't you supposed to be a Jianghu wanderer? And you call yourself a seductress..."

"Does being a seductress mean I have to let you touch my hand?" Vermilion Bird crouched down and said in a honeyed voice: "Should I go out and hold someone else's hand?"

"How dare you!"

"Clang!" A stack of unknown books from the table crashed down on Zhao Changhe's head: "To me, I'm a seductress; to others, I'm a saintess, right? Go to hell!"

Zhao Changhe twitched a couple of times and lay still.

"Stop playing dead. Before nightfall, we need to get out of here!" Vermilion Bird grabbed him and lifted him up: "The Venerable ordered me to protect your safety, not to flirt with you!"

"Hold on." Zhao Changhe sighed and got up: "I need to write a letter to Chief Tang first."

Vermilion Bird's mood soured instantly. She glanced at him sideways: "Just to report about Wei Zicai? You're such a diligent little spy."

"No, this rumor thing can't be limited to just this area. It should be spreading in multiple places. The court should have enough experience and resources to handle such incidents. I need her to deal with it. This is the most important gain from coming to Sword Lake..."

Vermilion Bird fell silent. Although she was annoyed watching him write to Tang Wanzhuang, she knew this matter was urgent.

But the more she watched, the more irritated she became.

Back then, when he stabbed Luo Zhenwu to death, he was on the opposite side of Tang Wanzhuang. He was clearly on my side first.

"Forget it." Vermilion Bird pouted: "I'll also write to the Venerable. The Four Symbols Sect will help you handle the rumors. Our hidden forces span the world. Don't think only Tang Wanzhuang can help you!"

Zhao Changhe was taken aback: "Who are you sending to deliver the letter to the Venerable? The people in Pinghu Assembly are no longer trustworthy."

The Venerable has already received the letter, okay? Vermilion Bird stiffened her neck: "None of your business. Worry about yourself. The local Zhenmo Division isn't necessarily trustworthy either. Who are you sending to deliver the letter? Oh, by the way..."

She suddenly thought of the best excuse to detour to the capital: "I think Tang Wanzhuang probably won't stay long in the south. She's likely already back in the capital by now. Since you're heading north anyway, you might as well go to the capital and see her in person."

How could Zhao Changhe know that this wretch was just trying to get back to the capital to show her real face? Hearing this, he thought it made some sense: "You're right. Since we're heading north anyway, we might as well stop by the capital first."

Vermilion Bird had tricked him into going, but now she hesitated: "Are you... really suitable to go? Should you disguise yourself?"

Zhao Changhe smiled: "Just passing through to handle some business. If that stirs up reactions from all sides, it would be too extreme. Honestly, I don't like disguises. They're only convenient for specific tasks like investigations, not for living under a different identity. My parents gave me this face; it's not like I can't show it in public."

Vermilion Bird felt like an arrow had struck her masked knees, but she didn't refute.

If circumstances permitted, who wouldn't want to appear openly before others?

In the afternoon, the dark steed carried two pig heads straight out of Sword Lake City, galloping northward.

Less than half an hour after they left, a white-clad swordsman appeared like a ghost in the inn's courtyard. Frowning at the empty room, he quickly vanished.

A moment later, at the Kangle Gambling House.

"Zhao Changhe? Of course he's already left. Do you think he's stupid?" Sha Qi leaned back lazily in his chair: "Your Listening Snow Pavilion was too late this time. The game is over."

The white-clad swordsman said: "There was a last-minute change of personnel, which took some time. Same old rules, we buy information from you. Where did he go?"

Sha Qi laughed: "Sure, same old rules. One thousand taels."

The white-clad swordsman frowned: "Since when does information about someone at the fifth or sixth level of Xuan Pass cost a thousand taels?"

"Maybe you should ask yourselves: since when does someone at the fifth or sixth level require a top-fifty expert from the Human Ranking to handle? You've opened your secret treasury, bullying someone at the fifth or sixth level. Have you no shame?"

The swordsman was silent for a moment, then handed over a banknote: "One thousand taels it is."

"Easy, easy." Sha Qi's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile: "He went south."

The swordsman was taken aback: "South again? Didn't he just come from there?"

"That's the art of deception—the real in the false, the false in the real. If you could guess it, he wouldn't be Zhao Changhe. Anyway, I don't know the specifics. All I know is he went south, most likely to Hangzhou. Probably planning to stir up trouble at the Maitreya Sect's headquarters?"

The swordsman nodded, seemingly trusting the long-term partner's credibility, and vanished without another word.

Finally, someone nearby couldn't help but ask: "Young master, you..."

"What? Afraid we'll lose credibility? The south is vast. If he can't find him, that's his own incompetence. Nothing to do with us."

The subordinate thought to himself, you're... you can fool others, but are you fooling yourself?

In a few days, when Zhao Changhe makes a stir in the north, they'll obviously know they were duped. How can you lie like that? Isn't that the same as burning bridges?

The subordinate had to ask tactfully: "Why does the young master protect Zhao Changhe over an ally?"

Sha Qi said: "Because I want to watch the show."

"Huh?"

"They're heading north. Whether to the capital or Yanmen, everywhere is a stage for a grand drama. If the Listening Snow Pavilion cuts him down halfway, where would I find my entertainment?"

The subordinate was silent for a moment: "Young master, he almost choked you to death."

Sha Qi was stunned, then suddenly jumped up: "Where did that Ying Shuang go? Chase him north! I forgot!"

But where could a top-fifty assassin from the Human Ranking be found?