Chapter 31: Summer Sun In The Sky

Chapter 31 Summer Sky Soaring

When he saw Fang Buping, the man was in a room thick with the smell of medicine, sealed tight against the wind, his face pale and wretched. Yet his days were spent in comfort, lounging in the soft, fragrant arms of a maidservant who fed him medicine spoonful by spoonful, while another maid fanned a brazier, keeping the room warm and cozy.

Around him were a few cult followers, likely his trusted lieutenants, drinking warm wine on the side and laughing with maidservants in their arms.

From the look of it, even when uninjured, his life was much the same. So Instructor Sun’s words rang true: once you reach a certain rank, you might not train as hard.

Zhao Changhe walked in with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting: “How is the helmsman’s health?”

Fang Buping lifted his head weakly from the maidservant’s embrace, a flicker of dark envy flashing in his eyes.

He was truly furious. Not only had Luo Zhenwu’s merits been stolen, but the credit for the treasure had also fallen into these two’s hands, highlighting his own incompetence—as if they were deliberately opposing him. He knew that Zhao Changhe’s so-called backing might not amount to much, but he couldn’t bully him openly either; who knew if the future saintess would seek revenge? Yet he couldn’t help himself.

Damn it, even that so-called backing had risen overnight by snatching the treasure from him.

Such was the burn of jealousy.

He dared not do anything drastic, but he could make trouble with supplies and funds, watching Zhao Changhe scramble in distress—what could he do?

Seeing Zhao Changhe visit with polite concern, Fang Buping forced a smile: “Not dead yet. Fort Master Zhao…”

“Here.”

“You’re under a wanted notice, and you left your post without permission to sneak into the city. If this brings trouble to our sect’s missionary work, can you bear the responsibility?” Fang Buping said slowly. “But considering you were once an ignorant villager and then a bandit, I’ll let it slide this time. In the future, report and seek approval more often—don’t act on your own.”

Beside him, Wang Dashan’s heart nearly leaped into his throat, fearing Zhao Changhe would lose his temper and start a fight.

Surrounded by a crowd of Blood God cultists, if he killed someone, they’d all be hacked to death here.

But Zhao Changhe just chuckled casually: “Ignorant villagers and bandits—there are plenty of them.”

Fang Buping’s expression shifted slightly, realizing that Xia Chichi and Zhao Changhe shared the same background. Mocking Zhao Changhe like this was little different from insulting Xia Chichi to her face. Even setting aside the backing, slandering the saintess would get him skinned alive if the Four Symbols Sect found out.

With that in mind, he quickly put on a smile: “Still, you should read more. You haven’t studied much of the sect’s scriptures, have you? Since you’re here, take a few volumes back to study.”

“That’s a must,” Zhao Changhe said warmly. “Besides the scriptures, I’d also like to borrow some history books. Oh, and about our sect’s lightness skill—am I eligible to learn it now?”

“We’re all brothers in the sect, so of course you are.” Fang Buping, momentarily cowed, didn’t dare stir up more trouble. He waved a hand listlessly: “Liu Zi, take our guest to the study. For lightness skill, give him the ‘Blood Flight Without Trace.’ For the scriptures and histories, pick as you see fit.”

The cultist who had led Zhao Changhe in gestured: “Fort Master, this way.”

Zhao Changhe nodded with a smile: “Thanks, brother.”

Wang Dashan watched in disbelief. Was this really Zhao Changhe?

Wait, weren’t you here for supplies and funds? Now you’re acting all friendly, not even mentioning money—how do you plan to pull this off?

The so-called study was just next to the bedroom. Zhao Changhe followed the cultist inside and looked over the bookshelves. The door was left open, and Fang Buping could still see his back from afar.

Fang Buping glared darkly at Zhao Changhe’s silhouette, then glanced at Wang Dashan, asking coldly: “Zhao Changhe risked the wanted notice to come into the city—what’s he really here for?”

Wang Dashan shivered under his icy stare. He dared not defy the helmsman, so he forced a fawning smile: “Our fort is out of supplies and funds…”

“I see.” Fang Buping sneered.

He couldn’t easily sabotage matters of scriptures and martial arts, but the allocation of the branch’s supplies and funds was entirely the helmsman’s decision. No one could argue with that. If Zhao Changhe dared to ask, he’d make sure Zhao Changhe hit a wall.

He said flatly: “You’re Wang Dashan?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Report more of the fort’s affairs to the branch… Remember, anyone can be fort master…”

Wang Dashan’s eyes lit up with greed, and he smiled ingratiatingly: “I… I hope the helmsman will look after me.”

Fang Buping smiled and closed his eyes, saying nothing.

Zhao Changhe, who seemed to be browsing the bookshelves, curled his lips into a grin.

Not everyone was like Luo Qi—this Wang Dashan was utterly unreliable.

“Fort Master Zhao, will these do?” Liu Zi handed over a stack of books.

Zhao Changhe flipped through them, mainly glancing at the one called “Blood Flight Without Trace,” and smiled: “Enough, thanks, brother.”

He strolled out with the books in hand, as if just remembering something, and said to Fang Buping: “I also have an important matter to discuss with the helmsman.”

Fang Buping said flatly: “What is it?”

“I’ve heard from older brothers in the sect that our holy sect values martial prowess above all, and internal positions can be decided by challenge—as long as it’s open and witnessed. Is that correct?”

Fang Buping was momentarily puzzled: “The sect does have that rule.”

Then he realized and laughed: “Fort Master Zhao isn’t thinking of challenging me, is he? Sect rules don’t allow taking advantage of a wounded man—otherwise, chaos would reign. If that’s your intent, we can discuss it in a few months.”

“No, no, I have some dignity. How could I challenge someone who can’t even get out of bed?” Zhao Changhe’s smile slowly faded, and he raised his voice: “But I’m quite interested in the position of vice helmsman in charge of supplies and funds. With all the brothers here as witnesses, and Helmsman Fang as the judge, I, Zhao Changhe, challenge the vice helmsman. Do you dare accept?”

The surrounding cultists all changed expression, and Wang Dashan’s face went pale.

This Zhao Changhe…

Though the elites had withdrawn, a vice helmsman was still at the second level of the Xuan Pass. Zhao Changhe had only been training for a little over a month, and word was he’d just broken through the first level of the Xuan Pass a dozen days ago. They all practiced the same Blood Fiend Art, with no suppression from superior techniques—where did he get the guts?

Brave, truly brave.

But even if he won this challenge, wasn’t he afraid the helmsman would make his life hell once he recovered? Why be so stubborn when you’re under someone’s thumb?

Fang Buping stared at Zhao Changhe like he was an idiot for a long moment, then coughed and laughed painfully: “Hey, Old Huang, did you hear that? Fort Master Zhao wants to challenge you. I’ll be the witness—do you accept?”

A burly man who had been lounging with a maidservant stepped forward, grinning: “Since Fort Master Zhao has such an interest, I’ll gladly play a few rounds with him, haha…”

Zhao Changhe stood calm, holding his long blade reversed, and saluted with cupped fists: “Please instruct me, Vice Helmsman Huang.”

Vice Helmsman Huang drew a heavy steel blade and laughed: “Don’t say I’m bullying a junior—I’ll let you have three moves, how about that?”

Zhao Changhe’s eyes lit up at the sight of the heavy blade. He was about to speak when a golden light flashed overhead.

Everyone paused and looked up at the sky.

Sure enough, a new entry from the Book of Chaos descended:

“Twelfth month, Minor Cold. Xia Chichi, at the fifth level of the Xuan Pass, trod the Azure Dragon’s pool, grasped the White Tiger’s edge, fought alone against twenty-eight cultists of the same level in the Four Symbols Sect, shattered the Twenty-Eight Mansions Formation, shaking the entire sect.”

“Hidden Dragon List updated.”

“Hidden Dragon Thirteen: Xia Chichi.”

“Summer sky soaring—why so late?”

The room fell silent. Fang Buping and the others stared at the sky in shock, unable to speak for a long time.

They had guessed Xia Chichi would become the saintess, but they never expected her to be this monstrous—with only a fifth-level Xuan Pass cultivation, she had landed directly at number thirteen on the Hidden Dragon List, leaving behind many at the sixth or seventh level. That meant the Book of Chaos judged that her achievement was beyond what those at higher levels could accomplish, or that their own feats were less impressive.

If she trained further and reached the eighth or ninth level…

Not just the Four Symbols Sect—the whole world would be shaken!

Zhao Changhe sighed softly.

She was a woman who trained even while resting and sleeping… She was never meant to be obscure; she should have risen long ago.

Summer sky soaring—why so late?

He withdrew his gaze, his blade tip trembling slightly, and chuckled: “Vice Helmsman Huang, no need for that cautious look… Zhao Changhe has his own long blade; I don’t live off a woman. Forget the three moves—but I do fancy that blade of yours. How about a wager?”